A89735:120
The heart of N-England rent at the blasphemies of the present generation. Or A…
The heart of N-England rent at the blasphemies of the present generation. Or A brief tractate, concerning the doctrine of the Quakers, demonstrating the destructive nature thereof, to religion, the churches, and the state, with consideration of the remedy against it. : Occasional satisfaction to objections, and confirmation of the contrary trueth. / By John Norton ...
Cambridge: printed by Samuel Green, 1659
Chapter 2: Of the Signal Nature of the Quakers, and other false Teachers, arising, and prevailing…
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Though the being of heresies be a great evil, yet heresies must be: as serving the counsel of God unto divine uses. In respect of the world: in respect of the professors of the truth, both hypocritical, & sincere: In respect of the world. Ma. 18.7. woe be to the world because of offences. Open enemies of the trueth rejoice in them, harden their hearts in impenitence by them: whereby these vessels of wrath, fill up their measure, and fit themselves for their just, & greater condemnation.
Though the being of heresies be a great evill, yet heresies must be: as serving the counsell of God unto divine uses. In respect of the world: in respect of the professors of the truth, both hypocriticall, & sincere: In respect of the world. Ma. 18.7. woe be to the world because of offences. Open enemies of the trueth rejoyce in them, harden their hearts in impenitence by them: whereby these vessels of wrath, fill up their measure, and fit themselves for their just, & greater condemnation.
Concerning hypocritical professors, God hereby discovers them. They went out, that they might be made manifest, that they were not all of us. 1. John. 2.19. God in his own season, many times detects unsound professors, & Church members, in this life: to show that whatever name they had in the Churches which they lived in, yet they were never unseen to his all-seeing eye. 2. To make others afraid how they approach to his holy things in hypocrisy. Acts. 5.14. 3. To prevent others being deceived by them. When the state of the republic is quiet, all the members seem to be well-affected, & like minded to the state: but as soon as Absaloms trumpet sounds, there quickly followeth a visible separation in Jsrael. Now David knoweth ⟨p. 27⟩whose hearts are indeed with him, whose not. During the churches peace, all the members seem orthodox, but if a strangers voice be heard, then the lovers of sound doctrine & itching ears, fall into parties: & follow not the same Teacher.