The Sincere Convert

II. By false Teachers. Who partly by their loose examples, partly by their flattering doctrines in public, and their large charity in private, daubing up every one (especially that is a good friend unto them) for honest and religious people, and if they be but a little troubled, applying comfort ⟨p. 203⟩presently, and so healing them that should be wounded, and not telling them roundly of their Herodias, as John Baptist did Herod. Hereupon they judge themselves honest, because the Minister will give them the beggarly passport, and so they go out of the world, and dye like Lambs, being woefully cheated, Matth. 24. 11. Look abroad in the world, and see what is the reason so many feed their hearts with confidence they shall be saved, yet their lives condemn them, and their hearts acquit them; the reason is, such and such a Minister will go to the Ale-house, and he never prays in his Family, and he is none of these precise hot people, and yet as honest a man as ever lives, and a good Divine too. Ahab was miserably cheated by four hundred false Prophets. Whilst the Minister is of a loose life himself, he will wink at others and their faults, least in reproving them, he should condemn himself, and others should say unto him, Physician, heal thy self. Thieves of the same ⟨p. 204⟩company will not steal from one another, least they trouble thereby themselves; and hence they give others false Cards to sail by, false Rules to live by; their unconscionable large charity, is like a gulf that swalloweth Ships (souls I mean) tossed with tempests, and not comforted, Isa. 54. 7, 8. and hence all being fish that cometh to their net, all men think so of themselves.

II. By false Teachers. Who partly by their loose examples, partly by their flattering doctrines in publike, and their large charitie in private, dawbing up every one (especially that is a good friend unto them) for honest and religious people, and if they be but a little troubled, applying comfort ⟨p. 203⟩presently, and so healing them that should be wounded, and not telling them roundly of their Herodias, as Iohn Baptist did Herod. Hereupon they judge themselves honest, because the Minister will give them the beggerly pasport, and so they goe out of the world, and dye like Lambes, being wofully cheated,