to enter into the holyest and to draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an ill conscience and our bodies washed with pure water all which agree to the beleevers onely 3. John deduceth a ground of comfort from Christs Advocation with the Father if we sinne Now this extendeth onely to such as 1 Joh. 1.7 walke in light as confesse their sinnes are pardoned and they know him by keeping his Commandements 1 Joh. 2.4 This comfort cannot be stretched out to the unconverted who sinne not of infirmity but with a higher hand as is cleare from Ephes. 2.1 2 3. Tit. 3.3 1 Tim. 1.13 though we shall not deny but Christ hath another eye upon the elect in the course of their sinnefull vanity then on others and so that he keeps a fountaine for them and indeclinably calleth them to grace and glory CHAP. XCII Antinomians contend for the faith of assurance and reject the faith of Dependance ANtinomians contending for faith of assurance and leading men to be perswaded that God loveth every one whom he commandeth to beleeve with an everlasting love and that no man ought to call in question more whether hee beleeve or no then he ought to question the Gospel and Christ doe with Libertines acknowledge a faith of assurance but deny all faith of dependance on God through Christ as if wee were not justified by such a faith Now the Scripture expresseth saving faith most frequently with a dependance and recumbency on God as Psal. 22.8 he trusted or he rouled himselfe on the Lord that he would deliver him Jehovah was my stay or staffe So the same word is used The Lord taketh from Judah the stay and the staffe The residue of Jsrael shall leane upon the Lord. So is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to beleeve on Christ or rest on the stone layd on Zion 2. Many weake ones rest upon Christ and so beleeve who cannot come up to an assurance of perswasion they are chosen to life and have faith and yet faint and doubt As Mark 9.24 I beleeve helpe my unbeliefe Psalm 31.22 I said in my hast I am cut off from before thine eyes Then there hath not beene in David much assurance yet he had faith else he could not so pray as to be hoard when he saith Neverthelesse thou heardst the voice of my supplication when I cryed to theâ— a crying faith is Faith whereas a dumbe faith is no faith See Jona 2.4 CHAP. XCIII Antinomians deny the Law to bee any instrument at all of our Sanctification ANtinomians teach that the Law is no instrument of Sanctification but the Gospel onely Now the reason they give is because the Law commands but gives no grace to obey the Gospel is the operation of the Spirit and the ministration of righteousnesse And in the Gospel saith Del The Word and the Spirit are alwaies joyned and therefore saith Christ the words that I speake are Spirit and life that is they come from the Spirit and cary Spirit with them But in the Law their Letter without was Spirit Antinomians alwaies compare the Law as the Law in the cursing Letter of it against sinners as in the hand of Moses voyd of the Spirit not with the Gospel in the Letter of precepts and promises onely and as void of the Spirit but with the Gospel in its powerfull and effectuall operation by the Spirit and its actuall ministration of grace and righteousnesse on the elect onely and so no marvell the Gospel be Spirit and life and the Law the dead letter and ministration of death But compare the Law and Gospel both in their Letter and the Antinomian differences are false It s true the Gospel promiseth a new heart and grace and righteousnesse to the elect which the Law as the Law doth not But the Gospel in its letter doth no more give grace and righteousnesse then the Law but the Gospel only as accompanied by the Spirit giveth grace Antinomians doe dreame that the Gospel in its Letter is life and Spirit whereas it is to thousands the savour of death unto death no lesse then the Law but â—oth Law and Gospel in their onely Letter through our sinne and unbeliefe are death onely the Gospel promiseth a new heart and righteousnesse which the Law doth not but there the Spirit of grace going alongs with the election of grace fulfilleth and maketh good the promise in the elect But the Law in the hand of Christ even as it condemneth by the operation of the Spirit promised in the Gospel in the Spirits intention is a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ and a meanes of our sanctification though a meanes inferiour to the Gospel 1. Whatever is a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ our surety is a meanes of sanctification being accompanied by the Spirit for Christ is our sanctification as well as our wisdome and righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1.31 But such is the Law Gal. 3.23.24 2. That which bringeth the knowledge of sinne and being accompanyed by the operation of the Spirit serveth to humble us and render us weary and loaden leadeth us to Christ and is a meanes of sanctification But the Law is such in its office Rom. 3.20 Rom. 7.7 and in Gods blessing of it by his Spirit Acts 2.37 Acts 9.5.6.7 Acts 16.26.27.28 3. That which we are commanded to doe by the grace of Christ as a testimony of our thankfulnesse and to make our calling and election sure and to be a rule of life obliging us so to walke that is a meanes of our sanctification But such is the Law wee are commanded to doe the Law by grace as is proved before 4. If any thing hinder the Law to be a meanes of sanctification as well as the Gospel though not in that degree it is the want of the operation of the Spirit but this is no cause because in the Old Testament when the ministration of the Law was in vigour and that onely as Antinomians dreame the Spirit wrought with the Law or with that which Antinomians call onely Law Caleb had another Spirit Numb 14.24 A Spirit of Faith where as others could not enter in Gods rest through unbeliefe Hebr. 3.18.19 A right renewed Spirit Psalm 51.10 And the Spirit was promised to the Seed of Jaakob then as now Isai. 59.19 20. 2. They were justified by faith as we are Rom. 4.1 2 3 4.5 â—3 24 Pardoned as we are Psalm 32.1 2. Esai 43.25 26. Micha 7.19 20. then they had the Spirit of faith 3. They prayed in faith and the power of the Spirit as we doe 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 2. In all the book of the Psalmes Daniel 9. Ezra 9.5 6 7 c. And because Christ and his Apostles Math. 5.1 2 3. c. Paul Rom. 12.1 2 3. Coloss. 3.1 2 3. Ephes. 4.1 2 3 c. Presse the same Law-dueties commanded in the Law as acts of Sanctication 5.
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know I find I see rebellion and sinne in me were words that came from the light of Faith not from lying sense And Faith and a sight of God can discover more corruption to Esaiah Job to Paul to the woman that washed Christs feet with teares then reason can reveale to them 2. Faith doth not stupifie the conscience to blot out all sense of sinne out of it its true the Libertine Pocquius spake in the stile of Eaton◠now we are quickned in the second Adam Christ through seeing sinne in our selves no more because it is dead But the second Adam commeth in the soule with a candle to make us see and know and feele by the light of Faith sinne which was hidden before 3. The Antinomian dead faith is against confession of sin because we must know and beleeve we have sinne if we confesse it this was Gods challenge to a heardned people Yet thou sayest because I am innocent surely his anger shall turne from me Behold I will plead with thee because thou saist I have not sinned This is that which the Lord commandeth onely acknowledge thine iniquity Antinomians say lying sense and corrupt reason knoweth iniquity but Faith is as blind as a Mole and seeth no sinne in the beleever 4 This faith of Antinomians is repugnant to the godly shame confusion and selfe-indignation that the justified man in Scripture beareth against himselfe for sinne The want whereof is the Whores forehead that cannot blush and therefore must Faith see and know sinnes that are the cause of shame 5. This lying faith is to beleeve that Adultery and Lying to come as well as the past sinnes are pardoned and abolished and so that they are no sinnes before ever they bee committed what feare then what holy care what challenges of conscience can be required to an Antinomian lying faith to eschew and feare these sinnes ere they be committed For its the act of lying sense say Antinomians to apprehend them as sinnes then sure they cannot lawfully be apprehended as ills to bee feared and eschewed if it bee a lying apprehension to thinke that that is a snare to my feet which is no snare at all but a boggle to affright a childe it must be a lying apprehension to conceive that a fancied snare to be an evill to bee shunned and declined If the Whore be no Whore the Antinomian needs not eschew the going neere her house for feare the house fall on him as Salomon intimateth Prov. chap. 5. And surely the justified Antinomian may goe on in Adulteries and blouds before he act them and feed his lusts without feare for if he conceive these to be sinnes it is his lying sense and deceiving reason for faith is to beleeve the just contrary that they are no sinnes and so not to bee eschewed as sinnes because an antedated pardon doth no lesse abolish their being and nature before they bee committed in which case they are remitted and so nullities and shaddowes before God then a pardon doth utterly abolish their being when they are committed in the Antinomian way CHAP. XC Antinomians free all converted or non-converted from obligation of obedience or practise of Christian duties ANtinomians cry out against Preaching of duties as a Legall way and destructive to Gospel-preaching of Christ and Faith 1. Because there bee no acts of Sanctification commanded in the Gospel so as the beleever sinneth either in omitting these duties or in doing contrary to them I appeale to all their writings for any such Commands either of Law or Gospel 2. They cry out against Preaching of duties as Legall preaching without any limitation wee cry out as much as they against this Preaching in an unjust way 1. If duties be preached without Christ and not issuing from the grace of Christ. 2. If they bee more Preached then Gospel-grace and free Redemption in Christ. 3. If duties as conditions of the Covenant of Works as parts conditions or causes of our justification are fellow-saviours with Christ be pressed 3. It will be found they free the unconverted from all doing or eschewing of sinne because they can doe nothing out of faith and out of saving principles of grace So Saltmarsh adviseth the troubled in spirit onely to beleeve immediatly everlasting love without any foregoing humiliation desire of the Physitian sense of sinne or setting on any duties Much like the Familists of New England who say that the Spirit acts most in the Saints when they indeavour least as if our doings desire sense of sinne going before conversion did so much the more hinder conversion 2 Nor can our impotency to doe good without the grace of God loose us from an obligation of doing our dutie seeing the omitting of these duties in the substance of their acts is a greater sinne then the doing of them for so the unconverted should not sinne in not giving to the poore because they cannot give it for God nor in abstaining from murther because they cannot abstain out of sonly feare or in not praying because they cannot pray in faith whereas Peter Act. 8. commandeth Simon Magus to pray though being in the gall of bitternesse hee could not pray in faith 3. The converted so should be under no obligation to pray heare beleeve but when the Spirit wrought actually in them to will and to doe for without such an actuall influence they can doe nothing CHAP. XCI How and for whom Christ intercedeth in Heaven ANtinomians hold that Christ advocateth at the right hand of God for the unbeleeving and unconverted elect as well as for beleevers onely Christ intercedeth not say they for the manifestation of the purchased Redemption to the elect not converted It s true the purchased Redemption and bloud-shed of Christ is for the elect as well not converted as converted But Antinomians goe on another ground that sinners are justified and pardoned before they be converted and beleeve But the Scripture knoweth not any intercession of Christ but for applycation of the purchased Redemption 1. Because Christ liveth againe that hee may bestow the blessings of his Testament actually upon his friends Christ confirmeth his owne Testament which no other dead friend doth and the goods of his Testament are peace Joh. 14.27 The sprinkling of the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 9.14 15 16 17 18 19 20. As Moses sprinkled the booke and the people the Tabernacle the vessels 19.20 So that Christ as our high priest is entred into heaven as a sprinkler Now he is no sprinkler to the unconverted 2. The thing he prayeth for as intercessor is the not failing of the faith of the Saints and he liveth to save the commers to God through him that is the beleevers and is touched with our infirmities and that we should hold fast our profession and by him as intercessor We have boldnesse
Recantation of the Antinomian errour in an Epistle of D. Luther to Mr. D. Guthel containing the minde of Luther touching Antinomians as a Sect that had their rise from the Devill 69 70 71 72 73 74 Luther is for the Law 70 71 That none is perfect in this life and we are to sorrow for sin 73 74 Islebius recanted his Recantation and returned to spread Antinomianisme after Luthers death 80 81 The tenets of Islebius Antinomians in Luthers time 81 82 The Antinomian way of Paulus Crellius in Luthers time 182 183 184 How Antinomians stated the question of old 83 How the Law is a patient to beleevers 84 Of the Antinomianisme of Michael Neander 84 85 Divers distinctions touching the use of and freedome from the law tending to cleare Luthers mind 86 87 Three speciall uses of the law according to Luther Ibid. Luther refuteth Antinomians in terminis and is most contrary to them 86 87 89 How faith only justifieth as Luther saith 100 How faith and works are contrary 101 How according to Luthers minde the Law hath power over the flesh and not over the renewed conscience 102 103 How Good workes conforme to the law are not necessary 103 The law the same now and under the covenant of works Ibid The law is given properly to the new man not to the flesh 103 104 How the terrified conscience is freed from the law 105 106 How the law condemneth and terrifieth how not 106 107 How the law is given to the New man how not 108 109 Excellent replyes of a beleever to the accusing law 109 110 The tempted beleever freed from challenges of the law 110 111 How a tempted beleever is to comfort himselfe against law-temptations in the conscience 112 113 Luther is for conditions in the Covenant and for preparations before conversion 114 115 Sundry excellent answers to Satan and the law what a sinner is at the brink of dispaire 115 116 117 118 How we are patients in justification how not 118 119 How the law is weak 119 How good workes are naught 120 121 How the law is abolished how not 121 122 That the law is to be preached to all 119 120 Of the union betweene Christ and a beleever opposite to the phancied union of Familists and Antinomians who say that a beleever is Godded and Christed 123 124 125 Of our legall union our union by faith our union by marriage by nature and the intervening of interests and conditions with Christ and a sinner 125 126 127 Luther makes sin to dwell in the justified contrary to Antinomians 129 130 How it is in them and how removed pardoned sinne is essentially sin 131 132 133 134 How we are under the law and under grace in regard of the flesh and the Spirit 134 135 The divers respects of Law and Gospel 138 How the law is a dead Letter 139 Of the Letter and the Spirit 139 140 Luther detesteth allegories 139 How the beleever needeth not the Law in the Letter 142 143 None are perfect in this life as Luther saith contrary to Antinomians 143 144 We must then have patience 144 145 Sin in the beleever rageth to their feeling and yet is made lesse sin 145 146 Luther taught that the Jewes were Justified and actually pardoned by faith as we are contrary to Antinomians 146 147 148 Ch. IX Of Christian liberty and of true false sense 148 149 c. Luther in the point of Christian liberty is against the Antinomians 148 149 How the Law hath nothing to doe with the conscience according to Luther 149 150 151 152 Antinomians distinction that we sinne not against the Law but against Christ removed 151 Luther unduly chargeth these he calleth Sacramentarians with making the Spirit without the word their rule it being the doctrine of Antinomians in his time 153 154 How wee are to judge of our spirituall estate by sense how not 153 154 Luthers minde of freewill and contrary to Antinomians therein 155 156 How the will is a patient rather then an agent in good 157 158 Of the subjective and active power of freewill 158 159 Thirteen considerations of the Author touching freewill 160 161 162 163 An absolute independent power in the will to doe without the predeterminating grace of God neither peculiar to the Covenant of workes before the fall nor to the Covenant of grace after the fall 160 161 Chap. XIV Of the piece called Theologia Germanica and of the Bright starre 163 164 c. Libertines sprang from the Gnosticks Familists from Libertines Antinomians from both 163 164 165 Of John Waldesso who hath sundry principles of Familisme and Antinomianisme in his booke 164 165 God is the creature saith Theologia Germanica 165 To ascribe any thing to the creature is sinne the new man is Christ. 165 166 How creatures are under-causes of their owne working 166 The hell and heaven of Familists 167 The Familists acknowledge no Christ but a metaphoricall Christ. 167 168 So Theol. Germanica and the piece called the Bright-star The workes of H. Nicholas 168 Familists of England dissemble their grossest points Their Petition to King James 168 Vent their malice in the Petition against Puritans were tollerated by Prelates because they railed against non-conformists 169 The contents of the Petition of the Familists in England to King James 168 169 170 Chap. XV. Of the Familists and Antinomians in New England 171 Their rise ib. Their tenets 171 172 173 The Saints suffering are God manifested in the flesh as Saltmarsh and Familists say 172 173 174 Saltmarsh Chaplaine to the Generall Sir Tho. Fairfax goes along with the Familists of N. England ibid. Ordinances of preaching reading hearing Sacraments are not to be seperated from the Spirit nor the Spirit from them 175 Chap. XVI Of the first Authors of Antinomianisme and Familisme in N. England as Mistresse Hutchison M. Wheelwrit their preaching seditious railing and foule tenets 176 177 178 Mrs. Hutchison bold maintained she might preach to a Congregation and alledged the example of Priscilla 178 Her abominable tenets in which she denied the immortality of the soule the resurrection Christ heaven sanctification asserted revelations beside and without the word of God 178 179 A Generall Assembly at Cambridge in N. England confuted and condemned M. Hutchison M. Wheelwright and others 180 M. Hutchison bare thirty formed monsters 181 Was excommunicated banished to the Road-Iland killed by the Indians she and all her house 181 182. as is reported Mrs. Dyer a Familist the wife of William Dyer a prime Familist brought forth a terrible monster 181 182 Chap. XVII Of the late Familists banished out of N. England in Massachusets and now inhabitants of Shaw-omet otherwise called Providence 188 The blasphemous tenets of Sam. Gortyn a wicked Familist who preacheth openly in and about London 183 184 185 Gortyn and these Familists deny God incarnate and say every suffering Saint is Christ and there is not another Christ. 184 185 186 So doth M. Beacon
as abrogate How little Antinomians esteeme Moses and the Prophets wee all know 15 The third rancke called Apostolici said we must become young with children Antinomians abandon sense nature reason and say we must live by faith only So hony-combe Towne Saltmarsh Den. 16 The third ranke were Spiritualists who abstained from cloathing meat feasts musicke to Saltmarsh all externalls are legall and carnall 17 The fourth ranke were the holy and sinlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would not pray the Lords prayer forgive us our sinnes and contended for Saints in this life without spot or wrinkle Crispe and other Antinomians say the beleevers are as cleane from sinne as Christ himselfe and cite the same place Ephes. 5.25 26. for it So Del the spirituall Church is led and taught by the anoynting the carnall Church by councels letter of the word 18 These denyed originall sinne in infants Antinomians deny it in all the elect who are justified from eternity or from Christs Death or from the time of their beleeving 19 The fifth ranke were Silentiaries tacentes they denyed necessity of preaching as Antinomians doe because the anoynting is sufficient they thought it indifferent to deny their Religion 20 The sixt ranke prayed only which Antinomians doe never but praise onely 21 The seaventh were arreptitiously and Enthysiastically inspired and fell in transes and saw visions of lyes Antinomians hold revelations and rapts of the Spirit without the word for their rule 22 The eight rank were these in higher Germany that are called libâ—ri fratres free brethren they were abominable impure and so uncleane that they were excommunicated by the rest they said they were delivered by Christ from all lawes covenants vowes paying of tithes or debts as Saltmarsh saith to doe any thing from these grounds is law-bondage free grace pag. 180 they owe no obedience unto Magistrates they said marriage was free with any of neerest blood that men could not be saved except they were Publicans and Harlots they held men might have many wives at once that after rebaptization they cannot sinne as Eaton the Antinomian saith hony-comb c. 3 p. 25. that not they but the flesh sinned as Towne saith asser pag. 35. 23 The ninth ranke were called also liberi fratres they said baptizing of infants Magistrates oathâ—s were things indifferent preaching â—earing scriptures were needlesse because we shall be all taught of God Sacraments are but common signes that beleevers need not it was free and indifferent to confesse Christ before men if danger be God delights not in our blood nor requires he that we dye for his truth we may dissemble our religion deny Christ before men so we keepe the truth in our hearts I often prove Antinomians to run in this straine 24 The tenth sort were called Huttites from Iohn Hut these took on them to cut off all the Cananites that is all the ungodly with the sword and gave away their goods because they said the day of judgement was neare at hand Ioh. Hut and the like false Prophets in their owne name could not learne wit from Cochebaâ— the Jew the son of a starre who called himselfe the Starre of Iacob and Redeemer of Israel but proved Benchozba the sonne of a lye he and his were destroyed by Tynius Ruffus president of Palestina he arose in time of Aelius Adrianus An. 118. or 120 Eusebius eccle Hist. l. 4. c. 5. nor would learne wit from the folly of a Jew who rose Anno. 379 in the time of Theodosius the great he called himselfe Moses promised to lead the people to Canaan drye through the sea caused the Iewes leap into the sea who drowned themselves and beat out their brains in the rocke and counterfeit Moses it may be the Devill disapeared and was seen no more Tripart Hist. l. 12. c. 9. Nicep l. 14. c. 4. 25 The eleventh ranke were called Augustinians from one Augustine a Bohemian Enthysiast they were ruled by scriptureles dreames 26 Anabaptists deny that scripture can prove any thing by consequence but it must be in so many syllables logicke and consequencies say Antinomians are to be abandoned in divinity 27 Melchior Hoffman a Skinner an 1529 said Strasburg was new Ierusalem 2 He was to be called an Apostle from heaven 3 Leaned to Enthysiasmes 28 Hoffman said he was Elias and Cornel Polterman Enoch 29 Menno Simonz the sonne of a secular priest borne in Frizland neere Harlingen about an 1532 rejected Enthysiasmes and yet slighted the scriptures 2 rejected apostolick calling 3 maintained the grosest Pelagianisme that the saints live free from all sinne as Eaton the Antinomian honie-combe CHAP. IIII. Of David George DAvid Georgius born in Delâ— was the son of a Mountebank or Iugler say some by trade a painter he vented his heresie an 1540 he was a composed plaistered hypocrite austerer than any bare footed Fryer or Capucian did often fast three dayes together was eloquent he taught that He himselfe 1 was the sonne of God the true and spirituall David borne of the spirit where as Iesus Christ was borne of the flesh 2 He was sent to restore the house of Israel not by death but by grace 3 The doctrine of Moses the Prophets Christ and the Apostles was unperfect carnall litterall Antinomians reject all written law and Gospell as a legall covenant of works and his was spirituall and perfect 4 He said the law was abolished as doe also Antinomians and he was the true and living law to his discipâ—es Antinomians say the Spirit of life in beleivers is all their law Del. Ser. pag. 26. Saltmarsh free grace 146. 5 He transformed the scriptures in allegories said Angels were but motions in the minde of man so do Familists and Antinomians Randel the Familist preached that because Christ preached parables therefore it is lawfull to expound the scriptures in allegories and that all things in nature and art were sacraments of the supernaturall mysteries of the Gospell therefore they expound God manifested in the flesh to be a believer Godded and Christed with the being of God in Faith and love The pâ—ice called Philosophy dissected maketh all the workes of Creation Articles of faith 6 He said to act adulteries and all villanies without sense of sin and shame as with a deadned conscience was the onely spirituall mortification and new birth his followers should labour for and then and not while then were they borne of the Spirit the same Libertines taught and so doe Antinomians and Familists that to repent sorrow and mourne for sin or to be touched with any sense thereof or from this sense to confesse sin is from fleshly unebeliefe and the old Adam then to sinne without sense is faith and mortification and this is cousen German with the Libertines regeneration and nearer 7 All marriage of nearest of bloud though under Moses and Christ they were forbidden yet are they now lawfull under this mâ—re spirituall
