sutable to H. Nicholas his Spirit and to the Enthysiasmes of Swenckefield and to John Waldesso a piece that M. Beacon highly extols p. 138. Catechi who saith Consideration 3. p. 8. That beleevers make use of some rules of Scripture to preserve the health of their soules as they doe for the health of their body rather to conforme themselves outwardly with the sons of Adam then because they feel themselves to stand in need of such observations forasmuch us they being governed by God alone observe the will of God and wholly depend on it And the same Popish Author Cons. 32. p. 107 108. maketh crucifixes Images and the holy Scriptures Alphabets of Christian Piety for beginners M. Beacon who commends this superstitious Familâ—sticall book must alwayes judge Images unlawfull so as a Christian having first saith Waldesso p. 108. served himself with holy Scriptures as with an Alphabet he afterward leaves them to serve for the same effect to beginners he attending to the inward inspirations having for his proper Master the Spirit of God and serving himselfe with holy Scriptures as with an holy conversation and which causeth refreshment unto him altogether putting from himselfe all these writings which are written by an humane Spirit So they judge Scripture to be written by an human spirit contrary to 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. 2 Tim. 3.16 8 Its folly to conclude of certainty of Scripture and not of infallibility in the interpretation thereof So M. Saltmarsh and M. Dell deny the Scripture to be an obliging rule to the Saints but onely the word written in the heart Hence as the Holy Ghost dited the Scripture so also dited be the exposition of Scripture to the Familists and their exposition is as infallible as the Scripture because the same Spirit speaks in both for the same spirit that dites the word must expone it Answ. Then must the writing of H Nicholas and the uncleâ—n house of Love and of Antinomians be as infallible as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles who were immediately inspired Horrible blasphemy Men and holy men may erre in their Expositions but the Word of God is infallible truth 2. The Scripture is our rule by which all other Truths Doctrines Spirits Revelations must be tryed and if they be not according to the Law and the Testimony there is no light in them Esa. 8.19 20. Luk. 16.30 31. Psa. 119.130.105 Luk. 4.17 18 19 20 21. Joh. 5.39 2 Tim. 3.16 Act. 26.22 3 No marvell that Antinomians be Anti-scripturians and deny Scripture to be the Word of God affirming it to be a dead letter a humane thing of Inke and that what the Spirit speaks to the soule is onely the word of God and no other thing contained in the Old and New Testament 9 Faith justifying is no fiduciall recumbency on Christ God and Man Nor doe we eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually by beleeving in Christ crucified but by acts of humility seeing our self to be flesh and nothing and Christ to be in us blood that is the spirit life and power of God as if we were Goded with him 10. God and man united in one eate the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood or man as Goded and God as humanized p. 111 11 The reasonings and dictates of our spirit are translated into the 〈◊〉 and dictates of the Spirit of God and so the writing 〈◊〉 and arguments become Divine and eternall not humane and â—emporaâ—y Wind-mils and phanacies must they be bigge 〈◊〉 who leave the Scriptures and imagine that God onely acts understands wills loves feares hopes c. and doth 〈◊〉 in the Saints 12 Swearing at all though before a Judge is unlawfull Simpl. Defenc. p. 22. 13. While you tell the people say they to the godly in New-England that by sorrow compunction and anxiety of Spirit and woulde of minde they communicate in the sufferings of Christ it is nothing else but to conclude the Son of God to be Beliel 14 Baptisme is unlawfull except it be conjoyned with the crosse and sufferings of Christ â—o Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory p. 30 31. denyeth all Baptisme 15 As every Saint ought to hear the word so ought he to preach it Calling of Ministers is groundlesse so p. 66.67 so the Anâ—â—nom Beacon Catechi p 7.8 and Saltmarsh Spark p. 131. 16 They are Idoll Shepherds of Rome who cannot preach to the people but in a way of so much study and ease not labouring with their hands for their bread p. 67. 17 If I preach the Gospel willingly say they I have a reward 1 Cor. 9.17 that is if I doe it out of any ability skill or will of mine owne gotten or acquired by any paines or industry as men doe attain to Arts and Trades wherein they are to be preferred before and above others then I have a reward that is something to be attributed and contributed to me for the same then I goe about to deprive my Lord of his right shewing my selfe an unfaithfull Steward â— Simpl. Defen P. 68. then was Gorton unfaithfull in writing this book for pains of art he must have taken in writing in consulting by reading the Scripture to set down Chapter and Verse but all this is the Enthysiasticall gang of Divinity in which Antinomians in praying beleeving loving bereave us of the use of minde will reason affections and make the Holy Ghost and Christ in his person united to us to doe all 18 To preach for stipend or contribution is to give unto God and unlawfull contrary to 1 Tim. 5.17 18 19. which I grant if stipends be the preachers designe and end 19. None is to forethink of what text or subject he is to preach on but as Gods Spirit for the time casteth in his minde p. 75. that is he is to speak phancies without sense method or intention to edifie which thing the Prophets Christ and Apostles did not in their preachings But of this before and somewhat hereafter 20 He denies the resurrection exponing these words My flesh shall rest in hope that is my weaknesse and tyred out condition hath rest and strength in another though not in my self for hope that is seen is no hope This place Psal 16. is exponed Act. 2.26 30 31 32. of the hope of the resurrection of Christ and of ours in him who is the first begotten of the dead but Gorâ—on p. 106. wresteth it most foolishly to another sense as if it were metaphoricall flesh and buriall and so an allegoricall and spirituall resurrection onely 21 He most corruptly and unsoundly turneth all the Scripture in childish Allegories as is to be seen p. 96 97 98. In the following Treatise you have other Antinomian conceits holden by Ro. Towne who coldly refuteth Doctor Taylor and by M. Eaton in his Honey comb and Saltmarsh of late falne off conformity to Antinomianisme and Tob. Crisp a godly man as is thought But Melancholions who having builded much on
