him no act of his own done by him and if he for his part must see nothing in himself have nothing do nothing only he is to stand still and wait for Christ to do all for him and then if after faith the Law no rule to walk by no Sorrow or Repentance for sin he must not be pressed to duties and need never pray unless moved by the Spirit And if he falls into sin he is never the more disliked of God nor his condition never the worse And for his assurance it being given him by the Spirit he must never let it go but abide in the height of comfort tho' he falls into the grossest sins that he can Then their way to life was made easie if so no marvel so many like of it And this is the very reason besides the novelty of it that this kind of Doctrine takes so well here in London and other parts of the Kingdom and that you see so many dance after this pipe running after such and such crowding the Churches and filling the doors and windows even such carnal and vile persons many of them as care not to hear any other godly Ministers but only their Leaders Oh it pleaseth nature well to have Heaven and their lusts too 2. Consider their slights they used in somenting their Opinions some of which I will set down as I. They laboured much to acquaint themselves with as many as possibly they could that so they might have the better opportunity to communicate their new light unto them II. Being once acquainted with them they would strangely labour to insinuate themselves into their affections by loving salutes humble carriage kind invitements friendly visits and so they would win upon men and steal into their bosoms before they were aware Yea assoon as any new-comers especially men of note worth and activity fit instruments to advance their design were landed they would be sure to welcome them shew them all courtesie and offer them room in their own houses or of some of their own Sect and having gotten them into their Web they could easily poyson them by degrees It was rare for any man thus hooked in to escape their Leaven III. Because such men as would seduce others had need be some way eminent they would appear very humble holy and spiritual Christians and full of Christ they would deny themselves far speak excellently pray with such soul-ravishing expressions and affections that a stranger that loved goodness could not but love and admire them and so be the more easily drawn after them looking upon them as men and women as likely to know the secrets of Christ and bosom-counsels of his Spirits as any other And this Opinion of them was the more lifted up through the simplicity and weakness of their followers who would in admiration of them tell others that since the Apostles time they were perswaded none ever received so much light from God as such and such had done naming their Leaders 4. As they would lift up themselves so also their Opinions by guilding them over with specious terms of Free-grace Glorious-light Gospel-truths as holding forth naked Christ and this took much with simple honest hearts that loved Christ especiaily with new converts who were lately in bondage under sin and wrath and had newly tasted the sweetness of free-grace being now in their first love to Christ they were exceeding glad to embrace any thing that might further advance Christ and free grace and so drank them in readily 5. If they met with Christians that were full of doubts and fears about their conditions as many tender and godly hearts there were they would tell them they had never taken a right course for comfort but had gone on as they were led in a legal way of evidencing their good estate by Sanctification and gazing after qualifications in themselves and would shew them from their own experience that themselves for a long time were befool'd even as they are now in poring upon graces in themselves and while they did so they never prospered but were driven to pull all that building down and lay better and safer foundations in free-grace and then would tell them of this Gospel-way we speak of how they might come to such a setled peace that they might never doubt more tho' they should see no grace at all in themselves so as it is said of the Harlots dealing with the young man Pr. 7. 21. with much fair speech they caused them to yield with the flattering of their lips they forced them 6. They commonly labour'd to work first upon women being as they conceived the weaker to resist the more flexible tender and ready to yield and if once they could winde in them they hoped by them as by an Eve to catch their Husbands also which indeed often proved too true amongst us there 7. As soon as they had thus wrought in themselves and a good conceit of their Opinions by all these ways of subtilty into the hearts of people nextly they strongly endeavour'd with all the craft they could to undermine the good Opinion of their Ministers and their Doctrine and to work them clean out of their affections telling them they were sorry that their Teachers had so mis-bed them and train'd them up under a Covenant of works and that themselves never having been taught of God it is no wonder they did no better teach them the Truth and how they may sit till dooms-day under their legal Sermons and never see light and withal sometimes casting aspersions on their persons and practice as well as their doctrine to bring them quite out of esteem with them And this they did so effectually that many declined the hearing of them tho' they were members of their Churches and others that did hear were so filled with prejudice that they profited not but studied how to object against them and censure their doctrine which whilst they stood right were wont to make their hearts to melt and tremble Yea some that had been begotten to Christ by some of their faithful labours in this Land for whom they could have laid down their lives and not being able to bear their absence follow'd after them thither to New-England to injoy their labours yet these falling acquainted with those Seducers were suddenly so alter'd in their affections towards those their spiritual Fathers that they would neither hear them nor willingly come in their company professing they had never received any good from them 8. They would not till they knew men well open the whole mystery of their new Religion to them but this was ever their method to drop a little at once into their followers as they were capable and never would administer their Physick till they had first given good preparatives to make it work and then stronger and stronger potions as they found the patient able to bear 9. They would in company now and then let fall some of their most plausible errors as a
