A FRIENDLY DEBATE BETWEEN A Roman Catholick AND A PROTESTANT Concerning the Doctrine of TRANSUBSTANTIATION WHEREIN The said Doctrine is utterly Confuted and Antichrist is clearly and fully Described and his inevitable Destruction predicted With a Challenge to all the Romish Doctors that Preach and Teach the said Doctrine to Answer it LICENSED September 24. 1688. LONDON 〈…〉 A FRIENDLY DEBATE BETWEEN A Roman Catholick AND A PROTESTANT CONCERNING THE Doctrine of TRANSUBSTANTIATION c. PRotestant Sir Do you believe that there is a Real Change wrought upon the Elements of Bread and Wine after they are Consecrated by the Priest in the Sacrament of the Eucharist into the Substantial Material Living Body and Blood of Christ which makes up his Real Person to wit of Body Soul and Divinity Roman Catholick Yes Sir I do believe that the Elements are Transubstantiated into the very living person of Christ to wit of Body Soul and Divinity that is into the very same Body which he assumed before he died the same Body in which he suffered and died upon the Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem the same Body that laid in the Grave three days and the very same Body in which he ascended up into Glory and is sat down at the right hand of God in Glory Prot. I must confess Sir according to the genuine sense of your Doctrine of Transubstantiation it must be so or else it is a mere sham and mockery For if the Elements be Transubstantiated into the very Body Soul and Divinity of Christ and then be offered up a sacrifice propitiatory and sufficient for the sins of the living and the dead then Christ must be alive or else you do offer a dead sacrifice But I do utterly deny it and therefore Sir I 〈…〉 Rom. Yes Sir I will prove it by Scripture from our Saviour Christ's own words and also from the words of the Apostle St. Paul. Prot. Pray Sir let me hear that Rom. First of all I shall prove it from our Saviour Christ himself by the words of Institution when he Instituted this Ordinance of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Luke 22.19 20. And as they were cating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Likewise the cup after supper saying This cup is the new-testament in my blood Matt. 26.26 27 28. And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take eat this is my body And he took thâ— cup and gave thanks and gave it to them for this â—â— my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins And in John 6.52 53 54 I am the living bread which came down from heaven if any man eat of this bread he shall live for every And the bread that I will give is my flesh which I wiâ—â— give for the life of the world Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you except ye eat thâ—â— flesh of the son of man and drink his blood ye have 〈◊〉 life in you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh mâ— blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at thâ— last day Thus you see I have clearly 〈◊〉 〈…〉 That it is Christ's Real Body and Blood that we do eat and drink in the Sacrament of the Eucharist And secondly I shall prove this Doctrine from the Apostle St. Paul's words also in the 1 Cor. 11.24.25 where he saith Take Eat this is my Body which is broken for you After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood. Thus you see I have proved this Doctrine of Transubstantiation by Scripture and I could also prove it by Councils and Decrees and Canons and Traditions of our Fathers and the like And besides all that has been said it is an Article of the faith of our Church which is infallible and cannot err And we are bound to believe as the Church believes and commands us to believe And therefore this Doctrine must be infallibly true Prot. Sir is this all that you have to say to prove this Doctrine of your Infallible Church Rom. Yes Sir and I think it is a sufficient proof of it too Prot. Why then I pray Sir Give me leave to answer you as well as I can from Scripture and from Reason also Rom. Yes Sir with all my Heart Prot. Why first of all Sir in the first place give me leave to tell ye you have not taken the whole verses or sentence in some of these Scriptures which you have quoted you have gone away with part of a Text even so far as will serve your turn which is a very dangerous thing for it is no less than to clip the King of Heavens Coyn which is Spiritual High Treason which is the worst of Treason and is punishable with no less than all the Curses of the Book of the Holy Word of God without true Repentance Rev. 22.18 19. Deut. 4.2 Prov. 30.6 Sir you know Satan when he tempted our Blessed Saviour Christ he quoted part of a Text of Scripture to serve his own turn Matth. 4.5 6. Then the Devil taketh him up into the holy City and setteth him on a pinacle of the Temple and saith unto him If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down for it is written He shall give his Angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone 'T is written saith Satan quoting Psal 91.11 12. for he shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways they shall bear thee up in their hands lest thou dash thy foot against a stone The Devil leaves out that part of the Text to wit He shall keep thee in all thy ways Sir you do own and believe these Scriptures which you have quoted to be understood literally and properly and not Mystically and Spiritually but according to the plain letter of them Rom. Yes Sir I do for the Text is plain and clear Prot. Now Sir I will answer you from the words of our Saviour Christ in the same Chapters and in some of the same verses which you have quoted and also from the words of the Apostle Paul in that same Chapter which you have made use of and also in many other places of the Holy Scriptures whereby you shall see by God's assistance this Doctrine of yours overthrown and utterly confuted therefore let us bring it to the Touchstone of Gods Word To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 1. First of all By the words of our Blessed and only Mediator and Redeemer in Luk. 22.19 20. And he took Bread and gave thanks and brake it and gave it unto them saying
