hear how our Saviour Christ hath expounded his own meaning who spake as never man spake like him he has given a clear interpretation of these mystical Scriptures afore mentioned that this eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood is to be understood Symbolically Spiritually and Sacramentally by faith to Commemorate the great love of God in the Transaction of mans Redemption by the Death and Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ But thus much for the words of our Saviour Christ for the present But secondly in the second place let us hear the full of what the Apostle Paul saith unto this Doctrine also for give me leave to tell ye Sir that you have quoted but part of the Apostle's words you have curtailed his words also in the 1 Cor. 11.23 25 26. For I have received of the Lord that which also I deliver unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take this my body Thus far you go Take Eat this my body what Body was that why it was Christ's Sacramental Body namely the Bread and Wine which are the Signs of his Body which prefigures out unto us his real material Body which was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem it is to Commemorate the Death and Sufferings of Christ and all the Benefits and Blessings which did flow forth unto poor lost and undone fallen man for all that ever did believe or that ever should believe in him and expect eternal life and salvation upon the account of his Righteousness and Merits alone through the aid and agency of the Eternal blessed and holy Spirit and all this comes flowing unto us from that Blessed fountain of all the Christians Mercies namely the Eternal love of God the Father which was the efficient or first moving cause of all And as the Glorious Trinity had all a hand in making man so they all have a hand in redeeming man. But again this is that Body which was evidently set forth Crucified before the Galatians eyes Gal. 3.1 It was the Representation of Christ's Crucified Body in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper among the Galatians and not the Real Crucifixion of his Substantial Body without the Gates of Jerusalem And this is that Body which the Apostle saith Take Eat this my body that was his Sacramental body or the sign of his body In the Sacrament of the Lords Supper that was crucified and nothing else and this is that body which all true believers in the Sacrament do discern and partake of and eat now in the Churches of Christ and all this is done by faith in a holy Reverential Remembrance of Christ to shew forth his Death till he come After the same manner also he took the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the New Testament in my blood this do ye as often as ye drink it in remembrance Which latter words you always omit and take no notice at all of them which words carry great weight in them if you would but be so kind unto your own souls as to adhere unto them for saith the Apostle As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords Death till he come This Ordinance was Instituted by our Saviour Christ himself the same night in which he was betrayed And at that time Christ did partake of iâ— with his Disciples so that if your Doctrine oâ— Transubstantiation be true then Christ must make his body at that time and eat himself body soulâ— and Divinity and so he had two bodies one to eaâ— with and the other to be eaten or otherwise hâ— must give the same body which he was then in unto his Disciples to eat and to drink nay that 〈◊〉 not all for he must eat his own body and yet 〈◊〉 visible at the Table with them at the same time nay that is not all for he must eat all his Disciple or Members and also all his Members that partaâ—â— of this Ordinance must eat him for every true believer is in Christ and Christ is in them nay thâ— is not all for every true believer when he partakeâ— of this Ordinance according to your Doctrine mâ— not only eat Christ carnally but he must also 〈◊〉 his own self Nay that is not all for he must 〈◊〉 the Church too for all is in Christ and Christ is God. I in them saith our Saviour and thou in 〈◊〉 that they may be one as thou art one And in the 1 〈◊〉 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we bless is it 〈◊〉 the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which break is it not the communion of the body of Christ 〈◊〉 we being many are one bread and one body for we 〈◊〉 all partakers of that one bread Here the Church called bread and it is called body also as our 〈◊〉 viour Christ is in the Sacrament and at the Sacrament also in 〈…〉 once more Every individual person that partaketh of this Ordinance must eat the body of Christ singly and intirely or else they divide Christ and so eat but a part of a Christ as you Laicks do for you have but a very dry lifeless Christ that hath not one drop of blood in his veins so that so many partakers so many Christs there must be which must be a jolly company of them indeed But Christ as he was God did make or prepare his own material body Heb. 10. but whither will these Absurdities hurry us I could name many more that this Doctrine affords us some of which will necessarily and consequentially fall in my way in the remaining part of my Discourse Secondly Again in the next place this Ordinance is to be kept up and celebrated during Christ's absence until some eminent and glorious appearance of his in his Churches which appearance I humbly conceive under correction will â—ender this Ordinance useless by the Apostle's words viz. Ye do shew the Lords Death till he come that is until Christ come I do not remember that I tread that Christ after he Instituted this Ordinance did ever partake of it himself nor his Disciples neither during Christ's personal presence with them until after his Ascension And this Ordinance doth also shew unto the world â—he great undertaking of Christ who trod the Wine-press of God's wrath alone and of the people there was none with him he bore the wrath of God for sin that was due unto sinners that poor sinners might be made partakers of the love and grace of God he was made a curse for sinners Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every â—ne that hangeth on a tree He bore the curse to purchase the blessing of Eternal life and Salvation for all that believe in him And this is that which will mightily aggravate the condemnation of the wicked world
are all partakers of that one bread Believers have Communion with a Crucified Saviour in this Ordinance by Faith in him and Love to him And our Saviour Christ and the Apostles gave both the Bread and the Wine unto all the Members that did partake as well to the Lay-People as to the Ecclesiasticks without any the least Exception in them words of our Saviour's command Drink ye all of it and you will hear that it is called Bread and breaking of Bread in several places of the Sacred Scripture Acts 2.42 And they continued stedfast in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers 1 Cor. 10.16 17. The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread that is Christ the Bread of Life Here it is said Communion with the Blood and with the Bread that is thus Believers have Communion with a crucified Redeemer and Communion and Fellowship one with another in that Holy Ordinance of the Lords Supper As you may see in the same Chapter 20 21. verses all those that make a Sacrifice of the Ordinance of the Lords Supper have fellowship with Devils But in the 17 verse there the true Gospel-Church is called Bread and so is Christ her Head also both the Head and the Body which is the Church are called Bread. And in Acts 20.7 And upon the first day of the week when the Disciples came together to break bread Paul preached unto them ready to depart on the morrow Thus you see it was called Bread and not Flesh both in the first Institution of the Ordinance by our Saviour Christ himself and likewise by the Apostles at the Celebration of this Holy Ordinance among the Disciples Therefore this eating of Christ's Body and drinking his Blood is to be understood no otherwise than our Saviour Christ intended and appointed it which was