A view of the threats and punishments recorded in the Scriptures, alphabetically composed with some briefe observations upon severall texts / by Zachary Bogan ...

THREATS Of False-Teachers.

Peter saith, that under the Old Testa∣ment, there were false Prophets among the people 2 Pet: 2. 1.

John saith, that under the New Testament, even in his time, many false Prophets were gone out into the world, 1 Epist 4. 1. (gone out, like Foxes out of their holes to make a prey of the Soules of men.) and therefore he bids them not believe every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, as it is in the same verse Every spirit] For a spirit they will all pretend, and a spirit is all they do pretend. A spirit it is that moves thē, but it is an uncleane spirit; and therefore let thē take heed how they miscall it, and so bla∣spheme against the Holy Ghost. It was pre∣sently after our Saviour had reproved the

Pharisees, for saying he did cast out divells by the prince of the divells (wheras he doth it by the Spirit of God) that he added these wordes, Wherefore I say unto you, all manner of sinne and blasphemy, it shall be forgiven un∣to men, but the sinne and blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. Mat: 12. 13. If it be not The blasphemy a∣gainst the Holy Ghost, I am sure it is a blas∣phemy against it, as well to say, that the spirit of the divell is the Spirit of God, as to say the Spirit of God is the spirit of the divell; or to say, that what is done by one, is done by the other. Nay, methink, it brings more disgrace (or blasphemy) upon the Spirit: because all those wicked actions, which such men com∣mit, will be said to proceed from that spirit, which they pretended. I am sure, if the Spi∣rit of truth be not, the word of truth is very much evill spoken off (or blasphemed) by rea∣son of such men, 2 Pet: 2. 2.

Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, instan∣ces in some, that taught circumcision* 1.1 at Je∣rusalem, chap 15. 5, and some, that came from Judea & taught it in Antioch vers: 1.

Threats and prophesies, that there shall be false teachers, The Apostles have more then one. There shall be false teachers among you, who shall privily bring in damnable heresies, 2 Pet: 2. 1. Privily bring in] or bring in by

the by, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, together with some truths as one would make bad mony passe with good, & as it is said in Isaiah, The Lord hath mingled a perverse Spirit, chap: 19. 14. They doe their worke slily, not breaking open houses, or going into them openly; but creep∣ing* 1.2, and slipping in with others, that are ho∣nest, 2 Tim: 3. 6. Insomuch that it is a ve∣ry hard thing, not to be couzend by them: and therefore the times, when such men shall abound, may well be called, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, difficult, for so they are, verse 1. (though I say not for this reason.)

From our Saviour's owne mouth, we are threatned twice in one chapter, Matt. 24, And many false Prophets shall arise, vers: 11, and so againe verse 24. There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets. Shall arise] or shall be raised, (for so the Greek word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 signifies.) viz: by the power of the divell, and God's permission, like so many spirits (for by this name they are called, 1 Tim: 4. 1. 1 Joh: 4. 1.) con∣jured up, to trouble the world▪ but this I speak not, as if I were ignorant that the word, raising, is applyed also to good Pro∣phets, both in the new Testament. Matt: 11. 11. And in the Old, Deut: 18. 18. As like∣wise to Priests, and Kings, 1 Sam: 2. 35. 1 Kings 14. 14.

Notes

• * 1.1

  In dete∣station of this do∣ctrine Juni∣us (in pa∣rall:) saith it was that the belie∣vers at An∣tioch gave themselves the name of Christians instead of Nazarens: which was the common name that the Jewes gave to all believers, and not as some say to the sect of circumci∣sion, for in Acts 25. 4. Paul, who taught the contrary, is called the ringleader of the Nazarens.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.