the East and the West together as make the place speak any such thing Vatablus saith The Lord threatneth judgment that their owne fire and idolatrous wayes shall yeeld them sorrow and a tormenting conscience in the day of wrath and no comfort 7. To be humbled and sorrow and heare and then beleeve if yee judge your selfe worthy of ten hells notwithstanding of all these and yet come trembling and touch the hemme of Christs garment is not seeking of righteousnesse in your selfe nor any refusing to have all in Christ but a sure way to Christ. CHAP. LXIII We need Law-directions the Law and the Spirit are subordinate not contrary ANtinomians denying holynesse to bee now fashioned by the Law of outward Commandement but by the preaching of Faith will not have us to borrow so much as light and direction from the Law because 1. The Law is the beame the light in the first day of Creation the candle the Sream and the Word is made flesh and dwells amongst us and he the Sunne the true light the day light the fountaine and Christ will not be beholding to any of the light on Moses his face But the place 2 Cor. 3. that Saltmarsh alludeth to is the light of a convinced conscience by which a man seeth himselfe condemned by the Law-ministration of wrath this light and glory is done away where the Spirit of Jesus is but the light of teaching direction to know our dutie and how we are to order our walking in Gospel-holinesse which the Spirit borroweth from the ten Commandements delivered by Moses is established and taught by Christ and not removed for if Gospel-grace extirpate this light of the Morall Law either out of our heart or out of the written Commandements and writings of Moses then surely Christ is come to dissolve the Law and to teach men neither to doe nor obey Law-commandements seeing it is essentiall to the Law as a Sunne shining whether hell and Antinomians will or not till Christs second comming to give light and shew what is our dutie Psal. 19.7 8.9 Math. 5.1 2 3 c. 19.20 And 2. if the light of direction that the Law yeeldeth be removed and lay no obliging power on us more then a candle serveth to give us light in day-light or the light created the first day of the creation which is gone now when Sunne and Moone are created I see not how we sinne not in worshipping God in abstaining from Idol-worship blasphemie swearing in loving and honouring our Parents and in loving our neighbour as our selfe for wee have no warranting light to doe these but that Law of Moses which Christ expresly said he came not to destroy in the personall practise of his Saints yea these beames in all their smallest titles must stand firmer then heaven or earth Math. 5.17 18 19 20. and therefore the spirit of Satan devised a combate and contrariety between the directing light of the Law and the Gospel and betweene Moses and Christ in this sense as if Sanctification by the light of the Law and the grace of the Gospel which are sweetly subordinate were contrary one to another as fire and water eternall fire must be their portion that so teach except they repent 3. Saltmarsh citeth these The word is made flesh We saw his glory c. to prove that the Law is now not in the Letter but in the Spirit and wee need not the Law the Spirit sanctifieth Just so did Henry Nicholas and the Familists say God incarnate was Christ manifested by love and a vision of God in the hearts of their perfect ones and the incarnation was but every holy Saint Godded and Christed in H. Nichol and such like and God manned by the Saints and the Familists of New England say As Christ was once made flesh so he is now first made flesh in us ere we be carried to perfection The Word of God speaketh but of one incarnation for the Lords comming in the flesh may prove a fuller measure of grace but it never proveth that 1. The Law is now in the Spirit 2. That the ten Commandements under Moses are removed 3. That all their directing light is quite gone and as uselesse now as a candle in day light I should wish Saltmarsh would come from under his veiles and speake truth and feare not to owne Familists if they bee his and renounce Protestant Legalists as he speaketh CHAP. LXIV Antinomian differences between the Law and the Gospel confuted WEe cannot be satisfied with the Antinomian differences betweene Law and Gospel The Law say they â—ommands us to obey to love to feare to be holy that God may be our God and wee his people the Gospel commands us to obey and love because we are the people of such a God Answ. The Law never neither before nor after the fall of Man did command obedience as a merit and deserving cause of having God to bee our God for so Antinomians speake of all Law-obedience that it hireth God and of all our Gospel-obedience that it putteth God in our debt as if we were hirelings and God a Master obliged in a Legall way and in termes of buying and selling to pay us our wages 2. How will Saltmarsh prove God was not Adams God till he should worke out his dayes worke of Legall service perfectly and winne his wages without a slip or sinne This is a conjecture I would conceive by creation the Lord was Adams God and the indenture or paction to reward his obedience with eternall life was to goe on that Adam should have his other reward of life by doing according as hee kept the Law But I take it thus God could not require Law-obedience at all of Adam but he was first his God but God was to remaine his God no longer then Adam should perfectly serve God 3. None of us whom Saltmarsh would if he could confute doe teach That we are to obey and doe Gods Commandements according to the Gospel-grace and strength from Christ to the end that God may be our God else if we faile he is not our God Now this Gospel-service he must say we teach if he refute us Diff. 2. The Law saith Saltmarsh commands us in the power of God as a Law-giver and tutor or Minister the Gospel in the power of a Father Answ. When Saltmarsh shall make these two contrary to command as a Law-giver and as a Father as wrath and love we shall say Amen to this difference But Antinomians thinke to command as a Law-giver cannot be except God command under the paine of an eternall curse for say they The Law not condemning is not Law So the Law-giver not cursing and condemning must be no Law-giver But this is a false principle God commandeth as a Law-giver in the Gospel all that eternall righteousnesse which hee commandeth in the Law for neither the Gospel nor Christ dissolveth one tittle or jot of the eternall Morall
men 9. No men are to be rebuked for sinnes sin and all wickednesse is to be imputed to God so the Antinomians make the Holy-Ghost the cause and author of all the good we doe and say reason will all the faculties of the soule are destroyed in the conversion of a sinner who then acteth all sinnes and wickednesse in believers Familiâ—ts teach the same expressely see Bright starre and Theol. Germanica 10. Men are to convert all their sinnes to good and to repute them their gain and advantage 11. They said Christ incarnate was nothing but a godly man or a believer made of a body and of an opinion that he could not sin nor know good and ill and when Christ died he dyed in opinion Antinomians say Christ is God incarnate in every believer God saith Theol. Germ. is in man and works his will alonâ— and doth doe and leave undone any thing without any I to me mine and the like where these things are and exist there is true Christ and no where else 12. They said sinne was but a vaine opinion because God is the author of it saith M. Archer with Antinomians and God can doe no ill 13. Regeneration they say is to returne to the ignorance of good and ill as it was Adam's sinne to know good and ill and mortification is to lay aside all conscience and knowledge of sinne and as childâ—en to cast away sense and conscience and therefore when any mourned or were grieved in conscience or repented for sinne they said to such a man O Adam livest thou yet and keepest thou still the gust and taste of the apple that Adam eat after the same manner Antinomians now say repentance griefe sorrow for sense or conscience of sinne in a believer is legall carnall fleshly from unbeliefe and the old Adam and that its contrary to faith and Gospel-light to confesse sinnes and was a worke of the flesh in David 14. They said a regenerate man is perfect as an Angel and that he that is borne of God cannot sinne So say the Antinomians Towne assert pag. 77 78. R. Becon Catechis pag. 137 138. pag. 211 212. Saltmarsh free grace 140 154. Rise reign er 70. 15. They said Christian liberty extended to all things that in regard we are under no law nor rule of life all things are lawfull so Antinomians as all know teach the same 16. They said a regenerate man as regenerate sinned not but only the flesh or his asse so Towne also assert pag. 35 Saltm free grace 142. Eaton honey-combe c. 4. pag. 47. 17. That every man follow his calling that is his naturall inclination and the world that is custome and so put away his wife when he suteth not with her and marry another is lawfull so as men may live as their corrupt hearts as the lust of the eye and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life carrieth them which three are not from God 1 Joh. 2.16 as if sense and naturall inclination were Gods calling and not the Devils I prove at length that it is the Antinomian doctrine to say the sinnes of believers are not truly and really and in Gods account sinnes but onely to our lying sense reason false feeling and to the flesh 18. It 's say they the communion of Saints to have all things common goods wives c. Antinomians say for an unbeliever to take another mans wife is sinne because they are under the law but it 's no sinne to a believer freed from the law for God can see no more sinne in him then in Christ Jesus honey-combe ca. 3. c. 25 26 27. 19. They said the resurrection was passed and that we have compleatly and in possession life eternall in this life so say Antinomians expresly as I prove CHAP. III. Of Anabaptists N. Stork Th. Muncer Jo. Becold c. and their Tenets ANno 1522. Did arise in Saxonie Nicholas Stork who boasted of dreames and visions and rejected the Scripture as being a carnall and literall rule Antinomians call it carnall literall and legall From him and others arose Thomas Munâ—erus about Ann. 1524. who stiled himselfe in his letters Thomas Muncer the servant of God with the sword of Gideon against the ungodly This man being hungry for glory hunted for Luthers name to his new designes but not obtaining it said Luther lopped but rooted not out Antichrist that Luthers carnall and literall Gospel was worse then the Pope and therefore cryed downe bookes and the letter of Scripture and said the Spirit was leader and rule to believers As Mistris Hutchison of N. England being demanded a warrant for her private assemblies and teaching said she walked by the rule of the new creature which rule she said was the Spirit but could not give Scripture for it so the Antinomian Del in her very Grammer saith he knoweth no laws in Gods Kingdome the Church but three 1. Thâ— law of a new creature 2. the law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ. 3. The law of love not one word of the Scripture here it s but a dead Letter Antinomians Familists Nicholaiâ—ans Enthusiasts Sweckfeldians Libertines goe no higher that they may abase the Scriptures Luther wrote to the Senate of Mulhuysen a famous Towne in Thuringia to beware of the wolfe Muncer Henry Pfeiffer a Monk did blow up Muncerus he boasting of a vision from Heaven gathered troops to the field The Princes of Saxoni Hessâ—n and Brunswick the Count of Manfield and the Princes in Sweden Thuringia Alsaâ—ia Franconia Bavaria Auâ—tria and Stiria subdued and killed the Boures or Husbandmen and Rusticks who were sick of love for Muncers Liberty or rather licence due to them as the false Prophets said under the New Testament on a hill neer Frankbusen Muncer drew up and cryed The Sword of the Lord and of Gideon against New Testament taskmasters hee meant Princes and lawfull Magistrates yet was Muncer taken in the Town Frankbusen and Pfeiffer also near Isewick and Muncer having fained himself sick and despairing he and his Prophet were hanged An. 1525. By these and other the like bloody inspirations were above a hundred thousand killed In Helvetia Felix Montzy Balthaser Hubmeir and Conradus Grebelius of Zurick spreading by word and writ Anabaptisme of this kinde at Zurick An. 1525. were confounded in a publicke dispute by Huldicus Zwinglius Leo Juda and Casper Megander Hubmeir who professed and promised recantation in the Pulpit preached the contrary Satan leading his tongue as he said Held that Adams flesh not his spirit consented to sin and that he lost not true Liberty by his fall against him and the Anabaptists pretending the Spirit for their rule and rejecting the Scriptures as Antinomians doe The Senate of Zurick An. 1530. past an Act discharging them to Preach Ann. 1525. 1527. 1529. they were confuted An. 1528. Lodivicus Helser Joannes Trajer Joan. Seekler and other Anabaptists
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
were in the matter of Oathes Magistracy Pedobaptisme confuted by Hallerus and by Kolvius at Bern and forced to say The Spirit taught them otherwise then the Letter of the Scripture spake And also at Zosing in Argovia An. 1532. Conradus Grebelius with his labouring to seduce many were confuted and cast out of Sengall Thomas Schuker the Disciple of Melchior Rinkius beheaded with a sword his brother Leonard by the impulsion of the Spirit at Sengal but it was not the Holy Ghost who leadeth us in Scripture truth saying in that The will of God was done and it was finished this made a Spirit without Scripture hatefull to many having made much adoe with their Scriptures Spirit at Strâ—asbrough Wormes Ausbourg Vlmes and being driven out of Helvetia and High-Germany they carried their plague to Morâ—via and adjoyned to themselves seditious men in Bohemia Poland Hungaria Austria and Silesia Balthasar Hubmeier for tumults in Moravia was burnt at Vienna Hence in West-phalia Frizland Holland and especially at Munster arose new Revelations In comes An. 1533. John Becold out of his own element of a Tailor amongst the Prophets with the Prophet Baker John Matthiz and some of Munster Roâ—mannus a faint and fained confuter of Anabaptists turnes to them and with him Herman Strepeda Hen. Rullius and Godfrey Stralen strengthen them they were confuted in a publick dispute and ordained to depart the City of Munster and did depart but they partly steal in again in the night partly hide themselves and make themselves masters of the city one Warendrop a Godsmith prophesies that John of Leiden must be King of the whole earth and King of Jerusalem that all Princes must obey him Becold appoints Bernard Knippeâ—dolling and Kippenbrugh Consulls the Christian Magistrates are deposed John Matthiz after a revelation from heaven commands all books to be burnt except the Bible all Gold and Silver to be brought and laid downe at his feet that all might be common Truteling a Smith called them dirty Prophets therefore Matthiz shot him dead and Matthiz himselfe not long after was cut off by the enemy Righteous is the Lord. Becold after three dayes lying in a fancied transe commands Polygamy in obedience to his own Vision marries three wives then other three til he came to fifteen Becold according to the prophesie of a Tailor is made a most Gorgeous King and sent out twenty eight Apostles to shew his Kingdome was above Christ he would have this number twice twelve Apostles and four Angels as Evangelists sent to the foure corners of the earth to Preach Tailor Becold King of Kings all of them were killed some say one only returned to give an account of spreading the spirit of Anabaptisme Becold appointing a great Lords Supper the King Tayler came in to see the Guestâ—s and findes a man and reading on his face the want of a wedding garment others say he saw him to be a Iudas killeth the innocent man presently After he had prophecied the Towne of Munster now beseiged should be supplied and killed one of his wives who said his prophecies came not to passe he and Knipperdoling were deservedly after Torturing Killed and hanged in an iron cage in the Cathedrall pinâ—cle The Tenents of Anabaptists in which they side with Antinomians are these more of this see in the writers cited The Reformation of Luther and others was Legall Literall carnall not Spirituall So Del. The Father Son and Spirit are not three distinct persons and in essence and nature one God so Familists deny Christ to be God and make every Saint equall with Christ. 3 The Lord Iesus did not really and truely but in imagination take our nature Antinomians say a beleever is God incarnate Godded and Christed Theol. Ger. c 22. Rise reig er 11. 