Protestant Christ that dyed and was crucified on Mount Calvarie and was buried in a new Tombe and rose the third day and ascended into heaven And p. 17. This is the Temple saith he speaking of the invisible Church which the Angel measures with a golden reed and the alter thereof or the eternall Spirit upon which all the first creation is offered in the Saints as it was offered in Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himself leaving out the outward court or the flesh and first creation and all outward ministrations which are given to the Gentiles to tread downe Ans. I feare that by nailing the creation to the crosse and offering it up to God when Christs flesh was offered up is meant that which H. Nicholas said Spiâ—land c. 56. sect 7. if a man would enter into life he must be taught in the service of love and unlearne againe all that he hath taken and learned to himselfe that is as Libertines said he must cast off the knowledge of good and all sense and knowledge of sin and as a childe know and feele neither adultery murther lying stealing nor acts of mercy justice chastity but have a conscience past feeling of both good and ill and this is the offering on the crosse the creation of God the crucifying of the naturall faculties of the soule and to unlearne all you once learned of Christ because it was literall fleshly and carnall and so to crucifie it is one of the first lessons that Familists teach their new disciples when they enter into the service of love H. Nicholas exhort c. 13. s. 9. Hee hath a good head that can take these giddy fleshly notions of Saltmarsh and can render the sense either of Gortyns booke or of this But it is cleare when Christ offered his life and body on the crosse to the Father for our sinnes he offered no flesh no true reall body to God through the eternall Spirit for in that offering saith he he left out the outer court and the flesh or the first creation and outward administrations then the crucifying of Christ in the flesh as the Scripture calleth it is but a dreame Saltmarsh saith That is the outward court the letter the flesh which all the Gentiles trample upon and these Protestants that beleeve Christ suffered according to the flesh are heathen and prophane men Christ in the flesh or under the Law is to Saltmarsh p. 195. the same with the literall Christ of David George not the spirituall true Messias Henry Nicholas said every creature in the first state of creation was God 34. c. sent 10. he hath now declared himselfe and his Christ together with all his Saints unto us his elect and also made a dwelling with us and brought even so unto us out of his holy being the most holy of his true tabernacle with the fulnesse of his garnishing and spirituall heavenly riches to an everlasting fast standing Jerusalem and house for Gods dwelling according to the Scripture To be made partakers of the divine nature according to Familists sense is to be of the substance nature and essence of God and to live with the true being and very life of God It is true Familists say in words they meane not that the creature is the Creator nor that man is God because man saith Randal in a Sermon is vanity and a lye but not man as created or renewed to the image of God and let the Reader judge if Saltmarsh in his sparkles of glory delivers not the same doctrine speaking of two Creations or two natures of flesh and spirit p. 3. While man was thus in the image of God and stood and lived in communion with God walking in that paradise or that glory of his first creation in obedience to God and participation of God he was the image of all or any created excellency as it was or is or shall be in order to a more excellent life to a life out of it selfe in him who is the fountaine of life Saltmarsh cannot meane that man was created in a participation of God in the sense that Protestants meane in regard of the image of God but with H. N. in regard of the godly being wherewith man was godded and diefied at the beginning And p. 6. Saltmar phraseth with H. Nicholas Now all this excellency and glory of the first man did leave God being tempted of the woman and the Serpent which were a figure of fleshly wisdome without God and of the weaknesse of this creation in its owne nature as it was drawne away from its life in God and communion with God to live in its selfe or owne life or to be its selfe what God should have been wisdome and life righteousnesse and power and strength and preservation and all things If Saltmarsh mean with Protestants that Adam did leave his morall or spirituall being and living in and with God while he yet stood in the state of innocency why doth he not speak with Protestants for this is nothing but Adam lost the image of God but not his life being as he came from the hands or as it were out of the shop of the Creator in which he was moulded according to the image of God But I fear Saltm both speaketh and hath the same sense with H. Nicholas that Adam lost his life and lost the very created being and holy selfe which was the very substance and nature of God and now having fallen into sinne he falls into selfe and lives in selfe seperated as touching the essentiall dependency of a creature from God and lost his substantiall selfe and being which is a peece and substantiall parcell of God For Familists say that Adam or an Angel should have ascribed being power or any thing to it selfe was sinne and nothing else but the devill and denying selfe or substantiall being had beene in Adam and was in him his standing in innocencie and to arrogate to selfe being and living was a sinne and a leaving of God So Theolo Germanica and Saltmarsh p. 14. sparkles All the life or excellency of his first creation is crucified in the Saints as in Christ whereby they enter into their glory as he did into his and are in thâ— same glory of God made one as he and the Father are one Joh. 17. The life or being of the first creation as it is a part of God or the sinlesse workmanship of God is not crucified in the Saints as in Christ for in the Saints only sin is crucified and that spiritually by the merit and efficacie of Christs death and his Spirit the naturall being and life of the Saints as they are living men consisting of soule and body is not crucified but no sinne nor lusts nor dominion of sinne were in Christ to be crucified but hee laid downe his naturall reall life and blood as a ransome satisfactory to the justice of God for our sinnes But this deceiver meaneth that Christs anihilating on
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
over them for ye cannot say that a willing man or a man delighting to obey God is compelled to obey God But if we speake of man fallen in sinne who is unable to performe perfect active obedience the Law stands over him in a highest pitch of morall compulsion for whether he be willing to obey or have the Spirit or be unable and void of the Spirit the Law standeth above him exacting a summe of ten thousand talents from him that cannot pay the hundreth part of halfe a talent or an halfpenny as he ought And the man out of Christ and under the Law is still compelled in both active and passive obedience the letter of the Law and this ministration of death without the Spirit hailes and draws him as the literall prisoner fettered by a extremely exacting Law void of all Spirit and conferring no saving strength on him to doe or suffer the penalty of the Law And for the beleever in Christ the rigor of the Law is abated not that the Law as the Law requireth lesse of him then absolutely perfect obedience but because in what hee comes short in performing of new obedience from a new principle to wit a Gospell-spirit in him he is pardoned in Christ and the rest is accepted for Christs sake as if it were obedience Now in this new obedience the Spirit so oyleth the wheeles of free-will as obedience in its kinde is as free connaturall delightfull being sweetned with the love of God as if there were not an awing Law but a sweetly alluring and heart-drawing free love so that the beleever obeyes with an Angell-like obedience then the Spirit seemes to exhaust all the commanding awsomenesse of the Law and supplyes the Lawes imperious power with the strength and power of love if we suppose there had been no Law commanding Christ absolute obedience yet if we suppose a meer directing light without any compelling to shew him what is good and agreeable to Gods commanding will so did Christ obey perfectly from a principle of love and so doth the justified beleever give obedience though imperfect yet sincere to what is Gods will then it followeth 1. The higher and larger measure of willingnesse or the more superlatively the will be bended the light of a divine Law shining on the minde and will the more of the Spirit because the Spirit is essentially free Ps. 51.12 2 Cor. 3.17 the more freenesse and the more freenesse the more renewed will in the obedience and the more renewed will the lesse constraint because freenesse exhausteth constraint and especially when constraint looketh toward eternall punishment and the Law compelleth under pain of eternall death those that are under Law-obligation to obey Now fear of eternall wrath is wholly swallowed up where a free spirit of love and strong delight to obey intervenes between obedience and such feare as is cleare in the man Christ in the dayes of his flesh and the confirmed Angels and though I doubt nothing but feare of the second death was in its way and so farre as was congruous and convenient for a state of sinlesse innocencie to worke upon the will of the first Adam and Evah to deterre them from sinning otherwise that threatning of God In the day thou eatest thou shalt dye had no intrinsecall end nor was it rationall which cannot be said yet Law-threatnings had no influence on the will of the confirmed Angells much lesse on the perfect and holy will of the second Adam which was so filled with God so balasted with so many talent weights of sweet delight and free love Ps. 40.7 8. Joh. 4.34 as Angels and Christ obeyed without any eye-looke or glance of their thoughts to Law-threatning And the justified beleever◠now obeying as a Sonne not as a bond-slave yeeldeth willing obedience from a free leading Spirit the Spirit of adoption proper to sons who obey their father out of an instinct of love not out of a principle of commanding awing and terrifying Law as slaves under bondage doe obey their masters Rom 8.14 15 16 17. And the Law of the Spirit of life commeth in into the place of the compelling and cursing Law not that the directing and obliging power thereof is removed and acteth a beleever to obey as if there were no Law over him at all and freeth him from the Law of sinne from the dominion of the Law in binding him over to a curse Rom. 8.2 Rom. 7.1 2 3. as if there were not a Law given to a justified man 1 Tim. 1.9 And looke how wee say the willing free obedience of men consisteth well with the necessity of Gods absolute decree so sweet delightfull freenesse of a Gospel-spirit led by God does well consist with the necessity of an obliging and strongly commanding Law though the sting of the cursing and threatning be removed 7. Now the fond conceit of Waldesso consideration 63. is utterly to be rejected for he saith the Scripture shines as a light in a darke place untill the day-star arise in the heart 2 Pet. 1. and then the man hath no more need to seeke that of the holy Scripture which departs of it selfe as the light of a candle departs when the Sunne-beames enter even as Moses departed at the presence of Christ and the Law at the presence of the Gospell But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill noteth not a certaine time of the removing of the light of the word since Peter there preferres it to the revelation at Christs transfiguration Matth. 1.25 Joseph knew her not untill she brought forth her first borne it followeth not ergo he knew her after so Matth. 11.13.15 the Law and Prophets are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 untill John then no more Law and Prophets after John it followeth not Matth. 12.20 he shall not breake a bruised reed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till he bring forth judgement to victory therefore when he has brought forth judgement to victory he must then break the bruised reed and be no longer tender to weak ones Matth. 14.22 he constrained his Disciples to goe to the other side till he send the multitude away then he sent not the multitude away when the Disciples were come to the other side it is absurd So Matth. 16.28 they shall not taste of death untill they see the Kingdome of God come ergo they shall live no longer then they see the Kingdome of God come it followeth not Matth. 22.44 Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstoole ergo after Christs enemies are subdued he shall sit no longer at the right hand of the Father Joh. 5.17 My Father worketh untill now and I worke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ergo my father works no more after this in his providence in governing the world what more absurd 1 Tim. 4.13 Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine then must Timothy read exhort and preach no more after Paul is come The place presseth us to wait on
