People of God, or rather Christ Himself, and his Word, Works, Truth, and Righteousness in them; they verily think they oppose and persecute Antichrist Himself, and the falseness of his Members. And as the Scribes and Pharisees, the chief Teachers of the Jewish Church, being Deceivers Themselves, did yet call Christ a Deceiver, and in killing and crucifying Him, thought they did God good service; so the carnal Clergy, and the Head of them, being Antichrists Themselves, do yet tell of, and terrifie People with another Antichrist: And being Seducers Themselves, do yet rise up against the very Members of Christ, as Seducers, that there∣by they may boast themselves to be Righteous. So throughly and perfectly hath Antichrist deluded and inchanted them, through the cup of the Wine of his Fornications.
Thus the whole World is overcome by Antichrist, and can∣not by all their Highest Attainments discern Him from Christ; only they, who are born of God, and are his true Children, and (being plain, simple, meek, and lowly in Spirit) are taught of God, These only know Antichrist, and overcome Him; but these are the little flock.
Secondly, In that the World Hears the Ministers of An∣tichrist:
We are given to understand, That men that are of a World∣ly Spirit, and through that, are addicted to the World, and so seek and follow after the Profits, Pleasures, and Ho∣nours of this life, they cannot possibly understand the Im∣postures and Deceits of Antichrist and his Teachers, but They all are seduced and overcome by them▪
Whoever therefore do profess or pretend to Religion and Godliness, and nevertheless live in the Spirit of this World, and are swallowed up with the Cares and Comforts of this World, all such Christians are a fit Prey for Antichrist: Seeing▪
1. Such carnal Christians are so addicted to Worldly Occa∣sions, that they cannot attend to the Word of God in the Spi∣ritual Sense of it, which is only known by Temptation, Pray∣er, and Gods own Teaching. And hereupon they want the