Rise raigne er 20. pag. 4. er 32. pag. 6. er 42. p. 8. er 64. pag. 12. er 70. pag. 53. 6. A beleever must have the actuall influence of the Spirit to know these things that are freely given him of God A Moralist needeth no supernaturall light to know that he hath a masse of Morall vertues Temperance Fortitude Justice and his owne Spirit teacheth him that he is a temperate valerous just man 6. A beleever cannot act according to his supernaturall habits except actuall grace stirre him a Moralist needeth but naturall reason the stirring of his owne Spirit with a common influence of God to cause him act according to his Morall habits 7. The Moralists habits of vertue are of no better house then his owne conqueise the new heart and the habits of grace are of a higher and nobler bloud being from heaven and infused by the Spirit of grace Ezech. 36.26 Deut. 30. vers 6. Zach. 12.10 Saltmarsh doth little lesse then blaspheme when hee saith the supernaturall knowledge of the Spirits impression by signes which is wrought by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 2.12 1 Joh. 2.3 1 Joh. 3.18.19 Rom. 8.15.16 Is as low as the feelings of flesh and bloud for flesh and bloud cannot assure us that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren this knowledge is given us by that Spirit which the World knowes not 1 Cor. 2.12 CHAP. LXXXVIII That we are both righteous in the sight of God being justified and yet sinners in our selves is proved against Antinomians ANtinomians hold That we cannot be both righteous in the sight of God and also sinners in our selves It is thus farre true we cannot both be righteous by Christs imputed righteousnesse and freed from the guilt of sinne and not righteous by imputation and not freed that should involue a contradiction 2. It is thus farre true we cannot be both righteous by imputation before God and in our selves sinners by sinne bearing a dominion over us as a Tyrant doth over a slave because whoever are justified they are also sanctified and sanctification abateth the dominion full vigour and lordship of sinne but doth not remove it root and branch so as it doth not dwell in the Saints so long as they dwell in the body 1. David Psalm 51. vers 7. saith Purge mee with Hysope and I shall be cleane wash me and I shall bee whiter then the snow Then he was cleane in the sight of God being pardoned And Rom. 4.6 Psalm 32.1 David describeth the righteousnesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without works 1. Saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sinnes are covered And so was Abraham justified and Rom. 4.23.24 Now it was not written for his sake alone but for us Then David and Abrahams sinnes were covered and they freed from the guilt of all sinne in the sight of God yet Paul Rom. 3. proveth that David and the most righteous on earth sinned because there is none that doth good there are none righteous they are all gone out of the way c. all the world was guilty before God verse 19. then they were sinners if David was a Jew and one that went out of the way as the Law of God maketh no exception Antinomians cannot say that before David was justified and converted and while hee was yet in the state of nature he sinned but being once converted and justified he was no more a sinner then Christ but as righteous as Christ as saith Crispe as cleane from sinne saith Eaton as Christ himselfe I confesse this is to helpe the Papists not a little for Paul speaketh of all that are justified by Faith and not by Works now David converted was justified by faith and not by works done either before conversion by the strength of nature or after conversion by the power of saâ—ing grace therefore David must sinne and goe out of the way after conversion when he was free from all guilt of sinne and so justified and righteous before God and yet a sinner though he sinned not as under the full dominion of sinne 2. The Lord pardoned and covered the sinnes of his people in Christ in the Old Testament tooke away their iniquity and purged their sinne blotted out their transgressions and remembred not their sinnes and that as a thicke cloud God described himselfe to Moses not Prophecying what he was to be under the New Testament but what hee was at that time actually as he was then as now the Lord the Lord mercifull and gracious long suffering and aboundant in goodnesse and truth even a God keeping mercie to thousands of the Jewes forgiveing iniquitie trangression and sinne then multitudes were then justified and righteous in the sight of God and freed from the guilt of sinne and yet even then there was not one man on earth justified or not justified who inherently and in himselfe was righteous did good and sinned not or that could say he had made cleane his heart or was pure from sinne or that could stand before God if hee should marke narrowly his iniquities nor was there any flesh could bee justified in his sight Not a righteous Job a none-such on earth and so justified before God yet in himselfe is so sinfull as his owne garments should defile him though hee should wash himselfe with Snow-water Job 9.30 31. 3. Paul a man not under the Law justified and sanctified regenerated and triumphing in Christ as freed from sinne before God as touching the guilt and condemnation thereof yet remaineth a sinner in himselfe carnall sold under sinne sinne dwelleth in him no good dwelleth in his flesh there is rebellion in him against the Law of his minde captivity to sinne wretchednesse under the body of sinne 4. So the Corinthians were justified washen sanctified and yet these of them who were judged and punished that they should not perish with the world did grievously sinne in not descerning the Lords body if there were no sinne in these who were justified and espoused to Christ more then in Christ how could Paul feare that as the Serpent beguiled Evah so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ Jesus If there was not sinne dwelling in them how thought they Paul a foole slighted him and extolled the Messengers of Satan the false Apostles 5. The Apostle John and his fellowes and the Saints to whom he writeth Had fellowship with the Father and the Sonne were purged from all their sinnes had an Advocate who interceeded for them in heaven were Fathers young men babes in Christ and so righteous in the sight of God yet sinners For if we say saith John we have no sinne we deceive our selves and make him a lyar 6. This Novatian and Familisticall opinion that we cannot be both righteous before God and sinners
the King as lawfull Magistrates I answer its true so would they pray for Nero Dominitian and heathen Justices of peace sent by them as lawfull Magistrates but not as Christian Magistrates nor such as they would chuse to reigne over them because in their apprehension of them they are no lesse without the Church then heathens then let the world be judge of their candor in contending for a power of Premunires and in voting that heathen Justices of peace and unchristian Parliaments should be above a free Generall Assembly of England but they could not endure either Magistrates or Parliaments of the gang they are now in England to be above one of their Congregations though consisting of seven 3. They are jealous of any supremacy of Generall Assemblies But say the Congregations of England were all Independent they would not baptise the children of the twentieth Parliament man Judge and Justice of peace nor of the King or most professors in England as they are now in England nor admit them or their wives or children to the Ordinances because they are no Church-members and no better then Ethiopians or Indians to them and if Parliament or Justices of peace should take on them to judge or punish them for this I beleeve M. Burton and our brethren would tell them these that are without the Church as you are have no power to judge the Church of Christ are to judge of Church administrations or to whom Ordinances should be dispensed or not dispensed Judge if this be not a supremacy given to seven above the Parliament and Judges of the Kingdome which M. Burton so much condemned in a Nationall Assembly of all the godly Ministers and Elders in England But it s a fault that the Generall Assembly hath power to make rules according to the word of God appertaining to the good behaviour of all the members of the Kirke and abrogate Statutes and Ordinances about Ecclesiasticall matters that are found noysome and unprofitable without the Magistrate So did the Assembly at Jerusalem appoint such rules as should binde Caesar so he had been a good Constantine and though they cannot abrogate Ordinances and Acts of Parliament by making or unmaking Acts of Parliament our booke of discipline never meaned that as M. Burton ignorant of the discipline of our Church saith yet as the Ministers of Christ they may juridically declare yea and preach authoritively that Acts of Parliament establishing the Masse are unlawfull and godlesse lawes commanding Idolatry and denounce a woe against unjust decrees and lawes as Esay 10.1 else when M. Burton preacheth against such lawes he then must incurre a premunire before God and set himselfe in a Papall throne above the Parliament and enslave the English Subjects for he preaches that Statutes of Parliament that establisheth Masse and the burning of heretickes that is Protestants are to be abrogated as well as the Generall Assembly of Scotland doth and so M. Burton must set himselfe above Kings and Kesars And when a Synod or Church conveened in the name of Christ bindes on earth according to the word of God Matth 18. there is no lawfull appeal from them to any Civill judicature not because they are not men but because they are a Court acting in the name of Christ according to his word and Christ with them bindes or looses in heaven yea there is no reclamation to be made nor any appeale from one faithfull Pastor speaking in the name and authority of Christ according to that He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me and there is no danger to be feared either of Papall tyranny or Parliamentary breach or premunire But M. Rutherfurd saith The decisive voyces of a Generalâ— Assembly bindes the absent as well as present Answ. So saith the Holy Ghost the Churches of Antioch Syria and Silicia were bound to receive and obey the decrees of the Synod so soon as they heare them Act. 15.22 23 26 27 28. Act. 16.4 Act. 21.25 as they that despise the doctrine of faithfull Pastors dead and buried despise Christ so saith that learned and godly man M. Cotton and all the Churches of N. England who to M. Burton must set up a Papall throne as well as the Church of Scotland if this be Popery for what need Churches absent saith Cotton Keyes of the Kingdome p. 26. send to a Synod for light and direction in wayes of truth and peace if they be resolved aforehand how farre they will goe and if they be not obliged to submit thereunto in the Lord. M. Burton saith further p. 21. that M. Rutherfurd saith ch 20.312 Gov. Chur. Scot. The acts of the Assembly oblige all the absents not present in all their members and that because whatsoever is by these Commissioners determined and concluded is matter necessary and agreeable to Gods word as being no lesse infallible then those decisions of the Apostles Act. 15. Answ. I dare appeale to the conscience of M. Burton well informed and to all the godly if they conceive any such thing to be my judgement to assert with Bellarmine Papists the infallibility of any Councells now on earth yea if he had read what I have said ch 14. p. 209.212 I prove that the Apostles acted not in that Synod as Apostles but as ordinary Elders and Doct. Whittaker and M. Cotton say the same though M. Tho. Goodwin and M. Nye contradict both M. Cotton and Whittaker and Calvin and all both Papists and Protestants yea and Independents who acknowledge Act. 15. to be a paterne for Synods to the end of the world But the Independents now in England and Anabaptists side with Bridgesius Grotius Socinians and Arminians the enemies of Synods and say that Synod Act. 15. was an extraordinary Apostolicke meeting that obligeth not the Churches now The Seekers say there shall never be Synods till Apostles arise againe which they say without all word of Scripture 2. I speake not one word pag. 312. of that purpose but pag. 322. I speake and M. Burton both detracteth from and addeth to and perverteth my words which I impute not to malice as others doe but to his ignorance of the Discipline of the Church of Scotland my words ch 20. pag. 322. are these The acts of the Assembly oblige all the absents not present in all their members as Act. 23 24.28 Act. 15.16.4 ch 21.25 not because of the authority of the Church but because of the matter which is necessary and agreeable to Gods word Beside that M. Burton leaves out all the Scriptures I cite because he could not answer them he leaves out these words not because of the authority of the Church which cleareteh my sense and directly excludeth all infallible authority of Church or Assembly For I hold they oblige the consciences not for men or the Authority of the Church or because so saith the Church as Papists make the testimony of the Church the formall obâ—ect of our faith and the Church to bee