face see God p. â— Ans. In all the wilde expressions he hath of Christ as that he is Gods Revelation Gods Christall He calleth him not the Son of God by an eternall generation as Divines from Scripture speak 5 The vaile of this first Temple or creation was rent by him who crucified all flesh through the eternall spirit and enâ—red in his glory Ans. What Scripture saith Christ crucified all flesh through the eternall spirit hath Christ nailed all his flesh to the Crosse or must he mean as he elsewhere hinteth that Christ had not a proper naturall body of his owne in which he dyed but all his mysticall body the Church is his body in which he suffers afflictions and death in his Saints as in his image then must the sufferings of the Saints be that satisfaction and price of Redemption payed to justice for our sins and so as many afflicted suffering Saints as many Saviours 6 Sparkles of glory p. 15 16 17. He acknowledgeth no visible Church but onely the invisible baptized into one Spirit Ans. The word acknowledgeth a visible kingdome like a draw-net that gathers in good and bad a barne floore in which is chaffe and corne a field in which is wheat and tares Matth. 13. a visible house of sons and servants 7 The man of 〈◊〉 2 Thess. 2. is the corrupt flesh in every man not the Antichrist the Pope of Rome An. So said H. Nicholas judging all the externalls of Popery indifferent 8 Pag. 29 30. The Baptisme of water is John Baptists Ministery till Christ Christ baptized none nor his Disciples but from Johns Ministery so that Baptisme of water is done away as other legall shaddows and all baptizing spoken of in the Epistles is spirituall baptizing An. Christ gave a contrary mandate Mat. 28.19 20. and Peter saith Act. 10.47 Can any man forbid water Act. 8. the Eunuch was baptized with water Act. 16.33 Col. 2.11 12. 1 Pet. 3.20 21. Antinomians judge baptisme the Lords Supper indifferent as they doe all externall administrations for to them they are but the killing Letter the flesh 9 Christ ascending to heaven went out of flesh into spirit p. 43. Sparkles An. He hath not then our nature and flesh in heaven contrary to Ephe. 2.6 He is not then our High Priest now touched in heaven with a feeling of our infirmities his flesh is now not the new and living way contrary to Heb. 4.15.16 chap 7.24 25 26. ch 10.20 Nor doth the Heaven containe him till the last day as the Scripture saith for his Spirit is every where CHAP. XIX Saltmarsh with Familists phancyeth divers new administrations of the Law of John Baptist of the Gospel of all spirits 10. ANtichrist or the mystery of iniquity came in upon this ministration by gifts and Ordinances and the glory of the spirit and power of gifts went off from the visible Church as the glory of God from the Temple to the threshold till it was wholly departed and all things in the absence of the spirit and of gifts were Administred by Arts and Sciences and Grammaticall knowledge of tongues and languages p. 45. The ministery that shall destroy the Antechrist is Jesus himselfe the Prophet whom we must heare and the God of whom we shall be all taught pa. 49. Not that of Arts and Sciences acquired by naturall power and industry An. The falling away was not the ceasing of extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles But the Antichrists bringing in of another Gospel Joh. 2. ver 10. and the Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh 1 Joh 4 3. is Antichrist as the Libertines H. Nicholas Joh. Saltmarsh and Familists who pag. 219. parteth with the common Protestant to behold a state of condemnation in sin and a way of salvation by Jesus Christ and faith in him to be but a knowledge of Christ after the flesh and of Christ as one single person or figure of a man and the first glimpse of the love of God and but merely a discovery beyond the Law and all but a fleshly spiritualty And why because this comes not by a Yard-length up to the Familie of Love and teacheth salvation by Christ whom these men call a figure of a man because not true man And the Antichrist came in the Pope also and denyed Christ to come in the flesh nullified his manhood with transubstantiation a visible head of the Church Images merits traditions of men c. invocation of Saints prayer for the dead workes of supererogation c. but all these are indifferent to Mr. Saltmarsh and onâ—y Antichristian because literal and externall not because they are not warented by scripture and hee brought in the abuse of Philosophy Logick Arts and tongues which much darkened Gospel-glory 1 The Apostles with gifts and the Spirit made much use of arts and tongues as inferiour helps in their kinde to convert soules because sinners are not Angels and faith came by hearing of known languages and sent preachers Rom. 10.14 2 Saltmarsh his Sparkles of Glory must be an administration by arts tongues and so not that Ministry that can destroy the Antichrist and sparkles of flesh and Antichristianisme not of glory for he besprinckles the margine of his book in the beginning till his breath faile and he dry up with the popish lace of bits of Greek as p. 1 2 3. c. and citations of Scripture and he hath had some Art such as it is in writing Treatises to the Schoole and Family of Love the professed enemies of Puritans yea there is no writing no speaking of English no consequences of which there be many monstrous ones that follow not from Scripture such as no confession of sinne no working in the Gospel but onely beleeve c. in Saltmarsh his bookes but from Tongues Arts Logicke and so Familists yet must be under the Law 3. Observe that Saltmarsh in bringing in Antichrist is deeply silent of Popery and the Romish Religion For H. Nicholas and Familists deny the Pope to be Antichrist and think the Masse and Romish Priesthood indifferent as all Religions are to them and there is no Antichrist but the Legall Protestant voyd of the Spirit because he speaks Greek and Hebrew and hath some skill in Logick and would have the Scriptures in use and the preaching of Gospel which Saltmarsh in his Reformation would lay aside as contrary to that Ye shall be all taught of God he hath such a stomach against subordinata non pugnant but whether he wil or no teaching by the Word and so by Tongues and Arts and by Timothies attending to reading shall goe together till Christs second comming as is cleare Esay 59.21 Esay 61.1 where Christ is annointed with the Spirit to preach and yet that Scripture was fulfilled when he spoke by Art Tongues Luke 4.18 19 20 21 22 23 c. And that Sermon was but a dead letter to the hearers v. 28
