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
never-enough admired free-grace CHAP. XIV Of other Fountains and springs of Familists and Antinomians and of the Treatise called The Divinity of Germany or Theologia Germanica and that called The Bright-starre THE Gnosticks having their name from knowledge had their rise not from Nicholas one of the seven Deacons as Philaster thinketh but rather as Irenaeus saith lib. 1. heres c. 24. from Carpocrates they said the Soule was made of the substance of God or It was the very essence of God I conceive the Monkish Familists had their rise from the Gnosticks and Manicheans who sprang from the Gnosticks The Libertines David George and H. Nicholas seeme to have their first spring from these two to wit Theologia Germanica and The Bright-starre For Philosophy and Divinity dissected is but a rude foolish and unlearned Pamphlet of late penned and changing as Familists and Antinomians doe Scripture and God and Christ into Metaphors and vaine Allegories The Author of Theologia Germanica is not named one John Theophilus translated it out of High-Dutch into Latine and it was Printed at Antwerpe Anno 1558. The Author was a superstitious Priest of the Order called Teutonici or Dutch lads in French the Knights of the Rhodes it is like the Author was before Luther and it is certaine Familisme is a branch that grew from the root of Popery and was whelped in a Monastery by men that would be perfect above all Law Ordinances and Acts of a practicall life and would live on spirituall Monkish contemplations and they are much of blood to the Antichrist though they will not acknowledge their father and call all but themselves Antichristian John Valdesso a Spaniard of noble birth a Chevalier of the Emperor who being a Bishop repented wrote in the Spanish tongue a Treatise of Practicall Divinity called Divine Considâ—rations in which though there be sundry good and excellent Meditations yet are there in it many fooleries and the grounds and poysonable principles of Familisme Antinomianisme Enthusiasme for he rejecteth the Scriptures magnifieth Inspirations vil fiâ—th good works heighteneth the dead faith extâ—nuateth sin c. The man leaving his Bishoprick came to Naples and dyed there Anno 1540. Vergerius caused to be Printed the Treatise out of the Spanish language at Basil An. 1550. It is Englished and Printed at Cambridge An. 1646. The Antinomians Familists and others in England of that stampe specially M Beacoâ— Catechisme pag. 138 salute the book as happily arrived in the English coasts farre above any peece that Calvin ever wrote Such Lettuce such lips But to return This Author of Theo. Germanica and of the Bright Starre say There is nothing in the Creature but God the Creator as there is nothing in the heat and beame of the Sun but the Sun it selfe and fire Just so as Libertines teach there is but one Spirit one God one internall forme in God Angels and Men good and ill and in all creatures But 1 The Holy Ghost makes this the highest Treason in Tyrus who being cloathed with a bit of corruptible glory saith Ezek. 28.2 I am God 2. Creatures can erre and be tempted to sin God cannot be tempted Jam. 1.3 3. Creatures are changeable bits of dependencies on God Rom. 11.36 Prov. 16.4 The Lord is without and above change or shaddow of change Mal. 3.6 Jam. 1.17 4. All Nations to God are nothing Isa. 40.17 God calleth himself to Moses I am and I am that I am as the fountain of beeing and being by nature and the alone infinite onely wise happy being as all Scriptures cleare Creatures even Angels are in their essence but time-dependencies created results of God Lame-nothings frothy yesterday start-ups poore time-accidents branches budding out of meer mother-nothing by the alone will and goodnesse of God there was folly found in thâ—se Sonnes of the morning the head-peeces and master-creatures the Angels Job 40.18 19. 2. God becommeth all things in man Man or the Creature should arrogate to himselfâ— nothing not life essence power knowledge doing or not doing there is nothing that is not God and belonging to God for it is God onely who liveth understandeth is able loveth doth or leaveth undone all So Theolo Ger. c. 56. Nothing is but God and his will and this will is God and what-ever is in God is God and nothing is but God alone 1. Because God is infinite and if there were being in us then should infinite beeing be bounded where our beeing begins 2. If man bee beeing hee is good for beeing and good are convertible but there is none good but God 3. Philosophers and fathers say there is but one only truely being 4. God saith I am that I am 5. The sonne of God made himselfe of no reputation and discended to bee a man and nothing then man is nothing so Bright-stare The old Adam and disobedience or sinne is nothing but when the creature ascribeth to it selfe Being and life and essence and goodnesse So sinne is nothing but I my selfe Egoitie and such like and the new Adam or Christ is nothing but obedience and an ascribing of all to God So ch 2. Faith