qualifications and signes fell to the other extremity of no signes of sanctification at all by H. Denne an High Altar man a bower at the sillables of the name Jesus and conforme to all the abominable late Novations introduced by Canterbury who also opposed the Remonstrance and Petition of the well affected pleading for a riddance from Episcopacy Ceremonies and other corruptions and is now a rigid Arminian and an enemy to free Grace an Anabaptist an Antinomian to these joyne Paul Hobson who speakes more warily then the rest and R. Beacon in his late Catechism who holds sundry grosse points and M. Del in his Sermon before the House of Commons whose noble Ancestors could not have indured Familisme Sâ—einianisme or the like to be preached in their ears CHAP. XVIII Saltmarsh cleareth his minde touching personall mortification faintly and holdeth many other points of Familisme as of Christ crucified risen ascended to heaven in a figure or in the spirit not really in his true Man-head SAltmarsh is now the cheife Familist in England hath written of late a Treatise called Sparkles of glory which containes the spirits and extractions of the doctirne of Swenckfeld David Georgius Henry Nicholas and all the Familists Antinomians and older Libertines in which he professeth himselfe A Seeker and disclameth Presbytery Independency Anabaptisme and that there is neither Ministery Church or Ordinances nor any promise of continuance of them till Christs second comming contrary to Mat. 28.19 20 21. Ephe. 4.11 12 13. Mat. 26.13 Mat. 24.14 And pleads for liberty of conscience and yeeldeth that he will write no more against that learned and Godly man M. Tho. Gittaker Hee further labours to cleare himselfe Sparkles of glory pag. 323 324 325 326 That he said that Christ hath beleeved perfectly repented perfectly mortified sin perfectly for us which hee thus explaineth to wash it from Antinomianisme and so calleth it a pretended Heresie 1 saith hee that Christ hath done all for us is truth hee hath fullfilled all righteousnesse for us bâ—â— that which is of the Law and that which is in the Gospel in graces c. And upon this accompt is made unto us righteousnesse c. 2 Faith Repentance Mortification were all in Christ origiginally primarily as in their nature their fountain their root or seed and therefore hee is said to give repentance to Israel and he is the Authour and finisher of our faith and it is caled the faith of the son of God and of his fulnesse all wee have received and grace for grace for every grace in him a grace in us A. 1 If Saltmarsh have no other sense but that our faith repentance mortification are in and from Christ as the meritous cause because Christ by the merit of his death procured grace to us to beleeve repent mortifie sinne 2 That these are from Christ efficienter as the efficient cause or from the spirit of Christ infusing the life of God in us and actuating the supernaturall habit of grace in us and working in us to wil and to do this is that which Protestant Divines say that Christ is our Savior merito and efficaciâ by the merit of his death against Papists and the effectuall yea and the irresistable applying of his death to save us as we teach against Papists Pelagians Socinians then surely I hope neither that learned man M. Gattaker nor any of ours censured M. Saltmarsh for Antinomianisme or any heresie in his point we agree and then we say that M. Saltmarsh in these words gives us a faire and ingenious Recantation I am glad of this But Saltmarsh will be found to wash Antinomianisme off himselfe with Ink-water and he hath no face at least it is much ignorance to call Protestants Legallists because they teach that our faith repentance and mortification are from Christ by way of merit and the effectuall working of grace nor did ever Protestant deny this 1 Saltmarsh free grace p. 61 62. excludeth personal not acting such and such a sinne and our personall sanctification from being part of Gospel pure and spirituall mortification p. 62 63. And saith our pure and Gospel mortification is to beleeve that Christ mortified sinne perfectly for us and the like hee saith of sanctification and repentance p 84 85. So Saltmarsh willeth us not to repenâ— nor beleeve nor mortifie sinne in our owne person but to beleeve Christ hath done these for us perfectly and then we beleeve repent and mortifie sin perfectly 2 He citeth Scripture But yee are sanctified but yee are justified c. This is out of all doubt personall sanctification flowing from Christs merits and his spirit And I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth mee This is personall doing in Paules person by the grace of Christ and wee are his workemanship created in Christ Jesus unto good workes Those be good workes that wee in our owne person doe by the spirit of sanctification But Saltmarsh exponeth all these to be not ours but the very personall actings of Christ for his words are these pag. 84. free grace All these scriptures set forth Christ the sanctification and the fulnesse of his the all in all Christ hath beleeved perfectly for us hee hath repented perfectly he hath sorrowed for sinne perfectly he hath obeyed perfectly for us and all is ours and we are Christs and Christ is Gods Now Saltmarsh can have no such sense as here hee would force on himselfe For never man doubted but personall acts of grace or don by the strength of grace are ours but how are they ours as we are Christs onely as Christ acteth them for us without us No are they not ours the Spirit of Jesus worketh them in us and causeth us personally to doe and act them Ezek. 36.27 John 7.39 If Christs perfect beleeving perfect repenting and his perfect mortifying of sinne be ours because Christ did these acts for us in the dayes of his humiliation while he was in the flesh then are they ours before we be born and the holy Ghost must exhort us to doe all in the strength of Christ and to be sanctified and to beleeve perfectly to justification and that we be his workmanship to walk in good workes that we put on the new man that we mortifie sin 1640 yeares before we be born for so many yeares agoe Christ performed all these things for us but we are this day exhorted to put on the new man and to walk in good works Now the holyghost in scripture must either speak non-sense or wheÌ„ he saith walk in love eveÌ„ this day repent while it is to day stand up from the dead to day beleeve to day he must mean you need not stirre foot or hand or any power of your soul to these acts for Christ performed all these acts for you 1640 yeares agoe For then he must mean Christ hath repented perfectly in me a beleever and wrought perfect repentance free of sinne in me a sinner and Christ hath obeyed perfectly
but a change of the endeavours to please God whereas before selfe was our God and an endeavour to turne from dead works 2. True repentance is sorrow according to God and hath acts different from Faith 3. To repent is out of godly sorrow to endeavour new obedience and amendment of life Faith is an apprehension of Divine truth to which wee give credit or an heart-dependance and recumbence on God through Christ 4. Wee are justified by faith never by repentance Wee thinke not that teares wash away sinnes Protestants speake not so 2. Nor that they make peace with God by teares they make way to sense of peace or awake us to runne to a promise the formall bottome of our peace in regard that the Lord promiseth to revive the contrite Spirit to accept broken bones to comfort mourners in Zion and wee thinke neither repentance nor good works proper and formall conditions of the covenant of grace but rather conditions of the covenanted CHAP. XXXVII How good works are necessary FOr good works 1. We call not these good works that are extorted by the terrours of the Law as a captive keepeth the high way because his Keeper leadeth him in an iron chaine Nor 2. these which flow from the sole authority of God as Lawgiver Or 3. which issue from meere morall principles without saving grace but these we call good works in an Evangelicall sense that not onely are done from the authority of the Law-giver but also from a mediatory and Evangelike obligation from the sweet attractions and drawing coards of the secrets of Christs love And 2. from Evangelike faith that purifieth the heart 3. From Physicall principles and supernaturall habits of grace good works are this way necessary 1. That as grace and glory differ not in nature but gradually as the morning dawning of twy-light and the noone-day-light so the good works done by the grace of Christ and that perfect love of God and our brethren in heaven are of the same nature different in degrees and the one degrees and waies to the other especially when from Gods free promise of the blessings of this life and that which is to come the Lord hath made a passe betweene the one and the other and the Lord hath tyed himselfe to himselfe not to us to carry on grace out of meere grace Every branch that bringeth forth fruit in me saith Christ my Father purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance He that soweth to the spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting There is a harvest