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
he addeth ver 2. and the things that thou hâ—st heard of me amongst many witnesses the same commit thou to faithfull mâ—n then as the same rose may grow by nature and by the industry of the gardner and by singular art as by causing an Oven hot to send warmenesse and heate to the root of the rose in the winter when otherwise the cold earth should produce no roses at all nor can these three sort of Roses be said to be different in nature spece though produced 3 sundry ways by nature industry and art fomenting and supporting weake nature so also the same knowledge of the Scripture doth come to Paul by revelation to Timothy by industry and teaching and the same knowledge and faculty of speaking with tongues is Act. cha 2 in some by the comming downe of the Holy Ghost without education and teaching and in some by education and teaching ver 4 5 6. compared with ver 8 when therefore it is said Act. 4.13 That the councell perceiving Peter and Iohn were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unlearned mâ—n they were amazed it cannot inferre as Antinomians thinke that humane learning and knowledge of tongues were not requisite in the Apostles or that the Apostles were voyd of such learning but they onely marvelled that men unlearned in regard of education at schooles and universities being fisher-men and unlearned in a pharisaicall sense which onely went for learning in their time could so promptly and boldly speake of the misteries of the Gospel and were so skilled in the doctrine of Moses and the Prophets and they wondered at their Master Christs learning seeing he was a Carpenters sonne and never taught at schooles and M. Beacon Sam. How and other Antinomians are of the Pharisees opinion if they beleeve Christ was destitute of learning now what way hee had his learning whether by infusion from heaven or the personall union or by education at schooles which is not apparent is a farre other question and they are no lesse deceived who imagine that those fisher-men now Catholick ambassadors of Iesus Christ and on whom the Holy Ghost descended in cloven tongues with the rest Act. 2.1 2 3 4. were ignorant of the tongues Hebrew Greeke and Latine or that they who preached and wrote scripture and such divine epistles to the Churches were unlearned men voyd of the very literall knowledge and skill of the very letter of the scriptures of the old and new Testament which these men call falsly prophane and heathenish so Christ and his Apostles had all the learning and tongues that we now have and what we have by industry and paines reading studying under teachers and in schooles and universities that they had by immediate infusion or some other way Enthysiasts goe upon a false principle that learning arts tongues are in their nature and kind heathenish whereas of themselves and in their kind and nature they are neither heathenish nor Christian but naturall and well polished habits and acquired qualities indifferent and extrinsecall to either the state of Ethnicisme or Christianity and good or ill as they are well used or abused in either states they argue vainely then who thus reason if Christ and his Apostles carried on a ministery without learning arts and tongues then so may wee but the former is true therefore so is the latter the major is false because sectaries want the immediate inspiring Spirit that Christ and his Apostles had to supply defects of education and industry and the assumption is palpably false also who ever therefore now will take on them to be publicke ministers of the New Testament and goe from weaving sowing Carpentarie Shoo-making to the pulpit to the representing of God and being his mouth to his people being voyd of all learning tongues logick arts sciences and the literall knowledge of the scripture and yet cannot shew that either the Holy Ghost hath given to them the Gift of tongues and the knowledge of the mystery of the Gospell by revelation without the teaching of flesh or blood as he did to the Apostles or without some more then ordinary competent measure of knowledg and supernaturall dexterity to cut the word of truth aright and yet alledge that fisher-men never brought up at schooles and universities may be preachers of the Gospel and why not Weavers Taylors Button makers Shoo-makers c. they are but intruders and runne and the Lord sent them not how then can M. Beacon in his Chatechisme pag. 153 154. Prove that the ministery of the Spirit can be carried on without that which wee commonly call Humane Learning from Act. 4.13 Because Christ and his Apostles carried it on so For Christ and his Apostles wanted not that which we commonly call humane learning yea and most properly call so they wanted learning acquited at schooles and universities but that is not the question whether men may be preachers though they never were educated and trained up in universites Humane learning is not called so from the way and manner of acquiring of it but from its own nature And Christ and his Apostles made use of humane arts and tongues for the understanding and opening of Scripture 1 Christ and his Apostles cite Scripture out of the Hebrew text in the old Testament into the tongue knowne to the hearers yea and the Apostles doe translate the scripture in Hebrew into the Greeke tongue and expone it and draw Logicall consequences from the Old Testament so Christ Mat. 22. God is the God of Abraham now dead ergo the dead shall rise againe Antinomians say Christ makes no use of Logick and of Logicall consequences because they are Logicall for that which he saith there is Scripture because Christ so saith not because there is such Logicall arguing in the words Ans. The same way that we argue from an Antecedent to a consequent by naturall logick so doth Christ we deny not but Christ and the Holy Ghost in the Evangelist Matthew does put the stampe and impression of Scripture on naturall and sinlesse arguing from an Antecedent to a consequent but it followes well Christ made use of logick in Scripture-discourses therefore humane learning is lawfull for and necessary to the opening and understanding of the Scripture 2 Whereas Antinomians say consequences are not Scripture but darken the glory of the Gospel Salt shaddowes fleeing away p. 8. It is cleare Christ calleth this very logicall consequence God is the God of dead Abraham ergo dead shall rise by the very name of scripture which yet was but a consequence drawen from Exo. chap. 3.6 yee erre not knowing the Scriptures and further he rebuketh the Saduces as ignorant who did not make use of the like logicall consequence to see the truth of the doctrine of the resurrection yee erre not knowing the scriptures Mat. 22.31 Haue yee not read that which was spoken to you c. ergo it was their unbeleife and dulnesse that they did not read and understand the logick
and who is for ever Qâ—i venturus est in soecula And what we now say of our selves in this point the same also our Progenitors were forced to say according as the Psalmes and other Scriptures testify Yea our posterity will even experiment the same and must sing with us and the whole Church the 124 Psalme If God were not with us now may Israel say c. O! What a lamentable thing is it that we should have so many dreadfull examples before us of such men who were so highly conceited of themselves as if they had been the only pillars to support the Church and as if the Church had been founded upon them and yet see to what a shamefull end they were brought at last Yet these terrible judgements of God cannot abate our pride and daring nor make us lowly and humble What is befalne Muncer in our time to say nothing of Elder and former ages who was perswaded that the Church could not subsist without him but that hee might beare and rule her And of late the Anabaptists have warned us with a vengeance to remember how puissant and neerely advancing that specious Devill is and how perilous it is to have such gallant thoughts of our selves Let us be wise at last and learne when we enterprize any thing first to look according to the counsell of Isaiah into our hand whether it be God or an Idoll whether it be gold or clay But all this availes not for we still remain secure without feare or care We can put the devill farre from us and beleeve not that there is such a body of flesh in us as Saint Paul complaines Rom. 7. That he could not doe that which he would and that he was led captive For we forsooth are those Heroick Champions that need not feare our flesh and thoughts but we are all Spirit and have wholly captivated both flesh and devill so that whatsoever we think or is cast into our mindes that must be a certain truth and infallibly the Holy Ghost How can it be otherwise Therefore what other fine Catastrophe could be lookt for at last but that both horse and rider must break their necks But enough of those lamentations The Lord Christ be and remain our Lord Christ blessed for ever Amen I conceive without failing against charity I may say that Eislebius after the death of Luther returned to his vomit and recanted his recantation upon these reasons First because I think we may credit Osiander his testimony who saith in his old age he turned Epicure An vero ante mortem ad meliorem mentem redierit affirmare nequeo Audivi tamen eum etiam in provecta admodum aetate homini Epicuraeo quà m pio Theologo fuisse similiorem Lucas Osiander Epit. hist. Ecclesiast â—entur 16. l. 3. p. 802. Deâ—to Agric Eislebi Printed at Wittingburgh by Joseph Klug an 1539. that is Whether or no Eislebius before his death repented of his heresie I dare not affirm but I heard by report in his old age that he lived more like a voluptuous Epicure then a Godly Divine 2 The Divines of Eisleben in their large confession published an 1560 say that after Luthers death he againe defended his error in his publicke writings So Schlusserburg Catalo heretick l. 4. pag. 36 37. 