God in Ordinances Familists and Antinomians willingly mistake and pervert Scripture while they conceive the letter that killeth which is the Law of woâ—ks as opposed to the Gospel and nothing else to be the whole Ordinances of God as in formes that is the written scriptures praying preaching seales hearing conference and that if we beleeve God conveys his spirit in or by these we are Idolaters and worship God in formes images and signes the very Doctrine of H. Nicholas but Rom. 7.6 the oldnesse of the letter is the law commanding intire and absolutely perfect obedience under a curse and having no promise of the spirit and grace to obey and this oldnesse of the letter is the meere letter of the law as law-holding us as the Sonnes of the old Adam under condemnation And the newnesse of the spirit is the grace of the Gospel inabling us to obey what the law commandeth and whereas we cannot obey perfectly assuring us we are under a new Husband and Surety who by his merits takes away the guilt of our sinne for the oldnesse of the letter is opposed to the newnesse of the spirit in the Text as two contrary states to wit the state of Law and the state of Grace which are as two contrary Husbands the one saving the other condemning But the oldnesse of the letter or of the law is not contrary to the ordinances of scripture Hearing Praying Sacraments for then the law should condemne and forbid all these which it doth not 2 Because Paul had called the Law the oldnesse of the letter some might say then the Law is essentially an ill thing and sin He answereth ver 7. What shall wee say then is the Law sin God forbid Then it is cleare by the oldnesse of the letter he meant the law 3 The oldnesse of the letter is opposed in the Text to the newnesse of the spirit then the oldnesse of the letter cannot be ordinances scripture the letter of the Law and Gospel the written and preached word for the written and preached word is never opposed to the grace of Christ or the renewing spirit The word spirit are diverse never opposite or contrary And 2 Cor. 3. the letter is not the written word and seales and ordinances and Ministers preaching the Gospel 1 Because Paul saith expresly God hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament Now sure in this sense they were Ministers of the letter to the far largest part to whom they preached yea the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 and their Gospel hid and so a mere letter to these that perish yea and to the most part to a world 2 Cor. 4.3 4. but they were Mininisters of the spirit not of the letter not because they preached not the letter and externall word of the crosse to the effectually called for the contrary is said 1 Cor. 1.23 and if the letter be ordinances the Apostles were Ministers of the letter to all saved and not saved for word and seals and Law and Gospel were written spoken preached held forth by the Apostles to both saved and lost in the visible Church But Paul expresly denies that they were Ministers of the letter but of the spirit 2 The letter is the ministration of death The ministration of death written on stones only And not on fleshly tables of the heart not the Law written in the inward parts Jer. 31. For this Law on stones is the Law commanding but promising no grace to obey and commanding all and perfect obedience under a curse and eternall wrath and for that a killing letter yea for that the ministration of death the letter is not then new Testament ordinances as the written and preached Gospell and seales of the Covenant for as these are written on paper and not on the heart they are also a killing letter but not in the Apostles sense and yet the Apostles were Ministers of the new Testament in these to those that were lost and to those that were saved 3 The ministration of death had a glory that Israel could not behold and if a glory then a spiritualnesse as it is v. 7. and v. 9 it is called glory but letters graven on stones are dead of themselves and have no glory at all except in the thing signified then the written Law as it is here spoken of is not a naked signe figure and shadow But a spirituall ordinance including the thing signified and so something of God and therefore the Letter or ministration of death here cannot be so large as all written or preached ordinances and seales and that as they are meere formes types figures 4 The letter spoken of here v. 11 is done away and opposed to that which remaineth and is not done away but the letter of the written Law and the Ordinance of the Gospel preaching of Christ and the seales of the new Covenant and expresly the Lords Supper are not in this sense a letter a meere sign figure and shaddow for they are not done away The old and new Testament doe remaine and must be preached till Christs second comming Yea that the letter and outward ordinances are not done away as Moses his veile and his shaddows and types is most evident in that John who wrote after the ministration of the Spirit was come and to these who have the anointing that teach them all things 1 John 2.27 saith expresly 1 John 1.3 we declare unto you by writing the word of life 1 John 2.1 I write these ver 12. I write to you little Children 13. I write to you Fathers 14. I have written 26. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you and Paul must be a Minister of the letter in all the Epistles he wrote to the Churches by this way 5 The Gospel and new Testament Ordinances are delivered with much plainenesse of speech v. 12. and the old Testament is yet to be read and far more the new Testament is to be read and preached as is cleare v. 14. Then the letter cannot comprehend all Ordinances and old and new Testament in their formes and preaching to be done away as Familists dreame 2 As touching the supposed Idolatry of serving God in Ordinances written read and preached Scriptures of the old and new Testament 1. We doe not include and imprison the infinite God who is incomprehensible in sounds letters writen or spoken in creatures Sacraments that are not God we confesse but holy and warrantable Ordinances of God for we are here to do as God himself doth for we teach no man to fix or pin the Almighty within his ordinances the way of the Spirit with the word we dare not determine but the Spirit goes along with the word the Lord putteth his word and his Spirit in the holy seed in Covenant with him Esa. 59.21 The foolishnesse of preaching is a mean to save 1 Cor. 1.23.18 And if it be Idolatry to serve God in his own Ordinances Familists stumble
that Job David Heman Jonah say they are cast off of God yet at the same season Psalm 42. Davids heart was toward the Saints with whom he went to the house of God 2. Many we see dying who doubted for a time if ever they beleeved or were in Christ and yet were convinced that they loved the Saints but because they loved the Saints they could not make an actuall inference ergo they were translated from death to life because that actuall inference requireth the actuall blowing of the Holy Ghost a Saint in naturall Logick may be forced to yeeld an antecedent and the necessary consequence because both must be the cleere Word of God as 1 Joh. 3.14 I yeeld I love the Brethren and ergo I am translated from death to life But because hee seeth both the truth of the Antecedent and Consequence by the sparks of a meere naturall light he may be farre enough from faith and a supernaturall evidence of the Spirit to make him to beleeve it for his owne inward peace comfort and quieting of his soule and this deceiveth Antinomians that they thinke the knowing of their spirituall condition by marks being convincing and strong in a naturall way is presently the supernaturall evidence of the Spirit which it is not and 2. they inferre that it is to trust in their owne righteousnesse and stand on their owne legges if men come by assurance of a spirituall interest in Christ by their own inherent righteousnesse and then must they be justified saith Cornwell by works Yea 3. the New England Libertines say A man cannot evidence his justification by his sanctification but he must needs build upon his sanctification and trust to it And M. Towne saith The Saints are to forget and never remember their own holy walking So say they That true poverty of Spirit doth kill and take away the sight of grace But all the three consequences are false for a naturall evidence of my being in Christ cannot quiet my soule with the assurance of peace and for the other two wee are to forget our holy walking yea and as Towne saith to judge it losse and dung in the matter of our righteousnesse before God and thus to forget it so as we trust not in it is poverty of Spirit but simply to forget all our love to the Saints so as wee doe not remember it for the strengthening of assurance and our comfort is contrary to the whole Epistles of John and a begging of the question For sure it is damnable pride to trust in our own righteousnesse in that regard Paul may say I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby justified And so also we are to cast all behind us as losse and dung but it is utterly unlawfull and contrary to spirituall poverty to make no use at all wholly to forget and not to strengthen our faith and our assurance and comfort in any holy walking at all For Ezechiah dying comforteth himselfe in this Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And David I have kept the waies of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God all his judgements were before me And Job My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food And Jeremiah Thy words were sound and I did eat them c. And the Church I am comely In my bed by night I sought him whom my soule loveth c. My heart waked In the way of thy judgements Lord we have waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name c Nor can a Legall Pedagogie be objected for spirituall poverty was injoyned confidence in our own righteousnesse condemned in the Old Testament as well as in the new and Paul hath the same in the New Testament Asser. 