promised to this sowing as to a speciall furtherance of our reckoning in the day of Christ hee that soweth bountefully shall reape bountefully yea sent once and againe unto my necessitie not because I desire a gift but I desire fruit that may abound to your account if ye through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live But being made free from sinne and become servants to God yee have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life Blessed are they that doe his commandements that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in thorow the gates into the city And lest we should think the commands are all but one only precept of beleeving hee addeth for without are Doggs and Sorcerers and Whoremongers and Murtherers c. He that hath my commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my selfe to him All these evidence to us that holy walking is a way to heaven as sowing is to harvest and that Christ maketh a promise of life eternall to him that doth his Commandements onely the question is in what tearmes the promise is made to the doer of Gods will as a doer or as a beleever whose faith is fruitfull and with childe of Evangelike doing But wee may say the formall promise of the covenant of grace is made to beleeving as the Law-promise is made to doing Legally and perfectly out of our own without grace and that the Gospel as it is larger then the covenant of grace and as it containeth the whole doctrine of grace taught by the Prophets and Apostles is a promise of life eternall made to Evangelike and unperfect doing through the strength of grace And that because 1. God commandeth good works through the whole New Testament 2. They are so necessary as without them our faith is a dead and vaine faith and cannot justifie us 3. They are the end for which Christ redeemed us that we should live to him bee redeemed from our vaine conversation from the present evill world that we should bee a purified peculiar people to him zealous of good works and in this title also they are commanded 4. They are conditions without which wee cannot bee saved For John Baptist taught this with the Gospel Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire What shall we doe to be saved receiveth this answer Repent and be baptized every one of you Except yee repent yee shall all likewise perish 5. They are commanded as acts of the new creature and partly as contrary to sinnefull fiery and mighty temptations of Satan and the flesh as mortification to fleshly lust faith to unbeliefe Partly as expressions of thankfulnesse for the free redemption in Christ and commanded in the Law in the great Commandement of the loving of God with all our heart just as this Law of loving God did oblige Abraham to offer his Sonne Isaak for God and Judah to be thankefull to God for redeeming them out of the Babylonish Captivity though the Law neither commanded any father to offer his Sonne nor the people to returne from Captivity yet the eternall Law of love commandeth both these and us to doe what ever God-Redeemer commands us as well as what ever God the Law-giver injoyneth onely we cannot say Good works doe merit salvation or purchase right to life eternall Christs bloud is onely so a ransome of life 2. Nor have they any proper condignity to such a high reward being so imperfect 3. Nor can they have any effective influence or proper causality thereunto nor are they causes or conditions of justification but that which Crispe saith is not of God But withall saith he I must tell you that all this sanctification of life is not a jot of the way of a justified person to heaven it is true they are not the meritorious the efficient cause or way nor the formall covenant-condition but a way they are as sowing is to harvest running to the garland wrestling to the victory CHAP. XXXVIII The Gospel is conditionall ANtinomians deny all conditions of the covenant
is to Papists who make justification the expulsion of the habit of sinne and the bringing in of habituall righteousnesse which expelleth all sinne except venials which indeed are no sinnes for sinne pardoned to Antinomians and Papists who are harmonious in this point are no sinnes 2. Nothing be it adultery or parricide or any worke of the flesh committed after justification can bee sinne for it is against no Law by this way and doth not so much as prâ—judge salvation by demerit it onely scandalizeth men but cannot offend God My soule enter thou not into these mens secrets 3. Sinnes against Christian conversation such as the adulteries of the justified are no sinnes before God because all sinnes as sinnes stand in the way as contrary to salvation then aske Antinomians is a justified person obliged to eschew Adulterie they shall answer Yea hee is obliged but how There is a two fold obligation one of Law another of the free Spirit the former is removed the justified man by no Law or Law-obligation is to eschew Adultery as a sinne against God 1. Because hee is freed from the Law and all directing and obliging power of the Law 2. Because it involveth a contradiction that his Adultery should be sin when committed by him and pardoned before it be committed for so it should be sinne and no sinne How then is he obliged to forbeare Adultery Onely by an obligation Physicall and of the Spirit such as we call an obligation of naked courtesie if he forbeare it is an act of love and arbitrary freedome but if hee commit it it is not sinne because it is in him against no Law-obligation no more then an Englishman committing felony against the Lawes in England it is the Antinomians owne comparison or killing a Swan in Thames which is forbidden by the Lawes of England does faile against the Lawes of Spaine So his sin is against love not Law as if the Law commanded not all love and love with all the heart and as if these two were contrary and the Law and the Gospel did involve two contrary and contradictory wills in God and the Lord should be changeable and unconstant in Law and Gospel and his Adultery should bee contrary to men and Christian conversation onely not to God 4. All acts and personall duties of sanctification which we must persue and follow else wee cannot see God are but degrees and parts of the compleat Sanctification that wee hope for in heaven and the path of the just is as the shining light that shineth more and more till the perfect day therefore they must be commanded as the way to salvation and not as arbitrary acts of good conversation before men but I shall here answer M. Townes objections tending to prove that good works are not so much as the way to salvation 1. If good works bee such necessary conditions that without them happinesse is not attainable then 1. though the grace of God doe save as the alone cause yet it doth not freely for what God doth freely it is without all condition or consideration of mans workes or worthynesse Answ. It is good that Towne granteth though good works be commanded in the Gospel yet grace may for all that bee the onely cause of salvation but contradicting himselfe hee saith If good workes be commanded in the Gospel then grace is not the onely cause of salvation but grace and works Law and Gospel must be confounded We say not they are so necessary necessitate medii by necessity of meanes but that any savingly beleeving at the nick of the extremity of his twelfth and last houre God taking away all opportunity of good works is undoubtedly saved but in the worke of that faith there is a seed and supernaturall disposition to good works Now that this mother never bringeth forth the birth hindereth not but good works are necessary to salvation necessitate precepti in regard of Gods commandement but Antinomians deny good works to be necessary by any commandement of God 1. Because to omit them maketh the justifyed partie lyable to no guiltinesse or sinne before God say they Because he is under no Law and where there is no Law there is no transgression nor guilt saith Saltmarsh 2. Wee being justified are under no Commandement so as wee can violate this Commandement be it of Law or of Gospel for it is pardoned before it be committed 3. What God doth freely is without conditon as a meriting cause or as a cause or condition slowing from the strength of our nature without grace Without a perfect condition free of all sinnefull imperfection adhering to it such as the Law required it is true but now the assumption of the objection is false What hee doth freely is without all condition Evangelicke wrought by the strength of grace and mixed with sinnefull infirmities so the major is most false for Faith should not then be a condition of justification good works are so conditions as they be graces also How often said Augustine with Scripture God crowneth his owne free gifts in us not our merits 4. The same way I distinguish the consideration of good works either Legall or Evangelike And 5. Towne doth conjoyne our worthinesse which is none at all with our good works which are something for they are conditions of meere grace Object 2 So saith he Yee make works the causes of salvation Answ. It followeth not that they are con-causes or joynt-causes with Christ but onely conditions just as a mans journeying on foot or horse to a City or a Kingdome to inherit it is the way condition of his entring the City But it is not his Charter or Law-title or right to enjoy the Crowne as his inheritance any effective influence to the title of the Crowne of heaven I dare not ascribe to any works in us or to any but to Christ but undeniably good works are not so much as conditions of justification they follow a man justified but goe not before justification no more then the Apple goeth before the tree or the cisterne before the fountaine nor are they the conditions of the Covenant of grace they are the conditions of covenanted ones not of the covenant Object 3. If salvation depended on condition of our good works or dignity it would be uncertaine and doubtfull Rom. 4.16 Answ. The Apostle Rom. 4.16 clearely is on the theame of Justification by faith and the condition of it which is faith onely 2. Wee say not that salvation dependeth on works as a condition but on the grace of God which worketh every good worke in us freely without hire or money neither works nor free will are our sure free hold of heaven Object 4. Yee confound Law and Gospel and runne on that common error that the Gospel is conditionall remission of sinnes dependeth not on works Answ. It is a new heresie of Antinomians to deny a conditionall Gospel it is all one as to bely