A SHORT STORY Of the Rise Reign and Ruin of the Antinomians Familists and Libertines That Infected the CHURCHES Of New-England And how they were Confuted by The Assembly of Ministers there As also of the Magistrates proceedings in Court against them Together with God's strange Remarkable Judgements from Heaven upon some of the Chief Fomenters of these Opinions And the Lamentable Death of Mrs. Hutchison Very fit for these Times here being the same Errors amongst us and Acted by the same Spirit Published at the Instant Request of Sundry by one that was an Eye and Ear-witness of the carriage of Matters there Ephes. 4. 14. Be no more Children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the slight of Men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive Beware lest ye being led away with the error of the Wicked re fall from your own stedfastness 2 Pet. 3. 17. London Printed for Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns at the lower end of Cheapside near Mercer's Chappel 1692 To the Reader I Meeting with this Book newly come forth of the Press and being earnestly pressed by divers to perfect it by laying down the Order and Sense of this Story which in the Book is omitted Though for mine own part I was more slow unto it not as if I think it contains any thing but Truth but because the Names of some parties that acted in our Troubles that have since that time I hope repented and so God having pardoned their Sins in Heaven I should have been loth to have revived them on Earth But considering that their Names are already in Print without any act of mine and that the necessity of the times call for it and it 's requisite that Gods great Works should be made known I therefore in a strait of time not having had many hours have drawn up this following Preface and prefixed hereunto with some Additions to the Conclusion of the Book I commend thy self and this to the Blessing of God T. W. The PREFACE AFter we had escaped the cruel hands of persecuting Prelates and the dangers at Sea and had pretty well out-grown our Wilderness Troubles in our first Plantings in New-England And when our Common-wealth began to be founded and our Churches sweetly setled in Peace God abounding to us in more happy enjoyments then we could have expected Lest we should now grow secure our wise God who seldom suffers his own in this their wearisome Pilgrimage to be long without trouble sent a new Storm after us which proved the forest trial that ever befel us since we left our Native Soil Which was this that some going thither from hence full fraught with many unsound and loose Opinions after a time began to open their Packs and freely vent their Wares to any that would be their Customers Multitudes of Men and Women Church-members and others having tasted of their Commodities were eager after them and were streight infected before they were aware and some being tainted conveyed the Infection to others and thus that Plague first began amongst us that had not the wisdom and faithfulness of him that watcheth over his Vineyard night and day by the beams of his Light and Grace cleared and purged the Air certainly we had not been able to have breathed there comfortably much longer Our discourse of them shall tend to shew 1. What these Opinions were 2. How they spread so fast and prevailed so suddenly 3. How they did rage and reign when they had once gotten head 4. How they fell and were ruined when they were at highest The Opinions some of them were such as these I say some of them to give but a tast for afterwards you shall see a litter of Fourscore and eleven of their brats hung up against the Sun besides many new ones of Mistriss Hutchinsons all which they hatched and dandled As 1. That the Law and the Preaching of it is of no use at all to drive a Man to Christ. 2. That a Man is united to Christ and justified without faith yea from eternity 3. That Faith is not a receiving of Christ but a Man's discerning that he hath received him already 4. That a Man is united to Christ onely by the work of the Spirit upon him without any act of his 5. That a Man is never effectually Christ's till he hath assurance 6. This assurance is onely from the witness of the Spirit 7. This witness of the Spirit is meerly immediate without any respect to the word or any concurrence with it 8. When a Man hath once this witness he never doubts more 9. To question my assurance though I fall into Murther or Adultery proves that I never had true assurance 10. Sanctification can be no evidence of a Mans good Estate 11. No comfort can he had from any conditional Promise 12. Poverty in Spirit to which Christ pronounceth blessedness Mat. 5. 3. is onely this to see I have no grace at all 13. To see I have no grace in me will give me comfort but to take comfort from sight of grace is legal 14. An hypocrite may have Adam's graces that he had in Innocency 15. The graces of Saints and Hypocrites differ not 16. All graces are in Christ as in the Subject and none in us so that Christ believes Christ loves c. 17. Christ is the New Creature 18. God loves a Man never the better for any holiness in him and nevertheless be he never so unholy 19. Sin in a Child of God must never trouble him 20. Trouble in Conscience for sins of Commission or for neglect of duties shews a Man to be under a Covenant of VVorks 21. All Covenants to God expressed in works are legal works 22. A Christian is not bound to the Law as a rule of his conversation 23. A Christian is not bound to Pray except the Spirit moves him 24. A Minister that hath not this new light is not able to edifie others that have it 25. The whole letter of the Scripture is a Covenant of works 26. No Christian must be prest to duties of holiness 27. No Christian must be exhorted to faith love and prayer c. except we know he hath the Spirit 28. A Man may have all graces and yet want Christ. 29. All a Believer's activity is onely to act sin Now these most of them being so gross one would wonder how they should spread so fast and suddenly amongst a people so religious and well taught For declaring of this be pleased to attend two things 1. The nature of the Opinions themselves which open such a fair and easie way to Heaven that men may pass without difficulty For if a man need not be troubled by the Law before Faith but may step to Christ so easily and then if his faith be no going out of himself to take Christ but only a discerning that Christ is his own already and is only an act of the Spirit upon
Revelation without concurrence of the Word then it cannot be tried by the Word but we are bid to try the Spirits To the Law and Testimony Esa. 8. 20. To try all things 1 Thes. 5. 21. So the Bereans Acts 17. 11. and the Rule of Trial is the Word Ioh. 5. 39. Error 41. There be distinct seasons of the workings of the several persons so the Soul may be said to be so long under the Fathers and not the Sons and so long under the Sons Work and not the Spirits Confutation 41. This expression is not according to the pattern of wholsome words which teacheth a joint-concurrence of all the persons working in every work that is wrought so that we cannot say the Father works so long and the Son works not because the same work at the same time is common to them both and to all the Three Persons as the Father draws Ioh. 6. 44. so the Son sends his Spirit to convince and thereby draws Ioh. 16. 7 8. Error 42. There is no assurance true or right unless it be without fear and doubting Confutation 42. This is contrary to Scripture the Penman of Psal. 77. had true assurance v. 6. And yet he had doubts and fears of God's eternal mercy ver 7 8 9. The best Faith is imperfect and admits infirmity v. 10. 1 Cor. 13. 10 11 12. Where there is flesh that doth fight against every Grace and act thereof and is contrary to it there can be no Grace perfect Ergo doubting may stand with assurance Gal. 5. 17. Error 43. The Spirit acts most in the Saints when they endeavour least Confutation 43. Reserving the special seasons of God's preventing Grace to his own pleasure In the ordinary constant course of his dispensation the more we endeavour the more assistance and help we find from him Prov. 2. 