This is my Body which is broken for you so far you go but you leave out and omit this do in Remembrance of me likewise also the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Mat. 26.26 27. And as they were cating Jesus took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples and said Take Eat this is my Body and he took the Cup and gave thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it Here pray Sir observe by the way that it is said that Christ took Bread and blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples what is to be understood by this word it why it was it Bread for had it been Christ's Real Corporeal Substantial Body it should have been more properer thus He took the Bread and blessed him and brake him and gave him to the Disciples And he took the Cup and gave Thanks and gave it to them saying Drink ye all of it Now if your Doctrine were true then it should have been After Christ had given Thanks he gave him to them saying Drink ye all of him and not drink ye all of it that is all the Congregation both Minister and People that are Christ's true Disciples must all partake of the Cup or Wine in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper But by what Authority your Priests are so uncharitable as to deny the Lay-people the Cup I know not when as our Saviour Christ commands expresly that all his Disciples must drink of it that is of the Wine in the Cup and not of his Material Blood that was then running in his Humane veins and the Cup may rather be taken for the Blood of Christ than the Wine if it be to be understood literally because the Cup only is mentioned and not the Wine for it is said This Cup is the New Testament in my Blood which is shed for you Christ himself did partake of this Holy Ordinance at the same time when he did institute it The same night in which he was betrayed But now if your Doctrine be true then Christ did eat his own Substantial Body and drink his own Material Blood and yet was visible with his Disciples before their Eyes without any alteration in the least It is said His Blood is shed for many for the remission of sins And yet then at that time Christ had not actually and properly shed his Blood but virtually in the Decree of God he had done it before the foundation of the world for all those that ever were saved before Christ came in the flesh and for all that ever should be saved after he came in the flesh down throughout all Ages to the end of the world 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you Revel 13.8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Act. 2.23 Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledg of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have Crucified and slain This Ordinance of the Lords-Supper is to be kept up and practised in the Churches of God for a Remembrance of Christ's Death and Passion from them words of our Saviour which words you omit and leave out namely Do this in Remembrance of me as will yet further appear by and by from the Apostle St. Paul's words when he celebrated this Holy Ordinance of the Lords-Supper in the Church of Corinth But again from our Saviour's words which you do take and interpret as if spoken literally whereon you lay so much stress and make it serve for a foundation to build this Doctrine of Transubstantiation upon which was spoken before the Ordinance of the Lords-Supper was Instituted by our Saviour himself in Joh. 6.51 53 54. I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever And the Bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the life of the world Then Jesus said unto them Verily verily I say unto you Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath Eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day Here you see it is Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood c. How so what is the meaning of that word of our Saviour Christ viz. Whoso eateth c why this refers to what Christ had been speaking before in the same Chapter which leads to this Discourse of Eating his flesh and drinking his blood in setting out the usefulness and excellency of the Grace of Faith and the absolute necessity of it vers 35 40 47 48. here you shall see that this Whoso eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his blood is this viz. Whosoever believeth in Christ and resteth upon him alone for Spiritual life here and Eternal life in Glory hereafter Pray mark the words of our Saviour And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that believeth on me shall never thirst And this is the will of him that sent me that every one which seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day Verily verily