276 277 Saltmarsh defineth Heresie in relation to the Spirits teaching not to the written Word 279 And Schisme to be in relation to the invisible not to the visible Church 280 Chap. XXXIII Familists minde touching prayer 281 282 Chap. XXXIIII A tast of the wild allegorick interpretations of Scriptures that Saltmarsh fathers on the spirit 282 283 284 c. All in Covenant with God are preachers of the Gospel to Saltmarsh 282 Saltmarsh and H. Nicholas makes Christ's comming againe and judging of the world to have beene these 1640. yeares 284 Saltmarsh would prove by Scripture there should be no baptizing by water 284 285 Christ crucified is nothing to Saltmarsh but the Saints Godded and Christed and suffering with faith patience 285 Ordinances are onely for the unconverted before 〈◊〉 to supply the absence of the spirit 285 286 The story of Adam but a figure to Saltmarsh 286 The Doctrine of John Baptist is gone saith Saltmarsh 286. Saltmarsh with Socinians will have the love of our enemies not commanded in the old Testament 287 Saltmarsh dreames of a Church on earth that shall want Ordinances 287 288 The place Gal. 4.1 Of the Heire under Tutors vindicated from Saltmarsh's glosse 289 The Corinthians called carnall unduely 1 Cor. 3.1 2. by Saltmarsh the place vindicated 290 Christ's disciples not under a stinted liturgy 291 The place 1 Cor. 10. they did all eate c. speakes nothing of the Idolatry of meanes and Ordinances as Saltmarsh phancies 292 The Disciples of Christ not under a carnall ministration but had the revelation of the spirit as well as we 293 2 Thess. 2. touching the Antichrist vindicated 293 294 The place John 17. Father glorifie me c. foully abused vindicated 294 295 Exod. 33. None can see mee and live vindicated from Saltmarsh his glosse 295 296 The place Zach. 13. of killing false Prophets under the Gospell vindicated 296 297 Chap. XXXV Of the anoynting of the Spirit and the Letter 297 298 c. Of the knowledge of such as are under actuall vision in a Trance 297 298 Prophets not ever under actuall visions in actuall prophecying to men as when in a dreame or trance they see the visions of God 298 299 Prophets see not really the things themselves but the speces or images in the opened decree of God 300 301 The spirit opposed to bodily and externall 300 Externall Ordinances in sensu composito and diviso how they suit with the Spirit 301 302 Three wayes of union betweene the word and the spirit 302 303 The reall influence of spirituall operations on the body 303 304 We adore not Characters 304 The spirit because the spirit and seperated from the word nâ—t our obliging rule but the law and the testimony 304 305 We are to wait on God in the use of outward meanes though the spirit worke not ever upon our hearts 305 306 Divers wayes of the spirits concurring with the word 306 307 The places Jer. 31. They shall no more teach his brother and 1 Joh. 2.27 The anointing teacheth you all things cleared and vindicated 307 308 309 We make not the word to have two senses one externall and preparatory another internall and spirituall 309 310 311 The one literall sense the true and native sense of the word 311 312 Divers other considerations of the word and Spirit The Spirit opposed to humane eloquence 312 313 To cold dead and dry speaking 313 314 To that which smells most of our wit 314 To wild logicke 314 315 The characters of a spirituall condition 315 316 The Spirit determines the actions according to the specification and to the exercise 315 316 317 The Spirit how he goes along with the Law 315 316 The obliging Law and the free Spirit consist together 316 The morall compulsion of the Law is exhausted by the freenesse of a Gospel-spirit 318 Threatnings legall had influence on the will of the first Adam not of the second or of confirmed Angels 318 319 The place 2 Pet. 1. Untill the day-starre arise c. vindicated 319 320 How the Spirit is the day-starre 320 How true that is the more of the letter the lesse of the Spirit 321 322 How wee are changed into the same spiritualnesse contained in the Gospel 322 323 324 Familists have no new discoveries 325 326 How duties are spiritually taught in the Gospel 326 327 The Word the formall object of our faith the Spirit the effâ—cient 327 328 The Gospel to Antinomians a meere killing letter 328 329 The word spirituall beyond figures and letters in every consideration 329 330 The spirit determineth the actions of the spirituall man 330 The order of acting in supernaturall actions often from the Spirit 331 332 The assumption of a syllogisme of conscience proven by the Spirit 332 333 How farre the Saints are to leave Rome for new light 334 3â—5 Preaching of duties not contrary to the spirit 335 336 What the Law of the spirit of life is 336 Characters of a spirituall condition 336 337 The written Word to Familists is but a type and a shadow 337 338 Ordinances to continue to the end 338 339 Climbing from ministrations naturall or civill to higher ministrations an unwritten phancy of Familists 340 341 The garment wherewith the Sonne of God was clothed is opeâ—eâ— to consist in six points by Saltmarsh and to bee divers ministrations 339 340 How mortification is a signe of a spirituall condition 341 342 A Petition of the Familists of England to King James anno 1604. 343 344 345 c. Their virulency and malice to Puritans 343 344 Their extolling of H. Nicholas 346 347 They will have us saved by workes of righteousnesse that wee doe 347 Prelates never troubled Familists because they were enemies to Puritans and conforme to the Prelates wayes 341 They clambe to the Apostolicke Church and reject the Apostolick Scriptures 348 Divers of the Court of Queene Elizabeth and King James were Familists 349 Familists are for universall grace 349 They labour to pervert King James to Familisme 350 They condemne all as Antichristian that are not of their way ibid. They professe uncouth phrases that Protestants cannot understand as Libertines did ibid. They professe they will take and imbrace reject or refuse their Religions which is the only true way to salvation as the King and his Laws shall enjoyne 350 351 An abjuration tendred to Familists in England aâ— 1580. the 10th of Queene Elizabeths reigne by the Lords of the secret councell declaring H. Nicholas to be an Heretick 353 354. II. Part Contents of the second Part called a Survey of Antinomianisme CChap I. Antinomians unjustly accuse us p. 1 2 Chap. II. Antinomians are Pelagians Chap. III. Protestants hold no preparations with Pelagians Papists and Arminians going before conversion 2 3 4 Sinners are not healed of Christ as sinners but as such sinners who are freely chosen and loved of God 4 Chap. IIII. How we teach a desire of grace to be grace ibid. Chap. V. How we
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 that because â—raile men that are but earthen pitchers come out bearing this heavenly treasure that we beleeve in the word as in God as if the principall author were the instrument or the Master and Lord the servant For it is the Word of God that is the instrument of conversion not the word God for the substantiall word God is author and the onely finisher of our faith nor doe we any otherwise trust hope in or beleeve the word then as a meane or instrument sanctified of God for so blessed an end God is the onely formall object of our faith and fiduciall recumbency but God cloatheth himselfe in a way of conâ—iscention with his owne word and ordinances for our capacity neither doth it follow because a sinfull man preacheth the word that man layeth the first stone of the new creation and that faith and conversion hath its first rise and spring from man or from the free will of the preacher as Swenckâ—eldians imagine because faith as faith hath no beginning no part of it from the naked act of preaching or from the letter or bare sound of words no more then Lazarus had his soule fetched into his body by the created and vocall sound of those words uttered by Christ-man Lazarus come forth because faith commeth from the word preached tali modo so and so as the winde and breathing of the Holy Ghost goeth along with the vocall and literall aire of words preached by a sinfull man for the soule of Lazarus entered his body by Christs words animated and quickned with the power of the God-head who indeed raised the dead man onely this difference I conceive there is that words and sound of words uttered by Christ were not so much as an active instrument of the raising of dead Lazarus nor was the blowing of Rames horns any active instrument of the falling of the walls of Iericho but at the naked presence of both the dead man was quickened and the walls fell But I should conceive the word preached being in that which it signifieth a divine signe and indeed the word of God as the scripture every where calls it and a reall message from heaven may and I nothing doubt doth contribute an organicall instrumentall active influence to the begetting of faith but ever as it is elevated as it were above it selfe and above the nature and sphere of a meere vocall and audible sound and powered by the Spirit Now I should thinke it but curiosity to inquire how the Spirit and word are united in the working of faith for let those that aske shew the union betweene bread eaten and the nutritive power that turneth bread and transsubstantiateth it into blood and flesh and worketh the last worke which Physitians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or assimulation the very substantiall turning of bread into a peece of the childs hand foot shoulder to cause the parts and members increase and grow to the stature and reall bignesse of a perfect man I shall not thinke that the Spirit entereth into the bodily sound of words and commeth along inclosed in it to the hearers soule and makes him beleeve I rather thinke with learned Pemble that the Spirit quickneth rather the dead man that heareth the word then the dead letter of the word for the Holy Ghoâ—â— never so farre reproached the word of God as to call it a dead letter in the sense of Swenckefeldians Familists and Antinomians whose minde is that word and seales and all ordinances are but the Alphabet to unconverted men as Io. Valdesso saith and so say they of Images and Crucifixes that are as bookes to teach the ignorant and rude but when men are once Iustified called regenerated they have no more need of word and ordinances of oblieging Lawes to lead them awe them teach direct or obliege or command them then a learned man hath need to goe backe to the Catechise and learne the abc and spel and read againe Therefore the word doth but prepare and dispose the outward man say they and when men are perfect as they are being once Iustified and as sinlesse and cleane as Christ honycombe c. 3. pag. 25. Saltmarsh free grace pag. 140 and their sinnes are but seeming and imaginary not really and truly sinnes Saltmarsh free grace 32.142.154 Towne asser grace 39 40. honycombe Chap. 5.47 Den man of sinne pag. 9 10 11. after they need nothing that Man or Angell can doe to them they need no lawes saith Del ser. 26. but these three 1 The law of a new creature 2 The law of the spirit of life that is in Christ 3 The law of Loue not any of these are the written scripture or the preaching of the word Saltmarsh free grace page 240 theâ— beleever is as free from hell law and bondage on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve that he is so sure in heaven he needeth not preaching written scriptures sacraments praying for forgivenesse repentance faith nor to complaine as Paul doth Rom. 7 of the indwelling of the body of sinne The bright starre c. 11 p. 108 109. tells us that all meanes ordinance light understanding willing thinking are annihilated and nothinged and that the beleever c. 12 beholds God without meanes in this life and so we have no more to doe with the word or to grow in grace and knowledge CHAP. VII Of Revelations and Inspirations AS Swenckefeld and his so Familists and Antinomians now as also the Nicolaitans of which hereafter were all for immediate inspirations revelations without scripture or indeavours or studying or bookes or reading It was observed in New England when Familists grew that especially in the Towne of Boston and in other parts of New England Familists devised such a difference betweene the covenant of workes and of grace especially after a sermon preached by M. Wheelewreight a prime Familist that he that will not renounce saith the author of the story of the rise reigne c. pag. 24 25 his sanctification and wait for an immediate revelation of the Spirit cannot be admitted be he never so Godly and is looked on as an enemy to Christ and he that is already in the Church and will not acknowledge this new light is undervalued Now as touching revelations and inspirations of the Spirit I conceave with all submission to the Learned and Godly 1 There is a twofold revelation one of the letter of the word and Gospell this is nothing but the Lords active uttering of his will and Gospell which was hid before as Ephes. 3.9 10 Ezech. 20.11 12. Hosea 8.12 Rev. 1.19 This is a revelation proper and immunicable to any for God onely did devise the Gospell when neither Men nor Angell could dreame of a way of redemption for lost man and reveeled to Adam that the seed of the woman Jesus Christ should breake the head of the Serpent and dissolve the workes of Satan