4. What ever objections Crisp Saltmarsh Towne and others have to prove that all the marks of sincerity love universal obedience agree to hypocrites and so can be no certain evidences of our faith and assured interest in Christ are 1. such as Papists bring to prove None can have undoubted assurance they are in the state of grace 2. The arguments that prove these marks may be counterfeit because they may be such in hypocrits We conclude also that the Faith of the Saints and their broâ—d Seale and immediate Testimony of the Spirit may be in hypocrits A white Devill and a noone-day Angel may interpose himselfe in a bastard voice counterfeiting the tongue of the immediate speaking-Spirits and the faith of the Elect and there can be nothing that Saints can rejoyce in no worke of grace in themselves by the in-dwelling Spirit and Christ may as well dwell in the heart of an hypocrite by faith as of a Saint contrary to Eph. 3.17 Hypocrites may be filled with all the fulnesse of God as the Saints and have the seed of God remaining in them The annointing abiding in them which teacheth them all things and need not any to teach them And the Holy Spirit in them and abiding with them The Father and the Sonne making their abode with them A new heart in the midst of them and the stony heart removed A circumcised heart the law in their inward parts All these are as doubtfull and litigious evidendences of interest in Christ and the counterfeits of these in hypocrits as universall obedience sinceritie love to the brethren and any inherent qualifications that are in beleevers for saith Crispe All these may be in hypocrits But it s true there is not a living man or beast or bird in nature but a painter can counterfeit the like by Art nor a rose or flower in the garden but there a is wild flower and rose in the mountaines like it The Devill is an exact painter But this wil not prove but that he that hath a new heart and the annointing dwelling in him and inherent quallifications of the Spirit of Christ knoweth with a full perswasion that these are not counterfeits or such as may be in hypocrits nor doth it follow as Papists and Antinomians argue a mad man or a sleeping man knoweth not that he is mad or sleeping for madnesse and sleepe remove all reflect acts of knowledge that therefore a sober man and a waking man knoweth not that he is sober Paul was not in a golden transe nor in a pleasant night-dreame when he said For this is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world and more aboundantly to you-wards Nor doe the Saints speake to God wild-fire and windmills in the
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
regeneration is not said to worke with the word but a more common operation of God there is which begetteth literall knowledge or some higher illumination 2 the Spirit worketh with the word so as in one and the same act the Spirit opens the heart to heare and receave what is carryed along in the letter of the word and so the Spirit worketh mediately not immediately 6 How in the infusion of the new heart and of the habit of the grace of God in which we are meere patients and put forth no cooperation with God more then the dead doth to quicken it selfe Ephes. 2.1 2. and the withered ground to receave the raine I see not Esai 44.3 4. in regard that though the word goe before and the word may be preached in the meane time yet the act of infusion of the new heart is no morall action of God but as it were physicall and it is a reall action receaved by us by no subordinate literall action or morall apprehension of the minde or act of the will and therefore in this formall act of infusion what the word doth but by way of disposition or preparing I must professe my ignorance though it be most true that faith commeth by hearing and in the very mean time Act. 10.44 whilst Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fel on them which heard the word Then if conversion be taken in congregato vel concreto in the humbling selfe disparing of a sinner and all preparatory acts going before the infused life of Christ and in the first operations flowing from this infused life the word is an instrument of conversion but I cannot see how it is any active or morall instrument in the soules lying under the Lords act of infusion of the life of Christ except yee call it a passive instrument because it perswades not the soule to receeve the new life nor is the soule being a meere patient an apprehending knowing choosing or consenting faculty under this action of omnipotency while the Lord powres in a new heart It is true the word is thus farre the instrument that the Spirit worketh in us the same habit of new life and the same Spirit of grace and supplication that is promised in the word Esa. 44.3 4. Zach. 12.10 Ezeck 36.26 27. and the same Spirit that the Scripture saith Christ by his merits purchased Ioh. 1.16 17 18. Ioh. 12.32 Revel 1.5 Heb. 10.19 20 21 22. 1 Conclusion The word preached is that meane that instrumentally concurreth with the Spirit for begetting of faith Rom. 10.14.17 faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God and that he speaketh of the externall and not of the substantiall increated and internall word is cleare ver 14 15 16. he speaketh of such a word as a sent preacher carrieth 2. such glad tydings as messengers on the mountaines bring which is not the Spirit of faith to all that the messengers are sent to 3 It is such a word as he calleth ver 16. a report Now this is not an inward substantiall report or word because all that heareth the father to them the Spirit makes an inward report they come to Christ and beleeve the report Ioh. 6.45 But few or none beleeve this report ver 16. Who hath beleeved our report 1 Cor. 1.23 25. But we preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling blocke to the Greekes foolishnesse But unto them that are called both of Iewes and Greekes Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God then the word externally preached is instrumentally the power of Goâ— and that he speaketh of externall preaching not of the substantiall word or Spirit himselfe is cleare 1 Because the Spirit internally preached is received as the power of God Esay 59 19 20. And a God teaching Spirit but this word of it selfe is not such a Spirit 1 Because the Apostles preach it Men such as the Apostles were doe speake or preach of Christ and of the Spirit but they cannot preach or effectually inpreach to speake so Christ and the Spirit to the hearers for then should they give the Holy Spirit to al those they preach to which both is against scripture and experience Act. 12. Act. 14. Act. 17. and is blasphemous for God onely giveth the Holy Ghost 2 Because the internall and substantiall word preached to the eares internally is effectuall conversion but this preached Christ must be externally preached onely to some to Iewes and Greekes who stumble at Christ and beleeve not 1 Pet. 2. And the same is proved by 2 Cor. 2.15 Wee are unto God preaching the Gospell v. 14 a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish to the one wee are the savour of death unto death to the other the savour of life unto life Now the internall substantiall word is to none a savour of death 1 Thes. 2.13 For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing because when yee received the word of God which yee heard of us yee received it noâ— as the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that beleeve That is 1 The externall word which yee heard of us 2 It is the instrument of the Spirit Yee received it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God 3 It s not the internall word for it was not received of all that heard it for ver 14 15 16. the Iewes that heard it received it not 2 Conclusion The word preached of it selfe is not a dead letter as Swenckfeldians say with Antinomians Paul calleth the Law a dead Letter Because it teacheth what we should doe but promiseth not the Spirit of Grace to obey as the Gospell doth And punit delinquentes punisheth eternally delinâ—uâ—â—ts saith Chrysost 2 Cor. 3. hom 7. and Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact saith the same Augustine saith the Law makes us know not eschew sinne and the Gospell is not a dead letter of it selfe even as the Letter of it is voyd of the Spirit except by accident in the same sense that it is the savour of death unto death and a rocke of offence to those that stumble at the word But is not may some say the law also by accident and through our sinfull condition a condemning letter aswell as the Gospell and so both because they are externall and literall must be a dead letter I answer not so because the Gospell in the letter and literall sense ofâ—ereth a way or meanes of reconciliation to thoâ—e that beleeve but the Law as the Law in no sense can either offer or give life but in regard that all have sinned the proper use of the Law to all under the Law is to give out a sentence of condemnation in the very externall and literall sense of it If the Law lead as a Paedagogne any to Christ that is now by a
that in the Gospell the word and the Spirit are alwayes joyned and therefore saith Christ the words that I speake are spirit and life that is they come from the spirit and carry spirit with them Then 1 the Gospell pâ—eached externally to Del and to Antinomians is not that word by which Christ converts soules faith is not from outward hearing as an instrument of our conversion the contrary of which we have proved It s from the inward word in the heart now the word in the heart is very faith it selfe the argument of both Swenckefel and Del is nothing for it is this the word outwardly preached except it come to the heart can never convert the soule because it is but a meere sound saith Swenckefeld it s but a very letter say Antinomians therefore the externall word is no instrument of our conversion but onely the internall word I utterly deny the consequence lay a pen well inked to paper a thousand times it shall never write except the hand of the writer draw the characters ergo the pen is no instrument of writing it followes not So bread except by the blessing of God it be turned into blood and flesh can never nourish ergo the bread that the Baker bakes is no instrument by which we are nourished It s an unjust consequence and distroyes all ordinances naturall and Spirituall It onely followes ergo the word without us is no efficacious cause of conversion and no principall cause and can do nothing except the Spirit inact and animate and concurre with the word which we with both hands yeeld and beleeve as a Gospel-truth The word is but a sound a letter I answer it is not a common sound such as the odes of Horatiâ—s and Epistles of Seneca render but it is in it selfe a sound filled with Majesty power heaven so as every word seemes to be