3 4 5. He that seeks and digs for wisdom as for treasure shall find it Hos. 6. 3. 2 Chron. 15. 2. The Lord is with you while you are with him If by endeavour be meant the use of lawful means and ordinances commanded by God to seek and find him in then is it contrary to Mat. 7. 7. Ask seek knock c. Error 44. No created work can be a manifest sign of God's love Confutation 44. If created works flowing from union with Christ be included it is against Iohn's Epistles and many Scriptures which make keeping the Commandments love to the Brethren c. evidences of a good estate so consequently of God's love Error 45. Nothing but Christ is an evidence of my good estate Confutation 45. If here Christ manifesting himself in works of holiness be excluded and nothing but Christ nakedly revealing himself to Faith be made an evidence it is against the former Scriptures Error 46. It is no sin in a Believer not to see his Grace except he be wilfully blind Confutation 46. This is contrary to the Scripture which makes every transgression of the Law sin though wilfulness be not annexed and this crosseth the work of the Spirit which sheweth us the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. and crosseth also that command 2 Cor. 13. 5. Prove your Faith and therefore we ought to see it Error 47. The seal of the Spirit is limited onely to the immediate witness of the Spirit and doth never witness to any work of Grace or to any conclusion by a Syllogism Confutation 47. This is contrary to Rom. 8. 16. to that which our Spirit bears witness to that the Spirit of God bears witness for they bear a joint witness as the words will have it but our spirits bear witness to a work of grace namely that Believers are the children of God Ergo. Error 48. That conditional Promises are legal Confutation 48. Contrary to Ioh. 3. 16. Mat. 5. 3 c. Error 49. We are not bound to keep a constant course of Prayer in our Families or privately unless the Spirit stir us up thereunto Confutation 49. This is contrary to Ephes. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 5. 17. Error 50. It is poverty of spirit when we have grace yet to see we have no grace in our selves Confutation 50. The weak Believer Mark 9. 24. was poor in spirit yet saw his own Faith weak though it were Peter when he was brought to poverty of spirit by the bitter experience of his pride he saw the true love he had unto Christ and appealed to him therein Iohn 21. 15. Paul was less than the least of all Saints in his own eyes therefore poor in spirit yet saw the grace of God by which he was that he was and did what he did and was truly nothing in his own eyes when he had spoken of the best things he had received and done Ephes. 3. 18. If it be poverty of the spirit to see no grace in our selves then should poverty of spirit cross the office of the Spirit which is to reveal unto us and make us to see what God gives us 1 Cor. 2. 9 10 11 12. then it should make us sin or cross the will of God which is that we should not be ignorant of the gracious workings of Christ in us from the power of his Death and Resurrection Rom. 6. 3. Know ye not c. then would it destroy a great duty of Christian thankfulness in and for all the good things which God vouchsafeth us 1 Thess. 5. 18. Error 51. The Soul need not to go out to Christ for fresh supply but it is acted by the spirit inhabiting Confutation 51. Though we have the spirit acting and inhabiting us this hinders not but I may and need go out to Christ for fresh supply of grace John 1. 16. Of whose fulness we have all received and grace for grace 2 Cor. 12. 8. Paul sought thrice to Christ for fresh supply Heb. 12. 2. Look unto Christ the Author and Finisher of our Faith We must look up to the Hills from whence cometh our help Ephes. 4. 16. By whom all the Body receiveth increase and to the edifying of it self Error 52. It is legal to say we act in the strength of Christ. Confutation 52. This is contrary to the Scriptures the Gospel bids us be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes. 6. 10. and be strong in the grace that is in Christ Iesus 2 Tim. 2. 1. and Paul saith I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. and that was not legal strength Error 53. No Minister can teach one that is anointed by the Spirit of Christ more than he knows already unless it be in some circumstances Confutation 53. This is also contrary to Scripture 2 Cor. 1. It is God that establisheth us with you c. Ephes. 1. 13. and 4. 12 14. The Corinthians and Ephesians were anointed and sealed and yet were taught more of Paul in his Epistles than onely in some circumstances Error 54. No Minister can be an instrument to convey more of Christ unto
in their acknowledgment Many after this came unto us who before flew from us with such desires as those in Act. 2. Men and Brethren what shall we do and did willingly take shame to themselves in the open Assemblies by confessing some of them with many tears how they had given offence to the Lord and his People by departing from the Truth and being led by a Spirit of Error their alienation from their brethren in their affections and their crooked and perverse walking in contempt of Authority slighting the Churches and despising the Counsel of their godly Teachers Now they would freely discover the slights the Adversaries had used to undermine them by and steal away their Eyes from the Truth and their Brethren which before whilst their Eyes were seal'd they could not see And the fruit of this was great Praise to the Lord who had thus wonderfully wrought matters about Gladness in all our Hearts and Faces and Expressions of our renewed Affections by receiving them again into our Bosoms and from that time untill now have walked according to their renewed Covenants humbly and lovingly amongst us holding forth Truth and Peace with Power But for the rest which notwithstanding all these means of Conviction from Heaven and Earth and the Example of their seduced Brethrens return yet stood obdurate yea more hardned us we had cause to fear than before we convented those of them that were Members before the Churches and yet laboured once and again to convince them not only of their Errors but also of sundry exorbitant Practices which they had fallen into as manifest Pride contempt of Authority neglecting to hear the Church and lying c. but after no means prevailed we were driven with sad hearts to give them up to Satan Yet not simply for their Opinions for which I find we have been slanderously traduced but the chiefest cause of their Censure was their Miscarriages as have been said persisted in with great obstinacy The persons cast out of the Churches were about nine or ten as far as I can remember who for a space continued very hard and impenitent but afterward some of them were received into fellowship again upon their Repentance These persons cast out and the rest of the Ring-leaders that had received sentence of Banishment with many others infected by them that were neither censured in Court nor in Churches went all together out of our Iurisdiction and Precinct into an Island called Read-Island sirnamed by some the Island of Errors and there they live to this day most of them but in great strife and contention in the civil Estate and otherwise hatching and multiplying new Opinions and