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
autem teipsum tibi abstulerit hoc sequere Therefore I adde these few considerations touching the Antinomians way of free-will 1 Consideration Wee are not able to master a good thought but when the spirit works in us to will and to doe yet are wee not freed from the Gospell-command to doe will beleeve love hope pray feare obey even when the spirit acts us not 2 Consideration Nor is it peculiar to the covenant of workes that what ever God commands man hath absolute and independent power to obey But t is common to the dispensation both of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace and not peculiar to pure law more than to the gospel but common it is to all states that Angels or man can doe nothing but as predetermined by God who did shew what frail nature is for though Adam had a sanctified and strong free-will to obey God yet when God was pleased to with-draw his predeterminating influence by which Adam should actually have continued and persevered in actuall obedience and in a holy abstinence from eating of the tree of knowledge hic nunc it was no more in Adams independent power to keepe that commandement â—ate not then the sunne can move or the fire cast heat when God denyeth his actuall influence to either So the law had so much of beggarlinesse frailty and impotencie of the creature before its fall that the Image of God in its flower Summer-prime and beauty could not keepe Adam from falling on his owne weight yet was he obleiged not to fall by law and was not able to stand without the predeterminating influence of God and so sinne in falling when hee could not stand and this is the same in the covenant of grace the Image of the second Adam keepes us not indeclinably from sin and though in the Gospell God gives grace to doe what hee requires yet can wee doe nothing even when wee are gifted with a new heart and with a new spirit except the Lord work in us to will and to doe hic nunc Antinomians say when God with-draweth his predeterminating grace without which wee cannot worke nor pray nor beleeve no command obligeth us in that case to worke pray or beleeve because we are not under the law it is legall that we should bee obliged to fulfill a command which wee cannot fulfill so Del ser. p. 19. In the Gospel the word and the spirit are alwayes conjoyned a manifest untruth for the spirit is free to deny his influence hic nunc when the Gospel is preached to beleevers And it is no law-straine that wee bee obliged to obey a Gospel-command when the spirit worketh not 3 Consideration What is our owne onely and nothing but pure unmixed created free-will in any good worke is not to bee our darling as if that were all A higher principall must lead us then will else wee are misled and stuck in the briars 4 Consideration Even to carry grace and to bee subjective and passive under grace and to have a new heart soures us with pride therfore the spece and nature of mankinde let alone our individuals must breake in Adam under habituall grace far more when wee are active by grace therefore all must bee ascribed to God I laboured more abundantly than they all to prevent boasting hee must adde Not I but the grace of God in mee And least hee should bee proud of being the subject of grace as if a poore Horse should boast of a golden Saddle Hee saith by his grace I am that I am pride is so subtle that it would creepe in under the golden crowne and enter in the heads of the foure and twentie Elders glorified in heaven if there were not grace to cause them Rev. 4.10 Cast downe their Crownes before him that sits on the throne most refined grace where it wants drosse even in Heaven in the element of grace can swell us and puffe us up except another grace pull down our top-saile 5. Consideration It is safer that we be chosen then that we chose that we be acted upon then that we act and that that choyce and fine piece of us free-will be like a rare Jewell kept in a case of gold and in such a cabinet as the grace of Christ. 6. Consideration Free-wills Sabbath and rest is to lye quietly and contentedly under the sweet actings of grace and our non-resisting of Christ in his sweetest operation is our onely happinesse would we be patient of the Holy Ghosts omnipotency of saving operation and not with-draw our hearts from under the bedewing celestiall showers and droppings of the heaven of heavens we should improve to good purpose free-will and rest in the bosome of Christs love and sleep and lye and drink in Christ and then we were undeniably happy 7. Consideration True free-will is a sparkle of God so much of a loosed and unfettered will to doe good so much of God grace is golden wings for nature to flee to heaven withall Freedome to doe ill and to move to hell is the devils fetters of vengeance 8. Consideration Created free-will and Law are enemies as fire and water what Law willeth Will refuseth The love of Christ sodereth them in one and grace maketh Law honey and milk to the soule 9. Consideration Man chooseth God because hee is chosen And marrieth Christ because he was first married against his will for without consent the consent is conquered to Christ. 10 Consideration That wee cannot lose Christ and the Crowne is our best freedome 11 Consideration Antinomians by fathering their heresie on Luther harden the Papists in their lies for Alphonsus a Casco de haeresibus l. 6. Verb. Evangelium saith Luther Melanthon Brentius teach that the Gospel commandeth no duty at all and removes all necessity of good works which they doe onely in the matter of justification But this was that which Antinomians taught in Luthers time which Luther refuted For Luther often speaketh of the Gospel as opposed to the Law of Works and as it teacheth the way how the ungodly is justified And saith with Paul that we are justified by faith onely without works which Papists cannot indure 12 Consideration Broken free-will that first and ever lost credit is a field fit for free-grace to grow in And the lesse that the free-will of Angels could doe to stand when their fellow-fellow-Angels fell the higher is the rate and worth of free-grace in sustaining them and except we would have elect Angels to divide the glory with God of their standing when their fellows fell we must say the lot of grace falling on these blessed Spirits not nature separated them from others as good by nature as they were 13 Consideration Let nature at its flower be a broken gold chaine that Christ may soder it It was a depth that our wise Lord would create such timber or mettall as free-will that Christ might ingrave on it the artifice and elaborate skill of
or exemplary dying by way of imitation only to teach us the like patience but that Christ God-man really offered to the Father blood as a perfect ransome to redeeme his Church The deceiving Familists eluding the whole history of Scripture and this Impostore Gortyn saith his blood is to bee exporâ—ed only of the power of his God-head and his flesh of the weakenesse of our natures or of us who only in creation are made according to the Image of God Yea Gortyn saith p. 104. Christ suffereth in them that is in the weake Saints else can he have no death at all and then no Saviour then he suffered not in his owne Manhood then hath hee not by himselfe purged our sin Heb. 1.3 Nor was it Christ himself who in his owne body on the tree bare our sins 1 Pet. 2.24 The body of Christ say the Familists and Antinomians is his Church Now the Church is his mysticall body but Christ had and yet hath another true real naturall body besides his body the Church This seemeth to mee to bee the doctrine of M. Saltmarsh who in his latest peece that I cannot now examine this worke being printed but it is the very picture of the spirit of Henry Nicholas giveth hints that Christ is not true man Sparkles of glory p. 39. The baptisme of Jesus Christ is that whereby wee are baptized into his body Now his body is a spirituall one and fashioning like his gloryous one that place Phil. 3.20 21 that speakes of Christs naturall body Saltmarsh exponeth of his mysticall body the Church as if Christ had not another body then his Church his mysticall body Now Christs mysticall body suffered not on the Crosse for our sinnes And pag. 43. When Jesus saith he went out of flesh into spirit or ascended he confirmed this ministration c. Then Christs ascension to heaven in his manhood is not locall and visible though the scripture say Act. 1. His Disciples saw him locally and visibly ascend and the Angels said these men of Galilie should see him after the same manner come to judgement but his ascension is but his leaving of his flesh or mysticall body on earth and being turned into a spirit or his entring in a more spirituall and glorious being into heaven and if this bee true that his ascension is but his going out of flesh into spirit then hath not Christ taken our nature and flesh and a mans heart to heaven with him that hee may be touched with our infirmities Contrary to these Scriptures Eph. 2. ver 6. Phi. 3.20.21 Heb. 4.14 15. Heb. 7.24 25 26. Heb. 10.20 21. Againe by blood in scripture is never meant the power or life of God How shall wee then make sense of that Heb. 2.14 For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill And what is that but he was true man v. 17. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to bee made like unto his bretheren that he might be a mercifull High-Priest Now the Children were not partakers of flesh and blood that is of weakenesse and the power of God or the God-head for so Familists expone flesh and blood except we say that every beleever is both borne of the seed of David according to the flesh and is God blessed for ever A horrible blasphemy for so Christ Rom. 9. partakes of flesh and blood according to the Familists way And this way of changing all histories of the word in allegories is the way to elude all truth When it is said God created the Heaven and the Earth the Sea Man Beasts Birds Fishes wee must make the world an Imaginary and Metaphoricall world the Creation must be but an allegorie men must be figures allegories and metaphors so must heaven earth sea land birds fishes be metaphors for there is as true a reall history of all that Jesus did and said untill the day he was taken up to heaven Act. 1.1 2. As of all other true histories in the word Else Familists puts us to a stand in all the Articles of our faith I confesse the way that Del and the Familists take when they cite these words for an internall word and a spirituall and allegorick sense besides the litterall sense The words that I speake are spirit and life Is an unavoydable way to elude all scripture and M. Beacon in his Catechisme while he cleare himselfe is a grosse Familist to mee for he speaking of Christ crucified turnes all Christ in a Metaphoricall Imaginary Christ in these words pag. 137. Q. how long did this suffering last A. Till he gave up the Ghost Q. Who was crucified hereby A. The old man Q. What was the old man A. The sinfull man Q. Is the sinfull man ceased A. Yes in Christ. Q. How so A. He was left nailed on the crosse These words who was crucified in a Catechisme aske in what nature Christ suffered and whether or no Christ God man in regard of communion of properties may be said to suffer Who did suffer Now he should answer the Lord of life in his humane nature But passing the answer touching all personall and materiall sufferings of Christ which is a speciall and fundamentall article of our faith and ought not to be omitted in a Catechisme he cometh to a morall suffering of the body of sin by influence of Christs death on our soules now first and primarily Christ himselfe was nailed to the Crosse as a sacrifice for our sinnes this is omitted by Beacon secondarily as a fruit of his death the Old-man is crucified with him Rom. 6. but not as Beacon means that the Old-man is ceased and we sin no more being once justified as if the Old-man were perfectly crucified as he answereth And it is true that Christs dying teacheth us to die to sinne and so Christs death is spiritually to be exponâ—d where the scripture exponeth it as Rom. 6.1 2 3 and 1 Pet. 1.23 24. and else where But that is no ground for Papists Antinomians and Familists to take away all the truth of histories touching Christ his incarnation death resurrection ascension sitting at the right hand of God redeeming of the world heaven and hell and to subvert our faith and change all in spirituall and allegoricall senses under pretence of a spirituall Gospel-preaching we cannot then by the learning of these Jugglers expone the story of the drowning of the world by waters but of allegoricall men allegoricall drowning not literally For if we expone the stories of the Scripture literally Familists say we are literall expositers and know nothing of the spirit and spirituall learning 7 These Familists teach that Christ reveales his will by no voyce but the voyce of the Spirit in the Saints p. 104. that is the internall Spirit and word is our onely rule and not the writen word