with-child of grace and life yea and separate the word from the Spirit and in the stile conveyance method there is so much divinity majesty holinesse life gravity as the child bewrayes heaven in its forehead and lookes like the Father and Author God and therefore it s more then a sound to a deafe soule actu secundo it hath but a sound and whereas Antinomians say it s but a dead letter they speake of the paper inke and printed characters of the word but vvee take it not so but as the vvords do connotate and involve the things signified the precious promises and as the Lord saith Hose 8. The great things of my law and so they are not dead letters but the instrument chariot meanes of conveyance of Christ and the Spirit to the heart and though vvithout the Spirit the vvord vvorkes not as no instrument no toole nor hammer no axe can build a house except the Mason and Carpenter act and move them shall it follow they are not for that instruments at all 2 Del and Antinomians with Swenckefeld will have the Gospel preached to none but to those that have the internall word and Spirit in their hearts then when Christ and the Apostles Mat. 13. Act. 28. Act. 13. preach Christ and the Gospel in the letter as some other thing then the Law it is not the word of God nor the Gospell why it wants the Spirit to goe along with it and can never change nor reforme saith Del pag. 18. and begetteth but a literall and feighned faith saith Swenckefeld and the word and the Spirit are alwayes joyned saith Del pag. 19. now this is not the written read nor externally preached Gospel nor the Scripture so they must but coâ—sen us for they meane the internall word not verbum vocale And the preaching of faith that Saltmarsh speaketh of free grace pag. 146 is not the Scripture nor preached word which I demonstrate Del speaketh of such a word as hath the Spirit alwayes ioyned with it pag. 19. But the scripture and the externall vocall word hath not alwayes the Spirit joyned with it for when it is preached to Reprobates and to malicious obdured soules that stumble at Christ and the word being thereunto appointed 1 Pet. 2.7 Mat. 13 14 15. Ioh. 12.37 38 39. Ioh. 9.39 It hath not the Spirit joyned with it 2 They speake of such a word as hath the Spirit actually converting and which is therein differenced from the Law that is but a dead letter and cannot minister the Spirit so Del ser. pag. 18 19. So Saltmarsh free grace pag. 146 147 so Swenckfeld ibid. therefore all that Antinomians and Swenckfeldians say that they take not away Word ministery ordinances preaching are meere delusions for by the word of God that begets faith they meane the internall word not scripture nor the written and preached word and so they say nothing to take off this error justly layd upon them to wit that under the Gospell there is no need of Scripture Preaching Sacraments hearing nor doing of any duties to men nor abstinence from murthering killing whoring stealing c. all exterâ—alls are indifferent 3 You see how false it is that the Gospell is not to be preached to any but to those that are converted because it cannot be received by faith by any but by such contrary to Christs expresse commands to his Apostles Mat. 28.19 20. Goe teach all nations so Paul preached to the obstinate Jewes Act. 13 to the scoffing Athenians Act. 17. Is it not therefore the Gospel that they preachâ— 4 It is an undue arguing of Swenckefeldians and Antinomians The word is a literall carnall sensible thing ergo God workes not faith which is a spirituall grace thereby for it followes onely God workes not faith by the vocall word alone except he put to the pul of omnipotency of grace 2 The assumption is false the preached word though in its sound it be carnall literall bodily yet in its power Majesty and the thing signified which is the birth in the wombe of the word it is spirituall lively heavenly 5 Nor doth it follow that Iustification begins at man if the vocall word be the instrument thereof except they say that hearing and preaching did necessarily and effectually produce justification and conversion they are no parts no members no efficacious causes of conversion or Iustification 6 Iustifying faith and salvation both are in their nature things spirituall and yet have their originall from the word preached as an instrument yea from the foolishnesse of preaching 1 Cor. 1.21 Nor is the word altogether bodily because it incurres in the sense of hearing but taking the word preached as it includes the great things of God not as it is letters and sounds it is not carnall but spirituall 2 Cor. 10.5 Sharper then a two edged sword to save or kill on either edges Heb. 4.12 yea even when it is rejected the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 17. And the Everlasting Gospell Rev. 14.6 7 Nor can it follow that justifying faith is a work of man
aswell as against arâ—s and tongues for neither doth the Spirit teach immediately and without schooleâ— universitâ—â—â— and humane teaching The way of preaching more then he teacheth arts and toâ—gues yet this the anoynting did 〈◊〉 teach them arts and tongues is impertinâ—â—â—ly 〈…〉 over-plus in the 〈◊〉 which is no◠〈◊〉 conclusion for without the Spirit of reveâ—â—â—ion 〈…〉 maybe and are learned And whereas Iohn saith 〈◊〉 noâ— that any man teach you it is but that which Ier. said 3.1 34. And they shal no more â—each every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord in which words Iohn and Jeremiah 〈◊〉 no other thing then there shall be more then onely literall knowledge of man teaching man because they shall be more even inward teaching by the anoynting Esa. 54.19 Ioh. 6.44 45. they shall all be taught of God nor is it the intent of the Holy Ghost to reject the ministery of men which Ephes. 4.11 12 13. Must indure tâ—ll we meet all in the unity of faith in heaven but onely the Holy Ghost speaketh comparatively and denyeth the teaching of men to be reaching if it be compared with Gods inward and effectuall teaching So Psal. 50.8 I will not reprove thâ—â— for thy sacrifices v. 14 Offer to God thanksgiving that is I offend rather at thy unthankefulnesse then that thou multiplyest not sacrifices to mee Obiect 2 God placeth our salvation in enmity to mans wisedome 1 Cor. 1.23 24. We preach Christ crucified to the Iewes a stumbling blocke and to the Grecians foolishnesse the Iewes cryed away with him at Athens the Gentiles mock Christ and Paul and God will have no flâ—sh to glory but in the Lord now this learning is but flâ—shly and carnall Ans. 1. God placeth our salvation in enmity to mans wisedome simply and in the simple naturall and sinnelesse knowledge of arts and tongues It s most false in enmity to to mans wisedome abused gloried in its true and God brings to nothing the wisdome of this world by which Iew and Gentile slighted Christ and denyed him and willed a murthererer Barrabas to be released before him What is this to the Lords condemning of humane learning arts and tongues of which the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. speaketh not but of their carnall abuse of these and glorying in them and it is to begge the question to say that this learning is carnall and fleshly in it self which is now the question 2 Nor was it out of pride of humane learning tongues and arts that the Iewes stumbled at Christ and the wisedome of the Crosse but out of false glosses they put on the Scriptures of the Old Testament seeking by the law salvation Rom. 10 1. and by this argument the Old Testament is condemned as well as arts and tongues as an impediment to faith Obiect 3. We are compleat in Christ. Ans. It is not worthy an answer for as touching spirituall furniture righteousnesse salvation teaching by the Spirit we are compleat in Christ ergo the ministery and teaching of men is no instrument no externall means of our compleatnesse in Christ it followes not at all Obiect 4 Christ sent mee not to preach the Gospell with the wisedome of words least I should make the crosse of Christ of no effect Ans. By the wisedome of mans wordâ— he meanes not learning Rhetoricke eloquence simply for â—aul preached the Gospell with more of that and spake more tongues then they all but the fonde affectate vaine soaring and confiding in these as if they could ad vertue to the Gospell to save soules Obiect 5 The weapons of our warefare are not carnall Ans. None of us are so mad as to say that humane learning arts and tongues can convert soules and lead high thoughts captive to the obedience of Christ but that Rhethorick Logick Tongues learning sanctified fitly made use of by the Spirit being Spiritualized as we see in the Prophets and Apostles may conduce to the opening and due understanding of the Scriptures Other abused scriptures and bablings I will not answer nor trouble the reader with all CHAP. IX Of Henry Nicholas and older Familists and Antinomians HEnry Nicholas was borne at Amsterdam as some thinke he spread his heresie a little after David George about the yeare 1556 he was an ignorant foolish man a craftie hypocrite had a sort of deceiving violence in his smooth eloquence of love he calleth himselfe The first illuminate Elder of the Family of Love was at the beginning austere riged and fasted waked divers nights and prayed and praysed spread his errors through Holland and Lower Germany pretended visions and conferences with the Angels from whom he had his way of exponing scriptures by allegories but turned afterward loose and vaine he came over to England and spread his foule heresies and seduced a number of Artificers and silly women and wrote an Epistle to two daughters of Warwicke disswading them from regeneration by the word of God read or preached and called that regeneration Ceremoniall â—lementish and false and laboured to perswade the maids to a spirituall new birth by the Spirit and internall word and did forbid suffering for the truth or confessing of Christ to the death before men and exponed the laying downe of the life for Christ of the mortifying the body of sinne he had his errors from the Antitrinitarians and denyed Christ to be God This Epistle was answered and râ—futed by H. Ainsworth he wrote a Booke of Documentall sentences another called Evangelium regni The Gospell and ioyfull message of the Kingdomâ— his doctrine and that of David Georgius was confuted by M. Martyn Micronius Minister of the Dutch-church at London under Edward the Sixth of England and by M. Nicholaus Charineus Minister also of the Dutch Church who dyed An. 1563. H. Nicholas his tenents especially his joyfull message was refuted by M. John Kâ—ewstub preacher in Queen Elizabethâ— time the book was printed at London An. 1576. and Dedicated to Ambrose Earle of Warwick H. N. wrote in dark and obscure termes following much that wicked peâ—ce called Theologia Germanica set out by Randall 1646. this forme of writing saith Knewstub is an evident note of a seducing spirit This blasphemous Impostor as if he were an Apostle speaketh of his calling like a false Christ. 1 Chap. Evangelium regni The joyfull message of the Kingdome H. Nicholâ—s through the grace and mercy of God through the holy Spirit of the love of Jesus Christ. Raised up by the highest God from the death Ephes. 2.1 according to the providence of God and his promises Anointed with the Holy Ghost in the old age of the holy understanding of Jesus Christ Ephes. 4.13 Godded with God in the Spirit of his love Illuminated in the Spirit with the heavenly truth The true light of perfect beeing Made Heire with Christ in the heavenly goods of the riches of God Elected to be a Minister of the gracious word which is now in the last times raised