3 he declined to publish in writing his owne recantation as Luther desired him but shifted the businesse and layd it upon Luther to do it though he was a learned man and able to doe it himselfe How ever Osiander is so farre from thinking that Luther favoured the Antinomian way that he saith he believes that there was not any that held the opinion of Antinomians and though Luther have hard phrases in his Comment on Galathians yet Osiander saith Cent 16. l. 2. c. 29. pag. 314. That a sinner broken in Spirit should not heare the Law condemning sinnes but should turne his eyes to Christ who healteh the broken in heart Luther was a man much exercised in conscience and writes much from his owne experience especially in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians Therefore I purpose God willing further to vindicate Luther in all his writings from the Antinomian error when I have further from Schlusselburgius Sleidan and Osiander cleared the errors of Eislebius and his that the Reader may see that they are the very errors of present Antinomians and Familists 1 The Law is not worthy to be called the Word of God 2 When thou art in the midst of sin only beleeve and thou art in the midst of salvation 3 The Law of God belongeth to the Cours or Benches of Civil Iudges to men-ward not to the pulpit or conscience to God-ward 4 Men are not to be prepared for the Gospel or conversion by the preaching of the Law 5 Who ever have to doe with Moses goe straight to the Devill 6 In the Gospell nothing now should be spoken of violating of a Law But onely of the offending of the sonne of God 7 To heare the word and thinke of it in the heart is the proper consequence of the Gospel 8 Peter understood not Christian liberty 9 To make our Calling and Election sure by good workes is needlesse 10 If you think the Church should be so governed as men must be sober holy good chast now yee have erred from the Gospell 11 The Law teacheth not good workes nor is the Law to be preached that wee may doe good workes but only the Gospell 12 The Law and Moses cannot shew us the true God 13 Christians are not to be rebuked by the Law 14 Our faith and New-Testament-religion was unknowne to Moses 15 Good workes profit nothing to salvation Ill workes tend not to damnation 16 Christians with all their good workes belong to the Devill 20 The Holy Ghost converteth by himselfe not by the Law nor convinceth he the conscience of sin 21 A beleever is above all law and all obedience 22 The Legall Preachings of the Prophets belong nothing to us 23 We should not use these phrases A Christian conversation a christian obedience good workes of christians 24 The law good workes new obedience belong not to the Kingdome of Christ but to the world as Moses and the Popes supremacy belongs thereunto So Saltmarsh Christ is our new obedience and our mortification by imputation 25 We should so live as Iewes Anabaptists and others should see no good workes in us 26 The law onely without the Gospell reveales not sin in its greatnesse and deformity 27 The Gospell only argueth the contempt of a mediator 28 Paulus Crellius the Antinomian prop. 85 Negant nostra ecclesiae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocabulum evangelij se generaliter in hac disputatione pro corpore doctrinae accipere tam legem quam evangelium It is true the Law in its rigour condemning and cursing and denying righteousnesse or justification to a sinner is no part of the Gospel as the Gospel is the pure doctrine of free
that being once justified and having obtained the Spirit they are not obliged by any obligation of a command involving sin in case of disobedience to either read heare or meditate in the Scriptures but are so freed from the signe having obtained the thing that they are not under the letter of law or Gospel written or preached or under any outward command or Ordinance or Law or Sacrament or sin or obligation at all but are led by a free arbitrary Spirit separated from all letter of the word A vain dream For Luther holdeth the letter of the Law to be an erroneous false and wicked seeking of righteousnesse by the works of the Law and a living to sin and from the oldnesse of the letter in this sense we are freed by the Spirit of faith and Luther explaineth himselfe when hee saith Obtentare jam signo non opus having obtained the Spirit we need not the letter He meaneth nothing lesse then when we have received the Spirit we need not the written Scriptures or the Commandement or any outward Ordinances nor any commanding Sure Sathan devised that sense it came never in Luther never in Pauls minde but he meaneth having obtained the thing that is the Spirit we need not the signe that is the letter of the Law only without the Spirit now the letter of the Law only commandeth perfect and exactly absolute obedience under the paine of eternall damnation But Luther explaineth himselfe in the very next words Ideo obtenta re Spiritu jam signo non opus Itaque neque justo lex ost posita What is that Luther to 4. fol. 178. Lex justo non est posita sic enim justus vivit ut nullâ lege opus habeat c. He so liveth that hee hath not need of the Law to teach and command without Christ that he must performe absolutely pâ—rfect obedience to the Law otherwise he is eternally condemned this is the letter of the Law for the just man is in Christ. Ideo Lex saith Luther there non potest accusare reos agere credentes in Christum the Law cannot accuse and condemne beleevers in Christ in the same sense saith Luther to 1.451 Justus non debet bene vivere the justified man ought not to live holily according to the letter of the absolute commanding Law enjoyning obedience under paine of eternall condemnation for faith looseth him from this debet and from this Law debt yet vivit bene hee liveth holily and he ought to live holily in an Evangelick sense and that this is Luthers minde is cleare the just man is loosed from that Law that the unjust and beleever is under as Luther saith in the same place Injustus debet bene vivere Now the beleever being under the Law he is a full debter to pay active and passive obedience to the brim he owes in a manner as much as Christ paid to the Law 2. Luther saith in the same place Hoc totum urget c. God presseth all this that we seeke not a letter-righteousnesse that is righteousnesse by the workes of the Law for the Law in its letter requireth absolute obedience under the paine of death But Christs intention sense is not that the â—etter of the Law Cursed be he that obeyeth not in all that is written in the Law to doe it shall stand against the beleever but that the spirituall sense shall stand that the beleever shall bee cursed in his head Christ suffering for him and that he shall fulfill the Law not in the letter that is perfectly and compleatly for so the old letter is now out of date and passeth away to the beleever but in the Spirit that is an Evangelick obedience to the Law 8. Conclusion Antinomians hold that a justified man is perfect and free from sin both in person and works as if he were in heaven and that the naturall civill and religious works of beleevers are made perfect in the sight of God Then must they perfectly keep the Law and Christ must make our good works exactly conforme to the Law what can hinder us then to be justified by works Randal the Antinomian and Familist said These are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth who say That perfection is not attainable in this life So Bullinger l. 1. c. 8. tells of the fourth sort of Anabaptists in his time that said they could not sinne and the Church was without spot and wrinckle they left out in the Lords prayer Forgive us our sinnes and said we are justified by workes and could keep the Law perfectly Sure Luther denyes the beleevers to be perfect in this life Say not I am perfect I cannot fall but be humble and fear thou that stands to day mayst fall to morrow Luther So is the life of a Christian that he who hath begun may seem to have nothing therefore Paul saith I beleeve not that I have apprehended Phil. 3. because nothing is more pernitious to a faithfull man then that presumption as if he had apprehended it and there were no need to seeke so many make defection and whether through security and negligence So Bernard to stand in the way of God is to goe backe then to him that is be-back then to him that is begun to be a Christian this remaineth to esteem himself not a Christian but to seek to be a Christian. A Christian is not at his end but in his way that he may glory with Paul I am not but I desire to be and as many of us as are perfect let us remaine in this rule then he that is a Christian is no Christian that is he that beleeveth he is made a Christian when he is to be made a Christian we endevour toward heaven we are not in heaven so he is already in heaven who indevours toward heaven because God counts him to be in heaven woe to him that is wholly renewed that is who beleeveth he is renewed Then woe to Towne Saltmâ—rsh for these that are as free from sin as Christ must be perfect Luther The minde of man when it is in temptation and danger with difficulty rests on this consolation for thus it doth perpetually complaine What shall be done when shall it be done where shall it be done I answer then wait on wait on if it be longer deferred and the mind ask againe when shall it be say thou I have no other advice but that thou indure and wait on longer one two three years he that commeth will come and will not â—arry Luther Ne dicas ego perfectus sum non possum labi sed humiliare et time ne hodie stans cras cadas Luther Sic est vita Christiana ut qui caeperit sibi videatur nihil habere sed tendit pergit ut apprehendat unde Paulus non arbitror me apprehendisse Phil. 3. quia re vera nihil pernitiosius est homini fideli
unity but imaginary unity because outward and in visible formes before men not inward not spirituall not most glorious so are whoring lying chambering sinnes in the justified only before men and done by the flesh not sinnes before God nor against any Law all that preach duties and against such sinnes to our Familists are literall outside carnall and legall preachers to H. Nicholas Evang. c. 4. s. 4. unilluminated unregenerated unrenewed ungodded unsent all because they are Scripture-learned and to these men the Scripture is but as formes and outward things and so no sin to neglect it there is no unity of professing hearing speaking the same truth of walking as the Redeemed of the Lord. Love in the heart is all H. Nich. 1 Exhor c. 16. s. 2. calleth all Ordinances and Chriâ—tian walking in Christ false exercises or usages which beare a godly shew 1. The Author will have no reall unity but inward and spirituall What then is become of all outward Ordinances that have an outside by Christs appointment answering to an inside and these two united make but one and the same spirituall Ordinance for the body followeth the soule and both follow the Spirit of Jesus according to the written word and the vocall praying the preaching the hearing visibly acted by a beleever in the outward is no lesse spirituall when inside and outside both joyne with the word and Spirit then the inward acts of the minde transacted only within the soule This Author following H. Nicholas and Mr. Del and Saltmarsh would exclude all unity in the body to the head that consists in outward Ordinances as if Christ were not the head of the body visible and of the true visible Church as well as of the invisible Church and as if Christ as the head of the Church did not command and appoint there should bee a visible Ministery an externall Church-government which is spirituall and outward Ordinances of hearing preaching praying Sacraments written word of the old and new Testament but had left all these free to men therefore H Nicholas condemns all knowledge of the Scriptures as Ceremoniall false literall and fleshly wisdome So his Epist. to the two daughters of Warwicke speakes and Evangel ch 34. he rejects the figurative services and Ceremonies that arise from the knowledge of the Scriptures as contrary to the spirituall and inward service of the holy being of God in love and godly wisdome Therefore these Authors call the word of God and externall Ordinances nothing but formes the letter characters figures flesh or externall fleshly Ordinances that perish with the using and are no better then the Ceremonies of Moses Law that are gone and buried and may not be used Saltmars Sparkles of glory p 293.287 288 243 244 245 246 247. Del uniformity examined pag. 7.8 wee know Familists and especially Mr. Dels Sermon before the House of Commons p. 7 8 9 10 18 19 c. cryes downe all Reformation but that which is of the heart and inward and spirituall So Saltmarsh Sparkles p. 217. And this Antichrist is one who denyes Christ comming in the flesh or God in his people who is comming and comming that is ever flowing out in fresh and glorious discoveries and manifestations of himselfe forbidding all beyond them as new lights and false revelations and fixing God and his appearances in their conceptions votes and results and councels and consequents and Lawes of worship In which you see these are one and the same denying Christ comming in the flesh and denying his comming in fresh and glorious discoveries of himselfe then must God incarnate and manifested in the flesh and borne of a woman and of the seed of David be nothing but God by his Spirit opening a new light of Familisme as H. N. taught every spirituall man was Christ and there was not another second Adam and every sinning man the first Adam 2. Christ in the flesh is but a forme and flesh and to bee under his heavenly and spirituall teaching as he preacheth Matth. 