5.3 4. but bâ—ptizing is commanded Matth. 28.19 20. By this argument Saltmarsh should not preach nor write books nor bow his knee nor pray nor read Scripture because true preaching to the heart is God teaching without a mans tongue and true writing is God writing his Law in the inward parts without inke or paper and true praying in the Spirit is without knee tongue or lifting up eyes or hands c. by such arguments H. Nicholas and Enthusiasts abolish all ordinances Jesus Christ is the Prophet whom we are to heare and they shall be all taught of God ergo no ministery by the letter can destroy the Antichrist p. 49. Ans. It followeth not for when the Antichrist is revealed to men to be the Antichrist he is destroyed otherwise the Antichrist must be converted to the faith by this way Christ is perfected and entered into glory Luke 24. that is all Christs body and Saints are made Ministers and preachers Sparkles p. 51. and a pure Spirit without all ordinances Ans. Saltmarsh with H. Nicholas turne Christ dying and entring into glory over into a Christ spirituall that is God living by grace in the Saints then as many Saints as many Christs crucified and rising againe 1 Cor. 8. We know that an Idoll is nothing nor an Idol Temple then outward formes and orders are only a supplement to the absence of the Spirit of God and to order the outward man amongst men to their fellow-Saints or the world while the Law of the Spirit of life is not in them shining and conforming them in Spirit and love to the image of Christ then preaching and ordinances are but characters of bondage to the unregenerate and while they see darkly and in a glasse and not face to face 1 Cor. 13. Ans. The meaning of that an Idol is nothing is or is vanity as the Prophets say an Idoll is of no force or power to hallow or pollute meats that of themselves are indiâ—ferent yet the things sacrificed to Idolls should not be eaten before the weake and if they be eaten in the Idoll Temple we partake of the devills Temple and that is nothing what ever Familists imagine Then we are to abstaine from Popish Idols and to abâ—â—aine from murther and to walke in love according to the rule of the Gospel and Law commanding good forbidding ill only while we are unrenewed men Ordinances are as the horne-booke to children come to the family of love that are old men in Christ and need no Ordinances an Idoll is nothing but an indifferent thing to them all the Scripture is but to order our walking before men and the world not before God nor to lay any obligation of conscience on a Saint or Familist so as hee should sinne in kneeling to or praying before an Idoll or abstaine therefrom The Serpent Gen. 3. was fleshly wisdome the espousalls of the woman the weaknesse of creation p. 57. Ans. Then the story of Adam Paradise serpent trees eating man woman marriage are no reall histories but meere allegories and metaphors and mysticall things which only can be expounded by the spirit of Familists and Antinomians and this is the only spirituall preaching praying and expounding of Scripture that Saltmarsh giveth us Saltmarsh Sparkles p. 64.65 By meeknesse of the Saints only shall the Jelousie and enmity of their enemies be allayed Revel 14. here is the patience of the Saints Ans. There is not in the text one jot of overcomming the enemies with meeknesse here is matter of ground for the patience of the Saints as chap. 13.10 and with as good ground he may say the keeping of the Commandements of God and of the faith of Jesus is that which allayeth the hatred of the world contrary to 1 Joh. 3.12 Joh. 15.19.22 Matth. 5.11.12 for the enemies doe expound Christs meeknesse and silence to be guiltinesse they wonder that Christ answered nothing the world hate and malice the meeknesse of the Saints though an eminent grace as they doe all other shinings of Christ in them and yet by dying they strengthen the faith of others Rev. 12.13 Joh. 3.30 He must increase I must decrease that is my ministration by word and water must be gone and another more spirituall must succeed and as the fire from heaven licked up the foure barrells of water so the baptisme of the Spirit as fire was to licke up this of water 1 King 18.34 to .38 p. 60. A. But. John speaketh not so much of his Ministery which was in the same doctrine and Sacrament to continue to the end as of Johns evanishing in his person and as the day star at the rising of the Sunne for Iohn was to be gone and to dye and his time of actuall service to expire though the doctrine liveth till this day and in his graces the fulnesse whereof was in Christ and that Elijahs sacrifice was a type of the Spirit Baals of John Baptists Ministery is a Monkes dream the Spirit of God never intended such a thing for we are still builded upon the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chiefe corner stone Eph. 2.20 21 22. and so an habitation of God through the Spirit and so the same doctrine of the Prophets and of the Baptist must continue but this is to deprive us of all the old Testament as the Anabaptists doe Eye for eye and tooth for tooth was the Law Matth. 5.39 And love your neighbour but there is a higher ministration of the Spirit in the Apostles time Love your enemies avenge not Ans. The Spirit never meant that under the old Testament we might revenge our selves and hate our enemies the contrary is evident Deut. 32.35 Prov. 20.22 Prov. 25.21 22. and this was long before Christ came in the flesh this is Socinianisme and Popery if Saltmarsh understand either of the two Blessed are the meeke Christ prophesied of a ministration in the Spirit by meeknesse and patience of the Saints Revel 14.12 and Heb. 4. there remaineth a rest to the people of God Ans. This meeknesse and patient suffering of injuries and heavenly Sabboths was in the old as well as in the New Testament Ps. 37.7.8 v. 11. Ps. 34.2 Heb. 11.33 34 35 36 37 38. I saw no Temple there then in this life the Saints shall be without ordinances and the Kingdome shall be delivered up to the Father he that can receive it let him receive it p. 65.66 This ministration is not only done upon the whole body of Christ at last but is fulfilled in its particular accomplishments and mystery of Spirit here Answ. 1. There is no more ground for such a ministration in this life then there is for no death no crying no sorrow no paine in this life Rev. 21.4 no Sunne nor Moone v. 23. no uncleane thing no sinne v. 27. and no more warrant for delivering up the Kingdome in this life 1 Cor. 15. then for the resurrection of the dead 23.37