works of the Spirit and works of all Spirit and perfect according to the rigor of the Law for the acts of the pure Spirit admitting of no retardment pollution or sinne from our nature must be as perfect as pure works of Angels And if our naturall faculties be not wholly dead they are but acts of the creature as the creature then are all our supernaturall personall duties no lesse perfect and sinlesse then the imputed righteousnesse and actings of Christ. 2. Then the holy Spirit onely is to be blamed when either the Saints pray not or pray not in the Spirit or not with that fervor faith feeling and pure spirituality that God requireth in his holy word this if any thing is a pillow of security 3. So all the exhortations to pray continually to act and work out our salvation in feare to love the brethren must be given to the holy Ghost not to us the contrary whereof is evident we the Saints not God not the Spirit of God are exhorted to praying and acts supernaturall which cannot be if the Saints have no more active influence in all these then stones blocks have for that is none at all then are we meere passive and dead in all these then must a praying Christian be God or his Spirit manifested in the flesh as to this and a Christian beleeving praising is the like CHAP. XXIII Praying a Law-bondage the letter of the word no obliging Rule to those that are in the Spirit by the way of Saltmarsh 22. WHile Christians are in bondage and not yet brought into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. they are under the ministration of prayer as children are to a Father in nonage vnd â—upillage Sparkles p. 232. A. His sense is that the Saints may be in a state of not praying at all in this life but taking bondage for a state of frailty absence froÌ„ God it is true praying argueth some Bondage want of full and compleat redemption that we as women travelling in birth long after But Saltmarsh meaneth of Legall Bondage and feare of the curse and fleshly and carnall feare and most blasphemously he makes Pauls thrice praying to remove the Messenger of Satan Christs thrice praying O my Father if it be possible remove this cup not be praying in the spâ—irit but in weaknesse or the flesh according to their own wills which must make praying in faith to be in the same act praying out of legall and fleshly unbeliefe and make Christ under a fit of unbeliefe and not to pray in the Spirit when he said Remove this Cup c. Now Saltmarsh could not have brought a place more against himselfe to prove that prayer is not a fit of Legall bondage then Rom. 8. For it is said v. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to feare but the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 23. The meere Commandements and letter of Scripture is not a Law to a Christian why he should walk in duties but the law written in our hearts Sparkles page 243 245. Ans. Then the written Gospel and promises of the new Covenant obligeth not a beleever to pray beleeve give almes or not to kill his father or King but when the H. Ghost breatheth in the soule to doe these duties then if a beleever whoore swear kill rob blaspheme misbeleeve c. he sinnes not against any command in Law or Gospel because the holy Spirit acted him not to abstain and God the holy Ghost is the onely cause of all the sinnes of the Saints because he concurres not with more then the letter even with saving grace to prevent these sinnes Wee sinne not in not praying not beleeving when the grace of God joyns not then a man being in Christ may whore rob blaspheme misbeleeve c. if God wil be wanting to him with his flowings and outâ—shinings of free grace let him see to it blame himselfe he fails against no Law Commandement or Obligation Libertines taught the very same to wit That God is the onely cause of sin no creature Man nor Angel is to be rebuked or punished for sin God sinnes in them Oh blasphemy 2. We never said that the meer Commandements and Letter of the Scripture is our obliging rule as the Letter is a thing of Ink and a Paper divided from the naturall and genuine sense but as it includes the things signified and as it expresseth to us what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God which will obligeth Christians with an obligation different from any obligation that the Lâ—w written in the heart layes on us But this is as much as when a Sectary being justified robbeth and killeth the innocent hee fails nothing against this written commandement Thou shalt not murther and a Saint cannot sinne yea if the Law written in the heart excite him not to abâ—taine he sinnes against no commandement of God but the Law written in the heart is the new creation as acting which cannot be a Regula or Rule but a regulatum a thing ruled and this is to make the Spirit within us not the spirit as speaking in the Word the formall object of our faith the Judge of controversies and that is then lawfull that every unwarranted spirit biddeth us doe and beleeve 3. The Law written in our hearts is either an obliging Law to the Christian because it is onely written in the heart or because it is written in the Scripture or agreeable to that which is written in the Scripture If the former be said then is the impulsion of the Spirit in the heart without any relation to the Word our warrant this is nothing but Scripture lesse revelation if then a Spirit in the heart comand Becold Knippeâ—dâ—â—ing to â—oe aâ—ts of murther and Rebellion â—s they did they 〈◊〉 in not obeying these impulsions which yet are contrary to the revealed will of God Now it is a contradiction iâ— one and the same act to obey the revealed will of God and that lawfully and not to obey it and that also lawfully If this heart-law be an obliging law because it is also written in the Scripture then is the meere Commandemement and Letter of the Scripture the last obliging law at least to a Christian. And then yet when the Spirit does not conjoyne his sweetest breathings to procure in us an holy abstinence from murther harlotry perjury but the Christian falls in these sinnes he sinnes not because no man sinnes when he doth what he is not obliged to forbeare or not to doe For every one that sinneth doth against an obliging Rule But when there is no inspiration nor actuall moving or stirring law in the heart there is no obliging Rule at all that the Christian can contravene For if the law in the heart be the onely Rule that obligeth a Christian it must oblige as it stirreth and moveth us then when it stirres or works not it
principle of grace by which they were to bee faithfull to him who sent them and durst not preach smooth things nor conceale the visions of God False Prophets as Balaam and Caiaphas doe out of a Propheticall impulâ—â—on both see and speake the visions of God and are punished of God for speaking Propheticall truths which they cannot chuse but must speake for they preach them not because they are awed of God and dare not heale the wound of the daughter of Gods people with faire words but beside their intention as Balaam did Num. 23. ch 24. And thus it is not necessary when Prophets reveale visions that in that act of revelation they see them to be true revelations with only a Propheticall light And because the Propheticall light is not perfect but infused ad modum recipientis as we are capable to receive the speces of things may be objected to the Prophets understanding and they see them as things but not in the spirituall signification they stand under so Iohn saw seven starres and seven golden Candlestickes but knew not that the one noted the seven Angels of the Church and the other the seven Churches The way God offers the speces to the understanding is not knowne to us but it is sutable and congruous to the nature of Spirits Yet doth not God let the Prophets see the things themselves but only the intellectuall speces for 1 King 22.17.19 20. compared with v. 28. cleareth that Israell was not really scattered nor Ahab really killed at Ramoth-Gilead but only visionally for Ahab then should really both be dead and alive Israel scattered not scattered at the same time which involveth a contradiction yet Micajah said he had seene the one and the other then he saw the visionall images printed in the revealed decree of God or some other way offered to his imagination Now this Propheticall Spirit doth not act the Saints in beleeving and praying or the like as Antinomians would have all to be Prophets but the Spirit of grace and supplication of which these considerations may serve to cleare truth between us and Antinomians who runne the way of Enthusiasts Hence 1. That we may more exactly know the nature of worshipping God in Spirit and in the letter We are to consider 1. a spirit is opposed to that which is a body and bodily and externall as Luke 24 39. Handle mee and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see I have thus they call Christ in the flesh not a spirituall Christ. David George and H. Nicholas call him a fleshy and a literall Christ because such a Christ say they commeth under the senses as if Christ because true man in the flesh who was filled with the anointing above his fellowes and because he was cloathed with our flesh could not preach and pray more spiritually then David George or H. Nicholas 2. A spirit is opposed to that which is literall and externall and is only a signe a forme a sound and hath nothing of life and spirit in it Ioh. 6.63 It is the Spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing the words that I speake unto you they are spirit they are life The Spirit there is opposed to carnall these of Capernaum dreamed of an orall carnall materiall bodily and externall eating of Christs flesh and drinking his blood Christ refuteth that and sayeth it was the Spirit of Christ not his bare flesh that quickneth dead sinners and that his words spoken v. 54 55 56. Of eating the sonne of mans flesh and drinking his blood must be taken spiritually not carnally and grossely and so Antinomians falsely impute to us that we expone all tropes and allegories that should be exponed spiritually in a carnall and literall sense 3. 2 Cor. 3. The Spirit and inward working is opposed to the letter and outward working and so externall and outward worship only and in the only letter and sound of words is opposed to the spirituall and internall worship in life and power But if yee speake in sensu composito only and meerly externall and literall working is hypocriticall when there is no heart-worke and it is as if a painted man should speake no heat no warmnesse of breath commeth out of his mouth this acting is no Ordinance of God but an act of hypocrisie so we doe not plead for externall reformation in concreto nor for the reading hearing meditating and preaching on the Scriptures with this positive act of doing these hypocritically if we speake againe in sensu diviâ—o of the word in the letter and Scriptures in themselves not including the Spirit or any influence thereof in or with the word we judge these two the word and the Spirit to be subordinate not contrary and see not but we are to stand for and defend all Ordinances in themselves Scripture reading hearing praying Sacraments as in or of themselves Ordinances of God and of divine institution though as they are such the Spirit joyn not with them nor doth the word of God make any such opposition between them as that some Christians should bee under these externall Ordinances as being more legall and lesse spirituall and others beyond above all Ordinances externall and taught of God immediately because they are forsooth â—nder all-spirit and purely spirituall and so taught of God as they have no more need of Ordinances then learned Doctors have to read the horne-booke as Waldesso saith But how the word and Spirit are particularly united happily is more then the learned and godly can define I should thinke the word and Spirit are united as the King and the Kings Law revealed to his Subjects are one as we say the King is in every Court in regard the Kings Law is there or the Master is with the servant in his masterly authority that the servant carrieth when he speaketh in the name of his Master So as when Ieremiah and Esaiah yea or any faithfull Ambassador speaketh in Christs name the word and will of God God is said to speak by the mouth of those his holy Prophets and servants 2. The word and the Spirit are united as the principall and instrumentall cause as Christ is where his word is either converting or convincing and because the way of Christs working by the word is much in a morall way as by a signe conveying the thing signifâ—ed by his Spirit Therefore the 3. way how Christ or his Spirit is in the word may be thus Christ cloatheth himselfe with the word or Scripture read or sounding in the eare as the thing signified is in the signe as the King carries himselfe to the minde and affection of his Spouse in a farre Countrey by the pourtrait of the King or by a friend an Ambassador or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by whom she is married to him though shee never saw the King himselfe in face and countenance And when Christ is in our hearts by faith and we regenerated by the