as abrogate How little Antinomians esteeme Moses and the Prophets wee all know 15 The third rancke called Apostolici said we must become young with children Antinomians abandon sense nature reason and say we must live by faith only So hony-combe Towne Saltmarsh Den. 16 The third ranke were Spiritualists who abstained from cloathing meat feasts musicke to Saltmarsh all externalls are legall and carnall 17 The fourth ranke were the holy and sinlesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and would not pray the Lords prayer forgive us our sinnes and contended for Saints in this life without spot or wrinkle Crispe and other Antinomians say the beleevers are as cleane from sinne as Christ himselfe and cite the same place Ephes. 5.25 26. for it So Del the spirituall Church is led and taught by the anoynting the carnall Church by councels letter of the word 18 These denyed originall sinne in infants Antinomians deny it in all the elect who are justified from eternity or from Christs Death or from the time of their beleeving 19 The fifth ranke were Silentiaries tacentes they denyed necessity of preaching as Antinomians doe because the anoynting is sufficient they thought it indifferent to deny their Religion 20 The sixt ranke prayed only which Antinomians doe never but praise onely 21 The seaventh were arreptitiously and Enthysiastically inspired and fell in transes and saw visions of lyes Antinomians hold revelations and rapts of the Spirit without the word for their rule 22 The eight rank were these in higher Germany that are called libâ—ri fratres free brethren they were abominable impure and so uncleane that they were excommunicated by the rest they said they were delivered by Christ from all lawes covenants vowes paying of tithes or debts as Saltmarsh saith to doe any thing from these grounds is law-bondage free grace pag. 180 they owe no obedience unto Magistrates they said marriage was free with any of neerest blood that men could not be saved except they were Publicans and Harlots they held men might have many wives at once that after rebaptization they cannot sinne as Eaton the Antinomian saith hony-comb c. 3 p. 25. that not they but the flesh sinned as Towne saith asser pag. 35. 23 The ninth ranke were called also liberi fratres they said baptizing of infants Magistrates oathâ—s were things indifferent preaching â—earing scriptures were needlesse because we shall be all taught of God Sacraments are but common signes that beleevers need not it was free and indifferent to confesse Christ before men if danger be God delights not in our blood nor requires he that we dye for his truth we may dissemble our religion deny Christ before men so we keepe the truth in our hearts I often prove Antinomians to run in this straine 24 The tenth sort were called Huttites from Iohn Hut these took on them to cut off all the Cananites that is all the ungodly with the sword and gave away their goods because they said the day of judgement was neare at hand Ioh. Hut and the like false Prophets in their owne name could not learne wit from Cochebaâ— the Jew the son of a starre who called himselfe the Starre of Iacob and Redeemer of Israel but proved Benchozba the sonne of a lye he and his were destroyed by Tynius Ruffus president of Palestina he arose in time of Aelius Adrianus An. 118. or 120 Eusebius eccle Hist. l. 4. c. 5. nor would learne wit from the folly of a Jew who rose Anno. 379 in the time of Theodosius the great he called himselfe Moses promised to lead the people to Canaan drye through the sea caused the Iewes leap into the sea who drowned themselves and beat out their brains in the rocke and counterfeit Moses it may be the Devill disapeared and was seen no more Tripart Hist. l. 12. c. 9. Nicep l. 14. c. 4. 25 The eleventh ranke were called Augustinians from one Augustine a Bohemian Enthysiast they were ruled by scriptureles dreames 26 Anabaptists deny that scripture can prove any thing by consequence but it must be in so many syllables logicke and consequencies say Antinomians are to be abandoned in divinity 27 Melchior Hoffman a Skinner an 1529 said Strasburg was new Ierusalem 2 He was to be called an Apostle from heaven 3 Leaned to Enthysiasmes 28 Hoffman said he was Elias and Cornel Polterman Enoch 29 Menno Simonz the sonne of a secular priest borne in Frizland neere Harlingen about an 1532 rejected Enthysiasmes and yet slighted the scriptures 2 rejected apostolick calling 3 maintained the grosest Pelagianisme that the saints live free from all sinne as Eaton the Antinomian honie-combe CHAP. IIII. Of David George DAvid Georgius born in Delâ— was the son of a Mountebank or Iugler say some by trade a painter he vented his heresie an 1540 he was a composed plaistered hypocrite austerer than any bare footed Fryer or Capucian did often fast three dayes together was eloquent he taught that He himselfe 1 was the sonne of God the true and spirituall David borne of the spirit where as Iesus Christ was borne of the flesh 2 He was sent to restore the house of Israel not by death but by grace 3 The doctrine of Moses the Prophets Christ and the Apostles was unperfect carnall litterall Antinomians reject all written law and Gospell as a legall covenant of works and his was spirituall and perfect 4 He said the law was abolished as doe also Antinomians and he was the true and living law to his discipâ—es Antinomians say the Spirit of life in beleivers is all their law Del. Ser. pag. 26. Saltmarsh free grace 146. 5 He transformed the scriptures in allegories said Angels were but motions in the minde of man so do Familists and Antinomians Randel the Familist preached that because Christ preached parables therefore it is lawfull to expound the scriptures in allegories and that all things in nature and art were sacraments of the supernaturall mysteries of the Gospell therefore they expound God manifested in the flesh to be a believer Godded and Christed with the being of God in Faith and love The pâ—ice called Philosophy dissected maketh all the workes of Creation Articles of faith 6 He said to act adulteries and all villanies without sense of sin and shame as with a deadned conscience was the onely spirituall mortification and new birth his followers should labour for and then and not while then were they borne of the Spirit the same Libertines taught and so doe Antinomians and Familists that to repent sorrow and mourne for sin or to be touched with any sense thereof or from this sense to confesse sin is from fleshly unebeliefe and the old Adam then to sinne without sense is faith and mortification and this is cousen German with the Libertines regeneration and nearer 7 All marriage of nearest of bloud though under Moses and Christ they were forbidden yet are they now lawfull under this mâ—re spirituall