sanctification in the Gospell be fashioned without the external preaching of the Gospell an outward commandement if no why excludes he an outward commandement as contrary to the preaching of faith Swenckfeldius and Enthysiasts make an opposition betweene the word preached and the preaching of faith that is the Spirit we make a subordination no opposition 3 whether Saltmarsh or any Antinomian in conscience can say that wee so go on with Pelagians Old Anabaptists and Arminians as to say Sanctification is framed now or at any time by a law of outward commandements the Antinomian Del. who has printed in defence of Anabaptists Arminians and Antinomians teacheth so not we So Del joyneth with Swenckfeld Ser pag. 6 7 8. read the stile words and doctrine of Enthysiasts all along in the serm 11 Swenckfeld said that that is born of the flesh is flesh these that say justifying faith is from externall hearing they teach that the Spirit comes from the carnall letter the heaven is bornâ— of the earth 12 Blessednes comes not from externals nor was Thomas blessed because he saw and beleeved nor Simon Peter because flesh and blood but because the father revealed Christ to them 12 Swenckefeldius taught that the preachers of his time were not sent of God because no man was the better or converted by their preaching So Antinomians say all but themselves are but litteral and carnall teachers 13 Swenckefeldius said that he himselfe preached the Spirit inwardly teaching and that men must live by the rule of the Spirit else they could not be saved so speake Anti. of Gospell reformation of life so Del. ser p. 26 27. 14 Neither Baptisme nor the Supper of the Lord should be Administred till the true doctrine that he taught be preached and be revealed immediately from the substantiall and eternall word Christ without preaching or reading or hearing the word so Del. uniformity examined the worship of the New Testament is onely inward 15 In such dissentions of minds among Teachers the word should not be heard Antinomians say all may be heard sects and opinions are but names and things indifferent 16 The word hath a twofold sense one literall which profiteth nothing another the true and spirituall which only the spirituall do understand 17 We must try the word by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the word so say the Antinomians rise reigne er 61. All doctrines revelations and spirits are to be tryed by Christ the Word rather than by the word of Christ this is against Christs way who when it was a controversie whether he was the sonne of God or no was content that they should Iudge of him and decide the matter by Scripture Joh. 5.39 so 2 are all controversies ended Act. 17.11 Act. 9.11 Act 24.14 15. 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Mat. 22.29.30 31 32 33. Esay 8.20 which were a rule impossible if the scripture have two senses one literall that proves nothing and another spirituall and allegorick as Enthysiasts Antinomians say that none can understand but the spirituall now when Christ and Paul prove the resurrection of the dead and that Christ is the Messiah by the scripture and referres the denyers of these Iewes and Pharisees and Saduces to the scripture to be the Iudge he supposeth the scriptures hold forth a cleare literall sense which these men though not spirituall might understand 2 nor could Christ say yee both know me and whence I am Ioh. 7.27 28. if they could not see any thing of Christ by light of scripture 3 all the murthers whoredomes villanies practised by Muncer T. Becold David George Swenckfeld they fathered on the Spirit leading them without the Scripture or on such an allegorick sense as their uncleane spirit expounded the word so as men know not when they sin when they serve God 17 The preachers not being taught by the immediate teaching Spirit are such as the Lord speaketh of They ran and J sent them not 18 There is a middle reformation to come betweene papists and Lutherans 19 No doctrine of word Sacraments or any externall thing written in the writings of Moses the Prophets or apostles doe conduce to salvation God is to be sought in his naked Majesty in dreames inspirations and revelations of the Spirit 20 Repentance contrition the knowledge of sin is not to be taught out of the Law but by Christ onely How neere Antinomians side with this I leave to the reader 21 The Law is not unpossible but easie to be fullfilled by Grace Antinomians teach that both the persons and workes of beleivers are perfect free of sin then must they be perfectly agreable to the Law Honeyâ—combe c. 3. pag. 25. c 11 12.322 323 324. Towne ass grace pag 76 77. Salt free grace p 140. 22 Our renovation is the very Holy Ghost so Antinomians Rise Reign er 1 2.7 8. 23 Our Righteousnes and iustification is not in the imputed obedience and righteousnes of Christ but in a conformity with Christ in glory by the undwelling Spirit of Christ. 24 Faith and workes iustifie us 25 All beleivers are the naturall sons of God begotten of the essence and nature of God so Familists and Antino teach that we are Christed and Godded 26 There was no remission of sins no righteousnes no entrance â—nto heaven before Christ dyed So say Antinomians under the old Testament there was no inward nor heart reformation no covenant of grace no pacefying of Gods wrath for sin c. So Saltmarsh free grace pag. 166 167 168. Honey-combe chap. 11.334 335 336. Del. ser. pag. 2.3 4 5 6 7 8 9. c. CHAP. VI. How the Word converteth TOuching the necessity of the word of God preached for the conversion of sinners against Swenckefeldians Enthysiasts and Antinomians these conclusions we hold premising some considerations 1 The vocall or preached word is the instrument and Organ of the Holy Spirit in our conversion not the author nor efficient thereof 2 The word written or preached is a created thing not the formall object of our faith and affiance nor the objeâ—tum quod but the objectum quo or the interveening meanes or medium of our faith 3 The word as all instruments are must be elevated above its nature to more then a literal impression of Christ beleeved in 4 The writing speaking conveyance of Christ to the soule in the word preached may be humane and literall but the thing signified by the word Christ faith the Image of the second Adam is divine supernaturall and the way of conveyance of it to the soule in regard of the higher operation of the Spirit above the actings and motion of the letter is divine heavenly supernaturall 5 The action of the Holy Ghost in begetting faith may be said to be immediate two wayes 1 as if the word did onely prepare and literally informe the externall man but the Spirit commeth after and in another action distinct from the word infuseth faith this we cannot deny but then the Spirit of
This revelation of the letter of the Gospell is made to thousands that never beleeve and therefore though it be but literall and externall yet none could thus reveale the minde of God to Prophets and Apostles but God onely as none were inspired of God but writers of Canonnick scripture and Scripture onely is given by divine inspiration 2 Tim. 3.16 2 Pe. 1.21 as this revelation active is Gods only from him as the author and fountaine men doe as Herolds carry this message of revelation to others so passively it is common to beleevers and unbeleevers for the letter of the Gospell may be revealed to all within the vissible Church and yet the most part are destituted of an internall revelation Therefore there is an internall revelation of things that men beleeve And this I conceave to be foure-fold 1 Propheticall 2 Speciall to the elect only 3 Of some facts peculiar to Godly men 4 False and Satanicall Propheticall Revelation is that irradiation of the minde that the Holy Ghost makes on the minde and judgement of the pen-men of holy scripture whether Prophets or Apostles and that by an immediate in-breathing of the minde and will of God on them whether in visions dreames or any other way without men or the ministery or teaching of men as he did to Esaiah Ieremiah Esa. 1.1 Ier. 1.1 or to Paul Gal. 1.11 Paul an Apostle not of men neither by men 11 12. But I certâ—fie you brethren that the Gospell which was preached by me is not after man for I neither received it of man neither was I taught it but by the revelation of Iesus Christ. 15 16. But when it pleased God to reveale his sonne in me immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood neither went I up to Ierusalem to them that were Apostles before me but I went into Arabia and returned againe unto Damascus Ephes 3.2 3. If yee have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is in me to you ward how that by revelation he made knowne unto me the mystery c. I dispute not of the way of the Lords imprinting the speeches images and representations of his minde to Prophets and Apostles I conceave it is the same way that God revealed himselfe to Ieremiah c. 1.11 12 13 c. and to Paul Act 16.9 10 and that as Ezechiel c. 3.14 so Iohn the Apostle Re. 1.10 was in the Spirit and saw by an immediate brightnesse of light perfectly understandingly the will minde of Christ in what they prophecied and wrote And this Revelation is so far from being beside the mind of God that it is formally the express word sense and minde of God if Fami have such Revelations 1. they see the Visions of God 2 They speake as acted by the Spirit immediately and so we are with the like certainty of faith to beleeve what H. Nicholas Wheelwright Mrs. Hutchison M. Del Saltmarsh Beacon Den Crispe Collier c. speake and write as we are to beleeve the writings and sayings of the Prophets and the Apostles and both must be alike to us the mouth of the Lord and what they both write or preach must be the object of our faith and their writings must be added to the booke of the revelation which is forbidden Rev. 22.17 18 19. Deut. 12.32 Deut. 30.5 6. This is the Anti-Christ himselfe 3 Let them shew the signes of their Apostle-ship by miracles and speaking with tongues and foretelling things contingent that are to come and wee shall beleeve them Familists produce your strong reasons 2 There is a speciall internall revelation made of things in scripture applyed in particular to the soules of elect beleevers by which having heard and learned of the Father Ioh. 6.4 there is made knowne and revealed to them by the Spirit of wisedome and revelation what is the hope of their calling and what is the riches of the glory of the inheritance in the Saints Ephes. 1.17 18 19. and that revealed to them which flâ—sh and blood revealeth not but the Father of Christ Mat. 16 17. And that which the Father revealeth unto babes and hides from the wise and prudent Mat 11.25 26. And this is common to all that beleeve and not ingrossed as peculiar to the Familists and Antinomians onely for if it were then my faith should be in vaine and I have fallen from my portion and share in Christ and of the inheritance of the Saints in light for there should be no converts in the world but Familists onely Now this Revelation is a cleare evidence in the conscience by the Testimony of the Spirit that I am a child of God Rom. 8.16 whether it be immediate or from speaking signs and markes of sanctification 1 Ioh. 1.3 1 Ioh. 3.14.18 19 20. 2 It is the knowledge of no new Article which is not conteined in the word in the Generall and is not proper and incommunicable to none but to Antinomians but is the mystery of the Spirit revealing these things that are gratiously given to us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 even to all beleevers 3 Its true as touching me by name it s not revealed nor written in scripture in expresse words that I am by name written in the Lambes booke of life and a child and sonne of God and an heire annexed with Christ of life and glory nor are the individuall and numericall manifestations and inshinings flowings motions inbreathings outgoings of the Spirit of life and stirrings of the new birth to Iohn rather then to Mary to this beleever rather then to another in Spaine written in the Scripture yet the Spirit acts never ordinarily but a beleever may know and heare the noise of his feet now if all these individuall manifestations ebbings and flowings of tydes of free grace were written then should also be written their degrees lesse or more of Christ the names of the beleeving Saints that can say I Paul I Iohn I Anne c. Live not but Christ lives in me for these I presume adde a numericall particular and individuall being to every single act or motion of the dispensation of grace and if all were in number weight and measure written in scripture the world as Iohn saith of Christs facts should not conteine the bookes that should be written The Holy Ghost speaking of a collective body the Church and spouse of Christ in Solomons song in the book of the Psalms and of the Lamentations of Ieremiah shewes us of the outgoings incommings of the beloved in the soule of his cloudings and outshinings of free love of the acts of the hands of Christ Can. 5. Touching the handles of the barre and the smel of the myrrhe of Christ that he leaves behind him when he is departed of the souls feelings of the impressions or the withdrawings of Christ as if the whole Church Catholicke of Invisible beleevers for so the Church is taken especially Psal. 45. and in the booke of
and who is for ever Qâ—i venturus est in soecula And what we now say of our selves in this point the same also our Progenitors were forced to say according as the Psalmes and other Scriptures testify Yea our posterity will even experiment the same and must sing with us and the whole Church the 124 Psalme If God were not with us now may Israel say c. O! What a lamentable thing is it that we should have so many dreadfull examples before us of such men who were so highly conceited of themselves as if they had been the only pillars to support the Church and as if the Church had been founded upon them and yet see to what a shamefull end they were brought at last Yet these terrible judgements of God cannot abate our pride and daring nor make us lowly and humble What is befalne Muncer in our time to say nothing of Elder and former ages who was perswaded that the Church could not subsist without him but that hee might beare and rule her And of late the Anabaptists have warned us with a vengeance to remember how puissant and neerely advancing that specious Devill is and how perilous it is to have such gallant thoughts of our selves Let us be wise at last and learne when we enterprize any thing first to look according to the counsell of Isaiah into our hand whether it be God or an Idoll whether it be gold or clay But all this availes not for we still remain secure without feare or care We can put the devill farre from us and beleeve not that there is such a body of flesh in us as Saint Paul complaines Rom. 7. That he could not doe that which he would and that he was led captive For we forsooth are those Heroick Champions that need not feare our flesh and thoughts but we are all Spirit and have wholly captivated both flesh and devill so that whatsoever we think or is cast into our mindes that must be a certain truth and infallibly the Holy Ghost How can it be otherwise Therefore what other fine Catastrophe could be lookt for at last but that both horse and rider must break their necks But enough of those lamentations The Lord Christ be and remain our Lord Christ blessed for ever Amen I conceive without failing against charity I may say that Eislebius after the death of Luther returned to his vomit and recanted his recantation upon these reasons First because I think we may credit Osiander his testimony who saith in his old age he turned Epicure An vero ante mortem ad meliorem mentem redierit affirmare nequeo Audivi tamen eum etiam in provecta admodum aetate homini Epicuraeo quà m pio Theologo fuisse similiorem Lucas Osiander Epit. hist. Ecclesiast â—entur 16. l. 3. p. 802. Deâ—to Agric Eislebi Printed at Wittingburgh by Joseph Klug an 1539. that is Whether or no Eislebius before his death repented of his heresie I dare not affirm but I heard by report in his old age that he lived more like a voluptuous Epicure then a Godly Divine 2 The Divines of Eisleben in their large confession published an 1560 say that after Luthers death he againe defended his error in his publicke writings So Schlusserburg Catalo heretick l. 4. pag. 36 37. 3 he declined to publish in writing his owne recantation as Luther desired him but shifted the businesse and layd it upon Luther to do it though he was a learned man and able to doe it himselfe How ever Osiander is so farre from thinking that Luther favoured the Antinomian way that he saith he believes that there was not any that held the opinion of Antinomians and though Luther have hard phrases in his Comment on Galathians yet Osiander saith Cent 16. l. 2. c. 29. pag. 314. That a sinner broken in Spirit should not heare the Law condemning sinnes but should turne his eyes to Christ who healteh the broken in heart Luther was a man much exercised in conscience and writes much from his owne experience especially in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians Therefore I purpose God willing further to vindicate Luther in all his writings from the Antinomian error when I have further from Schlusselburgius Sleidan and Osiander cleared the errors of Eislebius and his that the Reader may see that they are the very errors of present Antinomians and Familists 1 The Law is not worthy to be called the Word of God 2 When thou art in the midst of sin only beleeve and thou art in the midst of salvation 3 The Law of God belongeth to the Cours or Benches of Civil Iudges to men-ward not to the pulpit or conscience to God-ward 4 Men are not to be prepared for the Gospel or conversion by the preaching of the Law 5 Who ever have to doe with Moses goe straight to the Devill 6 In the Gospell nothing now should be spoken of violating of a Law But onely of the offending of the sonne of God 7 To heare the word and thinke of it in the heart is the proper consequence of the Gospel 8 Peter understood not Christian liberty 9 To make our Calling and Election sure by good workes is needlesse 10 If you think the Church should be so governed as men must be sober holy good chast now yee have erred from the Gospell 11 The Law teacheth not good workes nor is the Law to be preached that wee may doe good workes but only the Gospell 12 The Law and Moses cannot shew us the true God 13 Christians are not to be rebuked by the Law 14 Our faith and New-Testament-religion was unknowne to Moses 15 Good workes profit nothing to salvation Ill workes tend not to damnation 16 Christians with all their good workes belong to the Devill 20 The Holy Ghost converteth by himselfe not by the Law nor convinceth he the conscience of sin 21 A beleever is above all law and all obedience 22 The Legall Preachings of the Prophets belong nothing to us 23 We should not use these phrases A Christian conversation a christian obedience good workes of christians 24 The law good workes new obedience belong not to the Kingdome of Christ but to the world as Moses and the Popes supremacy belongs thereunto So Saltmarsh Christ is our new obedience and our mortification by imputation 25 We should so live as Iewes Anabaptists and others should see no good workes in us 26 The law onely without the Gospell reveales not sin in its greatnesse and deformity 27 The Gospell only argueth the contempt of a mediator 28 Paulus Crellius the Antinomian prop. 85 Negant nostra ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabulum evangelij se generaliter in hac disputatione pro corpore doctrinae accipere tam legem quam evangelium It is true the Law in its rigour condemning and cursing and denying righteousnesse or justification to a sinner is no part of the Gospel as the Gospel is the pure doctrine of free
legis opera id est non esse justos nec facere bona opera The Law is not given to a just man who so liveth that hee hath no need in his terrified and quaking conscience of the Law as compelling and forcing with curses and as condemning of a Law which should admonish presse and compell him but without any compulsion of the Law of his owne accord hee doth what the Law requireth therefore the Law cannot accuse and impleade beleevers as guilty nor can it trouble their conscience it terrifieth and accuseth but Christ apprehended by faith chaseth it away with the terrours and threatnings thereof therefore the law to them is simply abrogated nor hath it authority to accuse them for they doe willingly what the law requireth We must then walk saith Luther in the Kings way that we may neither utterly reject the Law nor ascribe more to it then is due Before Christ the Law as it rigidly commands and condemnes is holy after Christ justifieth it is death Therefore when Christ commeth being apprehended by faith we should know or acknowledge in the renewed conscience nothing of the compelling and condemning Law nothing simply of the Law but in so farre as it hath dominion over the flesh which it oweth and presseth So the Law saith Luther of the ten Commandements without faith in Christ bringeth death not that the Law is evill but because it cannot justifie but hath the plaine contrary effect The proper office of the Law as the Law without a Mediator is to make us guilty to humble kill bring to hell take all from us but for this end as it is the hand of the Mediator that we may be justified and then it killeth not simply but killeth to salvation Therefore Luther the Law hath dominion indeed over the body and the old man let this man be under the Law let the Law prescribe what he ought to doe what he ought to suffer let it not pollute the chamber in which Christ only ought to rest and sleep that is let it not trouble the new man with its use and office Wee grant saith Luther there is no Law given to the just as they are just and live in the Spirit but as they are in the flesh and have in them a body of sin and are under the Law and doe the workes of the Law for that is not to be just nor to doe the workes But the Antinomians in Luthers time and in our dayes doe wickedly inferre then these and the like commandements Walke in my Laws put â—n the new man who is created according to God serve one another in love doe not belong to the new man but only to the flesh and to those that are under the law for what need is there said the old Antinomians to bid a man put on his coat when his coat is already on him therefore wee say this to a man that hath not put on his coat that is to a man under the Law and to the old man in the beleever not to the new man for it is true these precepts as they are meerly legall and to be obeyed without the grace of the Mediator and as they exact perfect Law obedience in a compulsive way under the paine of death eternall are not given to the new man nor to the beleever at all that is most true But that these commands Evangelically considered and as they urge obedience unperfect and by the grace of God are not given to the new man but to the old only is a most palpable untruth for Christ biddeth the beleever and the new man put on his coat though he have put it already on but imperfectly there is a sleeve or a shoulder of his new wedding coat not on yet it is not perfectly buttoned in this life though the coat of imputed righteousnesse be perfect and if sanctification be sincere yet it is not every way so sewed and pinned on us but the very new man hath need in regard that his faith is in the growing hand of that command Put yee on the Lord Jesus The just as just should have no need of a compelling Law if they were perfectly just both in person and works as Antinomians say they are And it is most false that the Law is givâ—n formally to the flesh as if sinfull flesh were commanded to beleeve and put on Christ or were capable of righteousnesse as before is cleared 4. Conclusion Luther saith the conscience of a beleever weake and tender terrified challenged accused hath nothing to doe with the Law Luth. Nunquam pâ—câ—at homo horribilius quam in eo articulo in quo incipit legeÌ„ sentire sâ—u intelligere Impossibile est Christum legem simul habitare in corde aut enim legem aut Christum cedere oportet Discamus igitur diligentissimè hanc artem distinguendi inter has duas justitias ut sciamus quatenus legi parere debeamus diximus autem suprà quod lex in Christiano non debet excedâ—re limites sâ—os seâ— tantum hâ—bere dominium in carnem Christiani Dicas legi consiste intra limites tuos exerce dominium in carnem conscientiam autem nâ— attingas mihi ubi nulla lex est Summaâ—â—rs sapientia Christianorum est nescire legem ignorare opera totam justitiam activam presertim cum conscientia luctatur cum judicio Dei sicut extra populum Dei summa sapientia est noscere inspicere urgere legem opera activam justitiam Luther Diabolo accusanti tues peccator ergo damnatus respondere possumus quia tu me peccatorem dicis ideo volâ— esse justus salvus imo damnaberis non confugio enim ad Christum qui sem tipsum tradidit pro peccatis meis Cum conscientia perterrefit lege nec ratio nem nec legem consulas sed sola gratiâ ac consolationis verbo nitarâ—â— ibi omnino sic te geras quasi nunquam de lege Dei quicquam audieras sedâ—scendas in tenebras ubi nec lex nec ratio lucet sed solum aenigma fidei quae certo statuit te salvari extrà ultrà legem est lex audienda sed suo loco tempore Luth. Christiano nihil prorsus negoâ—ii esse debet praesertim in tentatione cuÌ„ lege peccatâ— quatenus est Christiâ—nus est supra legem peccatum habet enim in corde praesenâ—em inclusum ut 〈◊〉 gemmam Christum dâ—mâ—num legis itaque cum lex cum accusat peccatum perterre facit intâ—â—tur Christum quo fide apprehenso habet â—â—cum victorem legis peccati â—ortiâ— diaboli qui illis omnibus imperat ne noâ—ere possint Luther Extenâ—â—tiones legis referendâ— sunt ad certamen conscientiae Nequâ— satis viliter odiose cum in hoc argumento versamur de ea loqui possumuâ— ideo conscientia in vero agone nihil
prorsus cogitare nosse debet nisi unicum Christum acsummis viribus adnitatur ut tum legem quam longissime è conflâ—ctu abjiciat Extra locum justificationis debemus cum Paulo reverenter sentire de lege eam summis laudibus evehere appellare sanctam bonam justam spiritualem divinam â—ebemus extra conscientiam facere ex ea Deum in conscientia verò est verè Diabolus A man a beleever terrified in conscience and under the despairing apprehensions of wrath doth never sin more horribly then in that article of time when he beginneth to feele and understand the Law in its condemning power It s unpossible that Christ and the Law can dwell together in one soule for either must the Law or Christ yeeld the one to the other Luther Let us learne to distinguish these two righteousnesses that we may know how far we are to obey the Law for we said that the Law ought not to exceed its limits but only have dominion over the flesh of a Christian to shew that he is a sinner Saltmarsh saith free gr 145. he is but a seeming sinner say thou to the law stay within thy limits and exercise dominion over the flesh but come not neare my conscience to condemne me otherwise to obliege as a rule of obedience it doth where there is no Law It s the great skill and wisdome of Christians to be ignorant of the Law and workes and of all active righteousnesse especially when the conscience wrestleth with the justice of God as without the Church of God it is the great wisdome of God to know consider and presse the law works and active righteousnes To the Divell accusing thou art a sinner and therefore damned we may answer because thou callest me a sinner therefore I shall be just and saved yea thou shall de damned no for I flye to Christ who gave himselfe for my sinnes When the concience is terrified with the Law and wrestleth with the justice of God consult neither with naturall reason nor with the Law but lean only to free grace and the word of consolation and theâ—e thou mayest behave thy self as if thou hadst never heard any thing of the Law of God there thou mayest enter in darknesse where there shineth neither law nor reason but only the mirror of faith which may save thee without and beyond the Law the Law is also to be heard in the own time and place Luther A Christian hath nothing at all to doe especially under a temptation with the Law and sin in so far as he is a Christian he is above the Law and sin for he hath Christ the Lord of the Law inclosed in his heart as a ring hath a pearle indented in it therefore when the Law accuseth him and sin terrifieth him he beholdeth Christ who when he is apprehended by faith he hath with him the conquerour of the law sin death and hell who commandeth these that they hurt him not Extenuations of the Law are referred to the conflict of conscience Nor can we vilely and hatefully enough speake of the Law in this argument therefore the conscience in a true conflict ought to thinke of or know nothing but only Christ and with all its might endeavour to remove the Law as far as can be from the conflict Setting aside the case of justification we ought with Paul to thinke reverently of the Law and extoll it with great praises as holy good just spirituall divine and when the Law is out of the conscience we are to make a God of it but in the conscience it s the Devill Now Antinomians not only in the case of Justification debase the Law but they cry it downe as a rule of life they have nothing to doe with Moses and his Law or strict walking And where as Antinomians tell us the sinnes of beleevers are but sinnes to our sense and feeling or before men or sinnes in our conversation not really not before God not in our conscience not to faith they never learned this from Luther who expoundeth sense and faith a far other way For so Luther speaketh in a conflict of conscience we know by experience sense of sin wrath hell death hath dominion then we must say to the tempted Brother thou wouldst have a sensitive righteousnesse that is thou desirest to hâ—ve such a sense of righteousnesse as thou hast of sinne that shall not be but thy righteousnesse must goe beyond the sense of sinne and beleeve thou art righteous before God that that is thy righteousnesse is not visible or sensible but there is hope it shall bee revealed in its owne time Luther In certamiâ—e conscientiae experientiâ— doctiscimus fortitor dominatur sensus peccati irae dei mortis inferni-Ibi tum dicendum est tentato Tu frater vis habere iustititam sensitivam id est cupis ita sentire iustitiam ut peccatum sentis hoc non fiet Sed tua iustitia debet transcendere sensum peccati sperare te coram Deo justum esse hoc est â—ustitia tua non est visibilis non sensibilis sed speratur suo tempore revelanda Luther never denyed the sinnes of beleevers to be reall sins and that there was â—o more originall sinne dwelling in a beleever then in Christ as our grosse libertines doe But he forbiddeth the tempted to measure their owne condition as forlorne and hopelesse from sense because they feel sinne wrath hell death terrours of conscience but contrary to the sense of all this the weake soule must beleeve an invisible and spirituall righteousnesse and seek no sensitive righteousnesse as most men doe in conflicts of conscience Luther hath divers comfortable grounds of beleeving when the Law in its condemning power breakes in upon the conscience In cruce aliud peccatum invenio contra meum peccatum quod me accusat devorat peccatum scilicet aliud in carne Christi qui tollit peccatum mundi omnipotens est damnat devorat peccatum meum l Fateor me peccâsse sed peccatum meum quod peccavi damnatum est in Christo qui est peccatum damnans est autem peccatum illud damnans fortius damnato 2 Luther Sicut tutissimum est canem latrantem contemnere praeterire ita una vincendi ratio est contemnere rationes Satanae neque cum iis disputare diutius Textatus à Satana cum nullum evadendi modum sent is simpliciter claude oculos nihil responde commenda causam Deo Luther Sathan nihil minus ferre potest quam sui contemptum Hi sunt amplexus ejus quibus amplectitur sponsam prae impatientia amoris Luth. Non enim feram te O lex Tyrannum durum crudelem exactorem in conscientia mea regnare siquidem ea sedes est templum Christi filii Dei Qui possum esse sanctus cum habeam