Spiritual and Sacramental for to commemorate his death and sufferings and all the blessed fruits and effects that do flow therefrom into the souls of Believers There is a feeding upon Christ in every Spiritual Gospel-Ordinance of God in Religious Worship and Discipline by Faith the Gospel-Ordinances are a feast of fat things full of marrow of wine from the lees well refined as the Prophet Isaiah calls it and on them the souls of Believers do feed and feast with and upon the Lord Jesus Christ And this feeding upon Christ's Body and drinking his Blood in the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper as well as in all other Ordinances of the Gospel aforesaid is to be done by faith as I have already proved for every believing soul doth live upon Christ by faith who is 〈…〉 of Scriptures to prove the veracity or truth of thâ— same and here following I shall lay down some feâ—â— Scriptures instead of many which do import anâ—â— clearly manifest the same and I will begin witâ—â— Joh. 8.24 I said therefore unto you that ye shall die 〈◊〉 your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall dâ—â—â— in your sins 1 Joh. 3.23 And this is his Commanâ—ment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesâ—â— Christ Here is God the Father's command for iâ—â— Christ doth not say If you do not eat me Body Soul and Divinity ye shall die but if you do nâ—â— believe that I am he ye shall die in your sins because ye believed not that I am he because ye dâ—â— not obey me nor my Father's command as if ouâ—â— Saviour should have said Rom. 10.9 10. That 〈◊〉 thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shaâ—â— believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart maâ—â— believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation Act. 16.30 31. Wheâ— the sturdy Jaylor was convinced he said Sirs Whaâ— must I do to be saved The Apostles did not tell him that he must go and eat Christ's substantial Body No but they told him that he must believe on thâ— Lord Jesus Christ and he should be saved and his house Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world thaâ— whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness Joh. 17.3 And this is Life Eternal that they might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hasâ— sent How must they know God and Christ so aâ— they might have Eternal Life why only by believing in him Joh. 20.21 But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus ss the Christ the Son of God and believing ye might have life through his name Joh. 3.16 17 36. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life For God seâ—â— not his Son into the world to condemn the world but thaâ— the world through him might be saved He that believetâ— on the Son hath eternal life and he that believeth nâ—â— the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideâ— on him Joh. 5.24 Verily verily I say unto you 〈◊〉 that believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting lifâ— and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life Joh. 6.29 Jesus answered and faâ—â— unto them This is the work of God that ye believe 〈◊〉 him whom he hath sent Thus you see dear Sir that I have answered yoâ— fully and clearly and I have faithfully prove from the Holy Bible which is my only Library and also I have proved from Reason for God deaâ—eth with us as Rational Creatures that our Saviour Christ is to be eaten and drunken by faith and iâ— love Spiritually and Sacramentally in that Hoâ—â— Ordinance of the Lords-Supper for it is a Lovâ— feast in remembrance of the greatest love that 〈…〉 gave his only begotten Son to die for it and this â—ove of Christ that was stronger than death we are â—o commemorate in that Ordinance by feeding by â—aith upon a Crucified Saviour and not to eat him Corporeally and Substantially in his Person as you of the Roman Catholick Perswasion do vainly pretend to believe and imagine the Lord inlighten your minds in the true Knowledg of Christ and sanctifie your understandings and change your wills and make you willing in the day of his power for this is a very dangerous gross Error and such a one as cannot be parallell'd but in the case of the poor blind Jews for by this Doctrine of Personal Priests and Material Altars and Sacrifices you do put your selves back from under the Gospel dispensation and lay your selves under the Mosaical Law and the consequence of it is this it is inevitably and clearly a down-right denying Jesus Christ being come in the Flesh Pray Sir Consider what I have said and so
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
Ages from Adam to the end of the World are the purchase of Christ Acts 20.28 Take heed therefore unto your selves and to all the flock over the which the holy Ghost hath made you overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood Job 19.25 For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth This was spoken about One thousand six hundred years befor ever Christ was born or took flesh upon him Thus you see that Christ is the only Sacrifice that is sufficient and propitiatory for the sins of all true Believers both under the Law and under the Gospel for they are all of them purchased at the price of his precious Blood alone And none else beside him is the Sacrifice for sin and his Blood is the only Purgatory for sinners and no other for we are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot Now dear Sir Pray be pleased to take the Candle of the Lord and look about all Christendom and see and consider well with your self who there be and what Sect or sort of persons are there to be found among them that are called Christians or do but own the name of Christ that do make a Sacrifice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper and they are the persons that are here intended by the Holy Apostle who spake as he was moved and inspired by the Holy Ghost for he could see by the Infallible Spirit of God even in that day That a certain Sect or sort of people would come up upon the Stage of Christendom or into the Temple of God that would forbid Marriage to pretended Religious Orders of Men and Women tho the Holy Scripture saith plainly and literally that it is better to Marry than to Burn. And the same Apostle saw by the same Spirit That the same sort of people that forbid Marriage would further reject the Scripture by commanding all persons whatsoever to abstain from Flesh The Apostle had an Expres◠sent him from 〈…〉 tidings 1 Tim. 4.1 2 3. But the Apostle tells us we may eat whatsoever is sold in the Shambles to wit Butchers meat asking no questions for Conscience sake And the Apostle did see by the same Infallible Spirit clearly and spontaneously that a sort of Idolatrous Gentiles which are only nominal Christians would come into the Church or Temple of God that would make a Sacrifice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in that Scripture which I quoted before to wit 1 Cor. 10.20 21. But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice unto devils and not unto God and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table and of the Table of Devils Now Sir the Protestants do not make a Sacrifice of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper they do not look upon the Elements of Bread and Wine to be Transubstantiated into the real person of Christ namely of Body Soul and Divinity after their Blessing or Consecrating of them and so offer him up as a Sacrifice as you of the Roman Community do own and pretend to believe and that the Elements are miraculously turned into the real substantial Body of Christ viz. Body Soul and Divinity and then offer him up as a Sacrifice sufficient and propitiatory for the sins of the living and the dead But here will appear two Sacrifices you will see by and by in this one The Apostle saith that it is a Sacrificing unto Devils and not to God and they that are guilty of this practice have fellowship with Devils in it and not with God for saith he Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partaker of the Lord's Table and of the table of Devils Thus you do hear what the Apostle saith it is not my word but his which he spake by Divine Inspiration They offer up sacrifices unto Devils But here I say are two Sacrifices as you may observe in this one The first is this whereas the Priest doth pretend to offer up a Sacrifice sufficient and propitiatory for the sins of the living and the dead why here the Apostle telleth us plainly that this is to offer a Sacrifice unto the Devil and not unto God So that it is clear that they do offer a Sacrifice unto the Devil under a specious pretence of sacrificing unto God. And the second Sacrifice that springs out of this one Sacrifice is this viz. The poor Lay-people do really offer up their Senses Reason Understanding and Faith and all that should be dear unto them both as Christians and Men in Sacrifice to the Priest and they are no longer Masters of their own Senses Reason Understanding Soul and Conscience for 〈…〉 another They have eyes and see not they have cars and hear not they are fallen under that heavy Judgment which the Gospel Prophet predicted and also our Saviour Christ himself Isa 29.10 11 12. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep and hath closed your eyes the prophets and your rulers the seers hath he covered And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed which men deliver to one that is learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I cannot for it is sealed And the book is delivered to him that is not learned saying Read this I pray thee and he saith I am not learned Matt. 13.14 15. And in them is fulfilled the prophesie of Esaias which saith By hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and seeing ye shall see and shall not perceive For this peoples heart is waxed gross and their cars are dull of hearing and their eyes they have closed lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and should understand with their heart and should be converted and I should heal them I do believe that this Prophesie does principally refer to the Jews and took place upon them first for rejecting and disbelieving Christ the true Messiah but those Christians that have contracted the same guilt as they did to reject the Gospel of Christ they do make themselves guilty of the same sin with the Jews and by that means have lain themselves in the bed of unbelief with them and are both Sacrificers now in Gospel times which is to deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh so they lay themselves under the same Judgment with the Jews for one and the same cause produceth one and the same effects at one time as well as at another without preventing Mercy But the Apostle Paul speaks clearly of a sort of Christians that would cast off and reject the Gospel of God for which God did bring the like judgment upon them in 2
promised that he should so come Gen. 3.15 But after our Saviour Christ did come in the flesh why then that part of Faith was at an end for after that whoever looked for his coming in that nature did not exercise Faith but it was a great sin for it was the product of unbelief which was a very great Judgment and it is the very Grave wherein the poor scattered Jews have lain dead and buried ever since and unbelief and prejudice against Christ is the Grave-stone also that lyeth upon them and keeps them down Our Saviour told them If ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins But now the proper work and office of Faith is to see him that is invisible Heb. 11.27 By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King for he endured as seeing him who is invisible that was Christ But how can that be it seems to be a contradiction in it self what to see him which cannot be seen why it must be understood thus that Moses did see Christ by an eye of Faith who could not be seen by an eye of sence a bodily eye And thus Abraham the Father of the Faithful did see Christ before ever he came in the flesh Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad And thus all true Believers do see and discern the Lord's Body at the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper and he is to be discerned no otherwise there And Stephen the Martyr he saw Christ in Heaven after he was ascended Act. 7.55 But he being full of the Holy Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. But how did Stephen see him why it was by an eye of faith he being full of the Holy Ghost Ay that soul can never miss of seeing Christ at any time or in any place that is full of the Holy Ghost and Stephen's confessing this made his Enemies mad insomuch that they run upon him and murdered him for they perhaps thought that they could see as far as he could and yet they could see no such sight But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Our Saviour Christ can no more be seen now personally and substantially by a bodily eye of sence while he is at the right hand of God than he could be seen in Moses's or Abraham's days which was before ever he had a substantial Body to be seen neither ever shall he be so seen until he cometh down from Heaven in that manner as he was seen to go up into Heaven Act. 1.10 11. Nor until he appeareth the second time without sin unto Salvation Without sin why doth not the Scripture â—ell us that he was without sin before namely at his â—â—rst coming why yes it does so and it is very true â—â—at is thus he was without sin with a respect to 〈…〉 â—uilt or pollution or any inclination to 〈…〉 sin in himself for he was a Lamb without spot or blemish the Lamb for Sacrifice did Type out unto us the sinless spotless nature of Christ But when Christ came first in the flesh he appeared then in his state of Humiliation in the form of a servant with all the sins of all the people of God upon him of all that ever were saved and gotten safe into Glory and of all that ever should be saved from Adam to the end of the world all the sins of his people past present and to come viz. of them that were dead and gone and of them that were then living and of them that were then unborn all concentred upon Christ but not in him they all met upon Christ's shoulders Isa 53.5 6. But he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquity the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all Therefore it is said God was manifested in the flesh Then indeed Christ was seen with bodily eyes for he was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit after Christ had suffered and died and rose again from the dead when he had paid the debt to God which he stood engaged unto him for as a surety for sinners when the Law was fulfilled and the Justice of God fully satisfied and the wrath of God wholly appeased then Christ must needs be justified and by his being justified all his people for whom he died were all justified It was just as if a rich man were surety for a poor indigent man that was deeply in debt and was not able to pay one farthing why the Creditors take no notice of the poor Debtor but fall upon the rich man that is his surety and arrest him and cast him into prison upon which the rich man payeth all the poor mans debts and then he comes forth having fully discharged the debt he and the poor Debtor are both fully discharged the Prison could hold him no longer so that both the Surety and the Debtor are justified and acquitted the Law cannot take hold neither of the Surety nor the Debtor again for that is fulfilled why even so comparatively it was with a respect to Christ and poor sinners he was bound for poor sinners and the Justice of God past by them and seised upon Christ and arrested him and cast him into prison Isa 53.8 9. He was taken from prison and from judgment c. Which I take to be the prison of the Grave for death could not hold him but he paid every farthing of all the debt for all them for whom he died and when he had discharged the debt for poor sinners then he himself was fully discharged and justified and all his people in him and in this sense every believer is without sin that is they are free from the reigning condemning power of sin tho not from the in-being of sin Rom. 8.1 And so is to be understood that 1. Joh. 2.9 Whosoever is born of God 〈…〉 sin for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God. But to return to the case in hand c. But Christ has never been seen by any mortal eye in this world since he Ascended up into Glory by which you may see that this Doctrine of Christ's being Corporeally present in the Sacrament destroys the use and exercise of Faith in that Ordinance which is to see him by the eye of Faith who is at the right hand of God and is invisible which is to discern the Lords Body which cannot be seen by a carnal bodily eye of sence as you pretend to see him in your Sacrament Secondly If this Doctrine of Transubstantiation in your Churches
