in regard that killing him he saves him from sinning any more and so does not murther him though violently he take away his life for the scriptures calls the soule the man CHAP. X. Of Ioannes Agricola Eislebius the first father of the Antinomians The first rise of Antinomians under that name to wit of Joannes Agricola Eislebius the Author of Antinomians THe first man that appeared under the name of an Antinomian was Ioannes Islebius Agricolâ— a Schoole-master or Reader of divinity in Eisleben as Luc. Osiander saith he was a proud vaine unconstant man so saith Conradus Schusselburgius This man in the Augustine Assembly defended with Melancthon and Brentius the Augustine confession an 1530 as Osiander saith and adhered to the Saxon confession so saith Sleidan And after the battell of Smaldack saith Osiander with Iulius Pflugius Bishop of Numburg and Michael Sidonius he composed that unhappy booke called the Jnterim For Antinomians are much for indifferency of all Religions especially in externalls see R. Beacon in his Catachis pag. 194 195. and in this they comply with the Anabaptists called fratres liberi free brethren who thinke all things under the Gospell are free and neither forbidden nor commanded which the councell of Trent as also Alphons a castro said was the doctrine of Lutherans but Osiander with reason said this was a Calumnie and layes the charge justly upon Eislebius and the Antinomians The lying Iesuite Gualterius saith that Antinomians are the disciples of Luther But Luther saith Osiander Instituted six publicke disputes at Wittingberge against the Antinomians and brought Eislebius to a Recantation and in an Epistle at length cleares himselfe of the Antinomian way with a great deale of vehemence and indignation against them Eislebius an 1538. brought in this error in the Church he was first admonished privately by Luther before he wrote But that Luthers innocency may appeare I have from a Godly and Learned Divine caused to be printed an Epistle of D. Luther in which the Reader may see how vainely Antinomians of our time boast that Luther is for them in which both the Recantation of Eislebius and the judgment of Luther may appeare CHAP. XI A Treatise against Antinomians written in an Epistolary way by D. Martin Luther translated out of the high Dutch originall containing the minde of Luther against Antinomians and a recaâ—tation of Ioannes Agricola Eislebius their first father Doctor Martin Luther Against Antinomians To the Reverend and most Learned M. Gasper Guttill Doctor and Pastor at Eisleben his singular good freind in Christ. Loving Mr. Doctor I Suppose you received long agoe the disputations against those new spirits the Antino which have undertaken to thrust the law of God or the ten commandements out of the Church and to remit them to the secular court which kind of proceeding in points of divinity I never imagined that it should have entred into any mans purpose much lesse into his practise But God warnes us by such passages to take heed to our selves and not to fanâ—y the Devill so farre from us as those secure daring spirits presume Verily God must incessantly be implored with feare humility and earnest supplications that we may have his assistance and protection Otherwise truly it may soon come to passe that the Devill will present â—efore our eyes such a Phantasme that we should sweare it were the true Holy Ghost it selfe as not onely those ancient Hereticks but in our time also examples which have beene and still are great and dreadfull do forewarne I could indeed have easily forgotten all these things which had so much greived mee but that I rested in hope that by meanes of those forementioned disputations I had performed my part and defended my selfe But Satan would not be content with this but still he brings me upon the stage as if matters stood not so ill betwixt me and them I am afraid that had I dyed at Smalkalden I should have beene proclaimed forever the Patron of those Spirits because they appeale to my Bookes although they have done it behind my back without my knowledge and against my will Nor did they afford me so much respect as to shew me one word or syllable of it or to conferre with me about it I was therfore necessitated to convent more then once M. Iohn Agricola besides my former dealings with him in the disputation it selfe And in the presence of our Doctors and Divines because he had beene the beginner and Master of this Game I did let him know all my minde that he might be throughly sensible what a pleasure hee had done to my Spirit which I repute also to be of good proofe Wherupon he humbly submitted himselfe as much as words and behaviour could evidence promising to intermeddle no further if hee had gone too farre and to comply with us in the same judgement This so overruled my beleife that I was satisfied But it being otherwise construed yea vaunted of in pamphlets sent hither that Doctor Martin and M. Eisleben were in good tearmes I further pressed him to publish in print an open Recantation there being no other remedy left to expell this poyson from