The falle preach no And he also tells the Corinthians, that he defired to know nothing amongst them, but Jefus Chrift, and him crucified. And thus the true Teachers preach nothing but Chrift; and Him they Preach, not according to their own Humane Conceptions and Apprehenfions, but according to the Revelation they have received from the Father by the Spirit. But on the contrary, the falfe Teachers preach thing lefs nothing less than Chrift, and Faith in him; but than Chrift. they chiefly teach the Law, and Moral Doctrine, and Works, or elfe Philofophy, and Philofophical Subtilties and Speculations, which yet the Apostle hath exprefly forbidden, Col. 2. 8. faying to the faithful, Beware left any man spoil you through PhiloSophy and Vain Deceit, after the Tradition of men, after the Elements of the World, and not after Chrift; far in Him dwells the fulness of the Godhead bodily ; and ye are compleat in Him who is the Head of all Principality and Power: And fo we need not tura from Chrift, to Philofophy that vain Deceit. The true Prophets preach Christ for Wherefore they who preach not the Mystery of Chrift, through the Revelation of the Father, and the Spirit, but Moral Vertues aud Vain Philofophy, instead of Chrift, are all of them falfe Prophets, and Minifters of Antichrift. The Fourth Sign. The true Ministers and Prophets of Chrift, as they only hold forth Chrift, fo they hold him forth love, and only for the Love of God, and their Brother, and not for any worldly Profit or Gain. not for gain. Thus Chrift taught his Difciples, out of the Love of God; as he faith, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy Law is within my Heart, that is, his Love to God. And alfo out of Love to his Brother; for having Loved his own, he Loved them to the end, and out of this Love taught them; as he faith, I have called you Friends; for whatsoever I have heard from my Father, I have declared unto You. And as he taught out of love Himself, so he hath commanded all His Seed to teach one another, out of the fame Love, and hath given them his Spirit, which is Love, that thereby they might love both Him and their Brethren; and therefore Chrift (knowing how difficult a Work it was, to feed his Sheep with the right and found Doctrine of the Gospel, and that none could or would perform this, except they loved Chrift from their very Heart root) faid thrice to Peter, Peter, doft thou Love me? doft thou Love me? doft thou Love me? then feed my sheep, my lambs, my sheep, and Paul faith, The Love of Chrift constrained him, to teach the Gospel: and the fruit of the Spirit, in all Believers being Love, in this Brotherly Love, they serve one another in the Gospel. And as Chrift himself did not fell his Spiritual Travel to his Church, for worldly Profit or Gain; no more do his true Seed and Servants; for faith Paul A&s 20. 33. I have coveted no mans Silver or Gold, or Apparel; ye your felves know, that Thefe Hands have miniftred to my Neceffity, and to Them who were with me: And 2 Cor. 12. 14. Behold the third time I am ready to come to you, I will not be burdenfome to you, for 1 seek not Yours but You. And ver. 17. Did I make a Gain of you, by any of them whom I fent unto you? or did Titus make a Gain of you? walked we not Both in the fame Spirit? And thus the true Teachers do not feek any Temporal Gain or Comodity, from the hands of men by their preaching, but do truly and chearfully teach out of the Love of Chrift, and their Brother. Preach for But on the contrary, the falfe Teachers, though The falle they do not teach the Gospel (being deftitute of gain, and the Spirit) but vain Philofophy and Humane Do- not for love of Chrift. 5. The true Prophets the Glory Etrines instead of it, yet will they live by the Gospel, and not by the labour of their Hands in a lawful Calling; they will have the Temporal Goods of the Church, and yet not minifter the Spiritual Treafure of it; and what they do minister, they do it for Reward, as it is written, Micah 3. 