sentiam peccatum quod sentis agnoscis peccatum bonum est gratias age Deo ne despera Est gradus ad sanitatem cum aegrotus agnoscit fatetur morbum suum Sâ—d quomodo liberabor à peccato accurre ad medicum mactatâ ratione crede in eum Disce credere Christum non pro fictis aut pictis sed veris non pro parvis sed maximis non pro uno atque altâ—ro Sed pro omnibus non pro devictis nullus etiam Argelus velmi nimum peccatum vincere pâ—test sed pro invictis peccatis traditum esse nisi inveniaris in numero eorum qui dicuntur nostri hoc est qui haâ—c fidei doctrinam habent â—â—cent aâ—diunt discunt ei credunt tum plane de saluâ—â— tuâ actum est As 1. Luther When I finde remorse of conscience for my sinne I looke up to the brazen Serpent Christ on the crosse and there I finde another sin against my sin that other sinne in the flesh of Christ which taketh away the sinne of the world is an omnipotent sinne and condemns and swallows up my sin And l I confesse I have sinned but my sinne is condemned in Christ who is made a condemning sinne and the condemning sin is stronger then the condemned 2. As its most safe to contemne and passe by a barking Dogge so the only way of overcomming is to despise Sathans casting in thoughts and dispute no longer with him And when there is no escaping close thy eyes and answer nothing and commend the cause to God he giveth a reason Sathan cannot indure to be a contemned enemy 3. Luther Tentations are the throngings or embracings of the bridegrome to the bride from impatience of love 4. Luther The tempted is to say I cannot endure thee O Law a rigorous Tyrant and a cruell exacter to reign in my conscience for it is the seat and temple of Christ the Sonne of God 5. Luther It s true the tempted saith how can I be holy when I have and fâ—el sin that thou feelest and acknowledgest sin its good give thanks to God despaire not it s a degree to health to feele sicknesse But how shall I bee freed from sin flye to the Physitian follow not reason beleeve and sacrifice reason Antinomians comfort us thus the sin of beleevers is seeming sin Luther saith it s too reall and must be cured by Christ. 6. Luther Christ dyed not for the painted and phancied but for true sinners and the chiefe sinners not for one or two but for all not for conquered but for unconquered sins and if thou be of the number of these that beleeve its good Luther here would have the weake ones that finde hearing learning loving of his doctrine 〈◊〉 beleeving that is such as have qualifications and conditions in them to know Christ dyed not for phancied men but for them Antinomians reject all qualifications and conditions Yea. Luther comforts only these against the Law who have this condition of Christ inclosed in their heart as a pearle set in a ring Luther tom 4. f. 46. Yea though Luther be against all preparations of merits yet is he cleare for preparations of order against the Antinomians Legis proprium officium est nos reos facere humiliare occidere â—o fiâ—e ut justificemur w Lex non facit filios Dei atqui praeparat ad novam nativitatem qua fit per fidem Luther Malleus lex opprimit pertinacem best aÌ„ presumptionem ut ista contusione homo in nihilum redactus desperat de suiâ— viribus justitiam â—itiat misericordiam remissiâ—nem peccatorum Luth. to 1.472 Per fidem Christi non sumus liberi ab operibus sed ad opinionibus opeâ—uÌ„ id est à stultâ praesumptione justificationis per opera quaesitae fides enim conscientias nostras redimit rectificat servat quâ cognoscimus justitiam esse non in operibus licet opera abesse neque possint neque debeant Luther Sentiens terrores minas tuas O Lex immergo conscientiam meam in vulnera sanguinem mortem c. Christi Venit in mentem Christum velle expostulare nobiscum velle rationem à nobis exigere transactae vitae c. Luther Cor dictat Deum adversum verbum Dei sequi debeo non sensum meum Luther Est diabolus persuasor mirificus Verbum pingit Christum non accusatorem non durum exactorem Luther Quanquam caro non nihil murmuret tamen Spiritus gemit ad Deum potius intentatione perpetuo manere perire cupit quam ad impietatem à Deo recidere Hic canon est quod in omnibus tentationibus nos ipsi alium fingimus Deum esse quam sit putamus enim Deum tunc non esse Deum sed phantasma id est horrible spectrum Luther Peccator es igitur te odit Deus Haec consequentia vera est in naturâ in jure civili ad tribunal Christi hoc sequitur peccator es ergo confide Luther Cum Sathan vexat conscientiam per legem â—tile est opponere Satanae Quid ad te tamen non peccavi tibi sed Deo meo Non enim sum tuus peccator Quid igitur juris est in mâ— non peccavi tibi non legi non conscientiae nulli homini Angelo nulli sed soli Deo It is proper to the Law to make men guilty to humble kill bring downe to hell and take all from us for this end that we may be justified w The Law maketh not men sons of God but it prepareth us for the new birth The Law is a fire and a hammer breaking the rocks to suppresse that pertinacious beast presumption that a man may be brought to nothing and despaire of his owne strength and righteousnesse and being terrified may thirst for mercy and pardon More of this yee may see in Luther to 1. fol. 11. p. 286.412 to 4. f. 5. f. 296. to 1.53 Luther never ment that wee are freed from the Law as a rule of good workes Luther to 1.472 by the faith of Christ we are not freed from workes but from the opinion of workes that is from a foolish presumption of justification by workes Luther Finding thy terrours and threatnings O Law I dip my conscience in the wounds death blood resurrection of Christ beside these I will see nothing heare nothing For we think Christ will quarrell with us and seeke a reckoning of our ill â—ed life and will accuse and condemne us In tentations though sense say that God is an enemy I follow the Word that sayeth the contrary The divell is an admirable perswader to cause us thinke a little sin a hainous crime But the word pointeth Christ sweet meeke 10. Luther The flesh murmureth but the Spirit sighes to God and had rather dye in the tentation then depart to wickednesse
come we by faith in Christ come suffering glorified Luther saith tom 1. p. 529. Non facta sed fidem patrum imitemur let us follow not the deeds but the faith of the Fathers Luther burnt offerings were not for justification but a sacrificed Oxe was a witnesse of grace and to speak so a working voyce of thankfulnesse or an handy or manuall gratitude by which the hand powred out thankfulnesse by reall words They beleeved in Christ to come we know he is come and gone to the father to prepare dwelling places for us Luther Abraham saw Christs day in faith and the spirit onely Luther the same Christ the same faith from Abâ—l to the end of the world and did reigne in divers ages of the world Antinomians as Den Crisp Saltmarsh Del deny any heart-Reformation true conversion to God actuall remission of sins and of all sins or free justification by free grace in a Gospel-way to the Jews under Moses as we are justified and saved under the Messiah and make the promises and covenant of grace with Papists and Sâ—â—inians to differ in substance and nature from our Gospel-promises and free covenant as if their law tutory Gal. 4. had varied the way of Justification and salvation to them and to us CHAP. XII Of Christian Liberty and of sense true and false 10 Conclusion Antinomians have not Luther for them in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty Luther Vnusquisque Christianus sciat sâ— per Christum constitutum esse in conscientia dominum legis peccati mortis contra scâ—at quoque hanc servitutem externam corpori suo impositam ut per charitatem serviat pâ—oprio Qui autem aliter intelligunt libertatem c. Luther Omnia sunt libera nobis per fidâ—m omnia serva per charitatem ut simul stet servitus libertatis et libertas servitutis Libertas Evangelii non tollit res corpora debitâ— nominum sed conscientias liberat a vinculis spiritualibus Luther Christianus in conscientia debet esse medicus in externis moribus debet esse asinus Per fidem Christi non sumus liberi ab operibus sed ab opinionibus operum id est a stultâ praesumptione justitiae per opera quesitae Let every Christian know that by Christ he is made in his conscience as he beleeveth in Christ the Lord of law sin death so that these have no power over him On the contrary let him know that this externall servitude is laid on the outward man that by love he is to serve his neighbour Those who otherwise understand Christian liberty as Antinomians who think they owe no obedience to the Law they enjoy the gaine of the Gospel to their owne destruction and are worse Idolators under the name of Christians then they were in Popery All things are free to us by Faith yet all things are under obligation of Law in regard of charity that so the servitude of liberty and the liberty of servitude might stand together The liberty of the Gospel takes not away things bodies nor duties of men but freeth the consciences from spirituall bands of wicked opinions Thâ— Christian in his conscience should be a physitian but without in externall conversation an Asse to beare the burthen of Brethren Luther meaneth in things indifferent that are without the case of scandall as hee exponeth himself Tom. 1 472.528 and clearly To. 1. In Christum credentibus omnia munda indifferentia licita sunt quaecunque vel praecipiuntur vel prohibentur externis ceremoniis c. and Tom. 2.154 155 156 158. Through faith in Christ wee are not free from works but from opinions of works that is from a foolish presumption of righteousnesse to come by works Now by opinion of good works Luther meaneth conscience and the resting of the conscience on good works as our righteousnesse hence so often saith Luther the Law hath nothing to doe with the conscience the Law hath no power over the conscience the Law ought not to reigne over the conscience And so 2. he placeth our Christian liberty not only in freedom from the Judiciall Law Tom. 4 on 1 Pet. 2. Rom. 13. and from the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses Tom. 4. fol. 145. But also from the condemnation of the Morall Law As is clear Luther That Christian liberty which Christ hath purchased is not so easily beleeved as spoken if it could be apprehended by a sure and firme faith no fury nor terror of the world of law sin death and the devill could be so great which would not be swallowed up as a little spark of fire by the great sea Libertas illa quam nobis Christus peperit non tam cito creditur quam nominatur Si certa ac firmâ fide apprehendi posset nullus furor aut terror mundi legis peccati mortis et diaboli tam maguâ— esse posset qui non 〈◊〉 seu scintilla a mari ab ea absorberetur Then Luther evidently thinketh our Christian Liberty is not from duties commanded in the Law but from the terrors accusation and condemning power of the Law after wee have sinned against the Law Luther Verba illa libertas ab ira Dei lege peccato morte c. Dictu facilia sunt sed Magnitu dinem hujus libertatis sentire fructum ejus in certamine in agone conscientiae applicare hoc plus quaÌ„ dici potest difficile est Luther In carne nulla debet esse libertas Debemus enim subjecti esse parentibus Magistratibus in summâ omnium servi esse sed in Spiritu conscientiâ Liberrimi ab omni servitute ibi nulli credimus nulli confidimus nullum timemus nisi solum Christum qui regnat inter medias afflictiones cum gaudio laetitia inter media peccata cum virtute fortitudine These words Liberty from the wrath of God law sin death c. are soon said but to finde the greatnesse of this liberty and the fruite thereof in a conflict and agony of conscience and apply it practically is more hard then can be spoken So he expresly clearely this Liberty in the flesh that is in sinning there ought to be no liberty for we ought to be subject to Parents Magistrates and finally the servants of all but in the spirit and conscience we are most free from all servitude for there we beleeve none trust in none feare none but onely Christ who reignes in the midst of afflictions with joy and gladnesse in the midst of sins with strength and courage It s clear by the flesh Luther cannot mean as Antinomians and Papists with Libertines doe the sensitive part which they call the Asse contradistinguished from the minde will and conscience as if the renewed man in whole sinned not with will affection reason conscience for the reason that Luther giveth is contrary to that for saith
he Wee ought to be subject to Parents Magistrates and the servants of all Now not the flesh onely but the whole man and the conscience is subject to the fifth Commandement and to all the ten to obey Parents and Magistrates for otherwise the ten Commandements should no more oblige the conscience of beleevers to obey then the Ceremoniall Law which is blasphemy Therefore by Conscience and Spirit Luther must mean the afflicted conscience under great conflicts and in the midst of challenging and accusing sins So the beleevers conscience is free and feareth none but feareth filially and with a son-ly fear Christ Jesus only and is fully free from the feare of condemnation Antinomians reply that the conscience of beleevers is freed from the ten Commandements as they are a Law and injoyn obedience to the conscience by power or Authority of a Law-giver for so say they no beleever can sin against the Law as the Law either commanding promising or cursing But the beleever may sin against the Law as sin is ungratitude to Christ the Redeemer not as it is a thing offending God the commanding Law-giver or failing against his Authority So Mistris Hutchison and her followers said Art 25. Since we are not bound to the Law as a rule of life it is not transgression against the Law to sin or break it because our sins are inward and spirituall and so are exceeding sinfull and are onely against Christ. Answ. There would be some colour in this Answer if Antinomians did not teach that Beleevers are as free from sin root and branch in the nature and being of it as Christ himselfe then being once justified they cannot so much as sin against Christ nor against the Law as in the hand of Christ therefore I heare that Den maintained before a godly and learned Minister That Christ satisfied for sins onely against the first Covenant and that wee our selves satisfie for sins against the Covenant of grace which is to make us joynt-Saviours with Christ. 2. Sinnes committed by Beleevers once justified are not siâ—s because they are against no Law and involve the trespasser under no guilt curse or wrath for hee is as free as Christ from all danger of wrath 3. These sinnes against the Law in the hand of Christ or against Christ are pardoned and fully removed in their nature and being ere they be committed say Antinomians 4. What Scripture shall warrant us to think that Christ who came not to dissolve the Law in the least Commandement Mat. 5.18 19 20. And who saith To doe to all men is wee would they should doe to us is the whole Law and the Prophets and obligeth us hath freed us from the commanding power of the Law and subjected us to the same Law as given by Christ. CHAP. XIII Of good works according to Luther 11 Conclusion Luther clearely contradicteth Antinomians touching certainty from signes Bona opera placebunt Deo propter fidem in Christum quod non fiunt ad jusâ—â—itam sed ad testimoniâ—m quod grati simus et graâ—â—â— juâ—tificati Spiritus sanctus nunquam oâ—iosus est in piis sed semper agit aliquid quod pertinet ad regnum Dei Si Muncerus Sacramentarii cum audirent nos docere Spiritum rejicere opera hâc doctrina abuti potuerunt neglecto verbo Sacramentis nihil aliud nisi Spiritum sonare idque nobis viventibus docentibus repugnantibus quid futurum est ubi conticuerit nostra Doctrina Post meam mortem multi meos libros proferent in medium inde omnis generis errores deliria sua confirmabunt Sed simul etiam exierunt Anabaptistae Sacramentarii alii fanatici qui de Trinitate incarnatione Christi palam impia tradiderunt non enim fuerunt ex nobis c. Good works shall please God for faith in Christ to their own end because they are not done that we may be righteous but that they may be a testimony that we are accepted and justified freely Luther The Holy Ghost is never idle in the godly but ever doing something that belongs to the Kingdome of God Luther If Muncerus and the Sacramentarians when they heare us preach the Spirit and that wee reject works in the matter of justification only as I have cleared from his owne words can abuse this Doctrine and neglecting word and seales sound nothing but the Spirit as Familists and Antinomians did then and now and that while wee live and teach the contrary and resist them what shall be done when we shall teach no more After my death saith Luther they shall alledge my writings and therewith strengthen errors of all kindes and their own dreames Also there are gone from us Anabaptists Sacramentarians and other fantastick men who have openly taught impious things of the Trinity and Incarnation of Christ but they were not of us It is true Luther falsely chargeth those whom hee calleth Sacramentarians who rejected the dreame of Consubstantiation yet as Calvin observed of the Libertines hey had nothing more frequent in their mouth then the Spirit so Anabaptists Familists Antinomians who all pretend that Luther is theirs alledge nothing more then the Spirit the immediate testimony of the Spirit without the word or any signes or markes of sanctification by which men know that they are in Christ and I appeale to the Reader if they observe any scope or drift in the Sermon preached by Del before the House of Commons but to cry down all Word Scripture Preaching Sacraments Laws lawfull and necessary constitutions of Orthodox Synods against Familists like himself for all these without the Spirit can work but an outward Reformation and hee extolleth so the Spirits inward omnipotent and only working of an inward and heart reformation as that men ministerie preaching can have no more influence in Gospel-reformation then in Christs redeeming of the world and the taking away transgression for saith hee he only that can doe the one can doe the other now in redemption Christ hath no fellows no under Mediators no instruments no with-workers hee alone by himselfe and none with him Hebr. 1. Purged us from our sins and so in all Reformation Familists contend for God is sole Reformer as Jesus Christ is sole and onely Redeemer Antinomians deny any certainty of our being in grace by signes marks and characters of holy walking which Luther is utterly against in all places especially where he extolls good works as the fruites of our justification It is true Luther saith often we must not judge of our spirituall good estate by sense but by faith and so say Antinomians and Eaton most frequently But the word sense is taken two wayes 1. for the enditement of the flesh and unrenewed part opposed to faith and so Luther and we with him teach that in a conflict of conscience when the Law challengeth a beleever especially we are never to look to
the crosse all the naturall faculties power and excellencies that the Creator gave to us when we were created and nailing these to the crosse was Christs crucifying of the flesh and we are the same way crucified with Christ as so many joynt Saviours with him by suffering afflictions and in place of this crucified flesh all the Saints have the Spirit to act in them and our conversion to God or restauration in the second Adam is in that we are made againe in Christ partakers of the divine nature and of the substantiall being of God or godded with the new heavenly being of God in love and Christed with Christ and turned when we are perfectly renewed into all spirit Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory pag. 71. And the naturall faculties of our soule mind will affections are in our conversion removed and in place of them comes the very Holy Ghost in person and very Christ himselfe acts in us Rise Reigne Ruine of Antino art 1. art 2. pag. 1. and lives in us not by faith and created grace but substantially and personally and for this they alledge Gal. 2.20 I live not but Christ lives in me and so neither our naturall power or any thing nor is created grace any thing but Christ is all in all CHAP. XXX Familists will have all externals indifferent 2. SAltm saith Christians should live in the unity of the Spirit under their severall formes and attaintments Now by forms and attaintments he meanes Prelacie Presbyterie Independencie yea Poperie and all outward worship and ordinances of which he saith there is no forme nor model in the letter of the Scriptures and so he maketh the Scriptures as unperfect as the Papists doe the one dreaming of a Spirit in the breast of the Pope and cursed Clergie to be the master of our faith the other an Anabaptisticall Spirit of unwritten revelations to be our leader and they reproach the word of God as formes characters figures a faith Ceremoniall and figurative services out of the knowledge of the Scripture as H.N. saith Evang. ch 34. sent 10. And by Christians he meanes Saints of divers and contrary sects wayes Religions such as is the Chaos of a Church in the Sectaries Army in which there are Arrians that say Christ was but a mere godly man Antitrinitarians Socinians Arminians Seekers Anabaptists most of them all being Arminians Familists Antinomians Enthysiasts and all these should agree in the unity of the Spirit and as he saith after pag. 20. in these outward things they ought to please one another to edification Rom. 13.10 Rom. 8.2 Col. 2.20 the Law of love and spirit or life being more royall and excellent then any worldly rudiments whatsoever Now it is cleare that his meaning is they should keep the unity of the Spirit and please one another in all outward things as Rom. 15.1.2 so I thinke he should cite the place that is doe as Anabaptists among Anabaptists be a Presbyterian among Presbyterians an Independent among Independents Prelaticall among Prelaticall men that we offend not one another because the Law of loving our neighbour is above being baptised or not baptised and using of the signe of the crosse or not using it and all the five Popish bastard Sacraments are lesse then loving our brother upon this ground Familists make all externalls free and indifferent and so doth Oliver Crumwell in his letter to the House of Commons 1645. which I set downe here that many in both Kingdomes who looked on him as a godly man may be satisfied toward him whether he favour Familisme or no for it smelleth rankly of that fleshly sect it was printed before by Authority Presbyterians Independents all have here the same Spirit of faith and prayer the same presence and answer they agree here know no names of difference pity it is it should be otherwise any where All that beleeve have the reall unity which is most glorious because inward and spirituall in the body and to the head for being united in formes commonly called uniformity every Christian will for peace sake study and doe as far as conscience will permit and from Brethren in things of the minde we looke for no compulsion but that of light and reason in other things God hath put the sword in the Parliaments hands for the terror of evill doers and the praise of them that doe well if any plead exemption from it he knows not the Gospell if any would wring it out of your hands or steale it from you under what pretence soever I hope they shall doe it without effect that God will maintaine it in your hand and direct you in the use thereof is the prayer of Now because this Letter was publickly Printed and containes doctrine unsound and scandalous to me and many other every Christian is obliged to be ready to give an answer to every man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in him with meeknesse and fear 1 Pet. 3.15 especially when he giveth a publick scandall of unsoundnesse in the faith I thought my selfe tyed in conscience and others are debters to me for the same freedome of conscience in the truth which they crave to themselves in errors and hereâ—ies to shew how scandalous and unsound this Letter is Presâ—yterians Independents all have the same Spirit of faith and prayer the same presence and answâ—r Answ. This is no just enumeration to prove the inward and spirituall unity in the Army which he intends for there bee in the Army Socinians Arminians Anabaptists and by name Jo. Saltmarsh Mr. Del and Seekers who in Print disclaime both Presbyterians and Independents and to my knowledge there is not this day in England any that is a mere Independent which maintaineth nothing but Independencie with moâ—t of these of N. England and does not hold other unsound and corrupt tenets especially that of Liberty of conscience which bordereth with Atheisme Scepticisme and with all faiths and no faith 2. I am not of the Authors minde that Presbyterians and Independents as now they are can have the same spirit of faith and prayer except we say with H Nicholas the first Elder of the family of love that all externalls in Religion Presbyterians Independents Popes Cardinals Bishops Priests Deacons Sextons Services Ceremonies yea and the Church of Rome till contentions arose about these as H N. Evangelie c. 32. c. 33. saith are indifferent and no wayes unlawfull H. N. saith his followers are subject to no Gods no Lawes or Ceremonies but only to the Lord their God and to his most holy service of love they are not likewise subject in bondage unto the creatures neither yet to any created thing but only to the Creator c all their life minde and delight only is in God and God himselfe likewise with his mind life or Spirit is in them and they are even so of one conformity or substance with each other namely God and his people of peace Spirit l. and c. 55. l. 9. No
