undermine the Church and the Church is never worse undermined then by such a forraigne enemy is dangerous but a domesticke is more dangerous when a mans enemie are in his family that man is in danger so when the Churches enemies are among themselves under the vizard of saints that is when men under pretence of setting up truth undermine truth under a pretence of holinesse undermine holinesse under pretence of religion undermine religion then the Church must needs be in great danger Act. 20.29 30. I know saith the Apostle after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in amongst you yea men amongst your selves shall arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them I pray marke amongst your selves the saints had need take heed of those amongst themselves Obj. If the Church be in such danger by reason of such Why doth God permit them in the Church Ans For the good of the Church First That such as are approved may be knowne 1 Cor. 11.19 There must be heresies that such as are approved may be knowne when hereticks who are accounted saints a long time goe about to undermine religion by broaching corrupt doctrine you shall soone see such as wanted sound hearts such as never received the truth in the love of it imbrace corrupt doctrine yea it may be Arianisme Arminianisme Pelagianisme Familisme and what not I tell you these are accounted precious truths amongst many hereticks in these dayes and God permits it that sound hearted Christians might bee discovered from those that are not so Secondly God permits such in the Church that the scriptures might be fulfilled Christ is a preclous stone to some and a stone of stumbling unto others 1 Pet. 2.7 8. It was ordained saith the Apostle that some should stumble at Iesus Christ and the lying signes and wonders and strange opinions of hereticks on the one side and their hypocrisies cause many to stumble at Jesus Christ and thus they fulfill the scriptures to their owne destruction Thirdly God permits it that sound Christians might looke to their owne hearts when our Saviour Christ said to his disciples One of you shall betray me every one was ready to begin at home Is it I Lord and Peter said Is it I So when the saints heare many amongst themselves in the Church seeme to be godly and yet are not many Judases many stony hearers many false brethren many that have knowledg and gifts and parts that are naught as Mat. 7.22 Many will in that day say Lord Have we not in thy name prophecyed and in thy name cast out devils and yet Jesus Christ will say depart I never knew you this will put Christians on to enquiry Is it I Oh I pray God it may not be I. And thus God permits it that sound Christians might look to their hearts Pro. 4.23 2 Vse Is for information It informes us that a bare profession is not enough to make a man a true Christian a man may be a glorious professor of religion and yet be damned as well as Judas yet it is very strange to see how people doe deceive themselves with this what sayes one I was baptized I keep my Church and pay every man his owne and we live under the Ordinances and can cry the Temple of the Lord as Ier. 7. But let me tell thee thou mayest doe all this and more too and yet be damned those in Mat. that prayed preached cast out devills wrought miracles in the name of Christ went further then thus and yet Jesus Christ will say to them Depart I know you not Iudas went further then thus and yet a damned wretch therefore take heed ye rest not in this I was baptized and I am a professor I keep my Church and pay every man his owne many a man hath gone further then so and yet been damned Abah was humbled and Herod heard Iohn Baptist gladly Nay saith our Saviour Luk. 13.24 Many shall seeke to enter in and shall not be able there may be many in hell that it may be have prayed oftener then thou been more exact in performing of family duties then thou hast beene that have tooke more paines in the wayes of God then thou hast done and yet have been damned and therefore take heed of resting in a bare profession of religion 3. Vse Exhortation Let us hence be exhorted To make sure we be none of those that are in the Church and yet are not of the Church we heare of some that seem to be saints and yet are none of many that have knowledge and parts and make a glorious profession and yet may be damned let it be our care to make sure we be none of them for their condition is worse then the condition of others for upon them shall these Scriptures be fulfilled he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow how doth he increase sorrow by not practising what he knew for it had beene better never to have knowne the way of God then after to turne from the holy Commandement 2 Pet. 2.21 Obj. But if it be so how shall I know I am none of these persons you speake of who seem to be saints and yet are not and by what rule should I judge another man to be a true