A Body of Practical Divinity

(2.) That Poison Souls. Such are Heterodox Ministers, who poison People with Error. The Basilisk poisons Herbs and Flowers by breathing on them. The Breath of Heretical Ministers, like the Basilisk's Breath, poisons Souls. The Socinian, that would rob Christ of his Godhead; the Arminian, that by advancing the Power of the Will, would take off the Crown from the Head of Free-Grace; the Antinomian, who denies the Use of the Moral Law to a Believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date▪ these Poison Mens Souls. Error is as damnable as Vice. 1 Pet. 2.1. There shall he false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies, denying the Lord, that bought them.

(2.) That Poyson Souls. Such are Heterodox Ministers, who poyson People with Error. The Basilisk poysons Herbs and Flowers by breathing on them. The Breath of Heretical Ministers, like the Basilisks Breath, poysons Souls. The Socinian, that would rob Christ of his Godhead; the Arminian, that by advancing the Power of the Will, would take off the Crown from the Head of Free-Grace; the Antinomian, who denies the Use of the Moral Law to a Believer, as if it were antiquated and out of date▪ these Poyson Mens Souls. Error is as damnable as Vice. 1 Pet. 2.1. There shall he false Teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable Hereresies, denying the Lord, that bought them.

(3.) That Infect Souls, viz. By their Scandalous Lives. Exod. 19.22. Let the Priests which come near to the Lord sanctify themselves. Ministers who by their Places are nearer to God, should be holier than others. The Elements, the higher they are, the purer. The Air is purer than the Water; the Fire is purer than the Air. The higher Men are by Office, the holier they should be. John Baptist was a shining Lamp. But there are many who infect their People with their Bad Life: They preach one thing, and live another. Qui curios simulant & Bacchanalia vivunt. They, like Eli's Sons, are in White Linen, but they have Scarlet Sins. Some say that Prester John, the Lord of Africa, causeth to be carried before him a Golden Cup full of Dirt: A fit Emblem of such Ministers as have a Golden Office, but are dirty and polluted in their Lives. They are Murderers, and the Blood of Souls will cry against them at the last Day.