on earth that he shall never more conflict and combate with it for so long as he lives he shall be less or more troubled with its inherency turbulency and Tyranny though it shall have in him no regency no Soveraignty no conquest to cause him to serve sin The Apostle knew that the old man was crucified that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth he and others in Christ should not serve Rom. 6. 6. Râ—m 7 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 sin yet he complaines of the Inbeing of his corruption and of its powerfull working presence In crossing him the motions of the spirit unto good and in haling him to be a captive unto evill though he acknowledgeth with thankfulness that it shall not have any totall and finall conquering prevalency over him 7. I believe according to the holy Scripture that there is no living man upon the earth who is free from sin a personall sinlesse perfection is not to be found among any mortall men on earth because the Scripture telleth us Their 1. King 8. 46. Prov. 20. 9. Eccl. 7. 20. is no man that sinneth not and againe who can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure from my sin and againe there is not a just man on the earth that doth good and sinneth not The meaning is he sinneth in doing good for so the Prophet acknowledgeth all our riâ—hteousnesses are as filthy rags Againe one 〈◊〉 64. 6. â—â—m 3. 2. Iohn 1. 8. Apostle saith in many things we offend all he includes himself other Apostles as great as he in holiness and both of them were very holy men excludes not himself saying If we say that we have no sin we deceive ourâ—elves and the truth is not in us I believe the tâ—uth of all these scriptures and therefore I do not believe that any mortal man while he is on the earth is free from sin 7. Quest Dost thou owne that salvation that is wrought out with fear and trembling Answ That Salvation the working out of which with fear Phil. 2. 12 13 an trembling the Apostle exhorts to because God worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure is properly the worke of obedience and Piety which one works who is in the State and course of Salvation This is called salvation because it conduceth to and will end in salvation for a man who continueth to the end in the course of true Obedience and Mat. 29 13 piety is sure to obtaine felicity he who endureth to the end shall be saved I say then that 1. I own that salvation which is to be wrought out I own that their should be a finishing the work of obedience and graciousness which tends to salvation even of all such good workes which God hath ordained that we should walke in and Eph. 2. 10. 2. I own that this obedient and pious working which tends to further us toward the end of our faith the perfect salvation of the soule should be wrought with fear and trembling that is as these words as here conjoyned do genuinely signify with an awfull reverentiall humble carfulness neither to offend God on whom their must be a dependency or ability to worke nor to deserve his Judgment by any proud arrogancy in presuming on the worke which we do though it be good seeing it is of his pure grace of his good pleasure that the very working out the very doing and finishing of any good is effected by us I do own this holy fear and trembling commended in Scripture which is an holy dread in the soule whereby it stands in awe of God having a great carefulnesse to walke humbly with God and fiducialâ—y to depend on him in all holy working And I do verily beleive that this fear and holy awe of the soul in its endeavouring to observe Gods commandments and to depart from evil is a surer evidence of one that works out his salvation in fear and trembling then are the quakings shakings wrestings and wringings of any body whatsoever for it is well known that in some men bodily quakings have been the effects of their Dâ—ut 28. 65 Psa 69. 23 bodily diseases in others they have been the fruites of Satanicall possessions and in some they are from divine curse and infliction 8. Quest Dost thou owne the same Revelation and Inspiration that the Apostles and Prophets had now in this age yea or no Answ I own all those selfe same revelations which were revealed to the Apostles and Prophets by the inspiration of the Spirit when they indited the holy scripture for in the writings of these his holy Pen-men Christ hath now fully and finally recorded the whole will and counsel of God concerning the way of his service and concerning all things necessary for mans salvation these are able to make wise unto salvation and seeing that God now only in these last dayes speakes unto us 1. Tim. 3. 15. Heb. 1. 1. Iuk 10. 6. Math. 28. 