But all this, and much more, this man of peace, that moves to have the name of Legalist laid down; and yet not only commonly ⟨p. 42⟩so stiles them that are not of his strain, but lays load on them, as you see, to make them and their Ministry as odious as may be, in the eyes and minds of men. And indeed better a thousand times be termed Legalists and Legal Teachers, then to be deciphered by doing and dealing so and so, as he is pleased to describe them. For what by any malignant, or malicious Papist, could more opprobriously and contumeliously have been spoken of the ministry of those, unto whose labours in his own work, God hath bin pleased to give so ample a testimony, by his blessing thereupon? But, I hope, some other of them, being men furnished with abundance of spiritual abilities, will take pains to lay open more fully and largely this mystery of iniquity, like to ruin millions of souls, if with out control it be permitted to spread. dIt hath ever been Satan's policy, says this Author, to manage a truth in an other name then its own. And it is no less an usual policy and subtle engine of Satan to manage errors under other names then their own. they would not otherwise so soon find acceptance, and be owned as truths. Nor are errors ever more dangerous, then when they come abroad, and appear, as eSatan himself in Samuel's weed, so shrouded under the specious titles of Gods Love, Free Grace, Gospel of Peace, Glorious Lights, and the like. Read but the discourses and Treatises of your Familists; and you shall find all their new-fangled conceits, and fantastical dotages represented unto you under the most specious and glorious terms and titles that may be: and withal (that which in some of these mens writings also I have lately observed) stuffed with such strange abstract metaphysical notions, clothed with metaphorical and hyperbolical expressions, as may ravish the minds of simple people, and raise them to an high admiration of them, as containing such deep and abstruse mysteries, as ordinary capacities are unable to apprehend; and tend rather to darken and cloud what they deliver, then to make it clear and conspicuous, that being brought to the light, which such usually shun, it may come to trial, and appear what in truth it is.
But all this, and much more, this man of peace, that moves to have the name of Legalist laid down; and yet not onely commonly ⟨p. 42⟩so stiles them that are not of his strain, but lays load on them, as you see, to make them and their Ministery as odious as may be, in the eyes and minds of men. And indeed better a thousand times be termed Legalists and Legall Teachers, then to be deciphered by doing and dealing so and so, as he is pleased to describe them. For what by any malignant, or malicious Papist, could more opprobriously and contumeliously have been spoken of the ministery of those, unto whose labours in his own work, God hath bin pleased to give so ample a testimony, by his blessing thereupon? But, I hope, some other of them, being men furnished with aboundance of spirituall abilities, wil take pains to lay open more fully and largely this mistery of iniquity, like to ruin millions of souls, if with out control it be permitted to spread. dIt hath ever been Satans policy, says this Autor, to mannage a truth in an other name then its own. And it is no lesse an usuall policy and subtil engin of Satan to mannage errors under other names then their own. they would not otherwise so soon finde acceptance, and be owned as truths. Nor are errors ever more dangerous, then when they come abroad, and appear, as eSatan himself in Samuels weed, so shrowded under the specious titles of Gods Love, Free Grace, Gospel of Peace, Glorious Lights, and the like. Read but the discourses and Treatises of your Familists; and you shall find all their new-fangled conceits, and fantastical dotages represented unto you under the most specious and glorious terms and titles that may be: and withall (that which in some of these mens writings also I have lately observed) stuft with such strange abstract metaphysicall notions, cloathed with metaphorical and hyperbolicall expressions, as may ravish the minds of simple people, and raise them to an high admiration of them, as conteining such deep and abstruse mysteries, as ordinary capacities are unable to apprehend; and tend rather to darken and cloud what they deliver, then to make it cleer and conspicuous, that being brought to the light, which such usually shun, it may come to triall, and appear what in truth it is.
- dOccasional word, p. 8.Occasionall word, p. 8.
- e1 Sam. 28. 14.