against the flesh in some more in some lesse The time of grace is when the heart is erected and saith why art thou cast downe O my soule c. Hee that knowes this art well is deservedly a Divine I and those like me know scarse the first elements thereof The more godly any is the more he feeles this battle When I was a Monk I thought my heaven gone so often as I felt the concupiscence of the flesh I assay'd much I confessed every day but in vaine while I understood Paul saying The flesh lusteth against the Spirit then I was not so afflicted I thought then as now Martin even thou though godly shalt not want sin and this battle despaire not but fight then thou art not under the Law Staupicius said I have vowed a thousand times to be godlier but I keep not I le vow no more c. Luther That which is truely sin against the Law the Law cannot accuse as sin in the godly Luther Sin that is pardoned is broken through confidence of mercy that it condemne not or accuse not yet because of the flesh it springs up and warres in the flesh Beware to think little or much of the reliques of sin for so the purger the holy Spirit is lightly esteemed The reliques of sin remaine in us which need daily pardon All the beleevers sinnes are pardoned and covered but not yet purged so much pride hatred lust c. yea inward blots unbeleefe impatience murmuring remaine in us The reliques of sin remain in our flesh even when wee are justified least we should be idle that wee may have exercises of godlinesse Sin as Augustine speaks remaineth in us actually and in guilt it passeth away that is the thing it self that is truely sin is both pardoned and tollerated by God and the remnant of it remaines in the flesh and is not close dead except that by Christ the Serpents head is bruised yet his tongue moveth and his taile threatens a stroake What you will say ought not the ten Commandements to bee kept or if they be kept is not that our righteousnesse I answer wee will performe and keepe the ten Commandements but with a large that is with a truly Evangelick dispensation and distinction because we receive only the first fruits of the Spirit and the sighs of the Spirit remaine in our heart also our flesh with the lusts and concupiscence that is the whole tree the whole body of sin in its nature and being say Antinomians what they will with the fruits thereof remains this is the cause why the Law can never be perfectly kept Luther does most excellently deliver the differences of Law and Gospell of which Antinomians are altogether ignorant Luther calleth the Law a letter a dead a condemning letter not as Antinomians say because in the Gospel as Del saith The word and the Spirit are alwayes conjoyned and therefore Christ saith the words that I speake are spirit and life that is they come from the Spirit and carry Spirit with them which the Law doth not but Luther meaneth that the Law as the Law and Covenant of workes hath nothing at all of the Spirit but as a pedagogue to Christ it hath the Spirit conveying it in the hearts of the elect and the Gospel as the Gospel promiseth and hath conjoyned with it the Spirit not alwayes not when preached to Capernaim as Del citeth ignorantly the text Joh. 6. not when preached to Pharisees but when preached to the elect and not alwayes not when their hearts are hardned Mark 6.52 Mark 8.16 17. but when God is pleased to open their hearts and effectually to concurre with the word of the Gospel For Luther saith what ever revealeth sinne wrath and death does the office of the Law whether in the Old or New Testament according to Luther the Gospel may act the Laws part on a hardned hearer and so it hath not the Spirit alwayes accompanying it and the Law when it is made a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ carryeth the Spirit with it but Antinomians mean no other thing but that the Gospel is the very holy Spirit himself A most absurd Doctrine the Gospel is the word of grace the Holy Spirit is God making the word of grace effectuall Luther The Evangell is a word both of power and grace while it beats on the ears within powres in the Spirit But if it powre not in the Spirit a hearing man differeth not from a deafe man Then the Gospel is sometimes without the Spirit as well as the Law Except the doctrine of faith by which the heart is purified and justified be revealed all teaching of all commands is literall and the tradition of Fathers The Law teacheth what is your debt and what you want Christ giveth what you should doe and what you should have Augustine saith the Law of works saith doe what I command the law of faith saith to God grant Lord what thou commandest and again what the Law of works commandeth by threatning that the Law of faith obtaines by beleeving the people of the Law is hauty the people of Faith sighes for pardon Every law especially Gods Law is a word of wrath the power of sin the law of death the Gospel is the word of grace life salvation the word of righteousnesse and peace It is a wonder and unknown to the world to teach Christians to be ignorant of the Law and to live so before God as if there were no Law For except thou be ignorant of the law and conclude in thy heart there is no law no wrath but onely grace and mercy in Christ Jesus thou cannot be saved for by the law is the knowledge of sin by the contrary so the law and works must be pressed on the unbeleeving world as if there were no Gospel promise no grace Luther The Gospel is a preaching of Christ that he pardons sin gives grace justifies and saves sinners Whereas there are Commandements in the Gospel they are not Gospel but expositions of the law and consequences of the Gospel Evangelium verbum virtutis gratiae simul est dum aures pulsat intus Spiritum infundit Quod si Spiritum non infundit nihil differt audiens â surdo Luther Nisi doctrina â—idet quâ cor purificatur justificatur reveletur omnis omnium praeceptorum eruditio Literalis paterna traditio Lex docet quid debeas quo careas Christus dat quod facias habeas Augustinus dicit lex factorum dicit homini fac quod jubeo Lex autem fidei dicit Deo da quod jubes iterum quod lex factorum minando imperat hoc lex fidei credendo impetrat Luther Lex quae cunque presertim divina est verbum irae virtus peccati lex mortis Evangelium verò est verbum gratiae vitae salutis verbum
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
monster he maintained that Christ and the Church together are the new creature that there is no inherent righteousnesse in beleevers that Adam was not made after Gods Image and other monstrous lies he held which doe make the first and second Adam in divinity Monsters 2 The Midwife one Hawkins Wife of St. Ives was notorious for familiarity with the Devill and now an active Familist 3 The Monster was concealed five moneths yet in the day Mistris Hutchison was excommunicated she revealed the Monster the Magistrate caused to digge up the grave and it was seen in the hornes claws holes in the back and some scales and that by an hundred persons 4 When the childe dyed being two houres after the birth the bed violently shook that all in the house conceived it to be an earth-quake 5 The manner of concealing it was strange all present with the travelling woman were taken with violent purging and vomiting some fetched home to their children in a new convulsion none left but the Mid-wife with two other of which one fell asleepe Mistris Hutchison who defended her opinions with lies and equivocations and pretended she was still of Mr. Cottons judgement and that she was by revelation in England that she durst heare none by M. Wheelright and M. Cotton all the rest being Sathans Ministers still spake of the things of the Kingdome of God and professed Repentance and yet kept her wicked opinions M. Cotton and M. Davenport convinced her of her errors all to the last and she confessed in the Congregation her Errors her contempt of the Magistrates that she was deserted of God deluded in her revelations desired the Congregation to pray for her afterward she was found to be a lyer gave no satisfaction in her answers but lying circumlocutions and denyed she held any such opinions as were imputed to her the contrary whereof was known to many godly persons she was banished to the Isle called the Road-Island from thence removed to the Dutch-plantation near a place called in the Mappe Hell-gate where the Indians beside their custome slew her and her daughter and husbands daughter some say the Indians burnt her house and all she had CHAP. XVII Of the late Familists banished out of New England in Massachusets and now inhabitants of Shaw-omet otherwise called Providence and their tenets THere is a piece lately Printed and Licensed Aug. 3. 