I say unto you he that believeth on me hatâ— everlasting life I am that bread of life What bread of life Why that bread which by faith in his Righteousness and Merits alone justifies and acquits the soul from the guilt and pollution of sin without any works or righteousness of ours in conjunction or iâ— competition with Christ's for he will have no Rival he will have all the honour of saving a sinner tâ— himself for he is made the only Spiritual bread oâ— flesh for the new creature to live upon and it is nourished and strengthened thereby even as our natural bodies are fed and nourished and strengthened by our natural food Joh. 3.16 For God so loved tâ—â— world that he gave his only begotten Son that whose ever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life It is not said here whosoever eateth the material flesh of Christ shall be saved but whosoever believeth on Christ shall have Everlasting liâ—â— Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only Spiritual bread for every believing soul to live and feed upon Spiritually by the mouth of faith But you will say Here is a plain Text of Scripture for your Doctrine viz. This is the Bread which cometh down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not did I am the living bread which came down from Heaven 〈◊〉 any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever and tâ—â— bread that I will give is my flesh which I
at the day of Judgment That light is come â—nto the world and men love darkness rather than â—ight because their deeds are evil they hear of Christ but will not come and believe in him nor reign up the conduct and government of their souls â—nto him and this Ordinance of the Lords-Supper 〈◊〉 to quicken and strengthen the believers graces and 〈◊〉 shew forth the transcendent wisdom and grace of â—od in contriving and bringing to pass this blessed â—ork of mans Redemption by his only begotten â—n Jesus Christ This holy Ordinance may be compared with â—â—ly reverence unto a tender hearted loving Husband that is just taking his leave of his dearly beâ—â—ed Wife and going some long voyage by Sea or â—â—he tedious journey by Land And at his departure when he taketh his leave of his wife he saith 〈…〉 long time from thee therefore I will leave this Diamond Ring or this precious Jewel with thee as a Token of my intire love and affections unto thee for thee to remember me during my absence until I return unto thee again But when he returneth his Wife hath no need of the Ring or Jewel to remember him by because he himself is now personally present with her why even so our Lord Jesus Christ our Head and Husband just the very night in which he was betrayed leaves this Ordinance this precious Jewel with his Spouse the Church as a Love-token for to remember him by during his absence while he is personally sitting at the right hand of God the Father as you may observe from them words of our Saviour Do this in remembrance of me The true Catholick Apostolick Church is Christ's Spouse Cant. 5.1 I am come into my Garden my Sistor my Spouse and Christ is the Church's Husband Isa 54.5 For thy maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his name and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Isael the God of the whole Earth shall he be called But if this Doctrine of Transubstantiation in your sense be true viz. that the Bread and Wine is Transubstantiated into the very person of Christ namely into Body Soul and Divinity which makes up the compleat person of Christ as much now as he was before and after his Death and Resurrection and as much as he will be at the great day of Judgment for he will be then in Body Soul and Divinity but there will not be one soul that will even dare to stand by and own this strange Doctrine in that day any otherwise than to abhor it and to be ashamed of it And Christ is in Body Soul and Divinity now at the right hand of God in Glory But if this Doctrine of yours be true That Christ is Personally and Corporeally present every time that the Priest saith the Mass Then first in the first place It will consequentially follow that either the Priest maketh a new Christ every time the Mass is said and so we have one Christ personally in Heaven and they have thousands of Christs personally upon Earth Or Secondly They fetch down Christ materially personally from the right hand of God the Father And if so then in the third place Christ has no time at all in Heaven with the Father I call it time in Heaven for distinction sake to intercede and plead as an Advocate and Mediator with God the Father for sinners all his time would be taken up and spent in attending upon the Priests every time they say Mass in all those many remote places round the Globe almost which takes in their Mass-hours perhaps all the four and twenty Hours being upon several Horrizons Fourthly If this Doctrine be true then Christ is come and then this Ordinance ceases to be as I conceive and there needs no such thing to remember him by or to shew 〈…〉 swade him to stay when he is come in your Mass for according to your Doctrine there is a compleat Christ that cometh in the Mass every time it is said for when Christ doth come from the right hand of God to judg the quick and the dead as you your selves do confess and own in your own Creed to my own certain knowledg which I shall have occasion to speak more of by and by for Christ will come then in no other