96. O beloved children of Christ, open your eyes, and see; do not run so after the devil; do you not see? Pray learn to see ! Do you not see how all is done for money? If one give them store of money, they praise him for a gracious Christian, who is beneficial and bountiful to the Church: If one die, though all his life long he was an unjust false usurer, whoremonger, thief, and murderer, and they knew it very well, if he or his bestow much upon the Church [colleges or learned men], O how is he applauded for a blessed and glorious man ! What great sermons do they make for him, that other unrighteous men may hear and consider, and follow their example to do the like? But stay, doth the kingdom of Christ consist in such [giving of] money, and in the mouth of the priest? No, it shall not prosper; here the wine-press yieldeth much blood, as the Revelation of John speaketh.
97. And thus the innocent are seduced, [or the poor souls hereby fall into despair], for he that giveth not to them much, or hath it not to give, is no honest man with them: He is not beneficial towards the ministry: but if the least mote is found amiss in his life, O how they divulge it, and make a great matter of it, how is he trodden underfoot! However, at length, they devoutly send a good wish after him, and say, God forgive him. Open your eyes, ye children of Christ, this is the Antichrist, go not a- whoring after him: Many such have been sinners, and have turned from their sins, and have entered into Christ, and their soul is in Christ an angel of God; and therefore how dare you, proud Antichrist, according to your own pleasure, despise one that is the angel of God? O thou blind man, dost thou not see this? Art thou the shepherd and minister of Christ, and steward of God? Hast thou the Mysterium Magnum about thee? Is thy office the office of Christ, as thou boastest? Why then art thou a liar, in applauding the wicked for money? Have Christ and his Apostles done so ?
98. Hearken, thou opposer of Christ, look into the Acts of the Apostles; Where one sold his possessions, and laid a part of the price of the money at the Apostle's feet: And Peter asked him, saying, Have you sold the. field for so much ?
And he said yea; and had a false, doubtful [and deceitful] mind: then said Peter, thou hast lied unto the Holy Ghost; behold the feet of them that stand at the door, they shall carry you away out of the congregation of truth. What think you now of yourself? Seeing this has happened to the hearers of Peter, what would have been done to Peter himself if he had thus lied for greediness of money, and so blasphemed the Holy Ghost? But thou art he that dost so: thou applaudest the unrighteous, that thou mayest but get money; but thou regardest not his soul, neither dost thou regard how thou broachest forth thy lies in the congregation. How many times do some stand and bewail the wickedness and deceit of those thou praisest, wherewith they unjustly oppressed and wronged the needy, and also bewail thy flattering hypocrisy and lies?
99. Hearken! Is not the name of Christ blasphemed thereby, and the congregation of Christ scandalized? When they say, The priest tells lies in the pulpit for money, if it were a sin, he would not do i t: and so in like manner, when any lie and deceive people to get money, goods, and honour, if they can but cover it with a fine pretence, what matter is it? For [they think] if it were so great a sin, the priest would not do it; they think they will once repent of it, and the priest hath grace enough in store for them.
100. Behold, thou false and wicked Antichrist,
96. O beloved children of Christ, open your eyes, and see; do not run so after the devil; do you not see? Pray learn to see ! Do you not see how all is done for money? If one give them store of money, they praise him for a gracious Christian, who is beneficial and bountiful to the Church: If one die, though all his life long he was an unjust false usurer, whoremonger, thief, and murderer, and they knew it very well, if he or his bestow much upon the Church [colleges or learned men], O how is he applauded for a blessed and glorious man ! What great sermons do they make for him, that other unrighteous men may hear and consider, and follow their example to do the like? But stay, does the kingdom of Christ consist in such [giving of] money, and in the mouth of the priest? No, it shall not prosper; here the wine-press yields much blood, as the Revelation of John speaks.
97. And thus the innocent are seduced, [or the poor souls hereby fall into despair], for he that gives not to them much, or has it not to give, is no honest man with them: He is not beneficial towards the ministry: but if the least mote is found amiss in his life, O how they divulge it, and make a great matter of it, how is he trodden underfoot! However, at length, they devoutly send a good wish after him, and say, God forgive him. Open your eyes, you children of Christ, this is the Antichrist, go not a- whoring after him: Many such have been sinners, and have turned from their sins, and have entered into Christ, and their soul is in Christ an angel of God; and therefore how dare you, proud Antichrist, according to your own pleasure, despise one that is the angel of God? O you blind man, do you not see this? Art you the shepherd and minister of Christ, and steward of God? Hast you the Mysterium Magnum about you? Is your office the office of Christ, as you boastest? Why then art you a liar, in applauding the wicked for money? Have Christ and his Apostles done so ?
98. Hearken, you opposer of Christ, look into the Acts of the Apostles; Where one sold his possessions, and laid a part of the price of the money at the Apostle's feet: And Peter asked him, saying, Have you sold the. field for so much ?
And he said yea; and had a false, doubtful [and deceitful] mind: then said Peter, you have lied unto the Holy Ghost; behold the feet of them that stand at the door, they shall carry you away out of the congregation of truth. What think you now of yourself? Seeing this has happened to the hearers of Peter, what would have been done to Peter himself if he had thus lied for greediness of money, and so blasphemed the Holy Ghost? But you are he that do so: you applaudest the unrighteous, that you may but get money; but you regardest not his soul, neither do you regard how you broachest forth your lies in the congregation. How many times do some stand and bewail the wickedness and deceit of those you praisest, wherewith they unjustly oppressed and wronged the needy, and also bewail your flattering hypocrisy and lies?
99. Hearken! Is not the name of Christ blasphemed thereby, and the congregation of Christ scandalized? When they say, The priest tells lies in the pulpit for money, if it were a sin, he would not do i t: and so in like manner, when any lie and deceive people to get money, goods, and honour, if they can but cover it with a fine pretence, what matter is it? For [they think] if it were so great a sin, the priest would not do it; they think they will once repent of it, and the priest has grace enough in store for them.
100. Behold, you false and wicked Antichrist,
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