be seen by an eye of sense through Faith he kept the Passover and sprinkling of Blood lest he that destroyed the first born should touch them by Faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry 〈…〉 Christ under the Mosaical Law is wholly ascribed unto Faith and that it was Spiritual meat and drink and the very same meat and drink that Believers do live upon spiritually now under the dispensation of the Gospel hence you may observe that Christ was as much materially and corporeally eaten and drank before ever he had assumed humane nature or had a real material body to eat and blood to drink as ever he has been at any time since that he hath taken humane nature upon him for if Christ be really Transubstantiated into his very person consisting of Body Soul and Divinity and so eaten now under the Gospel since he had a Body why then it will necessarily and consequentially follow that Christ was corporeally and substantially eaten in Body Soul and Divinity before ever he had a Body to be eaten for you see it clearly proved from the Apostle's words that the believing Israelites did eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink then as true Believers do now under the Gospel for the Text saith plainly that they did all eat of the same spiritual meat and did all drink of the same spiritual drink for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ The Children of Israel might as well have Transubstantiated a Rock into the real Body and Blood of Christ and so eaten and dranken that instead of Christ or for Christ which is to eat Stones instead of the Bread of Life as for you to imagine or pretend to eat and drink Christ corporeally and personally in the Sacrament of the Eucharist For I will assure ye that there is as good Reason and as clear a Warrant and Authority either from Scripture or Reason to believe the one as there is to believe the other for our Saviour Christ was spiritual meat and spiritual drink under the Mosaical Law and he is the same and no other now under the Gospel Their feeding upon Christ and injoying communion and fellowship with Christ under the Law was Spiritual and by Faith why even so it is the same and no more nor no less now nor in all foregoing Ages under the Gospel Christ is to be received and eaten by Faith and in spiritual love also now as he was then of which I shall give you a farther proof by and by Again thirdly Pray Sir observe strictly what the same Apostle saith in 1 Cor. 10.20 21. But I say the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to Devils and not to God. I would not that ye should have fellowship with Devils Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of Devils ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's Table and of the Table of Devils The Apostle spoke this cautionarily by way of reproof to some persons perhaps in that day that might be somewhat guilty thereof because he 〈…〉 told them of Thessalonica that the mystery of iniquity did begin to work in that day 2 Thess 2. 〈◊〉 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work Tâ—â— Man of Sin Antichrist was a beginning to creâ—â— into the Church the Temple of God even theâ—â— as you may see in Verse 3 4. And also the Apostle by a Prophetick Spirit did speak concerning some that would pretend to be Christians that would thus horribly profane the Sacrament of the Lord Supper which is there called the Cup of the Lord and the Table of the Lord and that by making 〈◊〉 Sacrifice of that holy Ordinance which was instituted principally to remember the great Sacrifiâ—â— that was offered up for Sin namely the Lord Jesâ—â— Christ who was offered up once for all a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God. And it is the eâ—press command of Christ viz. Do this in remembrance of me Now these Gentiles here which the Apostle doâ—â— arraign as guilty that do thus profane the Cup 〈◊〉 the Lord and the Table of the Lord couâ—â— not be meant of the Heathen Idolatrous Gentilâ—â— which never professed nor owned the name 〈◊〉 Christ and therefore they never made use of thâ— Ordinance but this was Prophesied of Idolatroâ—â— Gentiles pretended Christians that do own tâ—â— Ordinance tho not in A Right manner for thâ—â— make a Sacrifice of it And they do also own 〈◊〉 name of Christ in words tho in works of meâ—â— and by works of supererogation they deny hiâ—â— Secondly Neither could this be spoken of tâ—â— Jews which do offer Sacrifices because the Apoâ—â—â— saith they were Gentiles that should come into 〈◊〉 Church or Temple of God and offer up this kiâ—â—â— of Sacrifice upon the Table of the Lord whiâ—â— they make an Altar of which Error of sacrificiâ—â— or Mystery of Iniquity might be part of tâ—â— which began to work in the Apostles days whâ—â— were a forerunner of Antichrist the Man of Sâ—â—â— for the Passover and all the Sacrifices under 〈◊〉 Mosaical Law were all but Types and Shadows 〈◊〉 Christ's coming in the Flesh and dying in the Fâ—â— for sinners they were all but signs and figureâ— remember Christ by and Christ was spiritually 〈◊〉 joyed under them and eaten and dranken in tâ—â— by Faith as the Apostle asserts which has been 〈◊〉 ready proved 1 Cor. 10.1 2 3 4. Why 〈◊〉 so the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was iâ—â—â—tuted by our Saviour Christ the Night in whic◠〈◊〉 was betrayed to keep up a holy thankful remembrance of Christ's being come in the flesh and â—â—ing in the flesh in the room of poor fallen 〈◊〉 that lay polluted in his Blood in sin and miâ—â—â— out in the open field and none to pity nor 〈◊〉 him neither was he capable to help himself 〈◊〉 that which was worst of all he did not nor 〈◊〉 not desire any help Ezek. 16.3 4 5 6. Th◠〈◊〉 â—eas an Amorite and thy mother an Hittite And as for â—hy nativity in the day thou wast born thy navel was not â—ut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee â—hou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all This is Man in a natural lapsed state and condition None â—e pitted thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion upon thee but thou wast cast into the open field 〈◊〉 the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast â—â—rn And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted 〈◊〉 thine own blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy â—â—ood Live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in â—â—â—y blood Live. This was the case and condition of â—ankind after the fall and is of every particular individual person before the work of Regeneration â—â—sseth upon his Soul by the mighty powerful â—â—eration of the Holy Ghost out of which state â—â—d condition there was no Redemption but by
