righteous then God chap. 35.2 But did not God see all this The Lord answered Iob and said shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him he that reproveth God let him answer it wilt thou disâ—null my judgement wilt thou condemne me that thou maiest be righteous chap. 40.2.8 then how dare these men say that they are as righteous as Christ and that God can see no sinne in them but the truth is they are sicke of Iobs disease and it were good for them if with him they would repent of their pride and abhorre themselves in dust and ashes Job 42.6 then should they see the end of the Lord that the Lord is very pittifull and of tender mercy James 5.11 but it may be they will catch at those words when the Lord said to satan thou mouest me against him to destroy him without cause Job 2.3 I answ That the divell that accuser of the brethren could not tax him of any foule or scandelous sinne yet Iob had his failings as well as other men as he saith when his passion is over that if he should contend with God he cannot answer one of a thousand then how shall man be just with God Job 9.23 and saith David O God thou knowest my foolishnesse and my sinne is not hid from thee Psal 69.5 Then whether shall I goe from thy presence thou knowest my down-sitting and my up-rising and understandest my thoughts a farre off thou knowest my pathes and art acquainted with all my wayes Psal 139.2 3. we heare of none that have learned the language of Cannaâ— that pure language that call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one consent Zeph. 3.9 in all the booke of God saving I am perfect I am pure I cannot sinne if I would or if I did God cannot see my sinne I am as righteous as Christ I need not grieve for my sinne nor pray for pardon but contrary saith Peter I am a sinfull man O Lord and saith Paul I am the least of all Saints Ephe. 3.8 and the chiefest of all sinners 1 Tim. â— 15 and saith David pardon my sin for it is great Psal 25.11 and in humility saith Abraham I am but dust and ashes and saith Iacob I am the least of all thy mercies and saith Iohn Baptist I am not worthy to loose the latchet of his shooe and saith the Centurian I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my Roofe then where did these men learne this their proud boasting of their holinesse which the Lord saith is a stink in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day Isa 65.5 In the next place they tell us that they are assured of this their happy condition onely from a verball testimony they say from the spirit of God yet they deny the operation or sanctifying worke of the same spirit of God to be any meanes whereby they may come to know their justification for this they say is the doctrine of our legall teachers that goe by markes and signes But here they deny one of the witnesses whereby we should come to know our condition as we stand in the fight of God for saith Paul the spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Rom. 8.16 when Christ comes into the soule he brings both water to sanctifie and blood to justifie us This is he that came by water and blood not by water onely but by water and blood then the spirit beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth then the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost will beare Record with our spirit here on earth when our spirit with the witnesse of water doth sanctifie us and that other witnesse from the blood of Chist doth justifie us then are we really the sons of God 1 John 5.6 7 8. the spirit of God first convinceth the heart of sinne and then subjecteth the heart to his will and then gives testimony by a divine reasoning on this manner saying He that beleeveth shall be saved then cut spirit or conscience makes answer saying I beleeve then the conclusion ariseth from both these witnesses that I am the child of God For it is not enough to have a perswasion that we are the children of God except with that perswasion the gift of faith be wrought in us with all the qualifications of a child of God as the grace of feare not a slavish but a filiall feare wrought in our hearts that we may not depart from him Jer. 32.40 by neglecting of any duty commanded or committing any sinne forbidden my sonne feare thou the Lord Prov. 24.21 that is feare to offend him and be carefull to please him in all things John 8.29 and to love and delight in his presence Psal 73.28 to honour and reverence his name Mal. 1.6 Psal 111.9 and to serve and obey him in all things John 5.30 Mat. 26.39 he that findeth an inward desire and an outward endeavour to doe these things is certainly the child of God but a bare perswasion without any opperation or sanctifying worke of the spirit of God in the soule is the suggestion of the divell who would perswade them that kill you that they doe God service John 16.2 whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty Zac. 11.5 The divell can easily turne himselfe into an Angell of light to deceive those that deny all markes and signes of grace in them but can the spirit of God come into the soule where the divell dwels in full