childe of God Ans First Examine the foundation thou hast built upon a true beleever builds upon Christ the Rocke and therefore the gates of hell shall not prevaile against him there are a great many build upon their duties and profession and not upon Christ some upon their sweet conceits and fancied comforts in Christ but not upon Christ indeed but canst thou say thou dost truly beleeve in Jesus Christ that thou hast such a faith as was not of thine owne fancying but wrought by the mighty operation of the Holy Ghost Col. 2.11 such a faith as purifies the heart Act. 15.9 as workes by love Gal. 5.6 as is fruitfull in good workes James 2.26 Tit. 3.8 this is a good signe that thou art a true saint Secondly If thy heart be upright that is another good evidence if thy care be to approve thy heart to God rather then to the world thy conscience can witnesse as in the presence of God to thee that thou desirest that God might see thy heart upright rather then man should thinke it is upright and thou canst say with David Psal 139. Examine my reines and my heart and see if there be any way of wickednesse in me then this is another good signe thou art a true saint Thirdly Dost thou hold such sound principles as faints should do as the Apostle exhorts the saints in this Epistle To contend for the truth so do you stand up in defence of the truth against hereticks and heresies and do you lead such lives as faints should do viz. to live holily righteously and soberly Tit. 2.11 And canst thou say so far as thou knowest thine owne heart thou art at Gods command to goe when he bids thee go and come when he bids
THE DOOME OF HERETIQUES OR A discovery of subtle Foxes who were tyed tayle to tayle and crept into the Church to doe mischiefe As it was delivered in a Sermon at Wickham-Market in Suffolke upon the Fast day being the 26 of May. 1647. By Zeph Smyth Minister of Gods Word Take we the Foxes the little Foxes which destroy the vines for our vines have small grapes Cant. 2.15 For there are certaine men crept in which before were of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men they are which turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and deny God the only Lord and the Lord Iesus Christ Jude ver 4. Imprimatur Ia Cranford August 22. 1648. LONDON Printed for Iohn Rothwell at the Sunne and Fountaine in Pauls churchyard MDCXLVIII To the READER IT shall not need to seeme strange to us if the truth meet with opposition nothing happens in this kind but what the Apostle did long ago foretell That in the last days should come perillous times 2 Tim. 3.1 The times are perillous when the truth is opposed as verse the eighth the Father of errour and lyes and his Ministers also transforme themselves into Angels of Light that craftily they might undermine the truth and exalt errour Blessed is he that now keepeth his garments â—ut woe be to them that God out of a just judgement gives up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes that they might be damned which beleeve not the truth 2 Thes 2.11 because they received not the truth in the love of it It is not unknowne to many what opposition this ensuing Sermon met withall at the preaching of it some scoffed and the Sermon being ended a company which were at the High Constables house of the said Towne in the Sermon time came into the Congregation who with some others that heard the Sermon which belong to them made a disturbance in the Congregation calling the doctrine which was there delivered a doctrine of devils the said High Constable also with divers others in the Towne as I was credibly informed did scoffe at this doctrine saying it was not fit to be preached and threatned it should be contradicted in print and have ever since endeavoured to make the Author odious by inventing falshoods slanders and charging him with scandals falsly but to passe by this what was then opposed is now made publique that â—s I have peace of conscience in that I then delivered so also all Orthodox Ministers and people that shall peruse it may judge whether it be conâ—â—ary to Scripture or the judgement of the learned as Calvin Ursinus â—ucanus Peter Martyr Perkins with divers others whose labours the Lord hath abundantly blessed and made advantagious to the Church I calling to mind how duty binds me and the Oath of God lyes upon me to defend the truth against heresies and schismes and that I ought not to be ashamed of the Gospell of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 have adventured to owne my doctrine in a more publique place then Wickham-market Pulpit beeng fully assured that though men and devils should oppose the truth what they can yet at the length truth shall prevaile in the interim it is good to pray and wait It much behooves the Saints now so many of them as remaine stedfast and established in the faith which have not yet attained to this learning neither have knowne