the towne of Eisleben and the country round about To this likewise he willingly assented offered himself fearing he should not hit it so well as to gaine a due approbation by it he most earnestly referred the matter to my selfe intreating mee to doe it as well as I could professing for his part that he would be well contented with it This induced me to undertake it now presently to performe it especially least it should be given out after my decease either by M Eslebius himselfe or by any other that I had neglected these things and permitted them to passe without controule To come then to the matter the said I. Eisleben Mr. of Arts willeth me to make a recantation in his behalfe of what he had preached or written against the Morall Law or Ten Commandements and to professe that he is of the same judgement as we are here at Winterberge as likewise at Augspurg according to the tenour of our confession and Apology tendered to the Emperour And if hereafter he shall hold or teach the contrary he willeth me to pronounce the same to be Null and condemned I could finde in my heart to commend him for stooping so low but it being so manifest that he was one of my best and neerest friends I will spare my prayses for another least the cause should be prejudiced by it as if I had not gone in good earnest about it If he continue in this lowlinesse of minde God can and will exalt him but if he transgresse hee may be sure that God can as well throw him downe Let me therefore intreat you good M. Doctor that you would take this to be written not as to your selfe alone but that you would make it knowne to others wherever you can especially to those that cannot read
the King as lawfull Magistrates I answer its true so would they pray for Nero Dominitian and heathen Justices of peace sent by them as lawfull Magistrates but not as Christian Magistrates nor such as they would chuse to reigne over them because in their apprehension of them they are no lesse without the Church then heathens then let the world be judge of their candor in contending for a power of Premunires and in voting that heathen Justices of peace and unchristian Parliaments should be above a free Generall Assembly of England but they could not endure either Magistrates or Parliaments of the gang they are now in England to be above one of their Congregations though consisting of seven 3. They are jealous of any supremacy of Generall Assemblies But say the Congregations of England were all Independent they would not baptise the children of the twentieth Parliament man Judge and Justice of peace nor of the King or most professors in England as they are now in England nor admit them or their wives or children to the Ordinances because they are no Church-members and no better then Ethiopians or Indians to them and if Parliament or Justices of peace should take on them to judge or punish them for this I beleeve M. Burton and our brethren would tell them these that are without the Church as you are have no power to judge the Church of Christ are to judge of Church administrations or to whom Ordinances should be dispensed or not dispensed Judge if this be not a supremacy given to seven above the Parliament and Judges of the Kingdome which M. Burton so much condemned in a Nationall Assembly of all the godly Ministers and Elders in England But it s a fault that the Generall Assembly hath power to make rules according to the word of God appertaining to the good behaviour of all the members of the Kirke and abrogate Statutes and Ordinances about Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome and unprofitable without the Magistrate So did the Assembly at Jerusalem appoint such rules as should binde Caesar so he had been a good Constantine and though they cannot abrogate Ordinances and Acts of Parliament by making or unmaking Acts of Parliament our booke of discipline never meaned that as M. Burton ignorant of the discipline of our Church saith yet as the Ministers of Christ they may juridically declare yea and preach authoritively that Acts of Parliament establishing the Masse are unlawfull and godlesse lawes commanding Idolatry and denounce a woe against unjust decrees and lawes as Esay 10.1 else when M. Burton preacheth against such lawes he then must incurre a premunire before God and set himselfe in a Papall throne above the Parliament and enslave the English Subjects for he preaches that Statutes of Parliament that establisheth Masse and the burning of heretickes that is Protestants are to be abrogated as well as the Generall Assembly of Scotland doth and so M. Burton must set himselfe above Kings and Kesars And when a Synod or Church conveened in the name of Christ bindes on earth according to the word of God Matth 18. there is no lawfull appeal from them to any Civill judicature not because they are not men but because they are a Court acting in the name of Christ according to his word and Christ with them bindes or looses in heaven yea there is no reclamation to be made nor any appeale from one faithfull Pastor speaking in the name and authority of Christ according to that He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and there is no danger to be feared either of Papall tyranny or Parliamentary breach or premunire But M. Rutherfurd saith The decisive voyces of a Generalâ— Assembly bindes the absent as well as present Answ. So saith the Holy Ghost the Churches of Antioch Syria and Silicia were bound to receive and obey the decrees of the Synod so soon as they heare them Act. 15.22 23 26 27 28. Act. 16.4 Act. 21.25 as they that despise the doctrine of faithfull Pastors dead and buried despise Christ so saith that learned and godly man M. Cotton and all the Churches of N. England who to M. Burton must set up a Papall throne as well as the Church of Scotland if this be Popery for what need Churches absent saith Cotton Keyes of the Kingdome p. 26. send to a Synod for light and direction in wayes of truth and peace if they be resolved aforehand how farre they will goe and if they be not obliged to submit thereunto in the Lord. M. Burton saith further p. 21. that M. Rutherfurd saith ch 20.312 Gov. Chur. Scot. The acts of the Assembly oblige all the absents not present in all their members and that because whatsoever is by these Commissioners determined and concluded is matter necessary and agreeable to Gods word as being no lesse infallible then those decisions of the Apostles Act. 15. Answ. I dare appeale to the conscience of M. Burton well informed and to all the godly if they conceive any such thing to be my judgement to assert with Bellarmine Papists the infallibility of any Councells now on earth yea if he had read what I have said ch 14. p. 209.212 I prove that the Apostles acted not in that Synod as Apostles but as ordinary Elders and Doct. Whittaker and M. Cotton say the same though M. Tho. Goodwin and M. Nye contradict both M. Cotton and Whittaker and Calvin and all both Papists and Protestants yea and Independents who acknowledge Act. 15. to be a paterne for Synods to the end of the world But the Independents now in England and Anabaptists side with Bridgesius Grotius Socinians and Arminians the enemies of Synods and say that Synod Act. 15. was an extraordinary Apostolicke meeting that obligeth not the Churches now The Seekers say there shall never be Synods till Apostles arise againe which they say without all word of Scripture 2. I speake not one word pag. 312. of that purpose but pag. 322. I speake and M. Burton both detracteth from and addeth to and perverteth my words which I impute not to malice as others doe but to his ignorance of the Discipline of the Church of Scotland my words ch 20. pag. 322. are these The acts of the Assembly oblige all the absents not present in all their members as Act. 23 24.28 Act. 15.16.4 ch 21.25 not because of the authority of the Church but because of the matter which is necessary and agreeable to Gods word Beside that M. Burton leaves out all the Scriptures I cite because he could not answer them he leaves out these words not because of the authority of the Church which cleareteh my sense and directly excludeth all infallible authority of Church or Assembly For I hold they oblige the consciences not for men or the Authority of the Church or because so saith the Church as Papists make the testimony of the Church the formall obâ—ect of our faith and the Church to bee
for teaching Why then saith Christ search the scriptures and why doth John say Blessed in hee that readeth Rev. 1.3 and Paul charge that his Epistles be read to all the brethren Col. 4.16 why should the seaven Churches read or heare the seaven Epistles that Christ wrote to them For all these are legaâ—l shaddowes that are done away and the spirit without the word must only teach Seekers Familists and Antinomians then is Saltmarsh a legalist in writing and preaching for sure hee can but write letters and speake words hee cannot speake spirit nor is hee the holy Ghost 46 Hee that hath the seale of the spirit can infallibly judge of another whether hee bee elected or not Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory 256 257. 47 A man may have grace and poverty of spirit and want Christ 48 It is legall to say wee act in the strength of Christ. As if it were legall to bee able to doe all things in the strength of Christ. Phil. 4.13 Eph. 6.10 2 Tim. 2. 49 No Minister can convey more to another than hee hath experience of in his owne soule 50 Hee that hath true faith of dependency is not justified Whereas the Scripture saith frequently wee are justified by faith and faith of leaning and dependency on God is true faith Psa. 22.8 Hee rolled himselfe on the Lord Esa. 10.20 The remnant shall leane upon the Lord. Psa. 18.18 The Lord was my stay Esa. 26.3 Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Psa. â—12 7 His heart is fixed leaning on the Lord. And full assurance may be wanting where there is faith and fainting conflicting together Jona 2.4 Psa. 31.22 Mark 9.24 51 All that preach and beleeve not as Familists and Antinomians doe are under the Law not under grace and so under the everlasting curse 52 Pauls Doctrine was more for free-grace