by the word they must be the traditions of men and argue the imperfection of the word of God and if they bee another Gospel then though the Apostles or an Angel from heaven preach them let alone Familists we are to pronounce them as accursed knowing wel that the word of God is able to save our souls John 20.31 Luke 16.29 30 31. To make us perfect to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. To convert the soule to make wise the simple Psa. 19.7 and that new spirit must involve us under a curse and the breach of a commandement if we adde to the word of God Revel 22.18 19. Deut. 12.32 chap. 4.2 Prover 30.6 And the spirit of God biddeth us not follow a rule cōtrary to the word 3 There is not any in this side of Heaven that need not a Temple nor Ordinances but such as need neither the light of the Sunne or of the Moone or of a Candel Revel 21.22 23. chap. 22.5 and so are freed of their bodies and glorified with the Lambe and such as see God face to face and are not in the dark moone-light of faith 1 Cor. 12 12. 2 Cor. 5.7 We read not of any clothed with clay-bodies all spirit all perfect or that can say they sinne not Pro. 20.9 1 Joh. 1.8 9 10. Eccles. 7.20 nor of any beyond the reach of praying beleeving growing in grace 4 Nor can there be any more in Heaven than the perfection 〈◊〉 Saints and the meeting of us all in the unity of Faith unto a perfect man and the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ. For the most perfect and most spirituall that are all Spirit shall have mortall and corruptible bodies till the blowing of the last Trumpet which must be changed in a moment in stead of dying 1 Cor. 15.51 52. and so cannot be perfect they must be watching and girding up the loynes of their mind and so ruled by ordinances 5. It is true Christ onely perfecteth as the principall cause but the Apostles and Ministers of Christ present men perfect in Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 1 Thess. 2.19 20. and they save themselves and others 1 Tim. 4.16 6. We have not Apostles now so eminent in gifts tongues miracles but a Ministery there is and beleevers till Christs second comming there shall be And if so their faith must come by hearing and hearing there cannot be without preaching and so ordinances of Preaching Preachers Sending Rom. 10.14 else the gates of hell must prevaile against the Church builded on the Rock Matth. 16. and therefore the Scripture warranteth us to think there were Apostles for the first age and Pastors and Teachers till Christs second comming 7. Saltmarsh exponeth or rather depraveth the place Matth. 28.20 with the help of the Greek Tongue then he must be a Legalist and in his Book give us Sparkles of Law Flesh Judaisme not of glory And sure his Interpretation comes not from all spirit nor must we take his allegories types corrupt glosses phansied consequences to be Discoveries of pure glorious light and all Spirit For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the world is not an age containing the life time of the Apostles only but it is the world For the sin that Mat. 12.32 is said not to be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come Mark 3.29 hath not forgivenesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot be that it hath not forgivenesse for that age because it is punished with eternall damnation Matth. 21.19 Let no fruit grow on thee for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saltmarsh his new Discovery of all Spirit must say the Figge-tree for all this might bring forth fruit the next age Luke 1.55 as he spake to Abraham and his seed for ever John 6.51 If any man eat of this bread he shall live 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever And must he but live one Age and die the next John 4.14 He shall not thirst for ever So is the same word John 8.51 ch 8.52 2. Saltmarsh by this new Discovery hath found a good way to make heaven and hell endure but for an age and then have an end For John 10 28. Christs sheep shall never 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perish He that liveth saith Christ John 11.26 and beleeveth in me shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 never die But doe Seekers and Familists think he shall die the next age and live the first age John 12.34 We have heard that Christ abides for ever John 14 16. The holy Ghost abides with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever Demas hath loved this present world 2 Tim. 4.10 2 Cor. 4.4 Satan is called the God of this world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opposition to the world to come 2 Pet. 2.17.17 To whom the mist of darknesse is reserved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for ever The darknesse of hell endureth not for an age onely 3. And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is simply everlasting and that which hath no end John 3.16 He that beleeveth shall not perish 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but hath eternall life that is not life for an age onely So John 3.36 John 4.14 John 4.36 He gathereth fruit to life eternall John 5.24 John 6.40 v. 54. John 10.28 John 17.2 Acts 13.46 and yee judge your selves unworthy of eternall life Rom. 2.7 Rom. 6.22 4. The same expression that is here noteth the end of the world For it is that endurance beyond which there is nothing but heaven and hell Matth. 