these depths of Satan to hold fast that which they have already Rev. 2.24 25. and to mourn for the sins of the times Did rivers of water run down Davids eyes because men kept not Gods laws Ps 119.136 and shall not we grieve to heare men deny the law and say it ought not to be preached Did David grieve because the wicked kept not Gods word Ps 119.158 and shall not we grieve to heare men deny the Scripture to be the word of God and say it repents them they have fasted and prayed and mourned so much for their sins how little doe these men and women consider that though a Christian should be out of all duty in respect of dependance yet they should be in al duty in respect of performance Our differences are not meerly about things circumstantiall but substantiall and the effects are very sad they tend to the devouring of one another to the making Religion odious to the world they keep off people from comming in to Iesus Christ they either discourage weak Christians or pervert them they hinder Christian communion and comfortable society one with another in stead of fasting and praying and mourning and seeking of God together and edifying one another in their most holy faith there are contentions strifes janglings hatred and is not this cause of mourning yea is not this one thing that provokes God to be at a controversie with us As if he should say to us as he did once to the Iewes Shall I not visit for these things In the day of the Lords wrath it is better to be found mourners in Sion then sinners in Sion therefore now should be the Saints praying time and morning-time even to give the Lord no rest untill he compose our differences and bring order out of our confusions Who alone is able to do it and without he do it none else can neither King nor Parliament nor Armies it is he must reconcile his people to himselfe and one to another The Lord is my witnesse that I have not put forth this Sermon out of bitternesse of spirit against them that differ from me or out of desire of applause having nothing to beast of my own except it be of my nothingnesse but to let the world judge of that doctrine which people were so much taken off from by the opposite party It is possible the lines may be offensive to many partly because the matter comes abroad in a plaine dresse and partly because it is so contradictory to mens fantasies to which I answer if God in his word cannot please all I must not looke to doe it I desire the Reader first to read and then judge if it may tell any a story of heaven it satisfies him who is yours in Christ Iesus Ze Smyth A Discoverie of the Churches Danger by seeming Friends Jude 4. For there are certaine men crept in which before were of old ordained to this Gondemnation ungodly men they are which turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and deny God the onely Lord and the Lord Jesus Christ THe Apostle Saint Iude in this Epistle gives the saints warning to take heed of seducers Such were crept into the Church as would delude them unawares who would not onely deny the truth themselves and turne the grace of God into wantonnesse but they would doe what in them lay to seduce others as it hath alwayes been the practice of heretiques when they have once ingaged themselves in the service of building up the kingdome of Satan by denying the truth and hearkening unto Satans lyes and delusions
these texts speake of such a world as it is impossible any of it should perish that is the world of the Elect this world of beleevers we read of Iohn 3.17 Christ came into the world not to condemne the world but that the world through him might be saved that is the world of beleevers as verse 16. That whosoever beleeve in him should not perish Fourthly There is the Reprobate world Ioh. 17.9 I pray for these I pray not for the world my kingdom is not of this world and I have chosen you out of this world Jo. 15.19 and 1 Io. 5.19 We know saith the Apostle we are of God the whole world lyes in wickednesse any understanding man may see that this world spoken of in these texts of Scripture is not meant that world which the other texts of scripture before alledged made mention of but that the other is the world of beleevers and these of the reprobate world Object 1 Tim. 2.4 Who will that all men should be saved Ans To expound a text of Scripture in opposition to another is the originall of many absurdities of what dangerous consequence would it be to delude poor soules and tell them Christ died for all for God would that all men should be saved and Christ gave himselfe a ransome for all in opposition to Rom. 9 18. Whom he will he hardeneth and verse 22. What if God will shew his wrath and in Ioh. 12.39 They could not beleeve for Esaias saith He hath blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts and Mat 20.16 Many are called but few chosen so that if we compare this with Rom 9.18 He hath mercy on whom he will it is