13. Joh. 13. Joh. 15 16 17. c. is to bee under the Law and the bondage thereof as under a more legall Christ then that of all Spirit and pure and glorious Spirit It is most considerable that Familists and Antinomians who make every Saint to be Godded and Christed with the godly being make every beleever to be God manifested in the flesh And as Papists make as many hosts as many Christs in their dreame of Transubstantiation so only Familists and Papists multiply many Christs to us and no doubt Christ had an eye to both but specially to Familists Matth. 24.23 then if any man say unto you Loe here is Christ or loe there is Christ beleeve it not 24. For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets c. 3. The forbidding of new lights and new discoveries of God beyond what is revealed in the Scripture to which under pain of a curse we may not adde Rev. 22.17.18 is unlawfull because the scripture to Saltmarsh is but a forme that perisheth with the using and to Familists a fixing of God Idolatrously wâ—thin created formes Vnion in formes commonly called Vniformity every Christian for peace sake will study Why should the Authour speake of Uniformity with such an estranging and detestable expression for with his hand lifted up to the most high God he swears to endeavour to bring the Churchâ—s of God in the three Kingdomes to the nearest Vniformity in Religion confession of faith forme of Church government Now by uniformity we understand not figures words characters which we tye no man too so they speake not as Hereticks and Familists who tell us of an incarnating of God in every Saint or a Godding a Christing of a Creature see H. Nicholas Evange c. 34. Nor doe we meane union in time places persons as Mr. Del ignorantly phancies in his Vniformity examined he may examine his owne examination for he speakes he knowes not what by Vniformity we meane union in the things and in the true Doctrine and substantial practises of faith worship government of the Church in the fundamentals But the Arguments of Del and other Familists prove that the Saints are not to be taught by any ordinances preaching reading hearing I should be glad this Authour were neither of the faith of Del nor Saltmarsh but hâ—s letter smellâ—th rankly of them Yea by this way all England are licenced 〈◊〉 doe what they list on the Lords day and the Booke of spoâ—â—s licencing all Plays and pasttimes from morning till night on the Lords day must be called for agaâ—ne which 〈…〉 Bishops were ashamed of for Vniformity of all Christians and Churches to â—eâ—pe the Lords day is but a form and no spirituall worship to Familists Del saith the spirituall Church is taught by the anoynting the carnall Church by councels By this the Familists dâ—ny all Oathes and Covenants and abjuration of false Doctrine under the new Testament in which they will
not ergo the invisible Church at all times and finally may simply fall from the sound faith of fundamentalls necessary for salvation more then this is a good consequence this particular beleever may in one particular fundamentall point erre fouly and grossely for a time ergo he is not infallibille simpliciter but may finally and totally fall away And that of our Saviours I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not Luke 22.32 though it free not Beleevers from particular failings both in doctrine of faith and conversation of life and that grossely and fouly yet it secures them by Christs intercession in a state of infallibility in fundamentalls and in a condition of indeclinability in conversion so as beleevers are infallible in point of faith touching fundamentalls necessary to salvation except Familists hold the Apostacie of the Saints or that all may goe to heaven finally doubting Pag. 174.175 Sparkles Saltmars tells what are the tradions of man and for Mark 7.9 he citeth Matth. 9. or heresies Now a heresie saith he is something against the doctrine of faith in the word or Scriptures not against any interpretations doctrins conclusions glosses comments or preaching of men who speak not Scripture originally nor infallibly as the Apostles did but so far as that is the very Scripture they speak so far as they speak the truth in Jesus and in the Spirit of God else they teach for doctrines the traditions of men Answ. Traditions of men are not necessarily errors in fundamentalls except only by a remote consequence as all errors are against the fundamentalls 2. There are heresies that are by good consequence against fundamentalls else the Saduces their denying of the resurrection Mat. 22. was no heresie for Christ proveth by a good consequence that they denyed the Scripture I am the God of Abraham when Abraham was then dead when God spake out of the bush to Moses Exod. 3. yet they denyed but conclusions deduced from Scripture 3. There is another strange ingredient in heresie according to Familists and that is because God speakes not now immediatly his word to us as he did to the Apostles no man is an hereticke that denyeth the whole faith except he that denyes the Scripture as the Scripture and except he deny it in so farre as teachers speake the truth in Jesus and in the Spirit of God else that is if they be not Familiâ—ts that teach and speake not in the Famisticall spirit they teach for doctrines the traditions of men that is heresies for Gods truth then to speake heresie is to speake only against fundamentall truths when a Familist in the Spirit of God speaketh them 2. But then when a hereticke readeth in the word this fundamentall Christ came in the world to save sinners 1 Tim. 1.15 though he deny it and spit at it that is no heresie because the paper and printed booke speaketh not in the Spirit of Jesus 3. The written word of God is not the word of God but only the word is spoken by a Familist in the Spirit of Christ. 4. When Preachers void of the Spirit speake that which is the very word of God and fundamentalls of faith these truths are not the word of God but the traditions of men and heresies so his Master H.N. taught the Scripture preaching to be but figurative service the word of God was never published to the world till H.N. the least among the holy ones of God was made alive through Christ anointed with his godly being manned himselfe with H N. and godded H.N. with himself published the light of glory H. Nicholas Evangelic c. 34. sent 9. Pag. 175. Schisme is a dividing from Christians who are in an outward profession of truth Now there may bee schisme iâ— visible Churches or fellowships of Saints upon this account but there can bee none in the true body of Christ or the spirituall Church for they that are joyned to the Lord are one spirit and they are made perfect in one Answ. There is no outward Schisme or renting but it begins at the heart Schisme is a dividing of the hearts as well as a visible parting with the Church or a part thereof else schisme were no sinne which yet Paul reproveth as a sinne 1 Cor. 1. 1 Cor. 3.1 2. The Church of Corinth and these that made a rent were both the visible and the invisible Church that they were the visible Saltm cannot deny they were the invisible Church also 1 Cor. 1.13 Christ was crucified for them and they were babes in Christ fed with milke 1 Cor. 3.1.2 and built upon one only foundation v. 10. Saltmarsh must say they were all unconverted that made the schisme 3. Familists will have none the true body and spirituall Church of Christ but the invisible Church so that upon this account they that beleeve and visibly professe neither Christ nor his truth before men yea who all their dayes deny Christ and so shall be denyed of Christ before the Father and his holy Angells Matth. 10.32 33. may be and are the true body of Christ and the Spirituall Church so H. Nicholas Epistle to the two daughters of Warwicke 4. May not a schisme and seperation fall in these that are both the true body and spirituall Church when of a Church of beleevers effectually called consisting of foure hundred two hundred seperate from two hundred I think they may as well as Barnabas a good man and full of the Holy Ghost seperated from Paul But in so farre as they are saith he in that one Spirit they cannot be divided Ans. True but Saltm speakes lyes in hypocrisie when he saith the spirituall Church are made perfect in one Lord in this life upon the same reason as they are one and as united to the Lord they cannot lye whore steale murther but out of some remnants of corruption they can sinne But Familists put them in a condition they can in this life sinne no more or if they sinne their transgression is not sinne it is not they but their Asse the flesh that sinnes as Libertines said but that is no violation of the Law of God CHAP. XXXIII Saltmarsh Sparkles pag. 22â— Familists minde touching Prayer ALL constant speakings to God in this as they call a conceived way or impremeditate or extemporary way is taken commonly amongst Christians for prayer in the Spirit and for that Spirituall way which the Disciples of Christ used in the Gospel who were growne up from the infancy and childishnesse of formes or words taught them which is but a meer natural or outward thing as they say which any may perform by strength of naturall parts as wit and memory and affections Saltmarsh here first condemneth prayer morning and evening under the words of constant speakings to God because he will have no praying but when the Spirit acts immediatly 2. All extemporary prayers goe not for praying in the Spirit among Christians commonly he belyeth Protestants and the truly