cannot agree but are miserably divided into sundry Sects and Factions But Mistress Hutchison being weary of the Island or rather the Island weary of her departed from thence with all her Family her Daughter and her Children to live under the Dutch near a place called by Sea-men and in the Map Hell-Gate And now I am come to the last Act of her Tragedy a most heavy stroak upon her self and hers as I received it very lately from a godly Hand in New-England There the Indians set upon them and slew her and all her family her Daughter and her Daughters Husband and all their Children save one that escaped her own Husband being dead before a dreadful Blow Some write that the Indians did burn her to death with fire her House and all the rest named that belonged to her but I am not able to affirm by what kind of death they slew her but slain it seems she is according to all Reports I never heard that the Indians in those parts did ever before this commit the like Outrage upon any one family or families and therefore Gods hand is the more apparently seen herein to pick out this woful woman to make her and those belonging to her an unheard-of heavy Example of their Cruelty above others Thus the Lord heard our Groans to Heaven and freed us from this great and sore Affliction which first was small like Elias's Cloud but after spread the Heavens and hath through great Mercy given the Churches rest from this disturbance ever since that we know none that lifts up his head to disturb our sweet Peace in any of the Churches of Christ among us blessed for ever be his Name I bow my knees to the God of Truth and Peace to grant these Churches as full a riddance from the same or like Opinions which do destroy his Truth and disturb their Peace A POSTSCRIPT I think it fit to add a comfortable Passage of News from those parts written to me very lately by a faithful hand which as it affected mine own Heart so it may do many others viz. That two Sagamores or Indian Princes with all their Men Women and Children have voluntarily submitted themselves to the Will and Law of our God with expressed desires to be taught the same and have for that end put themselves under our Government and Protection even in the same manner as any of the English are which morning-peep of Mercy to them saith he is a great means to awaken the Spirit of Prayer and Faith for them in all the Churches T. Welde A Catalogue of such Erroneous Opinions as were found to have been brought into New-England and spread under hand there as they were condemned by an Assembly of the Churches at New-Town Aug. 30. 1637. The Errors 1. IN the Conversion of a sinner which is saving and gracious the Faculties of the Soul and Workings thereof in things pertaining to God are destroyed and made to cease The Confutation 1. This is contrary to the Scripture which speaketh of the Faculties of the Soul as the Understanding and the Will not as destroyed in Conversion but as changed Luke 24 45. Christ is said to have opened their Understandings Ioh. 21. 18. Peter is said to be led whither he would not therefore he had a Will Again to destroy the Faculties of the Soul is to destroy the Immortality of the Soul Error 2. Instead of them the Holy Ghost doth come and take place and doth all the works of those natures as the faculties of the human nature of Christ do Confutation 2. This is contrary to Scripture which speaketh of God as sanctifying our Souls and Spirits 1 Thess. 5. 23. purging our Consciences Heb. 9. 14. refreshing our Memories Ioh. 14. 26. Error 3. That the love which is said to remain when Faith and Hope cease is the Holy Ghost Confutation 3. This is contrary to the Scriptures which put an express difference between the Holy Ghost and Love 2 Cor. 6. 6. And if our love were the Holy Ghost we cannot be said to love God at all or if we did it was because we were personally united to the Holy Ghost Error 4 5. That those that be in Christ are not under the Law and commands of the word as the rule of Life Alias that the Will of God in
as many as received him even to them that believed on his Name Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved Secondly to affirm there must be Faith on mans part to receive Christ is not to undermine Christ but to exalt him according to these Scriptures Ioh. 3. 33. He that believeth hath put to his Seal that God is True and so honours Gods Truth which cannot undermine Christ Rom. 4. 20. But was strong in the Faith giving Glory to God c. Error 29. An Hypocrite may have these two witnesses 1 Ioh. 5. 5. that is to say the Water and Blood Confutation 29. No Hypocrite can have these two witnesses Water and Blood that is true Justification and Sanctification for then he should be saved according to these Scriptures Rom. 8. 30. 2 Thes. 2. 13. Acts 26 18. Error 30. If any thing may be concluded from the Water and Blood it is rather Damnation than Salvation Confutation 30. This is contrary to the Scripture last mentioned Error 31. Such as see any Grace of God in themselves before they have the assurance of Gods Love sealed to them are not to be received Members of Churches Confutation 31. This is contrary to Acts 8. 37 38. where the Eunuch saw his Faith only and yet was presently baptized and therefore by the same ground might be admitted Error 32. After the revelation of the Spirit neither Devil nor Sin can make the Soul to doubt Confutation 32. This position savours of Error else Asaph had not the revelation of the Spirit seeing he doubted Psal. 73. 13. whether he had not cleansed his heart in vain and that God had forgotten to be gracious then also Faith should be perfect which was never found no not in our Father Abraham Error 33. To act by vertue of or in obedience to a command is legal Confutation 33. So is it also Evangelical the Mystery of the Gospel is said to be revealed for the obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25. Also the Lord Jesus is said to be the author of Salvation to all that obey him Heb. 5. 9. If we love Christ we are to keep his Commandments Joh. 14. 29. Error 34. We are not to Pray against all sin because the old Man is in us and must be And why should we Pray against that which cannot be avoided Confutation 34. This is contrary to 1 Thess. 5. 23. 1 Cor. 13. 7. Error 35. The efficacy of Christ's death is to kill all activity of Graces in his Members that he might act all in all Confutation 35. This is contrary to Rom. 6. 4. Our old man is crucified witâ—… him that the body of sin might be destroyed that we should not serve sin contrary also to Heb. 4. 14. That he might through death destroy him c. and 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Whence we infer that if Christ came to destroy the body of sin to destroy the Devil to dissolve the Works of the Devil then not to kill his own graces which are the works of his own Spirit Error 36. All the activity of a Believer is to act to sin Confutation 36. Contrary to Rom. 7. 15. as also to Gal. 5. 17. The Spirit lusteth against the Flesh. Error 37. We are compleatly united to Christ before or without any Faith wrought in us by the Spirit Confutation 37. The term united being understood of that spiritual relation of men unto Christ whereby they come to have life and right to all other blessings in Christ 1 Joh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life And the term compleatly implying a presence of all those bands and ligaments and means as are required in the Word or are any ways necessary to the making up of the union we now conceive this assertion to be erroneous contrary to Scripture that either expresly mentioneth Faith when it speaketh of this union Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Gal. 2. 