plaine he will all men should be saved that is of all sorts not onely Jewes but Gentiles not onely rich but poore he will all should be saved that is all the Elect for As I live saith the Lord I delight not in the death of a sinner as in Eze. 18.23 32. But he will not all to be saved in respect of the force and efficacy of calling and justifying them this the Elect obtaine and the rest are hardened Rom. 11.7 And God is not bound to give grace unto them and inable them to beleeve he may say I made you able at the first to do what I required of you and he may justly destroy the creature if it doe not that which he made it able to do at the first Obj. But the promise of grare is universall An. To say that the promise of grace is universal is false yea contrary to Scripture Ge. 3.15 I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed speaking of the seed of the serpent the wicked and the seed of the woman the godly there is a promise of Christ to the godly but not to the wicked so see Gal 3.22 the Scripture hath concluded all under sinne that the promise of Jesus Christ might be given to them that beleeve if only to them that beleeve then the promise of grace is not universal without exception Ob. Ro. 11.32 God hath shut up all in unbelief that he might have mercy upon all Ans That is both Jewes and Gentiles the Scripture hath concluded all under sin that he might have mercy upon all that is not only upon the Jewes but upon the Gentiles but his meaning is not that all shall be saved for then he must contradict himselfe in verse the 5. ver 7. ver 8. and in Chap. 9. and Gal. 3.22 But will have mercy upon all that is all the Elect for we must not set this Scripture in opposition to others the word All in Scripture doth not alwayes meane the whole world all mankind without exception for to take the word all so generall in Scripture we may from other texts of Scripture prove that all shall be damned as easily as any can prove from this that all shal be saved as Psal 9.17 The wicked shall turne into hell and all nations that forget God take the word all generally and we may conclude all shall be damned for all have forgotten God and the text sayes The wicked shall turne into hell and all nations that forget God so Marke 16.16 He that beleeveth shall not be damned but this text Rom. 11 32. shewes that all are shut up in unbelief therefore according to that text in Mark all shall be damned so whereas he sayes That he might have mercy upon all in Pro. 1.26 he sayes That he will rejoyce at the destruction of the wicked not that God rejoyces at their ruine as it is a torment and vexation to his creature but as it is an execution of his justice can God save all and yet rejoyce at the destruction of the wicked therefore of necessity we must understand it that he might have mercy upon all that is upon all the Elect. Obj. He that taketh a sufficient ransome for all and yet doth not save all is unjust but God taketh a sufficient ransome for all and get doth not save all Ergo Ans The sufficiency of the ransome doth not bind God to apply it to all Shew me either where God is bound to it or hath ingaged himselfe in such a bond Suppose a thousand men were sold for bondslaves and ten thousand pounds demanded for their ransome out of Captivity and suppose one man should goe and ransome five of that thousand men and where as 10000. pounds is demanded for all he goe and pay a thousand times as much for the ransome of five as would have ransomed them all and his intent in paying such a vast summe of money above what was demanded was but the ransome of five and the intent of him that receives the money is to release but five Does the sufficiency of this ransome bind nim that receives it to release all the rest no verily So it is in this case all were lost in Adam and became bondslaves to sinne and Satan in such spirituall bondage and Captivity as no finite creature is able to pay the ransome Gods Law must be fulfilled and his Iustice satisfied None in Heaven or Earth could be found able to ransome lost mankind The Father he gave his Son to purchase a Ransome the Son of God he paid a ransome and he paid a Ransome so much greater then the offence that he paid that for a few that had been sufficient if it had been the will of God to have Ransomed not onely a World but a thousand Worlds and the Sons paying of it and the Fathers receiving of it was but for a few Does the sufficiency of this Ransome bind God to apply it to those for whom he did not receive it no it cannot be If a man that hath many debters will forgive one is he bound to forgive all God he payes the Ransome himselfe and is not bound to pay it for all nor to apply it to all Object If Christ have not redeemed all why doe you Ministers