1646. called Simplicities defence against seven-headed Policy Or Innocency Vindicated being unjustly accused and sorely censured by that seven-headed Church-government united in New England It s a piece stuffed with wicked principles and grosse and blâ—sphemous deductions of Familisme smelling ranckly of the abominable Doctrine of Swenckefield Muncer Becold David Georgius and of H. Nicholas the first Elder of the Family of Love of the piece called Theologia Germanica and the Bright Starre It is flowred with a Poem inveighing against the godly in New England who hate the deeds of the Nicholaitans cannot indure those that call themselves Apostles and are not and oppose wicked Liberty of Conscience and have banished Antinomians and Libertines out of their bounds these Libertines say that the same spirit of persecution works in Papists Jews Turks and the Churches in New England The Author of the Poem who makes â—one Saints and of the Kingdome of Christ but Familists and Antinomians and all the rest enemies is reported to be R. Beacon who wrote a Catechisme of stuffe not unlike this 1 Sam. Gortyn and his late Disciples of Familisme hold all the godly and sound of the Churches of New England that are not theirs to be Antichrists Idolaters worshippers of the starre of their God Remphan figures that they made to themselves Pharises Scribes Herodians children of disobedience in whom the God of this world Sathan works false teachers c. and what not and themselves the onely Saints 2 The calling of the Apostles and ministers extraordinarily without the ministery of men and the calling of them now ordinarily by men must argue a Change in the sonne of God and a nullitie Then must the ceasing of sacrifices and old Testameent-Ceremonies and Gods divers ways of revealing himself to us say Christ is not the same yesterday and to day and for ever contrary to Heb. 13.7 8 9 10. 3 Libraries books and humane learning are to bee condemned Simpl. defence p. 15. as Antino doe 4 The rising of Anabaptists Familists and sects which the truely godly in New England feare and abhorre is the Messenger of the Covenant Christ comming to his temple Ibid. 5 Herod Act 12. Taking on him to be a Magistrate to protect the people with wisdome and Counsell to minister Justice unto them took on him an office that belongs onely to God and so did Brother Winthrop the Governour of New England for which cause Herod was stricken with wormes Magistracy then in it selfe must be unlawfull Simplic Defen p. 17 18. 6 The two Olive trees and candlesticks standing before the God of the earth are the two witnesses whom the godly of New England doe kill and these two witnesses are the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ the strength and the weaknesse of Christ for he was crucified through weaknesse but liveth by the power of God Simplic Def. p. 19 20. Thus these Wizzards change the true Christ true man like us in all things except sin into a Metaphoricall imaginary Christ for Gorton in the Postscript expounding these words Except ye eate the flesh c. Joh. 6. saith p. 104. And whereas he saith I say unto you or as the word is I say in you it signifies that what ever the Saints utter in point of Religion it is and must be the voyce of the Son of God and not of themselves so that as he suffereth death in them else can he have no death at all and then no Saviour even so he speaketh in them or else hath he no voyce or language at all and therefore without them no revealer of the will of his Father For where Christ is silent there can be no revelation therefore he is the word or expression of his Father Hence by the new way of new Familists it is clear Christ is not true man dying in his manhood for man but he dyeth in the Saints and suffers in them else saith Gorton He cannot dye nor suffer because p. 105. He is that fountain of life yea life it selfe Then all the dying and suffering of Christ-man is the dying and the suffering of the Saints But the Saints dying and suffering offer not themselves a sacrifice to God for their own sins and the sins of the world nor are they our Redeemers nor Saviours to save the people of God from their sins as Christ was Matth. 1.21 The Son of God is made flesh that is weak and fraile in regard of us or our nature that he took But he means that Christ took our nature not in his owne person that I cannot fasten upon their words
the same way at preaching calling it Idolatry as these that were lost break their necks upon the preaching of the Gospell as foolishnesse 1 Cor. 1.18.23 And these that stumbled at the word 1 Pet. 1.2.8 stumbled not at the internal word and the law written in their heart the only word of Swinckefeld and Familists but at the externall word preached for they never knew the internall word 2. When saith he Protestants set up such a form of worshipping God in Ordinances hearing searching the Scriptures reading praying seales it is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it and indeed a finer kinde of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things he means the written and preached Scriptures Sacraments praying hearing c. so the Antichristian Beast H. Nicholas speaketh Evangely or joyfull message of the Kingdome chap. 34. But the while now that the Figurative Services and ceremonies of the Christians flourished in their vigor he hath raised up me H. N. H. Nicholas meaneth hearing reading of Scripâ—ures and all outward Ordinances which he calleth Figurative Services and Ceremonies and Saltmarsh saith worshipping God according to the Scriptures is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit to this forme To Scriptures and Ordinances then he giveth us his good leave except we would be finer Idolaters to follow the Spirit without and beside the Scripture For the Scripture is but a Form and a thing of Figures and Letters And though the Lord and his Spirit be not tyed or fixed to Scriptures yet are we tyed to the Law and Testimony and if any spirit any Apostle Paul any H. N. or Saltmarsh will lead us by a Spirit with another Gospel we pronounce him accursed Esay 8.20 Gal. 1.8 2 Joh. 10. 3. We confesse if to tremble at the Word as Josiah did 2 Kings 22.19 and these in whom God dwelleth Esay 66.1 2. Esay 57.15 be a making of an Idoll of the Word and a Legall service then did God command and reward Idolatry in the old Testament which is abominable and then we professe that wee under the new Testament worship God after the way which these men call Idolatry but mourning and shedding of teares at the seeing of him in the Word preached whom we have pierced Zach. 12.10 11 12. is no Legall Idolatry but a Prophesie to be fulfilled under the kingdome of the Messiah and when the Saints are pricked in heart and tremble at the Word preached Acts 2.37.38 Acts 9.5 6. Acts 16.29 30. Luke 7.37 38. They adore not the Letters nor sounds of the Word but God that conveyes himselfe to their soules by these meanes of his own appointing 3. It is abominably false that God conveyes himselfe in outward things as Papists say he conveyes himselfe to the soule by Images For Images or Portraits of God are in themselves religious meanes of worship utterly unlawfull and forbidden in the second Commandement when as Ordinances are lawfull conveyances of God to sinners 1 Cor. 1.18 For the preaching of the Crosse is to them that perish foolishnesse but unto us who are saved it is the power of God 21. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save such as beleeve 23. But we preach Christ crucified to the Jewes a stumbling-block to the Grecians foolishnesse 24. But unto them that are called both Jewes and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdome of God Rom. 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth to the Jew first and also to the Greek 1 Cor. 2.4 5. 2 Cor. 10.4 5. Rev. 1.16 and this is never said of Images in old or new Testament 4 We utterly deny that God immediatly informes glorifies and spiritualizeth these forms and figures as the Israelites thought that God informed the Calfe If any idolize the preached or written Word it is not our doctrine nor did Saltmarsh ever aim to prove any such thing to be our doctrine or that the Word heard conferreth grace ex opere operato If hearing be not mixed with faith it profiteth nothing the carnall moralist dreameth that formes and Church-service will save him but Protestants teach no such thing 5. Ordinances are not meere figures and signes but holy divine powerfull signes like a Hammer a two edged Sword weapons mighty through God and the life majesty divinity power heaven that is in the Word doe be-ly Familists Therefore it is false that in their nature they are but Parables Figures and Types For the words and letters are so but in their sence as they include the thing signâ—fiâ—d they are another thing of a higher straine 6 These Ordinances are the everlasting Gospel the Covenant the Lords Supper in which we annunciate the Lords death till he come again 1 Cor. 11.26 and therefore are not for the state of bondage onely 7. Nor are Ordinances earthly things but lively spirituall heavenly treasures 2 Cor. 4.7 8. Who ever exponed Scripture as Saltmarsh and Familists doe For he calls the seeing groping and feeling of the holes in Christs side and the print of the nailes in his hands and feet the ordinances of the written and preached Word and Seales or Sacraments by which he clearly insinuates that some never enjoy ordinances of Word Scripture and Seales and yet beleeve in Christ as â—hriâ—t saith that â—ome never saw never gropâ—d the holes in his 〈◊〉 and side â—s Thomas did yet do beleeve and so are more blâ—ssâ—d theâ— Thomas But let Saltmarsh shew who are these who beleeve and yet their faith came not by hearing contrary to Rom. 10.14 9. It is true Christ preached and conveyed to the soules of men by the foolishnesse of preaching is a scandall to many But not that only but that Christ onâ—y so low despicable as a Saviour shamed crucified cursed rejected should be the Saviour of the world and the way to eternall happinesse is the great scandall so it is not the Letter or sound â—f words or the foolishnesse of Figures and Signes that occasioneth mens stumbling at Christ but the thing signified in this letter and sound of words For the Grecians and great wits of the world did convey their happines they promised to men by Characters Letters and figures namely by the Divine writings of Plato Aristotle Cicero Seneca Socrates and so did the wise Philosophers who by words and grave sentences would make their Disciples and their Sectaries happy Then Christ is not appoynted for the ruine of men and to be a snaâ—e because he conveyeâ—h himselfe his Spirit and faith salvation and grace by words but by words of so despicable and base a Redeemer as Maâ—ies Son hanged on a tree 10. We cast no reproaches on the Spirit but are as much for praying by the Spirit preaching by the Spirit as he but not by the Spirit separated from the Word Revelations Such 1. as the Word knoweth not 2.
