To the second we may soon answer: And, 1. we1 say, that such a plague is not the consequent of common out-breakings and sins of infirmity; Nor, 2. of ingratitude for, and abuse of, common mercies; Nor, 3. ordinarily is it the punishment of gross sins of the flesh, to speak so; for, this is rather a fruit of that: but it doth follow upon, 1. the abuse of spiritual mercies, such as the light of the truth of the Gospel, slighted convictions, smothered challenges, broken promises made for further Reformation, and such like, as may be gathered from 2 Thess. 2. 9, 10. 2. It followeth upon spiritual sins, such as spiritual pride, security, hypocrisy and formality, keeping up of the form without the power, having truth but not the love thereof, as in the place formerly cited, and elsewhere. 3. There are some sort of distempers, which especially procure this, beside others. As, 1. an itching humour, that beginneth to loath the simplicity of truth. 2. A hasty partial humour that cannot abide sound Doctrine, if it be not someway curiously dressed, especially if it reprove their miscarriages: both which are spoken of, 2 Tim. 4. 3. 3. There is a proud self-conceitedness, whereof the Apostle speaketh, 2 Tim. 3, 4. when persons are selfie, proud, boasters, &c. such are a ready prey to such tentations. 4. Little respect to faithful Ministers that preach truth, may procure this plague, to get Pastors according to their own heart, and judgements that are not good, as the Lord threateneth, Ezek. 20. and is threatened by the Lord, Joh. 5. ver. 43. I have come in my Fathers Name, and ye have not received me; if another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive. 5. It may be procured by lightness and unstableness, when folks go vainly beyond their reach to seek or meet a tentation, the Lord justly may smite them with their own sin; and thus reading of corrupt books, hearing of corrupt preachers, conversing ⟨p. 181⟩with corrupt men, and such like, which the Lord hath commanded to eschew, doth not only prove, in Gods righteous judgement, a snare or mids of folks ensnaring, but also the procuring deserving cause of being given up to that delusion, which they make themselves obnoxious to, by going without His call, although, at first, possibly there was no positive affection to that way, but, it may be, the contrary;
To the second we may soon answer: And, 1. we1 say, that such a plague is not the consequent of common out-breakings and sins of infirmity; Nor, 2. of ingratitude for, and abuse of, common mercies; Nor, 3. ordinarily is it the punishment of grosse sins of the flesh, to speak so; for, this is rather a fruit of that: but it doth follow upon, 1. the abuse of sprituall mercies, such as the light of the truth of the Gospel, sleighted convictions, smothered challenges, broken promises made for further Reformation, and such like, as may be gathered from 2 Thess. 2. 9, 10. 2. It followeth upon spirituall sins, such as spirituall pride, security, hypocrisie and formality, keeping up of the form without the power, having truth but not the love thereof, as in the place formerly cited, and elsewhere. 3. There are some sort of distempers, which especially procure this, beside others. As, 1. an itching humour, that beginneth to loath the simplicity of truth. 2. A hastie partial humour that cannot abide sound Doctrine, if it be not someway curiously drest, especially if it reprove their miscarriages: both which are spoken of, 2 Tim. 4. 3. 3. There is a proud self-conceitednesse, whereof the Apostle speaketh, 2 Tim. 3, 4. when persons are selfie, proud, boasters, &c. such are a ready prey to such tentations. 4. Little respect to faithfull Ministers that preach truth, may procure this plague, to get Pastors according to their own heart, and judgements that are not good, as the Lord threatneth, Ezek. 20. and is threatned by the Lord, Ioh. 5. ver. 43. I have come in my Fathers Name, and ye have not received me; if another shall come in his own name, him will ye receive. 5. It may be procured by lightnesse and unstablnesse, when folks goe vainly beyond their reach to seek or meet a tentation, the Lord justly may smite them with their own sin; and thus reading of corrupt books, hearing of corrupt preachers, conversing ⟨p. 181⟩with corrupt men, and such like, which the Lord hath cōmanded to eschew, doth not only prove, in Gods righteous judgement, a snare or mids of folks insnaring, but also the procuring deserving cause of being given up to that delusion, which they make themselves obnoxious to, by going without His call, although, at first, possibly there was no positive affection to that way, but, it may be, the contrary;
- 1What causes do most ordinarily procure this plague of delusion.