possession and bind him and cast him out and change the will and affections from the service of the divell to serve himselfe can the strong holds of the divell be cast downe and the Throne of Christ set up without any noise or stirre in that soule it is rather an evidence that soule was never changed then not to be senceable of it any otherwayes but onely by a bare testimony not looking what work the Lord hath wrought in it nor knowing any thing by experience but by heare say or a testimony of the divell or some lying spirit which hath told him so But what saith the Apostle John Ye have an unction from the holy one and ye know all things the anointing which ye have received abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things and is truth and is no lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him if ye know that he is righteous ye know that every one that doeth righteousnesse is borne of him 1 John 2.20.27.29 sometimes the spirit of God ceaseth to give testimony a long time together then our spirit or conscience witnesseth from the worke wrought by the spirit of God this anointing abideth in us and teacheth when the verball voyce or testimony is gone or ceaseth for saith Paul our rejoycing is the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedome but by the
A short View of the ANTINOMIAN ERROVRS With a Briefe and plaine Answer to them As the Heads of them lye in order in the next Page of this Booke Being a nest of cursed Errors hatched by Hereticks fed and nourished by their Proselites being taken as they were flying abroad were brought as the Eagle doth her young ones to see if they could endure to looke upon the Sun-beams of truth with fixed eyes the which they could not were presently adjudged to be a Bastard-brood and theâ—â— necks chopt off and their carkasses throwne to the Dunghill Imprimatur Ja. Cranford Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening Wolves Mat. 7.15 There are certaine men crept in unawares who were before of old ordained to this condemnation ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousnesse Jude 4. For when they speake great swelling words of vanity they allure through the lusts of the flesh through much wantonnesse those that were cleane escaped from them who live in errour for while they promise them liberty they themselves are the servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2 18.19 London Printed by T. B. for Ed. Blakmore and Tho. Bankes and are to be sold at the Angell in Pauls Church-yard and upon the top of Bridewell-staires 1643. 1 THey hold that a man is justified as soon as he hath a being in the sight of God before they have any faith or calling 2 Then they say God cannot see their sinne for they are as perfectly righteous even as Christ himselfe as soone as they have any being and faith doth but declare to them what was done in them before they had it even as soone as they were borne 3 This they know by revelation or a bare Testimony or suggestion they say from the Spirit of God when as they deny the operation or the sanctifying worke of the Spirit of God to be any meanes whereby they may come to know their justification for so to doe they say is the doctrine of our legall Teachers which goe by markes and signes 4 Then they being as righteous as Christ they say God doth not correct them for sinne neither can he doe it but onely to exercise their faith 5 They are freed they say by the free grace of Christ from the commanding power of the law of God and they are discharged from all duty or obedience to it and now the law is no rule to them but what they doe is onely out of love unrequired not as any duty for they are freed from all by their free grace These things I have gathered both from their Sermons and by conference with them as also out of their books which have passed privately amongst themselves TO THE READER CHristian Reader now in these last perilous dayes the divel is very busie to sowe the Tares of Heresies even in the Corn-field of Christ especially when men sleep and heed him not and therefore Christians had need to be circumspect watchfull because their adversary the divel as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour 1 Pe. 5.8 Then be no more tossed too fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse whereby they lye in waite to deceive Ephe. 4.14 I say be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines for it is good that the heart be established with grace Heb. 13.9 Watch ye stand fast in the faith quit ye like men and be strong take unto you the whole Armour of God that ye may be able to stand stand therefore having your loynes girt about with truth Ephe. 6. and having laid the true foundation which is Christ Jesus be ye rooted and built up in him and established in the faith as ye have been taught Col. 2.7 if so be ye have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus Ephe. 4. I write unto you and exhort you that you would earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the Saints Jude 3. onely let your conversation be as becometh the Gospell of