offer Christ to all Answ Because it is unknowne to us who they be that God hath rejected they are knowne to God but they are not knowne to us And therefore in Christ's stead we beseech poore soules to be reconciled and offer Christ to all that will accept him upon Gospel termes but yet wee propound Christ upon such conditions as all have not viz. To the humble soule the hungry and thirsty soule Mal. 3.1 Ioh 7.37 And the weary and heavie laden soule Matth. 11.28 Use Did God of old ordaine some to condemnation This serves to condemne the generall Doctrine of the Prelates of late who when they had come in the Pulpit would say that we are all sinners but God in mercy hath given us a Saviour and so leave it but they would seldome come to a search of the conditions of their flocks by laying open their misery out of Christ and shewing them the absolute necessity of a Christ and acquaint them with the many rocks and dangers in the way to Heaven and cry downe their sinnes their Swearing drunkennesse uncleannesse Sabbath prophanation as the Prophet Isaias commands Isaah 8.1 Crie aloud spare not lift up thy voyce like a Trumpet shew my people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sinnes Nay did they not inhibit the Doctrine of Predestination to be taught in Churches under a pretext of driving men to despaire Seldome did we beare them reprove rebuke and exhort as 2 Tim. 4.2 It they did reprove and rebuke it was the people of God because they did not joyne with them in their wicked Designes And thus they would sad the hearts of the righteous and strengthen the hands of the wicked wheras it is the duty of a Minister to put a difference betwixt the holy and prophane at Ezek 44.23 And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and prophane and cause them to discerne between the uncleane and the cleane they ought to make such a difference as the people may discerne between the good and the bad to give to every one their portion comfort to whom it belongs and terrour to whom it belongs that they may shew themselves approved of God workmen that needeth not to be ashamed dividing the word of truth aright 2 Tim. 2.15 But alas whereas Ministers of the word should â—o burning and shining lights Ioh. 5.35 How many might we looke upon in England that neither burne in Doctrine nor shine in their conversation but are scandalous in their lives In stead of roproving sinne they would sweare and bee drunke and uncleane And who set worse examples in many Parishes then their Minister and when the Lordsday comes if they did preach it was to daube people with untempered morter crying Peace Peace when they should have cryed sudgement and damnation but oh How sad will their account be at the great day where the bloud of their flocks shall be required at their hands 2. Use Did God of old ordaine men to condemnation This dashes the opinion of Pelagians who hold universall grace universall redemption and universall pardon A Doctrine condemned by all reformed Churches yea such as once pretended a tender Conscience their Consciences are now growne so seared as they can joyne with the Prelates in this particuser They would have smooth things taught and sweet notions but take heed yee doe not reprove sinne nor admonish to duty for you shall soone heare of us then and why so Christ died for all I find in Scripture that Christ dyed for his people but I cannot find in Scripture that Christ died for the Reprobate that he died for his people is plaine Math. 1.21 He shall save his people from their sins his people not the Reprobate Ephes 5.25 Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it Marke he gave himselfe for his Church and in the 10th of Iohn he saith he layes downe his life for his sheep but he doth not say he layd downe his life for them that are not his sheep so in Esay 53. For the transgressions of my people was he plagued and divers other texts of Scripture I might alledge which plainely proves that Christ dyed for his people but they doe not prove that he dyed for the Reprobate What a strange Doctrine is it that some broach that Christ dyed for the damned in hell grounding it upon 2 Pet. 2. They deny the Lord that bought them which will appeare very absurd if wee consider how they were bought They were bought externally but that they were bought with the bloud of Christ cannot appeare in the text The Scripture shewes that God doth buy a people two wayes either externally when hee brings them into the bond of an outward Covenant as he bought the Iewes Hoset 3.2 So I bought here to me for fifteene pieces of silver and a homer and a halfe of Barley And God is said to buy his people with the bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 These which denyed the Lord that bought them were externally bought They looked upon themselves as bought and others looked upon them as bought but if they had been bought with the bloud of Christ it had been impossible that they should perish for Christ saith in Ioh. 10th I lay down my life for my sheep and I give them eternall life and they