only the illuminated Elders in the godly wisdome which walk in the house of love And in the Epistle Let no man saith he boast himselfe in any of the works of righteousnesse or take on the same to salvation neither to condemnation before that hee in the Spirit of Christ through the love of the Father be renewed in all righteousnesse of life not that I meane in the Elementish Ceremoniall righteousnesse which the man setteth forth or occupieth out of his owne prudency but I meane in that righteousnesse which according to the heavenly truth is in the being of Christ and is set forth through the Spirit of God So this abominable wretch maketh all reading or hearing or beleeving the Scriptures to be Elementish carnall righteousnesse and that wee are to doe no good works to obtaine salvation nor to eschew any evill to be freed from condemnation but to study an inward righteousnesse in being Goded and Christed and in communicating with the essence and godly being M. Towne also maketh the Law a sort of directorie of walking as doth H. N. Assert grace pag. 38. I know not where to learne my duty to my Superiour but in the matter of the fift Command nor what Murther or Adulterie is but in the sixt and seventh But Towne forgetteth himselfe and pag. 3. saith We are from under the Law in all its authority dominion offices and effects yea hee denyeth that wee are under the power and teaching of the Law And Saltmarsh will have us not to borrow one beame of directing light from the Law so as he seemeth to stomach and to bee angry that the old Testament but especially the ten Commandements are printed in the Bible Yet what ever direction of walking wee have from the Law I find them in all their writings grudging at any Law or Gospel written because writing speaking vocall covenants are the dead and killing Letter fruitlesse and livelesse and that the Spirit immediatly acting is all our rule Paral. VII Libertines speake disgracefully of the Pen-men of Scripture and called Paul a broken vessell John stolidum juvenem a foolish young man Peter a denyer of God Mathew an Vsurer The Church was in her infancy said Da. Georgius Vnder Abraham and the Prophets in its young age under John Baptist Christ in the flesh and the Apostles it s grown and now presently under David the Christ its spirituall and perfect So many Antinomians turne perfectists Who say they having the Holy Ghost as well as the Prophets and Apostles can pen and speake Scripture from the same Spirit The New England Libertines are so farre on this way that they disgrace the Apostle Peter as a halfe-Legalist and say Peter leaned more to a covenant of works then Paul and that Pauls doctrine was more for free grace then Peters And Saltmarsh maketh all the Prophets in the Old Testament Legall men and Christ in the flesh and his Apostles preached free grace but in degrees and parts but we dare not saith hee preach the Gospel so in halves and quarters as yee doe And Christ and the Apostles preached grace faith repentance new obedience in scantling of Doctrine as they are meerely and barely revealed in the history of the Gospel or Acts of the Apostles where onely the Doctrine is not so much revealed as the practise But we Antinomians preach Christ the power of all the fulnesse of all that we may exalt him whom God hath exalted at his owne right hand Hence Saltmarsh 1. saith the Antinomians in England reveale more free grace and fulnesse of Christ in their Sermons then Christ and the Apostles did in the halfe of the New Testament or all the Prophets in the Old 2. Christ and the Prophets and Apostles except in the Epistles were Legall Preachers What be Legall Preachers that I wrong not Saltmarsh as he doth Christ the Prophets and Apostles I give it in his owne words Legalists are 1. such as compound and bargaine with God for salvation and submit not to the righteousnesse of God and lye downe in the sparks of their owne kindling are Christ his Prophets and Apostles such Such as from the notion of a covenant conceive a little too Legally of free grace Such as have neither the use nor freedome of the heavenly inheritance that are subject to death and bondage Such to whom God appeared onely as it were upon tearmes and conditions of reconciliation Such as in fasting and other acts of obedience dealt with God to get some love from God which Christ himselfe had not gotten for us So belike the Prophets that dyed before Christ went not to heaven but to some chamber or higher roome in hell called Limbus Patrum or to some other place for Saltmarsh saith they had neither the use nor freedome of the heavenly inheritance whither then went their soules after death 2. They were chosen to salvation some other way then Jaakob Rom. 9. they purchased the love of free election by fasting and pennance 3. Their sinnes were not pardoned nor they reconciled to God a belying of the Old Testament 4. The Prophets submitted not to the righteousnesse of God but sought righteousnesse by the works of the Law All these how they agree in part to Christ John Baptist and the Apostles in the first halfe of the New Testament let Saltmarsh and Antinomians see and consider Paral. VIII Libertines said The whole Scripture was nothing but the Spirit of God and the Letter of the Scripture not Scripture but the Spirit was both Christ and the Scripture and a godly life must be the Spirit So the Libertines of New-England There is a Testimony of the Spirit and voice unto the soule meerely immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the Word And from this Wee are not to keepe a constant course of praying at set houres or alwayes but as the Spirit move us And all doctrines and revelations must bee tryed by Christ that is Christ dwelling in us in a spirituall manner not by the Word of Christ or the Scripture In this same Grammer speake Antinomians So Saltmarsh The Law now is in the Spirit What is that And in the Gospel for a beleever to walke by nor is saith he holinesse and sanctification now such as is fashioned by the Law or outward Commandement but by the preaching of Faith by which the Spirit is given which renewes and sanctifies a beleever and makes him the very Law of Commandement in himselfe and his heart the very two Tables of Moses This is to say the Word begetteth not Faith but onely Historically instructeth the flesh and expressely in terminis the Libertines sense and minde is that the Word is changed in a Spirit without Scripture and the Christian in his walking and conversation which to Antinomians is all in faith is the Spirit it selfe Towne is much in this through his whole booke to