manner as to his person than in Body Soul and Divinity if he went to Heaven so he will come again so as you may see Act. 1.11 Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Now if Christ be thus come then I humbly conceive this Ordinance should be at an end for when once the substance is come then the shadows must flee away and cease to be for what need the children of the Bride-chamber mourn when the Bridegroom shall come again to them and be with them for ever for what need a man have any thing to put him in mind or to remember a friend that is always present with him and is always before his eyes Why when Christ doth come his people shall see him eye to eye Isa 52.8 and Rev. 1.7 Behold he cometh in the Clouds and every eye shall see him And they also which pierced him that shall be both Jews and Gentiles Zech. 12.10 Again thirdly the same Apostle saith That Christ was to be offered up but once and he gives this as one reason of it viz. for saith he If he had been offered up often then must he have suffered often since the foundation of the world And the Apostle Peter whom some do count Prince of the Apostles saith That Christ suffered once 1 Pet. 3.18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sin the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit Mark ye it was the humane flesh or body of Christ that suffered and died and not his Godhead for that is not capable of suffering I pray Sir observe these following Scriptures and believe them Heb. 9.25 26 28. For Christ is not entered into the holy place made without hands which are the forerunners of the true but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us nor yet that he should offer himself often as the high Priests entered into the holy place every year with the blood of others for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world But now in the end of the world hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself So Christ was once offered to bear the sin of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation Here you see Christ was ordained and appointed to be offered up but once and that was a sufficient sacrifice for sin in the wisdom and account of God but you 〈◊〉 once offering up himself
and that Man of sin be revealed the Son of Perdition The Apostle gives him the same Name or Title here as our Saviour has given Judas who betraied him Joh. 17.12 And the Apostle has a great deal of reason for giving Antichrist this Title for as Judas under the pretence of the greatest friendship proved our Saviour's greatest enemy why so does Antichrist and as Judas had a hand in crucifying Christ's real Body so hath Antichrist in crucifying of Christ's mystical Body the Catholick Apostolical Church Pray mind how the Apostle has laid down the Prophesie wherein he gives the infallible Marks and Characters of Antichrist First there was to be a falling away that is the Apostatizing from the true Doctrine of Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 2. Secondly The man of sin must be revealed That is he must appear visible in the Church or Temple of God in his Colours Thirdly here is his practices when he is thus revealed viz. he opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped That is above all the Civil Magistracy and above all the Ministry both which Orders of Men are called Gods in Scripture Psal 82. Joh. 10.34 35. and there is a Civil Worship or Reverence that is due unto them both above all other men But this is not all but he exalts himself above God himself and placeth himself in the room of Christ so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God and he opposeth and deposeth all power that standeth in the way of his exalting himself both Ecclesiastical and Civil and he exalted himself by taking to himself that power which belongeth only to God viz. the Soveraignty over all Kings Princes and Rulers which either his Sword or Deceit can Conquer Dan. 8.25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in and by peace shall destroy many That is those which adhere unto his Doctrine and are reconciled unto him as their Head and so are at peace with him by which peace their Souls will be destroyed for it is a peace with Satan and therefore judge what kind of fruit that peace must produce Lastly He Exalts himself above all true Worship and Worshippers which is above all Churches and over mens Souls and Consciences Rev. 18.13 And he assumes to himself one of God's Glorious Attributes namely his Holiness for none is essentially Holy nor Holiness but God So that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God That is where none but Christ ought to sit And this is his standing up against the Prince of Princes but he shall be broken without hands saith Daniel 8.25 He shall be destroyed by the brightness of Christ's coming saith St. Paul 2 Thess 2.8 Therefore evil shall come upon thee thou shalt not know from whence it cometh and mischief shall fall upon him he shall not be able to put it off and it shall come suddenly saith the Propher Isa 47. When God begins he will soon make an end and her plagues shall come in one day saith John Rev. 18. that may be in one year which is at hand I doubt not Now whosoever is found under these marks and indelible characters which are here given and what I shall yet find out and and add That is the Man of Sin be he who he will that claims this universal power