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…

Thirdly, it stoppeth the mouths of Heretics and Sectaries, who call themselves the godly party, Arrius, Photinus, Socinus, Arminius, and generally the chief Heresiarchs, which ever rose up in the Church, have been cried up by their followers, for men of extraordinary piety, as well as parts, all are not sheep that comes in sheeps clothing, a false Prophet is a wolf in sheeps clothing, Math. 7. 15. but it is added, ye shall know them by their fruits, mark by their fruits, not by their green leaves, nor fair flourishes, let them pretend what they will, we must believe the word of the Lord, that one of the marks of those who are approved, is to hold fast Gospel truths against Heresies, 1 Cor. 11. 19. and by the rules of contraries, those infected with Heresy, are made manifest, not to be approved. If that which I have formerly asserted and cleared from Scripture be a truth, as most certainly it is, then it is no truth, but a most dangerous and grace-destroying doctrine which some hold: 1. viz. That it is to be much questioned;¹ whether any opinions or Heresies (as they are called) be absolutely inconsistent with believing in Jesus Christ (and so damnable, that is, accompanied with eternal damnation) but only that which is formerly contradictory to such a believing. This writer (who is one of the fomenters of the Scepticism of this time) makes much question, whether any error or Heresy be damnable, which doth not formally contradict this proposition, that whosoever believes in Jesus Christ shall not perish, but have everlasting life, but I have showed elsewhere that Heresies denying the God-head of Jesus Christ, are accompanied with damnation (and no marvel) for whosoever believeth in Christ, and yet believeth not him to be eternal God, doth but believe in a creature, and no creature can redeem us from hell, nor satisfy infinite justice, so are the Heresies concerning justification (which hold that something besides Christs righteousness, whither our faith, or works is imputed ⟨p. 154⟩to us to justification) damnable, if continued in, Gal. 5. 4.