hath undertaken to doe the powers of hell cannot hinder these that belong not to Christs care why should they heare pray knock or why should the Word be preached to them Saved they cannot be as not belonging to Christs care So saith the New England Familist If Christ will let me sinne let him looke to it upon his honour be it So Del yeeldeth to the Pelagian Arminian and Socinian that exhortations motives reasons preaching praying ought not to be for these that are absolutely reprobate and upon the same ground they need use no meanes who are absolutely chosen to glory Christs love and care is as great to reforme inwardly and to convert as to redeeme upon the same ground these whom God hath decreed shall live so many yeares sure God undertakes to fulfill all his decrees with alike strength of irresistible omnipotency they need not eate drinke sleepe plow eare labour for no power in hell can infringe one decree of God more then another all husbandmen sit idle all tradesmen buy and sell and labour with your hands no more be at rest and quiet take M. Dels word Gods undertaking takes away all reforming in men all undertaking in second causes the husband-man can no more feed your body with bread then he can redeeme your soules with his bloud both belongs to Christs care But though Paul knew it belonged to Christs care Rom. 9. To call whom he predestinate yet he had exceeding sorrow in his heart for his kinsmen the Jewes to save some of them that is to reforme them and the care of all the Churches lay on them M. Del hath more courage he will not be dismayed But wee heard that Libertines from Gods working all in all creatures said the creature cannot sinne cannot doe good sin is but an opinion And all good saith the Familist is onely God And God becommeth all things in man and nothing is or hath being but God and his will God is all and the creature nothing Del by this Argument inferres a cessation of all second causes of Ministery Ordinances Reformers converters of soules by Word and Gospel of Heaven and Earth Sunne Fire Water they may all sleepe God undertaketh to doe all and no powers of Hell can resist him no lesse then Christ redeemeth his alone Parliaments ought not to sit Assemblies should not dispute Ministers should not preach nor Print Sermons sure Christ shall make good his owne undertaking to reforme though Del and I both were buried and neither trouble our selves with Pulpit or presse But shall men therefore omit all dueties in outward reforming Stoicks can say no more Del Pag. 14.15.16 Holding forth the meanes of Reformation he saith Christ reformeth by the Word onely and doth all he calles rejects bindes looses terrifies comforts inlightens makes blinde saves damnes and does nothing in his kingdome without the Word Now are yee cleane through the Word The Word is quicke and powerfull he reformes not you with outward power but by his Word I will publish the decree the Spirit of the Lord is upon me My word shall not depart out of thy mouth When the time of Reformation was come he sent his Disciple to carry on the worke of Reformation he saith Goe teach all nations he sent them not out with Swords and Guns and this Word only truely reformes the outward power of the world sets up an image of reformation only Answ. 1. Del and Familists seeme to extoll the Word of God but they juggle with David Georgius and Henry Nicholas who understood by the word Verbum internum the Enthysiasticall inward word of the minde and the Spirit for he and Saltmarsh as they are sparing in citing Chapter and Verse of Scripture so they never expound this Word to bee the Scripture nor can I observe in all their writings that they call it the Scripture as Christ and his Apostles frequently say The Scriptures must be fulfilled as it is written in the Scriptures and in the Prophets The Antinomians in and about London Deny the Scriptures to be the word of God they say the Scripture is but the Letter not the Word of God 2. They say They themselves by the Spirit can write and dite Scripture Mistresse Hutchison with hers said That her particular revelations about events to fall out are as infallible as any parts of Scripture and that shee is bound asmuch to beleeve them as the Scripture for the same holy Ghost is the Author of both Some say they can worke Miracles as if the same immediatly inspiring Holy Ghost and in the same measure that was in the Prophets Apostles and Pen-men of Scripture were also the same sanctifying Spirit of grace that is in all beleevers whereas these differences are cleare betweene them 1. The immediately inspiring Spirit rendred the Prophets and Apostles in that they spake and wrot by such inspiration the immediate organs of the Holy Ghost and such as could not erre So that their word was formally Scripture which priviledge is not given to the most sanctified 2. The Prophets and Apostles were acted above the reach of free will humane doubtings discourses ratiotinations in searching and finding out the truth they needed not advise counsell teaching from men or Angels from flesh and bloud to come to the very knowledge of the Letter of the Gospel Gal. 1.11.12 Ephes. 3. vers 2.3 4. But the Saints need such helps though the Spirit teach them all things to come to know the Letter of Law and Gospel 3. What the Prophets spake God spake what holy men speaketh is Gods word secondarily and in so farre as it agreeth with the written Word of God and no otherwise Jeremiahs word was not secondarily the Word of God and so farre forth onely the Word as it agreeth with the writings of Moses and though Paul forbid Circumcision and Moses command it Pauls command is no lesse primarily and simply the formall object of Faith and the written Word of God then the word of Moses or the Ten Commandements written on Tables of stone by God himselfe But what Del and Antinomians say contrary to the Word of God is nothing else but the very word of the Devill 2 That Del and Libertines with him meane by the Word of God not the Scripture but the Spirit of God in his graces I prove because saith Saltmarsh This Law of the Gospel is not such as it was before a meere Law in the Letter but it is now under the Gospel a law of life spirit or glory it is a Law in the hand of Christ and with the promises of Christ to make it spirituall indeed therefore the word is called Scriptures given by Divine inspiration and the Spirit is called the annointing and teacheth all things and I will put my Law in their inward parts But the Gospel as distinguished from the Law and written by the Apostles is but a meere Law in the Letter