hee shall have visible wounds these are the wounds I received in the house of my friends 2. What sense is there here these that begat him that is his cryers up that extolled his learning shall say thou shalt not live that is thou shalt be a Prophet no more in request and they shall thrust him through by strength of reason and confound him What is it to mocke the word if this be to expone it his cryers up are his Disciples and seduced followers shall they refute him and they only not the Pastors and teachers 3. This thrusting through of the false Prophet shall cause the false Prophet dissemble and deny his Religion for feare of his life and say I am a herdman not a Prophet This is the great argument that Libertines have against the coercive power of the Magistrates sword against false teachers and here it followes upon the strong convincing arguments used against them by Libertines as the sole and only way of extirpating heresie and are false Prophets so afraid of arguments that convince them that they deny their Religion for feare of them this is prodigious false teachers boast that they cannot bee answered 4. These false teachers shew the visible wounds they received in the house of their friends and complaine of the zeale of their friends against them in delivering them up to the Magiâ—â—rate to suffer bodily punishment v. 6. lesse then death pro merito culpae if they be silenced by strength of truth they shall be ashamed of no such thing CHAP. XXXV Of communion with God and serving him in the Spirit THere is much talking by Enthusiasts and Familists of the Spirit teaching in the Spirit I shall therefore speake to to that And 1. Of the Propheticall Spirit 2. Of the Spirituall life and serving of God common to all Saints Hence these Conclusions of the former 1. Conclu All the Saints as Saints are not Prophets but some only called by God thereunto 1 Cor. 12.29 Are all Prophets Eph. 4.11 Christ gave some to be Prophets Obey them that are over you in the Lord. 1 Thess. 5.12 13. 2. The Spirit of prophesie is master of the man in whom he is Rev. 1.10 I was in the Spirit in the Lords day Hee saith not the Spirit was in me but I was in the Spirit as in a capacious house Glory went round about me above mee below me on every side of me I was as a vessell casten into the sea there is more of the sea without it then within it So these that are in a trance are said to fall Numb 24.4 from themselves Hence that question whether these that Prophesie doe know perfectly what they prophesie To which I answer there is a twofold knowledge one naturall and conjoyned with organicall knowledge another intellectuall and abstract 2. There is an evident intellectuall knowledge and a more imperfect and darker knowledge Then if we speake of an organicall knowledge the man under actuall vision knowes not whether he be in the body or â—ut of it as Paul 2 Cor. 12.2 yea and Peter in a trance not only could not see heare or eat Act. 10.10 but was wholly acted upon by God but Act. 12. an Angel comes to him and loseth his chaines and causeth him gird himselfe and binde on his sandals and he thought it had been a vision and knew not that it was any thing but an intellectuall visionall representation not a reall deliverance till he came to himselfe v. 11. yet something of a trance there was for hee was not at himselfe then we may see and act bodily with Angels and walke and not know the necessity of what wee know see or doe 2. If we speake of a weaker Propheticall sight since the light of Prophesie can let us see in the opened speces things to come and we may know that we know them that they are revealed but when the Prophets preach of new what they have seen in a vision and prophesie to Kings and to men they are in far other condition then when under an actual vision because under an actual vision I conceive they are not under the dominion of free-will Jeremiah cannot chuse but see a seething pot toward the North because the object naturally offers it self to the fancy God never threatneth a Prophet under pain of punishment to see visions for he cannot here wink and close the eyes of his mind Balaam could not chuse but see the visions of God and the goodlinesse of Jacobs tents Num. 24. and if the Spirit thus should act the Saints to pray praise hear with faith I thinke their acts should not bee acts of free obedience nor capable of a precept nor the omission of these acts lye faire for a threatning rebuke or punishment But when the Prophets deliver these truths that they did see in raptures and visions they doe not ever speake these truths to men and preach them by a Propheticall rapture but by the Spirit of grace sometimes or by a common Propheticall gift as in wicked Prophets not that Prophets doe actually publish their visions and Prophesie not as Prophets but as godly men I have not that meaning but that an immediately inspiring impulsion of an actuall extasie doth not ever lead them to preach So God never doth command and threaten men to see the visions of God for here there is no place for free election but God chargeth and commandeth Jeremiah to preach the truth which he saw in a vision Jer. 1.17 Thou therefore gird up thy loynes arise and speake unto them all that I command thee and he threatneth him in case of disobedience Be not dismayed at their faces lest I confound thee before them and he comforteth him in the following words 18. Behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron wall So the Lord speaketh to Jeremiah also c. 15.19 20. then we need not say necessarily that Jeremiah did actually prophesie or see the visions of God when he saith ch 26.15 of a truth the Lord hath sent me to you at least there is no warrant to say that when the Prophets doe speake and publish their visions to these to whom God hath sent them to Prophesie that they are in the act of publishing and preaching to men under the same actuall and immediate impulsion of the Holy Ghost that they are under while they are in a trance and actually see the visions of God as Jeremiah was c. 1.11.12 when hee seeth these visions Ieremiah only obeyeth Gods command and relateth his visions that he had seene before and did this by the Spirit of grace common to other beleevers by which he was inclined to bee faithfull in speaking what he had heard and seene and the like I say of Micajah in preaching to Ahab and of all the true Prophets who did not ever from a Propheticall instinct utter or preach to men the things they had seene in extaticall visions but often from a
when Antichrist shall be fully destroyed and the riches of the Gentiles added to the Jewes there shall be one shepheard and one sheep-fold and admirable unity and peace like a river among the Saints and though Sectaries of old in Germany now in England doe it by the Sword we have no prophesie that that shall be the way of God or that Christ shall have a personall externall visible glorious reign on earth and the Law of God is exceeding broad and containeth the unsearchable riches of Christ for who knoweth all the glorious deductions and eonsequences of knowledge contained in the word and who can binde up the Spirit that he should not reveale more of Christ and more yet till the knowledge of the Spirit cover the earth But this new knowledge is of ancient truths and the Spirits ancient truths made out in broader and larger consequences and not such as destroyes the former articles of Protestant Reâ—igion in the faith of which millions are arrived safe to heaven and are now up before the throne Saltmarsh in his late giddy treates gathers these articles of Protestant Religion together and as chalke stones casteth them away and will lay a new foundation and put in a figurative Saviour of H. Nicholas and make a new building of his owne 15. Nor is the preaching of duties yea even of such as are externall and obvious to the eyes of men contrary to spirituall teaching or worship in Spirit for then should it have been our Saviours intent Joh. 4. when hee will have us to worship him in spirit and truth to remove in the New Testament vocall praying bowing of the knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus contrary to Act. 20. â—6 Paul kneeled downe and prayed with them all Eph. 3.14 and he should not charge us Doe this in remembrance of me and obey these that are over you if it were so yea all the exhorting of the Apostles that children obey parents servants their masters brethren admonish one another should be against the discoveries of the Spirit to the Apostles and and Saints upon which ground Antinomians will have all the government of the Church inward and in the Spirit and invisible as if one and the same worship might not both bee externall and spirituall And now the Army send Laws to the Parliament to remove the penall statutes against all hereticks what ever they bee Arrians Libertines Davi Georgians Familists Antiscripturists such as deny there is a God a Saviour that bought them Antinomians and what hel can devise that their impure conventicles and Churches may be tollerated through out all England except only Popish Recusants and found and proven to bee such because the Papists disâ—urbe the peace of the state yet under the decke this lyes hid that all Religions being professions of the outward man are indifferent and no sinne in any worshipping of the Devill or any creature Yea there is nothing to be builded in favour of Familists on the Apostles words Rom. 8.2 For the Law of the Spirit of life is indeed the indwelling Spirit of sanctification mortifying the lusts of the sinfull flesh called a Law in opposition to the Tyranny of sinne and this Law as it is in Christ is the Law of faith and of the new Covenant by which wee are freed from the dominion and overmastering power of sinne and life and as the Law is in Christ we are meritoriously freed as in us we are freed by begun sanctification as a new Master freeth us from subjection to the old 9. We are then spirituall when we observe the wayes and various actings of the Spirit in externalls also as how God suggesteth motions into some by the crowing of a cocke as by it the Lord caused Peter to awake and by the appearing of a Star some come to Christ by the working of a miracle or a wonder or rare providence in Church and state others are converted 2. When we observe the Spirits various dispensations in leading some through hell and deaths and despaires to heaven Ps 88.15 and that from their youth and in feeding others with the flower of wheat with the hony combes of inward and spirituall feasts of joy and consolation filling them with marrow and fatnesse When the Spirit ebbes the fâ—owes to the sense of a beleever goeth and commeth casteth downe and benighteth the soule and againe shineth in glory and beauty 3. When we obey the breathings of the wind and yeeld with chearfulnesse to the comforting shinning witneâ—sing sealing inlarging of the heart with boldnesse and accesse to the overjoying strenthening quickning directing inlightning confirming works and acts of the Spirit 4. When we obey from freenesse and the sweet atâ—ractions of grace from a Spirit of love not of feare and Law-bondage 5. When we try the spirits for the dumbe knocking 's of revelations without or contrary to the word are not from God and when we can judge that fire heat eagernesse of affection in praying for a way a sect a warre when wee hate the contrary sect Presbyterian as we imagine is not spirituall boldnesse and freedome of heavenly accesse to God through Christ. 6. When we inclose not the Spirit or God in the letter or sound of words nor obey for the awe of dead characters or sounds but formally are led because the Spirit goes along with an obliging precept or promise and we adore not dead characters and sounds but tremble at or submit to the word for the thing signified and doe not seperate the signe and the thing signified therefore Saltmarsh is farre out when he denies the distinction of Gospel-ordinances in opposition to legall ordinances because saith he p. 270. nothing is pure spirituall divine-Gospel but that which is light life glory Spirit for hee taketh the fruit of the Gospell and the spirituall efficacy of the Gospel for the Gospel But as the Law is one thing to wit he that doth these things shall live thereby is truly Law and actuall obedience to this Law is a farre other thing so the Gospel he that beleeveth shall be saved is truly Gospel and a Gospel way to salvation but actually by the grace of Christ to beleeve is a farre other thing Saltmarsh saith the letter and outward forme is a thing that perisheth with the use which is spoken of meat and drinke that waste away while we use them and as Christ saith Matth. 15.17 enter into the belly and are casten out with the draught not of the written Gospell which perisheth not as meat and drink but both in the letter and the thing signified hath indured since Moses and the Prophets were and shall doe to the end of the world and in regard of the thing signified Christ the yea and amen of all promises which we doe not seperate from the signe and letter is an everlasting Gospel Revel 14.6 and the word that endureth for ever and perisheth not as corruptible things doe 1 Pet.
