that requires those duties of them He saith the true beleever submits himselfe to every Ordinance of man mark a little the reasoning of this misguided man he that said before that beleevers must not submit to the lawes of God now he saith they must subâ—it to the lawes of man and he that denied obedience to Gods lawes was any marke or signe of a beleever yet he saith he that submits to mans Ordinance is a true beleever but yet here is more venome behind in this argument for what is this Ordinance of man He saith it is the observation of the Sabbath so exceedingly preached and prest as a duty to be exactly performed in the exercise onely of the worship and service of God thus casting aspersion upon the Lords day and upon his worship and service calling it mans ordinance because he would overthrow the Sabbath of the Lord and then he goes about to set up his owne invention in the next words saying all dayes are to him this Sabbath for he liveth in that rest that was tipified out of the old Sabbath he saith he will take care to keepe faith in heart and breath and faith will make every day a Sabbath now he hath Christ for the shadow is gone the body is Christ his free grace hath freed him from keeping a sabbath for it is but the Ordinance of man here he contradicts his owne Character of a true beleever which was to submit to mans Ordinance but here is a true Character of one swarving from the true rule which is the law of God and now he walks in crooked pathes of his owne invention playing the hipocritâ— saying although he submit the outward man the inward man cannot be beguiled here you see as rotten a heart discovered as ever lived in man some heretiques deny one Commandement some another but never any denied them all till this cursed heresie sprung up but let them read the judgements of God on Sabbath breakers the Practice of Piety the one to whip them and the other to shew them their duty if perhaps the thoughts of their heart may be forgiven them take heed lest you with the Papists deny the Lordship of Christ who cleared the law from all false glosses and gave it them in his owne name shewing the strictnesse of it reaching not onely to the outward man but rectifying the soule and inward parts of man and so to bring all parts of body and soule in obedience and free subjection to it and that for ever In the entrance of any answer to the first errour in this booke I left the decree of God till faith and calling because I would barre them from flying thither but iâ— may be they will want courage to face the Canon of Gods Word and 〈◊〉 for shelter to the decâ—ees of God and say God hath decreed to justifie them before faith or calling but these sigge leaves will not cover their nakednesse for did God decree to juâ—â—ifie them and then decree to give them faith and to call them this is but another errour for doubtlesse God decreed to give his people faith and to call them at the same time when he decreed to justifie them and all with one simple act from all eternity but what meanes those other words they are justified as soone as they have any being will they say the child must first be borne before God decree to save it and if they say by this word being they meane in the decree of God then I demand what they meane by those words as soone as they had any c. will they say there was time beyond the decree of God thus they are in a circle not knowing where to get out This should have beene inserted at the end of the answer to the first Errour Pag 6. Good Reader I pray thee correct such faults in this Booke as by oversight hath escaped the Presse as page 2. line 17. for righteousnesse read righteousnesses and for the Title on certaine pages a briefe Answer read a briefe and plaine Answer and for the names of those that professe this heresie here condemned for Antenomeans and Antinomeans read Antinomians FINIS
shall preach unto you any other Gospell then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I say againe let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. then take heed of the Antinomians new Gospell who have cast off all obedience to the law of God who desire to live without rule like sonnes of Belial that they may take their full swing in sinne under their damnable pretence that they have gotten free grace that hath freed them from all obedience to the law of God but for thy information I have written this little booke read it and if thou receive any benefit or satisfaction give God the praise and me the benefit of thy prayers now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and Majesty dominion and power now and evermore Amen Thine in the Lord Jesus Thomas Bakewell A short view of the Antinomean Errours with a Briefe Answer to them They hold that a man is justified as soone as he hath a being in the sight of God before faith or calling TO this I answer leaving the decrees and purposes of God to himselfe as secret things not belonging to us till we have faith and calling but to speake as it is reveal'd and according to our apprehension both of the causes and time of a sinners actuall justification as it is reveal'd unto us in the Scripture First we are said to be justified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.9 this is done by Christ as the meriting cause of our justification He hath purchased his Church with his owne blood Acts 20.28 Secondly we are said to be justified by the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all unto juctification of life this is the formall cause of our justification this righteousnesse of Christ is not that Inherent righteousnesse or sanctification that is wrought in us by the Spirit