A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

WE have in these Heretics contemplated their access to the Church, now consider their success in the Church. Many shall follow, &c. It hath ever been the devils aim, that seeing he must of necessity be wretched, not to be wretched alone. Now the company he desires, is not beasts and irrational creatures, (save where he may do their owners a mischief) but his ambition flies man-height, his envy strikes at the image of God, because he hath no other way to extend his malice to the Deity it self; to effectuate this, he works man to betray man; as man makes one fowl catch another, or one beast surprise another; the hawk the partridge, the hound the hare; all to make him sport. So Satan sets Ephraim against Manasseh, Manasseh against Ephraim, and both against Judah; himself against all, Esa. 9.21. And because he think the Pagan world sure enough his own, have at the Christian. There of all places God is glorious, there of all places he will be pernicious. The devil hath a desire to all, but especially he doves a religious soul: he would eat up that with more greediness, than Rachel did her Mandrakes. He is a black Lion rampant in a bloody field: CHRIST is King of the whole world; nay soft quoth the devil, I have the air, Eph. 2.2. He is called the Prince of the power of the air. He hath loaded Heretics with seed from hell, •nd sets them a sowing in the Church: that at the day of harvest his crop may be greater in the barn of hell, than the Lord CHRISTS is in heaven. In the former verse we had him sowing; his seminaries at work: in this verse behold with what a prosperous and lucky hand he doth it. [Greek or Hebrew], Many shall follow. Their cursed tares shall spread far and wide, & mirificè multiplicabuntur. It is little content for them to be reprobates alone; but as falling Lucifer drew numerous Angels with him; so all his adherents and agents are firebrands to burn others with themselves. The Pharisees would travel sea and land to work Proselytes ⟨p. 418⟩to their own inheritance, yea to procure them a double portion to themselves, Matth. 23. Verse 15. The Emissaries of Rome have that charge given th•• to corrupt others. Like men sick of the pestilence, they have an itching sire to infect their neighbours. Here therefore behold their success; M shall follow their pernicious ways.