Popery or what else is or shall be by law established without once promise of obedience in the Lord and according to the rule of holy Scripture They well knew that Puritans were hatefull to King James and all such as were non-conform to Prelacy and Ceremonies in either Kingdoms and therefore to ingrâ—tiate themselves into the Kings favour they raile in their fleshly manner against all the godly in England for which cause the Prelates did overlook them partly because they made work of controversies for the times and diverted many from eye-ing and considering the corruptions of Prelates partly because Prelates and they were common enemies to those that were truely godly and unjustly called Puritans and what shall we think of those that went for Puritans in England not many years agoe who now turn Familiâ—ts as many now adaies doe 2. They defy all to object any thing against them except disobedient Puritans who maliced them these 25 years and what marvell for Hen. Nichol. saith prophet of the Spirit c. 13. § 8. He can no more erre in what he saith than could the Prophets of God or Apostles of Christ He saith § 9. Almost all of his way were an uncleane whorish covetous and fleshly company 3 They acknowledge their obedience to Ceremonies sacraments and the Kings supremacie Yâ—t amongst them are neither Kings nor Masters H. Nicho. Spirit c. 34. Sect. 8. But are equall in all degrees among themselves as they say 4 Thâ—y say onely right gracious Soveraigne wee have read certaine bookes brought forth by a German Authour under the Characters of H. N. out of â—hich service or writings we be taught all dutifull obeâ—ience towards God and a Magistrate and to live a godly and honest life and to love God above all things and our Neighbour as our selves agreing therein with all the Holy Scriptures as wee understand them But nothing of the blessed Trinity is here nothing of the Gospel of Christ God man of the justification of the ungodly by faith and the rest of our Articles of faith but only of a mere legall way to heaven as if they were in the state of innocencie So they extoll fleshly Henry Nicholas and his doctrine that disclaimes all the protestant faith 2. They will not have the scriptures a rule of faith but as they understand them 5 They complaine that H. Nicho. is shamefully slandred and his disciples traduced persecuted and imprisoned 6 That nothing could ever bee proved against them But that was because they hold it lawfull to deny Christ and their religion before men what then could bee proved against them 7. They intreat the King to read H.N. his books and commit to learned men the examining of them and promise they will bring over some disciples out of Germanie who knew H Nicho. while hee lived to resolve the K. of hard phrases in his writings 8 That they maintaine no errors willfully 9 They desire inlargement upon baile out of prison Yet the Puritans maintaine errour willfully But the truth was the Prelats because the Familistâ— bowed to their Baal of conformity and hated Puritans and counted any religion indifferent fostered them and would neither refute them nor suffer any others to refute them which is the cause of all the fects this day in England they lay under warme prelacie spake nothing against their domination and now in this time of liberty they come out to the sunne and day-light CHAP. XV. Of the Familists and Antinomians of New England ABout the yeare 1630. The Christians of England who could not beare the Antichristian yoake of prelacy nor submit to the Popish Ceremonies and new inventions of infamous Laud the late persecuting Antichrist of Canterburie who for his Tyranny to soules and treason against the state dyed by the hand of the Hang-man on the Tower-hill of London were forced to remove from England and to plant themselves among the wild Americans with no intention as godly ministers informed me to pitch on a Church-government either that of Independencie or of the stricter Separation or any other different from the reformed Churches but only to injoy the ordinances of Christ in purity and power and to be freed of Prelatical Monarchy a plant never planted in the Lords Viniard by our heavenly Father they were not well established in New England when Antinomians sprang up among them for the Church cannot be long without enemies These were Libertines Familists Antinomians and Enthusiasts who had brought these wicked opinions out of Old England with them where they grew under prelacie I heard at London that godly preachers were in danger of being persecuted by Laud for striving to reclaime some Antinomians They held these wicked tenets especially that follow as may be gathered out of the storie of the Rise Reign and Ruine of the Antinomians and libertines that infected the Churches of New England penned as I am informed by M. Winthrope Governour a faithfull witnes and approved by M.T. Weld in his preface to the book 1 In the conversion of a sinner the faculties and workings of the soule on things pertaining to God are destroyed and instead of them the holy Ghost comes in and taketh place just as the faculties of the humane Nature of Christ doth 2 Love in the Saints is the very holy Ghost 3. As Christ was God manifested in the flesh so is he incarnate and made flesh in every Saint So saith Saltmarsh sparkles of glory opposing the Protestants p. 255. Others say Familists in opposition to Protestants as he cleareth p. 254. Christ in us is when we are made the anoynted of God which is the Christ or the whole intire Christ as one spâ—rituall new man 1 Cor. 12.12 and that the Image of Christ â—n us is Christ manifested in our flesh as to sufferings and death whereby the flesh is crucified in the power of God and of the Spirit and the outward man or the flesh is dying now Christ in the flesh 1 Cor. 12 12. is the mysticall body of Christ his Church and this is to Saltmarsh and Familists God manifested in the flesh 4. The New Creature or new man Love or the armour of God Ephes. 6. is not meant of grace but of Christ himself 5. The whole letter of the Scripture holdeth forth a Covenant of works By which beleevers under grace are not to hear or read the Scriptures nor to search them so Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory p. 247 268 269. 6. The Faith that justifieth hath not any actualâ— beeing out of Christ it is Christ beleeving in us 7 The due search and knowledge of holy Scripture is not a safe way of searching and finding Christ So also Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory p. 244 245. 8 The Law and preaching of it is of no use to drive men to Christ Saltâ— Spark of glory p. 235.236 237 238. 9. All Covenants to God expressed in words are legall Saltmar Spark p. 244. 10 A Christian is not bound to the Law as a rule