and Scripture saith sinne is nothing else but that the creature doeth divert it selfe from the immutable God and adhereth to a mutable thing that is doth turne it selfe from that which is perfect and to that which is in part and imperfect and especially to it selfe Now this observe when the creature doth chaleng any good thing to it selfe as to bee to live to know briefly to be able to doe any thing that can be tearmed good as being in it self that good thing or as though that good thing were appertaining to it then it averteth it self what other thing then did the Devill This arrogancy to be I to be my self to be me and to be mine was the devils aversion and fall I answer nothing is a being of it selfe by heritage essentially and without dependence on another as its father cause Author Creator but God and nothing lives worketh doth good independently infinitely immutably from and of it self but God onely And all Creatures Angels and Men are but borrowed beeings beeings by adoption gift loane and little shaddows remaining shaddows by the essence goodnesse and free pleasure of God And as their beeing is dependent so are they Gods dependent tooles and instruments of working they doe and doe good but dependently and so as both power and actuall doeing and doeing good is from God principally by moving exciting and determinating them to doe and from ego egoitas ipseitas from themselves actively as instruments and tooles in Gods hand if the creature seek a world of its own in being and working without God that egoitas that I that my self is the great Lord of pride but otherwise the creature is not in its essence God There was a comparative self-deniall required in Adam and is in the man Christ and the elect Angels though no sinfull selfe was in any
of these three and it is that the sinlesse creature should yeeld its beeing lust will and desires rather to be trampled on dispised or turned to nothing before God be dishonoured All the essentiall attributes of goodnesse holinesse wisdome grace justice power soveraignty c. that are all infinite in God proclaime that there is an infinite distance between the Creature and the Creator but if we speak of a borrowed beeing and a borrowed working at the second hand and by loane then it is no sin for creatures to say they are creatures for the Holy Ghost saith it and biddeth man say that he is clay and a living soule nor is it sin to the Creature to ascribe doing of good to it self as the Church saith I have sought thee O Lord Isa. 26. and David I love thee O Lord and Paul I have laboured more abundantly then they all though it was a labouring borrowed from grace and sure the Creature acts sin and against a law and not in subordination to God as Law-giver acting him against a Law 4. Error Obedience is to deny selfe The creature is all good in the Creator and to value and esteem all beeing and all good God himselfe Theol. Ger. c 13. 5. All creatures the body and soule of man were hid potentially in God and shall returne to silence and to nothing after This is cleare against the immortallity of the soule that Scripture saith seeth God injoyeth his face goeth to Paradise or torment after death 6 Hell standeth in these 1. when a man seeth himselfe worthy of all ill 2. Perpetually damned and lost 3. Neither wils nor conceives comfort from any â—â—eature 4. Yet he waiteth for deliverance 5. Beares nothing waywardly but sin 6. And when he cannot think ever to be delivered or comforted He is in heaven when he regards nothing desires nothing but the eternall good so this becomes his he may often in one day passe from heaven to hell and from hell to heaven and is safe in both This is a hell and a heaven unknown to Scripture 1. They are within the bounds of this life hell and heaven are after death and buriall Luk. 16. 2 There is a marcet way between this heaven and this hell But Luk. 16. there is a gulf and no passage between the right-heaven and Scripture hell Luk. 16. 3. These may end the true hell and heaven are eternall Mat. 25. last Psal. 16.11 7. When God alone works in man and leaves undone in him without any I to mee or mine there is true Christ and no where else Theol. Germ. c. 22. Christ crucified in Mount Calvary is but an imagination to suffer with Christ is Christ crucified Our sufferings and Christs are one by union of will and Spirits Bright star c. 18 â—89 190 191. c. 200. Then is Christ not true man 2. nor dyed he really but only Spiritually in us when we suffer with the like meeknesse and patience as he dyed and suffered and yet he is but an Allegorick or phancied man to the Familist The like Familists say of his Resurrection Ascention and judging the world It s but to doe what is already done to open these rotten graves any farther These two pieces so fleshly and abominable agree well with the Tenents of H. Nicholas and are now set out An. 1646. by the Familist Randel to the insnaring of the soules of many thousands in London In the yeare 1â—75 the Familists of England published a confession before King James came