4 The doctrine of Christ before his suffering is not so much to be observed as after his death for Peter resisted ill Saltm saith Shadowes flying away pag. 7 8 9. Christ and Iohn Baptist preached legally and spake not fully of free grace 5 Christ hath removed the Law and all its obleiging power and now the pure Gospell and Command of faith is our onely rule so Antinom 6 Christ reformed the ten commandes and brought in a more perfect rule Antinomians say they have nothing to doe with Moses and the Law The Law is now in the Spirit saith Saltmash free grace 146. Del. ser. p. 19.26 7 In the old Testament oaths were permitted perjury only forbidden all oathes are forbidden in the new the Sabbath was kept then not now so our Antinomians and Familists of new E. 8 They deny that the soules of the Godly or wicked goe to heaven or Hell till the day of Iudgement and deny the resurrection of the same body that was buried or that flesh and bloud â—shall rise againe contrary to Scripture Iob 19.26 27 28. Esay 26.19 Ezek. 37 11.12 Daniel 12.2.13 Phil. 3.19 20. 1 Cor. 15. 53. Ioh. 20.27 So say Antinomians life eternall is in this life the resurrection is past that the soule is mortall 9 The visible Church consisteth of those that are perfect and onely of those so Antinomians 10 None can with a good conscience exercise the office of a Magistrate under the New Testament Familists say its against Christian liberty 11 Vniversities Schooles humane arts ought not to be Saltmarsh they are legall and litterall 12 That its unlawfull to goe to law and that warres are unlawfull See Del. serm 6 7 8. 13 These Anabaptists called Libertines deny all Scripture as a dead Letter all preaching Sacraments church assemblies singing of Psalmes praying all ordinances and say the Spirit the inward anoynting and the internall word that proceeds immediately out of the mouth of God as Gideons sword is the onely meanes of Gospell-reformation so Antinomians reject all Ordinances as legall and say the spirit is all and some as Del. serm Beacon Catechism tit say the joyfull knowledge of God and man and all things else that relate to either is alone in the Spirit by Iesus Christ he counts all ordinances and externall duties and worship triviall and indifferent O therefore preface if distempered Christian Nations he excepteth not Papists Arminians Socinians c. were once wise to forbeare this clashing and dashing themselves in pieces one against another for matters externall triviall and circumstantiall in religion and would content themselves with that which is alone saving c. To the Antinomian Beacon Idolatry Angell-worship preaching praying scriptures duties of the Law precepts of the Gospell of nature of grace opinions c. all controversies in Religion these in which the distempered nations now contravert yea Church-government sacraments ministers are matters externall triviall and circumstantiall in religion not things in which salvation consisteth not to be contended for on either side 14 The second rancke of Anabaptists called concionatores preachers denyed all the Old Testament
higher Spirit then that which speaketh in the letter of the Law it 's true it s the same infinite Spirit The Lord that speaketh in all Scripture but in the Law he saith nothing but either perfectly doe all or die eternally But in the Law as handed by the Prophets Christ and the Apostles the Lord condemneth and convinceth that we may flee to the suretie of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 Now in this sense Law and Gospell called the word of God is not a dead letter in it selfe for Psa. 19.7 The Law of the Lord converteth the soule c. Rom. 1.16 The Gospell is the power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth both to worke faith Rom. 10.17 and to give salvation Rom. 15.4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comforâ— of the Scriptures might have hope this must be the written scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 1.21 For after in the wisedome of God the world by wisdome naturall knew not God It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to save them that beleeve then is the word preached a mean to save the beleevers Act. 13.26 To you is this word of salvation sent Yet the Jews to whom it was sent Blasphemed and judged themselves unworthy of eternall life ver 46 Act. 20.32 I commend you to the word of his grace which is able to build you up 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warefare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling downe of strong holds casting downe imaginations and every bâ—ight that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God That which is the strong weapons by which men fight word and discipline and is mighty through God is not a dead letter though these weapons be mighty through God so is the word a hammer and a sire and the people wood and the sword of the Spirit and sharper then a two edged sword to discerne the thoughts and intentions of the heart Ier. 5.14 Eph. 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Re. 1.16 Ps 45.3 The Rod of Christs lips by which he smites the earth Esa. 11.4 The Sceptor of his Kingdome all which evince that the word externally preached hath power in it selfe to destroy and being accompanied by the Spirit hath power to coÌ„vert and so is an instrument of the Spirit both wayes 3 Conclusion The Lord hath made and sanctified a ministery and ministers to be fathers of the second birth and instruments to save themselves and others 1 Cor. 4.17 1 Tim. 4.16 2 Cor. 3.2 Yee are our Epistle written in our hearts read of all men 4 Forasmuch as yee are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministered by us written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in the fleshy tables of the heart 1 Thes. 2.19 For what is our hope or ioy or crowne of rejoycing are not even yee in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming 20. For yee are our glory and crowne Swenckfield denyeth that he destroyeth Scripture or the ministery or preaching but saith he Epist. An. 1529 In a Christian there be two things 1 The new and internall man 2 The old or externall man called the flesh God dealeth with the Christian man internally by the word of Spirit and life he meaneth the substantiall word in whcih he reveales himselfe through Christ by the various riches of heavenly blessings but externally he dealeth with the flesh of man by the word of the letter and by preaching and by signes and seales So Saltm as if brought up at his feet saith free grace pag. 150. And this Gospell fits man who is made up both of flesh and Spirit and so hath need of a law without and in the letter aswell as in the heart and Spirit The law is spirituall but we are carnall Rom. 7 nor can such a state of flesh and Spirit be ordered by a law onely without for the word of the law and Spirit meerely is for a spirituall condition or state of glorie as Angels who onely liue by a law spirituall and word of revelation then both agree in this that the law is given to the outward man the flesh the body and the law of the Spirit of life to the inner man the soule and Spirit hence these foule consequences 1 The law belongs not to a beleever but to civill courts as Islâ—bius said 2 The word of God can lay no tye no band on the inner man to know God beleeve in Christ love God intend his glory long for heaven and Christs second appearance for the law is given to the flesh and the outward man nor can the letter of the Gospell bind him to any Gospell or heart obedience absurd 3 There can be no sinnes in spirit or soule or inner man because no law and so no obedience most absurd 4. All Ministry scripture is not to rayse an inward spirituall conformity between the Soule and the Gospel nor to make us lowly and meek in spirit as Christ is but to put on us an outside of externall conformitie between the flesh or outward man and the law how then is the law spirituall I should rather think that the spirituall law and commandements of the Gospel were given first and principally and most kindly to our spirits and thoughts and intentions and rather secondarily to the body and outward man so farre as the acts of the outward man fall under the dominion and command of the will and faculties of the inwardman 5. The spirit without the word is the law and only rule that regulateth man in all his inward and most spirituall actions and not the scripture and so the more spirituall the more lawlesse loose and carnall And Mr. Del goeth farther on with Swenckfeld for he will have the accomplishing of Gospel reformation that is the justification of a sinner and his conversion to Christ to be done by the spirit only without all power of man and so it is not visible nor ecclesiastick ser. pag. 4. It stands not in making lawes to consciences add Mr. Del contrary to the word of God act 15.22 23 28 c. by the sacred power or clergie by the messengers of Christ and of the Churches for externall conformity only and meerly externall its false wee aime at more in outward dueties worship and government and to have these confirmed by civill sanction To have Artaxerxes and Kings to ratifie and command under penalties the building of the house of God and to have Kings and Queenes nursefathers and mothers to the Church is lawfull and should be our aime and prayer to God 1 Tim. 2.1.2 3. and that the Kings of the earth bring their glory and honour to the New Jerusalem Revel 21.24 wee heartily desire though the Lord can build Jerusalem without the sword of sectaries and the arme of the Magistrate And Del sayth this Gospel reformation
or the flesh and old man in every man So say the English Antinomians that the precepts of a Christian conversation doe onely obleige the hypocrites under the law that are mixed with true beleevers so doth Towne all the duties Mat. 5. Blessed are the meeke c. are performed by the beleever in Christ and Christ presseth not these â—uties as obleiging the beleever but that he may destroy all vaine boasting and confidence in mans owne righteousnesse of workes bred by the Scribes and Pharisies which is an abominable doctrine for then there was no beleever on earth blessed through personall meekenesse spirituall poverty hungring for Christ and the Apostles and beleevers were not blessed nor had any reward to looke for in heaven in that they were persecuted and killed for Christs sake the contrary is cleare in scripture The putting on of the new mâ—n said they and walking in newnesse of life is nothing but externall discipline and hath nothing common with the Spirit So Eaton Crispe Den Saltmarsh it s but to walke according to the outward conversation honestly as in the sight of men not as in the sight of God yea walking contrary to new obedience and after the lusts of the old man in beleevers is no sinne which God can see in beleevers say Eaton Towne Saltmarsh in Luthers time Christopherus Petzelius wrote a bitter peece for Antinomianisme against Ioannes Wigandus Crellius in spoâ—gia contra Ioâ—n Vigandum and others as Petrus Paladius in catalo aliquot haereseor relateth Antinomians now as of olâ— pretended that Luther is of their mind and alleadge diverse testimonies out of Luther But Luther instituted six publicke disputations at Wittingburg against the Antinomians but the style of Luther was according to his Spirit and zeale hot hyperbolicke vehement against justification by works and therefore these distinctions are to bee observed to cleare Luthers minde 1 Luther speaketh one way of the Law and the workes of the law in the matter of justification and a far otherway of the Law and workes simply as they obleige all 2 To Luther the law teaching squaring commanding is one thing the law in strict terms commanding perfection under highest eternal paine compelling terrefying cursing condemning is another thing 3 The Law compelling legally and condemning that it may condemne is one thing and the Law compelling and condemning materially not that it may destroy and condemne but condemning to the end it may chase the sinner to Christ and save intentionally is a farre other thing 4 The conscience simply is one thing and the conscience terrifyed crushed shaken with dispaire a far other thing Luther constantly â—aught that the law obligeth the conscience of believers as well as unbelievers and yet that the law ought to exercise no dominion over the terrified affrighted conscience of a believer to presse him to despair 5 The Law according to Luther hath three speciall uses 1 That it may reveale sinne and wrath and by this be a paedagogue 〈◊〉 lead the sinner to Christ. 2 To be a rule of a holy life 3 To discipline and compesce with the fury and feare of wrath hypocrites and wicked men that they may be disciplined externally and not goe with loose raines after their lusts 6 The Law in its rigour as it sounds out of the mouth of Moses and is violated and presseth us to absolute obedience out of our owne strength without a Mediator or a Mediators free grace is to the beleever a rough and bloody enemy and preacheth bloody tragedies and craveth and exacteth hard things but the Law as pacified with the blood of a surety and as it is the sweet â—reathing of the love of Christ through the Spirit and as it saith walke in love through the strength of him that hath loved you to death it is a sweet warme kindly lovely freind and leadeth us being willing 7 The law is eternall the law condemning forceing cursing a believer is not eternall but ceaseth to the believer in that bloody office through the satisfaction of Christ. 8 Luther highly magnifieth good works in themselves but as the agent resteth on them with confidence he abaseth them 9 The law without the Spirit is a poore thin liueles hopeles useles dead letter the law animated with the Spirit and tempered with some ounces of Gospel-breathings of free grace concurreth instrumentally to convert quicken revive us and to promote salvation 10 The law as it teacheth directeth commandeth obligeth bindeth to duties for the authority of the law-giver and is ever an active rule to the believer and never a passive thing But as it condemneth and â—urseth it is to a believer a meere passive and a naked stander by and hath no activity nor can it act in that power upon any in Christ as the law of Spaine is meerly passive in condemning a free borne man dwelling in Scotland 11 The binding authority in the law laying on the sinner an obligation to doe and act is different from the binding power of the law to suffer punishment for transgressing of the law The former agreeth to the Law simply as it is a Law the latter agreeth to the Law aâ— it is violated and disobeyed 2 The former is eternall urgeth the believer unbeliever before the fall after the fall in the life to come the latter is removed in Christ to all those that are in Christ for the law fully satisfied neither condemneth nor can it condemne to eternall suffering for Christs passive obedience removeth all possibility of our passive obedience for sin in a satisfactory way 12 The Law admonishâ—th but helpeth not Hence these conclusions for the clearing of the truth and of the minde of Luther more fully 1 Conclusion Luther expresly declared himselfe against Antinomians by that title and name They are saith Luther pernitious teachers who in our time moved by ways I know not what contend that the law should not be preached in the Church wouldest thou not preach the Law where there is truely a people for Law to wit men greedy proud unclean usurers Idolaters In the Antinomian sect saith Luther this is a peculiar proposion if any was an adulterer a murtherer c. let him only believe that God is gratious to him and that 's enough but what a Church is this in which so horrible a voice doth sound But we must teach that there be two sort of sinners some who acknowledge their sin some who securely please themselves therein I intreat Saltmarsh Eaton Crispe Den Towne Del Randel Simson who are so much against all preparations for Christ and for sole beleeving and cry out so much against strict walking with God to consider this How can the preaching of the Law bee excluded out â—f the Church doe ye not also exclude the fear of God and a great part of the works of God The Antinomians these new prophets contend that men should
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
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