3. The whole frame of the creation here is put out of order v. 10.11 4. It is the day that shall come as a Thiefe in the night which is the day of judgement Matth. 24.43 44. 1 Thess. 5.1.2 5. It is the day before which God will gather in his own willing them to be saved 6. It is called The day of the Lord v. 4.9 10. I should not spend time to refute such new dreames 28. Page 262 263. Saltmarsh censures the Lords Prayer as a legall peece because it sayes Our Father which art in heaven but as we are not to dreame of a locall God so neither should our thoughts be creeping low and clayie in prayer 29. The Spirituall Christian knowes no Sabbath but the bosome of the Father 266. Answ. No wonder Antinomians destroy the fourth Commandement they destroy the other nine and all the letter of the Bible as fleshly and a killing Letter I beleeve the Lords day is morall and perpetually morall till Christs comming from Gen. 2.2 Exod. 20.8 Deut. 5.12 Matth. 24.20 John 19.42 Luke 24.56 1 Cor. 16.1 Acts 20.7 Rev. 1.10 Let Saltmarsh and Familists call for the book of sports on the Lords day I knew never any truly Godly in either Kingdom despise the Lords day 30. The Scriptures or writings are the true Scriptures not as they are meerly in their Grammaticall construction sense or common reading which any that understand the Hebrew and Greek may perceive And according to such and such interpretations are not to be imposed as meere things of Faith and Fundamentals but so farre as the Spirit of God reveales them to be the very mind of God else they are received for the authority of Man The Pharisees had the Scriptures in the Letter Answ. Scriptures are not the word of God but in their Grammaticall sense and reading otherwise Jewes and Pharisees have not the Scriptures in the letter that is in the true literall sense for the Pharisees corrupted the Scriptures and made them null the literall sense is the most spirituall sense because Familisticall and Popish allegories and new-light-senses are wild-fire not Gods word Saltmarsh and H.N. doe as corruptly also expone Scripture as the Pharisees did of old For example 1 Tim. 3. God manifested in the flesh and Zach. 13.3 4 5. and 2 Pet. 3.1 2 3 4 c. and Rom. 5. that notable place concerning the first and second Adam and 2 Thess. 2. and the place Rev. 11.1 2. where Saltmarsh saith p. 17. the outer Court of the Temple troden upon by the Gentiles is the flesh and first creation and all outward administrations and many the like so as they leave off to be the word of God being abused by their phantasticall allegories and senses that are not the minde of the Spirit nor his scope 2. If yee receive not Fundamentals but in so far as the Spirit reveales them in the literall sense yee doe well But a naturall Spirit may receive the Orthodox sound sense and be farre from inward revelation that makes the word effectuall 3. We will no man to receive the Word beleevingly because men or Churches command so to doe But of this before the same is Swenckfields argument CHAP. XXVII How Ordinances and the letter of the Word are Instruments of conveying of Christ and his grace â—o us and neither adored of us nor uselesse to us 31. NO outward Ordinance or Ministration of the Creature or of Letter can convey or conferre any spirituall thing they are but images or shadowes of spirituall things the seeing of things darkly as in a glasse 1 Cor. 13. Sparkles of glory p. 247. Answ. This is that which Swenckfield and Mr. Dell and all Libertines teach that the written read and preached Word is no instrument of saving soules because it is not an effectual instrument without the Spirit but the word internall or the Spirit within teaching must be all then is every mans inward word Spirit Conscience his Bible Rule and obliging Lâ—w and every man is obliged to follow his blind guide his consciencâ— and then he is not infallible Hence no compulsion in matters of Conscience yea nor in Polygamy murther For the Word is no Rule say Familists 2. There is not one faith but every man hath a faith and Religion of his own by which he is saved 32 Saltmarsh now riseth higher for whereas he said Free grace c. 49. p. 179 180. To doe any thing merely as commanded from the power of an outward commandement brings but forth legall and mixt service or at best finer hypocrisie Now hee saith in his Sparkles of glory now the outward Ordinance or ministration of the creature or of the letter cannot convey spirituall things to us and epist. to the Reader p. 6. The other opinion of Protestants is that the letting up of such a forme of worshiping God in ordinances scripture letter of the word praying faith habits of graces c. is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it which is indeed a finer kind of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outâ—ard things and conveys his al-glorious and allmighty spirit by them when as they are onely signes figures and Images of more spirituall things injoyed or to be injoyed and that of Gods appearance and conveyance of himselfe in outward things according to this opinion is such as the Papists hold as to Images c. Or things conferring grace ex opere operato and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediatly informes and glorifies and spiritualizeth those formes and figures to the beholders as the Israelites when the Calfe was made cryed these are thy Gods O Israel I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the parables figures and types of spirituall thingâ— are not to be rejected but many Christians doe sweetly partake of them in this their estate of weakenesse or bondage wherein God makes heavenly things appeare by earthly that men as Thomas may see and beleeve though blessed are they that have not seene and yet doe beleeve Thâ—re is something of the mystery of God in this and somâ—thing of a mystery of Sathan in it That of God is this that the Lord doth in much wisdome suffer the weakenesse of some spirituall men to come forth and by this hee carieth spirituall things in more mystery and manageth the glory of his spirit through wayes and things which are an offence and scandal before the world by which some stumble and fall and are broken Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel That of Sathan is this of reproaching the pure spirit of God by reproaches viz. Of praying by the spirit and preaching by the spirit and new revelations and new lights thus making the world blaspheme and the weaker Saints affraid of the glory of the spirit lest it proove delusions Answ. Here is good Reader a more avowed reproaching of the wisdome of
