The Apostle Paul found many who falsified the stamp of the Spirit, and forged his hand and seal to establish error (2 Thess. 2. 2.) I beseech you brethren, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled either by spirit, or by word, or by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. That gross error was scattered in the Church of Thessalonica, that the day of Christ was at hand, that in those beginnings of the Gospel, there should be an end of all things. To confirm this, false teachers boasted of the Spirit, an immediate revelation from God: or a word immediately from the mouth, or a Letter under the hand of Paul. How active is error to find patronage? It cares not whom it belies, so it self may pass for truth. Thousands love errors, but none will own them by that name. And therefore (because children bear their fathers name) they would father them upon the God of truth, or upon men, most eminent for truth. Montanus the Heretic, said he had the Holy Ghost his Paraclete, dictating those erroneous doctrines to him, beside 1his Prophetesses, Prisca and Mavinilla. Mahomet, that Grand hellish Impostor often pretended visions from Heaven. And the story assures us that he cunningly made use of the disease of his body, to persuade his Disciples of the soundness of his doctrine. For being afflicted with the falling sickness, when at any time a fit was upon him he made the people believe that he was in an ecstasy or ravishment of spirit, at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel, who revealed ⟨p. 75⟩many mysteries to him. And having by long use and familiarity taught a Pigeon to seed at his ear, he by art prevailed with the people, to feed at his poisonous mouth: as if his words had been the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, who (as he affirmed) came then to him, in the form of a Dove, and taught him those secrets.
The Apostle Paul found many who falsified the stampe of the Spirit, and forged his hand and seale to establish error (2 Thess. 2. 2.) I beseech you brethren, that you be not soone shaken in minde, or be troubled either by spirit, or by word, or by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. That grosse error was scattered in the Church of Thessalonica, that the day of Christ was at hand, that in those beginnings of the Gospell, there should be an end of all things. To confirme this, false teachers boasted of the Spirit, an immediate revelation from God: or a word immediately from the mouth, or a Letter under the hand of Paul. How active is error to finde patronage? It cares not whom it belyes, so it selfe may passe for truth. Thousands love errours, but none will own them by that name. And therefore (because children bear their fathers name) they would father them upon the God of truth, or upon men, most eminent for truth. Montanus the Heretick, said he had the Holy Ghost his Paracl•te, dictating those erroneous doctrines to him, beside 1his Prophetesses, Prisca and Mavinilla. Mahomet, that Grand hellish Impostor often pretended visions from Heaven. And the story assures us that he cunningly made use of the disease of his body, to perswade his Disciples of the soundnesse of his doctrine. For being afflicted with the falling sicknesse, when at any time a fit was upon him he made the people believe that he was in an extasie or ravishment of spirit, at the appearance of the Angel Gabriel, who revealed ⟨p. 75⟩many mysteries to him. And having by long use and familiarity taught a Pigeon to seed at his eare, he by art prevailed with the people, to feed at his poysonous mouth: as if his words had been the inspirations of the Holy Ghost, who (as he affirmed) came then to him, in the forme of a Dove, and taught him those secrets.
- 1Histor. Eccl. l. 5 c. 14, 16.