shall never perish And Iohn 17.12 Of all that thou hast given me I have lost none but the child of Perisition From the word but the child of Perdition the Pelagians object that Iudas was given to Christ as well as the rest I answer that Iudas was externally given to Christ as an Apostle but I deny that ever it was the intent of the Father in giving his Son to dye or the intent of the Sonne in laying downe his life to shed his bloud for Iudas or that ever Iudas was given to Christ as an elect vessell for if Christ had shed his bloud for him and he had been given to Christ as an elect vessell hee could not have perished for verse the second of this Chapter We read the Father hath given the Sonne power over all flesh that hee should give eternall life to as many as hee gave him And seeng it was the Designe of the Father and the Sonne to give eternall life to them that were given to Christ Had Iudas been redeemed by the bloud of Christ and given to Christ as an elect vessell hee could not have perished Nay had Iudas been given to Christ as an elect vessell Iesus Christ would not have lost him for so saith the text I have lost none but the child of Perdition so Iohn 6.37 All that the Father hath given mee shall come to mee And he that cometh to mee I cast not away Had Iudas been given to Christ as an elect vessell Iesus Christ would not have cast him off for all them that Christ did redeeme shall be saved as Isaiah 53 10 11. When hee shall
to procure as many as they can by subtilty and cunning craftinesse deceive to joyne with them in the worke The Apostle likewise sheweth the danger of being seduced by them and that is drawn from the Judgements that will most certainely light upon them not onely upon seducers but upon the seduced as in Rev. 2.22 God doth not onely threaten to cast Iezabel into a bed of sorrow great affliction but them also which commit fornication with her so that those which are seduced are in great danger as well as they which seduce and the certainty of their judgements the Apostle proves from three examples of Gods judgements upon others viz. the judgment which he brought upon the murmuring Israelites who though God brought them out of the land of Egypt yet destroyed them in the wildernesse Secondly of the Angels who were not spared but throwne downe from heaven and are reserved in everlasting chains under darknes unto the judgement of the great day Thirdly the burning of Sodome and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone from heaven and the Cities about them And what did God so severely plague them and will he let these escape No verily as if the Apostle should have said as he hath plagued them so he will not let these seducers goe scorfree and this he proves verse 14. Enoch the seaventh from Adam prophecied concerning such Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his saints to give judgement against all men and to rebuke the ungodly and the Apostle speakes of the same ungodly persons that the text speaks of and therefore there will be no escaping of Gods judgements If God come armed against a people who shall be able to stand against God Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart indure or can thy hands be strong in the day that I pleade with thee as if the Lord should have said thou canst not indure it but thy heart will faile and thy hands will be weake so though seducers be audacious before men yet when God calls them to account then they shall not be able to stand In the begining of the Epistle foure things are considerable First the person writing Secondly the persons to whom he writ Thirdly the salutation and Fourthly that he intended in writing From the person writing three things are considerable viz. his name his office and his kindred his name Iude his office he was an Apostle one of the twelve Apostles which our Saviour Christ chose to preach the Gospell thirdly his kindred he was the brother of Iames of which Iudas Iames brother we read was one of the twelve Apostles who is called by the Evangelist Saint Matthew in Chap. 10 3. Lebbeus Thaddeus and the same man which is here called Lebbeus Thaddeus is called in Luk. 6.16 Iudas Iames brother and to distinguish him from Iudas the Traitor they are named as two distinct persons in the same verse which will be very cleare if you compare Iohn 14.22 with Acts 1.31 It is the judgement of reverend Divines that this Apostle Saint Jude out-lived many of the other Apostles even in the dayes of Domitian the Emperour at which time all sorts of people grew desperately wicked corruption did abound both in doctrine and manners insomuch as many to whom the Apostles had preached Christ laying open the doctrine of free grace they waxed wanton and made it a doctrine of liberty turning the grace of God into wantonnesse and this Apostle perceiving it very well he is very zealous in admonishing the Saints to take heed of them