as well as we know one another by voyce features statures of the outward man then must the light of this new spirit be as certaine as our knowledge by sense why then are we bidden try the spirits and beleeve not every spirit Peter sayth he pag. 150 151 152. walked in his fleshly appearance with his sword not knowing God was to call him out of that dispensation of the flesh to more glory into the same glory he had with God before the world was Eye for eye and wars are from the Law and legal principles Ans. Peter was not called to the glory that Christ had with his father before the world was in this life so long as his flesh needed the defence of a sword except heaven and the resurrection be in this life while we are clothed with flesh as Familists teach 2 Sinlesse Gallesse selfe-defence and defensive warres without malice desire of revenge are perpetuall morall duties under the Gospel oblieging the most spirituall man by the sixt Commandement thou shalt not murther to defend his owne and brothers life from unjust violence Eph. 5.28 1 Chro. 12.1.2.22.36 1 Sam. 26.2 2 Kings 6.32 1 Sam 14.44 Pro. 24.11 So Fortunius Garcias Comment in l. ut vim vi ff de justit jure So the Law l. Gener. c. de decur l. 10. l. si alius § bellissime ubique gloss in vers c. Ferdin Vasquez illustr question l. 1. c. 8.11.18 the Gospel the spirit looseth no man from the Law of nature thou shalt not murther 2 Eye for eye was a judicial Law falsly exponed by the Pharisees to maintatne hatred of our enemie and private revenge which both Law and Gospel forbids 3 If because we are clothed with flesh we may not in an innocent way defend our selves as the wormes and all beasts doe but the Gospel must forbid this the Gospel must forbid to eat drink sleepe cloth our selves 4 Saltmarsh in this condemneth Christians and Familists to beare armes or to be Magistrats the contrary of which is their daily practice preserve thy selfe and deny thy selfe are nor contrary as Saltmarsh imagineth pag. 160. nor did God ever command contraries in Law and Gospel CHAP. XXII The highest discovery Familists have of Christ to wit that he is a man only figuratively not true man OF the highest last discovery of God to man saith Saltm 201. They say speakinge of Familists Adam was a way by which God preached first to man and was not the first man in whom all stood and fell but a way by which this mystery of God was made to appeare first to the creation and Adam held forth nature or a part of this creation in communion with God as to grace and love while hee stood and another part of the creation or nature out of communion with God as to love and grace he should say as to no love no grace but in communion or union to God as to Law and Justice thus they interpret these scriptures of mans first glory fall lesse in the very letter and more in the mystery and in this twofold state were all the rest Cain and Abel c. They say the Gospel or fulnesse of time of the clearer discoverie of this mystery was the Lorâ— Jesus himselfe or God manifested in the flesh or as in one man a figure of the whole mystery as to grace and love or God in flesh or in his or of God in that other part of his creation his Church or Saints And all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifing death and crosse was a discovery of God by this figure in the whole mystery how God is in all his how he works hath his times of law and of graces and gospel of crucifing and offering up all to death through the eternall spirit which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant or Seale whereby God witnesseth to his people that he is their God and they his people by killing all the strength and life and power of the first creation and carrying it up into a more excellent life his own Spirit And so all Christs birth growing submitting to ordinanecs crucifying death buriall resurrection ascension were so many discoveries as to us in the flesh of the whole mystery of God in the Saints made out in these parts and degrees and severall ages and conditions to shew how God weakens and brings to nothing the life of nature or of this creation in which he will dwell and make his Tabernacle and carry it up into a higher and more excellent life even himselfe and his own glory So as they say all that is spoken of Christ as in that person that was born of a virgin who was crucified dead and buried risen and ascended is spoken in figure in a mystâ—ry an â—llegory not in Christ as a true reall man of the 〈…〉 into which God enters or is born into the world and so 〈…〉 along with him through severall adminiâ—trations into 〈◊〉 Answ. In all this observe a greater and higher mystery of Familists then in Antinomians though they be birds of the same nest Saltmarsh speakes of them in the third person that he may seem not to own them but they are his own Sparkles of vain glory while as he would speake his Antinomianisme and Familisme in so high mysterious suâ—lime a strain so farre above and beyond the Lâ—tter and written Scripture that Mr. Gattaker and those whom he calleth Legaliâ—ts doe not understand him page 320 3â—1 The same very thing saith Calvin of Libertines They used straâ—ge and dark language so prating of Spirituall things that they could not be understood Instruct. adveâ—s Libertinos cap 3. in Opusâ— p 435. Caeterum obscuro peregrino sermone utebantur ut de rebus spiritualibus obâ—annientes minimè intelligi possent Libertini But lest this high and last discovery of the Spirit should not be known to all the Familists of England he will reveale it them and in print too to all Legalists whereas before we heard Familists reveale their secrets but to some few of the perfectâ—â—â— of their own Tribe So H. Nicholas tels us Exhor 1. c. 6. Sect. 5.7 8 9. And in his Elidad Sect. 5. But 1. there is nothing of the first Adams sinne imputed to us that is plainly denied They say Adam was a way that is a figure mystery or example by which God preached first to man Law Justice and Wrath and was not the first man in whom all stood and fell What then He was not a materiall man at all it was no tree no fruit no eating materiall or bodily For all that is according to the Familists way to expone the word in the letter and flâ—sh not in the Spirit For saith he thus they interpret 〈◊〉 Scriptures of mans first glory and fall lesse in the very Letter and more in the mystery So to expone all the histories of the first Adam and of Christ not in the
envying striving and schisme till the Lord say come up hither whereas he sharply rebuketh them for their envying and schismes Now if for envying and schisme the Corinthians bee carnall as no doubt they were carnall in so far and if therefore under the ministration of Christ in the flesh and not under all Spirit upon some other considerations they must have been spirituall and so under the all-Spirit or pure glorious spirit of M. Saltmarsh for as they are called carnall so also spirituall 1 Cor. 1.10 11 12 13 14. washen justified sanctified in the name of our Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.11.15.19 changed into the same spirit from glory to glory as by the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 espoused to one husband Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 let Saltmar answer if none of these were converts that are called carnall for their envying 2. whether one part of this Church were under Johns and Christs Ministery some under all-spirit 1 Cor. 1. Christ sent me not to baptise but to preach Then hee baptised according to his spirituall liberty to the Jew he was a Jew p. 82. Ans. Hee sent not Paul to baptise rather then to preach for Paul baptised 1 Cor. 14.16 then he did it as sent but it is a tricke of Familists to comply with all Religions and deny the true Religion where there is hazard as H. Nicholas said Epist. to the two daughters of Warwick and call that compliance the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free 2. Then baptizing with water was a part of Pauls Ministery which Saltmarsh denyes The spirits of just men made perfect or the true Christian in spirit are these true spirituall Elders in the New Testament Ans. The spirits made perfect are the glorified in heaven associated with the Angels Heb. 12.22 But Saltmarsh will have life eternall confined within this life only to the Elders of the New Testament that is as I conceive Elders of the family of love The true triall of the gifts is when the spirits of Prophets are subject to the Prophets that is when the gift by which any one speakes of Jesus Christ is manifested in the hearts or spirits of the Saints when they see the truths they minister as they are in Jesus and in themselves and in them that are spirituall and truly anointed by the same Spirit 91 92. Ans. Such a subjection to the Prophets hath no warrant in the Text for it supposeth none to be Prophets but those that are inwardly anointed and manifest their spirit of Prophesie to the anointed only as if the anointed may not take him for an anointed Prophet who is only gifted and void of saving grace So H. Nich. Exhor 1. c. 16. No man can rightly according to the truth of the holy Scripture or according to the spirituall understanding of the godly wisdome deale in or use the true Gods service nor should take in hand to busie himselfe therein but only the illuminated Elders in the godly wisdome which walke in the house of love c. 〈…〉 nothing in this triall of his aptnesse to teach 〈…〉 in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 p 272 They did all drinke the same spirituall drinke that is the Ordinances of the Old Testament were as much spirituall as these of the New and signified Christ in the flesh But he concludes be not yee Idolaters that is idolize not outward formes the rocke baptisme 271. these both of Old and New Testament are alike outward letter visible and perish with the using Ans. The Ordinances of the Old Testament are called carnall in opposition to endlesse life Heb. 7.16 and because weake and they could not though bloody take away sins Heb. 7.18 19. Heb. 10.1 2. for the new Covenant promises in Christ the true better eternall Mediator doe all these then it is against Scripture that the Ordinances of both were alike carnall though without the Spirit neither availed 2. The Idolatry of outward Ordinances is condemned as trusting in lying words The temple of the Lord sacrifices new Moones c. Jer. 7.8.9 Esa. 1. But it was never in the minde of the Holy Ghost that Israel worshipped Manna water Passeover or that the Corinthians did adore preaching baptising for their Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.7 is the worshiping not of the Passeover Manna water but of the golden calfe Exo. 32.6 when they feasted and played Saltm then deviseth an Idolatry the Holy Ghost never intended So here 1 Cor. 10. hee disswades from Idoll feasts in Idoll temples 18 19 20. And never did Paul intend 1 Cor. 10. to charge the Corinthians with that sinne of idolizing or worshiping baptisme written Scripture figures letters or outward Ordinances but of sitting at the Idolls table which was to be partakers of the table cup of devils and the Holy Ghost would in the Old Testament have told us of some such adoring of Manna water Passeover but Salm. his new Spirit devised it to reproach all Ordinances Scripture Sacraments Prayer Church c. Lord teach us to pray as John taught his Disciples Then they were under a forme and rule of prayer they saw little more of Christ then his fleshly presence and miracles they loved him and clave to him but had very few discoveries of him in the Spirit except some few at his transfiguration Answ. No Prelate nor Priest nor any I know say Christs Disciples during their conversing with him in the flesh were under a forme and stinted liturgy so that they prayed only the Lords prayer 2 It is cleare the revelation of Christ in the Spirit wee now have the Disciples had the same for Christ Mat. 16 17. Declareth Peter to be blessed because that the Father that is the Spirit of the Father had revealed that to him which flesh and blood had not revealed and Mat. 11. Christ thanketh his Father 25. for revealing to Babes his Disciples and others the Mysteries of the Kingdome and to none other though Worldly wise and great Mat. 13.11 12 13. The Mysteries of the Kingdome are revealed to them not to others who are judicially blinded and Iohn 1.11 12. Iohn saith they have the priviledge of Sonnes and so the spirit of adoption Rom. 8.14 and so have the seale and witnesse within them 15 16 17 26 27 28. who beleeve in him which faith undoutedly the Disciples had And for the discovery of God at the transfiguration it was rather an extraordinary rapture not bestowed on men in this life as beleevers as Familists would live upon raptures of spirit without the word but an extraordinary revelation bestowed of speciall favour on three Disciples Peter Iames and Iohn who were to be Apostles and Pen-men of Scripture as the Prophets were 2 Pet. 1.16 17 18 19 20 21. If Familists be all Organs and Pen-men of scripture immediatly inspired by the Holy Ghost we say no more they are seene to others as well as to us to be Impostors
condemning rigor in the old heart for the Gospell is but a form to them and these Gospel-promises of pure free grace as opposite to the Law of works in their gramaticall sense are but carnall legall fleshly outward visible formes 271. now to us the promises of free grace in that which they signifie and promise are no killing letter as the Law is but the ministration of the Spirit and of life except wee say the promises of the Gospell are but faire lying words and that God intends to keep nothing he promises to us and no more to give a new heart in Gospel-promises nor in the Law which undoubtedly is false when we consider the word of God especially the Gospel the spirituality thereof above and beyond all letters and characters appeareth in that 1. The Author can be none other but God an infinite and glorious Spirit 2. The matter spirituall so heavenly as the imputed righteousnesse of a slaine Saviour justifying the ungodly eternall life by a despised and crucified man bosomed in an union with God a spirituall communion with God mortification to every thing eminent to the creature the hidden manna the white stone the new name the flesh lying down in the dust with the seed of the hope of a glorious resurrection the invisible imbracements of Christ love-sicknesse for him joy in tribulation c. all smell beyond characters paper inke or any thing visible 3. The forme is spirituall if we consider the Majesty Divinity the omnipotencie of God as it were instamped on it 4. The end and intrinsecall effects are most spirituall for it changeth men into spirituall and heavenly Citizens of another world deadneth them to the created glory of the creature peirceth between the marrow and bones even the Law part of it is sharper then a two-edged sword peircing even to the dividing asunder of the soule and spirit and to the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4.12 carrieth along Christ to the soule casteth in a lumpe of love in the heart that contrary to nature and all the strong impressions of nature it stampeth and sealeth eternity heaven apprehensions of glory beyond all the visible sensible borders of time dayes life royalty fathers mothers children wives lands inheritances and that on the tables of the soule It is in upon the Spirit downe in the reines and yee know neither doore window nor passage it came in at then how doth the Spirit act with the word so all the actings motions turnings ebbings flowings various ups downes high tydes hell-downe-castings heaven-visits raptures of love signes of joy actings of morning-dawnings of eternities glory are more hardly discerned then the growing of the bones in the wombe of the woman with childe 14. For the exercise of spirituall acts through the Spirit we then testifie a spirituall being in Christ when the straine of our conversation runneth most in a heavenly communion with God and we have our City-dwelling and conversing in heaven our love our heart our life our Lord being there and upon these grounds as risen with Christ wee are there Phil. 3.20 21. Col. 3.1 2 3. Matth. 6.20 21. Heb. 10.19 20 21. 2. When we savour much of the Spirit and the breath that comes out of the mouth comes from the abundance of the Spirit in the heart the speech is much the language of Canaan Isa. 19.18 smelleth of a savoury heart Col. 4.6 Eph. 4.29 30. And though humane wisdome learning in the Scriptures that is meerly literal be not of it selfe not idolized contrary to the Spirit but is capable of being spirituallized heightned above it selfe and is actually gilded skied with saving light comming from God in the face of Christ yet when the Spirit reignes all knowledge learning and arts are hunted for only in order to a saving communion with God and when in the creature and gifts the spirituall man feeleth and tasteth nothing of Christ but misseth Christ in all these they are as tastelesse to him as the white of an egge yea all dry sapelesse dead his Lord Jesus is not in that empty grave and therefore his heart lodgeth not a moment there Cant. 3.1 2 3 4. Phil. 3.7 8 9. yea the spiritual man fathers no good upon the empty creature 1 Cor. 3.8 the creature smels of flesh and vanity to him Zach. 4.6 2. Ordinances inherent righteousnesse saving grace created because creatures are saluted by him as creatures he gallops by them as a Post that seeth them not to be his home but a far other poore lean and despised nothing in comparison of Christ in point of confiding or glorying for the gold-bracelets are not the bridegroome the Spirit aimes pants and breaths after a personall enjoyment of God himselfe in Christ. The joy and comforts of the Holy Ghost to him are but accidents created chips and fragments that fall from Christ. 3. The Spirit carrieth the soule from the sight of all things as from visible objects things created of God up to the bosome of God and there the spirituall soule loves lives breaths dwells 3 When the outward senses suck spirituall apprehensions out of earthly things from the Well of Iacob Christ draws a consideration of the Well of life Iohn 4.13.14 Paul possibly from his Tent-making draweth thoughts of the falling of this Tabernacle of clay and our being closed with our house from above 2 Cor. 5.1 2. so the outside of the creature the skin of it that lyes before our senses is turned into inward and spirituall thoughts of God Because the beleevers sense of smelling is spirituall and draws all in to God And mind will affections thoughts intentions tongue yea and the naturall actions of eating and drinking are spiritualized and for God and his glory Nor could I thinke that as touching the order of marshelling and drawing up our spirituall thoughts and actions as why we doe this spirituall action first this second this third why we marshall this Petition first this second but this ranking is not so bound up by the rule of Scripture but a spirituall soule in the order of his acting secundum prius posterius is carried on by the only free blowings of the spirit of grace It 's true the acts must be regulated by the word that what we petition for must be lawfull and must be warranted from the sound Doctrin of the Gospel according to the proportion of faith but the ordering of them often cometh from the Spirit of utterance and so immediatly as it 's hard to say at least ordinarily in a set constant rule there is any consulting with Scripture reason memory art but the immediate breathing of the spirit ordereth and ranketh all And these fit words like apples of gold not others which meets hic nunc at this time with the heart of a sinner and catcheth Matthew Peter Saul floweth from Spirit-worke 2 This Major Proposition whoever