doth not much busie it selfe about outward formes and externall conformitie but only minds the reforming of the heart and when the heart is right with God the outward forme cannot be amisse and therefore saith Christ touching the worship of the New Testament God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth but speaks not one word of any outward forme So that God in the Gospel-reformation aimes at nothing but the heart p. 6. Swenckfeld ascribeth something more to the ministrie of the word God sayeth he deales externally with the flesh and outward man by the letter of the word or by preaching or by signes or seales But Del is so much for this spirit that he will have the gospel to mind only the reforming of the heart and to aime at nothing but the heart So these foule consequences must follow hence 1 The Gospel cares nothing for outward duties or outward worship all externalls must be left free and indifferent to bow to Idols or not to bow to murther or not to murther which is the false charge that the Councell of Trent puts on us the falsest calumnie the Devill can devise that in the Gospell except faith all other things are indifferent and neither commanded nor forbidden 2 Conseq The Apostles and Elders Act. 15. in forbidding fornication and uncleannesse minded no Gospell reformation such as Del pleaded for 3 Conseq Davids heart was right and Peters also in the maine when the one committed adultery and treacherous murther and the other denyed his Lord then shall murther and denyall of Christ before men be things indifferent for Gospell-reformation mindes onely the reforming of the heart and when the heart is right with God as was Davids whose heart was according to the heart of God long ere he fell in these sinnes 1 Sam. 13.14 and Peters heart Mat. 16.17 the outward forme cannot be amisse then outward practises of adultery and treacherous murther and denying of Christ with oathes were not amisse Old Anabaptists called Fratres liberi and Nicodemites come and learn at M. Del to keepe the heart right and violate all the ten Commandements your false worships your lying whoring couzening c. cannot be amisse your Gospel needs not busie it selfe with these formes For saith he What Christ speakes not one word of in the N. Testament worship Ioh. 4 that hath nothing to doe with Gospel-reformation I Assume But Christ speakes not one word of formes of right externall worship not adding Idoll worship bowing to Baal not one word of speaking or preaching as the Oracles of God as it is 1 Pet. 4.11 nor of consenting to the wholesome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the doctrine that is according to Godlinesse 1 Tim. 6.3 nor speaketh Christ one word Io. 4. to hold fast the forme of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 Nor to obey from the heart that forme of sound doctrine once delivered Rom. 6.17 yea many say Christ speaks in that place Ioh. 4. not one word of faith love feare hope of preaching hearing praying praysing or of any worship either externall or internall but onely of the manner and sincerity of worship then by Dels arguing there should be no externall worship under the Gospell yea more Reformation in worship is but the halfe of reformation Christ there speakes not one word of the other halfe of reformation of the duties of the second table of love mercy righteousnesse sobriety not killing not whoring not couzening and oppressing the widdow the Orphan as Antinomians doe then Gospel-reformation aiming onely at the heart cares nothing for any of these 4 The power wisedome and righteousnesse of men have no place in Gospel reformation because saith M. Del it is the hautinesse and loftinesse of men that must be layd in the dust in the day of reformation pag. 12 13. Now the power of preaching the Gospell and the Keyes of the Kingdome to shut and open to proclaime ministerially the remitting and reteining of sinnes are the onely meanes on mans part to reforme the Church the word preached by sinfull men is the cheife meanes now these are not pride and hautinesse because Christ giveth these to men Mat. 16 18 19. Ioh. 20 21. 2 Cor. 5.18 19. 2 Cor. 10.5 2 Cor. 4.7 Ephes. 4.11 12. 1 Cor. 12.28 But hee giveth not pride and hautinesse nor infuseth he these into any they are from that evill one Satan 5 It is true M. Del in words saith it is the word that onely reformes not the power of the world nor the sword But he knoweth in his conscience we plead not for the sword to reforme The sword was never sanctified of God to turne a soule to Christ but when an Elimas perverts â—oules and the Gospell we hold the sword should be drawen against him that he pervert no more But this word that workes Gospel-reformation is yet the internall and substantiall word of Swenckfeld of all the Eâ—thysiasts for he saith page 17.1 This word is not the Law but the Gospell so say all the Enthysiasts now if Enthysiasts meane that onely the Law is made by us the meanes of conversion excluding the Gospell their conscience beare them witnesse that that is a calumnie the Law it alone makes none perfect and converts not any nor speakes it one word of Christ But if they meane that the Law is wholly excluded from the worke of conversion at all as they teach Then 1 The Law ought not to be taught at all in the Church But Christ and his Apostles taught the law and the Gospell both But what use hath the teaching of that at all that hath no influence in the conversion of sinners 2 That by which is the knowledge of sinne and our sicknesse and is a paedagogne to lead us to Christ is not wholly excluded from being a meanes of our comming to the Physitian but such is the Law Rom. 3.20 Gal. 3.23 24. 3 That which lets us see our condemnation and that we have ground of selfe dispaire and stoppeth our mouthes as guilty before God that which lets us see our debts and that we are drowned and broken for this end that we may flee to Christ our rich surety that which closeth us under sinne that God may shew mercy that is a meanes of our conversion But such is the Law Rom. 3.19 Rom. 8.2 3. Rom. 11.32 Gal. 3 22. 2 Del and his Antinomians meane no other thing by the word but what Swenckefeld meanes to wit the internall and substantiall Word heare him then speake with the mouth and tongue of Swenckefeld ser pag. 18. So that the word whereby Christ reformes is not the word without us as the word of the law is but the word within us as it is written the word is nigh theâ— c. if thou live under the word many yeares if it come not to thy heart it will never change thee nor reforme thee 2 he adde pag. 19.
in all things sinne excepted Luk 24.39 40. Ioh. 20.26 27. 18 The second birth is the Godhead and Gods true being obtaineth the victory beareth rule with God and bringeth forth the name of Israel or Christ it selfe sect 12. 19 Christ is not true man nor Abrahams seed after the flesh but God only in so far as he followeth Abrahams faith 20 H. Nicholas and all his illuminated Elders are Christ all not of his way the Antichrist so some Antinomians now at Oxford Say 1 That Iesus Christ is not God essentially but in name 2 That his nature was defiled with sin aswel as ours 3 It is as possible for Christ to sin as for any of us 4 The Trinity of the Persons is a fiction 5 The fulnesse of the Godhead doth dwell bodily in the Saints as in Christ and that when this Godhead shall be manifested in them they shall have divine honour and have more power then Christ and doe greater workes then hee 6 The scripture is but a shadow and a fiction now the word saith 1 The father and Christ are one and he thought it no robbery to be equal with the father Phi. 2 and maintained he was the consubstantiall sonne of God Ioh. 7. Ioh. 10 else the Iewes would never have said he blasphemed in calling himselfe the sonne of God by adoption for they knew Godly men to be so the sons of God 2 By him the word the heaven and earth were created Ioh. 1.1 2 3. Col. 1.16 17. now God onely created the World Ier. 10 11 12. Esay 44.24 Gen. 1.1 Psal. 33.6 7 8. 3 Hee was anoynted above his fellowes with grace Psal. 45.2.7 and wee receave out of his fulnesse and light our halfe-penny candles at this sunne of righteousnesse Ioh. 1.14.16 and he giveth the Holy Ghost Ioh. 16.14 And hath received a name above all names Phil. 2 9 10. and God said to none of the Angells farre lesse to any man save to the man Christ sit thou at my right hand Heb. 1. 21 The Familists are perfect in this life and so are Antinomians Towne as p 77 78. Saltm free grace 140. 22 To say the three persons are one God is a foolish making three Gods Antinomians professe that Antitrinitarians Arrians Socinians are their brethren so they beleeve and love God as they doe 23 There is but one Spirit in all creatures and that is essentially God Epist to the the two daughters of Warwicke 24 Love and well doing and good workes are the cause of our re-reconciliation and the very saviours that beares our sins whereas Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree Esay 53.6 7 8. 1 Pet. 2.23 24. 25 Christs dying on the Crosse is nothing but H.N. and his illuminated Elders their obeying constantly the doctrine of H. N. so as no suffering could cause them to forsake it 26 Then is Christ put to death when any of the Family of Love is no longer led by the Scripture but by the Spirit of revelation that is as sure as the Scripture so said Mrs. Hutchison Rise reigne p. 61. er 27. 27 Mortification is to H. N· justification and removing of sinnes so doe Antinomians confound these two 28 The resurrection of Christ was but a passing out of the flesh or letter of the law to the spirituall being of illuminated Elders 29 Christ sitteth not in our flesh at the right hand of God but in the spirit 30 The comming of the Holy Ghost in cloven tongues was the comming of Christ againe from heaven in the Spirit 31 Christs ascending to heaven was his comming to heavenly mindednesse and fulnesse of knowledge 32 The resurrection of the body is a rising in this life from sin and wickednesse 33 In H. N. God this present day judgeth the world the family of love are the many thousands of his saints that Judgeth with him even now and reigneth on the earth Evang. c. 1. sect 9.10 34 The Marriages of all not enlightened are unlawfull 35 Men shall marry and have wives at the resurrection 36 The illuminated Elders cannot sin nor pray for forgivenesse of sinnes so Antinomians hony-combe c. 3. pag 25. c. 7 pag. 139 forgiven sin is not or hath no being before God Saltm free grace pag. 44. 