13.40 So shall it be in the end of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The same expression is v. 49. v. 39. and the harvest is the end of the world And Matth. 24.3 What shall be the signe of thy comming and of the end of the world And here Lo I am with you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even till the end of the world 5. And if Christ promised to be with his Church for an age so as Apostles doe cease in the next age then must there be no Saints on earth now but onely in the first age after Christs resurrection For this promise of Christs presence is extended not to Apostles only for Christ walketh with all true Churches Rev. 10.2 but to all the faithfull Then certainly Christ is the head of his body the Church Col. 1.8 but he hath no body he is a husband but hath no wife on earth he is a King and a King for ever but hath neither people nor kingdome nor Scepter of Word or Ordinances He reignes in the midst of his enemies by his Word slayeth the wicked with the rod of his mouth hath an everlasting kingdom hath dominion till all his enemies be subdued Psal. 110.1 2. Psal. 2.6.7 Heb. 1.8 Psal. 72.7 8 9. Esay 9.7 ch 11.4 And if there be no Ordinances no Church no word of righteousnesse preached which is the Scepter of his Kingdome no Sword of the Spirit comming out at his Mouth no word of the Kingdome no Embassadours no Ministers of the
Holy Ghost and that none can doe these works in them but Châ—ist and the inference made from them are the reasonings of the Holy Ghost and the result is an infallibly assurance Antinomians thinke both they may be counterfeit works and the reasoning and inference from thence to be a worke of our owne Spirit onely We say of the Spirit of grace joyning with our Spirit as is cleare 1 Cor. 2.12 3. The inference say they breeds no certaine and infallible assurance but probable onely and conjecturall evidence 4 If these works were not done in faith and known by us to be so done I should grant they could give but an uncertaine and controverted evidence Antinomians say wee separate them from faith and saving grace and that thus separated they beare testimony that wee are in Christ which is a calumny of theirs not our Doctrine Asser. 6 The assurance of our spirituall acts resulting from our Christian walking is a mediate assurance collected by inference not immediate as when we see the Sunne 2. It is called knowledge and assurance in the Word 1 Joh. 2.3 1 Joh. 3.14 vers 18.19 but it is not properly Faith but sense therefore we doe not build assurance of justifying faith on works of grace Antinomians say that we make our works the pillars and causes of our Faith But the promise the sufficiency of Christ the free grace of God to us are the onely pillars of our faith and our works of grace are the ropes by which the ship and passengers are drawne to the rock that is higher then themselves but they are not the rocke they are not the formall objective Sunne-light by which we passe our judgement and determination of Christ the Mediator his sweetnesse and power to save nor the causes of the soules resting on the bloud of attonement as Sunne-light is the formall reason and medium without of our judging of colours and their beauty They are onely land-marks by which we may the better judge of our state and not the shoare the land-marke onely sheweth how neere wee are to shoare by them we know that we know and beleeve in Christ. Finally they are rather negatives against unbeliefe then positive evidences of faith and serve for incouragements that we cast not away our confidence For if I doubt of my state whether I be translated and in Christ or no I cannot but doubt of my actions if I doubt if the tree be a naturall Olive I cannot but thinke the fruit must be but wild Olives and when we shall be unclothed with our darkenesse of body we shall not need such crutches to walke by Faith for sight shall leade us CHAP. LVI How duties and delight in them take us not off Christ. HEnce Antinomians when they say we must not so much as see our good works for not to see them is spirituall poverty and we cannot see them but we must trust in them and build on them And therefore best remove such chalke stones and rotten foundations as holy walking and live loosely that wee sowing sinne may reap pardoning grace So they say I know I am Christs because I doe not crucifie the lusts but beleeve that Christ hath crucified them for mee And our sanctification when darke and lesse maketh justification brighter And frequencie and length of holy duties are signes of one under a covenant of works and so under the curse of Law And to take delight in the holy service of God is to goe a whoring from God And the Spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least All these say to be rich in works of sanctification is to be poore in grace 2. To doe and act nothing and so sinnefully to omit the duties that the grace of God calleth for Tit. 2.11 is the way to have the Spirit acting graciously then sinne that grace may abound be sicke and exceeding sicke that Christ may bestow on you much Gospel-physicke To be aboundant in the worke of the Lord to delight in the Law of the Lord in the