without the Spirit is a dead letter as well as the Law and if so then to sinne against any meane of conversion must be against the law of God and so this law which commandeth to heare and obey all that God commandeth us must obleige us perpetually 6. Christ saith expresly that he came not to loose any from obedience 〈◊〉 though unperfect to the least jot of the law The 〈◊〉 covenant of works for so the Scripture calleth it is now so farre forth abrogated as that we are freed from the necessity of justification by the Law and the curse of it and thus far goe the Antinomian Arguments and no further Antinomians free us from the Law as its a beame of Christ in substance and matter so as wee are not to seeke the light of one beame now when the Sunne of righteousnesse is risen himselfe though Master Towne be not so strict Hence is it that they offend so much that any glimmering of light should come to us from the letter of Commandements either of Law or Gospel that to search Christ in the Scriptures is not safe and all covenants in the written and preached Word take men off Christ. CHAP. VII How the Law and the Gospel require the same obedience BUt seeing the Law cannot contradict the Gospel and speaketh nothing of a Surety and Mediator and so is negatively diverse from the Gospel yet positively it is not contrary nor denyeth that there ought to be a Mediator for so should there be two contrary wils in God and so it had bin injustice and against a just law that God should send his Sonne to die for sinners It is the same very obedience commanded in the Law as a strict covenant of works to be done by strength from our own nature and for the authority of the Law-giver and the love of God and now enjoyned in a mild covenant of grace from the strength of the grace of Christ and now not onely acteth on us by Legall motives the love of God the authority of the Law-giver which the Gospel excludeth not but upon the love of a free Redeemer and Ransome-payer as it may bee the same debt which a man payeth of his owne proper goods and of the money borrowed from a rich friend 1. Perfect obedience which the Law requireth and imperfect obedience which the Gospel accepteth for it requireth perfection as well as the Law doth are but graduall diffeâ—ences as the same summe of gold though clipped if accepted by the the creditor as full payment the rest which is wanting being pardoned may in grace and value bee as good as the full payment It is the Law that commandeth the love of God under paine of eternall death for the least faile and by way of a covenant of works Now the tenure of a covenant of works is an accident of the Law 2. A new obligation of obedience varieth not the nature of it as it is the same morall obedience that God commanded to the heathen and the Jews but that it was written and preached to Jewes addeth more guiltnesse when they disobey and these same duties that Moses commanded of righteousnesse holynesse and sobriety Exod. 20. doth the grace of the Gospel injoyne Tit. 3.11 and the Apostles command as acts of sanctification and though Moses should not command them by the motives of the grace of Redemption which yet is false except when he presseth the Law as a covenant of works yet Gospel-motives vary not the nature of duties as a Master may command the same duties to his sonne and his servant upon different grounds 3. The Gospel abateth nothing of the height of perfection in commanding what ever the law commandeth in the same perfection for t is as holy pure and spirituall in commanding we be perfect as our heavenly Father and holy as he is holy as the Law is In acceptation of grace the Gospel accepteth lesse then the law but commandeth no lesse therefore the Gospel granteth pardons but no dispensations the Law though it deny not pardons nor forbid them positively yet it granteth neither CHAP. VIII Of the promissorie part of the Law the differences between the two covenants mistaken by Antinomians are opened FOr the promissory part of the Law It promiseth life and reward to no obedience but to perfect and absolute obedience if there be the least defect in the least jot the garland and crowne promised is forfeited so as there is no regâ—ining of it for ever by that bargaine But the Gospel promiseth to the least sincere obedience were it but a cup of cold water to a Disciple a reward of glory Therefore the difference standeth not as Antinomians dreame betweene the covenants chiefely in doing and not doing as if the Gospel or covenant of grace did not also command doing in relation to life eternall yea and with a promise as well as the Law doth but in a farre other way for Godlinesse hath the promises of the life that now is and that which is to come and to the followers of Christ and though they halt in their walking and such as forsake all for Christs name is promised sitting on thrones and a hundreth fold in this life and in the life to come life eternall But the difference is 1. That no obedience is accepted in the Gospel without a Mediator not so in the Law 2. That the Law is given in its strictest bargaine to a holy perfect nature the Gospel to a lamed wounded and dead sinner 3. The Law giveth by way of debt not excluding boasting in some measure not that Adam could merit an infinite crowne by a peece finite-work or could doe beyond obligation more then we but because for holy works by strict covenant without the Mediators grace without pardon the worker might claime his wages humbly yet glorying hee had woon them by natures good deeds and by works and for works not of grace When Paul saith Rom. 4.2 If Abraham hath whereof to glory it s not before God He meaneth not that justification by the works of the Law giveth ground of boasting or glorying in our selves For 1. a conditionall proposition can conclude nothing positively 2. He speaketh of glorying as chap. 3.27 comparatively Law-justification is more like glorying then grace for Angels cannot boast Rom. 11.36 â—7 the Gospel giveth of free grace But 4. the â—aw could not accept another mans imputed righteousnesse that is supernaturall and to beleeve this required grace and strength of a higher straine then Adam had it demandeth but â— mans owne personall and perfect righteousnesse and curseth the sinner for the least wrinesse or crookednesse in the first bud or spring of the inclinations or motions 5. The Gospel leaâ—â—th place to repentance which the Law doth not and openeth a doore of hope to a lost sinner and the speciall condition is Faith that a ransome payed by Christ shall buy me a title and
but a change of the endeavours to please God whereas before selfe was our God and an endeavour to turne from dead works 2. True repentance is sorrow according to God and hath acts different from Faith 3. To repent is out of godly sorrow to endeavour new obedience and amendment of life Faith is an apprehension of Divine truth to which wee give credit or an heart-dependance and recumbence on God through Christ 4. Wee are justified by faith never by repentance Wee thinke not that teares wash away sinnes Protestants speake not so 2. Nor that they make peace with God by teares they make way to sense of peace or awake us to runne to a promise the formall bottome of our peace in regard that the Lord promiseth to revive the contrite Spirit to accept broken bones to comfort mourners in Zion and wee thinke neither repentance nor good works proper and formall conditions of the covenant of grace but rather conditions of the covenanted CHAP. XXXVII How good works are necessary FOr good works 1. We call not these good works that are extorted by the terrours of the Law as a captive keepeth the high way because his Keeper leadeth him in an iron chaine Nor 2. these which flow from the sole authority of God as Lawgiver Or 3. which issue from meere morall principles without saving grace but these we call good works in an Evangelicall sense that not onely are done from the authority of the Law-giver but also from a mediatory and Evangelike obligation from the sweet attractions and drawing coards of the secrets of Christs love And 2. from Evangelike faith that purifieth the heart 3. From Physicall principles and supernaturall habits of grace good works are this way necessary 1. That as grace and glory differ not in nature but gradually as the morning dawning of twy-light and the noone-day-light so the good works done by the grace of Christ and that perfect love of God and our brethren in heaven are of the same nature different in degrees and the one degrees and waies to the other especially when from Gods free promise of the blessings of this life and that which is to come the Lord hath made a passe betweene the one and the other and the Lord hath tyed himselfe to himselfe not to us to carry on grace out of meere grace Every branch that bringeth forth fruit in me saith Christ my Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance He that soweth to the spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting There is a harvest promised to this sowing as to a speciall furtherance of our reckoning in the day of Christ hee that soweth bountefully shall reape bountefully yea sent once and againe unto my necessitie not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account if ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live But being made free from sinne and become servants to God yee have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in thorow the gates into the city And lest we should think the commands are all but one only precept of beleeving hee addeth for without are Doggs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers c. He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe to him All these evidence to us that holy walking is a way to heaven as sowing is to harvest and that Christ maketh a promise of life eternall to him that doth his Commandements onely the question is in what tearmes the promise is made to the doer of Gods will as a doer or as a beleever whose faith is fruitfull and with childe of Evangelike doing But wee may say the formall promise of the covenant of grace is made to beleeving as the Law-promise is made to doing Legally and perfectly out of our own without grace and that the Gospel as it is larger then the covenant of grace and as it containeth the whole doctrine of grace taught by the Prophets and Apostles is a promise of life eternall made to Evangelike and unperfect doing through the strength of grace And that because 1. God commandeth good works through the whole New Testament 2. They are so necessary as without them our faith is a dead and vaine faith and cannot justifie us 3. They are the end for which Christ redeemed us that we should live to him bee redeemed from our vaine conversation from the present evill world that we should bee a purified peculiar people to him zealous of good works and in this title also they are commanded 4. They are conditions without which wee cannot bee saved For John Baptist taught this with the Gospel Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire What shall we doe to be saved receiveth this answer Repent and be baptized every one of you Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish 5. They are commanded as acts of the new creature and partly as contrary to sinnefull fiery and mighty temptations of Satan and the flesh as mortification to fleshly lust faith to unbeliefe Partly as expressions of thankfulnesse for the free redemption in Christ and commanded in the Law in the great Commandement of the loving of God with all our heart just as this Law of loving God did oblige Abraham to offer his Sonne Isaak for God and Judah to be thankefull to God for redeeming them out of the Babylonish Captivity though the Law neither commanded any father to offer his Sonne nor the people to returne from Captivity yet the eternall Law of love commandeth both these and us to doe what ever God-Redeemer commands us as well as what ever God the Law-giver injoyneth onely we cannot say Good works doe merit salvation or purchase right to life eternall Christs bloud is onely so a ransome of life 2. Nor have they any proper condignity to such a high reward being so imperfect 3. Nor can they have any effective influence or proper causality thereunto nor are they causes or conditions of justification but that which Crispe saith is not of God But withall saith he I must tell you that all this sanctification of life is not a jot of the way of a justified person to heaven it is true they are not the meritorious the efficient cause or way nor the formall covenant-condition but a way they are as sowing is to harvest running to the garland wrestling to the victory CHAP. XXXVIII The Gospel is conditionall ANtinomians deny all conditions of the covenant
our or his owne lusts for us but in reall and personall acts of obedience to be deadned to to the world Gal. 6.14 To abstaine from fleshly lusts that warre against the soule from fornication uncleanesse inordinate affection evill concupiscence and such sinnes for which the wrath of God commeth on the Children of disobedience to wit on the Gentiles that never heard the Gospel now in reason wrath cannot come on the heathen who never heard of Christ because they beleeve not that he of whom they never heard hath crucified those sinnes for them on the crosse CHAP. XL. Antinomians the perfectists of our time say wee and our works are compleatly perfect ANtinomians ascribe not onely an imputative perfection in that Christs perfect righteousnesse is made ours but also an inherent perfection to the Saints But wee judge our state and persons through Christ to be perfect but our duties and begunne sanctification are not perfect but is so in growing as the Moone as a vessell not full to the brime and banks of the soule it receives quarts and gallons more It s true justification removeth the evill of works as touching all guilt or obligation to eternally revenging justice But as Christs grace addeth to our good works no dignity and perfection of meriting as Papists say so doth it not remove the inherent blot of sinne that cleaveth to our good works so as it should give to these works inherent perfection and remove their sinnefull defects for as sinne dwelleth in our persons after wee are justified though it bee not imputed so doth sinne cleave to our most gracious acts but is not accounted on our score because the surety hath answered our bill and removed the sinnefull imperction from them but hath not made them inherently perfect so as there should remaine nothing in the works of the justified that is contrary to the Law of God But the truth is Antinomians with no face of truth can say that Christ removeth the sinnefull imperfections that adhere to our good works done by the Grace of Christ when we are in the state of justification because if nothing wee doe in the state of justification be sinne since pardoned sinnes to Antinomians are no sinnes and have lost the nature and being of sinne being remitted and pardoned before they be committed these sinnes that cleave to our good works are no sinnes and so the good works must be perfect as the person is perfect 1. Because Antinomians go upon this ground that nothing inherent in the persons not the in-dwelling corruption of nature nor the adherent sins that cleave to our works nor any thing a justified man can doe is sinne or contrary to the Law but that person or works being pardoned both are as perfect as the person and works of Christ. A most blaspemous ground for what we want of perfect sanctification and wee want much in this life so farre are we sinnefully imperfect 2. Paul acknowledgeth his sinnefull imperfection I find a Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde not as if I were already perfect 3. In many things we offend all If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Hence the man that is perfect sinnes not but there is none in the earth that sinneth not and doth good 4. Wee crave pardon of sinnes as we seeke dayly our dayly bread It s contrary to Christian humility to say wee are perfectly cleane Object God can accept nothing that is unperfect and sinnefull because they are accursed Gal. 3.10 For God is veritie it selfe and will not suffer the losse of the least jot of the righteousnesse the Law requireth But all our best works are polluted with sinne Towne Answ. This proveth with the Papists that God cannot judge us righteous by faith because wee are sinners in our selves 2. God cannot accept sinnefull works as no sinnefull works at all he cannot accept of sinnes as no sinnes and of our good works as not polluted with sinne in themselves his judgement then should not be according to truth true but he can well accept our works though polluted with sinne as pardoned and washen not from their sinnefull imperfections inherent or adherent to them for then they should be intrinsecally perfect and God should judge amisse of them but as washen from their guilt and obligation to eternall wrath so he can well judge them perfect in Christ. 