It is sad to remember, and seriously to consider what errors and strong delusions have abounded and prevailed in our Gospel-days. How many false teachers have there been among us, which have crept in at unawares? how many Jesuits and Priests sent from Rome and other places, to rend and tear our Protestant Church to pieces, that they might make way for the introduction of Popery, at least to cast a disgrace upon Protestantism, and delude many of us with the opinions they have broached, and to confirm their own in their delusions; thus many cunning & learned Jesuits have disguised themselves in the habit of Tailors, Shoo-makers, and of other mechanical Tradesmen, that they might seem to the people to have been taught those things by the Spirit, which have been the product of much study; thus these cursed villains, of old ordained to condemnation, have privily brought in damnable heresies, some calling themselves Quakers, others Ranters, other Seekers, others Antinomians, others Brownists, others Anabaptists; putting themselves into any shapes, that they might mis-lead, and the better lye in wait to deceive poor souls; some denying the Lord that bought them, setting up the fancy of a Christ within them for their Saviour; others denying the foundation, undermining the Divine Authority ⟨p. 94⟩of the Scriptures; others labouring to overthrow the Doctrine of Justification, and striking at most fundamental Doctrines in the Christian faith; and all of them endeavouring to undermine the ministry of Christs institution, and sending, calling them Anti-Christian, Baals Priests, False Prophets, doing what they could to bring them and their ministry out of esteem, that they might the more effectually prevail with the people to receive their false doctrines, and arm them hereby against an undeceivement; and sweetening their poison with good words and fair speeches, they have deceived the hearts of the simple, so that many did follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth hath been evil spoken of, and what ever good words they had, they were but feigned words, whereby they made merchandise of souls, Whose judgment now a long time lingereth not, and whose damnation slumbereth not. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3.
It is sad to remember, and seriously to consider what errours and strong delusions have abounded and prevailed in our Gospel-daies. How many false teachers have there been among us, which have crept in at unawares? how many Jesuits and Priests sent from Rome and other places, to rend and tear our Protestant Church to pieces, that they might make way for the introduction of Popery, at least to cast a disgrace upon Protestantism, and delude many of us with the opinions they have broached, and to confirm their own in their delusions; thus many cunning & learned Jesuits have disguised themselves in the habit of Taylors, Shoo-makers, and of other mechanical Tradesmen, that they might seem to the people to have been taught those things by the Spirit, which have been the product of much study; thus these cursed villains, of old ordained to condemnation, have privily brought in damnable heresies, some calling themselves Quakers, others Ranters, other Seekers, others Antinomians, others Brownists, others Anabaptists; putting themselves into any shapes, that they might mis-lead, and the better lye in wait to deceive poor souls; some denying the Lord that bought them, setting up the fancy of a Christ within them for their Saviour; others denying the foundation, undermining the Divine Authority ⟨p. 94⟩of the Scriptures; others labouring to overthrow the Doctrine of Justification, and striking at most fundamental Doctrines in the Christian faith; and all of them endeavouring to undermine the ministry of Christs institution, and sending, calling them Anti-Christian, Baals Priests, False Prophets, doing what they could to bring them and their ministry out of esteem, that they might the more effectually prevaile with the people to receive their false doctrines, and arm them hereby against an undeceivement; and sweetning their poison with good words and fair speeches, they have deceived the hearts of the simple, so that many did follow their pernicious waies, by reason of whom the way of truth hath been evil spoken of, and what ever good words they had, they were but feigned words, whereby they made merchandize of souls, Whose judgment now a long time lingreth not, and whose damnation slumbreth not. 2 Pet. 2. 1, 2, 3.
