A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

From all which Scriptural observations we may make up a description of Heresy, to this sense. Heresy is a gross and dangerous error voluntarily held, and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible Church, in opposition to some chief or substantial truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy Scripture by necessary consequence.

From all which Scripturall observations we may make up a description of Heresie, to this sense. Heresie is agrosse and dangerous errour voluntarily held, and factiously maintained by some person or persons within the visible Church, in opposition to some chief or substantiall truth or truths grounded upon and drawn from the holy Scripture by necessary consequence.

But next, why saith the Apostle that there must be Heresies? This is not a simple or absolute necessity, but ex Hypothesi. I mean, not only upon supposition of Satan's malice, and mens corruption, but upon supposition of Gods eternal, and infallible foreknowledge: and not only so, but upon supposition of the eternal decree of God, whereby he did decree to permit Satan, and corrupt men, to introduce Heresies into the Church, purposing in the most wise, and most holy counsel of his will, to disabuse (as I may so say) his Church by these Heresies, that is to order and over-rule them, for the praise of his grace and mercy, to manifest such as are approved, and from the glory of his justice, in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. These things being so, i. e. Satan's malice, and mens corruption being such, and there being such a foreknowledge; yea, such a decree in God, therefore it is, that there must be Heresies, and so we a•e also to understand, Mat: 18. 17. it must needs be that offences come: These things I do but touch by the way.

But next, why saith the Apostle that there must be Heresies? This is not a simple or absolute necessity, but ex Hypothesi. I mean, not onely upon supposition of Sathans malice, and mens corruption, but upon supposition of Gods eternall, and infallible foreknowledge: and not only so, but upon supposition of the eternall decree of God, whereby he did decree to permit Sathan, and corrupt men, to introduce Heresies into the Church, purposing in the most wise, and most holy counsell of his will, to disabuse (as I may so say) his Church by these Heresies, that is to order and over-rule them, for the praise of his grace and mercy, to manifest such as are approved, and from the glory of his justice, in sending strong delusion upon such as received not the love of the truth, but had pleasure in unrigteousnesse. These things being so, i. e. Sathans malice, and mens corruption being such, and there being such a foreknowledge; yea, such a decree in God, therefore it is, that there must be Heresies, and so we ae also to understand, Mat: 18. 17. it must needs be that offences come: These things I doe but touch by the way.