20. by his son and his son speakes to us teachingly from his word written by his Ministeriall servants with whom he hath promised to be untill the end of the world Therefore I disowne all those immediate Revelations which some in this age pretend to have knowing that these cannot reveale any saving truth which is not already revealed in the writings of the Prophets Apostles knowing that they all are accursed who seek to add to the Propheticall and Apostolicall Revelations any new Revelations or to preaâ—h unto men any other Gospel then Rev. 22. 28. 19. Gal. 1. 8. that which is received My faith is grounded as all good Christians faith ought to be upon the divine Revelations which the Prophets and Apostles received and have recorded in holy Scripture but not upon any other revelations which either in former ages or now in this age any other learned or holy persons have received 9. Quest Dost thou own the Prophesying sons and daughters in this age and that the Lord will poure his spirit upon all flesh Answ 1. I do believe that the Lord did poure of his spirit in plentiful measure of extraordinary gifts in an unusual manner so as they who received it in that manner did speak on a sudden in various and sundry languages the wonderfull works of God Ioel. 2. 28. Act. 2. 7. 18. 19. Act. 2. 1. this I believe because the Prophet Joel said that it should come to pass and the Apostle Peter said that it was come to pass and the Evangelist Luke hath told when it came to passe on the day of Pentecost when the Disciples were all with one accord in one place then was Ioels prophecy fully fulfilled in respect of the extraordinary effusion of the spirit But I do not believe that such an extraordinary pâ—uring out of the spirit in such a visible manner with such an apparent abundance of gifts and donations was ever known in the world either
witnesse and that for this end he came into the world that he might bear witnesse unto the truth and he hath fully and truly spoken out of the will of God and he is one of these three Great witnesses which bears record in heaven yet the people of God and Christ ought not because he is the faithfull witnesse to think that therefore the Ministers are not Christs publick witnesses and Rev. 19. 10 publishers of his truths unto his people for the Scripture tells us that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy the testimony of Jesus is that he hath chosen these his Ministeriall servants to beare witnesse to his people of his truths doth give unto all his faithfull Ministers the Spirit the authority the boldnes the life the liveliness to discharge that Propheticall or preaching service which he hath appointed them to performe the testimony of Jesus touching this particular is thus recorded Math. 24. 14 the Gospel of the Kingdome shall be preached unto all the world as a witnesse unto all nations Christ after this his testimony did commission Ministers to preach that Gospell and the Ministery which Ministers have received of the Lord Jesus is to Mark 16. 25 testify the Gospell of the Grace of God And therefore none of Gods people ought on this ground because Christ is the faithfull Acts. 20. 24 witnesse after a most eminent manner to deny that the Ministers are Christs publick witnesses to his people they are chosen and ordained to publish his truths according to his appointment Moreover Christs being the faithfull witnesse doth not warrant any of his people to deny due maintenance unto his Ministers of whom he said they shall be witnesses to me to the uttermost parts of the earth because Christ hath already condemned all kinde of misusage which shall be done to these Prophets Acts 1. 8. wisemen and scribes which he sends and because he hath faithfully witnessed that though they whom he sent shall not take pay for their working miraculously cures because they had Mâ—th 23. 34 35. freely received that miraculous gift and were therefore to give freely its worke yet Christ hath testified that they whom he sends may for their paines in preaching receive the pay of maintenance saying for the labourer is worthy of his hire or Luk. 10. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his reward worthy to have a reward answerable to and fully recompencing his worke 5. It is true that Christ is called the Lords Anointed because Psal 2. 2. Aâ—ts 10. 38 Joh. 3. 34. 1 Joh. 2. 27 he was anointed with the Holy-Ghost and with power and the Spirit was not given him by measure it is true also that the anointing of grace by his Spirit is received from him and abideth in his holy people yet it is also most true that neither Christ being anointed to preach which he did personally perform on earth and doth since his going to heaven Ministerially perform by his Ministers nor his sanctified people being anointed with grace received from him doth exclude outward teaching and the Ministers from being Christs publick servants to teach his people seeing Christ hath set them in his Church Eph. 4. 11 12 for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edifying of his body the Church Moreover Christs being anointed in a supereminent manner Heb. 2. 9. above his fellows and his sanctified people being anointed with grace according to measure doth not warrant any of his people to deny unto the Ministers of the Gospel their maintenance Isa 61. 1. Luk. 4. 17 18 for Christ was anointed to preach but not to abolish the maintenance of Preachers or of any else which is for upholding the publick preaching of the Gospel in the world And the anointing which his believing people received from him was to make them gracious but not to give unto them any allowance to be injurious unto any in with-holding their dues least of all to Ministers whom he hath appointed to be instruments by their preaching to work gracious men to become more 1 Cor. 14 22 gracious for Prophecy is for them that believe namely to perfect the grace begun in them since they were in Christ Besides it is of divine appointment that as Christs Ministers Math. 5. 14. 15 are by him placed publickly to be lights on a Candlestick pouring out the oyle of their labours in their lightsome informations of people so Christs anointed people are placed by his providence as Olive trees round about his Ministerial servants that every Zach. 4. 11 12 13 14. one of them should be as Olive branches emptying the golden oyle of maintenance for his Ministers out of themselves Gods 1 Coâ— 9. 11 appointment is that if his Ministers so v unto his people spiritual things his people should not grudge his Ministers or count it a great thing if they reap their carnal things Thou hast a full Answer to thy fifteenth Head of Demands CHAP. XVI Thy sixteenth Head of Demands is as followeth ARe not they Ministers of unrighteousnesse and so messengers of Satan that seeks for meanes maintenance tythes of them they do not work for Is not that an unrighteous deed and thing Now if it be said the labourer is worthy of his hire is it not then an unrighteous thing to go and take hire of them that have not hired them answer me and let truth speak and come to the light and bring thy deeds to it Now if you say we plow in hope and thresh in hope that we may be made partakers of our hope now if thou plowest not for me nor thresheth for me how can thou bring the Scripture and say the workman is worthy of his meat to me and the labourer is worthy of his hire to one that hath not set thee on work and that thou plowest not for and threshest not for Answ Ministers who discharge the work of the Ministry which God hath given them to do in those places where he doth set them to be teachers unto his people are neither Ministers of unrighteousnesse nor messengers of Satan because they require the allowed maintenance by tythes or any other things from those people among whom they spend and are spent 1. They are no Ministers of unrighteousnesse for 1. It can be no unrighteousnesse in them to discharge their Ministerial duties seeing God who enjoynes his servants no unrighteous thing hath commanded them to do so And 2. It is no unrighteousnesse in them to demand the maintenance by tithes from those people among whom they discharge their Ministeriall dutyes seeing the maintenance by tithes which they demand is Gods own peculiar rent wherewith he as Lord of all hath charged all lands and hath assigned his due since himself needs nothing to his servants the Ministers of the Gospell for that service which in his stead they performe among his people They in demanding
before that time or since or that there shall be the like in any of the succeeding ages This I do not believe because I have no ground from holy Scripture on which I can establish a belief that their shall be such a thing And therefore as I disowne any of the Sons of men in this age who pretend that they are Prophets by an extraordinary mission and 2. Cor. 14. 34. 25. 1. Tâ—m 4. 2. 11 12. inabling inspiration unlesse they confirm both these by ungainsayable proofes and evidences or by true and reall miraculous operations as they in the old and new Testament did who had extraordinary mission and commission to prophecy or preach so also because the holy Scriptures hath plainly prohibited women to preach therefore I disowne all preaching Daughters of men which are in this age both the Jesuitisses among the Papists and the Prophetesses in imitation of them late sprung up among deluded Protestants notwithstanding their great pretentions to extraordinary abilities and their extraordinary immodest impudency in delivering as they prate messages from the Lord. I disowne these because the Scripture disowne Isâ— 27. 