than Peters 53 No Christian must bee prest to duties of holinesse So Saltm Sparkles of glory p. 245 246. CHAP. XVI Of the first sowers of the tares of Antinomianisme and Familisme in New England THe first Authors of these wicked opinionâ— were N. Wheelright some adherents to M. Wheelright and Mistris Hutchison This woman is called the American Jesabel she was the wife of M. William Hutchison of Boston the daughter of M. Marbury sometime preacher in London She was hauty bold active in wit eloquent vaine and selfe-conceited would not stick to lye and brought these opinions from old England and so was holden for a time out of Church communion yet admitted deceived many with extolling of Christ as working all in the soules of beleevers as in dead and passive Organs and depressed sanctification and all qualifications of inherent graces as nothing held union with Christ and justificaâ—ion without faith shee drew to her way many godly people and many loose and prophane by a weekly lecture she held in her house under pretence of repeating sermons tooke on her to sit in a chaire and to teach men All these foresaid errours were condemned by a generall assembly of the Churches of New England at New-towne August 30. 1637. They learned by sad experience of these seducers from that time as I am informed to remove farther from M. Robinsons democracie and popular government and come a little nearer to Presbyteriall Government and while they imbrace that Apostolicke Government they shall ever be infested with heresies as now they are this day with new Bee-hives of Anabaptists Seekers Enthusiasts Familists and Antinomians they come blessed bee the Lord a little nearer to it then they did M. Cotton in his Treatise of the keyes of the kingdome of heaven set out by M. T. Goodwin and M. Philip Nye is well sound in our way if hee had given some more power to assemblies as is clear Act. 15. and in some lesser points Though Independents in England oppose that Godly and learned Divine and as wee heare have suppressed his judgement touching constitution of visible Churches and are not willing that Antinomians Familists Socinians Anabaptists or other abominable sectaries be brought to the tryall of a lawfull Church assembly but plead for a toleration to them which the Churches of New England deservedly abhor as Atheistical and distructive to the truth peace and unity of the Church of Christ. Mistris Hutchison ought to have beene convened before this Church-assembly and M. Wheelright and others were convened before a civill court in Massachusset Octo. 2. 1637. For disturbance of the publick peace where in the month of March M. Wheelright was convict of sedition upon occasion whereof a number of Familists gave in a Petition or Remonstrance complaining that their beloved M. Wheelright was condemned for no fault whereas his doctrine was no other then the very expressions of the holy ghost himselfe though he had said expressely That Magistrates Ministers and most of the people were under a Covenant of workes and therefore were enemies to Christ such as Herod Pilate Scribes and Pharisees and incouraged the people to rise up against them as Philistims and pronounced the curse of Meroz on them who would not joyne with them against the churches of the legallists And made mention of Moses his killing the Egyptian Much fals doctrine and debates and disputes raised he in the Church there which were not knowen before his comming to the Country where upon he was sentenced to be disfranchized and banished out of their jurisdiction and committed to safe custody till he should find surety to depart before the end of March upon this he appealed to the Kings Majesty Others of his Disciples saying he held forth nothing but the truth of Christ were censured some banished some fined and imprisoned Mistris Hutchison boldly justified her selfe that she might teach as Priscilla did reproached the Ministers as Legallists told by revelation and many misapplyed Scriptures that shee was forewarned by God in Old England that she should separate from all Ministers because legall men except M. Cotton and M. Wheelright that she should come to New England suffer for the truth She said she should be delivered as Daniell was from the Lyons Such Prophets love to foretell things past and say they knew them before they came to passe She having received the sentence of banishment though she had before dissembled and lyed now stood to owne all these Articles layed against her 1 The soules of men by generation are mortall as beasts Eccl. 3.8 but made immortall in regard of Christs purchase who bought the soules of the wicked to eternall paine and of the Elect to eternall peace 2 The united to Christ have new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 She knew not how Jesus could bee united to our fleshly bodies 3 Those who have union with Christ shall not rise with these fleshly bodies 1 Cor. 15.44 4 The Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28 is not of the body but of our union with Christ in this life so said Hymeneus Phyletus the Libertines the