Christ and that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospell Phil. 2.27 and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against you They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion which cannot be moved but abideth for ever Psal 125. it is true that offences must needs come but woe be to that man by whom they come Mat. 18.7 for there must be also heresies among you that they which are approved may be made manifest 1 Cor. 11.9 then seeke no novelties or new doctrines but rather stand in the wayes and see and aske for the old pathes where is the good way and walk ye in it and ye shall find rest for your soules Jer. 6.16 thinke of no other way to heaven but that which our fathers have gone in before you for the time is come that men will not endure sound doctrine but after their owne lusts they will heape up to themselves teachers having itching eares they will turne away their eares from the truth and shall be turned unto fables but watch you in all things 2 Tim. 4.3 4 5. Beloved beleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4.1 follow Paul but as he followes Christ and be ye like the noble Bereans who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so Acts 17.11 affect neither Paul nor Apollos nor Cephas nor any other but as they ground their doctrine on the cleere word of God for seducers will labour to steale away your affections and your mony also as Absalom by flattery stole away the hearts of the men of Israel 2. Sam. 15.6 they will teach for hire and divine for money Micah 3.11 but saith Paul I seeke not yours but you 2 Cor. 12.14 but seducers will creep into houses about Moor-fields and other places and lead captive silly women laden with their lusts they will set upon those that are led away with their lusts who are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth 2 Tim. 3.6 7. let no man deceive you for with faire speeches they will deceive the hearts of the simple who beleeve every thing but the wise lookes well to his going Prov. 14.15 thus through covetousnesse they will with faigned words make merchandise of you 2 Pet. 2.3 then heare those that have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty and doe not walke in craftinesse nor handle the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth doe commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.2 who are not as many who corrupt the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God so speak they in Christ 2 Cor. 2.17 saith Paul though we or an Angell of Heaven
others Ephe. 2.2 3. did Paul see this and did not God see it at that time they were without Christ and without God in the world ver 12. and did not God see them saith Paul I was before a blasphomer and a persecuter and injurious 1. Tim. 1.13 did he see this and did not God see it doth not Christ say Saul Saul why persecutest thou me I am Jesus whom thou persecutest Acts 9.4.5 did not Christ then see his sinne although he was a chosen vessell ver 15. but so much before saith or calling But after conversion did not God see Lots incest and Noah drunke and Moses and Aarons unbeliefe which barred them out of the land of Canaan the Lord sent Nathan to David to convince him of his sinne 2. Sam. 12. and he confesseth saying against thee onely have I sinned and done this evill in thy sight Psal 51.4 and saith Moses thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance Ps 90.8 saith the Lord the high places were not taken away out of Israel neverthelesse the heart of Asa was perfect all his dayes 2. Chro. 15.17 yet he was wroth with him that told him of his sinne and put him in person and oppressed some of the people at the same time chap. 16.10 and trusted in the Physician more then God ver 12. then did not God see this how should the Prophet have known it if God had not told him saith the Lord among my people are found wicked men they lay waite as he that setteth snares they set a traâ— they catch men they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherlesse yet they prosper Jer. 5.26.28 the sinne of Iudah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon their heart Jer. 17.1 saith Paul Peter and the other Jewes desembled insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation Gal. 2.13 Did Paul see this and did not God see it when Peter denied Christ did not he see him the Lord turned and looked upon him and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and Peter went out and wept bitterly Luke 32.61.62 Yee fools when will ye be wise he that planted the care shall not he bear and he that formed the eye shall not he see Psal 94.8 9. the Lord knowes the thoughts of men then I conclude that a man may build upon the true foundation hay wood or stubble and he may suffer losse but himselfe shall be saved yet so as by fire 1. Cor. 3.11.12.15 therefore God sees all the sinnes of his justified children both before and after conversion And although it be said He beheld no iniquity in Jacob nor perversnesse in Israel Num. 23.21 yet he saw it although he would passe by their transgressions Micah 7.18 