inner man to labour more aboundantly then they all to bee rich in good works are nothing else but to goe a whoring from God So Saltmarsh expoundeth these words I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me Such were yee but yee are justified but yee are sanctified c. That Christ beleeved repented sorrowed for sinne mortified sinne perfectly for me and this saith hee is sanctification and the fulnesse of his the All in All. Then to doe nothing my selfe but sinnefully to omit all duties and let Christ doe all is full sanctification and the lesse yee doe the more Christ doth for you Object 1. Christ saith not Peter be encouraged to beleeve because thou art an holy obedient loving Apostle But I have prayed that thy faith faile not Saltmarsh Free grace pag. 32.33 Answ. In that place he doth not shew Peter how he should know by such and such signes that hee beleeved but for Peters comfort and faith he sheweth him the true cause why he should not fall away to wit because his Advocate interceedeth for him Object 2. Christ saith not to his Apostles O my Disciples though I be from you yet yee have been thus and thus humble penitent obedient and let this be your ground and assurance when I am gone but hee layes in promises yee beleeve in God beleeve also in me I will send the Comforter Saltmarsh pag 33. Answ. We make no qualifications object or ground or cause of faith but onely signes to know wee have faith therefore might Christ haue said ye shall know yee love me and beleeve because you love those begotten of me 1. But we thinke though naturall sweating at duties setteth not the Spirit on edge to worke graciously yet to worke by the grace of God increaseth both talents and grace 2. Nor the frequent actings of grace nor the simply looking on them especially under sad houres to wine to our feet againe are ill but the abuses to bee avoided As 1. the comparative poring and the more frequent living on the comforts of our owne gracious actings more then on Christ himselfe and his death is as if I would live to much on a sight of a new created birth in my selfe and the Image of the second Adam when I have Christ himselfe to live on 2. Excessive out-running and over-banke-flowings of wondring at what is done in our selves by the grace of Christ cannot want a great deale of mixture of our selfe for we are not so found on acttings of grace in others and that is a token there is a selfe-reflection in the worke and that I sit downe and write of my selfe a hundred in stead of fifty 3. All comparative over-loving of created comforts must take the heart in so farre off Christ. 4. We should wonder more at the depth and height of free grace in the Creator and in Christ the well-head then in our selves for
the preaching of Faith by which the Spirit is given which renewes a beleever and makes him the very Law himselfe and his heart the two Tables of Moses For 1. perswasions and commands may wâ—ll stand together and all Law-inforcings are but meere reasonings and morall and objective acts on the minde and will and so the Law no more inforceth then the Gospel 2. Holinesse and Sanctification commeth by the Law animated by the Spirit as well as by the Gospel for the Law converteth the soule but it doth this saith the Antinomians not as the Law but as the Gospel revealing Christ. But I am sure neither can the Gospel â—â—terally onely revealing Christ and being void of the Spirit it cannot convert the soule and the Law as animated by the Spirit leadeth to Christ as a Pedagogue I meane as mixed with the Gospel For the Law without the Gospel can never sanctifie nor lead to Christ and neither of them without Christs Spirit can doe any thing And I find Saltmarshes Euthysiasticall pulse and straine of Familisme when hee saith that the Preaching of Faith is the Spirit given to a beleever and it makes him the very Law it selfe For 1. the Preaching of Faith or the Gospel preached even to hardened Pharisâ—â—s cannot give the Spirit renewing the Pharisees for Faith was preached to them by Christ and his Apostles but they stumbled at Christ and never beleeved 2. The preaching of Faith and the Spirit differ as much as the principall cause and the instrument now who can say the writing of the penne is the writer 3. Antinomians meane by the Gospel or the preaching of Faith here divided from the Law not the glad tidings of peace preached but the renewing Spirit without all letter or word of promise or command that is the teaching spirit and thâ— inward annointing without the Law or Gospel either Now Sanctification in this sense must bee wrought without Law Gospel Precept Command Promise and wee may lay aside the Bible then and all Ordinances and therefore no wonder then Antinomians tell us so often of the Letter and the Spirit for to them old and new Testament and all the sweet promises are a very Letter and in the new Testament we are not to serve God according to the Letter and therefore all Preaching Commands Exhortations Promises Threats of both Law and Gospel must be laid aside The Lord keeps us saith Towne under the Gospel in righteousnesse without all Law Ceremoniall and Morall and every where thâ—y say 〈◊〉 serve God now according to the Spirit not 〈◊〉 to the Letter outward Ordinances then to Antinomians are matters of meere courtesie CHAP. XII Antinomians deny actuall pardon of sinnes to the Jewes ANtinomians deny that the knowledge of actuall and eternall remission was an Article of the Jewish Creed but a mystery not revealed till the Gospell But then David and the Fathers Abraham and others were justified by the impâ—â—ed righteousnesse of Faith as wee are also David must Psal. 2.1 2. describe an happinesse he knew not what David saith Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne vers 5 2. We beleeve through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved as well as they 3. All the Fathers dyed in the faith 〈◊〉 did eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink of the same spirituall Rock and the Rock was Christ. 4. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen thrâ—ugh Faith reached before the Gospel to Abraham Esaiah prophecied of Christ as an Evangelist Daniel of the slaying of the Messiah and everlasting righteousnesse through him The Prophets testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow actuall remission then was no mystery to them Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day and saw it CHAP. XIII Of the nonage of the Jewes what it was NOr was the tutorie bondage or nonage of the Jewes any thing but 1. A lesse measure of the Spirit then is now 2. A harder pressing of the Law on them 3. A keeping of that infant Church as a child under Pedagogues and Tutors in regard of the Elements of Ceremonies partly teaching them rudely and partly warning them by blondy Sacrifices and diverse washings of the desert of sinne and the filth of it but this is nothing to prove the Jewes were under the Law For 1. then should they be under the curse and so must eternally perish contrary to the Word nor was their pardon of sinnes by halfes and quarters 2. Then must they be saved by works Paul saith They came short of righteousnesse because they sought to establish their owne righteousnesse and stumbled at the stone laid in Zion and sought it not by faith And it was never lawfull for them more then us to seeke righteousnesse and justification by works of the Law so they were in this under no Law-Spirit more then we but justified the same way that we are 3. Yea many sweet Evangelike promises are made to them as to us Ho every one that thirsts come to the water c. Behold I lay on Zion a stone c. The just shall live by fath Who is a God like unto thee that pardons iniquity I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and divers other Scriptures prove this 4. The Prophets cryed against legall and outward service and pressed washing in Christs bloud and faith and repentance as the Apostles doe And to Christ gave all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeves in him shall receive remission of sinnes There is much of the Spirit of adoption of spirituall liberty in praying wrestling with God giving no rest to God Heavenly boldnesse and accesse to the throne of grace in Jâ—â—kob David Moses and sweet Evangelike and Gospel-familiarity between Christ and his Spouse the Church in the Song of Salomon Feasting and banqueting together only the Lawâ—s administration was wrath by accident through our corruption lesse gloâ—ious because of darke typs and a spaâ—â—r measure of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. Ephes. 3.9 10. and Paul heightneth Gospelâ—glory and lesseneth the Law in the vaine sense that false Apostles and legall Teachers put on it in over-â—xalting it as if without Christ it could save or with Faith it could justifie 6 All under the Gospel Elect and Reprobate must be freed from the Law if the Jewes were under it all to whom the Gospel is preached must bee freed from it and to Deâ—ne and Moore who are both Arminians and Antinomians all and every one of mankinde must bee under â—race none under the Law of Commandements for the argument holdeth for all in opposition to the Legall Jew CHAP. XIV The old mâ—n or the flesh to Antinomians is under the Law the new Man freed from all Law IT is admirable that Towne will
within And its true the onely naked Letter without the Spirit can doe nothing without the Spirit but it followeth not that the Spirit renewes without the sense of the Letter received in the understanding And most false it is that in the Gospel the Word and the Spirit are alwaies joyned as Del saith for then all hearing the Gospel should belong to the converted and saved onely whereas the Scripture saith the contrary for many are hardned and heard the Gospel without faith damneth eternally the hearers as well as the Law It is as wild Libertinisme that Del speaketh That the Spirit reformeth by taking all evils out of the flesh he meaneth in Justification as if we were Angels being once justified and the evill of sinne dwelt not in us while we are in this body as is proved before And its wild stuffe that the Spirit doth change the flesh into its owne likenesse for saith he dreaming awake the Spirit is as fire that changeth every thing into it selfe and so doth the Spirit in the flesh make the flesh spirituall But Master Del what meane you by flesh The corruption of sinnefull nature then is sinne made Spirituall heavenly holy meeke good loving c. Familists and Libertines thanke you for that but sinne is destroyed as yourself