â—â—rist's offering up himself a Sacrifice to satisfie â—â—â—vine Justice and so to make up the breach that 〈◊〉 had made between God and Man and reconcile 〈◊〉 and Man together And this great and only â—â—crifice we are in special manner to commemorate 〈◊〉 the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper from them â—â—â—rds of our Saviour Christ Do this in remembrance â—â—â—one Why even so the Passover and all the Sacrifices under the Ceremonial Law were instituted and â—â—â—â—â—inted by God for a Remembrance that Christ 〈◊〉 to come in the flesh and die in the flesh to reâ—â—â—â—â— fallen Man And here I will shew you the 〈◊〉 over and the Sacrifice both joyned together in 〈◊〉 Antitype or that which they signified unto us 〈◊〉 also the sanctifying purging nature and virtue â—â—â—â—â—ysical operation of it in 1 Cor. 5.7 Purge out â—â—â—â—â—fore the old leaven that ye may be a new lump as 〈◊〉 unleavened For even Christ our passover is sacriâ—â—â—â— for us â—â—d as there was a Remembrance of Sin in the â—â—â—â—â—fices to shew what an evil and dangerous thing 〈◊〉 and how contrary it is to the holy Nature of 〈◊〉 why even so there is a remembrance of sin 〈◊〉 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper to shew 〈◊〉 an evil there is in sin and also how contrary 〈◊〉 the Holy Nature of God. 〈◊〉 Sacrifice under the Law and the Sacrament 〈◊〉 the Gospel are like two great Looking 〈◊〉 in which Believers saw the deformity of 〈◊〉 in which they also see the great Love of 〈◊〉 poor sinful Dust and Ashes In the Glass under 〈◊〉 they saw that Christ was to come and be ofâ—â—â—â—â— for sin and in our great Glass under the 〈◊〉 we see that Christ hath come and has â—â—â—â—â—ered up for sin Sin is such a hainous â—â—â—â—voking thing that nothing short of the 〈◊〉 precious Blood of Christ the spotless 〈◊〉 God could appease or extinguish the 〈◊〉 God that was kindled against sinners and expel the guilt and expiate sin and satisfie the Justice of God and justifie and atone them to God and purchase Eternal Life and Salvation for them at the price of his own precious Blood and copious Righteousness and Alsufficient Merits And he made up the Breach that sin did make between sinful man and that God who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity with any approbation thereunto For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord And Christ received the wages that was due unto us sinning men and poor sinners receive the gift of God that was purchased by him For although God gives it yet Christ purchases it All the Sacrifices under the Law of Moses no nor all the good works nor pretended sacrifices under the Gospel they all cannot take away nor expiate the least vain sinful thought for all our Righteousnesses are all but filthy Rags Tho it is true we shall not be saved without Good Works and right Gospel Sacrifices yet we shall never be saved by nor for them for Christ saith Luke 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Eph. 2.8 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves for it is the gift of God No for Faith it self is not of our selves for it is the Gift of God. Not of works lest any man should boast For if Man were to be saved by and for his own works he would be proud and make his boast of it For there is not a prouder person upon Earth in the account of God than a Pharisaical self-conceited righteous person is Pray see what is said of him in Prov. 30.12 13. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthiness There is a generation O how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up And in Isa 65.3 5. A people that provoked me to anger continually to my face that sacrificeth in gardens and burneth Incense upon Altars of brick The Prophet here prophesied of a Generation of pretended Christians Ay and of such as do look upon themselves to be the only Infallible holy Christians and that are Sacrificers in Gospel times Pray mind what he saith of them as followeth Which say stand by thy self come not near to me for I am more holier than thou It must needs be so when they count themselves the only Christians and all other to be Hereticks But see how God accepts these persons and their Sacrifices that are our Gospel Sacrificers viz. These are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day And no person is pure in his own eyes but the self-righteous person And I pray hear further what is said by our Saviour Christ of such a person Luke 18.10 11 12 13 14. Two men went up into the temple to pray the 〈◊〉 a Pharisee and the other a Publican the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this Publican I fast twice in the week It may be that was on Wednesdays and Fridays I give tithes of all that I possess He thought himself Cock-sure of Heaven and did not so much as dream of stopping at Purgatory by the way But see what it all came to at last And the Publican standing afar off would not so much as lift up his eyes unto heaven but snote upon his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted I say again That all the Sacrifices under the Law could not take away nor expiate sin for they were but figures of Christ the great and only Sacrifice that was to be offered up in due time to take away sin from the ungodly and make them holy Pray Sir observe with me these following Scriptures for further illumination Heb. 8.4 5 6 7. For if he were on earth That is Christ he should not be a priest seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law which serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things Mind These Sacrifices were but examples and shadows when they were in force and according to God's appointment before Christ abolished them of Heavenly things that was to come that was the fruit and effect or product of the heavenly things that were transacted between God the Father and Christ his Son in his Eternal Council with the Holy Ghost which proceeds from the Father and the Son in order to Man's Redemption As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the Iabernacle for see saith he that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the Mount
Thess 2.11 12. 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 God punisheth them by their own very sins and makes it a judgment unto them as he did by the Jews and they are under much what the same judgment with the Jews for the first did chuse Delusions and Lies and then God gave them up unto them just as God gave the Jews to a hard heart and a blind mind and they are all laid in the grave of unbelief and prejudice against Christ the true Messiah and therefore they are Sacrificing and Sacrificing still now under the Gospel Why so God has given up these sacrificing Christians and so these Apostates or Backsliders in heart come to be filled with their own ways And you must certainly give your selves up to strong Delusions or else you would never abuse and disbelieve the Holy Scriptures as you do which is the revealed Will of 〈…〉 and walk by so that the people have no more use of the Gospel than the Jews that do not believe that Christ is yet come in the flesh so that you are as ignorant with a respect to any saving experiemental knowledg of Christ's being come in the flesh as the very Jews are for while you profess to know him in word you deny him in works namely in sacrifices and other carnal Ordinances and were not your Consciences seared with a hot Iron you would never disbelieve your own senses and reason and understandings as you do for you must not believe your own eyes that tell you that the Bread or Wafer after Consecration as it 's called is still Bread and the Wine is Wine still without any alteration Nor you must not believe your own hands that give the same account of it unto you nor you must not believe your own mouth that telleth you that it is Bread and not Flesh But the Priest by what authority I know not will not suffer the Lay-peoples mouths to make a judgment upon the Wine whether it be Wine or Blood tho Christ hath given a particular and an express command for it as in them words of our Saviour's Drink ye all of it Mat. 26.27 Mark 14.23 And they all drank of it But this is your misery you must believe as the Church believes or as the Priest commands ye to believe you must not believe Christ nor his Apostles nor his Gospel nor your own sences reason and understanding none of these are to be believed but all is fast lockt up in unbelief and the Priest carrieth the Key of your Knowledg at his Girdle and thus you do see clearly and spontaneously proved that you are the persons which the Apostle Paul prophesied of that do make a Sacrifice of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper when as there is no material Sacrifices of this kind to be offered up in this manner for Christ at his coming and dying and rising again put an end to all that kind of worship Col. 2.14 15 16 18 20 21 22 23. Heb. 9.9 10 11 12. But yet notwithstanding give me leave to tell ye that we have our Gospel-Sacrifices but they are all Spiritual viz. The sacrifice of a broken heart and of an humble contrite spirit and the sacrifice of prayer and of thanksgiving and every part of holy worshipping of God in spirit and in truth these are the Sacrifices that are accepted and well-pleasing unto God when we offer up our selves in them when all is offered up unto God upon the Golden Altar the Lord Jesus Christ and mixed with his Merits and both the person and the offering covered with his Robe of Righteousness the only Garment of Salvation Rev. 8.3 4. And another Angel came and stood at the Altar having a Golden Censer and there was given to him much Incense that he should offer it with the prayers of all Saints upon the Golden Altar 〈…〉 cense which came with the prayers of the Saints ascended up before God out of the Angels hand This is the Angel of the Covenant the Lord Jesus Christ who presents our persons and petitions unto God the Father for us if they be indicted in us by God the Holy Ghost Rom. 8.26 27. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God. And the person must be clothed with Christ's Robe of Righteousness Isa 61.10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord my soul shall be joyful in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of Salvation he hath covered me with the Robe of Righteousness as a Bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels This is the Wedding-garment that every soul hath on that is married to Christ and hence you may observe floweth all the Saints joy and comfort from their being justified by the righteousness of Christ But if this be so as you see clearly proved that it is then what a miserable condition must all these poor souls be in that hope for and expect Eternal life and Salvation upon no better ground nor foundation than their own meritorious works of righteousness and boast of their works of Supererogation which will all prove Physitians of no value and will prove miserable Comforters in the End they are but sparks of their own kindling Isa 50.11 Behold all ye that kindle a fire that compass your selves about with sparks walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks that ye have kindled this shall ye have of mine hand ye shall lie down in sorrow Thus you do see what a vast difference there is between your Sacrifices and the Protestants Gospel-Sacrifices the one is an abomination and abhorred by the Lord The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight And the true Gospel-sacrifices are accepted with the Lord in and through Christ if offered up upon the Golden Altar of his Righteousness and Merits then they are God's delight Now in the next place I shall offer unto you a few modest and solid Reasons together with some Arguments to confute this gross error and strong delusion that you poor souls are involved in In the first place if this Doctrine of yours be true why then so far it renders Faith useless and destroys it for if our Saviour Christ be personally and substantially come again and is thus present with his people why then the use of that part o◠Faith is at an end As for instance before our Saviour Christ came in the flesh it was the duty of a 〈◊〉 God's 〈…〉 come in the flesh because God had
be a Whoremonger nor an Adulterer for the Scripture saith That Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judg 6. Sixthly It could not be a Thief or a Murderer nor an Unrighteous Person nor a Lier nor a Fornicator nor an Extortioner nor a Reviler nor a Conjuring Sorcerer nor an Effeminate Person nor an Abuser of himself with Mankind neither could it be a Drunkard or a Glutton It could not possibly be any of all these sorts of bad Men that made or invented the Scriptures because they would never have denounced such heavy Judgments against themselves for all these Sins which are against the very Light of Nature 1 Cor. 6.9 10. 7. Seventhly It could not be any of these two Bed-Rolls of Sinners that made or invented the Holy Scriptures which you have discovered by the Apostle Paul in Rom. 1.26 27 28 29 30 31 32. and in 2 Tim. 3.1 2 3 4 5. Surely these Sinners would never have pronounced such a dreadful Sentence against themselves 8. Eighthly It could not be a Persecutor that made or invented the Scripture for it hath set a Cain-like mark upon him viz. the vilest and basest of Men Acts 17.5 But the Jews who believed not moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a company and set all the city in an uproar and assaulted the house of Jason and sought to bring them out to the people And our Saviour Christ calls them A generation of vipers and scrpents Matth. 23.31 32 34 35. Surely then if Persecutors had made or invented the Scriptures they would never have written thus against themselves 9. Ninthly It could not be a Sabbath-breaker or one that profaneth the Lords Day that made or invented the Scriptures because the Scriptures are very strict for the due observing the Sabbath or for keeping a Day unto the Lord and there is severe Penalties prescribed and made to be inflicted upon the Tranfgressors of that Holy Law of God. 10. Tenthly It could not be an Atheist that made and invented the Scriptures because it discovers the glorious Attributes of the Divine Being and his Works of Creation and Providence and denounceth Hell and Damnation against all Atheists therefore it could not possibly be an Atheist that made and invented the Holy Scriptures 11. Eleventhly and Lastly to name no more bad Men It could not be any Person made and invented the Scriptures that was an Idolater that invents and makes to himself any graven images or the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above or in the earth beneath or in the sea or in the waters under the earth Exod. 20.4 5. That bow down to them and say their Prayers before them and perhaps pay Divine Adoration unto them Read what the Scripture saith of these Psal 115.4 5 6 7 8. Psal 97.7 Isa 40.18 19 20. To whom will ye liken God or what likeness will ye compare unto him The workman melteth a graven image and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold and casteth silver chains He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image that shall not be moved Isa 44.16 17. He burneth part thereof in the fire with part thereof he eateth flesh he rosteth rost and is satisfied yea he warmeth himself and saith Aha I am warm I have seen the fire And the residue thereof he maketh a god even his graven image he falleth dewn unto 〈◊〉 and worshippeth it and prayeth unto it and saith Deliver me for thou art my god Now certainly it could be none of these sorts of Persons that made or invented the Holy Scriptures which we Protestants do own and believe to be the eternal unalterable Word and Law of God. Object But it may be some may say Yes it might be such a Person that made the Scriptures for we do not make these Images for any other end or design than to put us in mind of God and our Duty towards him and that they are the Lay-mens Books to teach and instruct them Pray give me leave to put a Case unto you Now suppose for Argument sake to illustrate the matter that the King's Majesty in Concurrence with his two Houses of Parliament the Great Council of the Land should make a Law for some Reason of State that it should be no less than High Treason for any of his Subjects to make his Image or to have his Picture or the Likeness of any thing that doth belong to him in Imitation of it and Issue out his Proclamation straightly and strictly forbidding all his Subjects attempting the doing it upon Pain of the inevitable escaping the severest Punishment which properly belongeth unto those that are Guilty of High Treason But yet notwithstanding this severe Prohibition of the King there should be some Persons would be so daring and bold as to presume to do it out of a pretended but blind Zeal of Loyalty and not rest satisfied in nor with their own Treason and Rebellion but they would force others of his Subjects to do so likewise or else they would knock them in the head or burn them because they were truly Loyal and kept to the Kings Laws in this Case made and provided