and would not suffer Balaam to curse them neither would he forsake them but correct them as he saw good and not according to their enemies rage which hath no mercy And although it be said that they cannot sinne 1 John 3.9 yet saith the same Iohn if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us 1 John 1.8 but yet they doe not sinne that sinne unto death 1 John 5.16 neither with that whole swing as wicked men doe but the spirit striveth against the flesh that they cannot doe the things that they would Gal. 5.17 yet how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman who can bring a cleane thing out of an uncleane Job 14.1 how can man be justified with God or how can he be cleane that is borne of a woman Job 25.4 Who can say I have made my heart cleane Pro. 20.7 there is no man living that sinneth not 1 Kings 8.46 2 Chron. 6. â—6 Eccle. 7.20 Then are we perfectly righteous I meane in respect of degrees in this life if this were so how can there be any degrees of grace as a strong faith in some and a little faith in others Or how can there be any groth in grace if we had already attained or were already perfect in degrees but perfection in this world consists not in the absence of sinne but in the sight of sinne and fighting against sinne and groaning under the burthen of sinne and because we sinne daily we must aske forgivenesse daily and to be kept from temptation daily Matth. 6. we are not perfect in degrees of grace heere therefore the Sacrament was ordained to strengthen our faith and to increase our holinesse but they that say that they are as perfect as Christ what makes them to receive the Sacrament which is onely to strengthen their faith let the subtellest of them make answer if he can but saith Paul as ye abound in every thing in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your love to us so abound in this grace also 2 Cor. 8.7 and saith Iohn I pray God thou maiest prosper even as thy soule prospereth 3 John 2. Yet I grant that we are perfectly justified at once but we are not perfectly sanctified in this life I meane in respect of degrees although we be perfectly sanctified in respect of parts as a child hath all the parts of a man but he must grow up unto the degrees of a man then what bold presumption is this to say we are perfectly righteous as Christ when as he neither wants parts nor degrees and besides it is in him as in the Fountaine and in us but as the Cesterne out of his fulnesse we receive grace for grace John 1.17 againe he waâ— never desiled with sinne as we are and we have no more of his righteousnesse then our weake faith is able to receive yet I grant he that hath little shall have no lacke yet there is degrees of grace here and of glory hereafter God gave not the spirit to Christ by measure John 3.34 but unto every one of us is give grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephe. 4.7.16.13 the let us take heed lest we offend Christ in boasting of our righteousnesse wheâ— we have nothing but what we have received then why should we boast as if we received it not 1 Cor. 6.7 and take heed lest you say God cannot see your sin for be sure your sinne will find you out Num. 32.23 the Lord commended Iob for a perfect man upright and one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 1.1 yet Iob sinned not onely in his passion chap. 3. but afterward when he saith the Lord breaketh me with a tempest and multiplieth my wounds without cause chap. 9.17 he saith I am righteous and God hath taken away my judgement my wound is incurable without transgression chap. 34 5 6. he saith I am cleane without transgression I am innocent neither is there iniquity in me behold he findeth out occasions against me chap. 33.9 10. he hath said I am more
that the scripture might be fulfilled John 19.36 and of Deuteronomie as the scripture hath said John 7.38 and of Isaiah the scripture saith Rom. 10.11 and of the Psalmes that the scripture might be fulfilled and of Zechariah another scripture saith John 19.24.28.47 what shall I say Christ beginning at Moses and all the Prophets expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself then opened he their understanding that they may know the Scriptures what was written in the law of Moses in the Prophets and Psalmes concerning himselfe Luke 24.27.44 45. saith Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me John 3.39 now I demand what Scriptures these were if not the old Testament for the new was not yet written and so Apollos mighty in Scripture convinced the Jewes shewing by the seripture that Jesus was Christ Acts 18.24.28 and all that was written aforetime was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 then how dare these men deny the old Testament that is so confirmed both by Christ and his Apostles in the new which is the language of their Honey-combe Some Errours that are in a little booke called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evill discovered and answered IN that Book they make any humane writings to be Scripture and make no difference betweene play-bookes and the Scripture of