grant 2. Doe you meane by flesh the body Then belike justification turneth our bodies into Spirits and wee have two bodies as Familists said in New England I cannot like that 3. If by flesh you meane the soule yee speake as Hereticks doe and that without Scripture or example The Spirit dwelleth in our flesh that is in our soule and spirit and changeth our spirit in a spirit strange Divinity Familists I know say As we came from Gods essence so wee and our soules returne to God and are made in God eternall and turned into his essence and so spiritualized so teach Libertines and by this they deny the Resurrection But 4. if by flesh you understand the sinnelesse frame of soule and body take heede of Libertines grosse dreame of our dying and returning to God who onely is and all beside him are nothing Theol. Germanica and the Bright Starre sport so with the truth of God CHAP. LXXXV Libertines and Antinomians come nigh to other in making God the author of sinne Paral. 16. LIbertines taught That all things fall out good or ill by the will of God and so that rebukes and exhortations should cease and that so we should pardon the sinnes one of another and beare the infirmities one of another For to the cleane all things are cleane and hee that is purged is altogether acceptable to God but let him beware that he be not an offence to his brother for it is written love thy neighbour neither desire to revenge and therefore said Pocquius the Libertine in his booke Rebuke not one another for sinne since its Gods will it should be so Bullinger tells us that in the yeare 1526. there were two brethren Thomas Schykerus and Leonard who were at a night-meeting having spent the night in Enthysiasticall conference with other Anabaptists Thomas commanding his brother Leonard to sit downe on his knees before him in the sight of his Parents and others who admonished him to doe nothing but what was to be done answered in the same Argument of Libertines nihil metuendum esse neque enim hic quicquam praeter voluntatem Patris fieri posse Nothing was to be feared because nothing here can be done beside the will of our heavenly Father and with a Sword he cut off his brothers head and having done this with shirt and hose onely he did runne through the Town and cryed The day of the Lord was come and the will of God is done and gall and vinegar drunke for which by the Magistrate he was justly put to death But Gods decree doth not excuse us from sinne nor remove necessitie of rebuking or holy and religious abstaining from sinne because Gods revealed will in his word not his secret and unsearchable decrees can be our rule of walking rebukes are also acts of love not of hatred or revenge The same course doe the Libertines and Familists of New England take For none say they are to bee exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to be the elect of God or to have his Spirit in them effectually And we should not pray against that which cannot be avoided nor yet against all sinne The Antinomians come nigh to this For Doctor Crispe the Antinomian and Archer both disswade beleevers to be troubled or dismaied at sinne their reason holds good against all sinnes of unbeleevers also because its contrary to the care and providence of God and to Free grace whether of eternal election or of effectuall calling to feare for or sorrow at sinne Surely I should thinke then that sinne were not to be eschewed by the Saints nor to bee rebuked by any Wee are not to be troubled at or feare sinne because all changes by sinnes or sorrowes come from God Some Divines saith M. Archer aknowledge not so much of God in sinne as is in sinne and Gods will and pleasure is the wombe that conceived and whence springs every worke of the Creature whether it be good or bad Secondly saith he All things by sinne or sorrow which befall beleevers come from God by a decree powerfull yea even by that eternall love and counsell in and by which they were ordained to life eternall And by and through a covenant of grace made with them To the same purpose M. Del crying downe all outward Reformation saith Serm. pag. 13. I doubt not of the Churches Reformation because it is Christs own worke and he hath undertaken the doing of it and none of the powers of the earth can helpe him nor of the powers of hell can hinder him therefore he disswades the Parliament from building the Temple but so hee himselfe should preach none for Gods decrees none can hinder So Antinomians teach men are justified pardoned and saved before they beleeve without faith upon this ground that they were elected absolutely to glory as if God had ordained them for the end but the meanes might miscary and as if unbeliefe could not hinder them or as if through unbeliefe many could not enter into their rest of glory or as if sinne were an indifferent thing simply depending on the will of God in whose wombe M. Archer thinketh it was conceived CHAP. LXXXVI Libertines and Antinomians would have us doe nothing because God doth all Paral. XVII LIbertines said All that are without God are nothing all that wee doe or know is but vanity therefore are we to deny our selves this they said inferring we may live as we list and doe nothing but beleeve that God workes all our works in us and for us and impute all things to God