wonder then this Author cry downe outward formes and cry up inward spirituall unity For the same Spirit of faith they cannot 〈◊〉 that beleeve contradictorie articles of faith But many that goe under the name of Independents and Presbyterians beleeve with Familists that Jesus Christ dyed not as true man for sinners and that he dyed as true man for sinners that the justified can sin that the justified cannot sinne that the justified are perfect in this life that the justified are not perfect in this life that the justified ought to confesse and crave pardon for sinnes that they ought not to confesse and ought not to crave pardon for sinnes For Saltmarsh telleth us there are contradictions between the faith of Protestants touching Christ his birth dying crucifying buriall ascending to heaven c. and of others hee meanes Familists and Antinomians who have attained the highest and most glorious discoveries of the Spirit Sparkles of glory p. 185 186 187 190 191 192 198 199 c. then such Independents and Presbyterians as the letter intendeth cannot have the same faith except also we hold every mans conscience within to be his rule and faith if he have love as the Familists say and that all faith or Religions without are indifferent as Familists in their Petition to K. James An. 1604 professe they will take or leave Familisme as the King and his Laws thinke fitting it may be for State intereâ—â—s â—heir practise now is a little eccentrick to their faith 2. Nor can they have the same Spirit of prayer the same prayer or answer for Presbyterians pray for the nearest uniformity in Religion faith worship government And for all the ends in the Covenant extirpation of heresie of Famiâ—iâ—me Antinomianisme Scepticisme aâ—ominable Liberty of conscience I should be glad if Independents and the Author of this Letter would pray and indeavour the same for William Del and John Saltmarsh have preached and printed to the world the grossest points of Familisme and they are ordinary Preachers to the Generall and the rest of the Commanders when Arminians and Socinians and men not halfe so absurd and monstrous in the faith as they did preach before the King the godly in both Kingdomes mourned for it to God and prayed against these things and I conceive the godly Presbyterians doe the same yet and have not forsaken their principles or the truth in a jot If the Presbyterian pray as they doe that God would avert that Athesticall plague of Liberty of conscience extirpate Familisme Socinianisme c. And Independents pray that God would grant them the grace of Liberty of conscience that Familists Socinians c. may be tolerated and promoted to highest places Can the Spirit bestow the same accesse and presence to the praiers of the one as to the other Have contradictory prayers the same answer from God Will God heare and satisfie both But I observe here that Saltmarsh and Familiâ—â—s father all their new lights on the Spirit and make the holy Spirit the author of Scepticisme and contradicent truths for Saltmarsh saith if there be not a toleration of all Religions all the glorious discoveries of God above or beyond that systeme or form of doctrine c. established and concluded by the Assembly of Divines according to the word shall be judged and sentenced as heresie and schisme and so God shall be judged by man Why because God himselfe speakes Familisme Arrianisme Socinianisme and all heresies in these that now goe for Independents and God speaks the juâ—t contrary in Presbyterians and if men udge either because the same Spirit of faith is in both then God must be judged by men 3. Are not many Independents now turned Familists and so beyond any neceâ—sity of Ordinances praying reading Sacraments Scriptures and live upon only all Spirit pure glorious revelations 4. Wee know no names of difference True wee did all with one minde as we beleeved in the simplicity of our hearts with lifted up hands to the most high God swear to endeavour according to our places to defend the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland to endeavour the extirpation of superstition heresie schisme prophanenesse who hath left this oath of God Know we not Presbyterians now by their names Are they not now the most persecuted men in England Can God suffer persecution and blood in Independents because Independents All that beleeve have the reall unity which is most glorious because inward and spirituall in the body and to the head for being united in formes commonly called uniformity every Christian will for peace sake study and doe as farre as conscience will permit Answ. No union to this Author is reall and most glorious and spirituall but the inward union externall union is excluded from being a reall union Why this union in hearing the same word of faith receiving the same seales of the Covenant bowing our knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11.17 18 19 20 21 22 23. is at Troas Act. 20.6 7 8 9 10. Drinke yee all of this Eat yee is an unity in the externall visibly acted and performed worship of God is it not both commanded and reall it is no notion of the braine but externall worship commanded True but not in the same forme manner way time place but we disclaime an uniformity in the Physicall circumstances of time place and never tye any but to the generall naturall simple conveniencie of time place persons But the Author hath a higher aime then to exclude this uniformity for I finde Mr. Del and Saltmarsh professed Familists speake to the minde of this Author most grosse Familisme for Mr. Del preached a Sermon before the Commons against outward Reformation and outward formes all his arguments conclude against the written word of God against the preached word by men Paul or Apollo because Gospel-Reformation is a worke not of the creature but of God and as proper to God as to redeem or create the world Now Preachers can have no hand in redeeming or creating the world and when this Author saith inward unity is the reall unity Observe he calls it the unity the reall unity then that we all speake the same thing 1 Cor. 1.10 is no unity not any reall unity and that we all walke according to this rule of the new creature in our conversation and Christian practice before men as Gal. 6.16 and according to the same rule as we are commanded Phil. 3.16 that we all walke in love and as children of the light abstaining from fornication uncleannesse coveteousnesse as Eph. 5.2 3 4 5 6 7 8. And that we all walke in Christ as we have received him Col. 2.6 7. c. honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying Rom. 13.12 13. 1 Thess. 5.1 2 3 4 5. 1 Pet. 2.11 12 13. is neither a part of the unity nor reall
have nothing but inward spirituall worship and say now it was unlawfull to take â—he Covenant and the deepest Familists say it was at that time dangerous to refuse the Covenâ—nt and they might lawfully take it and keepe their heart to God for H. N. Epistle to the Daughters of Warwick so teacheth Now councels as sermons and preaching and the written word are but formes to these men Anoynting is the work of the alone Holy Ghost 1 John 2.27 and no worke of men and they are all carnall â—en or such as H. Nicholas speaketh are wise with Worldly Antichristian false and fleshly wisdome 2 He tels us the New Testament worship consisteth in faith hope love and citeth John 4.23 and Paul preached at Troas and administred the Lords Supper till breake of day all that beleeved were together and continued daily in the Temple and did breake bread from house to house here was union but not a word of externall Vniformitie Answ. Here was all the Uniformity we crave for that which Peter preached in one house Matthew or another Apostle preached not the same very words and in the same forme of Grammer but all the twelve preached the same thing in Doctrine prayed for the same thing all administred received the Supper of the Lord according to the Institution of Christ all did sit at table all did take break and eate all did drink after the elements were blessed this Uniformity or unity cal it as you will we seeke and an union in the externall acts and ordinances but this unity is not among Presbyterians Familists Antinomians Arrians neither Doctrine nor praying nor beleeving of these same fundamentals are one as the letter would say for if all have love and all give faith and beleife to the dictats of their Conscience and a Spirit leading without scripture This unity sufficeth not though Familists beleeve Christ is not God incarnate yet we beleeve he is God incarnate though Antinomians beleive a justified man cannot sin needs not coÌ„fesse nor sorrow for sin yet we beleive the just contrary here is neither unity say we nor uniformity we have unity of faith hope love say Familists but no uniformity because there is an indifferency in what ye beleeve if yee beleeve what Conscience or an Enthysiasticall spirit speake to you it is all one you have true faith and true love By the way of these men The Unâ—formity that Familists cry downe is the tying of the spirit and his various working to one form and way of working for this were to rule order inlarge and straighten the spirit of God by the spirit of man saith Del. But we judge Familists to be ignorant of the state of the question For the preaching and worshipping of God in spirit and truth is not the thing in question but how the outward Ordinances whither the spirit concurre with them or concurre not ought to be ordered we say God hath not left men at freedome to follow the dictates of Conscience at will which often is conceit not Conscience the word regulateth us sufficiently that we looke to the rules of edification charity prudency order decency and especially the word of God But the mystery is this all outward things are indifferent and we are to please one another in them and the spirit without the word is a rule to us in the ordering of externals We heare Saltmarsh and M. Beacon say we must please one another in love in outward things so H. Nicholas saith paterne of the pres Temp. The Services and Ceremonies he meanes all the Idolatrous service of the Church of Rome shall not save any one without the good nature of Jesus Christ and of his service of love nor yet condemne any one in that good nature of Jesus Christ nor in the service of love I see not then how Becold sinned in taking fifteen wives at once for to follow the word and figures of the Law thou shalt not commit Adultery is as Del and Familists tell us the spirit of man that inlargeth straitens the spirit of God which would have some colour if preaching of the word sacraments hearing were to be ordered by the wisdome of mere men and if Orthodox Doctrines of councels in their matter were mens devises and not Gods word and if the spirit of God did not agree to goe along with his owne Ordinance In Vniformity every Christian will doe for peace sake as far as Conscience will permit But shall the Christian doe nothing for truths sake and for the commanding law of God in Uniformity or in unity or onenesse in externall worship In external worship then we have no law but please one another in love and the law of peace or if Conscience have any acting therein it is Conscience acted by the Spirit without the word so in all externals if we keepe faith and love in the heart we may live as we list A good loose world there is an Uniformity in wars in marrying in whoring in invading the rights of the Subjects their power liberty goods possessions wee have no law in these but peace pleasing one another in love And what may we not doe then If we keepe Familistical love in our heart which is the Godly being and the Godding of man with God a permitting Conscience no word of God is our rule But the onely rule say they is Conscience Led with peace that is with a desire to please one another in love in all externals in cursing or no cursing murthering or no murthering whoring no whoring lying blaspheming railing no lying no blaspheming no railing For the written word and law of God the Old and New Testament to Antinomians and Familists is a forme a letter and some certaine figures which yet are not the Christian mans obliging rule Saltm sparkles of glory p. 238 239. for p. 216 217. The whore is adorned saith he with gold and pearle which are those excellencyes of nature and formes of worship and Scriptures with which shee decks her self as a counterfit Spouse of Christ pag. 243.245 So the Uniformity of having the same Old New Testament and the same Law and Gospell preached is here covertly condemned and the having the same outward Ordinances is contrary to inward and spirituall unity in the Godly being of love and faith as if we had no word of God for to read Scripture partake of Ordinances but all externals were free In things of the mind wee looke for no compulsion but of light and reason The Authour means in Religion and faith which cannot be compelled we looke for no compulsion This was as much As we looke not from the Parliament for any Laws or use of the Sword to punish us then if one should deny there is a God as many fools doe if any should blaspheme and raile against the Godhead wee looke the Parliament should not take notice of it 2 all Religion here comes in under the name of things of the minde
truth of God he should thinke they minister as they received all the Familists and Antinomians in England if they should sit down in a Synod and all the Papists in another Synod all the Socinians in third Synod all the Arrians in a fourth all the Prelatic all Reconcilers in a fifth all the Anabaptists in a sixt and propound such things only as they have received or they are in conscience perswaded of to all the Kingdome they should then all minister as they had received and should be good stewards of the manifold grace of God for so Peter speaketh 1 Pet. 4.11 for sure Saltmarsh cannot say the commandement of the Parliament must be required to make a Synod if men speake their owne drunken perswasions to M. Saltmarsh they fulfill the Apostle Peters rule Let every one minister as he hath received Now by this to minister as we receive is not to minister as we receive from the Lord 1 Cor. 11.23 nor according as Ministers Heare the word at the mouth of Gâ—d Ezeck 2.8 ch 2.10 or as the anointing teacheth us 1 Joh. 2. â—â— Joh 6.45 46. because the Lord or his Spirit or the anointing cannot teach men lyes contrary to the word of truth but the perswasions of men often are lyes errors mistakes then shall every mans erroneous conscience and his owne dreaming spirit be the rule of his owne faith and his teaching of others And 2. This is cleare from his words in the former Epistle to the Parliament if such as conforme not to doctrine and discipline of the Church and preach without ordination shall be proceeded against by fines imprisonment then all the glorious discoveries of God above or beyond that systeme or forme of doctrine shall be judged and sentenced as heresie and schisme and so God himselfe shall be judged by man Now this consequence is nothing that God must be judged by man except the perswasions of the consciences of Familists Antinomians Socinians Arminians Arrians and all the sects that say they are the godly party be very God beleeving professing teaching in them then if such can no more be judged then God what ever their spirit perswadeth them must be truth for God cannot but perswade truth then I confesse the Sects must be infallible because the Scriptures say no more of the Prophets and Apostles then God spake in them and the mouth of Prophets is called the very mouth of God Luke 1. 3. Why These judges the Saints now called Sectaries are not infallible but when Sectaries come twenty thousand armed men against the Presbyterians who in conscience beleeve and have proved that the Sectaries speake lyes in hypocrisie must not they be infallible in both judging them to speak against their conscience and in opposing Liberty of conscience and also in killing them or then they kill men upon fallible conjectures Then if Presbyterians be perswaded in their conscience that liberty of conscience is Atheisme not true liberty then must Sectaries who are but men judge God and punish us because we minister to others what wee have received for we are perswaded of the truth we teach 4. This way promiseth salvation in all Religions so men in these be perswaded in their conscience of the truth thereof against which the Assembly hath determined according to the word of God ch 20. Sect. 3. and. c. 10. Sect. 4. CHAP. XXXII What certainty of faith the Saints may attaine to beyond the Familists fluctuation of faith of Heresie and Schisme 5. FAmilists and Antinomians goe one with the Belgicke Arminians and all our late English Independents who are for Liberty of conscience and a Catholicke toleration and punishing in a coercive way no kinde of men never so blasphemous for their conscience teach print what they will there being no infallibility now in any since the Apostles expired But this is a most false ground for there is a twofold infallibility one in teaching flowing from immediate inspiration proper to the Prophets and Apostles and another infallibility and certainty of perswasion common to all beleevers Now Libertines turne all our faith in a topicke and conjecturall opinion so most of them are turned Scepticks and affirme that we know nothing with any certainty yea the more supernaturall and sublime that fundamentalls of salvation are the more indulgence and latitude of liberty is to bee yeelded to the consciences of all men because the higher the subject is the ranker is our propension to erre God having given a thinner and more scarce measure of knowledge in supernaturall things that doe so farre transcend the sphere and orbe of naturall reason then of knowledge in naturall things our mindes being in their owne element and in a capacity to reach their connaturall and proper object wheÌ„ they are among natural things knowable by the light of nature hence that opinion now so prevailing that all and every Religion is to be Tollerated and an indulgence yeelding to all in superstructurs in foundamentals though a man should deny that Christ is the Saviour of the world therfore Saltmarsh takes on him Sparkles of glory as p. 185 186 187 188 to reckoÌ„ out the articles of our faith especially concerning the first Adams sin sin originall of Christ borne of the Virgin Mary made under the law bearing our sins dead buried ascended into Heaven siting at the right hand c. speaketh of the highest attaintments of the Protestants generally in the mystery of salvation but speaketh not one word of the generall resurrection of our bodies of Christ comming to judge all men of a Heaven and Hell after this life as if these were none of the highest attaintments of the Protestants generally in the mystery of salvation And Saltmarsh as I conceive with Hymeneus and Philetus and other Libertines in the Armie doubt of or deny these therefore not owning these points of faith nor the doctrine of faith repentance love new obedience praying preaching sacraments as if hee professed himselfe no Protestant in these points saith these are beleeved by Protestants but doth not owne them as a part of his owne beleefe but he goeth on p. 190. and teacheth us of a further discovery as to free grace as if Protestants had never attained to a further discovery as to free grace and here he falles in on his owne secrets of Antinomianisme and contradicteth the Protestants and debaseth the confession of the late Anabaptists the seaven Churches of the assembly of Divins at Westminster speaks not one word in this new discovery of Christ God-man born of a womaÌ„ under the law c. or of the Articles of the faith of Protestants yea pa. 198 199 c. he tels us of the last and as some say of the highest and most glorious discovery concerning the whole mystery of God to men and his creation in which hee againe saith nothing of the Protestant faith not one word of Christ God and Man of the Resurrection of the last Judgement of the
teaching man Sparkles of glory pa. 247.87 Yea John should in writing this epistle contradict himselfe for he was a man not God who wrote and hee saith even to these who had the anoynting in them in the same place ver 26. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you 1 John 2.1 these things write I unto you that ye sin not and ver 12 13 14. He professeth he writeth to little children in Christ to young-men to fathers then either John wrote what was not needfull to wit that a man should write to anoynted ones or then John was more than a man or then in writing that he might teach the anoynted he contravened what he wrot in all his exhortationes and teaching in these three epistles and the Evangel and the Revelation Againe it is a cleare Hebraisme of which there be many in Johns writings for the Hebrews deny positively when they intend to deny only comparatively or secundum quid as when God and men are compared together or the action of God with men Ps. 127.2 the sense is so great shall be the abundance of the Spirit of grace would Jeremiah say under the New Testament that rather God himselfe shall be the teacher then one man shall teach another there shall be such exuberancie and seas of knowledge under the Messiahs Kingdome and the new Covenant above the Covenant God made with his people when he brought them out of Egypt And yee need not would John say so much that men teach you so full so rich so glorious is the Anointings teaching it is like to this Hos. 6.6 I desired mercy and not sacrifice yet sure he desired and commanded sacrifice so he exponeth it I desired the knowledge of God more then burnt offering and Christ exponeth it so Matth. 12.7 that mercy to the life of the hungering Disciples who plucked eares of corne on the Sabbath is more then externall observing of the Sabbath yet doth not Christ deny positively the externall observing of the Sabbath So 1 Sam. 8 7. They have not rejected thee but they have rejected me Certaine it was they rejected Samuel and would not have him to judge them but would have a King But the words are to bee exponed in a comparative sense though they be spoken positively that is rather or with a more hainous measure of disgracement and reproach they have rejected me their Lord and God in Covenant that I should not reigne over them then my servant Samuel 1 Cor. 15.9 10. Not I but the grace of God with me that is not I so much who am but a weake man but far rather the grace of God was the cause why I outstripped all the Apostles in labour And 1 Cor. 3.7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing neither he that watereth but God that giveth the increase that is he that planteth or he that watereth is nothing in comparison of God yet the planter is something he is the Minister of Christ and Steward of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4.1 Paul saith 1 Cor. 1.17 Christ sent me not to baptise but to preach the Gospel yet Mat. 28.19 he sent all the Apostles to baptise also Nor can we beleeve that the word of God hath two senses one internall spirituall more excellent and perfect that doth affect the heart and is divers from the literall and genuine sense and another written sense of the letter that is lesse excellent and but preparatory for the more excellent as Arminians falsely impute to us Sim. Episco par 1. Thess. 17. dispu 2. But as it is the opinion of Enthusiasts falsely imputed to us because we teach that there is a neceâ—sity of the supernaturall illumination of the Holy Ghost to cause us savingly know and beleeve the one onely true and literall sense of the Scripture with an evidence of light spirituall and supernaturall which we knew before with a common naturall and literall light and evidence which is not wanting in Devills otherwise they could not beleeve and tremble apprehending Christ as their tormenter and in many wicked men or then they should not be inexcusable 2. The Scripture could not say they know God Joh. 7.28 Joh. 3.2 c. 3. Nor could they mocke and scoffe at the wisdome of the crosse if they were void of all knowledge of the doctrine of the crosse as they doe 1 Cor. 1.18.23 24. 1 Cor. 2.14 this opinion we lay at the doore of the Antinomians and judge to be absurd For 1. The unregenerate man were obliged to beleeve and apprehend one sense of the word and the inlightned another different sense whereas both may literally know one and the same sense that Jesus is the Sonne of God and Saviour of the world and the one beleeves and the other scoffes mockes and stumbles at the word Matth. 11.25 1 Cor. 1.18.25 1 Tim. 1.15 1 Pet. 2.6.7.8 2. Then should these words Christ is God and man the Saviour of belâ—eâ—ers have one sense to beleevers which they receiving by faith saveth them and another to others that Christ is not man but onely God as manifested in a Saint is Christ the Saviour of Saints but not the man that on Mount Calvery dyed and bare the reall punishment due to us by divine juâ—tice for our sinnes for the spirituall sense is either all one with the literall sense or diverse therefrom if all one we have our intent if diverse no man can have certainty of faith For 1. How can we be assured by any supposed Spirit or internall rapture of minde that this is the true sense of the Gospell That Christ is but God or the anointing of God suffering afflicted and dying in the Saints when the words in the letter doe beare the just contradicent that he was a man like us in all things except sin 2. The Scripture should be no light to our eyes no lanthorne to our feet if it have two senses for how should we with assurance of faith and an undoubting conscience in all wee beleeve in all we practise doe all for how shall poore people be resolved which of the two senses to follow since contradictory senses were offered to them for Protestants literall sense and Familists spirituall sense are as contradicent one to another as yea and no light and darknesse 3. Since Familists deny that they are infallible in exponing any Scripture and yet the Spirit doth suggest these spirituall senses that Antinomians and Familists boast off and â—â—at immediately acting on our soules as dead paâ—sive orgâ—ns without discoursing reasoning and arguing which to â—e is the very Propheticall immediately inspiring Spirit that carried the Prophets and Apostles in seeing the visions of God this must be a Spirit that is fallible and a Spirit that immediately suggesteth and teacheth untruths to some and â—o others such truths and senses as may admit of a further light and of a retractation and a beleeving of the very contrary and so a Spirit both
that the dead which are fallen asleep in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appeare unto us in godly glory which shall henceforth live in us everlastingly with Christ and reign upon the earth is a detestabl hereticke But H.N. teacheth so Evangel c 37. sect 9. Whosoever teacheth that to bee borne of the Virgin Mary out of the seed of David after the flesh is to bee exponed of the pure doctrine out of the seed of love is a detestable hereticke But H.N. teacheth so Document sent c. 3. sect 5. Whosoever teacheth that Jesus Christ is come againe unto us according to his promise to the end that they all which love God and his righteousnesse and Christ and perfect being might presently enter into the true rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his elect and inherit the everlasting life is a detestable hereticke But H.N. Evan. c. 1. sect 1. teacheth so c. Having examined these reasons with the books of H.N. we doe finde that in truth he holdeth these heresies and we think in our hearts and of our own knowledge affirm that H.N. is in these heresies a detestable heretick promising faithfully befor God and your honours never hereafter to have any dealing with his bookes and doctrin nor to go about to bring any to the love liking or reading of them and that we now speak is the true meaning of our heart as we look for mercy at his hands which searcheth the heart It shall never be well with England till the like abjuration of the doctrine of H.N. of Wil. Del Joh. Saltmarsh of Town Eaton Den Crispe and the scandalous Antinomians be tendered to most of the Army of Sir Thomas Fairfax and all the Sectaries in England but the Arme of the Lord must still bee stretched out against the land in fury and indignation till it be destroyed and till he throughly avenge the quarrell of the Covenant with so high a hand and so presumptuously broken by the Kingdome of England A MODEST SVRVEY of the secrets of Antinomianisme with a briefe refutation of them from the word of truth CHAP. I. Antinomians unjustly aceuse us IT cannot be judged either a wounding of the weake who side with Familists for a bastard love with Antinomians for a dead and rotten faith with Libertines the enemies of holy walking with God to answer those that aske a reason of our hope especially when we are nick-named Legalists Antifidians Pharisees Antichristian teachers enemies to free Grace because we stand for a rule of righteousnesse in the Law repentance from dead workes strict and close walking with God against all which that is to me a wall of brasse As deceivers and yet true as unknowne and yet well knowne Yet I give a briefe account of those saving and innocent Doctrines of the hoast of Protestant Divines if possibly truth may pierce through their eye-lids who winke because they will not see Of old the Albigenses were called Hereticks but saith an indifferent man genus haereseos nunquam nominant So now neither the heresie nor the Protestant Divine can be named that teach that the Law and Gospel are mixt in the matter of justifitation or that teares of repentance wash us from our sinnes that the covenant of grace is a covenant of works that we are to seeke righteousnesse in our selves CHAP. II. Antinomians are Pelagians WEe are farre from Pelagian grace that an unconverted man can leave sinne because sinne hath an earnest desire of soule-saving comfort cannot speak nor doe but in feare of sinne that an hypocrite under the Law can in good earnest and down-rightnesse of heart yeeld himselfe wholly to the law of God as a wife to her husband to bee instructed and ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God in the Law So Saltmarsh telleth us of a Legally-Gospel-way of conversion in which Christ in truth is received Much like to that of Familists of New England that a Legalist for truth may attaine the same righteousnesse that Adam had in innocency before the fall and a living faith that hath living fruits may grow from the living law We judge that an unconvert is so farre from a conformity to the Law that his conscience is burnt with a hot iron and he never saw his keepers face hee being under the law a captive in thick darkenesse and therefore all his faire vertues are white sinnes 2. Hee is an ill tree that cannot bring forth good fruit 3. True mortification is wrought by the Gospel-spirit 4. The law cannot give life 5. An hypocrites faith who is under the Law is dead CHAP. III. We hold no morall preparations with Pelagians Papists and Arminians going before conversion WEe teach not that which Saltmarsh falsely chargeth us that Vowes and undertakings never ascending to Christ fit us for conversion nor doe we too much burne or bear the wine of Gospel-grace with the Law-fire of workes and conditions For 1. we deny against Antinomians and Arminians any such Gospel-promise he that doth this and this and is so and so fitted with such conditions quallifications as money and hire in hand shall be converted as a reward of his worke The question touching preparations is not whether an humbled soule because humbled hath a good warrant to beleeve and receive Christ. We conceive the bottome of no mans faith is within himselfe but the common ground and Royall charter warranting all to beleeve is the free and money lesse offer of a precious Saviour who ever will have Christ and pay not a penny of condition or law worke for him take him freely But the question is of Christs order of bringing us to beleeve and close with Christ and the question is whether a damned Pharesee on his high horse of merits and law-righteousnesse an undaunted Heifer a Simon Magus a despitefull Atheist Elymas a Witch never broken nor convinced by the law must in that distance to Christ and the Gospel be charged to beleeve an everlasting love of election toward himselfe and without more adoe be led into the Kings chamber of wine to the slowings of soule-redeeming bloud or must he first bee humbled convinced of sinne burdened with everlasting burning due to him and so led to Christ. Antinomians say Sinners as sinners belong to Christ and have Christ offered to them as sinners and none can beleeve too hastily in Christ but sure they can beleeve or presume too misorderly and arrogate Christ to themselves as you teach them while they know no sinne-sicknesse for Christ. For 1. some too hastily will bee Christs Disciples before they make their reckoning what it will cost them 2. The Lords order is to cast downe and then convert first he draweth away some of the ill bloud and rancke humours and pricketh the heart and then bringeth the sicke to the Physitian the trembing Publicane