truth Dan. 10.21 but all Scripture is given by anspiration and is profitable for doctrine for reproofe for correction for instruction in righteousnesse that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes and the Scripture is able to make thee wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. then are the writings of men such a Scripture Again the Scripture is of no private interpretation For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of men but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost 2 Pet. 1.20.21 then is mens writings Scripture He that shall adde to this Booke God will adde to him all the plagues that are written in this Booke or if any man shall take away any thing from the words of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life Rev. 22.18 19. then surely the two Testaments with all their severall Chapters contained in them are the Scripture and not any humane writings whatsoever But I fear any Scripture may serve them that regard none at all for they say that they are led onely by an inward Principle so that they need no other help at all but the noble Bereans did search the Scripture daily to see whither those things were so Act. 17.11 the Scriptures should be the sole Judge of all controversies and that by which we should try all our thoughts words and actions therefore saith Christ search the Scriptures Joh. 5.39 To the law to the test mony if they speak not according to that it is because there is no light in them Is 8.20 for the Pen-men of it could not erre in writing of it the Apostles were filled with the Holy-ghost they spake as the Spirit gave them utterance Act. 2.4 and when they mention that which is written in the old Testament they say thus saith the Holy-ghost Heb. 3.7 and well spake the Holy-ghost Act. 28.5 He spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began Luk. 1.70 therfore when these men say the law is written in their hearts they need not the law in the letter of it they do erre not knowing the Scriptures Mat. 22.29 they think because they see the act of murther and theft are sins therefore they see enough but so much a carnall man may see with that remainder or reliques of the law that was in Adams heart many do by nature the things contained in the law which shew the work of the law written in their hearts Rom. 2.14.15 but yet Paul did not see the lust of heart to be a sinne but by the written law Rom. 7.7 we know but in part and we see but darkly as through a glasse 1 Cor. 13.12 we see Christ but through the lettice Cant. 2.9 and when we see our sinnes by the law if we doe not continue therein we soone forget what manner of men we were James 1.24.25 then let us obey that command and write us a coppy of the law and read therein all the dayes of our life Deut. 17.18.19 and the heart of man is deceitfull above all things and who can know it Jer. 17.9 then we had need to try our selves daily by the written law of God that we turne not aside from it and saith Paul not as though I had already attained or were already perfect but I follow after brethren I count not my selfe to have apprehended but I forget these things behind and presse toward the marke neverthelesse whereunto we have attained let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same thing Phil. 3.12 13 14 15. and as many as obey this rule peace be on them and mercy Gal. 6.16 Againe they say there is no other word of God but Christ because in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God and the word was made flesh John 1.1.14 but Christ is in them and so the Word is perfectly in them and they neither know nor need any other It is true Christ is the essentiall word of God being the second person in Trinity but he is not the written word of God contained in letters and sillables which are Gods owne words although many of them were spoken by men for it is said God spake all these words and said Exod. 20.1 then blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it Luke 11.28 and againe Christ said you are cleane through the word that I have spoken unto you Iohn 15.3 and Christ will sanctifie his Church by the washing of water with the word Ephe. 5.26 but neither water nor word were his person it were folly to thinke so then let the word of Christ dwell in you richly Col. 3.16 he that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that sent me hath everlasting life John 5.24 his sheep heare his voyce and follow him they have Moses and the Prophets let them heare them for they all spake Thus saith the Lord and the word of the Lord came unto me saying but if they will not heare Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16.29.31 Some other Errours I find in a little Booke Intitled Christs counsell to the Angell of the Church of Laodicea discovered and answered they say that legall teachers say God will not save us without faith and repentance humility self deniall fasting mourning and prayer and the use of the Ordinances as hearing reading and receiving the Sacraments and observing the Sabbath and doing as we would be done by and a desire to