11. them an hath told us that God will neither have mercy on them nor shew them any favour who are the fiery zealous auditors and followers of these feminine predicants 2. I do not owne or acknowledge that their is or will be in this or succeeâ—ing ages of the Church any such pouring out of the Spirit on the sonnes and daughters of men who are the Eph. 4. 8. 11. servants and hâ—ndmaides also of God or the children of the Church to make them all Prophets or Preachers because the Apostle saith that when Christ ascended he gave gifts unto men He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and teachers He gave some therefore not all to bâ— teachers yet I do owne or acknowledge that there is now and in other ages of the Church such a pouring out of the Spirit which will make men holy and heavenly disposed wherefore though sonnes and daughters cannot in truth be said to Prophecy as Prophecying signifies the publick expounding 1 Cor. 14. 1 1 Cor. 13. 9 2 Thes 5. 20 1 Cor. 11. 5 the writings of the Prophets because they only do thus lawfully prophecy who are thereunto peculiarly called to waite on that service yet they may be said to prophecy according to such significations of the word Prophecy which the Scriptures allowes to any Professour though he be no Preacher of the gospell As namely they Prophecy when they attend diligently with their presence on the Ministeriall teaching which is the publick unfolding and applying of the Scriptures called the sure word of Prophecy whereby they are 1 Per. 1 19. Joh. 6. 45. taught of God And they are said to prophecy when from a clear understanding of holy Mysteryes which they have heard and learned they magnify and praise God either by singing or by holy discoursing for his wonderfull workes and saving mercyes And thus both men and women sonnes and daughters can bear a part in prophecying But God 1 Chro. 25 1 Psâ— 66. 10 hath excluded all women and the most of men from being his officers in prophecying as it signifiys the Preaching of his word officially 3. Though I do own and acknowledge that the Lord hath poured out his spirit on all flesh yet I cannot own or acknowledge that he doth in all times of his Church and upon all persons perteining to the Church power out such extraordinary gifts of his Spirit as he once did visibly miraculously and plentifully poure on his Disciples in the day of Pentecost Act. 2. 4. whereby they were filled with the Spirit and fitted for plantting the Church and for confirming at first the Gospell in all Nations For these extraordinary inspirations and donations of the Holy-Ghost have already obteined those ends in the primitive times of the Christian Church and are not further usefull seing Churches every wheâ—e are planted and Pastors are set over them and the Holy spirit is pleased now by the ordinary meanes only of reading meditâ—ting praying studying sifting searching finding out and setting in order Scriptural truth to blesse his servants with the treasures of that wisdom and truth comely order and free utterance whereby his Church is best benefited I do therefore account such men highly presumptuous who dare pretend in these dayes that such forerecited extraordinary effusions of the Spirit rests on them and in them yea and I am confident that they who beleive it of themselves are given up to a strong delusion 4. I own or acknowledge that in all and severall ages of the Church the Lord hath ordinarily poured out of his spirit on all â—oly good Christians men and women young and old sons 1 Pet. 4. 14 and dauâ—hters for their sanctification to make them Holy and fit them for glory But I do not own or acknowledg that the Lord doth ordinarily poure from his spirit the gift of interpreting Scripture on every one whom he sanctifyes by his Spirit neither do I own or acknowledge that any are therefore authorised to preach to others or are made vessells in the Pastorall function because by the gift of Sanctification they are made Holy vessells to receive full salvation in their glorification 10. Quest When Christ saith to his disciples Be ye not called Masters for ye have one Master and ye are all brethren Where dost thou read Mr. Paul Mr. Mathew Mr. Mark Mr. Luke Mr. John Mr. Peter Mr. James Mr. Timothy Mr. Titus that these transgressed the command of Christ Answ I have already in answering the second head of thy demands answered this There I proved that one of these here mentioned was named Master and I shewed in what respects Paul and Philip was named so and likewise how a Minister of the Gospel and any other Christian professing subjection to the Gospell many lawfully be called Master and yet none of these formerly did nor now doe therfore transgresse Christs command I shall not need to repeate my answer there given reade and ponder on it for it may give thee satisfacton if thou art not resolved against being satisfied 11. Quest Is not he Antichrist that transgresseth and the Deceiver and hath not God nor the Sonne and is not to bebid God speed read Johns second epistle and answer me Answ I have read both the second and also the first Epistle of John in which he speakes of an Antichrist who in his dayes was to come and who in our dayes is already to come He speakes also of many Antichrists who were in the world in his time And doubtlesse both the one and the other were transgressors and deceivers and neither had communion with God nor with the Son of God and Gods people are charged to shew unto them no tokens of communion or familiarity Surely they have most uncharitably transgressed and are grosly deceived who apply what the