Pray which of these two forts of Persons are the best and the most Loyallest Subjects think you I know you will say those that obeyed the Kings Laws for as it is in Spiritual things so in this Obedience 〈◊〉 better than Sacrifice Why the Law of the King of Heaven who is King of Kings and Law-giver to all his Creatures viz. the Great Charter of Heaven is that we shall not make nor have nor bow down to nor worship any sort of Images â—or the likeness of any of the things in Heaven or â—n Earth or in the Sea or in the Waters under the Earth Whatever some People think of it I will â—ssure them from the Word of a Jealous God it is â—â—o less than Spiritual High Treason and punishable by the Great Charter of Heaven with no less â—han Hell and Damnation without unfeigned Reâ—entance and a thorough Reformation Deut. 5. â— 9. Thou shalt not make thee any graven image or any â—â—keness of any thing that is in heaven above or that is 〈◊〉 the earth beneath or that is in the waters beneath 〈◊〉 earth Thou shalt not bow down thy self unto them 〈◊〉 serve them for I the Lord thy God am a jealous 〈…〉 God. Therefore it could be none of these sort of bad Men nor no other bad Men whatsoever that had any hand in the least in making or inventing the Scriptures which we that are Protestants of all sorts do own and believe to be the Word of God. 2. Secondly In the second place neither could it be good Men that made and invented the Scriptures of their own Brain First It could not be them which count themselves Good Nor Secondly Could it be them whom
that the Holy Scriptures were true and that their Redeemer that was revealed in them ever liveth and did make satisfaction and intercession to God the Father for them Ay and he was with them and in them at the Gibbet and in the very Flames as he was with the three Worthies of old in the fiery Furnace Dan. 3.25 He answered and said Lo I see four men loose walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt and the form of the fourth is like the son of God. I hope by this time you are not only persuaded that the Scriptures that we Protestants do profess and own were not the invention of Man but also you are satisfied of the veracity or truth of them That they are not invented by men of any sort but are indeed and in truth the Holy Word of God. But lest you should be yet staggering or stumbling for further corroboration I will add Eight Arguments and I will draw a parallel between our Scripture which we Protestants do profess and believe to be the Word of God and the Scriptures of Antichrist 1. First of all my first Argument shall be this If the Holy Bible does not give the least indulgence or countenance to any kind of Sin and Iniquity whatsoever then the Scriptures must be the revealed Will and Word of God But the Holy 〈…〉 we Protestants of all sorts do own and believe to be the Word of God does not give the least Indulgence or Countenance unto any kind of Sin or Iniquity Therefore the Holy Scriptures must be the Word of God and not the Invention of men Secondly If the Scriptures were not made by bad men nor invented by Good men then it must be infallibly the word of the true and living God. But you see clearly proved that the Scriptures were not made by bad men nor invented by good men therefore they must be the Word of the living and true God and made by him without the help of man. 3. Thirdly If the Scriptures do not in the least degree discourage and discountenance Grace and Holiness but is the promoter of it then the Scriptures must be the Holy Word of God. But the Scriptures do not in the least degree discourage or discountenance Grace and Holiness but do promote it in the hearts of Believers Therefore the Holy Scriptures must be the infallible Word of God not the word of Man nor of Mans making or inventing 4. Fourthly If the Scriptures teach all Goodness and Virtue Moral and Divine both for Body and Soul and Detect and Condemn all manner of Evil which is hurtful to Body and Soul both temporal and spiritual Evils and gives righteous Rules to Men to walk by and shews them what is Good and how they should demean themselves in every Relation Station and Condition from the Prince upon the Throne unto him that grindeth at the Mill and teacheth the Prince how to Rule and Govern in Righteousness and Peace and teacheth the People how to be governed in the fear of the Lord and to obey them that have the Rule over them not for Wrath but for Conscience-sake and all for the Good and Weal both of Prince and People Then surely the Scriptures must be the Word of God and not the Word of Men. But the Holy Scriptures which we Protestants do own and believe to be the word of God do teach all Goodness and Virtue Moral and Divine both for Body and Soul and Detect and Condemn all manner of Evil which is hurtful to Body and Soul both temporal and spiritual Evils and gives righteous Rules to Men to live and walk by and shews them what is Good and how they should demean themselves in every Relation Station and Condition from the Prince upon the Throne unto him that grindeth at the Mill and teacheth the Prince how to Rule and Govern in Righteousness and Peace and teacheth the People how to be governed in the fear of the Lord and to obey them which have the Rule over them not for Wrath but for Conscience-sake and all for the Good and Weal both 〈…〉 which we Protestants of all sorts do profess and believe must be the Word of God and not the Word of Men nor of Mens Invention 5. Fifthly If the Scriptures had been invented by any sort of sinful men whatsoever then certainly that sinful man would have made provision for the flesh and given Indulgence to his own sin and lusts for it is natural for every one to be kind to themselves and to cherish that which they love But the Holy Scriptures do no not give the least Indulgence or Countenance unto any one particular Sin or Immorality in the whole Book of God from the first of Genesis unto the last of Revelations but the whole Current of the Scriptures is bent against it Therefore the Scriptures were not the Invention of man but must be the Word of God. 6. Sixthly If the Scriptures in all Ages have been the Object of wicked and ungodly mens rage and malice which have caused them to persecute those persons to the very Death that have been the strictest Professors of it then it could not be wicked men that made and invented the Scriptures But the Holy Scriptures in all Ages have been the Object of wicked and ungodly mens Rage and Malice which have caused them to persecute those persons to the very Death that have been the strictest Professors of it Therefore it could not be wicked and ungodly men that made or invented the Holy Scriptures But it must be the Word of God. 7. Seventhly If wicked men had made and invented the Scriptures Satan having the Government and Conduct of them and they being acted and influenced and led by his Spirit as a Good man is acted and influenced and led by the Holy Ghost for Satan ruleth in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience for he is their Father John 8.44 Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it Now I say if the Children of the Devil had made the Scriptures they would have been tender and favourable unto their Father's Kingdom and Interest and have given some Countenance unto it and not have made the whole bent and stream of the Scriptures against it and afford no manner of Indulgence to themselves who are the Devil's Subjects or Vassals or rather his Bond-slaves indeed nor no manner of Relief or Support to his Kingdom But are made against all Heresie and all other Iniquity which is that wherein the strength of the Devil's Kingdom lieth then surely the Holy Scriptures must be the Word of God and not 〈…〉 But the Holy Scriptures which we Protestants do own and believe to be the Word of God are against all Heresie and all other Iniquity whatsoever