of God but it is that without us which remaines in Christ himselfe that justifies us for they are two distinct thing it is called the righteousnesse of God Rom. 1.17 Then they are very ignorant of Gods righteousnesse that goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse and have not submitted themselves to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.3 Paul desired not to be found in his owne righteousnesse but in that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse of God by faith Phil. 3.9 This righteousnesse without us being imputed to us makes us just and righteous in the sight of God by this alone we are counted worthy of the Kingdome of God 2 Thess 1.5 and accounted worthy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead Luke 20.35 see 21.36 and saith Paul David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes and Abraham by the hand of Faith as an instrument whereby he tooke fast hold of the righteousnesse of Christ giving glory to God and staggered not through unbeleefe it was counted reckoned or imputed unto him for righteousnesse now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed unto him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeve on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead Rom. 4.6 20 21 22 23 24. Thus we become righteous in the sight of God and although we were borne in the guilt of originall sinne yet now it is done away by Christ for he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 so then Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinne is covered and Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Rom. 4.7 Psal 32.1 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their trespasses 2 Cor. 5.19 thus our sinnes were imputed to Christ but not infused into him for still he was the Lambe without blemish and without spot who did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 1.19.2.22 Yet he that knew no sinne was made sinne for us by imputation they were accounted and reckoned to be his and so Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 That we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 But this was not done by infusing his righteousnesse into us to make us just for we are sinfull creatures still we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges Isa 64.6 So then we are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ without us imputed or reckoned to be ours for we are made the righteousnesse of God in him and not in our selves this rightly observed might convince them of their proud boasting that they are as righteous as Christ when as the righteousnesse of Christ that makes us just remaines in him and not in us Thirdly we are said to be justified by faith Rom. 3.28.5.1 This is done when we take or receive the righteousnesse of Christ being purchased by the blood of Christ and so imputed and reckoned to be ours being reached forth unto us by the spirit of God and received by the hand of our faith and so we come to have a true title to it yet not by infusion but by imputation and faith for as many as received him he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his Name John 1.12 To him that worketh not but beleveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 Not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 Israel hath not attained to the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but by the workes of the law therefore they stumbled at that stumbling stone but whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9.31.32.33 Faith applying makes Christ ours as Thomas beleeving said my God and my Lord John 20.27 28. Then I conclude this third cause of our justification being the instrumentall cause of it with that saying of Paul God justifies the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith Rom. 3.30 but I never read of any that were justified without faith or before faith or calling let the Antenomeans prove the contrary if they can Fourthly we are said to be justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 that is when God the Father doth freely accept of the righteousnesse purchased by the blood of Christ and accounts and imputes it unto us as ours and reacheth it our unto us by his spirit and we take and receive it by faith thus to justifie us is freely of his grace and this deserves the title of free grace For God so loved the
that the scripture might be fulfilled John 19.36 and of Deuteronomie as the scripture hath said John 7.38 and of Isaiah the scripture saith Rom. 10.11 and of the Psalmes that the scripture might be fulfilled and of Zechariah another scripture saith John 19.24.28.47 what shall I say Christ beginning at Moses and all the Prophets expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself then opened he their understanding that they may know the Scriptures what was written in the law of Moses in the Prophets and Psalmes concerning himselfe Luke 24.27.44 45. saith Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me John 3.39 now I demand what Scriptures these were if not the old Testament for the new was not yet written and so Apollos mighty in Scripture convinced the Jewes shewing by the seripture that Jesus was Christ Acts 18.24.28 and all that was written aforetime was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 then how dare these men deny the old Testament that is so confirmed both by Christ and his Apostles in the new which is the language of their Honey-combe Some Errours that are in a little booke called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evill discovered and answered IN that Book they make any humane