A holy life, the beauty of Christianity, or, An exhortation to Christians to be…

2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ, such as the Jews, and Pharisees did accustom themselves unto, as to call him Jesus, the deceiver; and Christ in a way of scorn and contempt. Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a lustre upon their opinions; for said the Lord Christ himself unto them,¹ Ye indeed appear beautiful outward.

2. There is a reproachful and scandalous naming of the name of Christ, such as the Jews, and Pharisees did accustom themselves unto, as to call him Jesus, the deceiver; and Christ in a way of scorn and contempt. Nor were these men quite destitute of that which put a luster upon their opinions; for said the Lord Christ himself unto them,¹ Ye indeed appear beautiful outward.

1. 1Mat. 23.

3. There is such a naming of the name of Christ as to make it a cloak for false and dangerous Errors: that men, by the use of that name and the putting of it upon such errors and delusions, may put off their errors to others the better.¹ Many shall come in my name, to wit with their delusions, presenting them in my name to the world, and shall put them off in my name to the destruction of the Soul. Now can any imagine that the Apostle should extend his exhortation to such, that they thus continuing to name the name of Christ, ⟨p. 14⟩should depart from iniquity. To what end should such be comprehended in this exhortation of his? To no purpose at all: for the more an erroneous person or a deceiver of Souls shall back his errors with a life that is morally good, the more mischievous, dangerous, and damnable is that man and his delusions; wherefore such a one is not concerned in this exhortation.