the Holy Scriptures is a total denial of them 2. Secondly if any sort of persons who call themselves Christians under the dispensation of the Gospel do set up allow and maintain the Order of Priesthood Material Altars and also Material Sacrifices then those sort of Christian do deny that that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and so they deny the whole Gospel of God and are turned back to the Mosaical Law therefore no such person or persons that are of this Principle can or ought to be Judges and Interpreters of the Holy Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he man 〈…〉 Christ There is no more reason for such a Man that is of Antichristian Principles not excepting Antichrist himself to be Judge of the Holy Scriptures than there is for a Thief or a Murderer to be his own Judge But there are a sort of persons which call themselves Christians now under the dispensation of the Gospel that do set up allow and maintain the Order of Priesthood material Altars and also material Sacrifices therefore these sort of Christians do deny that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and so they deny the whole Gospel of God and are turned back to the Mosaical Ceremonial Law and are not competent Judges nor Infallible Interpreters of the Holy Scriptures but he that is spiritual judgeth all things 3. Thirdly and lastly If any pretended Religion or Principle does teach men and women to be worse than their natural dispositions and corrupt inclinations then that Religion or Principle must be both false and dangerous to themselves and others and is of the Devil But the pretended Religion and Principles of Antichrist doth teach men and women to be worse than their natural dispositions and corrupt inclinations therefore that Religion or Principle must be both false and dangerous unto themselves and others and Satan is the founder of that Opinion and Principle It may be that you will say that our Scriptures are not rightly translated and especially that passage of Job's Wife where it is said that she said Curse God and die I will not say that every Iota of it is rightly Translated but yet this I will say That all the fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Faith which contain matter of Eternal Life and Salvation by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ alone are rightly Translated and every true Believer that hath the Grace of God in him can set to his Seal and bear witness unto the Truth of it There may be some things that are not rightly Translated that do not contain matters of Salvation in them as for instance in that of Job's Wife it is no matter of Salvation to know certainly whether she said Curse God and die or Bless God and die for as she might speak it it might be much at one as many of the Learned do understand it no doubt but that she spoke it Ironically and so consequently Atheistically or else Job would not have replied Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh for if she haâ— spoken sincerely then Job had been to blame tâ— have given her such a tart reproof as to call oâ— count her a Fool for if she had given him this advice cordially and sincerely to Bless God and diâ— he ought not to have rejected it for it is a great Duty as well as a great Mercy for people to diâ— blessing of God as well as to live so Now whether Job's Wife was a good Woman or no that is 〈◊〉 question for if she were a good Woman she waâ— in a very carnal frame of heart even as St. Petâ—â— was when he denied his Lord and Master or else she would never have spoke after that manner Thus I hope I have by God's assistance sufficiently proved the Holy Scriptures which we Protestants of all sorts do own and believe to be oâ— Divine Authority by the power and strength oâ— Arguments drawn and deduced from Reason only And all other Scriptures of mens inventing to be false and preposterous and of Antichrist And 〈◊〉 hope I have said enough if not to reclaim some oâ— those poor Souls that are fallen into their Snare yet I hope it will be of use to deter others from following their pernicious Example And I hope now I have done you of this Principle will begin to consider not how to be avenged upon the Author do not count me your enemy for telling you the truth for I do neither wish nor mean any hurt unto you in the least no more than I do to my own Soul I will assure you but do heartily wish and desire that all men might come up to the true knowledg of Christ and be saved and to love the Truth as it is in Jesus I humbly beg and beseech you for Christ his sake and for your own precious immortal Souls sake seriously to consider oâ— these things so as to exercise your Senses Reason and Understanding also upon what I have here iâ— faithfulness to your Souls declared unto you especially that are insnared in these false Antichristian Doctrines for it is a dreadful Judgment for aâ—â— poor Soul to be led away with false Teachers Isa â— 16 and also to be led away with fundament Errors in Judgment about Spiritual things where the Soul is concerned it is as much as your Soâ—â— are worth And what has a Man more to lâ—â— than his Soul For when that is gone all is goâ—â— as our Saviour Christ hath said What shall it prâ— a man if he should gain the whole world and 〈◊〉 his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for a soul POSTSCRIPT NOw Beloved Protestant Friends of all sorts I would not have any person so uncharitable as to destroy or knock any of those persons on the head that are of this corrupt Principle merely for the sake of their Principle who do believe this Doctrine of Transubstantiation nor abuse them in the least but let the Tares grow with the Wheat until the great Harvest I would both advise and desire all good Christians to pity and pray for them nay it is my Lord and Master's command that we should do so Matt. 5.44 But I say unto you love your enemies bless them that curse you do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you O! Sirs Let us carry it with all Christian sweetness of Spirit and tenderness of Affection towards them so that if possible we may win them by Christian love Let us heap Coals of fire upon their heads and melt them down into oneness of spirit with us And on the other hand I would never be willing nor consent to have it in their power to make a â—est of this Doctrine to Burn Protestants for Hereticks who cannot by any means come up to that degree of this kind of Faith as to believe such a complicated pack of Asurdities before they believe the Word of God or their own Sense and Reason Now I do here in the last place humbly yet boldly Challenge by the Power and in the Name of that God by whose Word and Spirit I have written this Any or all of those persons that teach this Doctrine of Transubstantiation and other the like Doctrines sutable to it that find themselves aggrieved or offended at this Christian friendly Discourse to give a fair ample and satisfactory Answer unto it But if they cannot Answer it then if I might advise them it should be this viz. That they would desist and leave off Preaching up any such kind of Doctrine among us which they â—an neither prove nor maintain either by Scripture or Rational Arguments FINIS ERRATA PAge 7. Col. 2. l. 21. r. of me p. 8. col 2. l. 43. r. and p. 9. col 1. l. 43. for without r. with p. 11. col 1. dele and Ibid. col 2. l. 19. r. is p. 12. col 2. l. 33. r. being come p. 13. l. 44. col 2. dele yet p. 15. col 2. l. 54. r. also but it is p. 17. col 2. l. 49. r. broacht Ibid. col 1. l. 29. dele with and to it Ibid. l. 32. r. bow p. 20. col 1. l. 13. r. jo now Ibid. col 2. l. 14. add it was not Ibid. l. 17. r. could not p. 21. col 2. l. 4. r. Heb. 1.7 Ibid. l. 51. dele yet p. 22. col 2. l. 8. for and Sacrifices r. and therefore Sacrifices Ibid. l. 43. r. after p. 23. 〈…〉 p. 24. col 2. l. 44. r. they p. 29. col 2. l. 31. add that p. 31. col 2. l. 27. r. Sacrament p. 37. ADVERTISEMENT THis Book is to be Sold at Randall Taylors and most Booksellers in the City Price Sticht 6 d. which is very necessary to be fixed in your Families and to be Read often unto your Children and Servants that they may acquire the principal Arguments by heart which will enable them to confute those who creep up and down to pervert the Truth and to vindicate the veracity of the Holy Bible in which the Universal or Catholick Apostolick Gospel-Church is founded under Christ