both Spiritual and Temporal Rev. 17.18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great City which reigneth over the kings of the earth And who this Woman is and what she doth or hath done you may see in the same Chapter Vers 5 6. And upon her forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus and when I saw her I wondred with great admiration But why is he called the Man of Sin by the Apostle Paul and called a Woman by St. John in the Revelations The Reason why he is called the Man of Sin I humbly conceive respects him as a single person and a temporal Prince with all his temporal power and cruelty Dan. 7.7 And the Reason of her being called Woman is that which respects her Ecclesiastical Power as Head of the Church in conjunction with the Body so she is a Woman And as he is Antichrist the Man of Sin so he is Head and Husband to this Woman their Church which is made up of the many Antichrists As our Saviour Christ is called the Man Christ Jesus and the Holy One who alone is Head and Husband to the true Catholick Apostolick Church of God for both the false Antichristian Church whereof the Man of Sin is Head and also the true and pure Church of God whereof Christ is Head are preâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 Woman the false Antichristian Church is 〈◊〉 presented unto us as a Whorish woman a Strum 〈◊〉 Rev. 17.1 2. But the true Church is represent unto us as a Chast Virgin and a Clean Church without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 And 〈◊〉 an illustrious beautiful Woman richly clothâ—â— Rev. 12.1 Psal 45.13 14 Cant. 6.10 But 〈◊〉 false Church this Whorish woman hath deserâ—â— Christ who was her Head and Husband before 〈◊〉 plaid the Harlot with many Lovers by forsake her Husbands bed the pure Worship and Ordnances of God and is become guilty of spiritual â—â—nication and adultery Rev. 17.4 5. and there 〈◊〉 Christ hath deserted her and cast her off and giâ—â— her a Bill of Divorce and so the Text tells 〈◊〉 that this Woman is in the Wilderness Rev. 17. 〈◊〉 And we have this Antichristian Church or Womâ—â— prophesied of also in Zech. 5.7 8. And behold thâ— was lift up a talent of lead and this a woman that 〈◊〉 teth in the midst of the ephah And he said Thâ—â— Wickedness Here is Antichrist the Man of Sin 〈◊〉 the Church or Temple of God and my Reaâ—â— why I look upon it to be so is this Because 〈◊〉 the Destruction of this Woman namely Wickedâ—â— which you have in the latter part of the 8th Vâ—â— Then upon this cometh forth two women wâ—â— the wind in their wings Verse 9. which are 〈◊〉 two Churches of both Jews and Gentiles which 〈◊〉 to be after the destruction of Antichrist and 〈◊〉 conversion of the Jews the one is the Jews 〈◊〉 will then be formed into a Gospel Church and 〈◊〉 other the Church of the Gentiles and this Winâ—â— their Wings I take to be their Gospel Doctrine and it signifieth their spirituality and their sâ—fâ—â— the Wings are God's Attributes for then they 〈◊〉 be built up and established and set upon her 〈◊〉 Base Verse 10.11 Then these two Women 〈◊〉 the two Churches of the Jews and Gentiles shaâ—â— beautiful and glorious in the eyes of all peâ—â— Zech. 14.20 21. So thus you see the Reason 〈◊〉 the Apostle St. Paul called Antichrist a Man 〈◊〉 why
which if it were true would be a higher degree of perfection than ever any Church of Christ has yet 〈…〉 and the Apostles time We read of Seven Churches at one time in Rev. 2. and Rev. 3. but we find they had all of them their failings there was neither Infallibility nor Supremacy to be found among them tho notwithstanding it is true the Gospel true Catholick Apostolical Church is perfect and infallible but not in nor of her self but she is so in Christ her Infallible Head for there her perfection lieth Ephes 5.26 27. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Therefore this Doctrine of Infallibility of theirs must also be another Lie which they speak or teach in Hypocrisie for the Scripture saith in Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all And in Eccles 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Therefore the Man of Sin cannot be infallible altho in conjunction with all these many Antichrists and false Prophets which do belong unto him And pray mind what another Servant of God saith tho acted by the same spirit as Paul was 1 Joh. 2.18 19. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby ye know that it is the last time And here followeth their Apostatizing from the true Church and Worship of God They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Pray observe it was these many Antichrists that went out from the Church of Christ and made the first rent or schism But the true Church of Christ kept her standing tho perhaps not so visible in some Centuries or Ages because she fled into the Wilderness into her place prepared by God for her and was hid there after the Dragon by the permissive will of God got into the Temple of God which is called Heaven in his Son Antichrist for as God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so o◠the contrary the Dragon is Antichrist's Father Re◠12.1 2 3 6. After this great fight in Heave◠which was persecution of the Church is the W◠man or Church of Christ fled into the Wilderne◠where she hath a place prepared by God that the should feed her there 1260 days which is all the reign of Antichrist And the Antichristian Church that woman