3. Legally cleane so as they shall never actually condemne us and 4. that of meere grace CHAP. XLI Antinomians say we are compleatly saved in this life as in heaven SO we thinke Antinomians faile wickedly with Libertines who say We are as actually saved and as perfectly as the glorified in heaven and not in hope onely or in reall beginning in regard of Christs sitting in heaven and therefore good workes can no more bee the way to heaven saith Towne then my walking in the Citie in which I am already can be my walking to the City But so while we are absent from the Lord in the body even in this life wee should be in heaven whereas the dissolution of our earthly tabernacle the raysing of us up at the last day are betweene us and the full redemption of our bodies And this is that which Libertines and Familists say that all the resurrection of the body and life eternall they know is our union with Christ in this life the Grammar of Hymeneus and Philetus who said the Resurrection was already past 3. We know but in part our love is not perfected in this life 1 Cor. 13.11 12 13. And we are not perfect men in Christ till we meet all in the unity of Faith Ephes. 4.13 3 The generall assembly of all the first borne is not yet convened we need a Temple and Ordinances and a Sunne and a Moone in the other life the Lambe shall be our Temple 4. The other life is such as in it wee can neither marry nor dye but are as the Angels Luk. 22.36 37. Phil. 3.20 21. 1 Cor. 15.40.41 5. Antinomians say this dreaming that we are as cleane of sinne as Christ and so Christed and Goded with Christ as the Libertine Pocquius said Calvin in Opus pag. 463. and Nicholas the Libertine cap. 34. 6. Paul saith Wee are saved by hope and wee hope not for what wee have already Our life is hid with Christ in God 1. He that beleeveth hath life not in the compleat and full fruition yet really in the certaintie of faith and hope 2. In the right claime purchased by Christ. 3. In the beginning first fruits and the degrees of grace tending to glory CHAP. XLII Our happinesse is in sanctification as well as in justification OUr happinesse is not meerely passive as Towne saith and in being justified as if that were all for though our blessednesse be in justification as the cause and fountaine in that sinne
the Holy Ghost who saith He that beleeveth shall be saved hee that beleeveth not is condemned already Or they may say Whether men beleeve or no they are saved as D. Crisp saith 2. Remission is but one of the promised mercies of the Gospel and because it dependeth not on works as a condition for the which life is given as Antinomians charge us but most unjustly it followeth not that works are no conditions in any sense this is vaine Logick they are not such conditions of dependencie and causality therefore they are no conditions at all Object 5. Yee strengthen naturall knowledge and the opinion of men that God will justifie none that are unworthy and uncleane freely for every naturall conscience doth require a worthynesse in man the Gospel teacheth the contrary Answ. Towne confoundeth ever justification and salvation and perverteth the state of the question 2. The naturall conscience is a Merit-monger and dreameth of inherent satisfaction and hand-paiment to God for heaven without a Mediator in so farre as it lookes on its owne naturall whitenesse and hellish civility but the naturall conscience doth also presume and fancie an Anti-Gospel on the other hand that God is mercifull so as to carry dogges and swine as meere blocks sleeping in Christs bosome to heaven the Gospel goeth a middle way that we are justified and saved in through and for the righteousnesse of another and these who are thus saved must be new creatures have their fruit in holinesse else they cannot have life eternall and the naturall conscience knoweth neither waies Object 6. It must follow that imputed righteousnesse is not sufficient to make men capable of salvation so that a godly life fitteth us for heaven and the more holy our life is the fitter it maketh us for heaven Answ. Sanctification fitteth us in the owne kind for heaven though not in any sort as the meritorious cause and when the positive is denyed the comparative degree cannot be affirmed a Raven is not white at all therefore it cannot be said to be whiter then snow Sanctification conferreth no meritorious capacity and fitnesse for salvation therefore it cannot adde any higher degree of fitnesse above that which sinners have from the merits of Christ. We grant all but when Paul saith Col. 1.12 Giving thanks unto the Father which hath maedeus meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light The Antinomians are as farre out as carnall Gospellers can be if with Towne they say all this fitnesse was in justification onely for it was in that in the which and for the which Paul giveth thanks to the Father and prayeth for them Now this object of his praying and praising was not for their justification onely but vers 10. Their walking worthy of the Lord unto all wel-pleasing being fruitfull in every good worke Vers. 11. Strenghned unto all patience This was a part of their fitnesse and that holy walking conferreth a fitnesse and disposition for salvation to me is cleare because no uncleane thing can enter within the gates of that higher City and because that love which we have here in our way being the same in nature though not in degree with that which in our countrey shall remaine as a part of our garland and crowne the one must be a fit disposition to the other and when the Apostle saith Follow peace with all men and holinesse without which no man shall see the Lord. It cannot be meant of imputed righteousnesse for by the same reason peace with all men must bee meant of peace with God But the truth is these arguments fall of wll therefore I come to that which is the bottome the mother Heresie of Antinomians CHAP. XLVIX· Antinomians free us from any obligation to Evangelike commandements and exhortations to duties and say faith is onely commanded now THey refuse all Evangelicke holinesse all Commandements and Gospel-exhortations of holy walking and make beleeving and faith the onely Evangelick Command Vnbeliefe the only Evangelick sin and acknowledge no righteousnesse of inherent sanctification imputed righteousness must be all that the Gospel requireth and to bring the Saints under a commandement of holy walking so as they sinne if they neglect so to walke in Christ as they have learned him is to them to bring them back from under the sweet Sommer-Sunne-warmenesse of the Gospel to the coole and darke night shaddowes of the Law and to re-enter them in and shut them up under the old prison as if they had come out from under the Law upon baile and surety to enter in the old Goale againe upon demand For 1. Mr. Towne tells us that D. Tayler and all ours are strangers in the Scriptures as if he and his were the onely domesticks and children of the Prophets and Apostles who grant not that to Faith there is no sinne and hee that beleeves cannot sinne and Eaton that Free justification doth make us so perfectly holy and righteous from all spot of sinne in Gods sight that he seeth no sinne in us he meaneth of perfection both of persons and workes both imputed and inherent mortification and saith that the inherent mortification of Protestants by the Spirit of sanctification was the foundation of Eremits Monks Anchorits Nunneries who shut themselves up within walles to mortifie their sinnes out of Gods sight by the Spirit and call Sanctification the very heart of Popery and the essentiall forme of Anabaptisme 2. So we have Antinomians affirming that no Justified person sinneth before God in Gods sight really or if they looke on things with the eyes of Faith but onely they sinne imaginarily before men in their conversation and seemingly to the world or in their owne carnall sense of unbeliefe which is a blind Judge For saith Saltmarsh The Scripture calleth us ungodly and sinners not that we are so but seeme so or not so in Gods account but in the worlds So as the justified mans Adulteries Murthers are but seeming and fancied Adulteries and painted sins in the eyes of the deluded world and the Judge ought not to punish imaginary and fancied felony or paricides so his acts of sanctification and holy walking that followes from justification are meere fancies and and holynesse onely before men for they are no conditions no waies at all to heaven Yea nor commanded so as the justified sinne if they disobey such Gospel-commandements For if we say we have sinne and doe any thing contrary to Gospel-precepts which injoyne acts of Sanctification to the Justified that sinne is no sinne nor against the Law of God or in the account of God saith Eaton Denne and Saltmarsh but onely before men in our conversation or seemingly in our sense saith Towne and in the worlds account as Saltmarsh speaketh 3. Mr. Towne saith to beleeve is to doe all duties and he citeth Rollock on John and Calvine It is Townes aime as it is the
dreameth or that wee labour to draw assurance of a good spirituall estate from outward reformation which saith Towne Protestant Legalists labour for when the heart is naught Antinomians say that all our evidences are dung True they are not evidences of Legall perfect righteousnesse more they prove not Asser. 1. Love to the brethren sincerity and the like that have not grace for their stocke a right fountaine and principle the Spirit for their Father Christ for their Crowne and garland are no evidences at all that wee are in Christ for they rather darken then render justification evident Could wee looke over our selfe and abstract our thoughts from our selfe as if we were nothing and dead and behold the actings of grace and Christs love-raptures and the glancing of love on his members as on bits pieces and little images of a super-excellent transcendently glorious Christ and see these in the Spirit the worker then were surer inference to be made thus then when we eye our selves As beholding the excellencie of a Godhead in Sunne and Moone when we looke above the shaddow-creature and with senses abstracted and the elevation of the Spirit wee see these created excellencies in the deep and boundlesse Sea which hath no shoares nor coasts nor bottome in a vast and great God we are farther from Idolatry then when wee pore on and pine away in the minds restings in this side of an infinit Majestie and so is it here If it be naturall Logick and the light of our owne sparks that make the inference I love the brethren therefore I know I am translated from death to life it s but Moone-light of one halfe sleeping that is suspected to bee day-light but if naturall light by the day-light of saving grace make the inference it is sure arguing As And hereby doe we know that we know him if we keepe his Commandements and we know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren 2. All these are equivalent to the same But if we walke in the light as hee is light wee have fellowship one with another and the bloud of Jesus Christ his Sonne clenseth us from all sinnes And He that loveth his brother abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him And if yee know that he is righteous yee know that every one that doth righteousnesse is borne of him This is written for our own personall security and knowledge of our owne state as all the Epistle aymeth at this and not so much as we may know one another as is cleare when John sheweth us the scope of his Epistle is to give marks and I nothing doubt but the Holy Ghost aymeth at the discovery of a dead faith and to refute the Antinomians as is cleare These things have I written unto you that beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee have eternall life and that yee may beleeve on the name of the Sonne of God So saith he 3. Putting a difference betweene the children of the world and the children of the devill in this the children of God are manifest and the children of the devill whosoever doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loveth not his brother Then certainely some hath said in Johns daies It is enough to salvation if a man beleeve in Christ he is obliged by no Law nor Commandement that is outward and written to doe righteousnesse John saith such a one is not borne of God And My little children let us not love in word neither in tongue but in deed and in truth and hereby by reall loving of the brethren we know that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts before him And Whatsoever we aske we receive of him because we keepe his Commandements and doe the things that are pleasing in his sight Now sure this cannot make the keeping of his Commandements and our good works fellow-Mediators with Christ. Then John must argue from the effect to the cause and intimate that its false that some may bee borne of God who keepe not his Commandements as Antinomians say When one that walloweth in fleshly lusts is to beleeve without more adoe in Christ and he is a saved man So saith John Little children let no man deceive you he that doth righteousnesse is righteous as he is righteous he that committeth sinne is of the Devill Then some have deceived themselves and others in saying That doing of righteousnesse was neither condition nor way nor meane to salvation nor any infallible signe of a mans being in the state of grace Now who saith all these this day but the Antinomian Now if Antinomians as they doe say that a discourse by way of a practicall Syllogisme or naturall Logick can produce no Divine but onely a humane Faith And that all Logick is to be abeted the carnall and corrupt discoursings by Logick that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God are to be abeted but that the use of naturall reason not corrupt should be disclaimed is against the tenour of the Old and New Testament in which there bee Lawes Ordinances reasonings practicall Syllogismes to beget faith to cause us slee sinne follow holynesse which no man can say is a humane thing except Antinomians following their old Masters the Libertines who said to lay aside naturall reason discoursing to know neither good nor ill was true mortification and naturall reasoning and knowledge of sinne or righteousnesse sense of ill doing or feare of sinne or judgement are but the tastings of the old Adams forbidden fruit as wee shall heare afterward Asser. 2. Yea we may know our selves to bee in the state of grace by holy walking and acts of beleeving and we may know our holy walking to be true by other acts of holy walking and beleeving so John saith by the loving of the brethren we may know we are in Christ and so that wee beleeve and love God and againe reciprocally By this wee know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his Commandements for this is the love of God that we keep his Commandements Then the loving of God that may argue that wee beleeve may also evidence our Justification and all dependeth on this as the Spirit joyneth the light and evidence of grace to cause us know our loving of God and translation into Christ by our loving of the children of God and againe our loving of the Children of God by our loving of God 1 Joh. 3.14 1 Joh. 5.2 Asser. 3. One and the same cloud that is the cause of our doubting whether we beleeve or no is not the cause of our doubting whether wee love the brethren or no and so they must furnish different evidences from a misty twylight or evening of desertion from some apprehension of the sinnes of youth often our faith is clowded
