Apostle John or Paul or any other holy Writer haâ—h recorded concerning Antichrist and Antichrists unto the faithfull Ministers of the Refoâ—med Churches for these Ministers doe teach the truths of God but not the traditions of men they teach the doctrins of Christ but not the doctrines of Devils nor the dotages and decretalls of any mortalls They also from the Apostolicalâ— writings do convincingly detect unto the world the grand Antichrist and the fry of many Antichrists both which abuse the world with their lying deceipts errors and heresyes I will say something concerning the Antichrist and Antichrists whom the Apostle describes and then I will punctually answer to thy demand Antichrist as the name signifyes is one who opposeth Christ the scripture intimates that he is such an one who covertly under the Vizard of professing Christ and his Doctrin opposeth him There is One who is more eminent then others in this 1 Joh. â— 18. 2 Theâ— 2. 3 4 Rev. 9. 11. Opposition he is called in scripture The Antichrist And the man of sin and the Son of perdition who opposeth and the King of Locusts or the cheife over such swarmes of seducers who also are inferiour Antichrists and pretend that they come in the name of Christ Jesus and do in all places seeke with subtilty to oppose and over throw the pure doctrines of Christ This great Antichrist hath his seate in Rome Papal Their are also a multitude of false teachers who were and are opposers of the Doctrines of Christ These bring in privily damnable heresiyes thereby seeking to oppose and destroy Christ Doctrines These are called by the Apostle Antichrists â— Joh. 2. 18 many Antichrists for they are many in number and many in factions and they vent many false notions many unsound poysoning doctrines thinking thereby to draw many Disciples after them and to be Masters of their faith or Sectmasters these Antichrists are creepers into houses to lead captive them who are silly especially sinful women and they mostly reside among their popular intertainers Both the Grand Romish Antichrist and these puny Roaming hereticall Antichrists are such as thou demands after namely who transgresseth and are deceivers and have not God noâ— Christ and are not to be bid God-speede I will in these severall particulars named by the Scriptures demonstrate it of them both First both the grand Antichrist and these Hereticall Antichrists are such who have transgressed it were easie to write volumes of the particular transgressions of them both Suffice it to know That the holy Scripture calls the papall Antichrist a man of sin that is a man transcendently vicious peerlesly infamous 2 Thes 2. 4 for all unrighteousness The very Popish Chronicles and Histories of the lives of Popes do testifie that many of them were both themselves men of sinne and that also they made others sinne The holy Scripture likewise reckons up a catalogue of such sins whereof Hereticall Antichrists either as they are distinguishable from Papists the followers of the grand Antichrist or as 2. Tim. 3 ver to the 10. 2. Tâ—m 4. 3. 4. they are considered as conspiring with them are commonly guilty The Scripture tells us that they are selfe lovers covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents sierce dispisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more then lovers of â—od having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof that also they are 2. Pet. 2. Jude 8. scoffers mockers walkers after their own lusts that they despise Dominion speake evill of Dignities that they tuâ—ne the grace of God into lasciviousness that they are separatists sensuall having not the spiriâ— they are thus as the Papall Antichrist al-also is transgressours and their endeavour is to corrupt others and make them also in like sort transgressors like themselves Secondly as the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists 2. Epist Joh. v. 9. are such as transâ—resseth so they both do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Whosoever shall compare the Doctrine of the councel of Trent touching faith and worship which Doctrin the Papall Antichrist maintaines and curseth all who disclaime it with what is extant in Paulâ— Epistles he must acknowledge that the Papall Antichrist is a great Apostate and the Head now of that great Apostacy from the faith and true worship of God which at this day is found among such who professe Christianity and whosoever compares the holy Scriptures aslertions touching the faith and true worship which God requires with the sundry principles and positions touching these which the heretical Antichrists of this age do contend for and defend damning all who are otherwise minded then they themselves are he must affirm that these heretical Antichrists have shaken hands with the Papall Antichrist and his confederates in Apostatizing from the faith which was once delivered to the Saints which was kept sound and incorrupt in the purer times of Christianity The severall heresies about the severall heads of the Christian saith which at seveâ—all times