Apostle John or Paul or any other holy Writer haâ—h recorded concerning Antichrist and Antichrists unto the faithfull Ministers of the Refoâ—med Churches for these Ministers doe teach the truths of God but not the traditions of men they teach the doctrins of Christ but not the doctrines of Devils nor the dotages and decretalls of any mortalls They also from the Apostolicalâ— writings do convincingly detect unto the world the grand Antichrist and the fry of many Antichrists both which abuse the world with their lying deceipts errors and heresyes I will say something concerning the Antichrist and Antichrists whom the Apostle describes and then I will punctually answer to thy demand Antichrist as the name signifyes is one who opposeth Christ the scripture intimates that he is such an one who covertly under the Vizard of professing Christ and his Doctrin opposeth him There is One who is more eminent then others in this 1 Joh. â— 18. 2 Theâ— 2. 3 4 Rev. 9. 11. Opposition he is called in scripture The Antichrist And the man of sin and the Son of perdition who opposeth and the King of Locusts or the cheife over such swarmes of seducers who also are inferiour Antichrists and pretend that they come in the name of Christ Jesus and do in all places seeke with subtilty to oppose and over throw the pure doctrines of Christ This great Antichrist hath his seate in Rome Papal Their are also a multitude of false teachers who were and are opposers of the Doctrines of Christ These bring in privily damnable heresiyes thereby seeking to oppose and destroy Christ Doctrines These are called by the Apostle Antichrists â— Joh. 2. 18 many Antichrists for they are many in number and many in factions and they vent many false notions many unsound poysoning doctrines thinking thereby to draw many Disciples after them and to be Masters of their faith or Sectmasters these Antichrists are creepers into houses to lead captive them who are silly especially sinful women and they mostly reside among their popular intertainers Both the Grand Romish Antichrist and these puny Roaming hereticall Antichrists are such as thou demands after namely who transgresseth and are deceivers and have not God noâ— Christ and are not to be bid God-speede I will in these severall particulars named by the Scriptures demonstrate it of them both First both the grand Antichrist and these Hereticall Antichrists are such who have transgressed it were easie to write volumes of the particular transgressions of them both Suffice it to know That the holy Scripture calls the papall Antichrist a man of sin that is a man transcendently vicious peerlesly infamous 2 Thes 2. 4 for all unrighteousness The very Popish Chronicles and Histories of the lives of Popes do testifie that many of them were both themselves men of sinne and that also they made others sinne The holy Scripture likewise reckons up a catalogue of such sins whereof Hereticall Antichrists either as they are distinguishable from Papists the followers of the grand Antichrist or as 2. Tim. 3 ver to the 10. 2. Tâ—m 4. 3. 4. they are considered as conspiring with them are commonly guilty The Scripture tells us that they are selfe lovers covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents sierce dispisers of those that are good traytors heady high-minded lovers of pleasure more then lovers of â—od having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof that also they are 2. Pet. 2. Jude 8. scoffers mockers walkers after their own lusts that they despise Dominion speake evill of Dignities that they tuâ—ne the grace of God into lasciviousness that they are separatists sensuall having not the spiriâ— they are thus as the Papall Antichrist al-also is transgressours and their endeavour is to corrupt others and make them also in like sort transgressors like themselves Secondly as the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists 2. Epist Joh. v. 9. are such as transâ—resseth so they both do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ Whosoever shall compare the Doctrine of the councel of Trent touching faith and worship which Doctrin the Papall Antichrist maintaines and curseth all who