not to oblige the elect to obedience except the Spirit goe along with them in that they conspire with Arminians and Pelagians who will have the Covenant of grace an unjust bargaine as obliging to things unpossible except God bestow sufficient grace on all and againe they must say none unconverted are condemned for not beleeving that Gospell because it is unpossible in the letter as well as the Law to any except the Spirit worke in us to will and to doe 3. He denyeth that we are to wait on outward Ordinances or on God in the use of means which hath a double sense 1. As if we were to wait for conversion from only outward means or as if the letter of the word the sound of mens voice the seales or Ordinances of themselves could worke faith or of themselves convey spirituall things to the soule this we teach not But we teach that faith comes by hearing not internall hearing for that is conversion it selfe but by hearing of a sent Preacher Rom. 10.14 15 16. But the way of Gods conveying spirituall things by the word preached we dare not determine but sure we are to wait on Ordinances externall as the man waited thirty eight years at the poole for his health though not the pool but the Angel troubling the water healed all that were healed and while the Eunuch reads and heares Philip expone Esa. 53. the Spirit acteâ—h upon his soule and while Lydia heares the Lord opens her heart while Peter preacheth the word the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the word Act. 10.44 Act. 8.34 35 36. Act. 16.14 while three thousand heare Peter the Holy Ghost pricketh their heart and addeth them to the Church Act. 2. that they gladly receive the word v. 37 38 39 40 41 42. the inward opening goeth along with Gods outward teaching By Saltmarsh his way we are nor to heare the word nor to wait on God in the use of any meanes nor to use any meanes and commit the successe to God but to waite on extraordinary raptures and inward teaching say they not on outward meanes but our wating on the outward meanes piously used is all in order to the breathing of the Spirit of life and the inward word say we as some saile and seeke the wind both at once and doth this offend Familists that we serve and wait on the Lord for the desired harvest and that some wait on the tyde and then saile so is Saltm angry that we heare preach read though the unconverted doe not these spiritually and in the Lords good houre whâ—n the Angel commeth downe and troubleth the water the Spirit lifteth up the sicke man and puts him into the water and he is healed Protestants generally are not ashamed to owne this as the way of God 1. In hearing and outward means no man is to limit the holy One of Israel to his time the time of the Fathers teaching the third or the twelfth houre is not knowne to us but all our life it is our duty to lye and watch at the posts and gates of wisdome Prov. 8.34 2. We are not to idolize meanes and to take Scripture or Ordinances for Christ they are creatures not Christ and of themselves cannot save then let us use the meanes not give them any higher place then means neither think all is done if we use means thus it 's not Christ without us but Christ within that effectually saveth us 3 Nor is the acting of the Holy Ghost so as if the word must first stirre the spirit of God but by the contrary as the Poole of Bethsoida moved not the Angel to bring him downe but the Angel came downe and stirred the Poole so the Spirit first stirres and blowes upon both our spirit and the word and then the word and we both are inlived for any stirring upon the word and blowing of the North and South-wind upon the flowers and Garden to wit the soules of the elect is first and principally from the spirit for the spirit is the Authour creator and in the immediately inspired Organs the Prophets and Apostles the Pen-men and the Spirit devised and dictated the the words letters and doctrine of the old and new Testament 2 Tim. 3.16 17. 2 Pet. 1.19 20 21. Luke 1.55 70. 2 It s he that sends Messengers to speake in his name Esa. 48.16 Esa. 6.1 2 3 Jer. 26.12 3 When we doe not actually heare or partake of Ordinances the Holy Ghost bringeth the word to our remembrance and wakens up the memory and faith of the word by works of divine providence Joh. 16.13 Joh. 14.26 Joh. 2.21.22 4 The Spirit acts by rods judgements and afflictions Deut. 30.1 2 3 4 5. Hos. 5.15 Luke 15.15 16 17. Yet so as hee reviveth the memory of the word preached read and heard and worketh in and by it 5 In praying promising threatning in the fervour and zeal of God there cometh upon the soules of the servants of God some strong and mighty propheticall impression and violent impulsion that they speake and prophecie what otherwise they would not in cold blood speake and God hath made good the words of his servants which as it is not ordinary so it must be tryed Familists have no ground to dreame that Jeremiah or John intended a contrary betweene the outward teaching as a killing letter and the inward teaching as the only quickening of the Spirit excluding the letter and all teaching of men because the one said Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know mee c. and the other said 1 John 2.27 And ye need not that any man teach you for the same anoynting teacheth you of all things and is truth 1 The Authour to the Hebrews c. 8. applyeth the saying of Jeremiah to Christ and his dispensation under the Gospell and the former Covenant to the law and dispensation of the old Testament so as if it prove any thing it must be against all teaching of men by men by the Apostles Evangelists Pastors and Doctors which are certainly bretheren teaching bretheren and neighbours instructing neighbours which close subverteth the end of Christs ascending to give some to be Apostles c for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ and that to the end till we all come in the unity of faith c. 2 It must be against the writing of the new Testament and the teaching and doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles upon which we are built Jesus Christ being the cheife corner stone Eph. 2.20 3 The Authour to the Hebrews applyeth this they shall be all taught of God to all new converts under the New Testament and the same doeth Christ John 6.45 46. But Saltmarsh and his Familists say only the perfect ones and these that are all Spirit are beyond and above all Ordinances of man
the preaching of Faith by which the Spirit is given which renewes a beleever and makes him the very Law himselfe and his heart the two Tables of Moses For 1. perswasions and commands may wâ—ll stand together and all Law-inforcings are but meere reasonings and morall and objective acts on the minde and will and so the Law no more inforceth then the Gospel 2. Holinesse and Sanctification commeth by the Law animated by the Spirit as well as by the Gospel for the Law converteth the soule but it doth this saith the Antinomians not as the Law but as the Gospel revealing Christ. But I am sure neither can the Gospel â—â—terally onely revealing Christ and being void of the Spirit it cannot convert the soule and the Law as animated by the Spirit leadeth to Christ as a Pedagogue I meane as mixed with the Gospel For the Law without the Gospel can never sanctifie nor lead to Christ and neither of them without Christs Spirit can doe any thing And I find Saltmarshes Euthysiasticall pulse and straine of Familisme when hee saith that the Preaching of Faith is the Spirit given to a beleever and it makes him the very Law it selfe For 1. the Preaching of Faith or the Gospel preached even to hardened Pharisâ—â—s cannot give the Spirit renewing the Pharisees for Faith was preached to them by Christ and his Apostles but they stumbled at Christ and never beleeved 2. The preaching of Faith and the Spirit differ as much as the principall cause and the instrument now who can say the writing of the penne is the writer 3. Antinomians meane by the Gospel or the preaching of Faith here divided from the Law not the glad tidings of peace preached but the renewing Spirit without all letter or word of promise or command that is the teaching spirit and thâ— inward annointing without the Law or Gospel either Now Sanctification in this sense must bee wrought without Law Gospel Precept Command Promise and wee may lay aside the Bible then and all Ordinances and therefore no wonder then Antinomians tell us so often of the Letter and the Spirit for to them old and new Testament and all the sweet promises are a very Letter and in the new Testament we are not to serve God according to the Letter and therefore all Preaching Commands Exhortations Promises Threats of both Law and Gospel must be laid aside The Lord keeps us saith Towne under the Gospel in righteousnesse without all Law Ceremoniall and Morall and every where thâ—y say 〈◊〉 serve God now according to the Spirit not 〈◊〉 to the Letter outward Ordinances then to Antinomians are matters of meere courtesie CHAP. XII Antinomians deny actuall pardon of sinnes to the Jewes ANtinomians deny that the knowledge of actuall and eternall remission was an Article of the Jewish Creed but a mystery not revealed till the Gospell But then David and the Fathers Abraham and others were justified by the impâ—â—ed righteousnesse of Faith as wee are also David must Psal. 2.1 2. describe an happinesse he knew not what David saith Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sinne vers 5 2. We beleeve through the grace of the Lord Jesus we shall be saved as well as they 3. All the Fathers dyed in the faith 〈◊〉 did eat the same spirituall meat and did all drink of the same spirituall Rock and the Rock was Christ. 4. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen thrâ—ugh Faith reached before the Gospel to Abraham Esaiah prophecied of Christ as an Evangelist Daniel of the slaying of the Messiah and everlasting righteousnesse through him The Prophets testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow actuall remission then was no mystery to them Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day and saw it CHAP. XIII Of the nonage of the Jewes what it was NOr was the tutorie bondage or nonage of the Jewes any thing but 1. A lesse measure of the Spirit then is now 2. A harder pressing of the Law on them 3. A keeping of that infant Church as a child under Pedagogues and Tutors in regard of the Elements of Ceremonies partly teaching them rudely and partly warning them by blondy Sacrifices and diverse washings of the desert of sinne and the filth of it but this is nothing to prove the Jewes were under the Law For 1. then should they be under the curse and so must eternally perish contrary to the Word nor was their pardon of sinnes by halfes and quarters 2. Then must they be saved by works Paul saith They came short of righteousnesse because they sought to establish their owne righteousnesse and stumbled at the stone laid in Zion and sought it not by faith And it was never lawfull for them more then us to seeke righteousnesse and justification by works of the Law so they were in this under no law-Law-Spirit more then we but justified the same way that we are 3. Yea many sweet Evangelike promises are made to them as to us Ho every one that thirsts come to the water c. Behold I lay on Zion a stone c. The just shall live by fath Who is a God like unto thee that pardons iniquity I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and divers other Scriptures prove this 4. The Prophets cryed against legall and outward service and pressed washing in Christs bloud and faith and repentance as the Apostles doe And to Christ gave all the Prophets witnesse that through his name whosoever beleeves in him shall receive remission of sinnes There is much of the Spirit of adoption of spirituall liberty in praying wrestling with God giving no rest to God Heavenly boldnesse and accesse to the throne of grace in Jâ—â—kob David Moses and sweet Evangelike and Gospel-familiarity between Christ and his Spouse the Church in the Song of Salomon Feasting and banqueting together only the Lawâ—s administration was wrath by accident through our corruption lesse gloâ—ious because of darke typs and a spaâ—â—r measure of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3. Ephes. 3.9 10. and Paul heightneth Gospelâ—glory and lesseneth the Law in the vaine sense that false Apostles and legall Teachers put on it in over-â—xalting it as if without Christ it could save or with Faith it could justifie 6 All under the Gospel Elect and Reprobate must be freed from the Law if the Jewes were under it all to whom the Gospel is preached must bee freed from it and to Deâ—ne and Moore who are both Arminians and Antinomians all and every one of mankinde must bee under â—race none under the Law of Commandements for the argument holdeth for all in opposition to the Legall Jew CHAP. XIV The old mâ—n or the flesh to Antinomians is under the Law the new Man freed from all Law IT is admirable that Towne will
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
