28. Thus we say unto you, that the Antichristian souls, after the breaking of the body, seek no more for the door of Christ, for they know nothing of it; they know only of what they here conceived or took in, and the souls sink down in that opinion into the deepest ground, much deeper than they here conceived; for that which was known in many of them of the same opinion, what any or all of them know in the same opinion, that one soul alone knoweth, for it is one body with all those that are of the same opinion, and they have one heart in many members, wherein every one manageth their business, which standeth so till the judgment of God, which afterwards shall make separation, where then all kindreds upon earth shall howl and lament, when they shall know that Judge whom they here so despised.
29. Hearken, you accursed Antichrist, What answer will you give, in that you have led astray the people from faith in God, and from the justification of the passion and dying of Jesus Christ, into thy deceitful hypocrisy in opinions, only for thy pride, honour, and covetousness sake? You have persuaded them so, that many of them in their youth and ignorance have sworn and vowed to you: What have you done? Even the same that Christ said to the Pharisees, Woe unto you
Pharisees, who compass sea and land, till you have made a Jew and Proselyte, and when you have made him so, then you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves; and this also the Antichrist doth.
30. In Germany they suppose they are now gone out from Antichrist with their contentions, but it is not so yet: for they which now curse Antichrist, and lay his shame open, are even grown out from the tree of Antichrist, and are the wolves and bears of Antichrist, which suck from him, and devour him; for the spirit of this principle hath commanded them so, they must do it; for they are one trumpet among the seven angels in the Revelation; but they all wind one horn, and sound so that the earth shaketh with it: But when the thunder of it shall follow, then will the mystery of the Kingdom of God be revealed again, and our door of grace in Christ be opened again, which Antichrist hath sealed up, for he shall be thrown down into the abyss: Observe this.
31. The opinions about the cup and person of Christ, which are frequent now in Germany, are also sprung from the Antichristian tree, and they are the children of Antichrist, which he introduceth very finely and subtly: O what a cunning artist is the devil! If you will not open your eyes, it will continue so to the end: It is told to the simple, and they are directed to open their eyes, and not to regard opinions: There stick mere heresies in opinions: And though they be zealous in their opinion, and in the opinion press into God, and so attain God and the kingdom of heaven, yet they have the tail of Antichrist hanging on them, for they are zealous against others, and reproach and persecute them, who are not of their opinion.
32. Mark this, ye princes, rulers, and magistrates, suffer not yourselves to be seduced; drive the teachers into the churches, and command them to teach the will of God in his love, give them not lordly power; and do not put any authority into their hands to make canons and constitutions, else they will hang to covetousness, and Antichrist sticketh in all covetousness, and so do what you can, you will have him on your neck.
33. Look to it ye princes, and regard to hear those men that are born of God, and not of art only; for where there is great art [or learning], and not an humble heart inclined to God, that seeketh not its own honour and covetousness, there is Antichrist most assuredly; for in art [or learning] sticketh pride and self-honour, which would fain rule the world, and desire to get much gain to themselves; trust not these, they are not Christ's shepherds: If you will not follow what is revealed to you, then the last Antichrist will be worse than the first, and it will come to that pass, that the world will be constrained to cast them headlong together on a heap into the abyss, which Daniel and the
Revelation sheweth them plain enough, and as we have known it that it will so befall them; for they are now a besom and rod upon the old
Antichrist their grandfather; but there is one coming who will gird them also, and set the truth before their face.
28. Thus we say unto you, that the Antichristian souls, after the breaking of the body, seek no more for the door of Christ, for they know nothing of it; they know only of what they here conceived or took in, and the souls sink down in that opinion into the deepest ground, much deeper than they here conceived; for that which was known in many of them of the same opinion, what any or all of them know in the same opinion, that one soul alone knows, for it is one body with all those that are of the same opinion, and they have one heart in many members, wherein every one manags their business, which stands so till the judgment of God, which afterwards shall make separation, where then all kindreds upon earth shall howl and lament, when they shall know that Judge whom they here so despised.
29. Hearken, you accursed Antichrist, What answer will you give, in that you have led astray the people from faith in God, and from the justification of the passion and dying of Jesus Christ, into your deceitful hypocrisy in opinions, only for your pride, honour, and covetousness sake? You have persuaded them so, that many of them in their youth and ignorance have sworn and vowed to you: What have you done? Even the same that Christ said to the Pharisees, Woe unto you
Pharisees, who compass sea and land, till you have made a Jew and Proselyte, and when you have made him so, then you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves; and this also the Antichrist does.
30. In Germany they suppose they are now gone out from Antichrist with their contentions, but it is not so yet: for they which now curse Antichrist, and lay his shame open, are even grown out from the tree of Antichrist, and are the wolves and bears of Antichrist, which suck from him, and devour him; for the spirit of this principle has commanded them so, they must do it; for they are one trumpet among the seven angels in the Revelation; but they all wind one horn, and sound so that the earth shaks with it: But when the thunder of it shall follow, then will the mystery of the Kingdom of God be revealed again, and our door of grace in Christ be opened again, which Antichrist has sealed up, for he shall be thrown down into the abyss: Observe this.
31. The opinions about the cup and person of Christ, which are frequent now in Germany, are also sprung from the Antichristian tree, and they are the children of Antichrist, which he introducs very finely and subtly: O what a cunning artist is the devil! If you will not open your eyes, it will continue so to the end: It is told to the simple, and they are directed to open their eyes, and not to regard opinions: There stick mere heresies in opinions: And though they be zealous in their opinion, and in the opinion press into God, and so attain God and the kingdom of heaven, yet they have the tail of Antichrist hanging on them, for they are zealous against others, and reproach and persecute them, who are not of their opinion.
32. Mark this, you princes, rulers, and magistrates, suffer not yourselves to be seduced; drive the teachers into the churches, and command them to teach the will of God in his love, give them not lordly power; and do not put any authority into their hands to make canons and constitutions, else they will hang to covetousness, and Antichrist sticks in all covetousness, and so do what you can, you will have him on your neck.
33. Look to it you princes, and regard to hear those men that are born of God, and not of art only; for where there is great art [or learning], and not an humble heart inclined to God, that seeks not its own honour and covetousness, there is Antichrist most assuredly; for in art [or learning] sticks pride and self-honour, which would fain rule the world, and desire to get much gain to themselves; trust not these, they are not Christ's shepherds: If you will not follow what is revealed to you, then the last Antichrist will be worse than the first, and it will come to that pass, that the world will be constrained to cast them headlong together on a heap into the abyss, which Daniel and the
Revelation shows them plain enough, and as we have known it that it will so befall them; for they are now a besom and rod upon the old
Antichrist their grandfather; but there is one coming who will gird them also, and set the truth before their face.
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