peaceably appointed unto us such a vertuous wise religious and noble King and so carefull and unpartiall a Justitiar to governe over us beseeching him daily to blesse your Highnesse with his godly wisdome and holy understanding to the furtherance of his truth and godlinesse and with all honour happinesse peace and long life and to judge rightly between falsehood and truth And because your Majesty should have a perfect view or an assured perswasion of the truth of the same our protestation if therefore there be any indifferent man of the Kingdome that can justly touch us with any such disobedient and wicked handling of our selves as seemeth by your Majesties booke it hath been informed unto your Highnesse unlesse they be such our mortall enemies the disobedient Puritans and those of their heady humours before named who are much more zealous religious and precise in the tything of mint annis and cummin and in the preferring of such like pharisaicall and selfe chosen outward traditions and grounds or hypocriticall righteousnesse then in the performing of judgement mercy and faith and such like true and inward righteousnesse which God doth most chiefly require and regard Matth. 15.15 c. and whose malice hath for twenty five years past and upwards ever since with very many untrue suggestions and most foule errors and odious crimes the which we could shew if need were sought our utter overthrow and destruction but that we have behaved our selves in all orderlinesse and peaceablenesse of life where we dwell and with whom we had to deale or if we do vary or swerve from the established Religion in this land either in service ceremonies Sermons or Sacracraments or have publickly spoken or inveighed either by word or writing against our late Sovereigne Princesse government in cases spirituall or temporall â—hen let us be rejected for Sectaries and never receive the benefits of Subjects Only right gracious Sovereigne we have read certaine bookes brought forth by a Germane Author under the characters of H.N. who affirmeth therein that hee is prepared chosen and sent of God to minister and set forth the most holy service of the love of God and Christ or of the â—oly Ghost unto the children of men upon the univeâ—â—all earth out of which sâ—rvice or writings we bee taught all dutifull obedience towards God and Magistrates and to live a godly and honest life and to love God above all things and our neighbours as our selves agreeing therein with all the holy Scriptures as wee understand them Against which Author and his books we never yet heard nor knew any Law established in this Realme by our late gracious Sovereigne But that wee might read them without offence whose writings wee suppose under your Highnesse correction your Majesty hath yet never seen or perused heard of by any indifferent nor true information for the said H. N. in all his doctrine and writings being as we are credibly informed as much matter in volumne if they were all compiled together as the whole Bible containeth doth neither take part with nor write against any particular party or company whatsoever as naming them by their names nor yet praise nor dispraise any of them by name but doth only shew in particular in his said writings as saith he the unpartiall service of love requireth what is good or evill for every one wherein the man hath right or wrong in any point whether it be in the state of his soule towards God or in the state of his body toward the Magistrates of the world and towards one another to the end that all people when they heare or read his writings and doe thereby perceive their sinnes and estranging from God and Christ might endeavour them to bring fâ—râ—h the due fruits of repentance which is reformation and newnesse of life according as all the holy Scriptures doth likewise require the same of every one And that they might in that sort become saved through Jesus Christ the only Saviour of all the world Notwithstanding deare Sovereigne yet hath the said Author and his doctrine a long time and still is most shamefully and falsely slandered by our foresaid adversaries both in this land and in divers others as to bee replenished with all manner of damnable errors and filthy liberty of the flesh And we his wel-willers and favourers in the upright drift of his doctrine as aforesaid have also beene of them complained on and accused unto our late gracious Sovereigne And the Magistrates of this land both long time past and now lately againe as to be a people so infected and stained with all manner of detestable wickednesse and errors that are not worthy to live upon the earth but yet would never present any of his books unto his Majesty to peruse nor yet set them forth in any indifferent or true manner to the view of the world lest their malicious and slanderous reports and accusations against the same and us should thereby bee revealed and disproved to their great shame Through which their most odious and false complaints against us the Magistrates did then and also have now lately cast divers of us into prison to our great hindrance and discredit but yet have never proved against us by sufficient and true testimony any one of their many foule accusations as the records in such cases and the Magistrates that have dealt therein can testifie but are so utterly void of due and lawfull proofe thereof that they have framed divers subtle articles for us being plaine and unlearned men to answer upon our oath whereby to urge and gather somethings from our selves so to approve their false and unchristian accusations to be true or else will force us to renounce recant and condemne that which we doe not wilfully maintaine nor justifie much like as it was practised in the Primitive Church against the Christians yea they are not ashamed to lay their owne and all other mens disobedient and wicked acts of what profession soever they be upon our backs to the end cunningly to purchase favour and credit to themselves and to make us seeme monâ—trous and detestable before the Magistrates and the common people every where for that we and the doctrine of H.N. might without any indifferent triall and lawfull or orderly proceeding as heretofore hath beene used in the Christian Church in such cases for confuting and condemning of heresie be utterly rooted out of the land with divers other most cruell practises proceeding out of their bitter and envious hearts towards us tending to the same unchristian and mercilesse purpose the which we will here omit to speake of because we have already been over tedious to your highnesse and most humbly craves your most gracious pardon and patience therein in respect that we speake to cleare our selves of such matters