disclaime it with what is extant in Paulâ— Epistles he must acknowledge that the Papall Antichrist is a great Apostate and the Head now of that great Apostacy from the faith and true worship of God which at this day is found among such who professe Christianity and whosoever compares the holy Scriptures aslertions touching the faith and true worship which God requires with the sundry principles and positions touching these which the heretical Antichrists of this age do contend for and defend damning all who are otherwise minded then they themselves are he must affirm that these heretical Antichrists have shaken hands with the Papall Antichrist and his confederates in Apostatizing from the faith which was once delivered to the Saints which was kept sound and incorrupt in the purer times of Christianity The severall heresies about the severall heads of the Christian saith which at seveâ—all times were preached by several Hereticks in the Apostles days and afterward were so many standing puddles of false Doctrine which much annoyed the Christian world for some space of time At length Popery prevailing in the Westerne part of the world it became as a corrupt Sea into which most of the filthy streames of former heresies therein did runne and was received and they with the additions of pestilent poysoning popish mixtures do slow out againe as oft as the Papall Antichrist and his instruments do thereby hope either to infest or to infect the Evangelicall or reformed Churches I will name only two Doctrines of Christ wherein the Papall Antichist and hereticall Antichrists have not abode 1. It is a Doctrine of Christ that Christs is come in the flesh The papall Antichrist and hereticall Antichrists do not in direct terms deny it for both use the name of Christ in their words and writings and some of them in words say so much yet because the Apostle calls them deceivers the word signifies such who professe the Cosening of others even while others 2. Epist John 2. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lookes on them and Antichrist who do not confesse that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh therefore it is certaine that though some of them professe it yet both do consequently deny it in some of their tenents The papall Antichrist and his adherents acknowledge in word that Christ is come in the flesh but while they maintaine that the bread and wine in the Lords supper is turned into the very body and blood corporall of Christ they thereby affirme that Christs body is made of bread and wine and so do implicirely deny that Christ is at such a time come to them in the flesh untill that very instant be come wherein the Priest utters the words of consecration Some hereticall Antichrists say that Christ is come in the flesh but when they are asked what
Christ it is whom they owne or acknowledge in the flesh they reply that it is no other but Christ in their flesh Christ in them disowning and denying that there is the man Christ who is a man different from other men and who is the Mediator between God and man whom God raised from the dead who ascended into 2 Tim. 25. pag. 5. heaven and is now sitting at Gods right hand making intercession for his Church who shall come againe to judge the quick and the dead at the last day This Christ they deny and speak very contemptuously of him and of that body of flesh which he had on earth and hath now in heavenly glory A printed paper of theirs called the sword of the Lord drawn hath this blasphemous jeering expression your immagined God beyond the stars and your carnall Christ is utterly denyed and testified against by the light These men led by the lying spirit of Antichrist deny that Jesus is the Christ and they confesse 1 Ioh 2. 2â— 2 Iohn 7. not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh Thus both the Papal Antichrist and his confederated instruments and followers and the hereticall Antichrists with their associâ—tes and disciples have not abode in this doctrine of Christ that Chriâ—t is come in the flesh 2. It is also â— Doctrine of Christ that the holy Scriptures are the written word of God given by inspiration 2 Tim 3. 15. 16. Psal 119. 