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IF we desire more parti∣cularly to know what kindes of men these are, that are so dangerous ene∣mies to our faith, and by whom the Gospel is like to suffer great spoyle, and losse of truth.
I answer, they are these and such like, as both Scriptures, and Histories of the Church, in all ages cleerely shew. Amongst the divers kindes of the principall, and those that still have beene most fre∣quent in undermining the truth are.
2. First, men that are of ambitious aspiring dis∣positions that love to have the preeminence, as we see in Diotrephes (though not alwayes, they that have preeminence,) men that love to mount upon the high places of the earth, to see others sitting below
at their feete, that cannot goe on foote, but they must ride on horse backe, as Solomon speaketh; that cannot frame to the humi∣lity of Elias spirit: and gird up their loynes to runne by Ahabs Chariot, but must ride in Chariots as well as hee; especially, if with all they have in the meane time; a desire to seeme but humble, and modest, and moderate men. These men must at∣tempt to corrupt the Scriptures, that they may seeme to speake for them, at least to connive at them, and to say neither good nor evill of them; (as Baalack would have in∣dented with Balam: Be∣cause,
if the Gospel bee permitted to speake its minde freely; it would fill the eares of men, and perhaps the consciences of the delinquents them∣selves) with out-cries, and clamours from heaven a∣gainst the ambitious di∣stempers or such men: therefore they must beate their braines, and set all their learning and bookes to worke, to finde out some other sinne that the Scriptures should con∣demne, that so their sinne may not be thought to be araigned, and sentence gi∣ven against it by God in his word. As the Papists, they finde out one kinde of Idolatrie, which they
confesse the Scriptures condemne; but as for their Idolatrie, that is none of it; the Scrip∣tures speake not against that: we know the exam∣ple of Ieroboam, to set up and maintaine the King∣dome to himselfe, hee stucke not to maintaine Idolatrie too.
3. The like may bee said of the second sort, (of some affinitie with the former, and many times materially the same) men that are resol∣ved to serve times, and please men.
That set downe with
themselves, that what men soever, or what humour, or opinion of men soever raigne where they live, they will raigne with them (as Paul speakes) they will have a share in an earthly Kingdome; these men are very obnox∣ious to doe injurie to the truth of God, and will hardly forbeare: we know the Scriptures beare hard upon the upper formes and rankes of men in the world, and speake as if few of them were likely ever to rise higher then they are; few that now ride on horses, but are likely to goe a foote for the dayes of eternity: not many wise, not many
mightie, not many noble: 1. Cor. 1. 26. therefore these being (for the farre great∣est part) the reffuse of the world, and therefore ene∣mies to the truth, and pro∣fessors of it, as Iames speakes of the great and rich men of the world. Iames 2. 6. Those that will strike in with these, and give contentment to them, and gaine indeere∣ment with them, must make them glad with lies, Hosea 7. 3. As the false Prophets did with the Princes of Israel; for with the truth they with never bee able to doe it: they that will know men after the flesh themselves, will make the Scriptures doe
as they doe, that is, know men after the flesh too, which we know they will never doe, except they bee mightily wrested; or per∣verted, and so are not themselves.
4. Thirdly, another sort like to prove enemies to the truth of the Gospel; and to seeke the destructi∣on of it, are men led away by a spirit of vaine-glory; and being indeed little or nothing, desire to make themselves something in the world: either first in a way of popularity by seeking to please generali∣ties, and multitudes; and
desire to fill their sailes with vulgar breath, and that all men should speak well of them: they run a great hazard also of ac∣commodating the Scrip∣tures, and making them a nose of waxe, as the Pa∣pists comparison is, to turne every way, and to turne into every mans hu∣mour, a multitude can sel∣dome be followed or se∣conded, but it will bee to evill; which made our Saviour to pronounce a woe to such as whom all should speake well of, or whether: Secondly, it be to draw Disciples after them; for many count this a glory to them, to have a retinue of scholers,
of whom they may bee counted the head, and Master Founders: and there is not any greater temptation then this, to move a man to offer vio∣lence to the Scripture, for Paul makes this same speaking or teaching per∣verse things (opinions that will not square with the truth of God) to bee the direct and proper meanes of drawing Disci∣ples after them, Acts 20. 30.
5. A new opinion or new way, especially when it colours with the Scrip∣tures; but doth not cot∣ten:
is as naturall a means to draw men that are inju∣dicious and unstable, as a lock of new fresh smel∣ling hay in a mans hand is to draw a sheep or a beast after him: I say, if it be an opinion that hath but a kinde looke from the Scripture, and if the Scrip∣ture draw neere to it in words, though the heart be farre from it: Then is it a bait for the purpose, it will draw men by heaps and multitudes after it, the errour in it, makes it suta∣ble to nature, and the face or visage of truth upon it, laying a religious and conscentious obligation upon men for the embra∣cing and receiving of it;
both these meeting toge∣ther make men rather mad upon it, then simply to love or like it: as gene∣rally it is to bee observed in all cases where there is a like concurrence, when there is any agreeablenesse to corrupt nature, in a thing, and withall an ap∣prehension of religion, to set a man forwards to∣wards the doing of it, a man is like a Ship that runnes before winde and tide, hee layes all his waight and strength upon it, being like Ieremies wild Asse in the Wildernesse, men shall weary them∣selves to runne after them, to thinke to turne them. It is a saying of Gregory,
Cum vitium virtus putatur ibi culpa sine metu cumula∣tur, when errour is taken for truth, men offend with∣out measure, and without feare also.