Secondly the persons to whom he writ and that is not to a particular person or Church as Paul when he writ to Philemon or as Saint Iohn when he writ to the elect Lady and to the beloved Gaius but this is writ to all the Saints in generall all them sanctifyed and called in Christ Iesus the whole Church was in danger by reason of seducers and therefore the Apostle writes an Epistle of very great concernment unto the whole Church The Third thing considerable is his salutation in which the Apostle wishes the increase of three things viz. mercy peace and love The fourth thing considerable is that the Apostle did intend in writing this Epistle which was to confirme the Sainis in the truth and to keep them to their principles they had learned in such times as many did change their true principles for false and turned from the truth to fables therefore in the 3 ver When saith the Apostle I gave all diligence to write to you about the common salvation it was needfull for me to write unto you that you should earnestly contend for the maintenance of the faith which was once given unto the Saints here we must observe that salvation is called common in three respects First because it is generally offered both to the elect and reprobate those were invited to the supper of the King of Heaven Luk. 14. who were rejected and never tasted of it none of those that were bidden shall taste of my Super and many are called but few are chosen Mat. 20.16 and of foure sorts of hearers which are spoken of Mat. 13. who are compared to the foure sorts of ground three sorts get no good Secondly because it is the way that all those walke in that are saved there is but one way truth and life which is Christ Jesus neither is there any other name under heaven whereby a man can be saved Act. 4.12 There is not one way for the Jewes and another way for the Gentiles one way for the servant and another way for the sonne but it is the common way that all have gone that ever have beene saved from the beginning of the world unto this day they have been saved by Jesus Christ who is the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5.9 Thirdly to confute the new fantastique wayes which many goe about to finde out to heaven some have not been ashamed to say they have found out a broader way to heaven then ever Jesus Christ knew of for whereas Christ Jesus saith Mat. 7.14 Straite is the way that leadeth to life who knew the way very well and whither many or few should walke in it he being the way himselfe yet they say all shall be saved and to say some shall be damned they call it a doctrine of Devills not fit to be taught I might instance many more who suppose they have found a very good way to heaven as the Civillian the meere morall man the presumptuous with others which notwithstanding they have a good opinion of their wayes yet their way is the broad road to hell this is called the common onely way to shew the vanity of all other wayes Next that ye would contend for the faith once given to the Saints in that the Apostle exhorts the Saints to contend for the faith I understand by faith he meaneth the true sincere doctrine of Christ which the Apostles had taught the Saints and which they
did beleeve sometimes in Scripture faith is put for doctrine as 1 Tim 4.1 Many shall depart from the faith that is the doctrine of the faith for many in Saint Judes time forsook those wholsome truths that the Apostles had taught them and turned to fables and made the doctrine of Christ a doctrine of liberty of which sort of persons the Apostle describes at large in this Epistle and this is the duty the Apostle exhorts the saints to in the text to contend for the truth and stand up in the defence of it in such evill and backsliding dayes as those were And the ground and reason why the saints should contend for the maintenance of the faith once given to the Saints is layd downe in my Text For there are certain men crept in unawares which before were ordained to this condemnation by this time you may perceive who the Apostles meanes in the Text Heretiques and they are described by these five things First by their number There are certain men crept in not one or two but many Mat. 24.5 Many will come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceive many and therefore the danger is the greater Secondly By their place They are in the Church therfore saith the Apostle They are crept in amongst the saints and in this regard the danger is the greater if the enemies have once invaded a land that land is in the more danger it concernes the inhabitants to looke about them if the fire be kindled in the thatch of the house it concernes all within the house to make haste to quench it so when seducers are in the Church it concerne all the saints to contend for the truth and to keep their garments Thirdly they are described by their subtilty They are crept in they do not come in the