writings to be Scripture and make no difference betweene play-bookes and the Scripture of truth Dan. 10.21 but all Scripture is given by anspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes and the Scripture is able to make thee wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. then are the writings of men such a Scripture Again the Scripture is of no private interpretation For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20.21 then is mens writings Scripture He that shall adde to this Booke God will adde to him all the plagues that are written in this Booke or if any man shall take away any thing from the words of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Rev. 22.18 19. then surely the two Testaments with all their severall Chapters contained in them are the Scripture and not any humane writings whatsoever But I fear any Scripture may serve them that regard none at all for they say that they are led onely by an inward Principle so that they need no other help at all but the noble Bereans did search the Scripture daily to see whither those things were so Act. 17.11 the Scriptures should be the sole Judge of all controversies and that by which we should try all our thoughts words and actions therefore saith Christ search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 To the law to the test mony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them Is 8.20 for the Pen-men of it could not erre in writing of it the Apostles were filled with the Holy-ghost they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2.4 and when they mention that which is written in the old Testament they say thus saith the Holy-ghost Heb. 3.7 and well spake the Holy-ghost Act. 28.5 He spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began Luk. 1.70 therfore when these men say the law is written in their hearts they need not the law in the letter of it they do erre not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22.29 they think because they see the act of murther and theft are sins therefore they see enough but so much a carnall man may see with that remainder or reliques of the law that was in Adams heart many do by nature the things contained in the law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts Rom. 2.14.15 but yet Paul did not see the lust of heart to be a sinne but by the written law Rom. 7.7 we know but in part and we see but darkly as through a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 we see Christ but through the lettice Cant. 2.9 and when we see our sinnes by the law if we doe not continue therein we soone forget what manner of men we were James 1.24.25 then let us obey that command and write us a coppy of the law and read therein all the dayes of our life Deut. 17.18.19 and the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and who can know it Jer. 17.9 then we had need to try our selves daily by the written law of God that we turne not aside from it and saith Paul not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but I forget these things behind and presse toward the marke neverthelesse whereunto we have attained let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 3.12 13 14 15. and as many as obey this rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6.16 Againe they say there is no other word of God but Christ because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the word was made flesh John 1.1.14 but Christ is in them and so the Word is perfectly in them and they neither know nor need any other It is true Christ is the essentiall word of God being the second person in Trinity but he is not the written word of God contained in letters and sillables which are Gods owne words although many of them were spoken by men for it is said God spake all these words and said Exod. 20.1 then blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11.28 and againe Christ said you are cleane through the word that I have spoken unto you Iohn 15.3 and Christ will sanctifie his Church by the washing of water with the word Ephe. 5.26 but neither water nor word were his person it were folly to thinke so then let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3.16 he that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life John 5.24 his sheep heare his voyce and follow him they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them for they all spake Thus saith the Lord and the word of the Lord came unto me saying but if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16.29.31 Some other Errours I find in a little Booke Intitled Christs counsell to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea discovered and answered they say that legall teachers say God will not save us without faith and repentance humility self deniall fasting mourning and prayer and the use of the Ordinances as hearing reading and receiving the Sacraments and observing the Sabbath and doing as we would be done by and a desire to