that Job David Heman Jonah say they are cast off of God yet at the same season Psalm 42. Davids heart was toward the Saints with whom he went to the house of God 2. Many we see dying who doubted for a time if ever they beleeved or were in Christ and yet were convinced that they loved the Saints but because they loved the Saints they could not make an actuall inference ergo they were translated from death to life because that actuall inference requireth the actuall blowing of the Holy Ghost a Saint in naturall Logick may be forced to yeeld an antecedent and the necessary consequence because both must be the cleere Word of God as 1 Joh. 3.14 I yeeld I love the Brethren and ergo I am translated from death to life But because hee seeth both the truth of the Antecedent and Consequence by the sparks of a meere naturall light he may be farre enough from faith and a supernaturall evidence of the Spirit to make him to beleeve it for his owne inward peace comfort and quieting of his soule and this deceiveth Antinomians that they thinke the knowing of their spirituall condition by marks being convincing and strong in a naturall way is presently the supernaturall evidence of the Spirit which it is not and 2. they inferre that it is to trust in their owne righteousnesse and stand on their owne legges if men come by assurance of a spirituall interest in Christ by their own inherent righteousnesse and then must they be justified saith Cornwell by works Yea 3. the New England Libertines say A man cannot evidence his justification by his sanctification but he must needs build upon his sanctification and trust to it And M. Towne saith The Saints are to forget and never remember their own holy walking So say they That true poverty of Spirit doth kill and take away the sight of grace But all the three consequences are false for a naturall evidence of my being in Christ cannot quiet my soule with the assurance of peace and for the other two wee are to forget our holy walking yea and as Towne saith to judge it losse and dung in the matter of our righteousnesse before God and thus to forget it so as we trust not in it is poverty of Spirit but simply to forget all our love to the Saints so as wee doe not remember it for the strengthening of assurance and our comfort is contrary to the whole Epistles of John and a begging of the question For sure it is damnable pride to trust in our own righteousnesse in that regard Paul may say I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby justified And so also we are to cast all behind us as losse and dung but it is utterly unlawfull and contrary to spirituall poverty to make no use at all wholly to forget and not to strengthen our faith and our assurance and comfort in any holy walking at all For Ezechiah dying comforteth himselfe in this Remember now O Lord how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which is good in thy sight And David I have kept the waies of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God all his judgements were before me And Job My foot hath held his steps his way have I kept and not declined neither have I gone back from the Commandement of his lips I have esteemed the words of his mouth more then my necessary food And Jeremiah Thy words were sound and I did eat them c. And the Church I am comely In my bed by night I sought him whom my soule loveth c. My heart waked In the way of thy judgements Lord we have waited for thee the desire of our soule is to thy name c Nor can a Legall Pedagogie be objected for spirituall poverty was injoyned confidence in our own righteousnesse condemned in the Old Testament as well as in the new and Paul hath the same in the New Testament Asser. 4. What ever objections Crisp Saltmarsh Towne and others have to prove that all the marks of sincerity love universal obedience agree to hypocrites and so can be no certain evidences of our faith and assured interest in Christ are 1. such as Papists bring to prove None can have undoubted assurance they are in the state of grace 2. The arguments that prove these marks may be counterfeit because they may be such in hypocrits We conclude also that the Faith of the Saints and their broâ—d Seale and immediate Testimony of the Spirit may be in hypocrits A white Devill and a noone-day Angel may interpose himselfe in a bastard voice counterfeiting the tongue of the immediate speaking-speaking-Spirits and the faith of the Elect and there can be nothing that Saints can rejoyce in no worke of grace in themselves by the in-dwelling Spirit and Christ may as well dwell in the heart of an hypocrite by faith as of a Saint contrary to Eph. 3.17 Hypocrites may be filled with all the fulnesse of God as the Saints and have the seed of God remaining in them The annointing abiding in them which teacheth them all things and need not any to teach them And the Holy Spirit in them and abiding with them The Father and the Sonne making their abode with them A new heart in the midst of them and the stony heart removed A circumcised heart the law in their inward parts All these are as doubtfull and litigious evidendences of interest in Christ and the counterfeits of these in hypocrits as universall obedience sinceritie love to the brethren and any inherent qualifications that are in beleevers for saith Crispe All these may be in hypocrits But it s true there is not a living man or beast or bird in nature but a painter can counterfeit the like by Art nor a rose or flower in the garden but there a is wild flower and rose in the mountaines like it The Devill is an exact painter But this wil not prove but that he that hath a new heart and the annointing dwelling in him and inherent quallifications of the Spirit of Christ knoweth with a full perswasion that these are not counterfeits or such as may be in hypocrits nor doth it follow as Papists and Antinomians argue a mad man or a sleeping man knoweth not that he is mad or sleeping for madnesse and sleepe remove all reflect acts of knowledge that therefore a sober man and a waking man knoweth not that he is sober Paul was not in a golden transe nor in a pleasant night-dreame when he said For this is our rejoycing the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisdome but by the grace of God we had our conversation in the world and more aboundantly to you-wards Nor doe the Saints speake to God wild-fire and windmills in the
the Angel and prevailed he wept and made supplication to him Gen. 32.24 25 26. nor is this an old testament-Testament-Spirit the parable of the unjust Judge and the Widdow is in scope a doctrine of prevailing with God by importunitie of prayer Iames bringeth the example of Elias for the prevailing of prayer and Christ This kinde of devill is not cast out but by fasting and prayer and so the Spirit of adoption worketh freely Object 2. Saltmarsh The Spirit worketh not freely when wee take in Christ but by the way and rest not wholy on him Answ. They looke on Christ by the by who take in their good works as fellow-causes with Christ thinking to be heard for them Christ is but a by-Mediator if he bee not whole Mediator it s a practicall error naturally in us to improve the the sufficiencie and incomparable weight of Christ to little purpose and dote more upon done duties then on Christ yet this is not our Doctrine but our sinne that we are to be humbled for Obj. 3. Saltmarsh When we are in bondage to some outward worship of circumstances as time place person the Spirit works not freely Answ. It may be Saltmarsh thinketh the Lords day under the New Testament legall men of his gang doe it 2. And not to pray but at such houres as the Spirit moves him because the Spirit onely and the Spirit acting and ravishing is the only obliging Law and command under the New Testament the Letter or written Scripture to pray continually in all things to give thanks to bee abundant in the worke of the Lord to be rich in good works and to make our selves friends with the Mammon of unrighteousnesse at any time ere we bee put out of our stewardship except when the Spirits wind bloweth faire that so they may receive us into the everlasting habitations is a law bondage yea to abstaine from adulterie murther swearing except the Spirits acting which is our onely obliging Law now is a legall not a Gospel-service nor can a beleever sin when he commits adultery murther for hee doth nothing against the only obliging New Testament Law the acting of the Spirit when the Spirit actually doth not act him and stirre him to duties of charitie and love of the brethren and doth not actually deterre and pull him back by his immediate impulsions and breathings from adulterie and murther I desire an answer intimating a difference between sins of Adultery and Murther and so sinfull omission of duties of Chastity and saving the life of innocent brethren for a Moneth which must involve a sinnefull not-loving our brother for a Moneth and the not praying to God for thirty dayes as the heathen Kings Law was upon supposition that the Spirit act not and stirre not up to prayer for thirty dayes and if so it is a question if Adultery be sinne and if abstinencie from Adultery upon the conscience of the seventh Command be not an impeaching of the free working of the Spirit of Adoption and a spece of legall bondage As for Saltmarsh his fourth ground of bondage to wit that to doe any thing from the power of an outward commandement or precept of the Word that it brings forth but finer hypocrisie and his seventh To take any outward thing to move them rather then apply Christ for strength life and Spirit is meere bondage I have answered alreadie it is an Enthusiasticall opposing of the working of word works and well grounded experiences of the Saints to the actings of the Spirit and a looseing of us from beleeving and obeying Scriptures from trembling at the Word and a most wicked way of Enthusiasme Object 5. Saltmarsh when they doe because of some vow or covenant they have made c. It is more properly the service of the Old Testament and part of their bondage for wanting the power and fulnesse of the Spirit of adoption to worke them to obedience freely from within they were under the power of outward principles to put them on from without Answ. 1. If nothing move men to doe but the Letter of the Covenant Vow or Promise not the Spirit of grace then can the Spirit never be said to worke Legally or not freely because the Spirit works not at all nor can this bee called properly the service of the Old Testament except Antinomians say the Spirit of grace wrought none at all in the Old Testament but onely the Letter contrary to all the heavenly Psalmes made by the Holy Ghost and the acts of faith in Moses David Job Jeremiah which every Page of Old Testament refuteth and we must say meere nature and the dead Letter without the Spirit acted them So Hebr. 11. Psal. 51.10 and infinite other places on the contrary 2. Nor can yee say by the same reason that a naturall conscience a desire of a name lest they should be reputed covenant-breakers moved these in the Old Testament to act for so none could have been tearmed men according to Gods heart nor perfect and upright men as David Job Ezechiah Noah because upon this Antinomian ground they were all but fine hypocrites If I mistake not Saltmarsh condemneth all who have taken the Covenant in the three Kingdomes and are moved for feare of the oath of God to stand to it as Legalists and Old Testament Spirits The Covenant that Asa Josiah caused the people to stand too was a Law-bondage that we are not now obliged to and upon the same grounds to keepe faith and promise upon lawfull contracts and oathes between King and people or made to God to keepe Marriage-covenants contracts legues and bargaines betweene man and man which we conceive to be of the Law of Nature must all be the proper service of the Old Testament and contrary to the Gospel to keepe my lawfull promise made to a man to pay my debt because I promised when I borrowed money To keepe the Covenant of God made in Marriage because it is an outward covenant is to doe because of some Covenant and to be in Law-bondage and to doe as being under the power of outward principles and Paul must writ to Philemon as under the bondage of the Old Testament If Onesymus hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put it on my count if he should pay Philemon seeing he became his debter by an outward promise and covenant he did not pay him by the Spirit of adoption working freely but by a Legall Spirit as being under the Law not under grace by this learning A Jesuiticall way to loose men from all covenants promises bargaines in buying and selling treatise and Indentures betweene persons Nation and Nation to loose us from all the bonds of the Law of Nature and Nations and free us from that which is the Law and the Prophets Whatsoever yee would men should doe to you the same doe ye to them Then shall nothing bind us under the New Testament Doth the Spirit of
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