37 Heaven and Hell are in this world Antinomians say we are fully and compleatly not in hope onely saved in this life 38 The family of love is under no law 39 All things are the act of God 40 Angels and Devils and wicked men are acted immediately by the Spirit of God 41 The Scripture is a shadow 42 Ordinances are for babes in their family of love only 43 The perfect are to live above all ordinances 44 Jf temptations lay hold on us and force us to sin and we cry to God for helpe and finde no helpe we are as guiltlesse as the maid forced in the field who cryed and had no helpe and is not for that a whore H.N. documentall sentences sect 13. sect 8. It is true the beleever shal not be charged to eternal condemnation for sins of infirmities that are his burthen and affliction aswell as his sin but sins of infirmities are essentially his sinnes who acts them and make him lyable to wrath If God should contend with David for his adultery and murther displeased the Lord but God cannot charge the sinne of whoredome on a maid that is forced and doth cry out if she doe cry out and have no helpe it is no whoredome on the maids part 45 All the scriptures are to be exponed by allegories This makes 1 The Scripture a masse of contradictions and lyes 2 This turnes our faith and knowledg into a phancie for the scripture it selfe cannot be a rule of exponing scripture if the glosse destroy the text 3 The scripture shall not Judge all controversies as Christ referres the gravest question that ever was Whether he be the sonne of God or no to this tribunall Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me Ioh. 5. 4 All the articles touching Christ his birth life death buriall resurrection ascending to heaven sitting at Gods right hand his second comming c. Creation providence histories shall teach nothing an Allegory shall cause scripture say the contrary Antinomians call all their allegories the spirituall sense of Scripture Bread may in an allegory signifie comfort then the love of God dwells in a brother who seeth his poore brother famishing and gives him neither cloathing nor bread but onely faith in good words Brother goe in peace and be warmed and cloathed an◠feed for he gives the poore man allegorically bread and cloathing contrary to Iames 2.14 15 16 17. 1 Ioh. 3.17 18. yea so all scripture shall be turned over in lyes dreames and phancies all covenants violated all faith private and publike among Christins may be broken and yet truth kept in an allegoricall sense according to scripture A man may murther his brother and have life eternall Contrary to 1 Io. 3.15
acknowledgement of sin and of the Law Thus doe all the Prophets Apostles and Saint Paul Rom. 2. Knowest thou not that the goodnesse of God leads thee to Repentance But admit I had taught or said that the Law should not bee preached in the Church although the contrary be evident in all my writings and in the constant practise of my Catechising from the beginning why should men so stiffely adhere to me and not rather oppose mee who having ever taught otherwise were now revolted from my self even as I dealt with the Popes Doctrine For I will and may boast of it in truth that there is no Papist now adayes so conscientious and in such good earnest as once I was For those that now professe Popery doe it not for any feare of God as I a poore wretch was given over to doe but they seek somthing else as the world may see and themselves know I was faine to learn by experience what Saint Peter writes Crescite in cognitione Domini Nor doe I finde that any Doctor Councell or Fathers though I should distill their books and extract the quintessence out of them have on a sudden and in their first entrance perfected their Crescite Or that the word Crescite should be as much as perfectum esse For instance Saint Peter himself did learn his Crescite from Saint Paul Gal. 2. and Saint Paul from Christ himself who told him by way of incouragement Sufficit tibi gratia mea c. Good God! will not men endure it when the holy Church acknowledgeth her sins beleeves the remission of sins askes in the Lords Prayer the forgivenesse of sins But how come we to know what sin is if there be no Law nor conscience And where shall we learn what Christ is and what he hath done for us if we could not know what the Law is which he hath fulfilled or what sin is for which he hath satisfied And though we should not stand in need of the law for our part but could pull it out of our hearts which yet is impossible notwithstanding there is a necessity of preaching it in respect of Christ which also is done and must be done that the world may know what he hath either done or suffered for us For who could know what and wherefore Christ hath suffered for us if no body could tell what sin was or the law I conclude therefore that the Law will wee nill we must be preached if we mean to preach Christ though we should not use the word Law For doe what you can the conscience will be terrified by the Law when it is told that Christ was to fulfill the Law for us at so deare a rate Why therefore should any goe about to abolish it when it cannot be abolished Yea when by the abolition of it it is the more firmely established and deeper rooted For the Law terrifies farre more dreadfully when I am told that Christ the Son of God must necessarily satisfie the same for me then if without Christ and such great torments of the Son of God it had been preached to me with bare threatnings For in the Son of God I really see the wrath of God which the Law declareâ— but verbally and with farre lesse operation and efficacy Alasse that my own friends should thus molest me I have enough to doe with Papists I might say almost with Job and Jeremiah O that I never had been born Yea I might almost say O that I had never appeared in Books I did not care but would be content if all of them were already perisht And that the works of such haughty spirits might be sold in all Book-sellers shops which is that indeed they would have that so they might be satiated with their goodly vain-glory Againe I must not count my selfe better then our Lord Jesus Christ the Master of the house who complaines once and againe In vain I have laboured and spent my strength in vain But it is so the devill is lord in the world and I could never be brought to beleeve that the devill was the Master and God of this world till I found by a pretty deale of experience that Princeps Mundi Deus hujus soeculi was also one of the Articles of Faith Howbeit the children of men still remain in their unbeliefe and I my self but weakly beleeve it For every one is in love with his own way and all perswade themselves that the devill sure lives beyond Sea and that they carry God in their pocket But for the godly which desire salvation wee must live preach write doe and suffer all things Otherwise if you regard the devill and false brethren it were better to preach and to write nothing at all but presently to dye and to be buryed For doe what you can they will be still perverting and traducing all things and raise meere Scandals and mischiefes according as the devill doth ride or lead them There is no remedy but we must and will fight and suffer We must not thinke to faire better then the blessed Prophets and Apostles which were used as we are They have invented to themselves a new Method which is that the doctrine of Grace should be preached in the first place afterwards the revelation of wrath that by no means forsooth the word Law might be heard or spoken of This is a curious Crotchet wherein they might please themselves imagining that they can turne and winde the whole Scripture as they list that so they may be Lux mundi But S. Paul must and shal be that light Rom. 1. These men see not how the Apostle teacheth that which is directly opposite to their tenents denouncing first the wrath of God from Heaven and making all the world to be sinners and guilty before God When he hath made them so then he teacheth further how they may obtaine Grace and be justified and this the 3 first Chapters mightily and clearely evince But is it not a singular blindnes folly of theirs to conceit that the manifestation of wrath must be something else beside the law which cannot possibly bee For the manifestation of wrath is nothing else but the Law where it is acknowledged and felt according to that of the Apostle Lex iram operatur And have they not now bravely hit it when in abrogating the Law they teach it againe by teaching the Revelation of wrath But thus they preposterously put the Cart before the Horse teaching the Law after the Gospell and wrath after grace But what foule errors the Devill drives at by those jugling Gypsies I discerne in part well enough but cannot now stand to discusse them And because I hope they will proceed no further it shall not need It hath been a speciall peice of pride and presumption in those men that they would bring something to light that is new and singular that the people might say Heâ—r's a brave fellow indeed Here 's another Paul Have they
