The dying man's testament to the Church of Scotland, or, A treatise concerning scandal…

The last thing in this, is the manner how this design¹ is carried on by such corrupt teachers, which is not alway the same in all, and may in part be collected from what is said; Yet we may name these particulars. 1. It is covertly and subtly done, therefore they creep in with insinuations, looking far otherwise than they are. 2. It is done hypocritically▪ 1 Tim. 4. They speak lies in hypocrisy, and do pretend both to be Religious and friends to Religion and Truth, while they do so. 3. It is done sometimes vehemently, as it were knocking with force at hearts, So it shaketh the hearer by the bigness of words, peremptoriness of threatenings, confidence of Assertions, and vehemency in the manner, so that it hath (as the Scripture saith) a strength and power with it, and therefore is compared to a spate or flood, Rev. 12. and is called strong delusion, 2 Thess. 2. 4. This is done with all diligence, compassing sea and land, leaving no mean unessayed. And, 5. with a kind of seeming simplicity, zeal and singleness, and with many professions thereof, as may be gathered from the instances formerly given; and from Gal. 4. 17. where it is said, they zealously affect you, but not well, and from Rom. 10. 2. 6. This is done with great boldness, which appeareth, 1. In pretending to eschew no suffering, or to fear no hazard that may follow on their opinion, if it were to give their body to be brunt, and, it may be, doing much in this. 2. It may be stuck to by them at their sickness, even in their death beds, as it is not unlike it was with Jezebel and some of her followers, Rev. 2. 21, 22. for, neither is the devil silenced, nor corruptions removed by sickness or death. 3. It appeareth in confident undertaking to dispute with any; yea, oftentimes seeking occasion of that: Thus the Libertines arise and dispute with Stephen,