to the Crowne of England but laxe and generall I know not what for H. Nicholas wrote bookes of sundrie sorts As his exhortation 1 c. 6. § 5.7 8 9. His instructions of the upright and Christian baptisme his crying voyce his first exhortation and these saith hee may bee confessâ—d among the adulterous and sinnefull generation and the false hearts of the scripture learned for so hee called all the godly in England and all that are not of his way But for his love-secrets hee saith yee shall not talke of your secrets either yet utter your mysterâ—â—â— openly or nakedly in the heaâ—ing of your young children or disciples but spare them not in the â—ares of your Elâ—â—rs which can understand the same or are able to beare or away with the sound thereof But they have their private Traditions and unwritten verities saith H. Nichol. in his Elidad § 5. By which they grow up in love according to the requiring of her service where all things needfull to bee knowen or declared are alwayes according to the capacity of their understanding brought and declared to them to the § 17 young or new borne children according to their youngnesse to the weak according to their weakenesse and to the eldâ—râ— according to their driednesse or old age where § 18 neither some heare all nor all heare some private mysteries but the confession might have a sound meaning Though as they ment there is nothing sound in it About the yeare 1604. the Familists of England presented with this fraudulent confession a supplication to King James which was printed at Cambridge anno 1606. And answered by one of the Universitie in the supplication they hid their soul tenets and say Wee doe beseech your Princely Majesty to understand that the people of the Familie of love or God doe utterly disclame all obsurd and selfe-conceited opinions and disobedient and erroneous Sects of the Anabaptists Browne Penry Puritans and all other proud-minded Sects and Heresies whatsoever protesting upon pain of our lives that we are not of consent nor agreeing with any such brain-sick Preachers nor their rebellioâ—s or disobedient Sects whatsoever but have beene and ever will be truely obedient to your highnesse and your Laws to the effusion of our blood and in this part of their supplication the Reader may see the bloody persecuting minds of Familists for they exhort King James to persecute all the truely godly that were non-conforme to Prelates and went under the name of Puritans and tacitly praise King James for executing the Laws against such as in conscience durst not bow to the then Prelaticall Baal and the Familists principles carry them to esteem any Religion indifferent yet half an eye may see how desirous they are the Sword should be drawn against the godly whom they all Puritans and therfore judge if Antinomians and Familists now in England who cry out against the use of the Sword for matters of Religion and plead for a Catholick licence and tolleration to all Religions that themselves may be tollerated also if they had the Sword and Power if they would not be most bloody Dragons in cutting the flesh and drinking the blood of those they call Presbyterians and Puritans for thinke not their doctrine is different from that doctrine of their fathers So here they quit the Protestant Doctrine maintained by those that are called but unjustly Puritans and promise to conforme to all Popish Ceremonies to Arminianisme
for teaching Why then saith Christ search the scriptures and why doth John say Blessed in hee that readeth Rev. 1.3 and Paul charge that his Epistles be read to all the brethren Col. 4.16 why should the seaven Churches read or heare the seaven Epistles that Christ wrote to them For all these are legaâ—l shaddowes that are done away and the spirit without the word must only teach Seekers Familists and Antinomians then is Saltmarsh a legalist in writing and preaching for sure hee can but write letters and speake words hee cannot speake spirit nor is hee the holy Ghost 46 Hee that hath the seale of the spirit can infallibly judge of another whether hee bee elected or not Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory 256 257. 47 A man may have grace and poverty of spirit and want Christ 48 It is legall to say wee act in the strength of Christ. As if it were legall to bee able to doe all things in the strength of Christ. Phil. 4.13 Eph. 6.10 2 Tim. 2. 