and not infallible Prophets and Apostles 2 Thess. 2. pag 110 111. The Antichrist is not the Pope but a ministery in the letter and 107. Hush Luther Wiccliffe Calvine Martyr and Bede had but faint and small discoveries of the spirit and letter and pag. 111. pag. 24 25. He that did with hold and hinder the revealing and the dominion of the man of sin was the spirit He that sits in the seat of God is men in Synods judging the spirit himselfe and God in the Saints p. 147 148. H. Nicholas Evang. 31. Sect. 1 2. saith the Pope is the cheife anoynted Answ. Except H. Nicholas and Saltmarsh no Protestant Divine exponed the man of sin to be any other then the Pope and the Hinderer that he should be revealed the Emperor and only Saltmarsh and the Anabaptists of Munster put a note of shame Antichristianisme on Luther Calvin as literall reformers no question because Martyr refutes Anabaptists Calvin the Libertines and Anabaptists Bullinger the Anabaptists and Enthusiasts Luther the Antinomians Mr. Saltmarsh sets himself above them in the all-spirit and highest discovery of glory I am with you to the end of the world that is to the end of that ministration till the Apostles dyed and no longer A. of this before The Iews sparkles of glory p. 151 152. were not onely a type of the true Christian Church but of the Christians in the lowest dispensation and in their armed tribes and Generals as Moses and Joshua were a figure of Christians under pupillage and bondage to nature and so they were led out against the nations who were a figure of worldly tyranny and oppression to recover their land of rest or such worldly priviledges as they had in promise donation from God under the Gospel the Lord suffered the same figure in Peter who walked about with Christ in his fleshly appearance with his sword girt about him till Christ had him put up his sword in his sheath because he was goeing out of that dispensation of flesh into more glory into the same glory he had with God before the world was Answ. Who ever mocked the word of God as these men do Yet these froathy allegories must be discoveries of all-spirit above Calvins and Luthers light 1 Such types or dreames have nothing so much as in a shadow of ground in the word 2 Christians under bondage to nature is a new phancy while men are in mere nature they have nothing of Christ or Christianity nor feel◠any Law bondage yea nor know it 3 If Peters Sword was a figure of ministration of the flesh to be layed aside whē Christ now ascended to glory how dare Christian Magistrates then bear the sword for after the ascention of Christ they are entered into glory with the Father and such glory as Christ had before the World was golden imaginations What mocking of the word of God is this Because Christ prayed John 17. Father gloryfie me with the glory that I had with thee before the world was therefore Christ mysticall and the Saints his body were then to enter into the glory that Christ had with the Father before the world was that is eternall glory when Peter was at Christs command to lay aside his sword 1 What warrant to make Peters Sword a figure of Christs fleshly dispensation and his laying downe of his Sword a type that Christ and his Saints ought after this to fight no more but to enter into a glorious dispensation into which all the Saints were to enter even the same glory that Christ had with the Father before the world was 2. Whether ought the Saints to dye eat drinke marry after Christ hath commanded Peter to lay aside his sword should they not enter into the same life of glory farre above and beyond all these infirmities and bee as Christ was dwelling in the glory he had with the Father from eternity Then should not Familists warre any more but disband and breake their speares into plowshears 3. Who made them capable of the glory Christ had before the world was 4. What Spirit fancied this interpretation Father glorifie me c. that is Father carry my Saints out of a dispensation of blood wars to a life of pure and all-Spirit and glory even in this life Saltmarsh despiseth interpretations by consequences and whence had he these more then monstrous consequences 161. p. In that a Christian is bone of Christs bone he is more then a conquerour Ro. 8. quencheth the violence of fire Heb. 11. Ans. Our having the same flesh and nature that Christ had makes us not victors but our faith is that which overcomes the world 1 Joh. 5.4 None can see mee and live pag. 282. so as they that see God doe not live or that thing called themselves doe not live that which is called a mans selfe is his owne reason his wisdome his righteousnesse his desires or will his lusts c. Now if these live God was never yet seene Ans. This place Exod. 33.20 is foolishly wrested by Saltmarsh for God speaketh not in that place of the seeing of God by faith in the light of his Spirit as if these naturall faculties were annihilated and pulled out in regeneration and God did actually see know beleeve love in us and our soules were turned over unto dead passive organs nor doth God speake there to Moses of regeneration but he represseth the spirituall and too much curiosity of Moses who desired to see God face to face and more then the Lord was pleased to reveale in this life to him or to any in the state of mortality Moses desired to see more then the Lords backe parts v. 18. Moses said I beseech thee shew me thy glory God answers so much as is good and profitable for him hee should see but his glory as in the life to come he could not see in this life Saltmarsh 307.308 exponeth the place Zach. 13. more spiritually By the false Prophet is ment the Spirit of Antichrist by the father and mother that begat him they who made him a Prophet or cryed him up and their thrusting of him through for lyes is the spirituall smiting of the Antichristian working with the sword of the Spirit through some new enlightnings from God Ans. Such lying wresting of Scripture from the literall and native sense of the Spirit is the way with Origen to turn all Scripture into allegories and types for read the words and they are a Propheticall threatning of death to the false teacher by his nearest bloud-friends alluding to Deut. 13. where father and mother were to cast stones at those dearest to them if they should prophesie lyes and this is to be fulfilled under the Messia's opened fountaine of his blood v. 1 2 3. I will cause the Prophet to cease his father shall threaten him Thou shalt not live he shall be ashamed and shall not dare to professe himselfe a false Prophet but a herdman and
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 carried rolled moved acted immediately by the Holy Ghost for God used not reason or humane discourâ—ing as an intervening organ or acting instrument to the devising and inventing of spirituall or Gospell truths 2 Pet. 1.20 21. but yet this immediately inspiring Spirit spake written Scripture commanded the Ordinance of actuall prophesying commanded the Prophets to write and the people to hear and to read the words of the Prophesie Antinomians and Familists conceive that now when divine truths are framed and come forth to the immediately inspired Scripture that the same immediately inspired Spirit must act the Saints as meere passive organs to preach in the Spirit immediately to pray to heare to write in the Spirit but then Familists should be as infallible as the Prophets both in preaching praying interpreting Scripture but the ordinary actings of the Spirit doth include and carry along the actings of reason minde will and affections but elevated above themselves The Spirit is opposed to carnall and wilde logicke and ratiotinations and so all carnall thoughts and sinfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discourses are Sathans fortifications and Souldier-works against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10.5 6. 1 Cor. 2.1 2 3 4. 1 Cor. 1.17 but the Spirit siteth upon and acteth reason to make our whole service 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reasonable service yea and all the Scripture is a masse and booke of discoursive refined reason unbeleevers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 absurd unreasonable men going against sense and sound reason And the spirit goeth on in a perswading way 2 Cor. 5.11 Gal. 1.10 Paul Act. 13.43 perswaded them to continue in the grace of God Act. 18.4 he perswaded the Jewes and Greeks Act. 19.8 hee perswaded the things concerning the Kingdome of God So doth the Spirit carry us along with exhorting Act. 2.40 2 Cor. 9.5 2 Thess. 3.12 2 Tim. 4.2 Heb. 3.13 1 Pet. 5.1 Jude v. 3. 