inner man only and mindes onely the reforming of the heart and that doth change the outward man then he excludeth all Civill Externall and Ecclesiasticall power which is busied about outward formes outward orders outward government outward confession of Christ before men or confession of sinnes before men and outward practises For as Del saith Pag. 6.7 Gospell-reformation medleth not with reforming the externall man and so not with the preaching of the Word receiving the Sacraments reading Scriptures praying in publike confessing Christ before men if in the heart or the inward man a beleever have the Spirit and retaine God in his heart Dels reformation medleth not with outward practises to forbid and rebuke such practises as Paricides Murthers Incests Adulteries Thefts Opressions Lying Blasphemy Idolatry Sorcerie Sodomie neither the Preachers of the Gospel can reforme these with the Word nor the Magistrate with the sword by any warrant of the Gospel the Magistrate by the Gospel Rom. 13. beareth not the sword to take vengeance on ill doers for Gospel-reformation meddles not with outward practises nor outward order then it medleth not with the outward man nor commandeth it the outward man to walke circumspectly nor to walke in Christ nor to confesse Christ before men as we desire Christ to confesse us before his father and his holy Angels nor to observe externall order in the worship of God nor to abstaine from fornication evill speaking clamours bitternesse for all these be outward practises contrary to the rule of the Gospel and though the soule and spirit not the body nor whole man should be sanctified wholly as the Apostle prayeth Yet by this way I see not but all externals of either worship or conversation that concerneth our outward walking must be things indifferent and free neither commanded nor forbidden under the Gospel It is free to kill our brother or not to kill him to whore sweare worship Idols cousen and deceive steale robbe oppresse if the Faith of imputed righteousnesse bee in the heart then is the body of sinne destroyed saith Del and another Reformation that is outward he knowes not and Dels argument runnes thus The onely true Gospel-reformation is spirituall not carnall But the Civill and Ecclesiasticall Reformation is not spirituall but carnall and wrought by the power of flesh and bloud c. Answ. The Major is doubtsome and the Assumption false 1. For civill Reformation as civill is not spirituall formally but onely materially and objectively spirituall But to say that Ecclesiasticall Reformation should be spirituall as spirituall is opposed to externall and outward and onely spirituall and in the heart Satan could not fancie a more wicked untruth to destroy all godlynesse and holynesse as it appeares in the outward man in the duties of the first and second Table for Gospel-reformation as touching Gods part is inward spirituall invisible done by him that is Lord of soule and conscience but this is but the halfe though the choisest halfe of Reformation but as touching mans part it is externall and also spirituall and done by the Preaching of the Word and discipline of the Church For sure the Apostles and Elders Acts chap. 15. Reformed the Churches of Antioch Hierusalem Syria and Silicia and that spiritually and externally for these are not contrary when they send to them commandements not to bee circumcised nor to keepe the Ceremoniall Law but to abstaine from bloud and things strangled as at that time scandalous and from fornication as a sinne against the Morall Law because they that held the contrary opinion were lying Teachers and perverted soules and so deformed with a spirituall deformity the Churches of God as Del and Familists now doe Now the Assumption That Ecclesiasticall reformation is carnall as done by men and not spirituall is most false for carnall it may bee in some part and in some sense that is standing in outward externall Commandements and yet spirituall given by the Law-giver an infinite Spirit tying and obliging the Spirits of men and leading to a spirituall end so the Ceremonies of Moses are carnall not sinnefull not unlawfull vicious fleshly as Del pag. 2.3.4 foulely ignorant of the sense and meaning of his owne Text he preached on expoundeth it in opposition to Gospel-reformation which is spirituall lawfull not fleshly and sinnefull For then to obey the Ceremoniall Law had been sinnefull and unlawfull to the Jewes and God must have given Commandements to the Jewes which were sinnefull and unlawfull judgements and statutes and ordinances which is the blaphemy of old Manicheans So the Reformation done by the Gospel preached and by lawfull Assemblies holding forth the truth and condemning contrary errors is carnall that is externall and wrought by flesh and bloud Del meaneth by the word carnall the corruption of flesh and bloud as the phrase is taken Math. 16.17 which is a manifest untruth it is wrought by men consisting of flesh and bloud in a carnall that is in an externall outward audible and visible manner and yet spirituall also it is in that very externall Reformation is according to the Word of God who is a Spirit 2. It layes an obligation on the consciences and spirits of men both actively to reforme in that outward way though God must make it effectuall by an inward reformation it leadeth men even as it is externall to a spirituall end obedience to God in Christ according to the rule of the Gospell The Church and men take not on them to reforme hearts but instrumentally by going about an outward reformation by Planting Sowing Watering and labouring the Lords husbandrie his Church I might borrow Dels Argument and say true feeding and nourishing of men and upholding their life with bread is from the omnipotent power of God Deut. 8.3 For man liveth not by bread onely and inferre that they are grossely mistaken who take true nourishing of men to be outward plowing harrowing sowing earing grinding for all these are carnall fleshly and wrought by flesh and bloud and by the power of man but true effectuall nourishing commeth not from the plough or the husbandman but from the mighty power of God and therefore if God nourish plowing sowing earing cannot bee amisse So the Libertines made God the onely author of sinne Del citeth Joh. 4. God is a Spirit c. A place that Gnosticks Enthusiasts Libertines Anabaptists abused to deny all externall worship and acts of Sanctification and Towne cannot answer Doctor Taylor who objecteth that Antinomians deny all externall worship for he saith A man is a fulfiller of the Law in Christ who dyed for him so that faith is all and the same saith Del pag. 4.5 Gospel-reformation is a destroying of the body of sinne by the presence and operation of the righteousnesse of God dwelling in their hearts by faith He speakes not one word of sanctification and personall mortifying of the body of sinne and of walking with God but saith He knoweth no
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
the Lord against the mighty for sure God onely and Christ gives a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honesty to his Church as well as God onely Redeemeth onely Governeth onely Protecteth his Church and so we are not to pray for Kings and all that are in Authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life under them in all godlinesse as the Word saith 1 Tim. 2.2 3. then away with Magistrates Swords Gunnes warres yea away with Castles Houses Forts for if the Church bee to bee protected Christ onely must protect it So if the Church be to bee fed in Egypt or on earth by bread away with Joseph and his victuall away with tilling sowing earing trades labouring with our hands Let the Millinaries fleshly Paradice or the Adamits world returne for sure Christ onely in his way feedeth cloatheth protecteth saveth his Church 2. So Anabaptists Libertines argue God onely teacheth the heart Christ onely breaketh not the bruised reede then preaching of the Gospel and the sweet comforting promises thereof are not lawfull Let there be no Watchmen no Pastors under the New Testament for sure the Watchmen that goes about the walles will wound and smite the weake ones seeking Christ and the Letter of the Scripture is dead carnall lifelesse Christ is a quickning Spirit 3. And just so reasoned the Libertines to prove That sinne was nothing but an opinion and that wee should not rebuke any for sinne nor praise any for wel-doing Quia Deus efficit omnia in omnibus because God worketh all in all things and the sinner the Creature doth nothing Christ reformeth onely and in a better way then all the Preachers of the world and therefore none are to be rebuked for not reforming nor doe any sinne in not Preaching Law and Gospel For M. Del saith p. 12. As none can redeeme but Christ onely so none can reforme the Church but Christ onely for he onely takes away transgression and is made righteousnesse and wisdome to his people and he onely Esa. 2. Layeth low the loftinesse and hautinesse of men So he onely reformeth inwardly Angels and men cannot doe that but it followeth not therefore men by preaching the Gospel doe not reforme outwardly for then if Pastors turne dumbe dogges and reforme not outwardly they no more sinne nor are they more under any woe if they preach not contrary to 1 Cor. 9.16 Act. 20.28 2 Tim. 4.1.2 1 Pet. 5.1.2.3 then they sinne or are under a woe because they redeeme not the world and take not away transgressions and are not made to the Church righteousnesse wisdome and redemption And M. Del layeth no lesse blasphemy on the Parliaments of both Kingdomes and on the three Kingdomes when they sweare to endeavour in their severall places and callings the reformation of Religion in Doctrine Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the example of the best reformed Churches then that they have sworne to usurpe the worke of Redemption and the offices of the Mediator By Dels way and the Antinomians in our callings and places wee shall bee Kings heads of the Church Redeemers great high Priests to offer a Propitiatory Sacrifice for the sinnes of the World Prophets by the Spirit to open one anothers heart and inwardly reforme the Churches of Christ in these three Kingdomes which all are onely incommunicable and proper to Jesus Christ the onely reformer as he is saith Del the onely Redeemer and then how durst Del usurpe Christs office in Preaching to the Parliament of England what way they should redeeme the world For sure preaching touching the right of reformation is an act of outward reformation but he did in this in the name of God as a Nathan forbid them to reforme the House of God or build the Temple because they were men of bloud But 1. knowes M. Del of a Parliament of peaceable Salomons that shall arise and build the Temple and intrude on Christs sole prerogative to redeeme and reforme inwardly 2. It was both Typicall Positive and Temporary for Salomon to build and for David not to build nor reforme that way But I hope Gospel-reformation is Morall Perpetuall not Typicall for Salomon was in that a Type of the Prince of Peace 3. He knows the Ministers of the Gospel and the Assembly of Divines by Preaching and Synodicall conclusions doe reforme as did the Apostles and Elders Acts 15. should he not say the Apostles and Elders who reformed externally were either men of bloud or intruded on Christs chaire of Lord Redeemer and the great and true and onely high Priest and that the Divines are men of bloud also and bee they men of peace or men of bloud they must bee too bold to sit in an Assembly as so many sacrilegious intruders and usurping Lord-Redeemers and that by Authority of Parliament For Del applyeth to himselfe in preaching Familisme Socinianisme Popery Libertinisme calling them all the props of the Antichrist who are not Familists Socinians with himselfe that which is peculiar to Christ Joh. 7.12 That some will say Del in Preaching thus is mad as they said of Christ and hee is more then a Nathan but I thinke the truely godly will confesse Christ to be the wisdome of God and thinke him spiritually mad as other Familists and Antinomians are Del Ser. pag. 13. I doubt not saith hee of the Churches Reformation because it is Christs owne worke and hee hath undertaken the doing of it As none can helpe him to redeeme so no power of hell shall bee able to hinder him to redeeme and reforme by his Spirit all belonging to his care and charge the rest of the world he lets lye in sinne as not belonging to his charge so I am at rest and quiet Christ will reforme Answ. So doe the New England Familists who abusing the absolute decrees of grace say None are to bee exhorted to beleeve but such whom we know to bee the elect of God or to have his spirit in them effectually Then the reprobate because absolutely reprobate are not to heare the Gospel nor should the Gospel be preached to them who stumbled at the stone laid on Zion contrary to the expresse Word of God and Gods absolute decrees must take away all industry care paines praying seeking of God for if we be chosen to life Christ hath undertaken to redeeme us if not we must lie and perish in sin M. Del saith He is at rest and quiet because Christ is as able for the reformation of his Church as for the redemption of it Now he meaneth inward reformation and conversion to God then may we all say we are at rest and quiet and will not study inward reformation and conversion of our selves or others and will no more heare the Word pray repent beleeve or preach the Word to others nor labour to bee converted or to convert others then to redeeme them with our bloud we will be at rest and quiet what Christ
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
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
