which if it were true would be a higher degree of perfection than ever any Church of Christ has yet 〈…〉 and the Apostles time We read of Seven Churches at one time in Rev. 2. and Rev. 3. but we find they had all of them their failings there was neither Infallibility nor Supremacy to be found among them tho notwithstanding it is true the Gospel true Catholick Apostolical Church is perfect and infallible but not in nor of her self but she is so in Christ her Infallible Head for there her perfection lieth Ephes 5.26 27. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish Therefore this Doctrine of Infallibility of theirs must also be another Lie which they speak or teach in Hypocrisie for the Scripture saith in Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all And in Eccles 7.20 For there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not Therefore the Man of Sin cannot be infallible altho in conjunction with all these many Antichrists and false Prophets which do belong unto him And pray mind what another Servant of God saith tho acted by the same spirit as Paul was 1 Joh. 2.18 19. Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby ye know that it is the last time And here followeth their Apostatizing from the true Church and Worship of God They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Pray observe it was these many Antichrists that went out from the Church of Christ and made the first rent or schism But the true Church of Christ kept her standing tho perhaps not so visible in some Centuries or Ages because she fled into the Wilderness into her place prepared by God for her and was hid there after the Dragon by the permissive will of God got into the Temple of God which is called Heaven in his Son Antichrist for as God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ so o◠the contrary the Dragon is Antichrist's Father Re◠12.1 2 3 6. After this great fight in Heave◠which was persecution of the Church is the W◠man or Church of Christ fled into the Wilderne◠where she hath a place prepared by God that the should feed her there 1260 days which is all the reign of Antichrist And the Antichristian Church that woman is in the Wilderness also Rev. 17.3 B◠as the true Church is in the Wilderness in mere to her because she is in her place which God d◠prepare for her to hide her in from the Dragon the cast out floods of wrath and malice after her 〈◊〉 the false Antichristian Church is in the Wilderness in judgment to her for she is bewildered and I 〈◊〉 there These many 〈…〉 did not go first from them for she kept close to Christ's Standard in all Ages They followed the Lamb whithersoever he went and did not flinch nor run from their Colours but these Antichrists deserted the service of Christ and run from their Colours to Satan the Enemy And now to clench this Nail that is driven into the head of Antichrist the Man of Sin pray look into the same Chapter where he is described and prophesied of and observe strictly what is the cause that produced this dreadful effect namely what was it that provoked God to bring this tremendous judgment upon them and there you shall find that it is charged upon them by way of prediction for their despising and departing from the Faith 1 Tim. 4.1 which is from the whole Doctrine of Faith namely the Gospel of God 2 Thes 2.9 10 11 12. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they receive not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness They please themselves with the conceit of being saved by their own righteousness which is unrighteousness in competition with the Righteousness of Christ for Justification they departed from the very Doctrine of Faith the means of Grace and Salvation which is the Spiritual food under Christ for the souls of true Christian Believers to live upon Psal 19.8 9 10. Now that person must needs perish and die that refuseth and despiseth his natural food and will not feed upon it but pretend to live upon the wind why even so it is with a respect to Spiritual food that soul or souls must needs perish and be damned that reject and refuse the means of Grace and Salvation Because saith the Apostle they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned That is the whole of their Faith Doctrine Discipline and Worship is one great lie as the whole of the true Gospel-Faith Doctrine Discipline and Worship is called the Truth in the same Chapter in opposition this great Lie. So that the whole of their Spiritual opinion is only a heap of lies and deceit wrapt up and incorporated together And therefore called by the Holy Ghost a strong delusion and a lie It is a Delusion full of Delusions or a Lie full of Lies The Apostle by the Holy Ghost prophesied clearly what a dreadful Judgment God would inflict upon all them that would be thus horribly guilty For this cause God shall send them strong Delusions first hence we may observe that God did not proceed in 〈…〉 we may observe that this Judgment did not come of it self but God sent it Thirdly God sent them the Truth but they did not receive it in the love of it Fourthly you may observe that it was not an ordinary weak puny Judgment or Delusion that God sent which should not be able or strong enough to do the work no but it was a strong delusion that should overcome them Fifthly you may observe that this strong Delusion was not then come because that the Man of Sin was not yet revealed Sixthly the cause of it was then commencing for the Mystery of Iniquity did then begin to work Seventhly hence we may observe that they themselves did chuse these Delusions which was their great sin by which they provoked God to give them up unto them and so God in his Justice made their sin their punishment for it is said The Backslider in heart