49 No Minister can convey more to another than hee hath experience of in his owne soule 50 Hee that hath true faith of dependency is not justified Whereas the Scripture saith frequently wee are justified by faith and faith of leaning and dependency on God is true faith Psa. 22.8 Hee rolled himselfe on the Lord Esa. 10.20 The remnant shall leane upon the Lord. Psa. 18.18 The Lord was my stay Esa. 26.3 Thou wilt keepe him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee Psa. â—12 7 His heart is fixed leaning on the Lord. And full assurance may be wanting where there is faith and fainting conflicting together Jona 2.4 Psa. 31.22 Mark 9.24 51 All that preach and beleeve not as Familists and Antinomians doe are under the Law not under grace and so under the everlasting curse 52 Pauls Doctrine was more for free-grace than Peters 53 No Christian must bee prest to duties of holinesse So Saltm Sparkles of glory p. 245 246. CHAP. XVI Of the first sowers of the tares of Antinomianisme and Familisme in New England THe first Authors of these wicked opinionâ— were N. Wheelright some adherents to M. Wheelright and Mistris Hutchison This woman is called the American Jesabel she was the wife of M. William Hutchison of Boston the daughter of M. Marbury sometime preacher in London She was hauty bold active in wit eloquent vaine and selfe-conceited would not stick to lye and brought these opinions from old England and so was holden for a time out of Church communion yet admitted deceived many with extolling of Christ as working all in the soules of beleevers as in dead and passive Organs and depressed sanctification and all qualifications of inherent graces as nothing held union with Christ and justificaâ—ion without faith shee drew to her way many godly people and many loose and prophane by a weekly lecture she held in her house under pretence of repeating sermons tooke on her to sit in a chaire and to teach men All these foresaid errours were condemned by a generall assembly of the Churches of New England at New-towne August 30. 1637. They learned by sad experience of these seducers from that time as I am informed to remove farther from M. Robinsons democracie and popular government and come a little nearer to Presbyteriall Government and while they imbrace that Apostolicke Government they shall ever be infested with heresies as now they are this day with new Bee-hives of Anabaptists Seekers Enthusiasts Familists and Antinomians they come blessed bee the Lord a little nearer to it then they did M. Cotton in his Treatise of the keyes of the kingdome of heaven set out by M. T. Goodwin and M. Philip Nye is well sound in our way if hee had given some more power to assemblies as is clear Act. 15. and in some lesser points Though Independents in England oppose that Godly and learned Divine and as wee heare have suppressed his judgement touching constitution of visible Churches and are not willing that Antinomians Familists Socinians Anabaptists or other abominable sectaries be brought to the tryall of a lawfull Church assembly but plead for a toleration to them which the Churches of New England deservedly abhor as Atheistical and distructive to the truth peace and unity of the Church of Christ. Mistris Hutchison ought to have beene convened before this Church-assembly and M. Wheelright and others were convened before a civill court in Massachusset Octo. 2. 1637. For disturbance of the publick peace where in the month of March M. Wheelright was convict of sedition upon occasion whereof a number of Familists gave in a Petition or Remonstrance complaining that their beloved M. Wheelright was condemned for no fault whereas his doctrine was no other then the very expressions of the holy ghost himselfe though he had said expressely That Magistrates Ministers and most of the people were under a Covenant of workes and therefore were enemies to Christ such as Herod Pilate Scribes and Pharisees and incouraged the people to rise up against them as Philistims and pronounced the curse of Meroz on them who would not joyne with them against the churches of the legallists And made mention of Moses his killing the Egyptian Much fals doctrine and debates and disputes raised he in the Church there which were not knowen before his comming to the Country where upon he was sentenced to be disfranchized and banished out of their jurisdiction and committed to safe custody till he should find surety to depart before the end of March upon this he appealed to the Kings Majesty Others of his Disciples saying he held forth nothing but the truth of Christ were censured some banished some fined and imprisoned Mistris Hutchison boldly justified her selfe that she might teach as Priscilla did reproached the Ministers as Legallists told by revelation and many misapplyed Scriptures that shee was forewarned by God in Old England that she should separate from all Ministers because legall men except M. Cotton and M. Wheelright that she should come to New England suffer for the truth She said she should be delivered as Daniell was from the Lyons Such Prophets love to foretell things past and say they knew them before they came to passe She having received the sentence of banishment though she had before dissembled and lyed now stood to owne all these Articles layed against her 1 The soules of men by generation are mortall as beasts Eccl. 3.8 but made immortall in regard of Christs purchase who bought the soules of the wicked to eternall paine and of the Elect to eternall peace 2 The united to Christ have new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 She knew not how Jesus could bee united to our fleshly bodies 3 Those who have union with Christ shall not rise with these fleshly bodies 1 Cor. 15.44 4 The Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28 is not of the body but of our union with Christ in this life so said Hymeneus Phyletus the Libertines the