bloud he washeth us 4. Wee behoved to beleeve from eternity for wee are justified by Faith 5. All the justified have a reall union and interest in Christ to live by faith and wait on God in all their troubles by faith but though their be an union of love in Gods minde from eternity betweene the elect and God yet a compleat union betweene us and Christ without the Spirit and without any faith though it be boldly asserted by Familists is against the Scripture for then might wee bee borne againe and not receive Christ by faith contrary to the Scripture and be united to Christ as branches to the Vine-tree and not abide in Christ have Christ dwelling in our heart and not by faith contrary to Paul so might Christ live in us and we eat and drinke him as the true Manna have the Sonne and yet want faith contrary to the Scriptures All which or most of them prove that wee were not justified when Christ dyed on the crosse 6. All that are justified are unseparably sanctified and called â—nd the blessing of justification hath with it the receiving of the promise of the Spirit through faith and peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ accesse by faith into grace whereby we stand rejoycing in the hope of the glory of God glorying in tribulation patience experience hope but many for whom Christ dyed have none of these till they be justified by Faith the distinction of justification in or before God or to our own sense by faith will not help this for the Scripture no where speaketh of justification but by faith onely the meritorious price of our justification is payed on the Crosse but that is not justification CHAP. XIX Gods love of good will and of good liking a warrantable distinction NOr can wee stand to that Antinomian ground that in Justification there is no change of our state and spirituall condition before God and that God hath the same love to us before and after conversion and that it is a vaine distinction of Gods love of good will called amor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel benevolentiae and good liking amor complacentiae because God loveth because he loveth and for no cause in the creature not their most eminent works done by the influence of Gospel-grace But if this distinction bee right taken it hath an evident ground in Scripture We teach that the love of benevolence and good will is the liking free delight and choise of the person to glory and to all the meanes even to share in Christs Mediatory love and the fruits of his death in this love he willeth and ordaineth and layeth up good and happinesse for us expecting no payment at our hand the other love is onely denyed by Antinomians but without ground for this love of complacencie is of things not of persons and when we say God loveth his Saints for their inherent holynesse and delighteth in them for it we meane no other thing then that God loves the sparkles of his owne rarest worke his saving grace so farre as to make it a meanes to fulfill the love and gracious decree of good will of free election not that any new immanent act of love arises towards the person loved that was not in God toward that person from eternity but the truth is God first createth a lovely and love-worthy object and then out of that love that createth being and the lovely object hee goeth on to continue the former act of loving and delighting in that object and rendreth it more lovely Creatures cannot create the object of their love but find it created to their hand and expect to have some perfection added to them in an union of love with that excellent thing they love and they are often deceived and ever their love hath a cause and hire and reward in the thing loved Now when it is said that God loveth all that he hath made then he created his owne lover and his owne love 2. When hee loveth the chaines and bracelets about the neck of his Spouse Cant. 4. He there createth in his Christ a new rare piece liker to himselfe then the works of pure and simple creation this is not pure love but a continuation of his creating good will nor doth the creature engage God to love it but as divine love gave being to these ornaments of grace the inherent holinesse in his Bride so that the same love continueth it selfe in delighting in his owne worke 3. So he is said to love his Bride for or because of her excellency and beauty that he putteth on her and still he loveth his owne in Christ for his owne rare workmanship not that the creature was cause or begetter of that love and he crowneth his own gifts not our merits saith Augustine his owne worke not our worke for we are meere vessels to containe grace as grace and meere patients in this love and so he loveth Christs imputed righteousnesse in us and this righteousnesse imputed is not simply eternall but hath its rise in time If then Antinomians say we make our time-holinesse a cause and condition of eternall love they must remove this objection themselves for imputed righteousnesse which they make the cause of eternall love will stand against them more then against us For wee say both imputed and inherent righteousnesse are meere conditions no causes of eternall love and that not simply but as they are protracted and continued to carry us on to glory yea imputed righteousnesse is no more a cause of eternall love being onely a thing temporary and not eternall à parte ante nor inherent righteousnesse so must all these be expounded The Lord loveth the righteous The Lord loveth truth in the inward parts he taketh pleasure in them that feare him The Lord is ravished with one of his Spouses eyes with one chaine of her necke to him she is all faire and not a spot in her All these include not onely inherent holynesse but imputed righteousnesse and both have their use in time but can never prove that our time excellencie whether imputed or inherent is the cause condition reason merit or ground of the Lords eternall immanent and unchangeable love but the fruits thereof and the condition of its continuance And that our Lord loves us with the same love of complacency that is that he driveth on his chariot paved with love in sweet fruits of free election the same way with the same delight But that when the justified person whores swearers kils the innocent denieth the Lord Jesus as did Peter and David God loveth us as much as when they beleeve pray walke in all holy conversation and that God is not a whit displeased with the Saints for these sinnes because all his displeasure or revenging justice was drowned and swallowed up in Christs sufferings is to us abominable CHAP. XX. There
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-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
skies when they say Lord the desire of our soule is toward thy name Lord our heart is not turned backe neither have our steps declined from thy way c. They knew and were perswaded of a saving worke of grace inherent in them and we doubt not but the Prophets to speake of a case of another nature knew that God spoke to them when Jeremiah upon life and death said of a truth the Lord hath sent me to speake all these words in your eares And Amos The Lord hath spoken who cannot but Prophecie And Abraham did not upon conjectures but upon Faith know God had commanded him to sacrifice his son Now God speaketh to his Saints by his works of grace no lesse then by his word of the Gospel Augustine said By a certaine heavenly tast hee knew a difference betweene the Lord revealing himselfe to him and his owne soule dreaming But say Antinomians When we teach that all our assurance commeth from faith and the testimony of Christ and his owne Spirit speaking to us wee led men to borrow light from the Sunne which can abundantly inlighten them when yee send them to their own good works to borrow their assurance of faith and their interest of Christ yee desire them to fetch light from a candle shining at noone day and yee cause them rest on a fallible guide which may deceive them and at best breed a probable and conjecturall assurance onely not an infallible and undeniable confidence such as Christ rested on by faith breadeth Answ. 1. But the question is as great a doubt to a weake one if he receive Christ and his immediate noone-day irradiation and light for the weake beleevers act of knowing his full interest in Christ from either the immediate light that commeth from Christ or the immediate voice and testimony of the Spirit especially separated from the Word as Antinomians fancie is in him a created act and an inherent quallification and if inherent qualification furnish no infallible evidence to ascertaine me of my interest in Christ how shall I know it is Christ I rest on or his Sunne-shine light and the immediate irradiation of the Spirit speaking to my Spirit more then I know it is Christs spirit assuring me I am translated from death to life because I love the brethren Antinomians say the Sun cannot deceive when it gives light a candle beside the Sunne may deceive But say I a noone-day Devill may interpose and speake and irradiate as the Sunne and it is but a counterfeit Sunne and what know yee that your act of knowing this to be the true Sunne seeing it is but an inherent act of grace in you is a perfect mettall and a true Sunne And that it is Christ that shineth and speaketh to Mary Magdelen not the Gardener more when hee immediatly speaketh and shineth on your soule then when hee speaketh and shineth thorow such a medium as the love of the brethren for the same Spirit that inlighteneth you in the assurance of your translation into Christ and your interest in him upon this objective light because yee love the brethren is he who shineth on you in his immediate noone-shine-irradiation is not the Spirits teaching as sure by one beame of teaching the light of his utterings of grace in us as in his other immediate conveiance of light when the Scripture saith it is the same Spirit that maketh us know the things that are freely or graciously given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 and beareth immediate witnesse that we are sonnes what ever be the meanes as Abraham was to beleeve hee was to kill his Sonne if God should command him by a Prophet immediatly inspired suppose such a one as Moses to have beene sent with the Mandat no lesse then when God spoke immediatly himselfe and might not Abraham have beene deluded in thinking God was not the true God that immediatly said Abraham take now thy Sonne thy onely Sonne and offer him to me as hee might have doubted if a Moses say hee had then lived sent with the same message was a true and and immediately inspired Prophet and not a counterfeit who ranne and the Lord sent him not When Antinomians loose this knot they answer themselves Asser. 