20. Christ liveth in me by Faith or ever implyeth it in those phrases that do express union as coming to Christ Iohn 6. 35. and eating and drinking Christ vers 47. compared with v. 54. having the Son 1 Iohn 5. 12. and receiving Christ Iohn 1. 12. and Marriage unto Christ Ephes. 5. 32. if there be no dwelling of Christ in us no coming to him no receiving him no eating nor drinking him no being married to him before and without Faith but the former is true therefore also the latter Error 38. There can be no true closing with Christ in a promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Confutation 38. This opinion we conceive erroneous contrary to Esay 55 1 2. Ho! every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters Mat. 11. 28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden John 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drink Revel 22. 17. Let him that is athirst come Mark 1. 15. Repent and believe the Gospel if the word indefinitely be sanctified for the begetting of Faith if the Gospel it self be laid down in a conditional promise if the Apostles and Prophets and Christ himself have laid hold upon such Promisea to help to Union and closing with himself then there may be a true closing with Christ in a Promise that hath a qualification or condition expressed Error 39. The due search and knowledge of the holy Scripture is not a safe and sure way of searching and finding Christ. Confutation 39. This is contrary to express words of Scripture Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Act. 10 43. To him give all the Prophets witness Rom. 3. 21. The righteousness of God witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Esay 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony Act. 17. 11. The Bereans were more noble in that they searched the Scriptures daily If the Prophets give witness to Christ if his righteousness be witnessed by Law and Prophets and that they be noble that daily search the Scriptures and that Christ so far alloweth their Testimony of him that the Scripture saith there is no light but in and according to them then the due searching and knowledge of Scriptures is a safe way to search Christ but the former is true and therefore also the latter Error 40. There is a testimony of the Spirit and voice unto the Soul meerly immediate without any respect unto or concurrence with the Word Confutation 40. This immediate revelation without concurrence with the word doth not onely countenance but confirm that opinion of Enthusiasme justly refused by all the Churches as being contrary to the perfection of the Scriptures and perfection of God's wisdom therein That which is not revealed in the Scripture which is objectum adaequatum fidei is not to be believed but that there is any such revelation without concurrence with the Word is no where revealed in the Scripture Ergo. 1 Cor. 4. 16. Presume not above that which is written Again if there be any immediate
another than he by his own experience hath come unto Confutation 54. This is contrary to Ephes. 4. 11 12. the weakest Minister may edifie the strongest Christian which hath more experience than himself Error 55. A man may have true Faith of dependance and yet not be justified Confutation 55. This is contrary to the Scripture Act. 13. 39. All believers are justified but they that have true Faith of dependance are believers therefore justified Error 56. A Man is not effectually converted till he hath full assurance Confutation 56. This is cross to the Scripture Esa. 5. 10. wherein we see that a Man may truly fear God therefore truly converted and yet walk in darkness without clear evidence or full assurance Error 57. To take delight in the holy service of God is to go a Whoring from God Confutation 57. No Scripture commands us to go a Whoring from God but first the Scripture commands us to delight in the Service of God Psal. 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness Esa. 58. 13. Thou shalt call the Sabbath thy delight Ergo. Secondly God loves not such as go a whoring from him Psal. 73. ult But God loves a chearful server of God 2 Cor. 8. Therefore such as serve him cheerfully do not thereby go a whoring from him Error 58. To help my Faith and comfort my Conscience in evil hours from former experience of God's Grace in me is not a way of Grace Confutation 58. What the Saints have done and found true comfort in that is a way of Grace but they did help their Faith and comfort their Conscience from former evidences of God's Grace in them Psal. 77. 5 6 11. I considered the days of old and called to Remembrance my Songs in the night and by this raised he up his Faith as the latter part of this Psalm sheweth and this was in evil hours ver 2 3. 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoicing that in simplicity and godly pureness we have had our conversation and this was in sad hours v. 4 5 8 9 10. Iob 35. 10. None saith Where is God that made me which giveth Songs in the night here the not attending to former consolation is counted a sinful neglect Error 59. A Man may not be exhorted to any duty because he hath no power to do it Confutation 59. This is contrary to Phil. 2. 12 13. Work out your salvation c. For it is God that worketh in you both the will and the dâ—…ed Ephes. 5. 14. Awake thou that sleepest so 1 Cor. 15. ult Error 60. A Man may not prove his Election by his Vocation but his Vocation by his Election Confutation 60. This is contrary to 1 Thess. 2. 4. Knowing your election because our Gospel came unto you not in word onely but in power 2 Thess. 2. 13 14. God hath elected you to life through Sanctification of the Spirit whereunto he hath called you by our Gospel Error 61. All Doctrines Revelations and Spirits must be tried by Christ the Word rather than by the Word of Christ. Confutation 61. This assertion of it extends to exclude the Word we conceive it contrary to Esa. 8. 20. Iohn 5. 39. Acts 17. 11. also to Iohn 4. 1 2. Try the spirits every spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh c. where Spirits and Doctrines confessing that Christ is come in the Flesh are made distinct from Christ. Error 62. It is a dangerous thing to close with Christ in a Promise Confutation 62. This is contrary to Ioh. 3. 16. Act. 10. 43. Esa. 55. 1 2. Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 7. 37. If Christ in these places invite Men to come unto him and bids them incline and hearken and tells them their Souls shall live and they shall drink and be refreshed by him and by these Promises incourageth them to close with him then it is no dangerous thing to close with him in a Promise it is no danger to obey a command of God but we are commanded to believe the Gospel Mark 1. 15. the Promise being a part of the Gospel Error 63. No better is the evidence from the two Witnesses of Water and Blood mentioned 1 Ioh. 5. 