all sins are taken away and are not to be rebuked nor are men renewed to be terryfied by the Law for Luther 1. speaks comparatively and denies not all subordinate activity to renewed free-will after conversion In every good work the Sons of God are rather acted upon then doe act In omni opere bono potius aguntur quam agunt filii Dei Then Luther meanes that they act but grace rather acts upon them for To. 3. in Gen. in cap. 28. fo 82. Luther saith there is a twofold holinesse in us one imputed by which we are sanctified by the Word and is perfect another by which wee are holy by our work and conversation which is unperfect The other holinesse is of works it is charity that makes us acceptable to God there not onely God speaks to me but I study to follow God speaking When I was a Monk often I desired that happinesse to see a godly man in life and conversation in the mean time I dreamed of an Eremite that abstained from meat and drink and fed on rootes and cold water but they are holy who are holy with a passive not an active holinesse if every man doe his duty by rule according to his calling and obey not the flesh and in the Spirit suppresse the desires and lusts thereof Altera sanctitas operum est charitas gratum faciens ibi non solum Deus loquitur sed studeo ego sequi loquentem Deum Ego Monachus saepe ex animo optabam eam faelicitatem mihi contingere ut possim videre conversationem vitam alicujus sancti bominis Interim somniabam talem sanctum qui in Eremo agens abstineret a cibo potu victitaret tantum radiculis herborum aquâ frigidâ sancti sunt sanctitate passivâ non activâ si unusquisque ex praescripto verbi Dei faciat officium in vocatione suâ carni non obsequatur sed Spiritu reprimat desideria ejus And where ever Luther speaketh of inherent holinesse he calleth it imperfect and active then renewed freewill must be an Agent in it 2 The subjective power of doing good that Luther calleth a passive power and which was in man before the fall in the renewed man is not simply passive for in regard of it saith Luther Voluntas magis est impulsa quam impellens the will rather is drawen then it doth draw and act but inclineth more to bee drawen but it is passive because free will in pure naturalls before the fall or after regeneration is a subject receiving a holy sanctified rectitude of will and before the fall that rectitude was that concreated and naturall Image of God in the first Adam in regeneration it is the supernaturall image of the second Adam which wee call the new heart and before the fall Adam did not love and serve God by free will simply but by free-will gifted with that naturall accident of concreated sanctity and holinesse added to the will as a connaturall gift to make the will compleat in its operations Now the will is a mere patient in receiving a supernaturall active power to will according to Christ and in this regard the will is patient and must bee elevated in its naturall activity by receiving a new infused heart Ezeki 36.26 Zech. 12.10 Deut. 30.6 And because free-will acts according to Christ in beleeving hopeing loving out of faith all by the strength of new supernaturall habits therefore doth Luther call the renewed man a patient and his supernaturall workes like the drawing of a Saw which yet hath its own activity of cutting the tree and hath teeth by art for that effect yet t is called a patient in sawing the tree because it is moved in its motion by him that draweth the Saw 3 In the receiving the active determination of actuall assisting grace the will is a patient in the reception and subjective and passive lying under the actuall motion of him who workes in us to will and to doe for wee can doe nothing more than clay when God infuseth a spirit in it to move the predeterminating wind of the spirit to blow right on us in regard of both these though being acted by habituall grace and by actuall assisting grace being drawen Cant. 1.2 3. and Psal. 119.32 compared with Ezeki 36.26 27. we doe and have our own subordinate active influence in all the workes wee doe toward Heaven and life eternall yet Luther saith wee are patients Luther Heraeseos venenum est quod tribuit libero arbitrio virtutem disponendi se ad gratiam sive habitualem sive actualem recipiendam quale faciunt in illo Zech. 1. Convertimini ad me ego convertar ad vos Homo merè passivè se habet nec facit quidquam sed fit totus Luther Deus in materia privativa non positiva operatur It s a poyson of Heresie that giveth to free-will power to dispose it selfe to receive grace as they say from Zech. 1. Turne to me and I will turne to you Man is a meer patient he doth nothing but is acted or done upon God worketh on a privative not a positive matter 4. Luther holds men to be meere patients because grace and grace onely beginneth all supernaturall works Luther How shall free-will remaine and our doing what we can When we are taught that we are wrought upon and we work not but God works wee are the work not the workers so all the Divinity of proud men utterly perishes Faith is wrought in us not thinking not wisely understanding not willing but who-ever is gifted with faith is prevented by the incomprehensible hid work of the Spirit by the onely hearing of the Word without all work of us Vbi manebit liberum arbitrium ubi facere quod in se est cum hic fieri nos doceamur non facere non nos operemur sed Deus nos operetur facturae non factores simus funditus scilicet ruit omnis Theologia superborum Non nobis cogitantibus sapientibus volentibus sed incomprehensibili occulto opere Spiritus praevenitur quisquis fide donatur in Christo ad solum verbi auditum citra omnem nostram aliam operam 4. Luther is much as he cannot be enough in depressing the glory of nature and free-will and exalting God We are not good by working but by suffering when we suffer the actings of God on us and are quiet Whatever shall give thy â—elfe to thee and permit thee hold that in suspition for it will cause thee finde thy own will in fasting as Esa. 58. Whatever shall take thy self from thy self follow that Luther Non operando sed patiendo boni sumus cum patimuâ— divinas actiones quieti ipsis Quicquid tibi teipsum dederit permiserit tene suspectum quia facit ut inveniatur voluntas tua in Jejunio tuo ut dicitur Esa. 58. quicquid
Revelations contrary to the woâ—d for the Scripture saith the justified person can sin must confesse sin because God is faithfull to forgive But Antinomians say the spirit that exponeth Scripture to them without arguing discoursing reasoning or comparing Scripture with Scripture but by an immediate revelation teacheth that the justified cannot sinne are not to confesse sinne and that they are no more to sorrow for sinne then â—o goe backe again to Legall bondage after they are justifiâ—d in Christ which is contradicent to the word of Truth and therefore such a spirit wee know not 11. The weaker are much dâ—lâ—ded by Sâ—ltmarsh and his if they beleeve a Spirit separated from thâ— Word CHAP. XXVIII Of our assurance and comfort from Acts of free Grace 33. THe pure rationall and glorious assurance of salvation comes from the pure manifestation of the Spirit bearing witnesse This is the white stone Rev. 2.17 The unction whereby we know all things 1 John 2.20 and the things freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 There is assurance 1. by Reason or the meere light of nature and works of this creation as in Job and Cornelius but sure there is no salvation out of Christ. 2. By graces gifts or fruits of the Spirit selfe-deniall faith repentance and by the Letter Promises or outward Ordinances or duties this assurance is of no higher and clearer and more glorius certainty then God through these doth afford and that is darkly as the Apostle saith as in a glasse Paul Hobson who speaketh more congruously to Scripture then any of this way I read saith he speaking of our joy It is one thing to rejoyce in an act and another thing to draw our joy from an act It is one thing to rejoyce in our sutable walking up to a Rule another thing to draw our joy and refreshing from the apprehension of a sutablenesse betwixt the Act and the Rule Men may pray and mourne for sinne or perform any other particular duty and have much joy in that opportunity and yet not draw their joy from it but onely their joy is distilled from a sâ—cret in-come of Christ which carries them above it while they are acted in it but these poore soules they onely are joyfull when they see they act suitable to a Rule and they draw their joy from that suitablenesse which appeares in this that if their suitablenesse flagge their joy is destroyed I doe not say but that every sin eâ—ought to produce sorrow in us but it is one thing to mourn for sinne â—nâ—oying faith with peace and another thing to mourn for sin to confirm faith and to beget peace Answ. 1. I deny not but there is a pure and immediate assurance that floweth from the witnesse of the Spirit Rom. 8.16 2 Cor. 1 21 22. Eph. 1.13 14. So as the shining of the Suâ—ne maketh evidenâ— that it is day without a syllogisme and discourse and the seeing of the mother teacheth the Lamb without any argumentative light to follow the mother and to follow no other And the Sun-shine of glory on the soule teacheth it is in a state of happinesse with immediate light but I utterly deny that in every moment of time when the person beleeveth he is assured he is in the state of salvation for this reflect assurance is not essentiall to faith Many beleeve and say My God and yet complain that God forgetteth them and shuttâ—th up their prayers and casteth off their soule as is cleare in prayers put up to God in faith in which the Saints want assurance Psalm 22.1 2 Psalm 31.22 Jonah 2.4 Esay 49.14 15. Cant. 5.4 6.7 Cant. 3.1 2 3 4 5. 