is in the Wilderness also Rev. 17.3 B◠as the true Church is in the Wilderness in mere to her because she is in her place which God d◠prepare for her to hide her in from the Dragon the cast out floods of wrath and malice after her 〈◊〉 the false Antichristian Church is in the Wilderness in judgment to her for she is bewildered and I 〈◊〉 there These many 〈…〉 did not go first from them for she kept close to Christ's Standard in all Ages They followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and did not flinch nor run from their Colours but these Antichrists deserted the service of Christ and run from their Colours to Satan the Enemy And now to clench this Nail that is driven into the head of Antichrist the Man of Sin pray look into the same Chapter where he is described and prophesied of and observe strictly what is the cause that produced this dreadful effect namely what was it that provoked God to bring this tremendous judgment upon them and there you shall find that it is charged upon them by way of prediction for their despising and departing from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 which is from the whole Doctrine of Faith namely the Gospel of God 2 Thes 2.9 10 11 12. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness They please themselves with the conceit of being saved by their own righteousness which is unrighteousness in competition with the Righteousness of Christ for Justification they departed from the very Doctrine of Faith the means of Grace and Salvation which is the Spiritual food under Christ for the souls of true Christian Believers to live upon Psal 19.8 9 10. Now that person must needs perish and die that refuseth and despiseth his natural food and will not feed upon it but pretend to live upon the wind why even so it is with a respect to Spiritual food that soul or souls must needs perish and be damned that reject and refuse the means of Grace and Salvation Because saith the Apostle they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned That is the whole of their Faith Doctrine Discipline and Worship is one great lie as the whole of the true Gospel-Faith Doctrine Discipline and Worship is called the Truth in the same Chapter in opposition this great Lie. So that the whole of their Spiritual opinion is only a heap of lies and deceit wrapt up and incorporated together And therefore called by the Holy Ghost a strong delusion and a lie It is a Delusion full of Delusions or a Lie full of Lies The Apostle by the Holy Ghost prophesied clearly what a dreadful Judgment God would inflict upon all them that would be thus horribly guilty For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions first hence we may observe that God did not proceed in 〈…〉 we may observe that this Judgment did not come of it self but God sent it Thirdly God sent them the Truth but they did not receive it in the love of it Fourthly you may observe that it was not an ordinary weak puny Judgment or Delusion that God sent which should not be able or strong enough to do the work no but it was a strong delusion that should overcome them Fifthly you may observe that this strong Delusion was not then come because that the Man of Sin was not yet revealed Sixthly the cause of it was then commencing for the Mystery of Iniquity did then begin to work Seventhly hence we may observe that they themselves did chuse these Delusions which was their great sin by which they provoked God to give them up unto them and so God in his Justice made their sin their punishment for it is said The Backslider in heart
shall be filled with his own ways Eighthly we may observe that altho this Mystery of Iniquity did begin to work even then in the Apostles day yet it was not to come to that full measure and degree of iniquity which it was to come unto until after his death that was not until the Man of Sin should be revealed Act. 20.29 30. Ninthly and lastly it is to be observed that the cause of God's sending this strong delusion unto them was for their abandoning and casting off the Gospel of God which tendered Life and Salvation by Christ's Righteousness unto them and following after lying vanities it was that which provoked God to inflict this sore judgment upon them so that they have eyes and see not and ears and hear not which may very aptly refer to this viz. that these persons have as great natural Gifts and Endowments as other persons have namely Sence Reason and Understanding with all the Intellectuals and Faculties that belong unto men as men but they are not suffered to make use of them upon Spiritual objects or occasions neither will they suffer themselves to make use of them in that way and manner as would most glorifie God and tend to the Salvation of their own souls their Consciences are seared with a hot Iron they have quite lost all Spiritual feeling for tho Sences Reason Understanding and all the Faculties do their work and office yet none of them are to be believed And who are blinder than those that will not see They are just like the Images which they do bow down unto and pray before if not worship them And they have no better Spiritual use of them than a condemned Malefactor has of the temporal use of his legs which only serve to carry him to the place of execution Nay give me leave to tell ye that they have no more use of their Sences Reason and Understanding in Spiritual things than these very Images