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
qualifications and signes fell to the other extremity of no signes of sanctification at all by H. Denne an High Altar man a bower at the sillables of the name Jesus and conforme to all the abominable late Novations introduced by Canterbury who also opposed the Remonstrance and Petition of the well affected pleading for a riddance from Episcopacy Ceremonies and other corruptions and is now a rigid Arminian and an enemy to free Grace an Anabaptist an Antinomian to these joyne Paul Hobson who speakes more warily then the rest and R. Beacon in his late Catechism who holds sundry grosse points and M. Del in his Sermon before the House of Commons whose noble Ancestors could not have indured Familisme Sâ—einianisme or the like to be preached in their ears CHAP. XVIII Saltmarsh cleareth his minde touching personall mortification faintly and holdeth many other points of Familisme as of Christ crucified risen ascended to heaven in a figure or in the spirit not really in his true Man-head SAltmarsh is now the cheife Familist in England hath written of late a Treatise called Sparkles of glory which containes the spirits and extractions of the doctirne of Swenckfeld David Georgius Henry Nicholas and all the Familists Antinomians and older Libertines in which he professeth himselfe A Seeker and disclameth Presbytery Independency Anabaptisme and that there is neither Ministery Church or Ordinances nor any promise of continuance of them till Christs second comming contrary to Mat. 28.19 20 21. Ephe. 4.11 12 13. Mat. 26.13 Mat. 24.14 And pleads for liberty of conscience and yeeldeth that he will write no more against that learned and Godly man M. Tho. Gittaker Hee further labours to cleare himselfe Sparkles of glory pag. 323 324 325 326 That he said that Christ hath beleeved perfectly repented perfectly mortified sin perfectly for us which hee thus explaineth to wash it from Antinomianisme and so calleth it a pretended Heresie 1 saith hee that Christ hath done all for us is truth hee hath fullfilled all righteousnesse for us bâ—â— that which is of the Law and that which is in the Gospel in graces c. And upon this accompt is made unto us righteousnesse c. 2 Faith Repentance Mortification were all in Christ origiginally primarily as in their nature their fountain their root or seed and therefore hee is said to give repentance to Israel and he is the Authour and finisher of our faith and it is caled the faith of the son of God and of his fulnesse all wee have received and grace for grace for every grace in him a grace in us A. 1 If Saltmarsh have no other sense but that our faith repentance mortification are in and from Christ as the meritous cause because Christ by the merit of his death procured grace to us to beleeve repent mortifie sinne 2 That these are from Christ efficienter as the efficient cause or from the spirit of Christ infusing the life of God in us and actuating the supernaturall habit of grace in us and working in us to wil and to do this is that which Protestant Divines say that Christ is our Savior merito and efficaciâ by the merit of his death against Papists and the effectuall yea and the irresistable applying of his death to save us as we teach against Papists Pelagians Socinians then surely I hope neither that learned man M. Gattaker nor any of ours censured M. Saltmarsh for Antinomianisme or any heresie in his point we agree and then we say that M. Saltmarsh in these words gives us a faire and ingenious Recantation I am glad of this But Saltmarsh will be found to wash Antinomianisme off himselfe with Ink-water and he hath no face at least it is much ignorance to call Protestants Legallists because they teach that our faith repentance and mortification are from Christ by way of merit and the effectuall working of grace nor did ever Protestant deny this 1 Saltmarsh free grace p. 61 62. excludeth personal not acting such and such a sinne and our personall sanctification from being part of Gospel pure and spirituall mortification p. 62 63. And saith our pure and Gospel mortification is to beleeve that Christ mortified sinne perfectly for us and the like hee saith of sanctification and repentance p 84 85. So Saltmarsh willeth us not to repenâ— nor beleeve nor mortifie sinne in our owne person but to beleeve Christ hath done these for us perfectly and then we beleeve repent and mortifie sin perfectly 2 He citeth Scripture But yee are sanctified but yee are justified c. This is out of all doubt personall sanctification flowing from Christs merits and his spirit And I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth mee This is personall doing in Paules person by the grace of Christ and wee are his workemanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Those be good workes that wee in our owne person