the beauty of grace and gracious actings are in Christ pure spirituall cleane abstracted In us in whom there dwelleth a Law in the members it is muddie clayie in dregs and concretion abstracta sunt puriora concretis 5. What we over-behold that we over love what we over-love in that wee over-confide the affections both in their flowings and their over-banke-flowings are linked together so we see not that actings of grace are made secret substituted Mediators with Christ but these flow from the corruption of our nature not from the straine of our Doctrine in these points CHAP. LVII Of the liberty which Christ hath purchased to us by his death ANtinomians generally contend for a Christian liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and we contend for the same but the question is wherein the liberty consisteth it concerneth us much that we take not licence for liberty We thinke 1. We are freed by Christ from not onely the Ceremoniall Law so as Christ profiteth us nothing if we come under that yoake againe but also from all Commandements of men for all these Ceremonies being now not commanded but forbidden of God become the Commandements of men from which both Jewes and Gentiles were freed in Christ. 2. We are freed and redeemed from the Morall Law as cursing and condemning by the Son of God who makes us free indeed 3. We are redeemed from the dominion of sin by the Spirit of grace for where this Spirit is there is liberty and Christ freeth us from this service of sin in regard that the Law is a Lord by irritating our corruption more and more though this be accidentall to the Spirituall Law that bringeth forth in us sonnes and children to death and over-aweth and compelleth us to keep the Law as a manifestation of wrath whereas the Spirit of the Lord is a free sweet lovely-constrayning-Spirit in the Gospel-working in a farre other way obedience to the Law then the Law-spirit of bondage doth And upon these are we 4. freed from a necessity of being justified by the Law or the works thereof 5. From all conquering Law-power of all enemies But we are not delivered and freed from the commanding directing obliging and binding power of the Law as a binding rule of life so as beleevers once being beleevers sinne not because they are under no Law farre lesse is it such a freedome as is that which is from the yoake of the Ceremoniall Law as Towne saith But if we be free from the Law with this kind of freedome which is licence it is free to us to sinne whereas the end of our Redemption is to change the yoake of a condemning and cursing Law in a sweet easie yoak of Christ to serve God in holynesse and righteousnesse the compend of the two Tables of the Law to deny ungodlinesse and worldly lusts 2. The Word of God calleth freedome from doing Gods will a not using our liberty in Christ as an occasion to the flesh and commandeth doing and fulfilling of the Law in loving our neighbour as our selfe 3. The service of sinne is the greatest bondage that is and the sinner is overcome by this Tyrant now the Sonne of God hath freed us from this bondage Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin if the Son make you free then are ye free indeed And to serve God is a free mans life as David saith I will walk at liberty for I seek thy precepts and Christ hath loved us and washed us in his bloud and made us Kings and Priests unto God Now Kings are of all men the freest on earth but Kings and Priests to God are Lords over their owne lusts which is more then to take a walled City and are to offer themselves and their bodies as a holy living and acceptable sacrifice which is their reasonable service 4. And the whole Gospel urgeth the same for it subjecteth us to Gods externall Commandement of honouring father and mother of having our conversation honest amongst the Gentiles in abstaining from fleshly lusts of walking in Christ as we have received him and it is the Commandement that the Apostle gave by the Lord Jesus which is our sanctification and that we should abstain from fornication and the whole doctrine of the Apostles that we be holy as he is holy nor doth the Law cease to be the Law to beleevers as Towne saith Because it neither can nor actually doth condemne and curse these that are in Christ and consequently it cannot oblige them as a commanding rule for you cannot separate the condemning power of the Law saith he from the commanding power of it If the Law cannot condemn it loseth the being of the Law and Luther saith it is no more Law Lex non damnans non est Lex not one jot or title of the Law can perish But the truth is the Law as it is an instrument of the covenant of works and justifieth or condemneth ceaseth to be the Law to the beleever as Luther saith it ceaseth to be the Law of life and righteousnesse and the way to heaven according to the tenour of the first covenant which is He that doth these things abiding in all things written in the Law in thought word and deed perfectly without the least breach in one Iota by his own strength he shall live that is he shall be justified and obtaine eternall life by the Law without a Mediator and shall be saved but not be in Christs debt nor obliged in one graine to the grace of the Gospel But where liveth I pray you this good man Neither in heaven nor earth except the man Jesus Christ. So the Law is not such a Law as can save to any man now under sin so Luther saith right but it was never Luthers mind that the Law simpliciter ceaseth to be the Law commanding and obliging to holy walking So it is a sophisme a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad dictum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it justifieth and saveth Legally is no damning Law and loseth its being as it is a covenant of works to all beleevers True ergo it is in no sort a Law to them it followeth not such a just Judge and King condemneth not this guilty man because his Sonne the Prince and heire suffered for him ergo he is not a Law-judge condemning the poore guilty man true but ergo he is not King and Judge to command this man to be obedient to all his good Lawes and ergo this pardoned man is in all other things and good Lawes loosed from this oath of allegeance and the band of loyalty and hee is no more the the Kings subject so as if the man now break the Kings Lawes and he doth not sin against the King as Law-giver or his Lawes surely it cannot
which Her lips drop as a honey combe butter and milke are under her tongue and the smell of her garments like the smell of Lybanon her feet beautifull with shooes her two breasts like two Young Roes that are twins c. Sanctification must render the Spouse a societie of Saints even in the eyes of God and not only meerely and declaratively to men-ward as the Yvie-bush is a signe of wine Let Antinomians say Are not the Saints partakers of the Divine nature in the sight of God as well as declaratively in the sight of men 2. If the charity of the Philippians bee an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God And If to doe good and to communicate be such sacrifices where with God is well pleased though their charity and good works doe not justifie them yet these good works must smell sweetlie to God and bee well-pleasing in his sight and by them God must repute them sanctified though the sanctification be unperfect and not in its measure every way conformable to the spirituall and perfect Law and they are not then meerely declaratively and to men-ward onely Saints by their works of Sanctification 3. The contrary works in the Saints the shutting up their bowels against their indigent brethren their byting and devouring their acts of Adultery and Murther and lying are ill smelling and displeasing in the eyes of God not onely declaratively before men but really and in truth in the sight of God in regard that the Lord 1. is displeased with these sins 2. Forbiddeth them in his Law 3. Rebuketh them 4. Punisheth them 5. Setteth the conscience on against the beleever that doth them that they are grieved for them and mourne 6. Hideth his countenance from them commands us to confesse and crave pardon for them then the Lord must take notice of the contrary acts and command commend and reward them be well-pleased with them and they must be more then naked declarations and signes of Saintship to men-ward The Lord himselfe pronounceth the Saints blessed not onely for Christs imputed righteousnesse which is indeed the first cause fountaine and ground thereof but also for our works of Sanctification as Blessed are the undefiled in their way that feare the Lord and delight in his Commandements that keepe judgement and that doe righteousnesse at all times that doe what Christ commands that doe his Commandements Then God must judge them more then declarations to men-ward because this is the blessing of eternall life in Christ Jesus CHAP. LXXIIII The harmonious compliance of old Libertines Familists and Antinomians WEe doe so much the more hate the Antinomian way as Antichristian and fleshly for there bee other Antichrists then the Pope of Rome and many False Christs risen now in that in the doctrine of sinne sorrow for sinne repentance sanctification c. they doe so comply with the old Libertines in Calvins time and with David Georgius and Henrie Nicolas and the late Familists Parall I. Libertines in Calvins time said The state of innocencie was to know nothing good or ill more then children and Adams first sinne is to know good and ill and regeneration is to be stript naked of the knowledge and sense of either sinne or righteousnesse and therefore the Libertines said to any man troubled in conscience with sinne O Adam dost thou yet know somewhat Is not the old Adam yet crucified If they saw any stricken with the feare of the judgement of God Hast thou yet say they a tast of the old Aple beware that that morsell doe not strangle thee If any man was touched in conscience with remorse of sinne and did sorrow or repent for his transgressions they said sinne raigned in that man hee was sinnes captive Just so the Familists of New England In conversion say they the faculties of the soule and workings thereof are destroyed and in stead of them the holy Ghost comes in And a man must take no notice of sinne nor of his repentance for sinne And frequencie or length of holy duties or trouble of conscience for neglect thereof are all signes of one under a covenant of works that is of one in whom old Adam liveth and raigneth And I know I am Christs not because I crucifie the lusts but because I doe not crucifie them And our late Antinomians say To bee touched with any sense of sinne and for David to confesse his sinne or bee grieved for it was saith M. Towne from want and weakenesse of faith that is from the old man I cannot saith he looke on my selfe my actions sinnefull and my conscience and see my sinnes remaine but I looke to the records of heaven and Gods justice and since the bloud-shed I can find nothing there against me but sinnes as a debt discharged are become a nullitie before the Lord and therefore my peace and happinesse consisteth in the forsaking and not considering my selfe and in my living and abiding in Christ who is in heaven This not considering himselfe and his sinnes is neither to know sorrow mourne for feare or bee humbled for sinne Prâ—testant Divines say when the Lord forgiveth a sinner yet the sinner will never forgive himselfe but know consider feare mourne and be humbled for his sinnes Antinomians say all these are works of the flesh and of unbeliefe and of the Old Adam just as the Libertines said so to feele sinne dwelling in them as Paul did Rom. 7. saith Eaton is an act of the flesh contrary to faith and if saith Saltmarsh A beleever live onely by sense reason and experience of himselfe and as hee lives to men he meaneth dayly sinning by reason of an indwelling corruption he liveth both under the power and feeling of of sinne and under the Law But if hee live by faith he liveth out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse Then to Antinomians feeling of sin in us and sense reason and experience knowing and discerning sinne in us and our fearing sinne sorrowing or being humbled for it or any acts of repentance are contrary to living by faith and so the works of the old Adam knowing ill and a taste of the soure apple What then is regeneration and the killing of the body of sin and of old Adam It is the abolishing of all conscience knowledge discerning feeling feare sorrow dejection of men for feare of sinne Hence Master Archer D. Crispe and Saltmarsh make Sermons against feare of or trouble for sinne as works of unbeliefe as contrary to the power of God faithfulnesse providence death of Christ free grace a weakening of faith a damping of all religious service And for their not knowing of any good wee doe or acts of Sanctification which is the other branch of the Libertines regeneration Familists say To fetch comfort from experience of grace in our selves is no
in heaven The kingdome of God is the Spirit of Jesus Christ and that Christ would have shortly a glorious kingdome and that Paradise heaven and hell were within men and that heaven was the gifts of the minde the earth the goods of the bodie and their use which shortly should come to the Saints Another false Christ was Henry Nicholas who called himselfe as Ainsworth saith The Father of the Family of Love who saith of himselfe God hath wrought a wonderfull worke on the earth and raised up me Henry Nicholas the least among the holy ones of God which lay altogether dead and without breath and life among the dead and made me alive through Christ as also annointed me with his godly being Manned himselfe with mee and Goded me with him to be a living tabernacle or house for his dwelling and a seat of his Christ the seed of David And Behold and consider my beloved how wonderfully God worketh in his holy ones and how that now in this day or light of the love the judgement seat of Christ is revealed and declared unto us the household of love out of heaven to a righteous judgement upon earth from the right hand of God And how that on the same judgement seat of Christ that the Scriptures might be fullfilled there sitteth one now in truth the wretched impostor H. Nicholas in the habitation of David which judgeth uprightly thinketh upon equity and requireth righteousnesse And againe Behold in this present day is the Scripture fulfilled and according to the Testimony of the Scripture the raising up and the Resurrection of the Lords dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of Christ in his Majestie hee meaneth the false Christ Henry Nicholas which Resurrection of the dead seeing that the same is come to us To Henry Nicholas and the Family or Elders of Love from Gods grace wee doe likewise in this present day to an Evangelike or joyfull Message of the Kingdome of God and Christ publish in all the world under the obedience of love Sent. 9. In which Resurrection of the dead God sheweth unto us that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead that are fallen asleepe in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appeare unto us in godly glory which shall also from henceforth live in us H. N. and the Family of Love everlastingly with Christ and raigne upon the earth wherein the Scripture becommeth fulfilled in this present day like as there standeth written thereof The Lord shall judge his people c. One of the hearers of Randel a preaching Familist at London was asked If he beleeved the bodies of men dead and buried in the earth should be raised to life Answered I know not For Familists Mistresse Hutchison and hers say That the soules of men are by generation mortall like the beasts Eccles. 3.8 But in regard of Christs purchase immortall and that those who are united to Christ in this life have new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 These who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly bodies 1 Cor. 15.44 And that the Resurrection spoken of 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28 is not meant of the resurrection of the body but of our union here and after this life with Christ. That there is no kingdome of heaven in Scripture but onely Christ. So said Hymeneus and Philetus and the Libertines who made the resurrection a spirituall communion with Christ. Antinomians have never shewen their mind of the resurrection and the life to come and have never contradicted the Libertines and Familists in these and yet own their other opinions Yea Saltmarsh to me owneth no heaven but that which is in this life if a naked opinion were added to it For saith he The Spirit of Christ sets a beleever as free from hell the Law and bondage here on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve he is so So he wants nothing of heaven but beleeve he is in heaven and he is in heaven hee will not except the resurrection of and the glorifying of the body Phil. 3.19 20. nor the rooting out of originall sinne nor the immortality of the whole man nor freedome from sinning immunitie from sorrow sadnesse perfect joy pleasures for ever more seeing of God and injoying of him face to face the perfecting of love and of grace with glory all which he wanteth of heaven and hath here onely the first fruits of the Spirit and is absent from the Lord and sigheth in this tabernacle and since Saltmarsh professeth a finer free grace and a further revealing of the Gospel in its glory liberty c. Why doth he not once in all his Treatises mention the last and perfecting act of Free grace and Gospel-freedome that Christ will raise up the beleever at the last day 2. While Antinomians cleare us touching their mind of the sense the flesh sinning before men not in regard of faith or in Gods sight or account I must conceive they meane with Mistresse Hutchison and other Familists a sinning in the old body not in the new and in the old soule they have by generation not in the new soule or in the conscience as M. Denne saith which they have by Redemption I therefore attest them to cleare themselves in that distinction and either black the Familists or owne them as their owne 3. Calvin saith from Paul Wee are in this life saved in hope we have not heaven and life eternall in perfection and compleatly here we doe but wait for our full and finall redemption of soule and body at Christs comming whereas Libertines said we were compleatly saved in this life So say Saltmarsh and M. Towne who are angry that Protestant Divines say We are saved by right and in hope and really in Christ our head but they will have us fully compleatly perfectly saved in this very life though we have not the sense and feeling of it and we want nothing of eternall life but beleeve wee have it compleatly as the glorifyed and wee have it CHAP. LXXXIII Familists Libertines Anabaptists goe before Antinomians in denying all externall worship and obedience Paral. XV. HEnry Nich. called love the Being and Godhead of Christ which we received through the power of the Holy Ghost and that love within was all and that all externall obedience from the Letter of the Word was fleshly and Ceremoniall Just as Master Dell Ser. 19. rejecting all external Reformation calleth it hypocritical and carnal and refusing the Scriptures either Law or Gospel as meere carnall Letters devoles all on the Spirit and acknowledgeth no Lawes at all in Christs kingdome but the Law of nature 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which is the Spirit himselfe in