right to heaven of which the Law saith nothing 6. The Law gives a reward as a due debt though not merit the Goâ—pel giveth a reward against merit CHAP. IX Of the threatnings of the Law and Gospel TOuching the third part as the Law is in strict tearmes divided from the Gospel 1. The Law-threatnings are on the person for the actions and for the least faile in thought word or deed but the Gospel-threatnings are rather on the â—tate then the actions or if they be on the actions it is for the condition and state therefore the learned Pareus saith that the Gospel as the Gospel hath no threatnings at all For indeed the state of the kingdome of the beleever fenceth him from the curse he is free from condemnation because he is under another King then the man that is under the Law As the man in Scotland is free from Murther which he committed in Spaine not because his act of Murther deserveth not hee should die but because he is a member of the state of Scotland and no penal law of Spaine can reach him in that Sate Pareus thus farre saith true that it is the Law properly that curseth and that the Gospel as the Gospel curseth not but is properly glad tydings For 1. He that beleeveth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is already condemned that is before his unbeliefe sentence is passed on him by the Law and the Gospel doth but ratifie the sentence For if we suppose there had never been a Gospel nor a Mediatour the sinner should have been a cast-away and sentenced man but now because he beleeveth not he shall not see life but the wrath of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abideth on him then it was on him before if hee should beleeve in the Sonne of God the sentence of the Law should be taken off the Prince offereth a pardon of grace to a man that hath 〈◊〉 hâ—s Sonne so he will accept of it he refuseth to accept of a Pardon and therefore dyeth rather for his bloud-shâ—d then for his not accepting pardon it would seeme among men too lâ—w a cause of death to put him to death for refusall of a pardon at 〈◊〉 the sentence was given out for killing the Kings Sonne onely he dyeth more deservedly that both he killed the Son and despised his Princes grace or rather his doome is aggravatâ—d and the chaines of Capernaum are made heavieâ— because they comparatively justifie Sodome and so the Gospel-vengeance is an addition to the Law-vengeance as he that dyeth of an extreame distemper of body and by a gracious Physitian may be cured but refuseth the medicine the distemper is the Physicall cause of his death his contempt of the art of the Physitian is the morall cause and a reason why he dyeth without the compassion of his friends and with greater torment of mind to himselfe Yea Faith is not properly the cause that hath any effective influence on so noble effects as are free pardon and free salvation farre lesse is it any meritorious cause Christ hath no joint causes with him in this excellent worke of saving a sinner unbeliefe is a morall cause non removens prohibens 2. The Gospel is an exception of grace against the Law for the Law saith He that sinnes shall dye the Gospel addeth except he beleeve or he shall certainly dye except he beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly so that the Gospel saith Amen to the Lawes threatning and taketh them not off nor contradicteth them in their owne nature 3. What ever threatnings are executed against an unbeleever they are the Law-threatnings it s a Law-death that the unbeleever dyeth for all that eternally perish doe perish under the law and the covenant of works never man is lost under Christ if therefore the Gospel say Whoremonâ—ers Adulterers Murtherers Drunkards shall not inherite the kingdome of God this threatning doth necessarily presuppose a Law-state if they which doe such things remaine under the Law otherwise the Gospels intent is not that they perish but that they beleeve and be saved CHAP. X. Of Gospel feare 〈…〉 with Gospel-freedome to feare hell so wee 〈…〉 and punishment more then sinne for sinne is a 〈…〉 then punishment For 1. we are commanded to 〈◊〉 him who can cast both soule and body into hell 2. It s not a Law-spirit of bondage that some tremble at the word of 〈◊〉 nor for Josiahs hâ—â—rt to melt at the reading of the â—aw 3. Not to be affraid of judgement is a part of a heart rockie and hardened Though Felix his trembling at judgement did prove him to bee under the Law because hee feared onely â—udgement and judgement as a greater evill then sinne Nor is it mercinary to love the reward so it be not more in our intention then a holy communion with God For 1. Moses by Faith had an eye to the recompence of reward Paul set the garland before him as his end 2 Wee are commanded so to runne that we may obtaine to lay up a sure foundation that we may lay hold on life eternal Onely wee are not to make happinesse and our created blessednesse so much out formall end in running our race as holynesse and our objective happinesse which is God himselfe If Antinomians would difference betweene love of a hire and hireling love then should not Towne condemne the just nor can the Fathers under the Law be said to have served the Lord with an upright heart if they served him for hire which Satan judged hypocrisie in Job cap. 1. vers 9.10 See Psalm 73.25 Job 13.15 CHAP. XI Law-feare and Gospel-faith consistent NOr doth Master Towne and Antinomians inferre by good arguing because beleevers may bee stricken off sinnes upon the consideraton of Law-threatnings that their sinnes deserve not wrath as well as the sinnes of others as â— Job saith What then shall I doe when God riseth up and â— Destruction from God was a terror to me But it followeth not that therefore to obey God sub paenà for feare of the condemning Law is not free Gospel-obedience For it s most false seeing this obedience for feare of the desert of sinne was in Paul though he was perswaded that eternall wrath should never be inflicted on him as is cleare by his words Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord wee perswade mâ—n And we know if our earthly house be dissolved we have an house not made with hands but eternall in heaven 2. Law-threatning when Faith assureth the conscience of freedome from the wrath to come and love-perswading are most consistent For most cleare it is that Christ and his Apostles doe command and strictly charge in the Gospel So Antinomians erre who teach that the Gospel perswadeth rather then commandeth and reasons and argues us to duties rather then bindes and enforces and that holinesse and sanctification now is not such as is faâ—hioned by the Law of outward command but by
have the Old man in beleevers shut up under the Law and the New man above all Law or subject to none at all as Familists and Libertines when they sinned said Non ego pecco sed asinus meus not I but the flesh doth sinne or sense reason the Old man doth sinne because the Old man onely is under the Law not the New man 2. Guiltinesse and sinne is a thing that falleth on the person not on a part of man 3. The command is given to the person the person is the subject of punishment and condemnation not his sense only 4. Thus Denne and Saltmarsh say Faith righteousnesse light joy and peace is in conscience in the sense fâ—â—sh conversation is sinne yet nothing that can condemne because the conscience is washed in justification but sinne is in the conversation saith Denne and in the sense reason or flesh saith Saltmarsh so here originall sinne shall be no sinne CHAP. XV. Antinomians hold the justified to sinne before men and as touching their conversation not before God and as touching their conscience SO Antinomians say the justified have no sinne in their conscience nor can God see any sinne in their conscience yet there is sinne in their conversation and flesh But 1. sin Originall and the flesh lusting against the Spirit dwelleth inherently in its essence being a blot in the conscience and whole man though guilt and actuall condemnation bee removed so was Paul a wretched man onely for sinne in mind will conscience affection no ill but the ill of sinne could make him cry out of his wretched condition 2. The justified must be as perfect as Angels if no sinne dwell in them and they need not pray for pardon wanting all sin 3. Sin in conversation as murther in the hands oppressing of men blasphemy in the tongue are against the Law of God and must be sinnes in the conscience else they are against no Law of God which make the sinnes of the justified and their doing golden graces CHAP. XVI Justification is close mistaken by Antinomians when they judge it to be an extirpation of sinne Root and branch as Papists fancie venials to remaine onely in the justified IUstification to us is not as Antinomians dreame an utter extirpation of sinne in its essence root and branch for Papists conceive of justification so as nothing that is sinne remaineth in the justified but some gentle venials which we can satisfie for our selves but we judge justification to be a judiciall and law-removall of the guilt or obligation to eternall punishment 1. It is a judiciall and forinsecall Law-declaration that is opposed to condemnation but this removeth Law-guiltinesse to die not the intrinsecall inherent blot of sinne as if the sinner had never sinned and were now no sinner 2. By it the sinner is not as Antinomians say as righteous as Christ because Christ could say in truth I have no sinne but wee even being justified are lyars if we say we have no sinne 3. Sin dwelleth not in Christ at all nor was there in him flesh and concupiscence lusting against the Spirit as in us For it is cleare from the Scriptue that sinne dwelleth in the justified CHAP. XVII Christ not formally the sinner as Antinomians dreame NOr was Christ so made sinne as the intrinsecall guilt of sin was laid on him as Crispe saith Christ was onely the Adulterer the Idolater the sinner imputatively not inherently and formally in that he did beare the satisfactory punishment of wrath and hell due to our sinne 1. Christ was so made sinne not in the imagination but really suffering in our person yet so as sinne physically and inherently in its blot remaines in us and after wee are justified wee have sinne We are sold under sinne and carnall in many things wee offend all Now its blasphemy to say that Christ was so sinfull as we are 2. Nor is the surety the principall any way save onely legally penally imputatively the debtor there is no injustice in the surety as in the principall in borrowing money and profusely wasting it and wronging his brother nor can the surety bee called formally the unjust man the waster though he be legally the debtor and holden in justice and really not in imagination to pay the summe so was Christ never inherently and formally the sinner as the snow is formally white because Christ in himselfe in his physicall person and natures was innocent holy harmelesse undefiled separated from sinners even while he was a surety for sinners 3. Scripture expoundeth Christs bearing of our sinnes not as if the essence forme and intrinsecall fundamentall and essentiall guilt of sinne had been on him then he should have been a sinner as we are and so not a sinlesse sacrifice for sinne but in bearing the punishment due to us in his owne body on the tree in being wounded for our transgressions but it s the Antinomianâ— way to confound Sanctification and Justification and to make us as inherently and intrinsecally in our very persons holy sinnelesse righteous free of the indwelling of Originall sinne and the old man and the flesh as Christ himselfe and this is the Familâ—sts principle That Christ hath Goded and Christed a Saint and Christ is incarnate and maned in the beleever so that the beleever is God manifested in the flesh and dwelling personally in us all the sinnes that a beleever commits are no more sinnes then the actions of Christ for all our sinnes were swallowed up and annihilated in Christ He that is borne of God say they cannot sinne and M. Towne telleth us that justification is regeneration and to faith there is no sinne CHAP. XVIII That we are not justified untill we beleeve WEe hold against Antinomians that we are never justified till we beleeve They say from eternity we were justified or from the time that the Messiah dyed all sins were finished and wee justified or from our birrh But justification in Gods decree and purpose from eternity is no more justification then Creation sanctification glorification the crucifying of Christ and all things that fall out in time for all these were in the eternall purpose of God 2. In justification our sinnes are in their guilt fully done away as a thick cloud cast in the bottome of the sea remembred no more sought for and not found if all this was done from eternity beleevers were never sinners never children of wrath really as Paul saith never dead in sinnes never enemies to God or ungodly they were onely such in a mentall consideration 3. It is true God loved his chosen ones from eternitie to salvation and from that love sent his Sonne to die to wash justifie and sanctifie them but this is not their justification but a fruit of justification in time When our time is the time of love and wee are dying in our owne
sickely many dead Zachary was stricken with dumbnesse because hee beleeved not the Angels word Luke 1. 2. The Covenant in which perseverance is promised threatning the rod of men to beleevers that transgresse the Lords Law prove the same 3. God was angry and in a mercifull anger punished Moses Aaron Salomon Jehoshaphat Nor is it of weight that God smote men to death in the Old Testament for light sinnes but it s not so in the New he is not so severe now But is not our God even in the New Testament a consuming fire Were there ever more Hell-like vengeance that fell on any then on Jerusalem so as Christ said barren wombs should bee blessed and they should cry hills fall on us and cover us 2. Did beleevers in the Old Testament make satisfaction to revenging justice for their sins that Christ did beare 3. Were there any halfe satisfactions made by men to infinite justice 4. Were they their owne redeemers from Hell CHAP. XXXII Beleevers are to mourne for sinne WEe judge the Spirit of grace to be a mourning spirit They shall looke on me whom they have pierced and mourne They that escape shall be on the mountaines like the doves of the valleis all of them mourning every one for his iniquity 2. As this is promised so is it practised Peter having denyed his Lord remembred the words of Jesus went out and wept bitterly and a woman that was a sinner stood at Jesus feet behind him weeping and beganne to wash his feet with teares Wee roare all like Beares and mourne like doues for our transgressions are multiplied 3. It is commanded Be afflicted and mourne and weepe Let your laughter be turned into mourning 4. Mourners are blessed Antinomians after Adultery rapine bid us beleeve rejoyce for God loveth not heavinesse dulnesse sorrowfull cogitations there is nothing to a beleever but joy comfort rejoycing sorrow for or sense of sinne is sorrow for a shaddow and sinfull unbeliefe for pardoned sinne is no sinne But say wee pardoned sinne is sinne and sorrow for offending him whom we have pierced is the Gospel-groaning of the Turtle and sorrow according to God and this is the Libertines mortification to sinne without sorrow or sense and to know and feele sinne after it is committed said Da Georgius is an act of the flesh and the taste of the apple that Evah did eat say the Libertines CHAP. XXXIII To crave pardon for sinne or to have any sense of sinne denyed to beleevers by Antinomians VPon this ground it s a worke of fleshly unbeliefe say they that a justified David crave pardon of sinnes committed after he is justified 1. But why more of sinnes committed after then before justification for both sorts of sinnes are removed by the bloud of Christs Crosse and cease to be sins as Antinomians teach and if we be justified ere we beleeve a beleever having committed Adultery mustâ—ly when he saith out of the sense of sinne Lord in this I have sinned against thee These that call God Father Mat. 6.12 pray for forgivenesse dayly Sense of sinne is an act of unbeliefe to Antinomians if beleevers judge sinne pardoned to be sinne or any thing but a slip in our conversation before men not a breach of a Law in the sight of God and if they judge of adulteries and murthers committed after they beleeve pardon in Christ as of sins to be mourned or humbled for they judge amisse not by the light of Faith but by the carnall feeling and mis-apprehension of sense reason the flesh So to be deadned to all sense of sinne to have a conscience burnt with a hot yron is mortification CHAP. XXXIV Antinomians hold wee are in the boyling of our lusts without any foregoing humiliation immediately to beleeve on Christ. VPon this ground that we are justified by Christs bearing our sinnes on the Crosse and before that of unbeleevers by the grace of Christ wee be made beleevers without any reall change of our state and condition before God or any humiliation of soule or sicknesse for the want of Christ we are immediatly to beleeve in Christ though remaining Adulterers Murtherers Paricides c. Yea nor is salvation tyed to beliefe nor is Faith a condition without which no man can bee saved And a man may be the greatest sinner imaginable and Christ may be his Christ. So that Christ may bee the Saviour of a beleever and he truely united unto him Christ may dwell in his heart by faith and in that same state and time he be kept captive in the snare of the Devill at his will and hee walke according to the course of the world according to the prince of the power of the ayre that now worketh in the children of disobedience which clearely stateth a communion between Christ and Belial God and the Devill the enemy of God in one and the same soule CHAP. XXXV Of spirituall poverty and how it s mistaken by Antinomians TRue poverty of spirit doth not kill and destroy all sight of grace in our selves as Antinomians say and when we have grace to see we have no grace its grace saith Town But it is true to know that we are poore wretched blinde and of our selves miserable is spirituall povertie and the more we find our nothingness money-lesse and beggarly condition the more grace because the poverty of humility is riches he is neerest to Christ who findeth he cannot buy him 2. It s true that not to bee too quick-eyed in a reflect knowledge to know our graces and not to rest on them nor make bigge undertakings as Peter did that wee can doe all is also spirituall poverty A beleever cannot lay a sowme and a great wodfie on himselfe but grace doth not undervalue grace and belie the Spirit in it selfe 1. The Saints give judgement of their owne graces Lord I beleeve I am black but comly as the tents of Kedar I slept but my heart waked for I am the least of the Apostles and am not meet to bee called an Apostle but by the grace of God I am that I am In which the Saints doe lay low themselves yet not slander the holy Spirit in themselves If I may not slander another then may I not slander Christ in my selfe 2. The office of the Spirit is to know the things that are freely given us of God 3 The Spirit of Christ doth not counter-worke himselfe Now his light lets us see the worke of grace in us for our own comfort grounds of rejoycing and that wee may see our debts and wee may praise Christ because wee cannot pay him CHAP XXXVI Repentance mistaken by Antinomians REpentance is not as Denne saith a part of Faith or a change of the mind to looke no longer for righteousnesse from the Law but from Christ
without the more forced and unnaturall is all such obedience and the lesse from a spirituall power within The beleever is saith Towne washed from all sinne made perfectly just and holy the friend and Sonne of God the Spouse of Christ the heire of all things the conquerour of all his enemies advanced to sit and remaine in the glory of heaven with Christ for ever and ever he is out of the power kingdome and limits of the Law he is one Spirit with Christ hence is peace securitie consolation joy contentment and happines of a Christian. Hee is a compleat man if wee beleeve Antinomians 1. The word preached though it dwell within him yet that it bee applyed by a Preacher from without is necessary and that Peter writ Stirre up and put in remembrance the Saints that Paul be comforted by Titus and that Christ from without blow on and act the soule to will and to doe and that Paul beseech Christ thrise and have a new answer my grace is sufficient for thee is most needfull 2. There shall be no ground of new emergent complaints to God And 3. of praises to Christ for particular victories over our lusts and the world 4. Nor any ground of spirituall submission and patience while the Lord be pleased to deliver And 5. of trusting in God and exercising faith in him who delivereth us from so great a paâ—ticular death as came on Paul in Asia and from heavinesse through manifold temptations if need be for the triall of our faith Now if all were within us and the obedience more violent and Legall lesse free and connaturall because we must goe to helps without faith needed not goe without doores or without it selfe to Christ and the in-dwelling Spirit should be one for all meanes and ordinances and new showres and bedewings and fresh drops from Christ the honey-combe of heaven should be uselesse our stock within should doe all nor should we know what it is to walke or stand on our owne clay-legs It s true if externalls and the Crosse or the Letter of Law or Gospel onely move us to obedience and there be no internall principle of grace within us then the obedience is but finer hypocrisie and lesse free and more violent and as it were forced But Antinomians imagine a beleever to bee so perfect because pardoned that the Spirit within him doth all and needeth neither Ministers nor ordinances because helps without are Legall not Gospel-like CHAP. LIV. What peace we may fetch from gracious performances THe Spirit acteth Legally say Antinomians when men measure forgivenesse by their sinne and sanctification and can beleeve no more then they have peace for and that peace dependeth on some of their owne performances in so doing saith Towne Legalists had rather gather peace and securitie from repentance and reformation of life then from justification which is onely effectuall to make and cause true peace But our minde is this Asser. 1. We are not to measure forgivenesse so by sinne and sanctification as the measure of pounds and talent-weights of pardon should arise from the like weight of pounds and talents of sinne and sanctification because great sinfulnesse and drames and halfe ounces of sanctification and love to Christ may argue to the beleever the pardon of tenne thousand talents Christ argued the woman loveth much ergo many sins are forgiven her we read not that this was the womans owne Logicke 2. We draw peace and pardon not from so many yards or ells of obedience as merchants measure cloth the Spirits consequence is not from the quantity but from the quallity of sanctification sparkles of gold may prove there is a gold mine in that ground and that in abundance nor draw we the consequence from sinnes simply but from sinnes hated subdued resisted Asser. 2. Peace with God or the peace of faith is not every way the same with peace with our selves and of our owne spirituall sense and apprehension Peace fundamentall and with God is solidly grounded on pardon Being justified by faith we have peace with God it s often so with the Saints that they have faith for pardon and yet no feeling for peace Asser. 3. We may have peace with God when wee have not peace with our selves as the covenant stands sure between God and us when we have great disquietnesse of minde either through some hainous transgression or present unbeliefe and it is not fit wee should have peace with our selves under some great sinne it is but carnall security if Peter after the deniall of Christ be quiet in Spirit and have deepe peace the disquietnesse of unbeliefe apprehending eternall wrath is sinfull but in regard of anxiety of godly sorrow its kindly there be stormes in winter when there are causes of them and faire Sommer-like weather is not so good for the season in Winter because not so kindly and sutable to a right frame of nature Asser. 4. Peace with our selves may arise from the works of saving grace but neither assurance nor peace can flow from naked acts of love and sanctification not quallified and goldned with Christ and his grace as Towne falsely slandereth us because such bastard works as are but white and comely sinnes and being in men out of Christ can but produce sandy and rotten peace but such acts of holynesse as essentially flow from heightned principles of soule-saving grace and are floured and crowned with Christs merits may bee grounds of solid peace though not causes and though some of our drosse still accompany our best performances yet may we difference in them Christs gold from our oare his wine from our dregs this peace is a heart not smiting but smiling and saying Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience c. and where there is joy there is peace both are fruits growing in the same soile so speaketh the Church with my soule I have desired thee in the night whence followeth Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for us Why For thou hast wrought all our workes in us But wee had not rather draw our peace from walking with nor from beleeving in God thorow Christ nor did wee ever meane that faith farre lesse holy walking should bee the cause of that fundamentall peace of peace betweene God and the sinner as Towne supposeth works are not fellow-mediators with Christ works had no bloud to interpose as Christ the peace-maker had for he is our peace works faith nor any thing in us were not actors nor commissioners in the treaty of pacification and the truth is the peace we have in our conscience and apprehension even from faith is the result the bloome that groweth on the stalke the floure or rose of Jesse rather then peace and it hath the right hew and resplendencie of peace because there is so much of Christ in either our faith or holy performances the rosie pleasant and