6 7 8. than Mount Calvary and the Souldiers that shed Christ's Blood and these might have drunk of it poor Evidences Confutation 63. Then what God hath ordained or made an Evidence is no better than what he hath not made then Christ loseth his end in coming by Water and Blood v. 6. then the Spirit should agree no better with the Witness of Water and Blood then it doth with Mount Calvary and the Souldiers but the spirit doth agree with the Water and the Blood and not with the other 1 Ioh. 5. 7. These three agree in one Error 64. A Man must take no notice of his sin nor of his repentance for his sin Confutation 64. This is contrary to David whose sin was ever before him Psal. 51. he considered his ways and the evil of them that he might turn his feet to God's Testimonies Psal. 119. 59. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just c. If we say we have not sinned we make him a liar 1 Joh. 1. 8 9. 10. Iob took notice of sin and of his Repentance I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 42. 6. David seeth and saith I am sorry for my sins Psal. 28. 38. Solomon's Penitent must know the Plague in his heart that is his sin and the punishment thereof 1 Kings 8. 38. Error 65. The Church in admitting Members is not to look to holiness of life or testimony of the same Confutation 65. This is contrary to Rom. 1. 7. and the Inscriptions of divers Epistles being directed to Saints and Saints by calling and 1 Cor. 14. 33. Churches of the Saints Acts 2. the Members there were said to repent before they were admitted and 1 Cor. 5. the incestuous person should not then have been cast out for want of Holiness and Paul could not be received into Communion without Testimony Act. 9. 26. Error 66. To lay the Brethren under a Covenant of Works hurts not but tends to much good to make Men look the better to their evidences Confutation 66. If that be done ungroundedly it is contrary to Esa. 5. 20. where woe is pronounced to such as call good evil c. and Ezek. 13. 22. that make such hearts sad as the Lord would not have sadded and it is against the rule of the Covenant 1 Cor. 13. besides it may trench upon the Devil's Office in accusing the Brethren and then it will be good to tell untruth good to break House and Church-Communion then good to break nearest Relations then good to bite one another and good to offend the little ones Mat. 18. Error 67. A Man cannot evidence his Iustification by his Sanctification but he must needs build upon his Sanctification and trust to it Confutation 67. First this is contrary to 1 Iohn 3. 18 19.
Righteousness by Faith Phil. 3. 9 10. 2. The distinct phrase of the Scripture used in distinguishing Legal and Evangelical righteousness is no unsafe speech but such is this Rom. 9. 31 32. Israel found not righteousness because they sought it of the Law and not of or by Faith so Rom. 10. 5 6. The Righteousness of Faith saith thus c. The Apostle makes these two so directly opposite as membra dividentia or contrary species that there is no danger one should be taken for another but that it 's so safe as that he that affirms the one denies the other yea in the most exact expression that ever Paul made to exclude whatsoever might be unsafe towards a Man's justification you have this phrase yea twice in the same verse Phil. 3. 5. Not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ And again The righteousness which is of God by Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ergo it is no unsafe speech yea it must be said on the contrary from those grounds that to say a Man is justified before Faith or without Faith is unsafe as contrary to the language of the Scriptures And for the second part that we must say we are justified by Christ it is true so far as that it cannot be denied nor is it unfound or unsafe at all so to speak but if it mean a must of necessity always or onely so to speak as it is here set in opposition to the phrase of being justified by Faith then it is utterly false for as much as the Scripture leads us along in the way of other expressions ordinarily and the Apostle gives us the truth of doctrine and soundness of phrase together Rom. 10. 3. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth 2. To evidence justification by sanctification or graces savours of Rome Answer Not so 1. Rome acknowledgeth not justification in our common sense Scil. by righteousness imputed 2. Rome denies evidencing of our justification and peace with God and teacheth Doctrine of doubting and professeth that a Man cannot know what God will do with him for life or death unless by special revelation which is not ordinary but if they mean old Rome or Paul's Rome to which he Wrote it 's true that it savours of the Doctrine that they received as appeareth Rom. 8. 28. All things co-work for good the evil of every evil being taken away which is a point of justification and this is propounded under the evidence of the love of God to them that love him because Rom. 8. 2 9 13 14. the evidencing of our being in Christ freedom from condemnation and adoption is prosecuted by arguments from sanctification as by having the spirit being led by the spirit walking after the spirit mortifying the deeds of the flesh by the spirit and if hereto were added the Doctrine of Sr. Iohn so abundant this way in his first Epistle whereof I have already made mention I doubt not but it was the Faith of the Church of Rome that then was so that the speech is unsavoury and casting a foul aspersion on a good thing expressed in the Scriptures but as for the point it self that is included we refer it to it's place to be discussed when it is rightly stated 3. If I be holy I am never the better accepted of God if I be unholy I am never the worse this I am sure of he that hath elected me must save me Answ. These words savour very ill and relish of a careless and ungracious spirit for howsoever we grant that our acceptation unto justification is always in and through Christ the same in God's account yet this expression imports that though a Man's conversation be never so holy and gracious yet he can expect never the more manifestation of God's kindness and love to him contrary to Psal. 50. ult To him that orders his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God and Iohn 14. 21. It implies Secondly that though a Man's conversation be never so vile and sensual yet he need not fear nor expect any farther expression of God's displeasure and anger to break forth against him or withdrawings of his favour from him contrary to Psal. 51. 8 11 12. where God breaks David's bones for his sin and Ionah 2. 4. Ionah was as one cast out of God's presence and 2 Chron. 15. 2. If you forsake him he will forsake you And in a word it imports as if God neither loved righteousness nor hated wickedness contrary to Psal. 45. 6 7. and did take no delight in the Obedience of his People contrary to Psal. 147. 11. The Lord delighteth in those that fear him c. As concerning the last clause He that hath elected me must save me it is true the foundation of God's election remaineth sure yet it is as true that whom he chuseth he purposeth to bring to Salvation through Sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes. 2. 13. 4. If Christ will let me sin let him look to it upon his honour be it Answ. This resorts the Lord's words upon himself Prov. 4. 22 24. Keep thine heart c. Ponder thy Paths c. and therefore no less blasphemous and is contrary to the professed practice of David Psal. 18. 