were preached by several Hereticks in the Apostles days and afterward were so many standing puddles of false Doctrine which much annoyed the Christian world for some space of time At length Popery prevailing in the Westerne part of the world it became as a corrupt Sea into which most of the filthy streames of former heresies therein did runne and was received and they with the additions of pestilent poysoning popish mixtures do slow out againe as oft as the Papall Antichrist and his instruments do thereby hope either to infest or to infect the Evangelicall or reformed Churches I will name only two Doctrines of Christ wherein the Papall Antichist and hereticall Antichrists have not abode 1. It is a Doctrine of Christ that Christs is come in the flesh The papall Antichrist and hereticall Antichrists do not in direct terms deny it for both use the name of Christ in their words and writings and some of them in words say so much yet because the Apostle calls them deceivers the word signifies such who professe the Cosening of others even while others 2. Epist John 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lookes on them and Antichrist who do not confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh therefore it is certaine that though some of them professe it yet both do consequently deny it in some of their tenents The papall Antichrist and his adherents acknowledge in word that Christ is come in the flesh but while they maintaine that the bread and wine in the Lords supper is turned into the very body and blood corporall of Christ they thereby affirme that Christs body is made of bread and wine and so do implicirely deny that Christ is at such a time come to them in the flesh untill that very instant be come wherein the Priest utters the words of consecration Some hereticall Antichrists say that Christ is come in the flesh but when they are asked what
Christ it is whom they owne or acknowledge in the flesh they reply that it is no other but Christ in their flesh Christ in them disowning and denying that there is the man Christ who is a man different from other men and who is the Mediator between God and man whom God raised from the dead who ascended into 2 Tim. 25. pag. 5. heaven and is now sitting at Gods right hand making intercession for his Church who shall come againe to judge the quick and the dead at the last day This Christ they deny and speak very contemptuously of him and of that body of flesh which he had on earth and hath now in heavenly glory A printed paper of theirs called the sword of the Lord drawn hath this blasphemous jeering expression your immagined God beyond the stars and your carnall Christ is utterly denyed and testified against by the light These men led by the lying spirit of Antichrist deny that Jesus is the Christ and they confesse 1 Ioh 2. 2â— 2 Iohn 7. not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Thus both the Papal Antichrist and his confederated instruments and followers and the hereticall Antichrists with their associâ—tes and disciples have not abode in this doctrine of Christ that Chriâ—t is come in the flesh 2. It is also â— Doctrine of Christ that the holy Scriptures are the written word of God given by inspiration 2 Tim 3. 15. 16. Psal 119. 93. Rom. 1 16 and are sufficient to direct and inform in all things absolutely necessary unto salvation and that God by its precepts doth quicken his people and that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Christs doctrine doth magnifie the excellency of holy Scripture The Papal Antichrist Pope and Popelings deny that the holy Scriptures are sufficient for edification in things of salvation without traditions and some of them have reviled the holy Scriptures calling them a Dead letter and blasphemously the word of the Devill as Protestants whom they call hereticks alledged it and one of them said that the Church had vid. Tilen loc com 2. Sec. 35. been better provided for if there had never been any Scripture Some hereticall Antichrists Quakers and others in our dayes speaking from the spirit of Antichrist have vented the like venemous breath against the holy Scriptures saying that they are insufficient for guidance in things belonging unto salvation in comparison of the light within them and those Inspirations and Revelations which they imagine that they themselves have They do not acknowledge that the holy Scripture are the declaration of Gods minde but they call them the declaration of Saints conditions intimating thereby that they being not to us of this present generation but that they only concerned the Saints of former ages This conceite thwarts the holy Scriptures yea and some of these hereticall Antichrists have licked up the Popish slavering Rhetorick in calling the holy Scripture a dead letter and some of them have said that some Rom. 15. 