honest plain simple way but by craftes and subtilties and therfore there is the more danger If you have them that are crafty and subtill about you you will where ever you see them looke to your selves truly it were good the saints would be as carefull for their soules there are crafty subtill people abroad therefore saith the Apostle Ephes 4.14 be no more children wavering and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the deceit of men and with craftinesse whereby they lye in wait to deceive it were good the saints where ever they see them would look to Gods word and take heed of them Fourthly They are described by their condition They were of old ordained to condemnation Fiftly By their practises They are ungodly Secondly They turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Thirdly They deny God and the Lord Jesus Christ From the description of the persons by their number Certaine and their place In the Church they are crept in amongst the Saints and are accounted saints I may safely gather this point of doctrine That all are not true Saints that externally seeme to be saints my method in handling of the doctrine shall God assisting be First to prove it Secondly to make application For the confirmation of the point I shall endeavour to make it appear to be a truth that all are not saints that externally seeme to be such both amongst teachers and hearers first amongst teachers all those teachers that externally seeme to be holy and sincere are not so the proof see in Iohn 6.70 Have not I saith Christ chosen twelve of you and one of you is a devill now he spake this of Judas saith the Text yet Iudas it is like was very exact to outward appearance he could pray and preach worke miracles cast out devills insomuch as when our Saviour Christ said one of you shall betray mee they did all suspect themselves rather then Iudas one sais is it I and another is it I implying that Iudas did walke so exactly that he was not suspected and further see Mat. 7.15 Beware saith Christ of false prophets which come to you in sheeps clothing but are inwardly ravening wolves they externally seeme holy and sincere but the inside is naught it is not all that come in the name of Christ that are the true ministers of Christ for seducers come in the name of Christ Mat. 24.5 Many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and deceive many they deceive many yea if it were possible the very elect and yet come in the name of Christ yea Satans Ministers will come in the name of Christ and under the notion of holinesse 26 or 11.13 such false Apostles are deceitfull workers and transforme themselves into the Apostles of Jesus Christ I pray marke the false Apostles put on the shape of the true ones and I pray who are these false Apostles Satans ministers as appeares in the next verse no marvel for Satan himselfe is transformed into an angell of light and therefore no marvell if his ministers transforme themselves they are satans ministers and yet looked upon as holy men so you shall finde 2 Tim. 3. such Chaplains as creep into houses and lead simple woemen captive such as were proud covetous covenant violaters and what not yet they had a forme of godlinesse so that you may see it is very plaine that all such teachers as seeme to be saints are not true saints Secondly as amongst teachers so amongst heaters all are not true saints that seeme to be so They went out from us but they were not of us saith the Apostle 1 Ioh 2.19 they seemed to be saints a great while but were hypocrites we read of the stony ground Mat. 13.20 that it had a shew of corne the seed sprung up but came to nothing yet the stony heaters went far they did not onely heare the word but receive it with joy they were glorious professors and who would not but have taken such for saints as did heare read fast pray make such a glorious profession ay but a winter of affliction and persecution discovered them to be hypocrites when a persecution came because of the word they were offended all are not true saints that externally seem saints Vse Is for admonition to the people of God take heed of them amongst your selves al that put on a visard of Saints are not true saints there are many teachers many professors speake of God with their tongues and deny him with their lives Tit. 1.16 they professe they know God but in workes deny him and are abominable and to every good worke a reprobate you know how corrupt those heritiques were 2 Tim. 3. and yet they had a forme of godlinesse if those amongst the saints be such the saints had need take heed of them for the Church is in great danger by reason of such Christ was betrayed by a Judas one of his twelve Apostles the Church is in danger of being undermined by false brethren Gal. 2 4. we read of false brethren who crept into the Church to spie out their liberty and to bring them into bondage there were some crept into the Church to