Serm. CLXX`'III. in Oppo/itton to Error I And becaufe the Corruption of Human Nature hath brought a great weakneli and impotency upon Mankind, God is pleated in the Gofpel to offer to Men the powerful affiftance of his Grace and holy Spirit, to enable them to perform all this which he requires of them. And beyond this, what can weexpeft God fhòuld difcover to Men, in order to their Happinefs in this World, or theother ? And in all thefe Refpeas the Doctrine of the Gofpel, revealed from Heaven by the Son of God, bath to any impartial Confiderer, infinitely the advantage of Paganifm or Mahometifm, or any other Do&rine or Inftitution that ever the World was ac- quainted withal. But now if we bring the Doftrines of talk Prophets and"reducing Spirits, whom Sr. yohncalls AntichriJts, to this Tryal, we thall find that they ate quire ofanother ílamp, deftitute of Goodnefs, and calculated not for the Happinefs and Benefit of Men, but for bate and unworthy Ends 5 whereby it is evident that the Teachers of them are not of God, but of the World, and therefore they fpeakfrom the World, and the World heareth them. And of this I will give Two Inftances; one in thofe falle Teachers the Gar/flicks, intended by the Apoftle in this Epiftle 5 and the other in a fort of Seducers nearer to us inour own times. As for theGnoflicks, befides their contradicting and virtual renouncing the main Principles of Chriflianity, by denying that Chrilt was really come in the Flefh, or that he really dyed, or role, affitming all this to be only inappearance; the lamm of their Doctrine was either a heap of unintelligible Words and Phrafes, under a pretence of high Myfery 5 or a Do&rine of Liberty, as to all manner of Vice and Wickednefs, under a pretence of Perfeáion, and that whatever they did they could not fin ; both which at the firft fight are as plain evidence as any reafona- ble Man can delire, that fuck a Doctrine could not be from God ; nothing being more unlikely to be a Divine Revelation, than fuch abfurd and confufed fluffas no Man can undedtand, and which hath nò tendency to make Men better. But above all, nothing can be more unworthy of God, nor more unlikely to proceed from him, than fuch a Doftrine as gives encouragement to Vice and Wickednefs of Life, under what pretence foever it be. For what can be more contrary to God, and a greater 'affront to the Reafon of Mankind, than to let Men look to do the vileít and lewdeft things, under pretence of Perfeétion in Goodnefs ? The other inftance I intend is nearer at hand, and concerns us more, and that is in the Church of Rome, and thofe falfe Teachers which the fends abroad into the World, and which at this dayfwarm among us 5 and never did any Character more unluckily agree to any fort of Men, than this of the Apoftle does to that Church and the Teachers of it, that they are of the World, and therefore they fpeak of the World, and the World heareth them. In which words there are Three remarkable Charafters given of falle Prophets and Teachers. t. That they are died by a wòrldly Spirit, and carry on a fecular Intereft and Defign, they are of the World. z. That they teach things (Unable to their worldly Intereft and Defign,and there- fore they fpeak cay .rrrss ,tguiev; from the world, according to that worldly Spirit that acts them and rules in them. 3. Thofe that hearken to than are a fort of People like themfelves, of worldly 'Affections and Interefs, the World heareth them. a. They are acted by a worldly Spirit, and carry on a fecular Intereft and De= lign, of Greatnefs and Ambition,of Dominion and Tyranny, of Riches and Wealth: AnyMan that confiders the Church of Rome at this day, and by what Steps and Degrees, by what worldly Ways and' unworthy Means the bath attained to that Power and Wealth and Greatnefs, to that Dominion and Tyranny, which now for feveral hundred of Years the hath exercifed, not only over theConfciences of 'Men in the molt cruel manner, but even over Temporal Princes and States, in com- manding their Treafures and Armies, in depofiog Kings, and difpofing of their Kingdoms; and in all imaginable Inftances offecular Dominion and Tyranny, can., not but be fatisfied by what Spirit they are acted, and thatthey as vifibly carry on a Worldly Intent} and Deign, as the molt Ambitious Secular Prince ever did. 20 They
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=