4. paâ—t of the Scripture is the word of the Devill and serpents dust not considering that though these words which were originally uttered by the Devill are recorded by Gods Pen-men in the Scriptute yet being now recorded by these Pen-men of God who have related the true history of what the Devill spake these words are now the words of the God of Truth namely his true relating the Devills words Moreover some of these hereticall Antichrists have said that it was no great matter if all the Bibles in England were burned and that it had been better for one to whom one of them spake if he had never read the Bible It is evident by what is writ as it might be also if we would in other points parallel the great Antichrist and the petty Antichrists that they both have transgressed and have not abode in the doctrine of Christ Thirdly Both the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists are deceivers The Papall Antichrist comes saith one Apostle with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. that they might be saved The hereticall Antichrists or false teachers bring in privily said another Apostle damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and many shall 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be spoken evil of and with fained words they shall make merchandise of Christians Both these sorts of Antichrists are deceivers and do manifest themselves to be so for they do not hold the forme of sound words but do delight purposely and affectedly to use cloudy and obscure expressions thereby to confound the understandings of simple men from apprehending aright the truth yea and their pretendings to extraordinary holiness and strictness in their conversation and religion beyond truth is but a crafty deceite under a meer shew of religion It were an endlesse labour to recount all that cunning craftiness and those deluding fallacies and subtill wiles and cheating tricks for insnaring soules and all those depths of Satan which they have used for gaining and for retaining those Proselites which they have gained It is enough to know that the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists are deceivers because the holy Scripture hath branded them with that name Fourthly both the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists have not God nor Christ both these sorts of Antichrists do pharasaically and arrogantly appropriate only to themselves Rev. 2. 9. and their followers the name of the Church of holy ones yet both are in reallity no other then of the synagogue of Satan Their transgressing and renouncing through their Apostacy the doctrine of Christ is a sufficient evidence that they have not God and Christ in communion neither have they their favour in this world and without repentance they shall 2 Thes â— 11. 12. not have any communion with God and Christ in glory for God hath sent on them strong delusions that they should beleive a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Fiftly As they have not God nor Christ in Communion so believers are not to hold communion or any intimate conversation with any of them The Apostle injoynes Receive 2 Epist Iohn 10. him not into your house neither bid him God speede They are not to afford any intertainment or incouragement to any Antichrist what ever not entertainment I suppose least thereby such gaine occasion of seducing by Antichristian doctrine from the doctrine of Christ nor incouragement lest thereby they be pâ—rtakers of his evil deedes Thou hast now a full answer to thy question and therewith a true discovery from holy Scripture who is the Antichrist and who are the Antichrists of whom it speakes in briefe according to it He who is an Antichrist is one who transgresseth the Doctrine oâ— Christ
that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turne away from him that speaketh from heaven and againe how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation In the midst of this sixteenth head of demands thou bids me answer thee and let the truth speak and come to the light and bring my deeds to it Answ I have fully answered thee and for thy sake to give thee satisfaction if thou art yet capable of any I have laid together the words of truth that thou and all who read them may understand what is spoken in them to the things demanded and if my deeds be examined by these words of truth which have been a lamp to my feet and a light to my paths it will plainly appear to all who are unprejudiced and who are judicious that I have done no unrighteous deed and thing in demanding to receive from thee that portion of my due maintenance which is in thy hand but from God the Lord both of thee and me to whom both must give an account for our doings assigned unto me for my labours Thy sixteenth head of Demand hath now its full Answer CHAP. XVII Thy seventeenth head of Demands is thus expressed WHat is the first principle of the pure Religion Is the steeple house the Church What Scripture hast thou for sprinkling Infants What Scripture hast thou for the word Sacrament Hast thou heard Gods voice immediately from heaven as Prophets and Apostles did or Christs voice Doest thou believe that a man shall come to that which is perfect while he is upon the earth and have the body of sin put off and