23. I was upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity The latter clause puts the cause of God's dishonour upon himself no less blasphemous than the former and contrary to Rom. 2. 23. where the dishonouring of God is laid upon themselves 5. Here is a great stir about graces and looking to hearts but give me Christ I seek not for graces but for Christ I seek not for promises but for Christ I seek not for Sanctification but for Christ tell not me of meditation and duties but tell me of Christ. Answ. 1. This speech seemeth to make a flat opposition between Christ and his graces contrary to that in Joh. 1. 16. Of his fulness we all received and grace for grace and between Christ and his Promises contrary to Gal. 3. 13 14. Christ was made a curse that we might receive the promise of the Spirit and Luk. 1. 70. with 74. And betwixt Christ and all holy duties contrary to Tit. 2. 14. and therefore hold forth expressions not agreeing to wholsome Doctrine 6. A living Faith that hath living fruits may grow from the living Law Answ. This whole speech is utterly cross to the sound form of Words required 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the form of sound words 1. That a Hypocrite may have a living Law is contrary to Iam. 2. 17. where the hypocrites faith is called a dead Faith 2. That a hypocrite may bring forth living fruit is contrary to that Heb. 9. 14. 3. That all this grows from a living law contrary to 2 Cor. 3. 6. where the Law is called a killing Letter and to Gal. 3. 21. If there had been a law which could have
they were also dis-franchised likewise Rich. Gridly an honest poor Man but very apt to meddle in publick affairs beyond his calling or skill which indeed was the fault of them all and of many others in the Countrey mean condition and weak parts having nothing to say but that he could find no fault c. was dis-franchised Mrs. Hutchison ALL these except Mr. Wheelwright were but young branches sprung out of an old root the Court had now to do with the Head of all this Faction Dux faemina facti a Woman had been the breeder and nourisher of all these distempers one Mistriss Hutchison the Wife of Mr. William Hutchison of Boston a very honest and peaceable Man of good estate and the daughter of Mr. Marvary sometimes a Preacher in Lincolnshire after of London a Woman of a haughty and fierce carriage of a nimble wit and active spirit and a very voluble tongue more bold than a Man though in understanding and judgment inferiour to many Women This Woman had learned her skill in England and had discovered some of her Opinions in the Ship as she came over which had caused some jealousie of her which gave occasion of some delay of her admission when she first desired fellowship with the Church of Boston but she cunningly dissembled and coloured her opinions as she soon got over that Block and was admitted into the Church then she began to go to work and being a Woman very helpful in the times of Child-birth and other occasions of â—…dily infirmities and well furnished with means for those purposes she easily insinuated her self into the affections of many and the rather because she was much inquisitive of them about their Spiritual Estates and in discovering to them the danger they were in by trusting to common Gifts and Graces without any such witness of the Spirit as the Scriptures holds out for a full evidence whereby many were convinced that they had gone on in a Covenant of Works and were much humbled thereby and brought to inquire more after the Lord Jesus Christ without whom all their gifts and graces all their contributions c. would prove but legal and would vanish all this was well and suited with the publick Ministery which went along in the same way and all the faithful imbraced it and blessed God for the good success that appeared from this discovery But when she had thus prepared the way by such wholsome truths then she begins to set forth her own stuff and taught that no Sanctification was any evidence of a good estate except their justification were first cleared up to them by the immediate witness of the Spirit and that to see any work of grace either faith or repentance c. before this immediate witness was a Covenant of works whereupon many good souls that had been of long approved godliness were brought to renounce all the Work of Grace in them and to wait for this immediate revelation then sprung up also that Opinion of the in-dwelling of the Person of the Holy Ghost and of Union with Christ and Justification before Faith and a denying of any gifts or graces or inherent qualifications and that Christ was all did all and that the Soul remained always as a dead Oâ—…gan and other of those gross errours which were condemned in the late Assembly and whereof divers had been quashed by the publick Ministry but the main and bottom of all which tended to quench all endeavour and to bring to a dependance upon an immediate witness of the Spirit without sight of any gift or grace this stuck fast and prevailed so as it began to be opposed and she being questioned by some who marvelled that such Opinions should spread so fast she made Answer That where-ever she came they must and they should spread And indeed it was a wonder upon what a sudden the whole Church of Boston some few excepted were become her New-Converts and infected with her Opinions and many also out of the Church and of other Churches also yea many prophane persons became of her Opinion for it was a very easie and acceptable way to Heaven to see nothing to have nothing but wait for Christ to do all so that after she had thus prevailed and had drawn some of eminent place and parts to her party whereof some profited so well as in a few Months they out-went their Teacher then she kept Open-House for all comers and set up Two Lecture-days in the Week when they usually met at her house Threescore or Fourscore persons the Pretence was to Repeat Sermons but when that was done she would Comment upon the Doctrines and Interpret all passages at her pleasure and Expound dark places of Scripture so as whatsoever the Letter held forth for this was one of her Tenents That the whole Scripture in the Letter of it held forth nothing but a Covenant of Works she would be sure to make it serve her turn for the confirming of her main Principles whereof this was another That the darker our Sanctification is the clearer is our Iustification And indeed most of her New Tenents tended to slothfulness and quench all endeavour in the Creature And now was there no speech so much in use as of vilifying Sancâ—…ification and all for advancing Christ and Free-grace and the whole Pedegree of the Covenant of Works was set forth with all its Complements beginning at Cain If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted Then it is explained and ratified at Mount Sinai and delivered in the Two Tables and after sprinkled with the Blood of Christ Exod. 24. and so carryed on in the Letter of the Scripture till it be compleat as the Covenant of Grace by the Spirit seals Forgiveness of Sins one of the venters whereon Christ begets Children c. and in the end Wherefore is all this adoe but that having a more cleanly way to lay all that opposed her being near all the Elders and most of the faithful Christians in this Countrey under a Covenant of Works she might with the more credit disclose and advance her Master-piece of immediate revelaâ—…ons under the fair pretence of the Covenant of Free-Grace wherein she had not failed of her aim to the utter subversion both of Churches and Civil state if the most wise and merciful providence of the Lord had not prevented it by keeping so many of the Magistrates and Elders free from the infection for upon the countenance which it took from some eminent persons her opinions began to hold up their heads in Church Assemblies and in the Court of Justice so as it was held a matter of offence to speak any thing against them in either Assembly thence sprang all that trouble to the Pastour of Boston for his free and faithful Speech in the Court though required and approved thence took Mr. Wheelwright courage to inveigh in his Sermon against Men in a Covenant of Work as he placed them and to proclaim them all enemies to