2. Many doubt and these both godly and learned of the immediate word and testimony of the Spirit they say it is from signes and effects of saving grace by which as by Arguments the Spirit testifies that we are the children of God as thus He that beleeves and loves the brethren and hath a hope causing a man to purifie himselfe is in the state of salvation But I am such an one therefore I am in the state of salvation Both the Major and Assumption may be witnessed by the Spirit of God and our own sense And the places alledged by Saltmarsh speak not of the way or the manner how the Spirit the white stone the â—unction doth teach us or bear witnes they onely say they beare witnes and teach but say nothing of the manner and if the Spirit teach us to know the things freely given to us of God and the annoynting teach us all things then far more doth the Spirits anointing teach us that we are the Sonnes of God because we love the Brethren because we beleeve and saith is our victory by which we overcome the world 3 There is assurance by reason of the meer light of nature and works of this Creation that there is a God and that hee rewardeth them that seeke him but that men have assurance of salvation or that they are in a state of salvation as Salâ—marsh his title of the Chapter intimateth or that Job and Cornelius have assurance or salvation by reason or the meer light of nature and works of this Creation is the new Divinity of Jesuits but hath no warrant in the Scriptures and that Job and Cornelius were voyd of all Gospell-revelation is contrary to Job 19.25 26.27 Act. 10.1 2 3 4 5 6.34 35 4 Far lesse was it ever heard that Protestants teach that men may have assurance of salvation from the mâ—er letter of scripture Saltmarsh fathers many untruths on Protestants to make his own way of all spirit taketh better with the people 5 I â—â—ove else where that the way of assurance by divers places of Scripture â—s rationâ—â—l and Argumentative and that most of all the Articles of our faith in the new Testament are proved 〈◊〉 from the old nor are the assurance of the spirit and â—ationâ—ll and argumentative discourses of the 〈◊〉 contrary one â—o another For the Holy spirit almost iâ— every 〈◊〉 of scripture is an arguing spirit and infers on conclusion from an antecedent and from an other conclusion 6 Nor did we ever teach men to build assurance on meer outward duties done without the grace of Christ. 7 Nor can the assurance by the immediate testimony of the spirit be more cleare and glorious then God doth afford light more then certainty by signes and effects can be 8 It is a wonder to me that Saltmarsh so undervalueth all assurances by effects and works of grace so as they assuâ—e us darkly as in a glasse Then the immediate Testimony of his all spirit must yeeld an higher â—vidence 〈◊〉 darkely and in a glasse this must be the light of the immediate vision of God in heaven Hence Familists will but have the day light of moâ—â—ing or noone day glory shinâ— on us in this life whereas the Apostle makes all the light we have in this life to be darke and in a
that the dead which are fallen asleep in the Lord rise up in this day of his judgement and appeare unto us in godly glory which shall henceforth live in us everlastingly with Christ and reign upon the earth is a detestabl hereticke But H.N. teacheth so Evangel c 37. sect 9. Whosoever teacheth that to bee borne of the Virgin Mary out of the seed of David after the flesh is to bee exponed of the pure doctrine out of the seed of love is a detestable hereticke But H.N. teacheth so Document sent c. 3. sect 5. Whosoever teacheth that Jesus Christ is come againe unto us according to his promise to the end that they all which love God and his righteousnesse and Christ and perfect being might presently enter into the true rest which God hath prepared from the beginning for his elect and inherit the everlasting life is a detestable hereticke But H.N. Evan. c. 1. sect 1. teacheth so c. Having examined these reasons with the books of H.N. we doe finde that in truth he holdeth these heresies and we think in our hearts and of our own knowledge affirm that H.N. is in these heresies a detestable heretick promising faithfully befor God and your honours never hereafter to have any dealing with his bookes and doctrin nor to go about to bring any to the love liking or reading of them and that we now speak is the true meaning of our heart as we look for mercy at his hands which searcheth the heart It shall never be well with England till the like abjuration of the doctrine of H.N. of Wil. Del Joh. Saltmarsh of Town Eaton Den Crispe and the scandalous Antinomians be tendered to most of the Army of Sir Thomas Fairfax and all the Sectaries in England but the Arme of the Lord must still bee stretched out against the land in fury and indignation till it be destroyed and till he throughly avenge the quarrell of the Covenant with so high a hand and so presumptuously broken by the Kingdome of England A MODEST SVRVEY of the secrets of Antinomianisme with a briefe refutation of them from the word of truth CHAP. I. Antinomians unjustly aceuse us IT cannot be judged either a wounding of the weake who side with Familists for a bastard love with Antinomians for a dead and rotten faith with Libertines the enemies of holy walking with God to answer those that aske a reason of our hope especially when we are nick-named Legalists Antifidians Pharisees Antichristian teachers enemies to free Grace because we stand for a rule of righteousnesse in the Law repentance from dead workes strict and close walking with God against all which that is to me a wall of brasse As deceivers and yet true as unknowne and yet well knowne Yet I give a briefe account of those saving and innocent Doctrines of the hoast of Protestant Divines if possibly truth may pierce through their eye-lids who winke because they will not see Of old the Albigenses were called Hereticks but saith an indifferent man genus haereseos nunquam nominant So now neither the heresie nor the Protestant Divine can be named that teach that the Law and Gospel are mixt in the matter of justifitation or that teares of repentance wash us from our sinnes that the covenant of grace is a covenant of works that we are to seeke righteousnesse in our selves CHAP. II. Antinomians are Pelagians WEe are farre from Pelagian grace that an unconverted man can leave sinne because sinne hath an earnest desire of soule-saving comfort cannot speak nor doe but in feare of sinne that an hypocrite under the Law can in good earnest and down-rightnesse of heart yeeld himselfe wholly to the law of God as a wife to her husband to bee instructed and ordered in all things inwardly and outwardly after the minde of God in the Law So Saltmarsh telleth us of a Legally-Gospel-way of conversion in which Christ in truth is received Much like to that of Familists of New England that a Legalist for truth may attaine the same righteousnesse that Adam had in innocency before the fall and a living faith that hath living fruits may grow from the living law We judge that an unconvert is so farre from a conformity to the Law that his conscience is burnt with a hot iron and he never saw his keepers face hee being under the law a captive in thick darkenesse and therefore all his faire vertues are white sinnes 2. Hee is an ill tree that cannot bring forth good fruit 3. True mortification is wrought by the Gospel-spirit 4. The law cannot give life 5. An hypocrites faith who is under the Law is dead CHAP. III. We hold no morall preparations with Pelagians Papists and Arminians going before conversion WEe teach not that which Saltmarsh falsely chargeth us that Vowes and undertakings never ascending to Christ fit us for conversion nor doe we too much burne or bear the wine of Gospel-grace with the Law-fire of workes and conditions For 1. we deny against Antinomians and Arminians any such Gospel-promise he that doth this and this and is so and so fitted with such conditions quallifications as money and hire in hand shall be converted as a reward of his worke The question touching preparations is not whether an humbled soule because humbled hath a good warrant to beleeve and receive Christ. We conceive the bottome of no mans faith is within himselfe but the common ground and Royall charter warranting all to beleeve is the free and money lesse offer of a precious Saviour who ever will have Christ and pay not a penny of condition or law worke for him take him freely But the question is of Christs order of bringing us to beleeve and close with Christ and the question is whether a damned Pharesee on his high horse of merits and law-righteousnesse an undaunted Heifer a Simon Magus a despitefull Atheist Elymas a Witch never broken nor convinced by the law must in that distance to Christ and the Gospel be charged to beleeve an everlasting love of election toward himselfe and without more adoe be led into the Kings chamber of wine to the slowings of soule-redeeming bloud or must he first bee humbled convinced of sinne burdened with everlasting burning due to him and so led to Christ. Antinomians say Sinners as sinners belong to Christ and have Christ offered to them as sinners and none can beleeve too hastily in Christ but sure they can beleeve or presume too misorderly and arrogate Christ to themselves as you teach them while they know no sinne-sicknesse for Christ. For 1. some too hastily will bee Christs Disciples before they make their reckoning what it will cost them 2. The Lords order is to cast downe and then convert first he draweth away some of the ill bloud and rancke humours and pricketh the heart and then bringeth the sicke to the Physitian the trembing Publicane