doe by the spirit of sanctification But Saltmarsh exponeth all these to be not ours but the very personall actings of Christ for his words are these pag. 84. free grace All these scriptures set forth Christ the sanctification and the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us hee hath repented perfectly he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly for us and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods Now Saltmarsh can have no such sense as here hee would force on himselfe For never man doubted but personall acts of grace or don by the strength of grace are ours but how are they ours as we are Christs onely as Christ acteth them for us without us No are they not ours the Spirit of Jesus worketh them in us and causeth us personally to doe and act them Ezek. 36.27 John 7.39 If Christs perfect beleeving perfect repenting and his perfect mortifying of sinne be ours because Christ did these acts for us in the dayes of his humiliation while he was in the flesh then are they ours before we be born and the holy Ghost must exhort us to doe all in the strength of Christ and to be sanctified and to beleeve perfectly to justification and that we be his workmanship to walk in good workes that we put on the new man that we mortifie sin 1640 yeares before we be born for so many yeares agoe Christ performed all these things for us but we are this day exhorted to put on the new man and to walk in good works Now the holyghost in scripture must either speak non-sense or wheÌ„ he saith walk in love eveÌ„ this day repent while it is to day stand up from the dead to day beleeve to day he must mean you need not stirre foot or hand or any power of your soul to these acts for Christ performed all these acts for you 1640 yeares agoe For then he must mean Christ hath repented perfectly in me a beleever and wrought perfect repentance free of sinne in me a sinner and Christ hath obeyed perfectly
we know an Idol is nothing hath another sense as before I cleared 16. Another speciall signe of a spirituall condition is mortification which is not merely and onely in a totall abstinence from sin or hatâ—red of the world Heathens void of the spirit of Jesus upon morall principles of their moralizing Phylosophy of Plato Socrates Seneca â—an goe farre on this way But when a beleever seeth him selfe and his life incorporated in Christ and his crosse Gal. 2.20 I live not but Christ lives in me not because his deadnesse to the creature cometh without being procured as Waldessâ— consider .92.345 saith or sought with human industery for though human industery it 's alone yea or helped with supernaturall Gospell-truths or some common grace can neuer produce any but a bastard mortification Yet acts of sanctified reason and Industery spiritualized with the infused life of Christ and informed with the pure light of fâ—iâ—h beholding Christ crucified doe worke mortification But then our Spirit must be as dead to these acts as acts as if they were not in us in the poynt of reffect feeling and confiding in them not I but grace not I but Christ in me 2 The powers of the body or outward man by the soule-redoundance of actings stand or lye dead to sin Rom. 8.9 But yea are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spâ—irit of God dwell in you i d And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin or for sin but the Spirit is life because of Righteousnesse The body is a part of the flesh and in so farre as it is renewed with the soule there is not that fire and fervour in bodily actings of sinne as in a man void of the spirit because though flesh and body both act too strongly in sin yet are these powers blunted and the senses doe not so welcome lusts as once they did but the spirit is life or lively as touching righteousnesse both to be acted and laid hold on by faith so the renewed man is in a manner greived that he must satisfie his naturall life yea so that he could rejoyce if he were deprived of his senses or at least were freed from extreame quicknesse of fervor in his senses apprehending their delighting objects hence cometh in the mortified a sort of holy challenging of his liberty as a servant made free can tell his old Master he now owes him no service so the spirituall man saith Rom. 8.12 Therefore brethren we are debters not to the flesh to live after the flesh we hold now of a new Lord and are vassals to the Spirit of Jesus 3 If the soul be much spiritualized and have much of Christs life in it the man is much satisfied with the active mortifying defrauding of his lusts and fleshly pleasures and there is much will and so much life of God in subduing the body in Covenanting with the eyes in bearing downe and subduing the flesh 1 Cor. 9.27 But I keepe under my body but how As those that runne a race for a Crowne there is much will in such a running sweating for the garland and much consent and eagernesse of mind that the flesh body musecls and loco-motive power pay for it so doe spirituall runners for the incorruptible Garland this argues deadnesse