have which they adore of natural Sences Reason and Understanding 〈…〉 least for look into Psal 115.4 5 6 7 8. Their Idols are silver and gold the work of mens hands they have mouths but they speak not eyes have they but they see not they have ears but they hear not noses have they but they smell not they have hands but they handle not feet have they but they walk not neither speak they through the throat Pray mark the winding up They that make them are like unto them so is every one that trusteth in them First they have mouths but they must not preach the pure Doctrine of the Gospel of God therewith 2. They have eyes but they must not see the way to Life and Salvation by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ alone with them 3. They have ears but they hear not That is they must not nor will not hear the Preaching of the Gospel with them 4. They have Noses But they must not smell any savour in the holy ways and pure worship of God with them them 5. They have hands but they must not believe them when they tell them that the Bread or Wafer is but Bread and is not flesh nor a material body 6. They have feet But they must not walk to the House of God with them but they will walk to the Idols Temple with them 7. And lastly They have Throats but they must not pray nor speak unto God through them in a right manner according to his will and mind but they pray with them unto Saints departed and preach up the Infallibility of the Church and the Doctrine of Implicite Faith with and to it And thus they come to have eyes and see not and ears and hear not and so are like unto the Images they make and pray to and before and by this means the holy Bible cometh to be a sealed Book unto them Isa 29.10 11 12. And now I leave any one to judg whether this Man of Sin that sitteth in the Temple of God and exalteth himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped can be the great Turk or whether it can be meant of any sort of Protestants whatsoever for they do not assume any such universal power and dominion or Soveraignty over Kings and Rulers Kingdoms and Nations and over mens souls and consciences But if the Turk be not Antichrist the Man of Sin nor the Protestants then pray who is Antichrist my answer is this viz. I will name no body but I will refer ye to the Scriptural Characters that I have observed and let it be compared to some mens Office and Offices and to their Faith Doctrine Worship Discipline Manners and Practices in the world and they shall answer for me and tell you plainly who Antichrist the Man of Sin is for the Holy Ghost in the Sacred Scriptures have drawn his Effigies or Picture so clear and conspicuous that any man of Gospel-sense or that hath but the use of natural reason may wink with both eyes and tell who the Antichrist is and where he sits for indeed the Holy Scriptures have written his name in his forehead so that we may read the very Scriptures that relate unto him in his Office Doctrines Worship Discipline Practice and Manners as clear and as plain as we may read his Office Doctrines Worship Discipline Practice and Manners by and in the Holy Scriptures Rev. 17.5 6. with which Scripture I shall conclude this Digression viz. And upon her forehead was a name written Mystery Babylon the Great the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints and with the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus Now he that runneth may read who this Man of Sin the Antichrist is if he be not wilfully blind if they will but give themselves leave to adhere to sense and reason I have made a tedious digression by which I have gone a little out of my way but it was to meet with Antichrist the Man of Sin and his Adherents which are all out in the Wilderness with the Woman or deserted Church and Idolatrous worship which doth belong unto him and doth attend upon him God awaken the Kings of the Earth and open their eyes that they also may see and know who this the Antichrist is Rev. 17.16 17 18. that he may ride them no longer But now my Dear Friend although I have taken a very long turn with Antichrist yet I remember my promise unto you viz. That I would meet you again upon our old Topic or Point of Doctrine that we were discoursing upon before I met with Antichrist the Man of Sin namely the Doctrine of Transubstantiation for I have not done with that as yet for I have more considerations to offer against it for the confuting of it the first shall be this viz. Christ saith in Rev. 1.18 I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Pray mistake not for as Christ was
and look unto the Righteousness and the Blood and Merits of Christ alone for â—ustification Sanctification and Salvation and â—ount all that ye have done to be but silthy Rags â—his is to deny righteous-self Isa 64.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousnesses are as â—â—lthy rags Joh. 