pag. 145. Nemo negare potest sub V. T. nec vitam aeternam promissam fuisse à Deo nec modum illam consequendi fuisse patefactum Ostorodius Inst. lib. 1. cap. 5. pag. 21. Promissiones veteris Testamenti tantum corporales fuerunt spiritualibus in N. T. promulgatis Non autem spirituales eternae fuerunt consequenter non accidentale tantum sed substantiale discrimen inter Vetus Novum Testamentum si res promissas spectes statuendum est Smalcius de Divin I. C. pag. 25. â— 6 Fatentur omnes Judaei hodie nullum vitae aeternae apertum extare in ipsorum lege ut ut apertius loquar in faedere quod Deus cum iis per Mosem pepigit promissum M. Del boldly saith They are all Antichristian that are not Antichristianly Popish and of the Socinian way with him to teach there was no conversion no inward reformation no promise of salvation and life eternall nor the same covenant of grace in the old Testament that is now under the New Testament and that there was no saving grace nor operation of the Spirit accompanying the Sacraments of the old Testament but onely temporall things promised them He hath Arminians also on his side as Episcopius Disp. 11. th 5. The promises of the Law were touching temporall felicity of the Gospel concerning the everlasting inheritance â—h 7. The doctrine of the Old Testament was known by nature as agreeable to right reason the doctrine of the Gospel was unknown to the Princes of this world it is evident there is no precept say the Belgick Remonstrants Apol. cap. 22. cap. 24. clearely delivered in the Old Testament for beleeving in Christ nor in terminis any promise of life eternall It s sure Arminians are limbs of Antichrist and enemies to free grace Yet Antinomians with Del joyne hands with them against Protestants who all teach to this day the same Saviour the same promises of life eternall the same free grace of imputed righteousnesse the same covenant of grace was revealed darkely in shaddowes and types to the Jewes and more sparingly and to us more clearely and abundantly in the New Testament and that Abraham was saved as we who now are Antichistian whether Del and his Antinomians or wee These that teach the same with Antichrist and contend for perfection and freedome from all sinne in this life are not the men who must fight the battels of the Lambe But 1. was there then no Spirit and life in the Patriachs Prophets Moses David till Christ came in the flesh and reformed them inwardly What became then of the soules of those that dyed in peace and entred into their rest before Christ came in the flesh Esa. 57.1 2 3. Dyed they under the curse and severity of the second death as never inwardly converted Hee belyeth the Old Testament who saith so and doth the Letter of the Gospel without the Spirit save and inwardly reâ—orme and justifie before God more then the Letter of the Law I thinke Judas and the people whose hearts were fatted and heardned and yet heard Christ in the flesh and the Apostles preach Gospel were as farre from inward heart-reformation as uncircumcised Jewes and Heathen Mat. 13.14.15 16. Act. 28.26 27. 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Rom. 11.8 9. Joh. 8.21 Joh. 9.41 Job 5.40 Then Del must meane by the spirit some other thing then the Gospel as opposed to the condemning Law For the Gospel is a condemning Gospel to thousands who stumble at the stone laid on Zion as well as the Law 3. Del saith No outward Law of Synods Councels of men can make men perfect as pertaining to the conscience more then Leviticall Lawes could doe and so the Gospel abolisheth all such outward Lawes imposed on conscience as well now as heretofore under Moses Gospel-reformation saith he is the mortifying destroying and utter abolishing out of the faithfull and elect all that sinne corruption lust evill that did flow in upon them through the fall of Adam Or it is the taking away and destroying the body of sinne out of the faithfull and elect by the presence and operation of the righteousnesse of God dwelling in their hearts by faith This is true Gospel-reformation and beside this I know no other Esai 1.27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgement and her converts with righteousnesse Againe Christ as hee makes us righteous with his owne righteousnesse and makes us the righteousnesse of God in him so hee is called our righteousnesse not in himselfe onely but in us And therefore you see how grossely they are mistaken who take Gospel-reformation â—o bee the making of certaine Lawes and constitution by the sacred power or Clergie for externall conformity in outward duties of outward worship and government and to have these confirmed by civill Sanction and inforced upon men by secular power when in the meane time all that inward corruption and sinne they have brought with them into the world remaines in their hearts and natures as before so the old Prelats reformed His reasons are 1. All things belonging to Christ a Spirituall King having a spirituall Kingdome are spirituall a carnall Reformation is not sutable to a spirituall Kingdome The reformation of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall state is but carnall wrought by the power of flesh and bloud and stands but in outward things 2. Gospel-reformation is inward layes hold on the heart soule and inner man and changes and renewes that dâ—th not much busie it selfe about outward formes or externall conformitie but onely mindes the conformity of the heart for when the heart is right with God the outward formes cannot bee amisse Christ saith touching the worship of the New Testament God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth hee speakes not one word of any outward formes So that God in his Gospel-reformation aymes at nothing but the heart according to Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their inward parts c. So that they shall not onely have the word of the Letter in their bookes but the living word of God in their hearts But now Civill Ecclesiasticall reformation is outward and so industrious and elaborate about outward formes outward orders outward governing outward confession outward practises like the Reformation of Scribes and Pharisees notorious hypocrites who made cleane onely the outside of the cup or platter leaving them all filthy and uncleane within So Civill Ecclesiasticall reformation makes a man cleane outwardly with an outward confession of Faith when inwardly he is all filthy thorow unbeliefe and whites him over with new handsome formes of worship Object But is there no change of outward things in the Gospel Ans. Yes an outward change that flowes from an inward but not an outward change to inferre an inward c. Answ. 1. Master Del must lay downe a ground that outward Lawes were imposed on the conscience and forced on them with violence of Magistrates and Synods
the Spirit not that wee are partakers of the essence or substance of the Godhead or equall with Christ in any respect hee speaketh soundly as the confession of Britaine cleareth but his words are not sound 2. Whoever except Henry Nicholas and David Georgius spake as Del who saith The Spirit of God dwels in our flesh till the whole body of sinne bee destroyed and the naturall man be made spirituall If his meaning be as Familists and Antinomians dreame that Christ incarnate is nothing but every godly man Christed and made conforme to the image of Christ we are at a point and know his minde so teach the New England Familists and the Author of the Bright Starre who tells us of God humanized and that the Crosse of God is God 3. The Spirit dwelleth not in our flesh that is in our sinfull and unrenewed part for so is flesh taken Rom. 7. who dreamed that grace dwelleth in originall sinne or if by flesh he meane the naturall man or the carnall man or the outward man that is in our person hee then thinks this outward and naturall man or our body is turned in a spirit or spirituall nature so as we are made by justification spirituall as Angels and need no more Ordinances Word Seales reading the written Scripture then if we were glorified Saints as Saltmarsh speaketh of the beleevers and as he himselfe saith You may as well goe about to bring the Angels of heaven under an outward and secular power as the faithfull who being borne of the Spirit are more spirituall then they If so then beleevers being more spirituall then Angels and so lâ—sse literall and lesse carnall because by imputed righteousnesse they are Christed and Godded and so the body of sinne destroyed by the the imputed righteousnesse of Christ fully and compleatly then as Angels need no secular power because they are spirituall so need they not heare the Morall Law preached nor the threatnings thereof nor need they give attendance to reading nor need they marry nor can they die nor sin as our Saviour saith and that because they are spirituall if then beleevers be more spirituall as Del saith they need farre lesse then Angels the written Word or the Preaching of the Law or any Ordinances nor should they marry or dye nor can they sinne nor lie nor whore nor steale nor kill but bee as the Angels of heaven I cannot but professe my jealousie of all Familists I much feare when Del saith beleevers are more spirituall then Angels and that the naturall man must bee made spirituall which is done saith he by the imputed righteousnesse of God Pag. 6.7 that hee mindeth with Mistresse Hutchiâ—on that these who are united to Christ have in this life new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 And that the soules of men are mortall in regard of generation like the beasts Eccles. 3.8 but made immortall by the purchase of Redemption And that the Resurrection Joh. 5.28 is not meant of the Resurrection of the body but of our union here and after this life with Christ. And so taught that abominable Priest Anto. Pocquius and the Quintists with him with Phyletus and Hymeneus that the Resurrection of the dead was in this life and that we are not saved in hope onely in this life but really and compleatly before we die and the same perfection of life eternall in this life is taught by Antinomians to wit by Towne and Saltmarsh the colleague of Del. These must lie upon Antinomians while they condemne their Fathers the Familists upon whose principles they walke which they have never yet done nor have they denyed the foule Heresies that are in the Story of the Rise raigne ruine of Antinomians 4. Ecclesiasticall reformation in the intention of the work hath no kindly ends that are fleshly and carnall and therefore is as constant as internall reformation except Master Del meane so much as the Nicholaitans doe that the Letter of the Scripture and all Ordinances externall Word scales prayer reading bookes under the Gospel are abolished to the just man and onely the Spirit leadeth him yea that these are all Elementish Ceremoniall carnall and fleshly and that its unpossible that any act meditation thinâ—ing aspiring or working can be sufficient to attaine the seeing of God in this life that no discourse exercise nor rule of Law Gospel Scripture or Ordinance or any meane can bee interposed betweene the soule and God that wee are onely passive in receiving the will of God that we and all our acts of the soule of willing loving trusting hoping c. are annihilated and turned to nothing in a spirituall communion with God And the reason of the constancy of externall reformation in its owne nature I give Because as grace in the soule being a beam and day of eternall and unchangeable love is ever like God the Author constant and so like its Father so is externall Reformation constant for the Letter of Law and Gospel commands ever and immutably a perfect conformity betweene the outward man and God that eyes eares hands confession of Christ before men hearing the Word reading praying abstinence from fleshly lusts be ever the same according to the rule of the Gospel as internall Reformation is constant It s true outward Reformation is not constant in the sinnefull intention of the worker because it takes not hold of the heart and therefore the ends of externall Reformation in the intention of men is often sinnefull fleshly carnall yea devillish and so unconstant in good and therefore it s a vaine thing for M. Del to argue from the abused and sinnefull ends of men against outward Reformation which of the owne nature is an Ordinance of God 5. All the differences between inward and outward Reformation prove an excellencie of Christs inward Reformation above mens outward Reformation which is most true but proveth not but outward Reformation is a good Ordinance of God for honouring of God before men 2. For an externall blamelesse profession and confession of Christ and his truth before men is commanded in the Gospel Math. 10 32.3â— And abâ—â—inence â—rom grosse and scandalous sinnes Del pag. â—0 If the Church be to be redeemed Christ must redeeme it if it be governed Christ must governe it if it be to be protected Christ must protect it if it be to bee saved Christ must save it 1. God hath committed the care of reforming the Church to Christ onely and to no body else and this is a thousand times better for the Church then if hee had committed it to all the Princes and Magistrats in the world All things are given to me of my Father Christs love to redeeme is his love to reforme he will not break the bruised râ—ed c. and he reformes not ruggedly and with violence Answ. This Argument shall prove that none ought to come out to helpe