for the pardon of his sinne is like a man afrighted with sinne and at the same time giving thankes for the râ—mision of sinne and of a man that is afraid of the sinnes of his present prayers and of one that hath victory over sinne death and hell I answer although our sinnes be pardoned and the guilt taken away yet the being of sinne is not taken away and although we are justified from all sinne yet we are not sanctified from all sinne so that we ought to be humbled for our filthinesse for want of sanctification when we come into the presence of God and because that sinne is in us we may well feare that we shall not carry our selves so holy as becometh such a presence as the men of Beth-shemish said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 and yet not so despaire as to leave off the duty but to pray still and as sanctification increaseth we come into the presence of God with more cheerfulnesse and as our assurance increaseth we shall be lesse in our petitions and more in thanksgiving and praising God for his mercies to us He saith we present a man that is delivered from the law into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and yet puts himselfe under the law I answer we are delivered from the curses of the law and the threatnings of the lavv and from the condemning povver of it and from the constraining povver of it but vve are not delivered from the commanding povver of it the free grace of Christ did not deliver us from our obedience to the lavv of God but in giving us the eye of faith vve see our duty more cleerly that is vvritten in the lavv of God and by our hand of faith vve fetch more strength from Christ to enable us to performe our duty to the lavv of God I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 but if our eye of faith vvere never so cleere to see our duty yet if vve vvill not looke upon the lavv of God but count it as a strange thing Hosea 8.12 it is all one to them as if the book of the law were sealed up and he that hath no faith is like a man to whom the booke of the law is open but the man cannot read for he is not learned Isa 29.11 12. so then the eye of faith is the Organ and our duty is the object and the written law of God is the Medium by which we see our duty but when the law is taken from us or if we cast away the commanding power of it which is all one we can see our duty no more then a man can see in a dungeon then well may the Antinomians be so blind concerning their duty when as they cast away that light that should shew it unto them thy law is a lanterne to my feet and a light unto my pathes Psal 119.105 But then faith hath another property when it sees the greatnesse of the work to be done and the weaknesse of the doer of it that it seeth helpe in another which is Christ and presently fetcheth it to helpe him this honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 He saith we need not to tell a healthfull man that it is his duty to feed himself even so is it needfull to tell a beleever that it is his duty to heare Sermons read the Scripture and frequent the Lords Table these are his proper and his naturall food by which his faith is strengthened and increased yet saith he in what a sad and fearfull manner are these pressed upon mens consciences upon paine of having no part in Christ and of everlasting damnation in hell for ever I answer first if one should tell a healthfull man that it is his duty to feed himselfe I hope it would not make him leave feeding and goe about to starve himselfe because he is told that he must doe it as a duty and so for spirituall duties to be told of them is rather an encouragement to goe on still because it is their duty and what if he know it before he need not be offended at the love of his friend for telling him that which he knew before but I smell wherein lieth the venome of this man he hath free grace bestowed on him which hath freed him from all duties of obedience to the Lord so that what he doth is onely out of free love for he thinkes to be tyed by way of duty will not stand with his free grace but I say againe we trust in no duty as causes of our salvation but we obey and doe these duties as the way to salvation neither did they ever heare those worthy Divines whom they villefie with the termes of legall Teachers presse any duties to merit salvation for the doing of them but let the sonnes of Belial know that if they slight their duties to the law of God they may purchase damnation by it neither can there be any salvation for that man till he humble himselfe and freely yeeld to the commanding power of the law of God and count it his duty to give all the power of body and soule in obedience to it but this yoke is too heavy for the sonnes of Belial they will be tyed to nothing but upon free love and currisie that they may leave it when they list they have gotten free grace He saith they put us upon these duties to try and to prove our selves by the performance of them as by markes and signes of grace within I answer if Christ be in the soule there must needs be fignes of his presence we need not goe by heare-say or from a bare Testimony or suggestion they told Jacob that Joseph was alive but that did not satisfie him till he saw the Wagons Gen. 45.27.28 so now if the eyes of the soule be opened to see our duty written in the law it is Christ that hath done it Acts 16.14 whose heart the Lord opened Doe ye aske whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes John 9.30 Acts 26.17 18. Secondly the worke must arise from a true justifying faith that knits them to Christ and makes their person accepted Rom. 5.1 Gen. 4.4 this faith must take hold of that promise that is made to them that doe this duty Exod. 20.6 Thirdly in our duties we must aime at Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 thus by any duty we may try our selves whether we doe it by vertue of Gods command without us and whether it be acted by an inward principle of faith within us and whether it tend to Gods glory as the utmost end of it he that hath thesemarkes and signes the Spirit of God is in him this faith worketh by love and obedience Rom. 1.5.1 John 5.3 neither can he say what a fearfull thing it is to presse these things as duties upon our consciences that belongs to the sons of Belial that cannot abide the yoke of Gods saw