11. The Priefts teach for Hire, and the Prophets divine for Money; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him. . And to fhew they preach for the love of gain, they are brought up to the Miniftry as to a Trade to live by; and they run in this way, from one Place to another, from a Lefler to a Greater Living, and where they may gain most of this world, there will they be fure to be; Yea, fo much are they addicted to their Worldy Advantage, that they had rather Chrifts Kingdom fhould never be fet up in the World, nor Antichrifts never be thrown down, than fuffer any Lofs or Diminution in their Profit, Power, Dignity, Authority, or in any Worldly thing, whereof they have got the Poffeffion and Enjoyment. Wherefore they that teach Chrift, not for the love of Chrift, and their Brother, but for Temporal Gain, and Worldly Advantage only, are all of them falfe Teachers, and Minifters of Antichrift. The Fifth Sign. The true Teachers teach Chrift to others, as they Teach for have been taught him of God, only for the Glory of Chrift, of God, and not out of Vain Glory. Wherefore and not for Chrift faid of himself, John 8. 50. 1 feek not mine vain Glory. own Glory: And John 7. 18. He that Speaketh of himself, feeketh his own glory; but he that seeketh the glory of him that fent him, the fame is true, and no unrighteousness is in him: So that whoever speaketh from God, feeketh Gods Glory: And fo alfo Paul faith, 1 Thef. 2. 6. Nor of Men fought we Glory; neither of You, nor yet of Others. So So that the true Teachers do not preach the word to win to themselves Glory in the World, and Praise and Applaufe from Men; but do rather feek the Glory of God by their Doctrine, tho' Hypocrites and Carnal People, for this Caufe do deride and scorn them. But on the contrary, the falfe Teachers feek bove all things their own Glory by their Miniftry, and to this end, 1. They get to themselves Titles and Degrees in the University, for their pretended Knowledge in Divinity above other Chriftians; and by these Degrees, they get the uppermoft Seats in the Synagogues, and greetings in the Markets, and are called of Men, Doctor, Doctor, which Chrift hath exprefly forbidden in his Gospel. 2. Having got fuch Titles, they go forth in their own Name as men of approved Religion, Learning, Reputation and Worth, and for fuch they make account the World fhould receive them. 3. They especially defire to Preach to Rich Men, and Great Men, and Men in Place and Authority, that from Them they may have Protection, Favour, Preferment, and a Quiet Life, and care not much to preach to the poor, plain, mean People, by whom they can expect no Worldly Advantage. 4. To this end alfo, they speak in the words which Mans Wisdom teacheth, and fo mingle Philofophy with Divinity, and think to Credit the Gospel with Terms of Art; and do fprinkle their Sermons with Hebrew, Grek, Latine, as with a Perfume acceptable to the Noftrils of the World. In a word, they Preach all things in a Pleafing Spirit to the World, that they by all may get Glory to Themselves, and may be accounted, with Simon Magus, fome Great Ones: And in all this, they The falfe feek their own glory, neglecting Chrifts. 6. The true they fhew they fpeak of Themselves, and not of God; feeing they feek not Gods Glory, but their Own; for, He that spaketh of Himself, feeketh bis own Glory. Wherefore they who by their Ministry do not feek the Glory of God alone, and of his Son Jefus Christ, but feek their own Glory, and the Praife of men, as the Clergy generally do, and not leaft of all in this Place, they are all of them falfe Prophets, and Minifters of Antichrift. The Sixth Sign. The true Preachers and Minifters of Chrift, endure re- when they are oppofed, refifted, flandred and proaches and Perfecutions perfecuted for the Words fake, they endure it with meek with all meeknefs, humility and patience. Thus nefs. The falfe the Word. Chrift endured all the reproaches, contradictions, revilings, and perfecutions from the Jews; and when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suf fered he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously, 1 Pet. 2. 23. And Paul faith of himself to the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 12. 12. You had the figns of my Apostleship in all Patience. But on the contrary, the falfe Teachers, when are angry any Truth is preached that they know not, or against the reproofs of that is against their Gain or Glory, they faarl and bark at it, and bite them that bring it. And therefore faith Paul, Beware of Dogs, Phil. 3. 2. not Dogs by Nature, but by Practice and Condition. Now a curft Dog lying on a rich Garment, or foft Carpet at his cafe, as long as he may lie ftill he is very quiet, but if you would remove him from his place, he foon faarls and flies at you, and fhews of what mettle he is made. So the falfe Teachers, who have gotten a carnal Knowledge of the Word, and have thereby gotten Preferment, and great Advantages in the World, they lie quiet on these foft things, as long as they may lie ftill; but if any feek by the word of God to rouze them |