to that flesh which loves to sleep lye rather then to sweat for a â—ools birds-nest that it sees not and in so doing he deadly suspects his owne will of selfe-seeking which is a singular note of deadnesse for he trembles for feare that selfe came in with the spirit and cry halfe mine 1. Cor. 9.25 every one that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things Temperance of the mind is much affraid of vaine-gloriation 4 There is much will also in joyning consent with suffering Gods wil so rejoycing in suffering argues that Paul desired much that the power of Christ might rest on him 2 Cor. 12.10 therefore I take pleasure here is much deadnessâ— of will to satisfie flesh and selfe and much life of will to joyne actively with God in suffering in infirmities in reproaches in necessities in persecutions in distresses for Christs sake but he suspectes himselfe in this deadnesse ver 11. I am become a foole in glorying he checkes himselfe that he may suffer for Christs sake not for his owne sake and the more dead the wilâ— is the more mortification and the more mortification the moâ—â— oâ— the spirit and the lesse of the flesh is in the man Rom. 8.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. Reader thou hast here though I intended it should have been printed with the rise of Henry Nicholas but it came later to my hand a Petition or Protestation of the Familists which was printed and spread in England an 1604. and is said to have been presented to King James To the Kings most Excellent Majesty James the first by the grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland defender of the faith c. The Family of love an 1604. MOst Gracious Sovereigne Lord where there is published in a booke written by your Highnesse as an instruction to your most noble Sonne whom Almighty God blesse with much honour happinesse and long life of a people that are of a vile sect among the Anabaptists called the Family of love who doe hold and maintaine many proud uncharitable unchristian and most absurd opinions unto whom your Highnesse doth also give the name of Puritanes affirming in the said booke that divers of them as Browne Penry and others doe accord with them in their foule errours heady and phantasticall opinions which are there set downe at large by your Majesty advising your royall Sonne as is most meet to punish them if they refuse to obey the Law and will not cease to stir up rebellion Now most gracious Sovereigne because it is meet that your Highnesse should understand by their supplication and declaration of the truth herein by themselves of whom your Majesty hath been thus informed prostrate at your Princely feet as true faithfull loyall and obedient Subjects to all your Laws and Ordinances civill politique spirituall and temporall they with humble hearts doe beseech your Princely Majesty to understand that the people of the family of love or of God doe utterly disclaime and detest all the said absurd and selfe-conceited opinions and disobedient and erroneous sorts of the Anabaptists Browne Penry Puritans and all other proud minded sects and heresies whatsoever protesting upon paine of our lives that wee are not consenting nor agreeing with any such braine-sicke preachers nor their rebellious and disobedient sects whatsoever but have been and ever will be truly obedient to your Highnesse and your Laws to the effusion of our blood and expences of our goods and lands in your Majesties service highly lauding Almighty God who hath so graciously and
his working 3. And the law of Love the Spirit of Christ. And Henry Nicholas forbiddeth all his to boast of any righteousnesse or take on the same either to salvation or condemnation before a man be in the Spirit of Christ and bee renewed not saith hee that I meane in the Elementish Ceremoniall righteousnesse which the man setteth forth or occupieth in his owne prudencie but I meane in that righteousnesse which according to the heavenly truth is in the being of Christ and is set forth through the Spirit of God and the Christ of God and the Christ of God is not yet declared to you according to the heavenly truth but weell according to mans wisdome or industrie which to the litterall Scripture adde their own prudencie and even so goe forth or occupie their own righteousnesse without the Spirit of Christ which is a miserable doctrine being taught without the Spirit of Christ. Henry Nicholas Sect. 5. Epist. These that are not taught by the Spirit of life expound the Scriptures upon an earthy or Elementish foundation where-through the man cannot attaine any renewing of the heart Sect. 17. They that are Baptized to Christ have put on Christ. But I would gladly aske of these that say They have put on the Christianlike Baptisme how or after what manner Christ hath a shape or fashion in them they shall find themselves not mighty in the being of Christ that is in love by which they become God incarnarnate and that they haue received not the Baptisme of Christ but their owne The like he saith of the Lords Supper Sect. 