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say â—e are unprefitable servants we have done that which â—as our duty to do So that we cannot merit ought 〈◊〉 the hands of God by doing that which is our Duty to do for it is a contradiction in it self â—â—r if it be Duty then it is not Merit but if it be Merit then it is not Duty for when we have â—one all we can do it cannot justify nor acquit a â—oul of the least vain sinful thought For our justification before and in the sight of God cometh 〈◊〉 by the Righteousness of Christ our Redeemer â—â—nne without the help of any Copertner or 〈…〉 But the Gospel of Antichrist teacheth men and women to be worse than their own natural dispositions and corrupt inclinations and indulgeth them in all manner of ungodliness and worldly Lusts it le ts loose the Reins to the will of the Flesh and is a spur to iniquity and teacheth men that they shall be justified and saved by and for their good Works joyned with the Righteousness and Merits of Christ therefore neither that Gospel nor that Religion which it teacheth can be true or of God therefore it must be of Satan 2 Cor. 11.3 4. Gal. 1.8 9. Rev. 22.18 19. Tenthly The Gospel of Christ teacheth men to confess their sins to God and to one another and to pray one for another unto God and beg of him to pardon us in the Blood of Christ and that God would give the Grace of Faith and unfeigned Repentance unto us that we may hate sin and forsake all our sins and here you may see what true Repentance is in all the parts of it laid down by the Apostle St. Paul in 2 Cor. 7.10 11. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death For behold this self-same thing that ye sorrowed after a godly sort what carefulness it wrought in you yea what clearing of your selves yea what indignation yea what fear yea what vehement desire yea what zeal yea what revenge in all things ye have approved your selves to be clear in this matter This is true Gospel Repentance in all the parts of it this is Repentance unto Salvation never to be repented of they are careful to use the uttermost power that God hath given them in the means of Grace never to commit sin more and they clear themselves by confessing their sins to God and forsaking of them and they take up a holy indignation and an implacable hatred against sin and study how to be revenged upon it as a Man doth upon his implacable enemy and he hath a vehement desire after Grace and Holiness and useth all the means of Grace which God hath appointed to that end And by their being hearty and sincere in the work they can approve themselves to God in this matter or appeal to God through Jesus Christ from their Consciences that they are truly penitent and have the evidence of it in themselves And it is said if we confess our sins that is after that manner aforesaid not a bare verbal Confession that God is just to forgive us our sins Now you cannot Pray one among another nor Pray one for another in a right manner but you must confess your Sins to God and to one another for if you confess your Sins and do not pray or if you do pray and not confess your Sins it is neither a right Gospel-Confession nor a right Prayer But if it be done in a right manner and to a 〈…〉 never miss of a Pardon from God in the Blood of Christ because God hath promised it and he will be as good as his Word and therefore he is just to forgive us our Sins But if one man can Pardon another why then he can merit Life for himself and another then we need not to have Christ pleading with the Father for pardoning Grace for Sinners no nor Christ need not to have died that vast cost might have been spared if Sinners can Pardon one another and merit Justification and Savlation one for another But this is just like unto a poor Man that is deeply in Debt to the King for Tribute and he meets with another Man that is deeper in Debt to the King than he and the latter saith unto the other Sir I suppose you are in the King's Debt Yes Sir I am Well do but Confess to me how much your Debt is and give me a small Fee and I will pardon you so he confesseth and he Pardons him as he pretends But the poor Man stands still charged in the King's Books and then he runs on again further in Debt and he goes to his old Friend and confesses his Debt and he Pardons him the King's Debt but he will not forgive him his own Fees no Penny no Pater-Noster no that is a Debt cannot be forgiven and so he goes on in Debt again and again and he pardons him but all this while he hath none of the Kings Commission for so doing But at last the King calls both these Debtors to Account he that pretended to forgive the other his Debt to the King who himself was deeper in Debt to the King than the other that he pardoned and the pardoned man he pleads that he is pardoned who pardoned you Why such a one What had he to do to Pardon you that which you do owe unto me He never had any such Power from me for he had more need of a Pardon for himself did he not owe me enough himself but must he take your Debt upon him too Then the King in a great Fury causes them both to be Seised and clapt up into Prison and never to come out until they have paid the utmost Farthing So will it be with all them which pretend to Pardon other Mens Sins and with them also that rely upon their Pardon living and dying in that Condition it is of no more value than for one Thief or Highway-man to Pardon another of their bloody Crimes none can pardon Sin but God. Good Men may Judg that such and such Men are pardoned upon their Confession or a Church may pronounce in their Cenfure such a one pardoned but none but God can Pardon them Mark 2.7 10. Why doth this man thus speak Blasphemies Who can forgive sins but God that is none have the Power to forgive Sin but God The Jews were right in their Doctrine but they were mistaken in the Person they took our Saviour to be but a meer Man pray mind whâ— our Saviour saith But that ye may know that the 〈◊〉