beleever But the beleever is not and shall not be till his dying day as free of sinne and spotlesse in the sight of God as Christ himselfe and whosoever feareth sinne and beleeveth not that God seeth no sinne in him being once justified robbeth God of his glory and is undoubtedly damned say they for its unpossible God can see sinne where there is none at all say they nor is this our freedome to be freed from the Law that is from the servile feare of eternall wrath or mercenary hope of reward as if the Law of God could command such slavish feare and hireling hope as Towne saith For the Law never did never could command sinne but so to feare or serve God as to seeke him earely when his rod is on us and when he slayeth us when the heart is like a deceitfull bow as Pharaoh did is slavish feare and to serve the Almighty for hire or gaine is sinne to feare the punishment and love the reward more then God is slavish and mercenary Gods holy Law can command no feare no obedience but what is free liberall ingenuous sinlesse sonnely filiall and holy for the Law is spirituall it is holy just and good 6. Christian liberty is not in freedome from subjection and obedience to Magistrates Masters Kings Parliaments for this Peter saith is to use our liberty as a cloake of maliciousnesse and that opened the mouthes of ignorant and foolish heathen who objected this to some peeping-up Antinomians in these daies who said their Christian liberty freed them from that yoake of subjection to lawfull Authority Kings Governours Masters now beside that Antinomians teach that Saints should not serve nor obey those that are not Saints nor beleevers as if Dominion and Civill power were founded on grace as Papists teach They doe not speake out but when they teach that Murthers Adulteries or any thing done against our brethren or to the disturbance of the peace of humane Societies committed by beleevers are no sinnes before God and that there is no more sinne in the children of God then in Christ himselfe and upon this ground God in justice cannot punish yea nor rebuke them for sinne Then say I these Adulteries and Murthers committed by beleevers if they bee no sinnes against God nor his Law they can bee no sinnes before man neither For the Magistrate beareth the sword to take vengeance on evil doers if these bee not sinnes against God even because they are sinnes against our neighbour then the Magistrate doth unjustly punish them 1. The Magistrate is the Vicegerent of God not judging for man but for the Lord and so should not punish but for these ill deeds for the which the Lord himselfe would punish But the Lord judgeth them neither sinnes against his Law nor can in justice punish them say Antinomians Ergo neither can the Lords Vicegerent judge them sinnes for they are against no Law of God nor can he punish them upon the same reason 2. The Law commandeth to Love our neighbour as our selves no lesse then to love God and he that loveth not his brother loveth not God and then who ever sinneth not as an evill doer against God cannot sinne against his brother and the peace of humane Societies and so the Magistrate ought not to draw his sword against him I grant Gods not punishing sinne is not a ground nor rule to the Magistrate not to punish sinne but sure Gods not punishing sinne and his none-displeasure against any thing as no sinne as having lost the nature and being of sinne as being against no Law as all the Adulteries Murtherings Cousonings Cheatings Robbing Stealing false-Witnesse-bearing of beleevers are supposed to bee in regard they are no more sinnes against a Law of God then any thing that Christ doth must be a rule to the Civill Magistrate who may no more strick the innocent who faileth against no Law of God nor he may kill robbe and oppresse Antinomians make a found escape from this they say The Adulteries Murthers lyings of beleevers are sinnes before men not before God or sinnes to their sense and feeling not to their faith and before God or sinnes in conversation not in conscience or sinnes in the flesh not in the Spirit So Towne Saltmarsh Denne Eaton So the Magistrates doe punish men for seeming Adulteries and Murthers fancied to be murthers but are not so indeed nor before God onely the unbeleeving weake conscience and erring sense or flesh taketh them to bee sinnes but they are not any reall injuries to God nor contrary to any Law of God 2. The Magistrate in conscience cannot judge that to bee violence to the life of a brother nor worthy of death which no Law of God can condemne as a sinne nor can hee in justice for imaginary Murther inflict reall death 3. Adultery and Murther must be then true and reall innocencies CHAP. LVIII Antinomians teach beleevers must not walke in their conversation as in the sight of God but must live by faith with God ANtinomians from their mis-understood justification of which they be utterly ignorant with Familists inferre That justified persons must not walke and live blamelesly with men and by sense but must live and have their dayly conversation in the sight and presence of God and so they abandon all sinceritie of holy walking before men and must live by faith up with God without sinne Dr. Tayler strongly proveth the Law to be in force to beleevers because the same sins are forbidden after faith and before faith and so the same holy and sincere doing of the Law by personall strength of free grace is given to us in Christ and Towne answereth him Keepe the Law and works here below on earth and as Enoch converse in spirit and walke with God in the alone righteousnesse of Christ and though justification be one individuall action and not by succession and degrees as inherent holynesse yet the vertue and efficacie of it is to cleare the coast of the conscience from all sinne to keep the unbeleever in everlasting favour peace securitie happinesse though the Jebusite must be in the Land and the prick in the flesh uncessantly forcing us to sinne more or lesse inwardly or outwardly yet Faith banisheth all the vapours that arise from our earthly members The same Saltmarsh hath But this is a subtile way of fleshly living 1. The word requireth sincerity as in the sight of God in our walking and conversing here on earth below with men Servants saith Paul obey in all things your masters according to the flesh not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singlenesse of heart fearing God Then servants are to serve as beleeving they are under the eye and sight of God and childrens obeying their parents is well-pleasing to God then doth God see and judge our works and Enoches walking with God
was not in onely beleeving that GOD walked with God or the Sonne Christ with the Father for him as Antinomians say making imputative sanctification all in all that is required in us but also in Enochs personall holy and sincere conversing with men Hence that goeth as a description of the good Kings of Israel and Judah He did right in the sight of the Lord. Which includeth their conversation on earth with men as well as their faith in God So to walke as the children of the day As wise men not as fooles in Christ as we have received him and to live no longer the rest of our time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God to have our conversation in the world by the grace of God in simplicity and godly sincerity All these and many the like hold forth necessarily a sincere walking before God as in his sight in our dayly conversation with men and the Antinomian doctrine in this is that though beleevers walke as carnall men serve their lusts whore lye cousen deceive yet they are strongly to beleeve that God seeth them not nor any fleshly and sinnefull walking in them God seeeth not their whoring lying cheating cousening to bee sinne and their beleeving that God seeth not their wickednesse is their living by faith and walking in the Spirit with God up in heaven as Enoch did 2. Nothing of beleeving Antinomians sinneth but their flesh as the Libertine said in Calvines time I sinne not but mine Asse the flesh the conscience the justified person that is in Christ sinneth not because the flesh is under the Law as Towne saith nor is this sinning of the flesh sinne because sinne essentially is against a commanding Law and cannot but in the sight of God be accounted sinne for God cannot seeing all his judgements and wayes are according to righteousnesse but account Adultery to be Adultery Murther to bee Murther but Antinomians say nothing that a beleever doth no Adulteries nor Murthers are sinnes nor can God see them as sinnes For how can the Lord see sinne saith Eaton where there is none There is no more sinne in a beleever then in Christ himselfe 3. It is no matter saith Eaton that we feele sinne and death still in us as if Christ had not taken them away because God thus establisheth the Faith of his power and therefore that there may be place for Faith we feele the contrary for it is the nature of Faith to feele nothing but letting goe reason shutteth her eyes and openeth her eares to that which iâ— spoken by God and cleaveth to the word spoken both living and dead It s true Faith beleeveth pardon and freedome from the guilt and obligation to eternall wrath which is a Gospel-truth farre from sense but faith closeth not its eyes to beleeve a lye that Adultery is no sinne before God because a justified man committed it The glory of God needeth not to begge helpe of a lye that it may be manifested 4. By this the justified man liveth and abideth as Towne saith for ever by faith in the sight of God But what haste The Resurrection is not past yet except Antinomians with Familists follow Hymeneus and Phyletus nor are the justified yet glorified they abide not ever under Gods eye sinnelesse and as cleane as Christ as Eaton blasphemeth to his everlasting shame for the Jebusite saith Towne remaineth in the Land the Law of the members and sinnefull corruption of the flesh dwelleth in them 2. They must say dayly Forgive us our sinnes if God be their Father else they neede not pray dayly Hallowed bee thy name thy Kingdome come c. 3. The flesh of sinne dwelleth with the Spirit Rom. 7. while they live 4. Death is not an imaginary lye and fancie so as Faith must beleeve the contradicent that is that beleevers breath goeth not out they returne not to their dust they are to beleeve sure beleevers see corruption Acts 13.36 Act. 2.27 28 29. 1 Cor. 15.42 43 44. Then Antinomians cannot say true that there is no more sinne in beleevers nor any thing having the nature and being of sinne then is in Christ. 5. They are not yet enjoying God in a vision of glory as Christ did even in the dayes of his flesh for he was both viator and comprehensor a traveller to the Crowne and an enjoyer of the crowne and therefore though justified they must walke here below and cannot chuse but sinne though they be not forced to sinne as Towne saith CHAP. LIX How Justification is one indivisible act not successive as Sanctification and yet God dayly pardoneth sinnes WEe make no question but we are at once justified and not by degrees and succession as wee are sanctified because justification is a foreinsecall and Law-change or judiciall sentence of God absolving the person of the sinner from all punishment or obligation to punishment due to him for sinnes past present and to come according to the rule of revenging and Law-persuing justice and that for the alone righteousnesse of the surety Christ freely imputed and by faith received of him and the bloud of Jesus Christ shall purge you from all your sinnes in whom wee have redemption the remission of our sinnes in his bloud Now the Scripture no where intimateth a favour of free grace in purging us from sinnes by halves or quarters as if some were halfe washen halfe delivered from the wrath to come and halfe unwashen and half under wrath 2. There is no condemnation to a soule once in Christ and justified Rom. 8.1 then there can be no re-acceptation or second receiving of a soule into the state of a justified person from the state of an ungodly man as if he had fallen from the former state and there can bee no second deliverance from eternall wrath to be inflicted for a new committed sinne Yet doe I not see that one and the same justification negagatively because it is never retracted is therefore a successive and graduall worke that groweth more and more as sanctification doth for so predestination to glory which is negatively one and the same should bee a graduall growing worke for as no shaddow of change can fall on God so neither can Predestination be retracted Yet is there no cause to deny that sinnes are dayly pardoned and remitted as they are committed for God is said to remit sinnes dayly when he reneweth the sense of the once passed act of attonement and applyeth what he once did to the feeling and comfort of the beleever for we never taught that Faith is a cause or so much as an instrument or condition without which Christ doth not on the Crosse by the power of his bloud take away sinnes now he that denyeth that God by his Spirit reneweth the lively apprehension of this act of attonement must deny that a beleever can oftner then once lay the weight
nor doe Antinomians know these poynts of the dephs of eternall free grace though they talke of them to abuse them to licentiousnesse But let us for the clearing of the Doctrine of Faith wipe off Saltmarshs poore reasons for immediate beleeving without all preparations his 3. Argument to the other two which yet are but one is Object It exalteth grace more to receive a sinner who hath no money no price no righteousnesse Answ. Adde an assumption But he that cometh dry empty sinfull and prepared with some sense of sinne of the Physitian Christ is the onely man that hath no money the Pharisie as a Pharisie is the man that hath money and righteousness in himselfe and is whole and needeth the Physitian in no sort and in that he is thus undisposed for Christ it should debase grace if the Lord should sell his wine and milke for the sinners money and sure that And hee that hath no money is a restriction of those who are invited to come unto the waters for all are not such as have no money for though really all want money and price to buy the waters wine and milk really because all are sinners Pharises or no Pharises yet there bee none here invited but onely some certaine persons who in their owne sense and their selfe-humbled condition make objections against themselves Oh! I am unworthy and unprepared for these waters I have no money nor prayer and Christ meanes them not to me but to some worthyer then I. Now Pharisies and all sinners even these that are selfe-righteous never move such doubts but take the Antinomian short cut and thinke they have money and presumptuously and being whole and unbroken come and buy that is they beleeve but in truth they presume This poore argument confoundeth preparations of sense and feeling which are preparations not of causation or action but of meere order which we assert according to the Scripture with preparations of merit or with the market-preparations of Pharisees Papists and Arminians which we detest and abhorre and hee cannot frame an argument from Esay 55. against us Object 4. It s right lifting up of Jesus on the Crosse as Moses lift up the Serpent in the wildernesse not for the healed to looke upon but the wounded the sixt Objection saith no other but that its most agreeable to the Gospel-way of dispensation the whole need not a Physitian but the sicke I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Answ. These places are much for us for the stung and wounded Israelites did not typifie sinners as sinners not all sinners without exception 1. All the heathen in the Wildernesse that were stinged with Serpents and all the Israelites ignorant of the vertue of the Serpent were not cured by looking on the brazen Serpent Numb 21.9 10 11. but onely such as were sensible of their paine and looked to the Serpent then that the type may not halt in this 1. Saltmarsh must presume that all who were stinged Heathen or Israelites who looked up were cured as sinners as sinners have Christ offered to them as sinners and so all sinners now the Text saith the contrary only the people of Israel had the benefit of the cure 2. Onely such as knew the vertue of the Serpent of brasse 3. I confesse Antinomians with Pelagians and Arminians take ever the easiest way and the shortest cut to heaven that as many as are sinners are sinners spiritually stung and sinne-sick and sinners in their owne sense and feeling as sinners in the Texts alledged are opposed to these that neede not the Physitian and to the righteous who sure are not the sinners and the sicke that the Physitian Christ came to cure and to call to repentance Saltmarsh cannot cull out a Text in all the Scripture so contrarie to his tenent as these for the Title of his Chapter or Article which is L I. is this Jesus Christ offered to sinners as sinners that is to all sinners and to men because they are sinners under the reduplication of sinners then the Text must beare Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance that is in the Antinomian glosse Christ came not to call sinners but sinners to Repentance for sure the Righteous that is the selfe-righteous and proud Pharisees who thought themselves no sinners but righteous and whole were sinners and obstinate and proud and malicious sinners and truely needed the Physitian no lesse then Publicans but in their owne apprehension and swelling conceit they were neither sinners nor sicke nor unrighteous Then whether Saltmarsh will or no by the sick and sinners and the stung and wounded Christ must meane some inherent qualification and preparation for the Physitian Christ which was onely in such and such sinners to wit who were lost in their owne eyes and sinners in their owne feeling for really and truely Pharisees were sinners sick and dead in sinnes and trespasses and yet the Lord Jesus denyeth that hee came to call the Pharisees and selfe-righteous sinners he came to call his owne sinners onely not all sinners This then is no Gospel-way nor way of grace but the Antinomian licentious way That Christ is offered to sinners as sinners and Christ came to call sinners as sinners to repentance for Christ is offered to sinners as such and so qualified sinners and Christ came to call to repentance not sinners as sinners no not Pharisees not the righteous not the whole but sinners as such sinners as sick as self-lost as self-sinners and self-condemned and qualified with the sense of their owne wretched and sinnefull condition otherwise how will they answer Christs Apologie giving a reason why hee conversed with Publicanes and sinners with Mathew cap. 9. and Zacheus Luke 19. and other sinners Luk. 15. Math. 11. and not with Scribes and Pharisees for Christ expressely saith that he did it because the fittest place the Physitian can be in is to sit at the sicke mans bed-side Object 5. It leaves men saith he under greater condemnation when Christ is brought home to the soule for then there can be no objecting Lord had I beene thus and thus fit and prepared then I should have received thee but I was a foule sinner at that same very time and so guilty O will the Lord answer I come therefore to pardon thee and to wash thee in my bloud because thou art foule and that is no excuse Answ. 1. Nothing can be concluded against the truth from a lye ex veris non nisi verum there is no greater lye then this excuse had I been thus and thus fit and prepared I should have received thee but I was a foule sinner at that very time guilty For 1. wee teach not that preparations doe infallibly yea or necessarily produce faith and the receiving of Christ. Many are sick and pained with storme of conscience whom Christ never cureth It is like the rich gluttons challenge of
which Her lips drop as a honey combe butter and milke are under her tongue and the smell of her garments like the smell of Lybanon her feet beautifull with shooes her two breasts like two Young Roes that are twins c. Sanctification must render the Spouse a societie of Saints even in the eyes of God and not only meerely and declaratively to men-ward as the Yvie-bush is a signe of wine Let Antinomians say Are not the Saints partakers of the Divine nature in the sight of God as well as declaratively in the sight of men 2. If the charity of the Philippians bee an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God And If to doe good and to communicate be such sacrifices where with God is well pleased though their charity and good works doe not justifie them yet these good works must smell sweetlie to God and bee well-pleasing in his sight and by them God must repute them sanctified though the sanctification be unperfect and not in its measure every way conformable to the spirituall and perfect Law and they are not then meerely declaratively and to men-ward onely Saints by their works of Sanctification 3. The contrary works in the Saints the shutting up their bowels against their indigent brethren their byting and devouring their acts of Adultery and Murther and lying are ill smelling and displeasing in the eyes of God not onely declaratively before men but really and in truth in the sight of God in regard that the Lord 1. is displeased with these sins 2. Forbiddeth them in his Law 3. Rebuketh them 4. Punisheth them 5. Setteth the conscience on against the beleever that doth them that they are grieved for them and mourne 6. Hideth his countenance from them commands us to confesse and crave pardon for them then the Lord must take notice of the contrary acts and command commend and reward them be well-pleased with them and they must be more then naked declarations and signes of Saintship to men-ward The Lord himselfe pronounceth the Saints blessed not onely for Christs imputed righteousnesse which is indeed the first cause fountaine and ground thereof but also for our works of Sanctification as Blessed are the undefiled in their way that feare the Lord and delight in his Commandements that keepe judgement and that doe righteousnesse at all times that doe what Christ commands that doe his Commandements Then God must judge them more then declarations to men-ward because this is the blessing of eternall life in Christ Jesus CHAP. LXXIIII The harmonious compliance of old Libertines Familists and Antinomians WEe doe so much the more hate the Antinomian way as Antichristian and fleshly for there bee other Antichrists then the Pope of Rome and many False Christs risen now in that in the doctrine of sinne sorrow for sinne repentance sanctification c. they doe so comply with the old Libertines in Calvins time and with David Georgius and Henrie Nicolas and the late Familists Parall I. Libertines in Calvins time said The state of innocencie was to know nothing good or ill more then children and Adams first sinne is to know good and ill and regeneration is to be stript naked of the knowledge and sense of either sinne or righteousnesse and therefore the Libertines said to any man troubled in conscience with sinne O Adam dost thou yet know somewhat Is not the old Adam yet crucified If they saw any stricken with the feare of the judgement of God Hast thou yet say they a tast of the old Aple beware that that morsell doe not strangle thee If any man was touched in conscience with remorse of sinne and did sorrow or repent for his transgressions they said sinne raigned in that man hee was sinnes captive Just so the Familists of New England In conversion say they the faculties of the soule and workings thereof are destroyed and in stead of them the holy Ghost comes in And a man must take no notice of sinne nor of his repentance for sinne And frequencie or length of holy duties or trouble of conscience for neglect thereof are all signes of one under a covenant of works that is of one in whom old Adam liveth and raigneth And I know I am Christs not because I crucifie the lusts but because I doe not crucifie them And our late Antinomians say To bee touched with any sense of sinne and for David to confesse his sinne or bee grieved for it was saith M. Towne from want and weakenesse of faith that is from the old man I cannot saith he looke on my selfe my actions sinnefull and my conscience and see my sinnes remaine but I looke to the records of heaven and Gods justice and since the bloud-shed I can find nothing there against me but sinnes as a debt discharged are become a nullitie before the Lord and therefore my peace and happinesse consisteth in the forsaking and not considering my selfe and in my living and abiding in Christ who is in heaven This not considering himselfe and his sinnes is neither to know sorrow mourne for feare or bee humbled for sinne Prâ—testant Divines say when the Lord forgiveth a sinner yet the sinner will never forgive himselfe but know consider feare mourne and be humbled for his sinnes Antinomians say all these are works of the flesh and of unbeliefe and of the Old Adam just as the Libertines said so to feele sinne dwelling in them as Paul did Rom. 7. saith Eaton is an act of the flesh contrary to faith and if saith Saltmarsh A beleever live onely by sense reason and experience of himselfe and as hee lives to men he meaneth dayly sinning by reason of an indwelling corruption he liveth both under the power and feeling of of sinne and under the Law But if hee live by faith he liveth out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse Then to Antinomians feeling of sin in us and sense reason and experience knowing and discerning sinne in us and our fearing sinne sorrowing or being humbled for it or any acts of repentance are contrary to living by faith and so the works of the old Adam knowing ill and a taste of the soure apple What then is regeneration and the killing of the body of sin and of old Adam It is the abolishing of all conscience knowledge discerning feeling feare sorrow dejection of men for feare of sinne Hence Master Archer D. Crispe and Saltmarsh make Sermons against feare of or trouble for sinne as works of unbeliefe as contrary to the power of God faithfulnesse providence death of Christ free grace a weakening of faith a damping of all religious service And for their not knowing of any good wee doe or acts of Sanctification which is the other branch of the Libertines regeneration Familists say To fetch comfort from experience of grace in our selves is no