fiesh and bones as ye see me have And when he had thus spoken he shewed them his hands and his feet Joh. 20.19 20 24 25 26. Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week when the Doors were shut where the Disciples were assembled for fear of â—he Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and saith unto them Peace be with ye This made them so terribly afraid because Christ came in personally among them notwithstanding the Doors being fast â—hut And when he had so said he shewed unto them his â—ands and his side then were the Disciples glad when â—hey saw the Lord. That was when our Saviour had â—atisfied their sences and reason and their understanding that it was he himself and not another â—ow if you could satisfie any body of the reality of â—our Christ that is Transubstantiated or if that â—hrist himself would satisfie people of the truth of 〈◊〉 as our true Saviour Christ did it would be someâ—â—ing But Thomas a Didimus being absent this first â—â—y that Christ appeared he mist sight of him vers â—â— 25 26. But Thomas one of the Twelve called Didiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 not with them when Jesus came The other Disciples therefore said unto him We have seen the Lord But he said unto them Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe And after eight days again his Disciples were within and Thomas with them then came Jesus the Doors being shut and stood in the midst and said Peace be unto you then said he to Thomas Reach hither thy fingers and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing If you of the Roman Catholicks that are Lay-persons were but as incredulous about your Doctrine of Transubstantiation as Thomas a Didimus was of Christ's Resurrection I know not how the Priests would do to satisfie you but here you see that our Saviour Christ did satisfie all his Disciples for he satisfied their sences and reason and all the scruples that did arise in them and he did not send their understandings empty away nor hoodwinkt here was seeing hearing and feeling fully satisfied and reason and understanding sent full fraighted or laden away and no room left for the least doubt or scruple to be made of the truth and reality of those Miracles But your Transubstantiated Miracle is so far from satisfying any persons Senses Reason and Understanding whether Romanist or others that will but be true to their Intellectuals that it both betrayeth and destroyeth Sense Reason and Understanding for ye must not believe one of them noble faculties if you believe your Miracle which is quite contrary to the very nature of Miracles Pray mind our Saviour Christ he comparatively did stoop down and condescend to Thomas's unbelief but it was to destroy it And this he did by satisfying his Senses Reason and Understanding also John 20.24 25 26 27. Now if your Priests could do so then it were something like but because they cannot do it it is not only nothing but it is that which is insinitely worse than nothing it is a very dangerous pernicious Doctrine for it is a strong Delusion and it is one of Antichrist the Man of Sin 's Lying Wonders for they that pretend to work this Miracle do despise and contemn the Holy Scriptures as you may see in that same Chapter where Antichrist the Man of Sin is described For these are two of his Characters viz. Lying Wonders and Disowning the Gospel 2 Thess 2.9 10 11 12. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders That is he claims all power both spiritual and temporal which either his craft or his cruelty can reach Dan. 8.24 25. And his power shall be mighty but not by his own power and he shall destroy wonderfully and shall prosper and practice and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people And through his policy he shall cause crast to proster in his band and 〈◊〉 shall magnify himself in his heart and by peace shall destroy many he shall also stand up against the prince of princes but he shall be broken without hands Rev. 17.14 16 17. The Apostle saith that he should come with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness It is a most dreadful judgment you see that you poor souls do lye under who do believe this Doctrine The Lord in Mercy open your eyes and thorowly convince your Consciences of the evil and danger of it before it be too late while the door of Mercy stands open for it is as great a Judgment as that which the Jews lieth under for as your sins and theirs is much alike so are the judgments which both the one and the other lieth under the Jews they deny Christ openly and you deny him privately you do confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh in words but in works you deny him 3. Thirdly and lastly The Apostles whenever they wrought Miracles the people saw that they were Miracles Acts 8.6 7. And the people with one accord gave good heed unto these things which Philip spake hearing and seeing the Miracles which he did For unclean spirits crying with loud voices came out of many that were possessed with them and many taken with palsies and that were lame were healed And their very enemies did see the Miracles which they wrought and were forced to confess and own it as you may see in Acts 4.16 Saying What shall we do to these men for that indeed a notable miracle hath been done it is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem and we cannot deny it And the Apostles did raise the dead also and the people both good and bad did hear and see the Miracles which they wrought and were all satisfied with the reality of them or else it could be no Miracle There was never any Miracle wrought that ever I read of in the Sacred Scriptures as I can remember either by the Prophets who were inspired by the Holy Chost before Christ came in the flesh or by our Saviour Christ himself or by any of his Apostles that ever destroyed mens Senses and Reason and put out the very light of their Understanding but the Miracles which they all wrought brought their own clear and undeniable evidence along with them They have as we may say spoken clearly and fully for themselves they need no tricky nor force nor cunning artisices to create a belief in the people of the real truth of them but all the people
wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth behold he is in the secret chambers believe it not And Antichrist was to arise and come with all Power and Signs and Lying Wonders saith the Apostle which is the same character which our Saviour gives of him This desert where these false Christs are I take it to be a Church or People professing the name of Christ in words but deny him in works being abominable disobedient and unto every good work reprobate Titus 1.16 They are a Company of Deserters that have deserted Christ and run from the true Christian Colours for you see they are a sort of nominal Christians that do own Christ's Name but they do follow another Jesus as I have already shewed from the Apostles words 2 Cor. 11.4 They are a people that have deserted Christ's Standard who himself is Generalissimo of all the Christian spiritual Soldiers or Army But these false Prophets and others are those that are gone over to Antichrist who is Head and Generalissimo of all the many Antichrists and Apostates Now that our Saviour Christ prophesied here of Antichrist's rising it appeareth to me to be as clear as the Sun that shineth in the firmament because the Apostle hath laid down the very same Character of Antichrist and his Disciples and false Prophets as our Saviour had done before for our Redeemer saith that there should arise false Christs and false Prophets which should shew great signs and wonders insomuch that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect And the Apostle saith that the Man of sin Antichrist should come after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish Our Saviour saith consequentially Signs and Wonders and Deceit And the Apostle also saith Signs Wonders and Deceit If it were passible they shall deceive the very elect saith our Saviour that is by their great Signs and Lying Wonders They shall come with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish saith the Apostle And then here followeth their desertion of the Standard of Christ their General Because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved Here they first desert God and then God deserts them as you may see in those following words of the Apostle as I have already proved 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 That is those who believe not the Gospel of God in opposition to this lie but had pleasure in unrighteousness Surely then this must needs be a dreadful desert when a Church or people desert and leave God And God doth cast off them and desert and leave them this I humbly conceive to be the meaning of our Saviour Christ in Matt. 24. which does agree and suit so well with that of the Apostle Paul's description of Antichrist the Man of Sin this is that desert where these swarms of false Christs and false Prophets are and do reside it is a deserted false worship And hear again what is said in 1 John 2.18 19. with which Scripture I shall close this Head and so go on towards the finishing of this Discourse Little children it is the last time and as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time There be the false Prophets which Christ tells us should arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive the credulous people And here followeth their Apostatizing or Desertion to wit They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us But they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Thus you see that this Doctrine of yours is not true and your Tronsubstantiated Christ is but a false Christ and of the number of those Christs that are out in the Desart Now I pray Sir do not take it amiss that I deal thus plainly with you nor do not think much of my repeating over some things that have been mentioned under former Heads for you know in a trial at Law among Men you have often one and the same thing repeated over and over by the Witnesses and others c. Ay and we have it so in Scripture also in many places and in many cases and I will give you one which relates unto this our Tryal or Discourse Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel Which is not another but there be some that trouble you and would pervert the gospel of Christ But tho we or an angel frem heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again If any man preach aâ— other gospel unto you than that ye have received 〈◊〉 him be accursed And what the Apostle saith 〈◊〉 say I and let all good men say Amen to it 3. Thirdly If this Doctrine of yours be truâ—â— then after Consecration as you call it there would appear all the lineaments of a Man visibly to aâ— the spectators with all the faculties of a Man for 〈◊〉 was Christ when he was here upon Earth personallâ— in Body Soul and Divinity before he laid dowâ— his Life and after he took it up again viz. after he arose again from the dead Luke 24.39 Behoâ—â— my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle 〈◊〉 and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see 〈◊〉 have If this Doctrine of yours be really truâ— why then it would necessarily follow that all thâ— spectators as well as the partakers would be satisfied that it is so and not an imaginary fancy for such is the nature of Miracles as you see haâ—â— been clearly proved by several instances both from Scripture and Reason which do witness the trutâ— of it 4. Fourthly If this Doctrine of Transubstantiation in your sense be true viz. That Christ is iâ—â— tire in his person with all the lineaments and facuâ—ties of Man after Consecrating the Elements in thâ— Sacraments then Sir I would fain know what 〈◊〉 the Reason that he doth not speak or what should hinder or impede Christ from speaking personally and vocally now as well as he did to his Disciple after he arose from the dead when they were under doubts and fears whether it was he or no wheâ— he said unto them Why are ye troubled and why 〈◊〉 thoughts arise in your hearts Behold my hands and mâ—â— feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirâ—â— hath
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