be free from sinne Dost thou own that salvation that is wrought out with fear and trembling Dost thou own the same Revelation and Inspiration that the Prophets and Apostles had now in this age yea or nay Dost thou own the prophecying sonnes and daughters in this age and that the Lord will poure out his Spirit upon all flesh When Christ saith to his Disciples be ye not called Masters for ye have one Master and ye are all brethren Where dost thou read Mr. Paul Mr. Matthew Mr. Mark Mr. Luke Mr. John Mr. Peter Mr. James Mr. Timothy Mr. Titus that these transgressed the command of Christ is not he Antichrist that transgresseth and the deceiver and hath not God nor the Son and is not he to bid God speed Read Johns second Epistle and answer me Answer these queries in writing to the thing that is queried and do not say that they are foolish and non-sense but let me have an answer in writing Answer Here are eleven Questions proposed whereunto an answer shall be returned severally as they come in order 1. Quest what is the first principle of the pure Religion Answ The pure Religion is the doctrin according to Godlines containing such wholesome words which teach men the way of 1. Tim. 6. 3 2 Tim. 1. 3. 2. Pet. 4. 6. 2. Cor. 13. 4 Act. 24. 14. 1. Pet. 4. 2. 1. Pet. 4. 11. living to God and with God of serving God according to his own will The principles of this holy doctrin or pure Religion which are to be known are all those holy truths which are revealed from God and are plainly to be found in the Oracles or written words of God called the holy scriptures for there they are recorded Scripturall truthes are the principles or things in the pure Religion which are to be known and the holy scriptures are the principles or chief outward means by which men come to knowledge of those principles or truths which are in the pure religion and the first principle of this pure Religion which is to be known is this there is a God and he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him 11. Heb. 6. 2. Quest Is the steeple house the Church Answ In what sense the places of our holy Assemblys are truly called Churches will appeare by what I shall deliver at present touching the name of Church know then that A multitude of believers is called the Church namely the Rationall Church or the congregation of reasonable creatures conspiring together in the profession of the Common faith and in the practise of all things truly promoting the common salvation Thus the whole company and society of believers throughout the world agreeing in the Profession of Christ calling on his name submitting to his Ordinances holding communion in the same faith worship exercise of godlines and in things of everlasting salvation Act. 20. 28. 1 Tim. 3 15 Rom. 16. 61 is called in holy scripture the Church of God the Church of the living God the Church of Christ And thus also partiaular Societyes of believers visibly dwelling together within certaine convenient limits and bounds who prosesse publickely together the same doctrine of faith and love and submit to the Lord Jesus Christ and his ordinances and to partake in these holy institutions which he hath appointed and who do meete as the Lords people publickely to worship God and Christ I say these particular visible societyes of believers 1 Thes 1. 1 are also called the Church The Apostle writes to the Church of the Thessalonians in God the father and in Jesus Châ—ist a Church in God and in Jesus Christ is Persons who have felâ—owship together in the faith obedience and worship which God the father and his son Jesus Christ requires Again know also that the very places of Christian Assemblyes where Christians meete to perform solemne service to God and Christ and to injoy holy ordinances these also are in holy Scripture stiled the Church of God namely the Local Church thus the Apostle speaking of the assembly of the Corinthian 1 Cor. 11. 22 church and abuses therein saith have ye not houses to eate and to drink in or despise'ye the Church of God the opposition which he puts between theire own houses which were places proper for their own ordinary and Common businesses and the place where the Church was publickly assembled which was no mans house but a place for the common use of the Church in things only spiritual plainely shewes that the Apostle calls the place of Christians assembling for Christian purposes the Church of God And he confirmed it by saying afterwards when ye come together to eate tarry one for another and if any 1 Cor. 11. 33 34. man hunger let him eat at home so then the very place where the Church Rationall of Gods people publickly meet is by the Apostle called the Church of God his Locall Church not mens home but Gods house of publick worshiping him where Mark 11. 17 ever such a place be in any nation Though thou in derision calls the place of our holy Assemblys a steeple house yet it is our comfort that the Apostle calls it the Church of God and that God himself hath promised to come and meet us and blesse us in it as he will all his holy people in all