way of grace And its poverty of Spirit when we see we have no grace and Saltmarsh Denne Crispe Eaton Towne and the Antinomians reject all comforts assurance or rejoycing from acts of Sanctification and works in the regenerate and say that its a seeking of righteousnesse in our selves and sure then it must bee a worke of the flesh to exercise our knowledge that way to discerne our selves to be sonnes because wee walke in love and after the Spirit Paral. II. Libertines said All sinne was but an opinion that we sinne and under opinion they comprehend conscience scruples remorse sense of judgement That Christs worke of Redemption was to destroy opinion and sense of sinne and then are men new creatures And there is no Devill no sinne no world that are our spirituall enemies David Georgius placed the spirituall life of his in committing Adulteries without sense of sinne and that publickely without shame and that faith in Jesus Christ was the way to abolish this shame in acting this filthinesse which shame was the fruit of the first Adams disobedience And that they should confesse all their sins to their shame again and again in the publike assembly till all pride and glorification of the flesh bee crucified that grace and mercy may be seene to be more glorious And they must goe in this selfe-denyall while they be deaden or to the opinion of any propriety of goods or possessions or wives or Marriages and then they come naked to the new Kingdome of David Georgius where they are to live above all lawes of marriage c. or consanguinity or the like Antinomans doe well neere border with this way onely that which Libertines doe call opinion or discerning of sinne Saltmarsh Eaton and Den call sense Towne calleth it sense or unbeliefe all call it sinning not before God but before men and in the conversation So they say the Adulteries Murthers committed by the justified are seeming sinnes sinnes in mens account saith Saltmarsh but not so before God and to the eye of Faith Now to live by faith is Antinomian Sanctification or Mortification or these sinnes saith Towne before God are no sinnes to faith they are meere nullities but to our sense and flesh they are sinnes So Saltmarsh and Eaton to sense reason experience or to unbeliefe that can but lye and deceive they are sinnes to faith and before God who seeth no sinne in us they are no sinnes Or as Master Denne saith They are sinnes in the conversation before men not in the conscience and before God and all come from this the Justified are under no Law of God and so cannot sinne if then they thinke their adulteries to be sinne that is sense unbeliefe ignorance of their Christian liberty and the erronious opinion of the old Adam Faith beleeveth Adultery to bee no sinne at all It s true to the beleever it is no condemning sinne no sinne such as actually bindeth them over to eternall wrath say we but not a nullity for that not for that an exorbitancie against no Law of God as the Libertine and his brother Antinomian say Then no sense of sinne no trouble of minde for sinne as good Saltmarsh saith can be in beleevers because where there is no transgression there is no Law and no trouble of minde for a breach of the Law This is an opinion of faith that Christ hath purchased a power to beleeve sinne to be no sinne and this is with David Georgius not to thinke shame of sinne but to be deadned to all sense of sinne and so Faith pulleth the conscience out of the justified man hee may sinne with ease CHAP. LXXV Libertines Familists and Antinomians free us from all Law and that we neither sinne nor are to be rebuked for sinne Paral. III. LIbertines said Wee were freed from all Law either directing commanding or condemning And so did David Georgius and so teach the Libertines of New England These that are in Christ are under no Law and Antinomians as Towne Saltmarsh Crisp Denne say We are freed from all the Law of God in all its offices to direct give light rule binde oblige or command as well as to threaten and condemne Paral. IV. Libertines taught That when we are once regenerate we can sinne no more but are as Angels So Libertines of New England and Antinomians say A beleever is as free from Hell Law and bondage on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to beleeve he is so And Hee that beleeveth saith Eaton that Christ hath taken away his sinnes is as cleane from sinne as Christ himselfe And to Faith there is no sinne and the beleevers person and works are perfect before God and free of sinne and sinfull imperfections Paral. V. When Libertines were rebuked for sin they said It s not I that sinne but my Asse or sinne dwelling in me and they cited that text 1 Joh. 3. He that is born of God sinneth not It s true Paul saith Rom. 7. Not I but sin dwelling in me but his meaning was it s not I as regenerate who sinne because I make not sinne my taske and worke nor doe I evill with the whole bensell of my soule the whole strength of my mind affections and will in regard the unrenewed part protesteth against sinne but I as unrenewed and as fleshly in part as halfe a sufferer I sinne being as a captive sighing in my fetters and complaining that I am wretched through necessitie of sinning I doe the evill I would not doe Rom. 7.17.18.22.23 But the Antinomians conspire with Libertines in the same sense for Towne saith That the old Adam and all his works are shut up under the Law and wrath of God So it is but the Old Adam the flesh the Law of the members that doth sin but it was never the Apostles minde to deny that a beleever once justified can sinne any more For in many things we sinne all Jam. 3.2 And if wee say we have not sinne we are lyars 1 Joh. 1. But Antinomians deny that beleevers can more sin then Christ himselfe or then the gloryfied in heaven and to a beleever there is no sinne God can see no sinne in them Now sure Libertines who said the state of the regenerate was an Angelike puritie did thinke sinnes acted by their Asse the flesh were no sinnes as Antinomians deny Adulteries and cousening and robbing done by the justified to be sinnes but seeming sinnes as Saltmarsh and no sinnes before God as Eaton saith CHAP. LXXVI Libertines and Antinomians destroy Scripture and make the Spirit all and some Paral. VI. LIbertines saith Calvin are so spirituall in their owne fancie that they count no more of the sacred word of God then of Fables except when it serves their turnes The places of Scripture
it Reader then judge how farre Antinomians differ in this from Libertines And M. Saltmarsh saith the same What ever promise there is which hath any condition into it it is ours in him in Christ who was the onely conditioned and qualified person for all promises And M. Towne Saltmarsh and all Antinomians in every page of their bookes say wee are freed from the Law as an obliging rule of holy walking and under grace that is under the Gospel because the Law is a killing dead Letter and can never give life nor Sanctification But the Gospel saith hee is like the Sunne caries along with it light and life But I pray is not the Gospel without the Spirit a killing Letter aswell as the Law and can it ever quicken or sanctifie without the Spirit more then the Law Then by this Argument the beleever is tyed to nothing as an obliging rule either of beleeving or holy walking but to that which doth effectually quicken and sanctifie so neither Commandement of Law nor Gospel without the Spirit is the beleevers rule but onely the Spirit and the Spirit effectually quickening and actually sanctifying then the Spirit must onely be our rule and we must onely be obliged to be ruled and to lye under the actings of the Spirit as dead creatures When then we neither beleeve nor repent nor abstaine from whooring robbing lying because the Spirit acteth not we sinne not for sinne is against some obligation Antinomians will not say we are obliged by any Law old or new to have the actuall breathings of the Holy Ghost when we omit good and commit evill then the holy Spirit must immediatly and onely act good in us and his non-acting immediatly must be the only cause of beleevers murthering whooring lying and is there not then a Spirit in all under the Gospel working in them all good and by no working causing all the sinnes they commit And what is sinne then but an opinion And can it be our worke or any thing but Gods worke in us CHAP. LXXVIII Libertines and Antinomians take away all sense or remorse of conscience for sinne Paral. X. LIbertines said We are to be troubled in conscience for no sinne because God worketh all in the creature and nothing is beside the will of God Libertines of our time say If God will let me sinne let him see to his owne honour And upon the same ground M. Archer saith Wee are not to bee troubled for our sinnes because they come from God and we may safely say that God is and hath a hand in and is the Author of the sinnefulnesse of his people So doe other Antinomians though they speake not out 2. Upon another ground Antinomians bury all conscience of beleevers sins 1. Because their sins are no sins being remitted before they be committed 2. Because say they it is against Faith and from unbeliefe the flesh and want of mortification to be moved or touched in conscience with sinne as I often have proved CHAP. LXXIX Libertines and Antinomians Parallel beleevers with Christ incarnate Paral. XI AS David Georgius and his cursed followers so Libertines said Christ in us dwelling was God manifested in the flesh or Christ is but a patterne type a representation or figure of patient suffering and of these vertues required in these that are to be saved So the Author of the Bright Starre makes Christ-man the patterne in the mount that in worship and conversation wee must follow And when this Author and Theologia Germanica take away God from us and say there is nothing in the creature but God they doe worse then Libertines Yea they fancie Christ incarnate to be a divine and holy man and so evert a principall Pillar of our faith that is that wee beleeve in the Sonne of God Christ-God made manifest in the flesh And the N. England Libertines teach That Christ is incarnate in every beleever So the English Antinomian saith I have nothing to doe with your Moses or the Law I am Christed and Goded And a late giddy phranticke Pamphlet which I should not honour to cite saith A man in Christ is baptized into a living active God and a dead passive creature And though Antinomians as yet seeme to grant that the Sonne of God was incarnate yet we know not how long for they equall a beleever most proudly with Christ making both his person and all his actions though Adultery Roberie Lying as cleane from sinne as Christ or his actions or as the glorified in heaven 2. Saltmarsh saith The Gospel commands rather by patterne then by precept and by imitation rather then command They deny all obligation either by Law or Gospel to lye on us 3. Because wee are in Christ they say all our sinnes all our sufferings are so drowned up swallowed and nothinged in Christ that we are neither to feare or be touched with the sense of either sinne or affliction and that the beleever is to remaine in Christ alwaies rejoycing triumphing being in heaven already and sorrow and sighing for evermore being banished away CHAP. LXXX To follow sense as a Law is our rule say Libertines and Antinomians Paral. XII LIbertines taught That any calling was lawfull and to follow callings was to follow their naturall inclination and to live as they pleased Quintinus the Libertine to one that asked how hee was in health said in wrath Can it be ill with Christ When hee was present at a solemne Masse with a Cardinall he said Hee saw the glory of God from this ground that Christians cannot sinne that their inclination and nature is their guide which they called the Spirit and they are loosed from all Law therefore with David Georgius they said A marriage-covenant tyed Christians no longer then the naturall temper and disposition of husband and wife would carry them on to agree to live together when inclinations of Christians did thwart they were free to marry another And so said they of goods that they might robbe and spoile calling inclination a calling as if it were their calling to robbe and oppresse So the same doe Antinomians teach in their beastly distinction in which Towne Eaton Denne and Saltmarsh say Beleevers are as cleane from sinne before God and as they live by faith as Jesus Christ himselfe but to men-ward declaratively and as they live by sense or seemingly as Saltmarsh meaneth or according to the flesh as Towne saith now the flesh is the Asse The beleevers sinne and may whoore kill but this following of the sense and the flesh is nothing but the Libertines following of his naturall inclination or calling Now the beleevers Adultery to Saltmarsh is but seeming Adultery then it is not in deed and before God Adultery and he followeth his sense and naturall inclination as the Libertine said in putting away his wife
in heaven The kingdome of God is the Spirit of Jesus Christ and that Christ would have shortly a glorious kingdome and that Paradise heaven and hell were within men and that heaven was the gifts of the minde the earth the goods of the bodie and their use which shortly should come to the Saints Another false Christ was Henry Nicholas who called himselfe as Ainsworth saith The Father of the Family of Love who saith of himselfe God hath wrought a wonderfull worke on the earth and raised up me Henry Nicholas the least among the holy ones of God which lay altogether dead and without breath and life among the dead and made me alive through Christ as also annointed me with his godly being Manned himselfe with mee and Goded me with him to be a living tabernacle or house for his dwelling and a seat of his Christ the seed of David And Behold and consider my beloved how wonderfully God worketh in his holy ones and how that now in this day or light of the love the judgement seat of Christ is revealed and declared unto us the household of love out of heaven to a righteous judgement upon earth from the right hand of God And how that on the same judgement seat of Christ that the Scriptures might be fullfilled there sitteth one now in truth the wretched impostor H. Nicholas in the habitation of David which judgeth uprightly thinketh upon equity and requireth righteousnesse And againe Behold in this present day is the Scripture fulfilled and according to the Testimony of the Scripture the raising up and the Resurrection of the Lords dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of Christ in his Majestie hee meaneth the false Christ Henry Nicholas which Resurrection of the dead seeing that the same is come to us To Henry Nicholas and the Family or Elders of Love from Gods grace wee doe likewise in this present day to an Evangelike or joyfull Message of the Kingdome of God and Christ publish in all the world under the obedience of love Sent. 9. In which Resurrection of the dead God sheweth unto us that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead that are fallen asleepe in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appeare unto us in godly glory which shall also from henceforth live in us H. N. and the Family of Love everlastingly with Christ and raigne upon the earth wherein the Scripture becommeth fulfilled in this present day like as there standeth written thereof The Lord shall judge his people c. One of the hearers of Randel a preaching Familist at London was asked If he beleeved the bodies of men dead and buried in the earth should be raised to life Answered I know not For Familists Mistresse Hutchison and hers say That the soules of men are by generation mortall like the beasts Eccles. 3.8 But in regard of Christs purchase immortall and that those who are united to Christ in this life have new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 These who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly bodies 1 Cor. 15.44 And that the Resurrection spoken of 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28 is not meant of the resurrection of the body but of our union here and after this life with Christ. That there is no kingdome of heaven in Scripture but onely Christ. So said Hymeneus and Philetus and the Libertines who made the resurrection a spirituall communion with Christ. Antinomians have never shewen their mind of the resurrection and the life to come and have never contradicted the Libertines and Familists in these and yet own their other opinions Yea Saltmarsh to me owneth no heaven but that which is in this life if a naked opinion were added to it For saith he The Spirit of Christ sets a beleever as free from hell the Law and bondage here on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve he is so So he wants nothing of heaven but beleeve he is in heaven and he is in heaven hee will not except the resurrection of and the glorifying of the body Phil. 3.19 20. nor the rooting out of originall sinne nor the immortality of the whole man nor freedome from sinning immunitie from sorrow sadnesse perfect joy pleasures for ever more seeing of God and injoying of him face to face the perfecting of love and of grace with glory all which he wanteth of heaven and hath here onely the first fruits of the Spirit and is absent from the Lord and sigheth in this tabernacle and since Saltmarsh professeth a finer free grace and a further revealing of the Gospel in its glory liberty c. Why doth he not once in all his Treatises mention the last and perfecting act of Free grace and Gospel-freedome that Christ will raise up the beleever at the last day 2. While Antinomians cleare us touching their mind of the sense the flesh sinning before men not in regard of faith or in Gods sight or account I must conceive they meane with Mistresse Hutchison and other Familists a sinning in the old body not in the new and in the old soule they have by generation not in the new soule or in the conscience as M. Denne saith which they have by Redemption I therefore attest them to cleare themselves in that distinction and either black the Familists or owne them as their owne 3. Calvin saith from Paul Wee are in this life saved in hope we have not heaven and life eternall in perfection and compleatly here we doe but wait for our full and finall redemption of soule and body at Christs comming whereas Libertines said we were compleatly saved in this life So say Saltmarsh and M. Towne who are angry that Protestant Divines say We are saved by right and in hope and really in Christ our head but they will have us fully compleatly perfectly saved in this very life though we have not the sense and feeling of it and we want nothing of eternall life but beleeve wee have it compleatly as the glorifyed and wee have it CHAP. LXXXIII Familists Libertines Anabaptists goe before Antinomians in denying all externall worship and obedience Paral. XV. HEnry Nich. called love the Being and Godhead of Christ which we received through the power of the Holy Ghost and that love within was all and that all externall obedience from the Letter of the Word was fleshly and Ceremoniall Just as Master Dell Ser. 19. rejecting all external Reformation calleth it hypocritical and carnal and refusing the Scriptures either Law or Gospel as meere carnall Letters devoles all on the Spirit and acknowledgeth no Lawes at all in Christs kingdome but the Law of nature 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which is the Spirit himselfe in
without any foregoing teaching under paine of corporall punishments to the Jewes as he and his saith Presbyterians doe now urge consciences how shall Del prove that 2. Hee must say that outward and meerely litterall observing of Lawes and Synodicall Decrees according to the Word of God for any others beside or against the Word the Presbyterians know none without Faith in Christ doe make men perfect as pertaining to conscience which is Dels dreame not our doctrine 3. Hee and his condemne all Lawes of the Civill Magistrate yea all the written Scripture Law and Gospel and say an Arbitrary and Enthysiasticall Spirit in the Christian Magistrate without all Civill Lawes inacted or written should conclude of the heads and lives of Christians without the Law Morall or Gospel and so condemnes all Acts of Parliaments Answ. 2. You could not have heard more if Henry Nicholas or Anton. Pocquius or David Georgius had beene preaching to the Honourable House for Del followâ—s them at the heeles For Henry Nicholas if you but change Dels word of Reformation into the word regeneration or begetting in the same Spirit debaseth Christ in the Scriptures and all outward worship as if there were one Christ in the Scripture and another contrary Christ in the Spirit and inward working for sure hypocriticall and meere externall reformation and the inward reformation are by Protestants made two contrary reformations the one from God the other not from flesh and blood onely but from the Devill So Henry Nicholas If I could give all my goods to the poore c. If I had not love it were not any thing to me that is whosoever hath not Christ he is without God and without righteousnesse in this world I meane the being like Christ which is received through the power of the Holy Ghost and not any Ceremoniall Christ which one man speaketh to another or promiseth to another through the Ceremoniall service Dels Grammar is Pag. 6. through the word of the letter in their bookes in outward formes outward worship outward confession which he out of his prudencie according to his fleshly minde hath set up ô no the worke or begetting or procreating of the children of God commeth not so slenderly to passe as men now at this time teach each other out of their unregenerate Spirit Del out of a Spirit not inwardly reformed the bodie of sinne not being destroyed no reformation can come Henry Nicholas condemning all Scripture as a Literall and carnall thing and an Elementish Ceremoniall and fleshly service yea and confession with the mouth as carnall outward hypocriticall and Pharisaicall and doth expressely reject all the teaching of men or by the ministery of men which the Apostle asserteth Ephes. 4.11 1 Cor. 4.2 2 Cor. 4.7 And the Lord Jesus the great Apostle of our profession Math. 28.19 20. Act. 1.6 8. and pronounceth the Ministery of one man teaching another to be fleshly prudence and not such a way by which the begetting or procreating of the children of God commeth to passe Now that Monster of men knew Protestants whom hee refuteth in this taught against Pelagians and the Pope whom he denieth to be the Antichrist and Papists that we utterly deny that the Scriptures of themselves yea that the Man Christs teaching in the flesh or Paul or the Apostles Preaching or any mans externall instructing of another man most soundly according to the Scriptures can without the hearing and learning of the Father Joh. 6.45 and his omnipotent drawing of men to the Sonne Joh. 6.44 and the inward teaching of the Spirit inwardly reforme or beget men over againe to God So his condemning of one mans teaching of another as Fleshly Ceremoniall Elementish is a simple rejecting of the Scriptures and all outward and externall worship And just as David Georgius rejected the Literall Christ and asserted himselfe to bee the Spirituall Christ and true David In the same manner M. Del speaking of inward Reformation that is conversion of a sinner to God that onely being his Gospel-reformation hee knoweth well Presbyterians and the Assâ—mbly of Divines who are if they shall condemne his Gospel for the substance of it the enemies of the truth of Christ and the last prop of Antichrist in the Kingdome doe teach that inward reformation or destroying of the body of sinne is not wrought by the onely Letter of the Word and the teaching of men or Lawes or Constitutions of Synods but that wee conjoine with all outward meanes the inward and omnipotent power of the Holy Ghost without whose grace all other meanes are nothing yea Pauls planting and Apollo his watering are nothing effectuall to an inward reformation M. Del argueth against the Holy Ghost and Paul who Preached the Gospel to the blaspeming Jewes and scoffing Athenians Act. 13 Act. 17. for all he could say to them was but outward and litterall preaching the Apostles were but men and not Lords of the heart and therefore could but worke outward conformity to outward duties when the heart remained corrupt Nor is it much that Dell saith there is neede of an outward change in the Gospel which indeed is a belying of himselfe for an outward change is an outward reformation and hee saith Pag. 4.5 Gospel-reformation is a destroying of the body of sinne in the faithfull and elect by the presence and operation of the righteousnesse of God dwelling in their heart by Faith besides this I know no other An outward change is an outward reformation besides this But this is nothing Del acknowledgeth neither Ministery outward worship or outward ordinances as Familists did before him For the Author of that blasphemous Peece called Theologia Germanica saith Just men have neede of no law are led by the Spirit and are not to bee taught by any Law what they should doe or leave undone seeing the Spirit of God which is their instructer will teach them sufficiently neither is any thing to be commanded or injoyned them as to doe good to shunne evill or the like but Pag. 72. Yet hee saith more then Del doth to wit That both the life of Christ as also all Commandements Lawes Ordinances and the like ought not to be laid aside and cast off and to be neglected contemned and derided And Henry Nicholas saith The Lord speaketh in the Scripture but he saith withall that the Spirit is the Word not the Letter So Del maketh an opposition betweene the Letter in the bookes and the living Word of God in the heart 3. Del speaketh exclusively Other reformation beside this of the heart saith he I know none 2. Gospel-reformation saith hee onely mindes the reformation of the heart If only then it minds not externall reformation 3. Christ speaking touching the worship of the New Testament saith saith he Not one word of any outward forme So that God in his Gospel-reformation aymes at nothing but the heart Then hee aymes at no outward change nor any externall worship
the heart spoken of Jer. 31.33 is the very new heart and the Spirit or the heart of flesh Ezech. 36.26 27. the circumcised heart Deut. 30.6 the new creature the Lord Jesus formed in the heart by Faith Gal. 4.19 Ephes. 3.17 it is not any meanes or cause or author of the new heart but it is the new heart it selfe formed by the Holy Ghost as the Author and Father of the second birth by the Word written conveyed by preaching to the soule Now except Del would say Christ onely worketh inward reformation by inward reformation onely for this inward word is inward reformation he cannot make sense of this inward word excluding the Law and outward Word both of Law and Gospel as he doth For nothing can bee more false then that the Word whereby Christ reformes is not the Word without us as the Word of the Law is but the Word within us For I find great ignorance if not worse in Familists and Antinomians in this Saltmarsh saith The Spirit worketh Legally and not freely when men doe things as meerely commanded from the power of an outward Commandement or precept in the Word he meaneth in the written Scripture For saith hee that bringeth forth but a Legall or at best but a mixt obedience and service and a finer hypocrisie and when they doe because of some vow or covenant when they take any outward thing to move them rather then apply Christ for strength life and Spirit For it is the outward Word onely in its kind that is the sole and onely objective cause as wee see colours onely because they are colours and the Light of the day-light-Sun onely because it is light and nothing else can be the object of the sense of seeing but light and colours and we onely heare sounds meerely because they are sounds and smell things odoriferous and smellable because they cast a smell and onely taste meats meerely and formally because they are sweet sowre bitter sharpe or some way good or ill to the taste Now life or the faculty of seeing hearing smelling tasting are in no sort the object of seeing hearing smelling tasting Just so when wee doe meerely for the Word in the Prophets and Psalmes without us and but of conscience and meerely as commanded from the power of an outward Commandement or Precept I adde or a Gospel-promise written in the Word then we obey God in a free filiall Gospel-way out of meere conscience to an outward Command as the onely objective ground warrant and rule of our obedience what ever Papists on the one extremity say for an unwritten Word of God and Enthysiasts on the other hand for a Word within or a Spirit acting and obliging as their onely rule excluding the Law and Gospel because they are Letters and written and Scripture and a Word without as the onely objective ground and warrant of Divine Faith was in the Prophets time Thus saith the Lord. And in Christ and the Apostles time According as it is written in the Prophets in the Scriptures So Christ Luk. 24.26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his glory Vers. 27. And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets hee expounded unto them all the Scriptures the things concerning himselfe Vers. 45. Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and rise from the dead the third day and remission of sinnes should be preached in his name among the Nations Then Christ would have beleeving and repentance Preached and commanded for no warrant and objective ground but because the Word without the Commandement or Precept in the Word commandeth it and this Satan cannot call finener hypocrisie So Revel 2.11 Hee that hath an eare to heare an inward and renewed a circumcised eare and heart Let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches this Spirit speaking to the Churches is not an inward word or a regenerating Spirit in the heart of beleevers in these seven Churches Antinomians pervert the Word of God so But it is the Holy Ghost speaking in the Word without the written preached and externall Epistles that the Spirit sent to these seven Churches and so the onely meane of Abrahams obedience to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaak and the onely warrant for his faith was the Commandement of God and a Word without Goe now take thy sonne thy onely sonne Isaak and offer him to me Many other things naturall reason a seeming contrary word that he should be the sonne of Promise seeme to command the contrary but Abrahams faith appeared in this that he closed his eyes at all Commandements and carnall inhibitions of nature on the contrary and meerely for an externall command of God as the sole and onely objective warrant and formall object of his faith and of his obedience without because God so commanded he obeyed and so are wee to obey and beleeve upon no objective cause warrant or ground but the written or preached Precept or promise of the Gospel or Covenant of grace that is a word without us and the onely meane of faith and inward reformation and this Word is written as the Law is in the Scriptures and layeth an authoritative binding power on our conscience to obey God for his onely Word as the Law doth But it is not the onely Word that is the efficient and effectually working cause of our obedience if the Spirit of grace doe not concurre with both the written and preached Law and written and preached Gospel and covenant of grace wee cannot obey Antinomians make obedience for the outward written command as the onely objective cause and warrant of our faith and obedience through the effectuall working of the Spirit two contrary obediences imagining that the former is Literall Legall and finer hypocrisie and the latter the onely true obedience A grosse mistake 1. Because none can sincerely obey meerly from the power of an outward command or precept in the Word but the man whose eares the Lord circumciseth Deut. 30.6 Revel 2.11 and whose understanding Christ openeth to understand the Word without Luk. 24.45 and therefore the Word without is the onely meanes of inward reformation 2. The Letter of the Covenant of grace holdeth forth the inward grace signified and cannot bee contrary to the inward Word in the heart for the Holy Ghost as the principall efficient causeth us to obey for conscience of the command written and preached in the Gospel which is belâ—eve in the Lord Jesus or the written promise he that beleeveth shall be pardoned and saved And to say they are contrary is as good sense as to say light and colours because they are without us they are therefore contrary to life and the visive faculty of seeing within us or that sounds or sweet smelling flowers without because they are without must be contrary to the naturall faculty and sense of hearing and smelling