5. Amongst the characters of a spirituall state and condition Some concerne the state some the actions For the state a renewed man is said to be in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 If ye live in the Spirit let us also walke in the spirit So as the Spirit is the life of the man in his spirituall walking so are we as touching our state said to receive the Spirit Gal. 3.2 Rom. 8.15 to be borne of the Spirit as receiving a new spirituall nature Joh. 3.6 Gal. 4.29 and the Spirit said to dwell in us Jam. 4.5 and the spirit is given to us Rom. 5.5 For the actings the Spirit determineth the action according to the nature and specification and rendereth the action spirituall so as they are led in their conversation by the Spirit and so are knowne to themselves to be the Sonnes of God Rom. 8.14 If ye mortifie through the Spirit the deeds of the flesh ye shall live Rom· 8.13 Paul was pressed in Spirit and testified to the Jewes that Jesus was Christ Act. 18.5 Apollos fervent in Spirit spake and taught diligently Rom. 8.25 For wee through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith 6. The exercise of spirituall acts is managed most from the Spirit when there is more Spirit and lesse Law in our acts of obedience But that this may be rightly understood give me leave to distinguish in the Law 1. Directive and obliging light revealing the binding will of God 2. The setting of it on with power and life upon the minde will and affections 3. The compelling rigor of the Law in exacting highest and superlative perfect obedience in thought word and deed and the terrifying threatning Directive and obliging light being the commanding will of the Lawgiver revealed to us in the written word is not contrary to the Spirit but written to us by a divinely and immediately inspiring Spirit as all Scripture and as the written letter of the Gospel 2 Tim. 3.16 17. though to us naturally fallen in sinne in the second respect or in regard of the setting on of this directive obliging light upon the soule with power and life to produce actuall obedience the written and preached Law as Law and as a Covenant of workes is void of the Spirit and hath no more power to cause us obey then dead and spiritlesse figures and characters written on â—â—one can worke men to bow their necke to obey the Law of God 2 Cor. 3.6 7. yea but so the written and preached Gospell externally proposed without the Spirit is a dead letter also I grant the Gospell in its letter both promiseth a new heart and a new spirit which the Law as the Law doth not and when the Spirit joynes with the preached Gospel and the Law also doth prepare the sinner for Christ by the word of the Gospell the Spirit is given and so the Apostles and Pastors are Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit But 3. The Law in compelling under the paine of eternall death to superlatively perfect obedience hath the Spirit by accident and extrinsecally conjoyned with it as it is the Spirit of the Mediator that makes use of it to cause the broken man see his unpayable and to him impossible debts and cause him heare the tinkling and noise of the fetters and chaines of hell that he may flye to the Gospell-surety which the same Spirit reveales to him in the Gospell Now this is an extrinsecall use of the Law For 1. The Law should have its intire and perfect essence and full operation in rewarding or punishing if we suppose there never had beene a surety for sinners nor a Gospell 2. It s a Gospell-spirit that makes this use of the Law above its nature for that which can but reveale to the broken man debts unpayable by him and incloseth him in an eternall jayle and gives no strength nor way of redemption cannot have of it selfe any influence to lead the broken man to a surety But this the Law doth of it selfe hath not of it selfe one fourth part of an ounce of Gospell-courtesie or grace to bestow on the sinner But 2. The compelling rigor of the Law as touching perfect and eternally active and passive obedience must bee considered in its severall branches as it commands perfect active obedience or as it obligeth to passive obedience it respects two sorts of persons the man Christ in the dayes of his flesh and the elect Angels or 2. fallen sinners In the former consideration the Law in it selfe as the Law eternally and immutably presseth perfect active obedience but gives not strength to obey but supposeth strength to these to whom it is first given but if so be that these to whom it is given have abundance of the Spirit and strength to obey perfectly as Christ in the dayes of his flesh and the elect Angells have the Law in its highest rigor of commanding perfect obedience it is not properly rigor though we must use the word but strictnesse hath no compulsive power
is a reall change of our state in justification YEa clearely before God there is an excellent change in the state of the Saints from ungodlinesse to justification so as they were not from eternitie nor before they beleeved justified and godly 1. because the Lord saith In time past the Gentiles were no people and obtained no mercie and now are a people and have obtained mercy Jerusalem was once polluluted in her owne bloud and the Lord looked on her so and he washed her and adorned her 2. The Apostle was once to God a blasphemer a persecutor and God saw him so else neither was the Apostle so nor could he speake truth in saying so but he obtanied mercy So in other Scriptures a most reall change is holden forth and that in Gods eye CHAP. XXI We mixe not workes and grace in the matter of Justification WEe utterly deny that Antinomians can make good their charge that we mixe works and the Law in matter of justification with faith and the free grace of God 1. Works done by grace smell of the mired fountaine they spring from they are polluted with sinne now Paul Rom. 3. saith All Jewes and Gentiles have sinned none doth good Psal. 14. Psal. 53. Void of sinne therefore by the Law can no flesh be justified and so the righteousnesse by which we stand before God must be free of sinne and free of a breach deserving a curse which must fall on us if we continue not in all the Law in the most gracious works we can doe yea if not in all that the Law requires to the least jot or tittle we are not justified now with such a Gospel-inherent righteousnesse as no man hath 2. Christ must be a Saviour by halfes and quarters if we divide the righteousnesse of our Saviour betweene faith or works between Christ and our merits Free grace is a jealous thing and admitteth of neither compartner corrivall or fellow with Christ. Paul will have his owne righteousnesse in the plea but dung 3. It quite brangleth the peace of God that issueth from justification that it is a peace that free will createth to my selfe from my owne works and not a peace dipt in satisfactory bloud 4. It taketh much glory from Christ that we weare a garment foreternitie of our spinning better the wedding garment bee begged and all its threeds be of free grace and that full glory be given to the Lambe 5. Law and Gospel Grace and Law-payment must be confounded 6. Christ must die in vaine CHAP. XXII Antinomians deny sinne to be in the justified ANtinomians will have no sinne remaining at all in a justified person and nothing contrary to Gods holy Law And Crispe saith It s close removed as if it had never been All which is true of the Law-guilt and actuall obligation to eternall wrath but of the Essence being or blot of in-dwelling-sinne in us it s most false 1. Pardoned sinne that Christ payed for is so sinne that if wee who are pardoned John and the rest of beleevers who have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous say wee have no sinne wee deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 2. Who even of the justified can say I have made my heart cleane I am pure inherently from my sinne there is not a just man on earth that doth good and sinneth not There is none that doth good not David who is justified by faith no not one 3. The flesh in the regenerate sinnes and lusts against the Spirit and the holy Law of God and the body of sinne though subdued having lost the Kingly dominion as a Tyrant though not the nature and being as Augustine saith of sinne as an underling dwelleth in all the justified but is not imputed 4. What we want of the perfection that God requireth to be in our sanctification and mortification which are but in growing while we are in this life must be sinfull imperfection 5. For we dayly aske of our Father which is in heaven forgivenesse of sinnes which we could not doe except sinne remained in us nor doe wee with Papists say that Christ but covereth but washeth not away our sinnes in his bloud for the guilt obleiging to satisfactory punishment is fully washen away not covered onely CHAP. XXIII Antinomians say to faith there is no sinne WEe judge that unsound which Towne saith To Faith there is no sinne nor any uncleane heart for then should Christ dwelling in the heart by faith and sinning be inconsistent which is known to be contrary to Scripture to the experience weaknesses complaints of the Saints groaning under a body of