First, such persons are extremely hurtful. Never is evil practised with such mischief, as when it is contrived by craft, and polished with deceit. The Apostles were never so troubled in dealing either with the idolatrous Gentiles, or with the superstitious and malicious Jews, as they were when they had to do with those that pretended to be Christians, to be Ministers of the Gospel, yea to be Apostles: and therefore Paul expostulateth the matter with the Galatians, saying, O foolish Galatians, 1who hath bewitched you? &c. As if he should have said, No man could deal so dangerously as these false Teachers, who have as it were charmed your affections, and bewitched your minds. And in the Epistle to the Corinthians, he greatly complaineth of such deceivers: I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy: for I have prepared you for one husband, 2to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ. But I fear lest as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For such false Apostles are deceitful workers, 3and transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed ⟨p. 75⟩into an Angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing though his Ministers transform themselves, as though they were the Ministers of righteousness. Paul had taken great pains to make a match betwixt Christ and them, and to fit them for such a glorious husband: but he was much afraid lest it would be broken, in regard of many of them, and that as the Devil deceived Eve, so the false Apostles would deceive them, and that by transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ, making show (as the Devil doth,) of the greatest love and care of their good, and of their eternal salvation: when the truth was, they intended no such thing, but only the serving of themselves, in their carnal credit and commodity.
First, such persons are extreamely hurtfull. Neuer is euill practised with such mischiefe, as when it is contriued by craft, and polished with deceit. The Apostles were neuer so troubled in dealing either with the idolatrous Gentiles, or with the superstitious and malicious Iewes, as they were when they had to doe with those that pretended to be Christians, to be Ministers of the Gospell, yea to be Apostles: and therefore Paul expostulateth the matter with the Galathians, saying, O foolish Galathians, 1who hath bewitched you? &c. As if he should haue said, No man could deale so dangerously as these false Teachers, who haue as it were charmed your affections, and bewitched your mindes. And in the Epistle to the Corinthians, he greatly complaineth of such deceiuers: I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie: for I haue prepared you for one husband, 2to present you as a pure Virgin to Christ. But I feare lest as the Serpent beguiled Eue through his subtiltie, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicitie that is in Christ. For such false Apostles are deceitfull workers, 3and transforme themselues into the Apostles of Christ. And no maruell, for Sathan himselfe is transformed ⟨p. 75⟩into an Angell of light. Therefore it is no great thing though his Ministers transforme themselues, as though they were the Ministers of righteousnes. Paul had taken great paines to make a match betwixt Christ and them, and to fit them for such a glorious husband: but he was much afraide lest it would be broken, in regard of manie of them, and that as the Diuell deceiued Eue, so the false Apostles would deceiue them, and that by transforming themselues into the Apostles of Christ, making shew (as the Diuell doth,) of the greatest loue and care of their good, and of their eternall saluation: when the truth was, they intended no such thing, but onely the seruing of themselues, in their carnall credit and commoditie.
- 1Gal. 3.
- 22. Cor. 11. 2. 3.
- 3Vers. 13. 14. 15.