a trance Prophets not ever under actuall vision as Prophets when they preach their visions to men and in a far other case then when they are in a â—rance aâ—d actuâ—â—ly see the visions of God Prophets see not really the things themselves present offered to them in the visions of God but only the speces or images therof in the decree of God or some other way The Spirit opposed to that which is bodily and to that which is externall How externall Ordinances are contrary to the Spirits acting and how not Three wayes of unâ—â—n between the word and the Spirit How the word remaineth in the new birth and how it passeth away We are to wait on God in the use of outward Ordinances though the Spirit worke not ever with the word nor upon our hearts Divers wayes of the Spirits concurring with the word How the Spirit is opposite to the letteâ— and to externals The spirit contrary to human eloquence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To speake drying and coldly is not to speake in the Spirit That which is most spirituall excludeth most of us yet not alwayes our discoursing and arguing part The Spirit is contrary to wilde and carnall logicke The expressions of the spirituall estate The Spirit determineth the actions of the spirituall man according to their specification or nature and kinde How obliging Law and a free Spirit consisteth together How morall compulsion of the Law is exhausted by the freenesse of a Gospel-spirit of love Threatning had influence on the will of the first Adam not of the second or of confirmed Angels The place 2 Pet. 1. untill the day-starre arise vindicated as making nothing for a naked light of the Spirit without the Scriptures How the Spirit is called the day-star how true that is to be taken the more of the letter the lesse of the Spirit and what truth is in it How we are changed into the same spiritualnesse contained in the Gospel Jer. 31. We know none of the Familists new discoveries of the Spirit that are not warranted by the word Act 9.23 Act 26 23. Luk 4 20 21 22 23. How duâ—ies are 〈…〉 in the Gâ—spel Aâ—l the Gospell to Antinomians a mâ—ere killing letter as the Law is The word spirituall beyond figures and letters in every consideration The Spirit determineth the actions of the spirituall man according to the exercise of them The order of acting in supernatural actions often from the spirit· The assumption of a syllogisme of our reflect acts of knowledge of our spiritull state is at lengh proven only by sense and the testimony of the spirit without discoursing How far the Saints are to leave room for new light Many new deductions from ancient truths may be known which were knowne before only implicitly and in the an eâ—edent not distinctly Preaching of duties or of externall worship not contrary to the teaching of the Spirit as Antinomians dreame What the Law of the Spirit of life â—s Characters of a spirituall condition Other characters of a spirituall disâ—osition Sparkles of glory p. 271. The written word to Familists is as a type or shadow of the ceremonial law that perisheth but wee hold the word written and preached to be the everlasting Gospel Ordinances of the written word and preaching are to continue to the end Sparkles of glory 314 315. Divers wayes and formes of worshipping of God and of leaving these formes and ascending higher and higher from natuâ—â—ll to civill and morall Religion frâ—m thence to Law then to Johns baptism then to Christ in the flesh then to pure Gospel then to poore and all-Spirit or Familists phancies How mortification is a signe of a spirituall condition a There is nothing in this Petition the smels of Christs ointments nothing that looks with any face like the anointing that teacheth all things nothing to heighten Christ much to flatter K Iames all to lift that abominable impostor H. Nichoâ—as up above Christ the stile and words full of gall against Puritans and the truly godly in England thâ—e words base earthly low devilish hereticall temporizing a Basilicon Doron wâ—itten to Prince Henry b Their fleshly and abominable doctrine as especially that the Familists may wallow in adulteries blood rebellion perjury and if the Spirit helpe them not against these sinnes they are as innocent as the maid forced in the field who did cry and there was none to helpe and so by no Law can be guilty See their tenets as H. Nicholas taught b Their foule opinions may here be read in this Treatise and in H. Nicholas writings c King Iames was misinformed in that for Familists and the godly unjustly called Puritans are as contrary as light and darknesse d The unjustly so called Puritans did never owne Browne nor Penry who set on foot the old doctrine of the Anabaptâ—sts in England and Enthusiasticall revelations beside the word of God e It is not unlike that such fleshly teachers who crave Libertâ— of conâ—cience to themselves will petition the Prince that the tyrannous laws of Prelates be executed against the truely godly and that liberty be denied to all save to themselves only a proper character of Hereticks and Schismaticks e The Familists and Antinomians because Purirans are esteemed the godly party now call themselves but most unjustly the true successors of the Puritans and all the godly opposite 〈◊〉 their way who strive to walke with God they call Legalists Pharisâ—es literall Doctors but because they change all colours with the court and wind oft times they are enemies to old non-conformists calâ—ed sometime Puritans in that 1. against Puritans they make all externalls indifferent 2. They reject Scripture and imbrace revelations 3. They contemne close walking with God as pharaisme and law-living f But I noted before that Familists will have no Magistrates over them and we may see it to be their practise this day g The Familists subjection of their consciences to the spirituall Popish lawes of Prelates prove them to bee men of more wide consciences then Puritans they need not feare to bee called Puritans g Deceivers as Simon Magus and others take godly titles to themselves for H. N. saith fidelitas docl c. 4. sect 11. beside Gods service of love there is not another in heaven or in earth here they call themselves the family of God h They knew well that Prelates imbittered the mind of K. James against Puritans his faithfullest subjects i They say it to the praise of their Mr. Henry Nicholas that he names no mans name but here they name both sects and names k Protestants know Puritans to be godly and sound in the faith Familists turne their backe then on the Protestants and the soundest of them l Reader iudge how the Familists and Antinomians now in England shall deale with Puritans and the truly godly what a bloody heart they beare toward them since their fathers the old Familists do persecute them with so bloody a tongue before their
maintaine the same 189 190 Joh. Waldesso despiseth Scriptures 190 191 Gortyn condemnes swearing before a Judge 192 Repentance baptising preaching by any that have not the Spirit of sanctification or premeditate or study what they are to preach 192 193 Of other Antinomians in England as Towne Eaton Crisp Paul Hobson Beacon Del Saltmarsh and Denne Chap. XVIII Saltmarsh cleareth his minde of personall mortification faintly holdeth many other points of Familisme of Christ crucified risen ascended c. in figure not in his true reall manhood Personall mortification must be commanded in the Gospel to beleevers otherwise mortification which is purchased by Christs merits 1640. yeares agoe cannot be commanded us now 196 197 Saltmarsh with Familists deny the first Adam to be a reall single man 198 199 Saltmarsh denies a visible Church 200 And externall baptisme ibid. Chap. XIX Saltmarsh with Familists phancie many new administrations of Law Joh. Baptist Gospel all-spirit 200 201 What the Antichrist is to Saltmarsh and Familists 201 Saltmarsh saith that arts and tongues and Scripture brought in Antichrist and banished the Spirit 201 202 Saltmarsh with Familsts maketh three speciall administrations the Law the Gospel the Spirit and rejecteth the Protestant faith and takes a new way of the Spirit 203 204. from H. Nicholas Wars to Saltmarsh were meere types done away 204 205 The Ministery and baptisme of Christ are made different from that of Christs 205 The different ministrations even that of all-spirit in this life 205 206 Saltmarsh and Familists will have the day of judgement and an administration without Ordinances to be in this life 206 207 Chap. XX. Of the ceasing of Ordinances since the Apostles dyed as Saltmarsh with Seekers teach 208 209 Seperation from a false Church lawfull 209 No new lights after the canon of Scripture is closed proved fully 210 211 The place Matth. 28.19 20. Lo I am with you to the end proveth the continuation of a Ministery till the last judgement 212 213 214. what ever Saltmarsh with his Seekers say on the contrary Saltmarsh taketh away all Ministery calling and sending of Pastors as Seekers doe 214 215 Chap. XXI The doctrine of Saltmarsh and Familists touching Magistracie and the spirituall discerning of Saints among themselves 215 216 Saltmarsh maketh Magistracie the image of Christ the Mediator to men in the flesh not to Saints 216 Of the discerning of the Spirits 216 217 Familists are against warre and yet practice it 217 Defensive warres lawfull ibid. Chap. XXII The highest discoveries Familists have of Christ to wit that neither the first nor the second Adam Christ is a true and reall but only a figurative man 218 219 Praying and supernaturall acts in us suppose some actings in us and Christ on the crosse crucified not our naturall faculties as Saltmarsh with his Familists dreame 220 221 222 Chap. XXIII Praying a law-bondage to Saltmarsh and Familisâ—s 223 224 Saltmarsh holdeth that neither written Law nor written Gospell is our obliging rule bâ—t only the Spirit as did Libertines 224 225 Chap XXIV Of the indulgence of sinning under Law and Gospell granted by the Familists 225 226 That men under Prelacy may adore Altars and Images and not sin but walke with God in these dispensations 226 Chap. XXV Familists will have us to be Christed and Godded 226 227 Chap. XXVI The Familists phancie of our passing from one ministration to another of higher glory in this life 227 228 Saltmarsh with Familists phancie a day of judgement in which we burne old ministrations and truths and geâ— new light ibid. Saltmarsh expones the place 2 Pet. 3.10 Which is clearly of the day of judgement to be a day in this life as did Hymeneus and Phileâ—us 228 229 Of the Lords Prayer 228 229 And the Sabbath according to Saltmarsh 229 Familists against the written Scripture 229 230 Chap. XXVII How Ordinances and the letter of the word are instruments of conveying of Christ and his grace to us and neither adored of us nor uselesse to us 230 231 232 c. The letter and the Spirit who are Ministers of the letter who of the Spirit 231 232 233 Serving God in Ordinances unjustly called Idolatry by Saltmarsh and Familists 234 235 Ordinances are not bare shadows 236 237 Naturall men stumble not at the letter of the Gospel but at the thing signified 1 Cor. 1. 237 Chap. XXVIII Of our assurance and comfort from acts of free grace 238 239 Or as suitable to the rule or not suitable 239 240 241 Chap. XXIX The scope of Saltmarshes booke called Sparkles of glory and how he denyeth Christ to be any thing but a man figuratively or mystically as 〈…〉 taught 242 243 Saltmarsh denieth 〈…〉 come in the flesh or hath any body he dyed in but his 〈…〉 which is the Saints suffering affliction 243 244 245 Christ really crucified not in figure 244 245 What Christs offering his flesh on the crosse is to Saltmarsh and Libertines 246 247 Saltmarsh with H. Nicholas teacheth that every creature is God or a substantiall part of God 247 248 Chap. XXX Familists will have all externalls indifferent 249 250 251 c. We may be of any Religion we please to serve in love the sects wee converse withall for the time 250 A letter printed by Authority under the name of Oliver Crumwel opened and found to containe many secrets of grosse Familisme 250 251 252 Independents and Presbyterians cannot pray with the same Spirit and receive the same answer 252 253 Familists condemning all outward Ordinances condemne all unity but what is inward and invisible 254 255 Saltmarsh saith that God manifested in the flesh is nothing but God by his Spirit discovering new light 256 What uniformity we meane in the Covenant 257 258 No rule for uniformity in doctrine worship discipline but the Spirit 259 The sword a meanes of hindring men from being perverted but not of being converted 261 262 That we must in outward things please one another though in Idolatry and Sin is taught by Saltmarsh Beacon and other Familists 264 265 The place Gal. 6. neither circumcision c. cleared 266 267 Familists will have it lawfull for no man to come out of Prelacy Popery or any unlawfull way till the Spirit effectually draw them 268 269 How Saltmarsh is against duties 269 Saltmarsh Seekers and Familists are for any Church-Government 270 271 Chap. XXXI Saltmarsh and Familists teach that there is salvation in all Religions 171 172 Every mans conscience is his Bible as Saltmarsh thinks 172 173 Chap. XXXII What certainty of faith the Saints may attaine to beyond the Familists fluctuation of faith of Heresie and Schisme 274 275 A twofold infallibility 274 272 One of the Prophets and Apostles another of all beleivers 277 278 Saltmarsh professedly deserteth Protestants and taketh him to Familists 275 276 Saltmarsh and Beacon against the Trinity and the union of two natures in Christ. 276 Saltmarsh devises a new union betweene God and Man Devills and Angels