93. Rom. 1 16 and are sufficient to direct and inform in all things absolutely necessary unto salvation and that God by its precepts doth quicken his people and that the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation Christs doctrine doth magnifie the excellency of holy Scripture The Papal Antichrist Pope and Popelings deny that the holy Scriptures are sufficient for edification in things of salvation without traditions and some of them have reviled the holy Scriptures calling them a Dead letter and blasphemously the word of the Devill as Protestants whom they call hereticks alledged it and one of them said that the Church had vid. Tilen loc com 2. Sec. 35. been better provided for if there had never been any Scripture Some hereticall Antichrists Quakers and others in our dayes speaking from the spirit of Antichrist have vented the like venemous breath against the holy Scriptures saying that they are insufficient for guidance in things belonging unto salvation in comparison of the light within them and those Inspirations and Revelations which they imagine that they themselves have They do not acknowledge that the holy Scripture are the declaration of Gods minde but they call them the declaration of Saints conditions intimating thereby that they being not to us of this present generation but that they only concerned the Saints of former ages This conceite thwarts the holy Scriptures yea and some of these hereticall Antichrists have licked up the Popish slavering Rhetorick in calling the holy Scripture a dead letter and some of them have said that some Rom. 15. 4. paâ—t of the Scripture is the word of the Devill and serpents dust not considering that though these words which were originally uttered by the Devill are recorded by Gods Pen-men in the Scriptute yet being now recorded by these Pen-men of God who have related the true history of what the Devill spake these words are now the words of the God of Truth namely his true relating the Devills words Moreover some of these hereticall Antichrists have said that it was no great matter if all the Bibles in England were burned and that it had been better for one to whom one of them spake if he had never read the Bible It is evident by what is writ as it might be also if we would in other points parallel the great Antichrist and the petty Antichrists that they both have transgressed and have not abode in the doctrine of Christ Thirdly Both the Papall Antichrist and the hereticall Antichrists are deceivers The Papall Antichrist comes saith one Apostle with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish because they received not the love of the truth 2 Thes 2. 9. 10. that they might be saved The hereticall Antichrists or false teachers bring in privily said another Apostle damnable heresies denying the Lord that bought them and many shall 2. Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of truth shall be spoken evil of and with fained words they shall make merchandise of Christians Both these sorts of Antichrists are deceivers and do manifest themselves to be so for they do not hold the forme of sound words but do delight purposely and affectedly to use cloudy and obscure expressions thereby to confound the understandings of simple men from apprehending aright the truth yea and their pretendings to extraordinary holiness and strictness in their conversation and religion beyond truth is but a crafty deceite under a meer shew of religion It were an endlesse labour to recount all that cunning craftiness and those deluding fallacies and subtill wiles and cheating tricks for insnaring soules and all those depths of Satan which they have used for gaining and for retaining those Proselites which they have gained It is enough to know that the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists are deceivers because the holy Scripture hath branded them with that name Fourthly both the Papall Antichrist and the Hereticall Antichrists have not God nor Christ both these sorts of Antichrists do pharasaically and arrogantly appropriate only to themselves Rev. 2. 9. and their followers the name of the Church of holy ones yet both are in reallity no other then of the synagogue of Satan Their transgressing and renouncing through their Apostacy the doctrine of Christ is a sufficient evidence that they have not God and Christ in communion neither have they their favour in this world and without repentance they shall 2 Thes â— 11. 12. not have any communion with God and Christ in glory for God hath sent on them strong delusions that they should beleive a lie that they all might be damned who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness Fiftly As they have not God nor Christ in Communion so believers are not to hold communion or any intimate conversation with any of them The Apostle injoynes Receive 2 Epist Iohn 10. him not into your house neither bid him God speede They are not to afford any intertainment or incouragement to any Antichrist what ever not entertainment I suppose least thereby such gaine occasion of seducing by Antichristian doctrine from the doctrine of Christ nor incouragement lest thereby they be pâ—rtakers of his evil deedes Thou hast now a full answer to thy question and therewith a true discovery from holy Scripture who is the Antichrist and who are the Antichrists of whom it speakes in briefe according to it He who is an Antichrist is one who transgresseth the Doctrine oâ— Christ