former service and done more wrong to Christ and his Church than formerly she had done good and so laid her sin to her conscience with much zeal and solemnity he admonished her also of the height of spirit then he spake to the Sisters of the Church and advised them to take heed of her Opinions and to with-hold all countenance and respects from her lest they should harden her in her sin so she was dismissed and appointed to appear again that day sevennight The Court had ordered that she should return to Roxbury again but upon intimation that her spirit began to fall she was permitted to remain at Mr. Cotton's House where Davenport was also kept who before her next appearing did both take much pains with her and prevailed so far that she did acknowledge her Error in all the Articles except the last and accordingly she wrote down her Answers to them all when the day came and she was called forth and the Articles read again to her she delivered in her Answers in writing which were also read and being then willing to speak to the Congregation for their further satisfaction she did acknowledge that she had greatly erred and that God had left her to her self herein because she had so much under-valued his Ordinances both in slighting the Magistrates at the Court and also the Elders of the Church and confessed that when she was at the Court she looked only at such failings as she apprehended in the Magistrates Proceedings without having regard to the place they were in and that the Speeches she then used about her Revelations were rash and without ground she desired the Prayers of the Church for her Thus far she went on well and the Assembly conceived hope of her Repentance but in her Answers to the several Articles she gave no Satisfaction because in diverse of them she answered by Circumlocutions and seemed to lay all the faults in her Expressions which occasioned some of the Elders to desire she might express her self more clearly and for that ever she was demanded about the Article whether she were not or had not been of that judgment that there is no inherent Righteousness in the Saints but those Gifts and Graces which are ascribed to them that are only in Christ as the Subject to which she answered that she was never of that Judgment howsoever by her Expressions she might seem to be so and this she affirmed with such Confidence as bred great astonishment in many who had known the contrary and diverse alledged her own Sayings and Reasonings both before her Confinement and since which did manifest to all that were present that she knew that she spake untruth for it was proved that she had alledged that in Isaiah 53. By his knowledge shall my righteous Servant justifie many which she had maintained to be meant of a knowledge in Christ and not in us so likewise that in Galatians I live by the Faith of the Son of God which she said was the Faith of Christ and not any Faith inherent in us also that she had maintained that Christ is our Sanctification in the same sort that he is our Justification and that she had said that she would not pray for Grace but for Christ and that when she had been pressed with diverse Scriptures which spake of washing and creating a new Heart and writing the Law in the Heart c. she had denyed that they did mean any Sanctification in us There were diverse women also with whom she had dealt about the same point who if their Modesty had not restrained them would have born witness against her herein as themselves after confessed wherefore the Elders pressed her very earnestly to remember her self and not to stand so obstinately to maintain so manifest an untruth but she was deaf of that Ear and would not acknowledge that she had been at any time of that judgment howsoever her Expressions were Then Mr. Cotton told the Assembly that whereas she had been formerly dealt with for matter of Doctrine he had according to the duty of his place being the Teacher of that Church proceeded against unto Admonition but now the case being altered and she being in question for maintaining of untruth which is matter of manners he must leave the business to the Pastor Mr. VVilson to go on with her but withal declared his judgment in the case from that in Rev. 22. that such as make and maintain a lye ought to be cast out of the Church and whereas two or three pleaded that she might first have a second admonition according to that in Titus 3. 10. he answered that that was only for such as erred in point of Doctrine but such as shall notoriously offend in matter of Conversation ought to be presently cast out as he proved by Ananias and Saphira and the incestuous Corinthian and as appears by that of Simon Magus and for her own part tho' she heard this moved in her behalf that she might have a further respite yet she her self never desired it so the Pastor went on and propounding it to the Church to know whether they were all agreed that she should be cast out and a full Consent appearing after the usual manner by their silence after a convenient pause he proceeded and denounced the Sentence of Excommunication against her and she was commanded to depart out of the Assembly In her going forth one standing at the door said The Lord sanctifie this unto you to whom she made answer The Lord judgeth not as man judgeth better to be cast out of the Church than to deny Christ. Thus it hath pleased the Lord to have compassion on his poor Churches here and to discover this great Impostor an instrument of Satan so fitted and trained to his Service for interrupting the passage of his Kingdom in this part of the world and poysoning the Churches here planted as no story records the like of a woman since that mentioned in the Revelation it would make a large volume to lay down all passages I will only observe some few which were obvious to all that know her course 1. Her Entrance 2. Her Progress 3. Her Downfal 1. The Foundation she laid was or rather seemed to be Christ and Free-Grace 2. Rule she pretended to walk by was only the Scripture 3. The light to discern this Rule was only the Holy Ghost 4. The persons she conversed with were for the most part Christians in Church-Covenant 5. Her ordinary talk was about the things of the Kingdom of God 6. Her usual Conversation was in the way of Righteousness and Kindness Thus she entred and made up the first act of her course 2. In her progress I observe First Her Success she had in a short time insinuated her self into the Hearts of much of the people yea of many of the most wise and godly who grew into so reverent an Esteem of her Godliness and spiritual Gifts as they looked at her as