In clearing the case here supposed, as incident to the Church, we are to consider, 1. What these vines are. 2. What be these foxes. 3. How they spoil the vines. For clearing the first; Consider, that the visible Church is often compared in Scripture to a Vineyard, Matth. 21. 33. And the particular professors, especially believers, are as the vine-trees that grow in it; So, Isa. 5. 7. The Vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, collectively, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plants. They are called so, 1. For their fecklessness in themselves, Ezek. 15. 2, 3, &c. yet, excelling in fruit beyond others. 2. Because of Gods separating them from others, and taking pains on them above all others, Isa. 27. 2, 3. for these, and other reasons, they are called the vines. Next, by foxes are understood false teachers, Ezek. 13. 4. O Israel, thy Prophets (that is thy flattering teachers as the context clears) are as foxes in the deserts. And, (Mat. 7. 15.) they are called wolves in sheeps clothing: Hereby are meant, not every one, who in something differ in their own judgement from the received rule, if they vent it not for corrupting of others, or the disturbing of the Churches peace; but these who are, in respect of others, seducers, teaching ⟨p. 144⟩men to do as they do, in that which tends to the Churches hurt; and such also, as by flattery and unfaithfulness, destroy souls, proportionally come in to share of the name, as they do of the thing signified thereby, as that place of Ezekiel, before cited, and chap. 34. 2, 3. doth confirm. Now they get this name for their resembling foxes, in three things, 1. In their abominable nature, wherefore they are called, foxes, wolves, dogs, &c. and such like, which are abhorred and hated of all men, and so are these most hateful to God, and so ought they to be with all others. 2. For their destroying, hurtful nature, in their destroying of the Church; therefore called ravening wolves, Mat. 7. 15. and grievous wolves, Acts 20. 29. who subvert whole houses, Tit. 1. 11. and whose word eateth as doth a gangrene, 2 Tim. 2. 17. 3. They are compared to these for their subtlety, a fox being famous for that, for which cause Herod is called a fox, Luke 13. 32. So false teachers speak lies in hypocrisy, 1 Tim. 4. 2. creep into houses, their doctrines eat as a canker insensibly: And they are 2 Cor. 11. 13, 14. called deceitful workers:
In clearing the case here supposed, as incident to the Church, we are to consider, 1. What these vines are. 2. What be these foxes. 3. How they spoil the vines. For clearing the first; Consider, that the visible Church is often compared in Scripture to a Vineyard, Matth. 21. 33. And the particular professors, especially believers, are as the vine-trees that grow in it; So, Isa. 5. 7. The Vineyard of the Lord is the house of Israel, collectively, and the men of Iudah are his pleasant plants. They are called so, 1. For their fecklesnesse in themselves, Ezek. 15. 2, 3, &c. yet, excelling in fruit beyond others. 2. Because of Gods separating them from others, and taking pains on them above all others, Isa. 27. 2, 3. for these, and other reasons, they are called the vines. Next, by foxes are understood false teachers, Ezek. 13. 4. O Israel, thy Prophets (that is thy flattering teachers as the context clears) are as foxes in the deserts. And, (Mat. 7. 15.) they are called wolves in sheeps cloathing: Hereby are meant, not every one, who in something differ in their own judgement from the received rule, if they vent it not for corrupting of others, or the disturbing of the Churches peace; but these who are, in respect of others, seducers, teaching ⟨p. 144⟩men to do as they do, in that which tends to the Churches hurt; and such also, as by flattery and unfaithfulnesse, destroy souls, proportionally come in to share of the name, as they do of the thing signified thereby, as that place of Ezekiel, before cited, and chap. 34. 2, 3. doth confirm. Now they get this name for their resembling foxes, in three things, 1. In their abominable nature, wherefore they are called, foxes, wolves, dogges, &c. and such like, which are abhorred and hated of all men, and so are these most hatefull to God, and so ought they to be with all others. 2. For their destroying, hurtful nature, in their destroying of the Church; therefore called ravening wolves, Mat. 7. 15. and grievous wolves, Acts 20. 29. who subvert whole houses,