5. First the truth of what the Spirit speaketh dependeth not on the Word but the credence and faith that I owe to the Spirit dependeth on the Word because I know the Spirit by the Word as I know the substance of the body of the Sunne by the light but I know not the Word by the Spiâ—it as I know not the light by the substance of the body of the Sunne yea now when God hath put his last seale to the Canon of Scripture the word of Prophecie is surer to us then the Fathers voice from heaven 2 Pet. 1. and wee may know the Spirit that biddeth John Becold kill so many innocent beleevers and that saith the man walking in darkenesse and a Pharesee obstinatly going on in killing Christ and his members and regarding iniquity in his heart as he is such is reconciled to God and justified and Christ by faith lodgeth in the same heart with loved and delighted in iniquity can be no true spirit The Spirit of Christ as he cannot bely his owne Word so will hee not take it ill to be tryed by his owne hand-writing and seale and his own works Secondly it is needlesse to make comparisons between assurance resulting from inherent graces and the immediate voice and speaking of the Spirit as if the former were our owne spirits reasoning the latter onely the testimony of the Spirit for we judge both to bee the testimony of the Holy Ghost as it is the same love sealed to the Spouse from the Bridegromes owne word and seale and hand-writing and confirmed to her by his Bracelets Rings Jewels and love-tokens that he sendeth to her nor are there for that two loves two love-tokens two Bridegromes For say that the love-tokens are true not counterfeit and that they carry with them the warme and lovely characters and undenyable expressions of the true Bridegromes soule-love and that they came not from a stranger as Antinomians say they may be bastard and fained love-tokens and come from another lover then Christ Yet the Lord Jesus manifesteth himselfe and gives evidences of his love by them no lesse then by the Spirits immediate testimony But we thinke and can prove the Saints passing even in their speaches prayers and confession to God their judgement of themselves and of their owne sincere walking as is cleare Cant. 5.1 Cant. 3 1 2 3. Cant. 1.5 8. Isai. 26.8 9. Job 23.11 12. chap. 31.1 2 3 4 c. Psal. 18.21 22 23 so Ezechiah holdeth forth his holy walking before God Esai 38.3 and Jeremiah cap. 15.16 17. and Paul 2 Tim. 4.7.8 2 Cor. 1.12 doe certainely know the graces of God in themselves to come from no other principle then the
strict conversation and a care by doing to please God any personall walking with God is but a legall bargaining with God to out-buy Christ and evacuate free grace and a mixing of Law and Gospel and confounding of the two Covenants and of heaven and hell and presently upon this the party is as free of doubting till his dying day as if he were in heaven still in a merry pinne as if he were above the starres before the throne under no Law above all duties reades heares prayes none but when some immediate rapts of a living active God comes on him a dead passive block in Christ the Scripture either Law or Gospel is but a dead Letter hee is neither tyed nor awed with Law or Gospel Precept or Command nor preaching nor seales but is acted by a free Spirit an immediate light and speech of a Spirit above and beyond all outward word or Letter of old or new Testament except when the Spirit shall speake or apply them to the heart and then these Commandements tye the outer man and the flesh and then they bind not for any authority of the Law-giver but for the onely Gospel love of Christ as if Christ had put his Father out of office whereas Gospel-love commands obedience upon and for both the authority of the Lawgiver and the love of Christ and when this convert falleth in Adultery murther swearing lying robbing 1. It is not he but the flesh and sense and the outward man that doth these 2. They were remitted and made no sinnes and hee as cleane as Christ from them before they bee committed 3. The Law hath no more to doe with him then the persuer saith Saltmarsh hath to doe with the murtherer who hath fled to the citie of refuge But Saltmarsh's Legall convert he meaneth all not converted the Antinomian way is not our convert as he dreameth 1. Because we look not at conversion meerly as a change in affection and conversation without Christ Faith and saving grace 2. Antinomians make all the change in conversion to be meerely imputative to beleeve that Christ was converted and repents for us and to regard no inward change 3. It is false that Saltmarsh saith That pressing of meere commands from the word may worke a Legall change of affection and conversation For if by meere commands from the Word he meane 1. commands without the Spirit that is such as are written and preached Gospel or Law that of themselves want all grace and joyning of the Spirit Then sure Cicero and Seneca their meere words without God cannot change a Zeno a Xenephon from debauched slagitious men into white civeâ—l Moralists without some Spirit if he meane that the Gospel-letter as a Letter can doe more then the Law-letter without the Spirit he is much deceived for words as words whether of Law or Gospel without God can work no change But Saltmarsh if I mistake not hath a third meaning that meere commands from the authority of God the Law-giver can worke but a Legall and counterfeit conversion this is most false We have a grave controversie with Papists touching the formall object of Divine Faith Whether it bee the testimony of the Church as Papists say or the authority of God speaking in his Word as we teach Now we hold that the testimony of the Church is but the testimony of men and can produce but an humane faith not a Divine but the testimonie of God himselfe speaking in the Scriptures can onely beget a supernaturall and divine faith when the Holy Ghost followeth the Word and rendereth it lively If then we beleeve divine truths and Scripturall commands because so saith the Lord in his Word either Law or Gospel this is a divine and supernaturall faith so to beleeve upon Gods meere commands as Law-giver not because naturall reason so dictateth nor because the Church or man so saith nor because the times favour the Gospel as the seed is received with a sort of beliefe that falleth on stony ground is divine Faith and is not contrary but sweetly complyeth with faith grounded upon the love of Christ and wrought by the grace of God in the Gospel Antinomians dreame that these two are contrary when they are not so 4. It s most false that the Law is in the heart before hand by nature so as wee beleeve it naturally for the authority of the Law-giver for so naturall faith of the Law should fight with naturall unbeliefe and deepe security to laugh and sleepe sound under the curse of God Wee naturally know much of the Law but we have not a Legall faith to beleeve because so saith the Law-giver by nature 5. It s false also that Nature can propound to it selfe life eternall as its end as Saltmarsh saith Balaam could not desire it farre lesse intend it hee onely wished the end of the just 2. The end must bee the last end subordinate to Gods glory Antinomians are Pelagians and poore friends to free grace as I noted before for when salvation is the end all meanes are gone about when the end is intended that may conduce to that end all meanes that may crosse the obtaining thereof eschewed Now naturall Legall converts cannot goe about all for salvation and in reference to it its cleare when gold is a mans end as in the covetous pleasure the end in the voluptuous honour the end in the ambitious if all acts about the meanes or that may thwart the attaining of the end bow not to this end it s not so in Legall converts 3. When the end is attained but in hope and assurance the minde is satisfied and quieted Legall converts are not so satisfied 4. Legall converts order salvation to and for themselves and the happinesse of it not the holinesse to please themselves not to honour God because heaven is a Honey-combe that very Nature beleeving an eternity desires to sucke 5. Severe and strict walking in our sense is walking in all duties by the light and conduct of saving grace and the faith of the elect of God which wee contend for against most Antinomians who are but loose livers and cannot fall on a Legall convert CHAP. LXVIII How the Spirit worketh freely in the Antinomian way SAltmarsh boldly goeth on to hold forth When the Spirit of adoption works not freely but servilly and legally Object 1. When men put something of satisfaction on any performance as if God were prevailed with by any thing of their owne Answ. Satisfaction to revenging justice or of merit or of perfect obedience to the Law in our performances we disclaim or that we prevaile with God by any thing of our owne as if our performances were causes of turning God were any thing without the grace of Christ and his merits but for prevailing with God to obtaine a blessing by prayer and teares we say it with the Scripture Hos. 12.3 Jaakob by his strength had power with God yea hee had power over
which Her lips drop as a honey combe butter and milke are under her tongue and the smell of her garments like the smell of Lybanon her feet beautifull with shooes her two breasts like two Young Roes that are twins c. Sanctification must render the Spouse a societie of Saints even in the eyes of God and not only meerely and declaratively to men-ward as the Yvie-bush is a signe of wine Let Antinomians say Are not the Saints partakers of the Divine nature in the sight of God as well as declaratively in the sight of men 2. If the charity of the Philippians bee an odour of a sweet smell a sacrifice acceptable well-pleasing to God And If to doe good and to communicate be such sacrifices where with God is well pleased though their charity and good works doe not justifie them yet these good works must smell sweetlie to God and bee well-pleasing in his sight and by them God must repute them sanctified though the sanctification be unperfect and not in its measure every way conformable to the spirituall and perfect Law and they are not then meerely declaratively and to men-ward onely Saints by their works of Sanctification 3. The contrary works in the Saints the shutting up their bowels against their indigent brethren their byting and devouring their acts of Adultery and Murther and lying are ill smelling and displeasing in the eyes of God not onely declaratively before men but really and in truth in the sight of God in regard that the Lord 1. is displeased with these sins 2. Forbiddeth them in his Law 3. Rebuketh them 4. Punisheth them 5. Setteth the conscience on against the beleever that doth them that they are grieved for them and mourne 6. Hideth his countenance from them commands us to confesse and crave pardon for them then the Lord must take notice of the contrary acts and command commend and reward them be well-pleased with them and they must be more then naked declarations and signes of Saintship to men-ward The Lord himselfe pronounceth the Saints blessed not onely for Christs imputed righteousnesse which is indeed the first cause fountaine and ground thereof but also for our works of Sanctification as Blessed are the undefiled in their