Saltmarsh speaketh most like this when he saith that all the precepts of Sanctification set forth Christ to be all in all Christ hath beleeved repented sorrowed mortified sinne perfectly for us and we are but dead passive creatures and the Spirit so acts in us as in blocks and so we must act nothing being as blocks and God must be the author of all sinnes of omission Familists commonly say I have nothing from the Creature I can doe nothing CHAP. LXXXVII Antinomians answered in that they say wee make the actings of the Spirit like to the acts of Morall Philosophie IT is a most unjust charge that Antinomians put on us That the way of the Spirit is grosse and carnall which we follow and our Divinity carnall But saith Saltmarsh We Antinomians find it hard to tresse and find the impressions of the Spirit and doe not take our impressions so low by the feelings of flesh and bloud and signes not infallible as to write of Regeneration as Philosophers doe of Morall vertues Let us examine whether Antinomians way bee Spirituall Divinity We professe it to be a most carnall way of Antinomians to say as Eaton doth An unjustified man that beleeveth that Christ hath taken away his sinnes is as cleane without sinne as Christ himselfe And To a beleever nothing is sin to Faith there is no sin Blasphemers if you have either face or conscience can yee say that Christ could sinne or that a beleevers denying of Christ his lying his Adultery are no sinnes Is not this carnall Divinity 2. If God see not Drunkennesse Lying Murthering in beleevers to be sins Are they not then no sinnes And should not the beleever say My light of faith seeth no sinne in my selfe but my Drunkennesse Lying Murthering committed I beleeve are no sinnes for sure justification and abolishing of sinne should be seene by my faith as they are seene by God if God see them and count them no sinnes its unbeliefe in me to see them and count them sinnes If a beleever steale his fellowes purse doth he not lye if he say Brother I have sinned against you behold I restore you your purse For if God say it is no sinne and see it no sinne I know his Judgement is according to righteousnesse and truth then it must bee no sinne and the beleevers judging of it to be sinne must be a lying and a false judging contrary to Gods judgement of truth 3. Doe not Antinomians say to sorrow for oâ— to bee troubled in conscience at pardoned sinnes is unâ—eliefe and a work of the flesh and that it is Regeneration and Faith not to see sinne in our selves and that it was Adams and Eves sinne to see their sinne for then it was imputed to them as sinne and the Pharisees sinne was Joh. 9. that they saw their sinne and therefore their sinne remained These bee the words of Pocquius that Carnall Libertine and are the words of Saltmarsh Eaton Towne Denne and Crispe and their matter is the same when once we beleeve we sin no more then Christ doth but all these that are supposed to be sins as the Adulteries Murthers Lying Swearing Cousening Oppressing wee fall into being once beleevers are no sinnes before God nor to our Faith nor are we to see them as sinnes they be sinnes onely to our sense to our flesh and to menward 2. This is Antinomian reason but the old objection of the most abominable Anabaptists in the time of Bullinger who said advers Anabaptist lib. 1. cap. 4. Tota reformatio quae tum justituebatur illis displicebat ut minus Angusta exilis non satis spiritualis alta perfecta So Tho Muncer whose followers said against Luther Zwinglius and others the writings and Epistles of Muncer was more spirituall then theirs and their whole reformation was narrow hungry not perfect and high enough 3. The way of the Spirits Divinity is in this like to Morall vertues that 1. both are learned by teaching the one by Morall Phylosophie the other by the Scriptures Antinomians are thus Spirituall with a carnall and divellish Spirituality to reject the Scriptures and follow an Enthysiasticall Spirit and so wee acknowledge our Divinitie in this sense is not so Spirituall as that of the Libertines and Antinomians 2. The way of the Spirit is in this like Morall vertues that both bring an externall reformation though the Spirit throughly also changeth the inner side both inforce a ceasing to doe ill a learning to doe well and procuring of things that are honest in the sight of men Antinomians boast of a Libertine Idle faith and of a phancied purifying of the heart when the hands are not purged also and this is carnall Divinity to us 3. Morall vertues are increased by frequent exercise and so are gifts and graces five talents rising to ten the Saints growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. But Antinomians carnall Divinâ—tie teacheth we are as perfect when we are first justified as wee want nothing of that we shall have in heaven but to beleeve we are in heaven and there wee are a Spirituall lye cannot but be a most carnall sinne 4. But the Spirituality of our Divinity above Antinomians and Moralists we place 1 in that God infuseth supernaturall habits in us even a new heart a new Spirit whereas Antinomians deny any stocke of grace inherent in us Moralists acknowledge onely acquired habits and deny all infused and supernaturall habits 2. We judge the Law to be Spirituall and the Gospel written read or preached the power of God to salvation the arme of the Lord and the most lively quicke and operative word in the world and when the Spirit doth accompany Law and Gospel no man can stand before this Word Antinomians make the Scriptures but dead Inke and a killing Letter 3. Our Divinity maketh men heavenly minded to savour of the things of the Spirit so as they misse God and the sweetnesse and excellency of Christ when the Gospel is carried onely in the bare Letter and the preaching of the Gospel is but Literall with humane eloquence not in the evidence of the Spirit Morall vertues knoweth not any such power 4. When the Authority and Majestie of the Lord commanding in the Letter leadeth the will by the Spirit of the Lord freely willingly and withall indeclinably and irresistibly to yeeld it selfe to God 5. A Moralist knoweth no over-clowding of desertion a sanctified soule doth know it Nor doe Antinomians and Familists know any desertions or any ebbings and flowings of the Spirit for they say none are converted till they have faith of full assurance with excludeth all doubtings or inward conflicts this broad Seale being received they are ever in a merry mood ever rejoycing to mourne for sinne to call in question Gods favour to them is proper to onely unconverted Legalists under the Law
c. 18. fol 18. b Luther writeth against the Antinomianâ— by name Luther â—o 2. in Gen c. 18 f. 119. Luthâ—r â—â—fuâ—eth the Antâ—nomians under the name of Antinomians is enemies to the law of God c Luther to 2. in Gen. c. 18. fo 119. d 19. fo 118. e Luther to 2. in Gen. c. 19. f. 132 f Luther tom 2 in Gen c 2. fol 132. g Luther tom 1. pa 555. Luther extolleth good works against all Antinomians h Luther tom 3. fol. 109. I Luth. ttm. 3 fâ—l 165 l Luth tom 1 fol 449. m Luth tom 1 fol 522. n Luther to 2 in Gen. c. 15. fol. 57. (o) Luther to 2 in Gen. Luther teachâ—eth that only faith justifieth and yet faith is not alone with out good workes Luther tom 2 fol. 517. How faith and workes are contrary to Luther q Luther to 4 fol. 6. r Luth. tom 4 f 114. r Luth tom 4. fol 114. How according to Luther his mind the law hath power ouer the flesh and not over the renewed conscience q Luther to 4 fol. 6. r Luth. tom 4 f 114. r Luth tom 4. fol 114. How according to Luther his mind the law hath power ouer the flesh and not over the renewed conscience s Towne ass p. 35.73 t Salt free grace 154.152 w Den. ser. man of sin p. 9.10 x Schluss cat heret l. 3. p. 53.54 55. y Cal. adv lib. c. 18 452 a Luther tom 2 in Ge. c. 18. fol. 119. b c. 19 f. 132. c Luther contra Anti. disp 3. propos 27. dis 4 pro. 33. d Luther tom 2. fal 5â—9 d Luther tom 2. fal 5â—9 How good workes conforme to the Law are not necessary The new man is under the same law as a rule of life which was in the covenant of workes and though we be changed the law is the same The Law is given to the new man 〈…〉 of lifâ— and not properâ—y to the flesh but as a sinne condemning law (e) Luther to 4.178 Eaton (f) Hony-com c. 3. pag. 25. (g) Saltm free gracâ— pag. 140. (h) Hony-com ch 5 73 74. Crispe vol. 2. ser. 4.136 137 138 152 153 154 157. (i) Hony-com c. 71 72. (k) Hony-com c. 7.134 (l) Saltm free grace 145. (e) Luther to 4.178 Eaton (f) Hony-com c. 3. pag. 25. (g) Saltm free gracâ— pag. 140. Crispe vol. 2. ser. 4.136 137 138 152 153 154 157. (i) Hony-com c. 71 72. (h) Hony-com ch 5 73 74. (k) Hony-com c. 7.134 (l) Saltm free grace 145. How Luther according to Scripture saith the new man and terrified conscience in the beleever is simply freed from the law and the Law is abrogated to him and hath only power over his flesh m Luther tom 4. fo 178. n Luther tom 4. p. 112. o Luther tom 4.119 How the law condemneth terrifieth and how not p Luther tom 4. fo 47. q Luther to â— p. 112. r Luther to 1 128. How the renewed man iâ— freed from the Law s Luther tom 1. fo 546. n Luther tom 4. p. 112. o Luther tom 4.119 How the law condemneth terrifieth and how not p Luther tom 4. fo 47. q Luther to â— p. 112. r Luther to 1 128. How the renewed man iâ— freed from the Law s Luther tom 1. to 546. t Schlusselburgiuâ—â—at hereticâ— l. 3. p. 53. w Towne ass grace p. 35. p. 3. How the Law is given to the new man and how not Luther tom 1. f. 541. Luther tom 2. l. 253. a Luther tom â— f. 5â— The guiltâ— conscience 〈◊〉 beleever noâ— under the 〈◊〉 b Luâ—her tom 4 f 5. Excellent replyes of a beleever to the accusing Law c Luther tom 4. fo 15. d Luther to 4 fo 40. e Luther to 4. f. 46. A tempted beleâ—ver freed from the chalinges of the condemning Law Luth tom 4.117 g Luth tom 4. f. 11â— h Luther tom â— f. 118. Luther tom 1. f. 541. Luther tom 2. â— 253. a Luther tom â— f. 5â— The guiltâ— conscience 〈◊〉 beleever noâ— under the 〈◊〉 b Luâ—her tom 4 f 5. Excellent replyes of a beleever to the accusing Law c Luther tom 4. fo 15. d Luther to 4 fo 40. e Luther to 4. f. 46. A tempted beleâ—ver freed from the chalinges of the condemning Law Luth tom 4.117 g Luth tom 4. f. 11â— h Luther tom â— f. 118. i Luthâ—r tom â— f 154.55 A tempted sâ—nner is 〈◊〉 from a sensitive 〈…〉 impâ—ted rigâ—teousnesse i Luthâ—r tom â— f 154.55 A tempted sâ—nner is 〈◊〉 from a sensitive 〈…〉 impâ—ted rigâ—teousnesse k Luther tom 4.54 Christ on the crosse is to bee eâ—ed to comfort the weake beleever against his own sin m Luther tom 3 f. 376. The wayes of overcomming Law temptations n Luther tom 3 f. 396. o Luther tom 3 376. p Luther tom 3. fo 489. q Luther tom 4 f. 6. r Luther tom 4 f. 76. s Luther tom 4. f. 14. k Luther tom 4.54 Christ on the crosse is to bee eâ—ed to comfort the weake beleever against his own sin m Luther tom 3 f. 376. The wayes of overcomming Law temptations n Luther tom 3 f. 396. o Luther tom 3 376. p Luther tom 3. fo 489. q Luther tom 4 f. 6. r Luther tom 4. f. 76. s Luther tom 4. f. 14. Luther is for conditions in the Covenant of grace and for preparations before conversion Antinomians deny both t Luther tom 4 f. 112. x Luther to 4 10â— z Luther tom 4 f. 156. a Luth. 9. tom 4. f. 289. b Luther to 4. f. 289. Temtations and how they are resisted in the conscience c Luther tom 4 f. 147. d Luther tom 4 f. 387. e Luther to 4.391 t Luther tom 4 f. 112. x Luther to 4 10â— z Luther tom 4 f. 156. a Luth. 9. tom 4. f. 289. b Luther to 4. f. 289. Temtations and how they are resisted in the conscience c Luther tom 4 f. 147. d Luther tom 4 f. 387. e Luther to 4.391 f Luther to 4 f. 400. g Luther tom 4. fo 413. h Luther tom 4 â— â—92 i Luther tom 4 f. 502. k Luther tom 4 758. in Ps. 2. l Luther ex ad Cus. Aquilam an 1528. f. 393 m Luther to 2. in Gen. c. 21. f. 188. f Luther to 4 f. 400. g Luther tom 4. fo 413. h Luther tom 4 â—â—92 i Luther tom 4 f. 502. k Luther tom 4 758. in Ps. 2. l Luther ex ad Cus. Aquilam an 1528. f. 393 m Luther to 2. in Gen. c. 21. f. 188. How we are patients in justification how not n Schlusselburgius iâ— Caâ—â—logo heretico l. 3. p 49. Towne ass 3.9 10. o Luther tom 4 f. 399. p Luther to 4.130.131 q Luther â—â— â— 95. r Luther tom â— f. 52. o Luther tom 4 f. 399. p Luther to 4.130.131 q Luther â—â— â— 95. r Luther tom â— f. 52. s Luther tom 4. f. 451. How the law is abolished and how not s Luther tom 4. f.
them by which any man that denies his heresie and â—aiâ—h he beleeveth as the Church beleeveth is absolved which Familists do q Faith and a good conscience then are not the two chiefest jewells that God hath gâ—ven to men r The Prelates and prophane courtieâ—s and the multitude were their friends as they are to all licentious religions t Divers of the court of Queen Elizabeth and of K. James and some nobles were Familists I would these who now rule all by violence and force were not of that abominable way for enemies they had few or none except Puritans they lived under the shadow of Prelacie and court when many thousands of pretious Christians for nâ—n-conformity were silenced banished prisoned wasted w If the way of H. Nicholas beâ— thâ— only true way of salvation as here they say fidelitas decl c. 4 sect 11. the King should bee petitioned without delay to take it to his consideration as a matter to be preferred to all his most important Kingly affaires but they petition for a delaying triall because every one that doth evill hateth the light x Then they allow a share of the grace of Christ on all rulers for they except none though heathens and persecuters and on all mankinde on the universall earth x Grosse flattery y Then they can settle upon no Religion till K. Iames find leasure to try and read the hereticall and fleshly writings of H. Nicholas a In this they professe their zâ—ale to have K. Iames an illuminated Elder of the family of love as it would be their joy this day to have K. Charles of their way that so hee might compell all others to that way for they talke much of liberty of conscience to themselves but we finde when they have the sword they straine and squeeze to the blood the consciences of all contrary to their way b They conceive King Iames and all not of their way that are but Scripture-learned with the fleshly wisdome as they speak of the letter to be the very Antichrist and all lyes that the ungodded or unilluminated men out of the imagination or riches of their owne knowledge and of the learnednesse of the Scriptures bring forth Institute preach or teach See Evan. ch 32. ch 33.34 and H.N. Exhor c. 14. Sect. 9. c They doubt if there be any of their way and family in Germany which evidenceth that it is a notoâ—ions lie that H.N. saith Evan ch 34. that he is godded to publish the joyful messâ—ge in all the world And H.N. Exhor 12. sect 40. and Exhor 14. sect 9. that all the Kingdomes of the world should assemble them to this one Kingdome of peace and love and this same love service shall breake in among all Nations and let it selfe be heard over all lands but here they doubt if in one corner of Germany one man of this way can be had c All heretickes as Calvin noted of libertines delight to speake in uncouth language beside the Scripture that they may be the only spirituall men whom none can understand but spiritualists of their owne way d They clearly professe they will not suffer for familisme nor that which to them is the only true Religion and make K Iames the absolute and peremptory judge that if he find them hereticall they shall submit faith conscience and salvation to the King to leave or take the writings of Henry Nicholas as his Majesties Laws shall appoint them this is a Religion for the times and the flesh This well agreeth with the Familists of our time Del Saltmarsh Bâ—con Râ—ndel and others to whom profession of truth and of Christ before men is an externall and a forme in Religion and who cry out against formes and uniformity and teach that we should please one another in love in all these externalls we may doe or leave undone Sabbaâ—h preaching hearing Sacraments let them be inrolled in the Kallender of the late indifferent ceremonies since they are Jewish câ—â—nall literall fleshly and perish with the using and let the Service-booke bowing to altars the name of Jesus Episcopacy Socinianisme professed Acianisme be recalled these belong nothing say â—hey to Refoâ—mation or Religion Reformation is only in the heart Religion is 〈◊〉 of the minde The Kingdome of Christ is neither promoved nor hindered by these Familisticall love in the heart is all then surely the Nicodemites in Calvinâ— time these that buy a religion with every new-moon erre not e Then the Scriptures and H. Nicho. bids us follow the Kings religion what ever it be and denying of obedience to the King and his Lawes if they forbid a Religion that is the holy service of the love of God as they say is resisting and undutifull disobedience to the Law so must we obey men rather then God f They seek not the truth and cause of Christ to be cleared for the present but only present ease to the flesh and inlargement under baâ—le g They are willing to submit their câ—uâ—e to the Câ—ergy that is to the godly Prelâ—â—es who would be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 them because they take the Puritans off from thinking upon their lordly domination and will-worship and the more enemies and persecuters the Puritans have the more ease and lesse contradicting of the Prelaticall cause as this day the Prelaticall party declare themselves willing to compâ—und wiâ—h Arrians Socinians Famâ—lists Antinomians Anabaptists Seekers Separatists and all so the Presbyterians that stand for the Covenant of God and reformation may fall h In all â—ges 〈◊〉 and Sectaries have called punishing of seducers or not receiving them in our house as being evil doers 2 Ioh. 10 and so â—ustly punishable Rom. 13 4 5. with the name of persecution i Yet they pâ—stered twelve Counâ—ies in England and would God they were few in number this day k Yet may Familists live in all sort of fleshlinesse and Idolatry murthers lying whoring c and if the Spirit help them not they are no more guilty then the maid forced in the field that did cry and there was none to helpe and so by Law she was innocent Document sent 6. c. 10. they cannot bring forth any thing but all good and love Document sent c. 2. sect 1. in many places H.N. extolls his disciples as Gods habitation the seale of Gods Majesty the holy City of peace the new Ierusalem one with God God one with them c. And whereas John maketh the love of the brethren a marke of these that are translated from death to life 1 Ioh 3.14 Yee may know Familists by their workes they are malitious haters as is evident in this petition of the truly godly in England whom they call their enemies these twenty five yeares l The Puritanes are the proud ones that King James is to subdue all others the Antichristian sect and the Familists only the house of God of love of the godly being c. m Twice they pray God for the King and his son that they may have long
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
as infallible as the Scripture which I expresly deny and lay the rationem credendi all the weight burden and warrant of the obligation of conscience that the decrees or constitutions of an Assembly can lay on not on the fallible and weake authority of the Church or men but on the matter of the decrees because or in so farre as it is the necessary matter of the word or agreeable to the word of God Now may not the Reader consider this logicke The Gospell that M. Burton preacheth obligeth all his flocke absent or presenct for their presence maketh it not to bee Gospell and that not because of the authority of M. Burton who is but a sinfull man but because the Gospell he preacheth is necessary truth and agreeable to the Scriptures ergo whatsoever M. Burton preacheth is no lesse infallible then the decisions of the Apostles The Antecedent is most true and more I doe not say but the consequence is most blasphemous and false yet are all the lawfull Pastors in Britaine to preach the sound word of God after the example of the Prophets the Apostles ergo whatever all the faithfull Pastors in Britaine preach is as infallible as the decisions of the Apostles the Antecedent I can owne as a truth of God but the consequence is M. Burtons 2. He addes to my words and saith M. Rutherfurd tells us whatsoever is by these Commissioners determined and concluded is matter necessary and agreeable to the word of God This I say not I never thought whatsoever they say is matter necessary find these words under my hand and I will crave M. Burton and all the Church of England pardon But I know Generall Assemblies can reele and erre Every man is a lyar I never say whatsoever is concluded by them is necessary I say what is determined by them is de jure that is ought to be agreeable to Gods word for I shew that Generall Assemblies have their warrant from Act. 15. and my meaning and words are clear These are M. Burtons words not mine What is determined by them binds not as or because it s from men but as agreeable to the word of God M. Burton expones my is as hee pleaseth best and hath need to crave God pardon for that hee rashly and ignorantly I say no more fathers untruths on his innocent brother who writeth and speaketh honourably and respectively of him for let logicke of conscience be judge if this be a good consequence What a Generall Assembly determines bindeth no farther but as it is necessary and as it is agreeable to the word ergo Whatsoever a Generall Assembly determines is necessary and is agreeable to the word of God it followeth in no sort at all yea the â—uâ—t contrary followeth ergo if it be not necessary and in so farre as it is not agreeable to the word it obligeth-neither these that are present nor absent and is not infallible at all 4. I may say without any just ground of offending either M. Burton or any of his way that write against Synods that had they rightly understood the state of the question between Pâ—otestants and Papists they would not have so inconsiderately clashed with the word of God and all the Reformed Churches in Christendome for we deny 1. All absolute unlimited and infallible authority to Synods Papists presse that Councells cannot erre and in so doing they make them Lords and Masters of the conscience of the people of God and Independents and others charging this upon us cannot before the barre of the alone King and head of the Church beare out their charge and the like unlimited and boundlesse power of Civill and politick ratifying and passing in penall lawes what the Church or Synods determine we deny to any Magistrate on earth M. Burton 9 10 11 12. will not and cannot make good his bitter virulent and unchristian challenge he layes on his innocent brethren who may and I hope doe in humility and confidence claime a Saintship and interest in the Lord Jesus as well as he That they with Diotrephes exalt mans power above all that is called God are Antichrists Apostates from the truth doe carry on the mystery of iniquity this he also must answer for as a slander laid on all our Reformers Calvin Luther Beza yea on Reynold Whittaker Perkins c. all the Protestant Churches all the hoast of Protestant Divines But 2. All the power and authority of Synods we conceive to be ministeriall not Lordly limited regulated by the onely word of God in the scripture and in matters circumstantiall of order and decency as time place persons observe I say not in mysticall Religions Ceremonies called but unjustly indifferent or the like by the law of nature rules of pietie charity and Christian prudency for the edification of our brethren and the glory of God and a lawfull Synod wee judge hath power ministeriall from Christ to passe constitutions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decrees Acts 16.4 Lawes I doe not call them because Christ is the onely Law-giver King and head of his Church his Officers are onely servants and Heralds to hold forth his Lawes and these constitutions condemning Arminianisme Socinianisme Familisme Antinomianisme c. as sometimes Mr. Burton being but one single Pastor by word and writ condemned them and that in the name and authority of Christ as hee then said and commanding in the Lord that they consent to the forme of sound doctrine rebuking all that subvert soules and trouble the Churches Acts 15.23 24. are to be obeyed and the conscience submitted to them not absolutely not for the sole will and meere authority of the Heralds as if they were infallible not with blind obedience not without reclamation or appeale if they be either contrary or beside the scriptures but conditionally in so farre as they are agreeable to the Word of God even as the single Independant Congregation is to be heard in things lawfull under paine of excommunication as our brethren say from Matth. 18. and yet Matth. 18. sets not up Antichrist and caries not on the Mystery of iniquity And wee teach that the Magistrate as the Minister of God after due examination according to the word is obleiged to adde his civill sanction to these constitutions and to guard the Ministers with his Sword and to punish Arminians Socinians Familists c. as Mr. Burton cryed against them of old and appealed to the supreame Magistrate the Kings Majesty against them though wee judge the Magistrates sword in all this keepes such a distance from the conscience that this is so farre from being a State Government of the Church that these constitutions have no power at all over the conscience from the sword and are alike binding and were Acts 15. Though the Magistrate were not on earth and though hee should oppose them as hee did then And we thinke Arminians Socinians and Familists who deny all power of Synods lesse or more except onely Sir if