19. Sect. 20. Sect. 21. When the Scripture saith we must forsake our lives for Christs sake understand I doe meane of the forsaking of our owne life When God had created the man then was the man in subjection to the life of God and not to his own life for thereunto God had created the Man that he should be of one life and being one Spirit and of one nature with God but when the man desired in his heart to love some other thing beside the life of God namely the concupiscence of the sinne then went he into his owne life and contention and forsooke the life of God and lived even so his owne life and the life of the Devill Sect. 23. The whiles now that the office of Christ hath its Ministration for to bring the man againe to God so cannot Christ bring the man to the Father unlesse that the man forsake his owne life which he hath lived so long to the Devil and to himselfe which is all the same wherein he hath lived so long to himselfe Sect. 24. Is not this now a great overshooting or mis-understanding that the children of men can say and teach that Christ meant hereby the naturall or Elementish man Sect. 25. We our selves have not made the naturall man therefore he cannot belong unto us Sect. 26. What then shall the man forsake that he might be reconciled unto God Not any thing else but his owne life that is the man of sinn which hath so long lyen hid in the heart of man which is the Temple of God and hath said that he was God 2 Thess. 2.27 they are grosely deceived who apply this to the Pope the Antichrist therefore he forbids the two Daughters to suffer for or confesse Christ and highly extolleth erring Sect. 10. Sect. 14.15.16 cap. 31. Bishops as Pastors of the Sheep and Lambs of Christ Parish Priests or Curats as signifying Leviticall Priests Pastors and Elders as the holy understanding Sect. 28. Oh what a slight and earthly understanding is this that God should be appeased with an Elementish body even like as though God were fleshly even as an vnregenerate man So M. Del Ser. p. 6. The Kingdome of Christ is Spirituall so all things that belong to it are also spirituall So David Georgius in the end finding many of his to be killed discharged all his to suffer in the body or goods or name any thing for his Christ and truth but willed them in externall profession to be of any Religion all Gospel-reformation was in the heart As Bullinger in the same place sheweth us that the ninth kind of Anabaptists in his time that were called Liberi Anabaptistae said That Baptizing of Infants Magistracie oathes swearing were things free and indifferent that the faithfull may use or not use at their pleasure they esteemed nothing of the preaching of the Word and the assemblies of the people of God because that the Saints were all taught of God and that there was no need that one should teach another and that Sacraments were needelesse and had little fruit for when they had the Spirit they needed not externall signes and that it was free to confesse the truth of Christ or not to confesse it as perils for the Gospel might carry men on that God delighted not that men should be tormented or die for him it was enough if they kept God in their heart Now you see Henry Nicholas held 1. That the externall written Word was Ceremoniall fleshly Elementish that the Spirit was all 2. All externall obedience and Reformation was fleshly and the being Goded and Christed with love and the lovely being of God was Christ was the being and nature of God in the Saints and regeneration 3. That by love and the works of righteousnesse which we doe we are regenerated and reconciled to God 4. That Christ seemed to die but dyed not but onely in an Allegoricall Figurative and Exemplary way he suffered as a patterne and copie for us that we might reconcile our selves to God as sonnes of the house of love after his example but as Socinus so the Nicholaitans taught That Christ really satisfied not the justice of God nor obtained everlasting righteousnesse for us any other way but in a figure coppie and good example 5. That Christ incarnate was nothing but H. Nicholas Godded and manned by Christ or God in the lovely being of God and that every one that is inhabited by love was renewed and made partaker of the substance and nature of God and that a childe of the Family of love was the very Christ and God manifested in the flesh and incarnate 6. That the regenerated in England of which number M. Ainsworth saith were the two daughters of Warwicke that H. Nicholas wrot to and all the godly in England not of his way were regenerated onely according to the litterall Scripture not according to the being of God in love and the Spirit or as the Familists of New England say That some are so converted that they may and doe attaine the same righteousnesse for truth that Adam had in innocency And Saltmarsh his Legall converts who may eternally bee damned are of the same size if yee diligently compare the tract of his dangerous booke together and with the principles of Familists and H. Nicholas 7. That the Word and the Spirit are