sinne as captives in bolts and yron fetters 2. And must argue that who ever beleeve are as perfect as Angels in heaven 3. That a justified person beleeveth not onely pardon but the perfection of Angels and that he sinneth not and must be perfectly sanctified if he beleeve a lye to wit that he sinneth not but is perfectly holy and this fancie they build on Luthers words perverted who saith I beleeve that there is a holy Church which is indeed nothing else but I beleeve there is no sinne no malediction no death in the Church Whereas Luther speaketh not of sinne in its in-dwelling blot but of sinne as in point of Law it doth actually curse condemne and inflict the second death in which sense in point of free iustification there is no sinne in the invisible Church of the justified and effectually called Saints Saltmarsh Free grace pag. 154. Thus the Scripture calleth us ungodly and sinners and children of wrath not that we are so but seeme so or not so in Gods account but in the worlds CHAP. XXIV The raigne of Faith not absolute as Antinomians say ANtinomians will have the raigne of faith so absolute that in faiths kingdome of grace there is no sinne which were more then a golden heaven on earth for so 1. Faith were perfectly strong and in the highest pitch of fulnesse of perfection in all the justified 2. If withall the whole morall acts of a justified person should flow from no other spring but this strong faith ever acting us to good But wee cannot yeeld to either Libertines or Antinomians that Faith is so absolute a Prince as that all sin rout and branch not only in its fullest dominion but also in its being and simply indwelling must be banished out of Faiths dominions so as once beleeving we could no more as sinnefull men but must act as beleevers for ever but wee thinke under faiths raigne sinne dwelleth as an underling as of old the Gibeonites dwelt under conquering Joshuah and victorious Israel as hewers of wood and drawers of water Yet these Cananites were said to be spued out of that good land 1. Jure bellâ— by the Law of conquest and of victorious inheritors as sometime they were 2. They make
Whereas Del saith the Words of Christ are Spirit and life Just so said the Libertines and cited the same Text as Calvine saith Instruct. advers Libertat cap. 10. pag. 442. Verbum Dei Spiritum esse aiant quia Dominus ait verba quae loquor Spiritus vita sunt Pag. 441. Verbum Dei nihil aliud quam Spiritum esse Pag. 451. Scripturam in naturali sensu suo acceptam literam mortuam esse ideâ— que missam faciendam ut ad Spiritum vivificantem veniamus Were they to Capernaum that stumbled at his words of life to Corazin and Bethsaida to the heardned Jewes and the blinded Pharisees Spirit and life they were death to them as well as the Law But saith he Christs words come from the Spirits and carry Spirit with them If he meane a Ministeriall and Propheticall Spirit not the killing Law came from the Spirit it is false Is not the Tenne Commandements as given by Moses a part of Scripture Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 22. And is not all Scripture given by Divine inspiration no lesse then the Gospel 2 Tim. 3.16 And doth the Gospel ever carry Spirit with it Then unbeleevers the blinded and hardened hearers of the Gospel not onely resist the Ministeriall Spirit speaking in Christ the Prophets and Apostles but also the saving regenerating Spirit of Sanctification Arminians Socinians Jesuits Pelagians all enemies of free grace shall close with Del in this but Del shall not close with himselfe for he saith inward Reformation caryeth along with it the Omnipotent power of God that cannot be resisted pag. 8. 6. This opinion confoundeth the Gospel and the Spirit making the Gospel effectuall as if the Gospel were essentially life and did save all elect and reprobate and were essentially the irresistible speciall Spirit of Sanctification and so the Gospel cannot be the Gospel to these that stumble at the Gospel but the naked Letter which they say is proper to the Law and the Gospel shall bee no Letter at all no externall command urging us to obedience and indeed Del pag. 26. saith there is no Lawes in Gods Kingdome but Gods Lawes and hee speaks not one word of the Scripture and written and preached Gospel onely he acknowledgeth three Lawes in Christs Kingdome One that the Socinians acknowledge The Law of a new nature other two that the Enthysiasts and Antinomians acknowledge The Law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ and the third which the Familists call for to wit the Law of love Farewell then Scripture Law and Gospel And Towne goeth before him who saith If the Spirit be free why will you controule it by the Law To which I say because it is the lawlesse Spirit of Enthysiasts the murthering Spirit of Anabaptists Libertines Familists who kill all as Antichristian that are not of their way as Del threatneth all Presbyterians in his Preface that is a Spirit controuled or contradicted by the Law or written Word but not the true Holy Spirit FINIS Job 31.21 22. Conformities deformity p. 17 b Preface to the â— Major of London c Pag. 20.22 Juvenalis O sanctas â—entes quibus hoc nascuntur in hortis â—umiâ—a Confor defor pag. 20.21 A letter of M. Iohn Welsh An. 1605. Confor Defor Confor dâ—for Returne from the Parliament of England to the Commissioners of the Generall Assembly an 1642. Ordinance of Parl. an 1643. Feb. 9. Declarat of both Kingdoms an 1643. Declaration to the Generall Assembly of the Kirke of Scotland an 1642. Declarat to the Parl. of Scotland 1642. Declarat given to the Commissioners August 1643. Ordinance 1645. Oct. 20. Ordinance 1645. Mar. 14. Ordinance 1645. Nov. 9. Ordinance 1646. Feb. 4. Ordinan for Oxford 1647. May 1. Treatise between the Kingdomes Ordin 1643. Sep. 18. Declarat of the House of Com. an 1646. April 18. Letters of the Assembly to the Reformed Churches an 1644. Ordin 1644. Iun 3. Zach. 12. Antinomians in â—he Apostles time haâ—e their disceâ—â— from the old Katharoi called puritans The Libertines who spraâ—g up 〈◊〉 1525. of kiâ— to the Familiâ—â—s and Antinomians Finer Antinomians deny the Incarnation of the Sonne of God Coppinus Quintus Antonius Pocquius the first Libertines Anton. Pocquius a Priest the first libertine affected to be obscure and objected ignorance to Calvin that be could not understand his fooleâ—iâ—s Libertines and Antinomians in many things like other Libertines and Antinomians agree in opinionâ— in most things a Calvin adver libert cap 9. p. 441 442. b Calv. 442. c Ibid. e Rise reign â—r 2.3 Adv. libâ—râ— c. 9. p. 411. f Rise reign unsav speech â—r 8. Libertines say Angels are but motions of the minde Libertines make God the author of sinne Antinomians conspire with them g Rise reign er â— 3. h Rise reign â—r 11. i Thâ—l Germ. ca. 22. p. 52. Antinomians and Libertines have the same conceptioâ—s touching mortification and conscience of beleevers k Towne assert gr 97 98 99.115 116.42 43 Salâ—m free gr 83 84 85. Den. conference with the sicke man p. 30 31 32 33. Eaton honeycombâ— c. 8.171 172. l Town assert pag. 103. m Calv. aâ—ver liber c. 19. fo 453 454. m Denâ—ser man of sin p. 9 10 11 12. Saltm fr gr 142 Honey-combe c. 4.5 n Calvin adver lib. c. 21. o Salt fr. gr 140 Tâ—w ass gr p. 60. Mistris Hutchison Rise and reign p. 61 62 63. Nich. Stork Tho. Muncer his Rise and Tenets how sutable with Antinomian divinity p Rise aâ—d reigâ— p 36. q Del. sâ—r 26. Henry Pfeiffer and Muncer their sediâ—ious spirits and miserable end Great tumults to the killing of above an hundred thousand through Germany and about by the Antinomian spirits impulsion which waâ—tâ—th the light of Scripture Tenets of Hubmeir Tho. Schuker by the impulsion of a Spirit without Scripture beheaded his owne innocent brother Becold called John of Leiden his rise bloody attempts spirit wiâ—hout Scripture anâ— Tragicall end John Matthâ—z an Enthusiast Becolds spirit visioâ—s brâ—ng forth polygamy and haâ—iâ—g 〈◊〉 many wives Becold wouâ—d have dâ—ubâ—e the Apostles of Christ â—nd more Becolds bloody spirit A Bullinger adv Anabaptist l. 1.2.3 Sleidan hist. Heresbachius historia Anabaptistica Lambertâ—us Hortensius of the same Freder Spanhemii Diatribe historica de Anabap Ioan. Clopenburgius Gangrena Anabaptist M. Robert Baylie 2. Part of diswasive Anabaptisme the true fountaine of Independencie c. The Tenets of Anabaptists in which they side with Antinomians b. Seaven â—eaded policie by M. Gortin c. Towne assâ—r gr p. 60. Becon Catech. p. 139. he speaketh of our resurection as of a thing past p. 141.142 Rise reign p. 59. art 2 3 4 5. d. Towne ass p. 77 78. Hobson pract divin p. 87 88. Thelo German Bright star Salt Free grace p. 140. e Saltmar sâ—ad fleeing away p. 8. free grace .179 180 181. Familiâ—t Gortyn seven headed policiâ— 1. clases of Anabaptists Divers classes of Anabaptists all which hold somthing common with the