6. A fourth fort that cannot but indanger the truth, and puritie of our Faith, are men of an evill eye, as our Saviour speaketh, that are of a ma∣litious repining and emu∣lating spirit; either at the credit and esteeme, or the preferment of others, in any kinde above them∣selves; men that cannot beare the waight of other men that stand above
them, that cannot goe on foot when they see others ride, or that are prone to drinke in discontentments, or affronts, or disappoint∣ments in any kinde into the depth of their spirits, these are apt to relieve themselves, by setting up some way, or some opini∣on in the Church, that may seeme to counte∣nance the equity and iu∣stice of their discontent∣ments, or else reflect pre∣judice upon those from whom they are now divi∣ded in affection, men that break the band of peace, to bee at liberty, to set up error, but especially these evill distempers are found in men that are eminent
in place, that have pow∣er in their hands in any kinde.: but otherwise are unworthy and base in their course of life and wayes, and so men that are farther inferiour in place, are as farre their superiours in esteeme, and in the hearts of men. I say in these this distemper of envie and discontent is of most dangerous conse∣quence to the truth; for now being armed with power it hath a greater in∣couragement and advan∣tage many wayes; both to set up (and to get establi∣shed) tenets, and opini∣ons in religion by way of opposition to such men and their wayes, whose re∣putations
are an eye-sore unto them.
7. Fifthly, men that are given to filthie luker, (as Paul speakes) that love the wages of un∣righteousnesse, that is, gaine however comming in by a way of unrighte∣ousnesse: the Apostles in their writings speak much of these kinde of men; these are the men that will 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as Paul speakes 2 Cor. 2. 17. that is, adulterate, or embase the word of truth: it is a metaphor taken from Vintners, or Wine sel∣lers, that mingle, cor∣rupt,
or badde wine with that which is good to helpe it off. The word of God, in the life, and pow∣er, and simplicitie of it, is but a drugge, a com∣modity that will yeeld little in the world to him that shall utter it; it is very few mens money, except it be prepared, and the high spirit of it cor∣rected and taken downe, that it may fall even with tempers, desires, imagina∣tions, & intentiōs of men: therefore hee that seekes to make matter of gaine and advantage of it in the world, must accommo∣date and fit it to the hearts of those that are like to be his best chapmen and
customers. See Mic. 3. 11. Mal▪ 2. 8.
8. Sixthly, men that are not able to bee bapti∣sed with the Baptisme wherewith Christ was baptised (that are not able (or at least much unwil∣ling) to suffer for the truth: these in a Passive way, or by way of con∣sent many times, prove enemies to the truth, and strengthen the hands of those that doe impugne it, and are accessary to many a breach that is made upon it. Thus Paul tels the Galatians that such as did constraine
them to bee circumcized, that is, were earnest with them to yeeld to Circum∣cision, did it not so much because in their judge∣ments, they rather thought it so necessary, or fitting, but onely, saith hee, be∣cause they would not suf∣fer persecution for the crosse of Christ; Peter himselfe through his in∣firmitie first knew not Christ, and againe fearing those of the Circumcisi∣on; he knew not but hee might lawfully separate himselfe from the Gentiles, that is in effect build up againe the partition wall which Christ had throwne downe, and yet not preju∣dice the truth of the Gos∣spel:
but Pauls resolution and courage made straight what Peters feare had made crooked; and in∣deed except men will bee somewhat willing and free hearted this way towards the Gospel and truth in time of danger; there is no sinne more present with us at any time then even for those that are otherwise well-willers to the truth with a little wit and learning to shuffle a∣way the substance of it, and to sit downe upon a distinction cleane beside it.
9. A seventh sort that are enemies to the Faith, and (as dangerous as any of the former, if not more, are men that will needs be spirituall benefactors to Religion, I meane that are superstitiously addi∣cted, and will needs under∣take to relieve the weak∣nesse of God with their strength, and supply the foolishnesse of the Gospel with their wisedome, that will adde traditions and commandements of men, to make the precepts and commandements given by God himselfe, hold full waight and measure
that God may have his due, full alowance, & heap∣ed measure in his worship as the Papists doe, and those that are leaning to that kinde of devotion; or in a word to expresse them (as Pauls language is) that cannot rejoyce in Christ Jesus, but have the prime (at least) of their confidence in the flesh. Phil. 3. 3. men that finde more satisfaction in their consciences, in what they doe, then in what they be∣leeve; and are more in doing what themselves or other men have comman∣ded, then in doing what the great God himselfe hath commanded: This is in effect to preach ano∣ther
Jesus whom Paul ne∣ver preached, 2. Cor. 11. 4. and to set up new wayes of pleasing God, is to set up new Saviours, and to set up new Saviours, is to ex∣authorize and discharge the great Saviour indeed; for this is an essential pro∣pertie of that power of sa∣ving, which resides in him, to save alone, or to worke by himselfe alone in the salvation of any man: therefore if we offer to joyne any help to him, wee wholly destroy his power of saving; as Paul in very expresse and per∣emptorie tearmes tels the Galathians, that if yet they bee circumcised (namely with an opinion
of any holinesse in it, to helpe them to heaven, or to accomplish their justi∣fication) Christ shall pro∣fit, or will profit them no∣thing. Gal. 5. 2.
These severall kinds of men are like to prove very dangerous enemies to the truth of religion in re∣spect of whose oppositi∣on there lies a great ne∣cessity upon those that de∣sire to have the truth of the Gospel to remaine with them (as Paul speaks) to contend for it, as the holy Ghost exhorts in the text.