life honour happinesse a long reigne but not one word of life eternall and the blessings of the life to come we know the doctrine of H. N. is that the resurrection the last judgement all the happinesse of Saints is closed with in this life the day of judgement of resurrection is even now in this present day H.N. Evang. c. 1. sent 9 ch 33. c 34. sâ—nt 1 2 3. the immortality of the soul the resurrection of the body heaven hell or judgement beyond this life there is none n This confession was seene by few it is said to be Printed an 1575. It cannot be known that ever either this petition or that confession was offered to the eye and view of King Iames how ever that confession was not theirs for the word of God to them is the only internall word in the minde the word as they expone it but not the Scriptures of the old or new Testament But it were good that the Familists and Antinomians now in England would publish to the world a confession of their faith But I expect it not this yeare they that doe evill hate the light a The Antinomians and Familists now in England especially Randel Saltmarsh Del Eaton 〈◊〉 disseminate in printed books and Sermons the same very doctrine a 1 Pet. 3 1â— b 2 Cor. â—â— â—â—ltmarsh 〈◊〉 12 45 〈…〉 Pag. â—6 17 Pag. â—6 〈…〉 13. There is a new birth undâ—r the covenant of works The Scripture knoweth no such birth d Towne assertâ— of free grace pag. 7. e Saltmarsh Free grace pag 34. f Rise râ—igne ruiâ—e of the Antinomians Familists Lâ—bâ—rtines of N. E. eâ— 12. pag. â— g 〈◊〉 Vnsavory speeches er 6. pag. 19. h Rom. 6.13 14 15. i Gal. 3.21 Rom. 7.8 9 10 k Jâ—m 2. â—7 a Saltmarsh Free grace b â—tate of the questiâ—n â—ouâ—hing the 〈◊〉 of conversion with Antinomians c Crisp 〈◊〉 ser. 7 p. â—9â— While 〈…〉 thus sinnefull with all sinfulnesse that can be imagined in a 〈◊〉 Christ may be your Christ. Ans. In Gods dâ—arâ—e its trâ—e so the world was 〈…〉 laid but Christ is never 〈◊〉 yours so loâ—g as you have the Devil reigning as a Prince in your soule nay never till you beleeve d Saltmarsh Free grace pâ— 184. e Pag 98. Câ—ispe vol. â— seâ— 7.210 f Luke 14.28.29.30.31.32.33 g Acts 2.37 Acts 9 6 7. Acts 16.27.28.29 Zach. 12. â—0 Jer. 18.19 g Lukâ— 19 8. 〈…〉 3 7. 〈◊〉 61. â—â— Acts â— 6 7 8. 〈◊〉 9.12 13. 〈◊〉 15. â— 2 3 4 5 6 7. 〈…〉 Christ as sinners nor as or because repenting or sick sinners but as freely 〈…〉 grace to thâ—â— blâ—ssed translation from death to life Saltmarsh Free grace 17 18 19. b Dâ—nns conference betweene a sick man and a Minister Pâ— â— 3 c 〈◊〉 â— 3 d Gen. 22.16 〈◊〉 11.7 â— Cor 8.12 e Esaâ— 26.9 Neb. 1 1â— f Power of 〈◊〉 p. 21. The full commanding â— the promising 3. the threatniâ—g power of the law a 2 Cor. 5. â—4 Rom. 12.1 2. b Towne asser 3. c Theoâ—oâ— Gâ—rmanica cap. â—8 pag. 70.71 72. d Saltmarsh cap. 29. Free grace pag. 140 a Rom 13.8 9 10 b Ephe. 6. â— â— c Jam. â— 8.9.10 d â—am 4.12 Rom. 3.31 f 〈…〉 1 Cor. 5.1 Rom. 1.19.20 Rom. 2 14. g 2 Tim. 3.16 h Math. 5.18 19 i Deut. 4 13 Hee 〈◊〉 unto 〈◊〉 his covenant even ten Commandements Deut. 19.11 â—â— 13 â— King 18.12 k Gal. 3. â—0 13 〈◊〉 3 â—9 â—0 c. Gal. 3.10 l Heb. 7.18.19 Hebâ— 8.6 7 8 9. m Saltmarsh Free gr 146. o Rise reigne 35. Er. 74. Thâ—ol Ger. 70.71 7â— The Law and Gospel are not positively contrary 〈◊〉 to â—nother a Hos. 3.11 Pâ— 9.19.20 The Gospel commandeth all that the â—aw 〈…〉 b Mat. 5.48 Pâ— 1. â— Deut â—7 26 Gal. â— â— 1 Tim. 4. â— b Maâ—h 19 2â— 29. c Rom. â— â— d Rom. 1. â— a b Rom. 8. â— Ioâ— 3. â—8 d a b c d e f g Saltmarsh 〈◊〉 4â— 14â— Psâ—l 19 â— Antinomâ—aâ—◠〈…〉 〈…〉 away but some sinnes were upon them for that time which was 〈…〉 of their complaint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 g cap 35. h 1 Pet. â— â—â— Iâ—h â— â—â— The Jewes were not under the Law but under grace though more 〈…〉 Gal. 3 1â— Heb. 11.13 Râ—m 10.3 Rom. 9. â— Rom. â— 9 10 11 12 13 Rom. 4 2 3 4 5 23. Is 5 â— 1 2 3. Isaâ— 2â— 16 Hâ—b â— 2 4. k Mat. 7 1â— Esay 4â— 25 Psal. 130. 7 â—â— Psâ—l 10â— 8 9 â—0 11 12 Exoâ—â—4 67 Isâ—â— 1â— 12 16 Psal â— 5 1.8 16 17. Esay 6â— 12 Aâ—ts 10 4â— p Psal. â—â— 1 Psal 88.1 2. Ps. 69.1 2 3. Psal. 63.1 2 3 4. q Gen. 32.26 27 28 29. Exod. â—â— 10 Isai. 62.6 7. a Dâ—nne ibid. Saltmarsh Free grace â— 42 40. compaâ—ed together Power of love pag 28 29. b Rom. 7.23 a Câ—â—spe vol. 2. Ier. 3. pag. 89. Christ himselfe is not so compleatly râ—ghteous but we are as righteous as he was b 1 Joh. â— 9. c Rom. 7.18 19. â—0 Gal. 5.17 d Eccl. 〈…〉 Prov. â— 9 Psal. 14.3 Râ—m â— 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. 1 Iohn 1.8 9 10. Rom. 7 19 20 21 22.23 Matth. 6. â— a Crâ—spe vol. 2. 〈◊〉 3 pag. 90.91.92.93 b 1 Ioh. 1.8.10 c Rom 7.14 17. d Iam 3.2 e 1 Pet 2.4 f Esa. 53.5 Rom 4 25 Rom. â— 6 We are not as innocent and sinnelesse as Christ. g Towne asser pag 3â— h Asser. 71.72 a The Author of the Faithfull Messenger sent after the Antinomians relateth this of them pag. 1.2.3 and bringeth their arguments for it and answereth them fully b Crispe vol. 2 â—er 5. â—56 157.158.159 c Esâ— 43. â—5 d Mic. 7.19 e Ieâ— 31.34 f Iâ—r 50. â—0 g Ephe. 2.1 2 h Col. 1.21 Rom. 5.6 i Ephes. 1.2 k Ioh. 3.16 l Revel 1.5 m Ezech. 16.6 8. n Ezech. 16.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 c. o Rom. 3. cap. 4. cap. 5. p Habak 2.4 Rom. 1.17 q Rise reigne er 37. r Ioh. 1.11 12 Antinomians hold an union with Christ before we beleeve Ioh. 15.1 2 3 4 5 6. t Ephes. 3.17 u Gal. 2.20 Rev. 2 7â— Ioh. 6.35 40.4 47.54 55. x Rom. 8.30 1 Câ—r 6. â—1 â—2 Râ—m 6.18 y Gal. 3.14 z Rom. 5.1 2 3 4 5. a Denne Ser. of grace mâ—râ—y 33.34.35 Gods love of good will toward our person and of good liking toward our faith and holy walking a necessary distinction grounded on Scripture God createth a love-worthy object to himselfe freely and loveth it freely b Ezech. 16 14. c Psal 146.8 d Psal. 51.6 e Ps. 147.11 f Cant. 4.9.7 a Hos. 1.10 1 Pet. 2.10 b Ezech. 16.1 2 3 4 5. c 1 Tim. 1.13 d Rom. 6.17.18 Tit. 3.3 Ephes. â— 1 2 3 4 Ephes. 4.20 2 Tim. 1.9 a Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27 26. b Rom. 4. â—â— 2. vers 20. Rev. 5.9 a Eato Hony combe
in all things sinne excepted Luk 24.39 40. Ioh. 20.26 27. 18 The second birth is the Godhead and Gods true being obtaineth the victory beareth rule with God and bringeth forth the name of Israel or Christ it selfe sect 12. 19 Christ is not true man nor Abrahams seed after the flesh but God only in so far as he followeth Abrahams faith 20 H. Nicholas and all his illuminated Elders are Christ all not of his way the Antichrist so some Antinomians now at Oxford Say 1 That Iesus Christ is not God essentially but in name 2 That his nature was defiled with sin aswel as ours 3 It is as possible for Christ to sin as for any of us 4 The Trinity of the Persons is a fiction 5 The fulnesse of the Godhead doth dwell bodily in the Saints as in Christ and that when this Godhead shall be manifested in them they shall have divine honour and have more power then Christ and doe greater workes then hee 6 The scripture is but a shadow and a fiction now the word saith 1 The father and Christ are one and he thought it no robbery to be equal with the father Phi. 2 and maintained he was the consubstantiall sonne of God Ioh. 7. Ioh. 10 else the Iewes would never have said he blasphemed in calling himselfe the sonne of God by adoption for they knew Godly men to be so the sons of God 2 By him the word the heaven and earth were created Ioh. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.16 17. now God onely created the World Ier. 10 11 12. Esay 44.24 Gen. 1.1 Psal. 33.6 7 8. 3 Hee was anoynted above his fellowes with grace Psal. 45.2.7 and wee receave out of his fulnesse and light our halfe-penny candles at this sunne of righteousnesse Ioh. 1.14.16 and he giveth the Holy Ghost Ioh. 16.14 And hath received a name above all names Phil. 2 9 10. and God said to none of the Angells farre lesse to any man save to the man Christ sit thou at my right hand Heb. 1. 21 The Familists are perfect in this life and so are Antinomians Towne as p 77 78. Saltm free grace 140. 22 To say the three persons are one God is a foolish making three Gods Antinomians professe that Antitrinitarians Arrians Socinians are their brethren so they beleeve and love God as they doe 23 There is but one Spirit in all creatures and that is essentially God Epist to the the two daughters of Warwicke 24 Love and well doing and good workes are the cause of our re-reconciliation and the very saviours that beares our sins whereas Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree Esay 53.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.23 24. 25 Christs dying on the Crosse is nothing but H.N. and his illuminated Elders their obeying constantly the doctrine of H. N. so as no suffering could cause them to forsake it 26 Then is Christ put to death when any of the Family of Love is no longer led by the Scripture but by the Spirit of revelation that is as sure as the Scripture so said Mrs. Hutchison Rise reigne p. 61. er 27. 27 Mortification is to H. N· justification and removing of sinnes so doe Antinomians confound these two 28 The resurrection of Christ was but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law to the spirituall being of illuminated Elders 29 Christ sitteth not in our flesh at the right hand of God but in the spirit 30 The comming of the Holy Ghost in cloven tongues was the comming of Christ againe from heaven in the Spirit 31 Christs ascending to heaven was his comming to heavenly mindednesse and fulnesse of knowledge 32 The resurrection of the body is a rising in this life from sin and wickednesse 33 In H. N. God this present day judgeth the world the family of love are the many thousands of his saints that Judgeth with him even now and reigneth on the earth Evang. c. 1. sect 9.10 34 The Marriages of all not enlightened are unlawfull 35 Men shall marry and have wives at the resurrection 36 The illuminated Elders cannot sin nor pray for forgivenesse of sinnes so Antinomians hony-combe c. 3. pag 25. c. 7 pag. 139 forgiven sin is not or hath no being before God Saltm free grace pag. 44. 37 Heaven and Hell are in this world Antinomians say we are fully and compleatly not in hope onely saved in this life 38 The family of love is under no law 39 All things are the act of God 40 Angels and Devils and wicked men are acted immediately by the Spirit of God 41 The Scripture is a shadow 42 Ordinances are for babes in their family of love only 43 The perfect are to live above all ordinances 44 Jf temptations lay hold on us and force us to sin and we cry to God for helpe and finde no helpe we are as guiltlesse as the maid forced in the field who cryed and had no helpe and is not for that a whore H.N. documentall sentences sect 13. sect 8. It is true the beleever shal not be charged to eternal condemnation for sins of infirmities that are his burthen and affliction aswell as his sin but sins of infirmities are essentially his sinnes who acts them and make him lyable to wrath If God should contend with David for his adultery and murther displeased the Lord but God cannot charge the sinne of whoredome on a maid that is forced and doth cry out if she doe cry out and have no helpe it is no whoredome on the maids part 45 All the scriptures are to be exponed by allegories This makes 1 The Scripture a masse of contradictions and lyes 2 This turnes our faith and knowledg into a phancie for the scripture it selfe cannot be a rule of exponing scripture if the glosse destroy the text 3 The scripture shall not Judge all controversies as Christ referres the gravest question that ever was Whether he be the sonne of God or no to this tribunall Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Ioh. 5. 4 All the articles touching Christ his birth life death buriall resurrection ascending to heaven sitting at Gods right hand his second comming c. Creation providence histories shall teach nothing an Allegory shall cause scripture say the contrary Antinomians call all their allegories the spirituall sense of Scripture Bread may in an allegory signifie comfort then the love of God dwells in a brother who seeth his poore brother famishing and gives him neither cloathing nor bread but onely faith in good words Brother goe in peace and be warmed and cloathed an◠feed for he gives the poore man allegorically bread and cloathing contrary to Iames 2.14 15 16 17. 1 Ioh. 3.17 18. yea so all scripture shall be turned over in lyes dreames and phancies all covenants violated all faith private and publike among Christins may be broken and yet truth kept in an allegoricall sense according to scripture A man may murther his brother and have life eternall Contrary to 1 Io. 3.15
in regard that killing him he saves him from sinning any more and so does not murther him though violently he take away his life for the scriptures calls the soule the man CHAP. X. Of Ioannes Agricola Eislebius the first father of the Antinomians The first rise of Antinomians under that name to wit of Joannes Agricola Eislebius the Author of Antinomians THe first man that appeared under the name of an Antinomian was Ioannes Islebius Agricolâ— a Schoole-master or Reader of divinity in Eisleben as Luc. Osiander saith he was a proud vaine unconstant man so saith Conradus Schusselburgius This man in the Augustine Assembly defended with Melancthon and Brentius the Augustine confession an 1530 as Osiander saith and adhered to the Saxon confession so saith Sleidan And after the battell of Smaldack saith Osiander with Iulius Pflugius Bishop of Numburg and Michael Sidonius he composed that unhappy booke called the Jnterim For Antinomians are much for indifferency of all Religions especially in externalls see R. Beacon in his Catachis pag. 194 195. and in this they comply with the Anabaptists called fratres liberi free brethren who thinke all things under the Gospell are free and neither forbidden nor commanded which the councell of Trent as also Alphons a castro said was the doctrine of Lutherans but Osiander with reason said this was a Calumnie and layes the charge justly upon Eislebius and the Antinomians The lying Iesuite Gualterius saith that Antinomians are the disciples of Luther But Luther saith Osiander Instituted six publicke disputes at Wittingberge against the Antinomians and brought Eislebius to a Recantation and in an Epistle at length cleares himselfe of the Antinomian way with a great deale of vehemence and indignation against them Eislebius an 1538. brought in this error in the Church he was first admonished privately by Luther before he wrote But that Luthers innocency may appeare I have from a Godly and Learned Divine caused to be printed an Epistle of D. Luther in which the Reader may see how vainely Antinomians of our time boast that Luther is for them in which both the Recantation of Eislebius and the judgment of Luther may appeare CHAP. XI A Treatise against Antinomians written in an Epistolary way by D. Martin Luther translated out of the high Dutch originall containing the minde of Luther against Antinomians and a recaâ—tation of Ioannes Agricola Eislebius their first father Doctor Martin Luther Against Antinomians To the Reverend and most Learned M. Gasper Guttill Doctor and Pastor at Eisleben his singular good freind in Christ. Loving Mr. Doctor I Suppose you received long agoe the disputations against those new spirits the Antino which have undertaken to thrust the law of God or the ten commandements out of the Church and to remit them to the secular court which kind of proceeding in points of divinity I never imagined that it should have entred into any mans purpose much lesse into his practise But God warnes us by such passages to take heed to our selves and not to fanâ—y the Devill so farre from us as those secure daring spirits presume Verily God must incessantly be implored with feare humility and earnest supplications that we may have his assistance and protection Otherwise truly it may soon come to passe that the Devill will present â—efore our eyes such a Phantasme that we should sweare it were the true Holy Ghost it selfe as not onely those ancient Hereticks but in our time also examples which have beene and still are great and dreadfull do forewarne I could indeed have easily forgotten all these things which had so much greived mee but that I rested in hope that by meanes of those forementioned disputations I had performed my part and defended my selfe But Satan would not be content with this but still he brings me upon the stage as if matters stood not so ill betwixt me and them I am afraid that had I dyed at Smalkalden I should have beene proclaimed forever the Patron of those Spirits because they appeale to my Bookes although they have done it behind my back without my knowledge and against my will Nor did they afford me so much respect as to shew me one word or syllable of it or to conferre with me about it I was therfore necessitated to convent more then once M. Iohn Agricola besides my former dealings with him in the disputation it selfe And in the presence of our Doctors and Divines because he had beene the beginner and Master of this Game I did let him know all my minde that he might be throughly sensible what a pleasure hee had done to my Spirit which I repute also to be of good proofe Wherupon he humbly submitted himselfe as much as words and behaviour could evidence promising to intermeddle no further if hee had gone too farre and to comply with us in the same judgement This so overruled my beleife that I was satisfied But it being otherwise construed yea vaunted of in pamphlets sent hither that Doctor Martin and M. Eisleben were in good tearmes I further pressed him to publish in print an open Recantation there being no other remedy left to expell this poyson from the towne of Eisleben and the country round about To this likewise he willingly assented offered himself fearing he should not hit it so well as to gaine a due approbation by it he most earnestly referred the matter to my selfe intreating mee to doe it as well as I could professing for his part that he would be well contented with it This induced me to undertake it now presently to performe it especially least it should be given out after my decease either by M Eslebius himselfe or by any other that I had neglected these things and permitted them to passe without controule To come then to the matter the said I. Eisleben Mr. of Arts willeth me to make a recantation in his behalfe of what he had preached or written against the Morall Law or Ten Commandements and to professe that he is of the same judgement as we are here at Winterberge as likewise at Augspurg according to the tenour of our confession and Apology tendered to the Emperour And if hereafter he shall hold or teach the contrary he willeth me to pronounce the same to be Null and condemned I could finde in my heart to commend him for stooping so low but it being so manifest that he was one of my best and neerest friends I will spare my prayses for another least the cause should be prejudiced by it as if I had not gone in good earnest about it If he continue in this lowlinesse of minde God can and will exalt him but if he transgresse hee may be sure that God can as well throw him downe Let me therefore intreat you good M. Doctor that you would take this to be written not as to your selfe alone but that you would make it knowne to others wherever you can especially to those that cannot read