way that feare the Lord and delight in his Commandements that keepe judgement and that doe righteousnesse at all times that doe what Christ commands that doe his Commandements Then God must judge them more then declarations to men-ward because this is the blessing of eternall life in Christ Jesus CHAP. LXXIIII The harmonious compliance of old Libertines Familists and Antinomians WEe doe so much the more hate the Antinomian way as Antichristian and fleshly for there bee other Antichrists then the Pope of Rome and many False Christs risen now in that in the doctrine of sinne sorrow for sinne repentance sanctification c. they doe so comply with the old Libertines in Calvins time and with David Georgius and Henrie Nicolas and the late Familists Parall I. Libertines in Calvins time said The state of innocencie was to know nothing good or ill more then children and Adams first sinne is to know good and ill and regeneration is to be stript naked of the knowledge and sense of either sinne or righteousnesse and therefore the Libertines said to any man troubled in conscience with sinne O Adam dost thou yet know somewhat Is not the old Adam yet crucified If they saw any stricken with the feare of the judgement of God Hast thou yet say they a tast of the old Aple beware that that morsell doe not strangle thee If any man was touched in conscience with remorse of sinne and did sorrow or repent for his transgressions they said sinne raigned in that man hee was sinnes captive Just so the Familists of New England In conversion say they the faculties of the soule and workings thereof are destroyed and in stead of them the holy Ghost comes in And a man must take no notice of sinne nor of his repentance for sinne And frequencie or length of holy duties or trouble of conscience for neglect thereof are all signes of one under a covenant of works that is of one in whom old Adam liveth and raigneth And I know I am Christs not because I crucifie the lusts but because I doe not crucifie them And our late Antinomians say To bee touched with any sense of sinne and for David to confesse his sinne or bee grieved for it was saith M. Towne from want and weakenesse of faith that is from the old man I cannot saith he looke on my selfe my actions sinnefull and my conscience and see my sinnes remaine but I looke to the records of heaven and Gods justice and since the bloud-shed I can find nothing there against me but sinnes as a debt discharged are become a nullitie before the Lord and therefore my peace and happinesse consisteth in the forsaking and not considering my selfe and in my living and abiding in Christ who is in heaven This not considering himselfe and his sinnes is neither to know sorrow mourne for feare or bee humbled for sinne Prâ—testant Divines say when the Lord forgiveth a sinner yet the sinner will never forgive himselfe but know consider feare mourne and be humbled for his sinnes Antinomians say all these are works of the flesh and of unbeliefe and of the Old Adam just as the Libertines said so to feele sinne dwelling in them as Paul did Rom. 7. saith Eaton is an act of the flesh contrary to faith and if saith Saltmarsh A beleever live onely by sense reason and experience of himselfe and as hee lives to men he meaneth dayly sinning by reason of an indwelling corruption he liveth both under the power and feeling of of sinne and under the Law But if hee live by faith he liveth out of the power of all condemnation and unrighteousnesse Then to Antinomians feeling of sin in us and sense reason and experience knowing and discerning sinne in us and our fearing sinne sorrowing or being humbled for it or any acts of repentance are contrary to living by faith and so the works of the old Adam knowing ill and a taste of the soure apple What then is regeneration and the killing of the body of sin and of old Adam It is the abolishing of all conscience knowledge discerning feeling feare sorrow dejection of men for feare of sinne Hence Master Archer D. Crispe and Saltmarsh make Sermons against feare of or trouble for sinne as works of unbeliefe as contrary to the power of God faithfulnesse providence death of Christ free grace a weakening of faith a damping of all religious service And for their not knowing of any good wee doe or acts of Sanctification which is the other branch of the Libertines regeneration Familists say To fetch comfort from experience of grace in our selves is no
in heaven The kingdome of God is the Spirit of Jesus Christ and that Christ would have shortly a glorious kingdome and that Paradise heaven and hell were within men and that heaven was the gifts of the minde the earth the goods of the bodie and their use which shortly should come to the Saints Another false Christ was Henry Nicholas who called himselfe as Ainsworth saith The Father of the Family of Love who saith of himselfe God hath wrought a wonderfull worke on the earth and raised up me Henry Nicholas the least among the holy ones of God which lay altogether dead and without breath and life among the dead and made me alive through Christ as also annointed me with his godly being Manned himselfe with mee and Goded me with him to be a living tabernacle or house for his dwelling and a seat of his Christ the seed of David And Behold and consider my beloved how wonderfully God worketh in his holy ones and how that now in this day or light of the love the judgement seat of Christ is revealed and declared unto us the household of love out of heaven to a righteous judgement upon earth from the right hand of God And how that on the same judgement seat of Christ that the Scriptures might be fullfilled there sitteth one now in truth the wretched impostor H. Nicholas in the habitation of David which judgeth uprightly thinketh upon equity and requireth righteousnesse And againe Behold in this present day is the Scripture fulfilled and according to the Testimony of the Scripture the raising up and the Resurrection of the Lords dead commeth also to passe presently in this same day through the appearing of the comming of Christ in his Majestie hee meaneth the false Christ Henry Nicholas which Resurrection of the dead seeing that the same is come to us To Henry Nicholas and the Family or Elders of Love from Gods grace wee doe likewise in this present day to an Evangelike or joyfull Message of the Kingdome of God and Christ publish in all the world under the obedience of love Sent. 9. In which Resurrection of the dead God sheweth unto us that the time is now fulfilled that his dead or the dead that are fallen asleepe in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appeare unto us in godly glory which shall also from henceforth live in us H. N. and the Family of Love everlastingly with Christ and raigne upon the earth wherein the Scripture becommeth fulfilled in this present day like as there standeth written thereof The Lord shall judge his people c. One of the hearers of Randel a preaching Familist at London was asked If he beleeved the bodies of men dead and buried in the earth should be raised to life Answered I know not For Familists Mistresse Hutchison and hers say That the soules of men are by generation mortall like the beasts Eccles. 3.8 But in regard of Christs purchase immortall and that those who are united to Christ in this life have new bodies and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 These who have union with Christ shall not rise with the same fleshly bodies 1 Cor. 15.44 And that the Resurrection spoken of 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28 is not meant of the resurrection of the body but of our union here and after this life with Christ. That there is no kingdome of heaven in Scripture but onely Christ. So said Hymeneus and Philetus and the Libertines who made the resurrection a spirituall communion with Christ. Antinomians have never shewen their mind of the resurrection and the life to come and have never contradicted the Libertines and Familists in these and yet own their other opinions Yea Saltmarsh to me owneth no heaven but that which is in this life if a naked opinion were added to it For saith he The Spirit of Christ sets a beleever as free from hell the Law and bondage here on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to make him beleeve he is so So he wants nothing of heaven but beleeve he is in heaven and he is in heaven hee will not except the resurrection of and the glorifying of the body Phil. 3.19 20. nor the rooting out of originall sinne nor the immortality of the whole man nor freedome from sinning immunitie from sorrow sadnesse perfect joy pleasures for ever more seeing of God and injoying of him face to face the perfecting of love and of grace with glory all which he wanteth of heaven and hath here onely the first fruits of the Spirit and is absent from the Lord and sigheth in this tabernacle and since Saltmarsh professeth a finer free grace and a further revealing of the Gospel in its glory liberty c. Why doth he not once in all his Treatises mention the last and perfecting act of Free grace and Gospel-freedome that Christ will raise up the beleever at the last day 2. While Antinomians cleare us touching their mind of the sense the flesh sinning before men not in regard of faith or in Gods sight or account I must conceive they meane with Mistresse Hutchison and other Familists a sinning in the old body not in the new and in the old soule they have by generation not in the new soule or in the conscience as M. Denne saith which they have by Redemption I therefore attest them to cleare themselves in that distinction and either black the Familists or owne them as their owne 3. Calvin saith from Paul Wee are in this life saved in hope we have not heaven and life eternall in perfection and compleatly here we doe but wait for our full and finall redemption of soule and body at Christs comming whereas Libertines said we were compleatly saved in this life So say Saltmarsh and M. Towne who are angry that Protestant Divines say We are saved by right and in hope and really in Christ our head but they will have us fully compleatly perfectly saved in this very life though we have not the sense and feeling of it and we want nothing of eternall life but beleeve wee have it compleatly as the glorifyed and wee have it CHAP. LXXXIII Familists Libertines Anabaptists goe before Antinomians in denying all externall worship and obedience Paral. XV. HEnry Nich. called love the Being and Godhead of Christ which we received through the power of the Holy Ghost and that love within was all and that all externall obedience from the Letter of the Word was fleshly and Ceremoniall Just as Master Dell Ser. 19. rejecting all external Reformation calleth it hypocritical and carnal and refusing the Scriptures either Law or Gospel as meere carnall Letters devoles all on the Spirit and acknowledgeth no Lawes at all in Christs kingdome but the Law of nature 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ which is the Spirit himselfe in