deliberation knowledge action from the soule in either supernaturall works of grace or sinne as if the soule were turned in a rock or a stone 5. All the sinnes of beleevers their Adulteries murthers lying cousening must be counted on the Lords score I tremble to speake it upon his honour be it if he will suffer perfect Angels to sinne more then he can suffer Angels and the glorified that stand before the throne to fall or transgresse CHAP. LXXII Glorifying of God in sanctification needfull ANntinomians tell us of a two fold glorifying of God one in the eyes of God primary immediate passive divine by faith in which God glorifieth himselfe in us justifying us Faith being the Creator as it were of a certaine divinitie as Rom. 4.20 Abraham gave glory to God whereas unbeliefe maketh him a lyar There is another glorifying of God that is outward more fleshly and humane secondary mediate in the eyes of men by good works in sanctification in which we are agents and glorifie God by the Spirit by which wee are partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and it is done in a grosser manner by declaring God glorified before men by our good works Math. 5. and greatly inclineth to the glorifying of man by this Abraham hath to glory and rejoyce in holy works but not before God Answ. 1. We are not meere passive in beleeving for then should we not be commended for beleeving nor should wee know rely and trust in an all-sufficient Saviour in beleeving on him though there be a passion in beleeving 2. These enemies of Sanctification abase all holy walking and works of sanctification calling holy walking 1. glorifying of God outwardly and before men in a fleshly manner Whereas God seeeth it and acknowledgeth it in his owne sight sincere unfained perfect in its kind with perfection of parts not of degrees they would have all Sanctification finer hypocrisie I know thy works saith Christ to Smyrna and tribulation and poverty but thou art rich That wee might serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before him all the daies of our life And whatsoever yee Servants doe doe it heartily as to the Lord not to men Commending our selves to every mans conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the sight of God Abraham walke before mee and bee thou perfect saith the Lord. How many of the good Kings did right in the sight of the Lord It s true our best works are polluted with sinne and in the matter of justification cannot endure the strict Law-censure of the Judge of the world if God narrowly marke iniquity But Antinomians are so at odds with holy walking that they will have all the sincere works of the Saints wrought by the grace of God to bee in their substance before God plaistered hypocrisie and yet in the justified these hypocriticall works are no sinne there being no more sinne in the justified nor any thing contrary to a Law which the Lord can see as a sinne more then in Jesus Christ. So here is holy sanctified and lawfull sinne and an innocent hypocrisie and holy and harmlesse corruption and flesh 3. A declarative glorifying of God in the eyes of men not of God must argue the beleever to be lawlesse and a Libertine before men and that he needeth not before men and in his conversation with wife brother children neighbours in his words promises covenants buying selling works of his calling doe all as in the sight and presence of God for if he walke rightteously in his conversation with men hee is behinde Gods backe the Lord seeth him not if he walke unjustly in fornication uncleannesse cousening lying God seeth not these to be sins 4. Why doe Antinomians exclude from works of sanctification the worke of beleeving Are we not to doe all good works in faith as well as for the glory of God and are we not to eat and drinke in faith Rom. 14. vers 22.23 are they not bastard works that come not from such a root as faith As the fruit is ill if the tree be ill and so we must glorifie God primarily immediatly in the sight of God passively in this declarative and active and secondary glorifying of God 5. The Antinomians exclude a third sort of glorifying God to wit in private when neither God seeth them nor men but they are done in a secret closet as praying praysing meditating and soliloquies of the soule with God almes given in private that men see not nor doe the poore know of it this is neither passive nor active glorifying of God and so the division is lame except Antinomians will have us comming with our secret prayers and almes to the streets and cause a trumpet to be blowne as Pharisees doe 6. The gloryfying of God by men that see our good works incline of it self to no glorifying of man more then Abrahams giving glory to God but onely as we either trust to our good works or vainely conceit we are justified by our good works and then being abused they incline to glorifie men and make us vainely rejoyce and boast in them before God So if Abraham should thinke his act of beleeving were his onely righteousnesse before God his beleeving in God should be as fleshly a glorifying of man as any his works of Sanctification CHAP. LXXIII Sanctification concurs as well as Justification to make Saints THough Sanctification say Antinomians make men Saints declaratively to men-ward yet the true cause that makes them Saints in the sight of God is justification To this wee say 1. Take Sanctification as Eaton and Saltmarsh and Denne say Protestant Divines whom they are pleased to call Legalists doe for such holinesse as they say is in Anchorits Eremits and Monks for externall works done without faith it makes men neither Saints before God nor men but meere faireded hypocrites such a sanctification wee disclaime But take Sanctification for holy walking in the strength of the grace of justification and grace inherent in us so we say Justification and Sanctification ought not to bee separated but both concurre to make us Saints the one as the cause the other as the unseparable effect And most false it is that Eaton saith That Sanctification is so farre from being the cause of making us Saints to God-ward that properly it doth but declare that we are Saints to man-ward for so Antinomians make Sanctification nothing but a poore shaddow like an Yvie bush that is no cause of wine but a meere signe to declare and shew in this there is wine Now sure by Sanctification we are partakers of the Divine nature and the Spouses beauty not onely in regard of imputed righteousnesse but also a holy and sincere walking and blamelesse profession of the truth in a chaine of the Spouses necke and in her personall acts of praying and praysing and the sweet ministery of the Gospel in regard of
way of grace And its poverty of Spirit when we see we have no grace and Saltmarsh Denne Crispe Eaton Towne and the Antinomians reject all comforts assurance or rejoycing from acts of Sanctification and works in the regenerate and say that its a seeking of righteousnesse in our selves and sure then it must bee a worke of the flesh to exercise our knowledge that way to discerne our selves to be sonnes because wee walke in love and after the Spirit Paral. II. Libertines said All sinne was but an opinion that we sinne and under opinion they comprehend conscience scruples remorse sense of judgement That Christs worke of Redemption was to destroy opinion and sense of sinne and then are men new creatures And there is no Devill no sinne no world that are our spirituall enemies David Georgius placed the spirituall life of his in committing Adulteries without sense of sinne and that publickely without shame and that faith in Jesus Christ was the way to abolish this shame in acting this filthinesse which shame was the fruit of the first Adams disobedience And that they should confesse all their sins to their shame again and again in the publike assembly till all pride and glorification of the flesh bee crucified that grace and mercy may be seene to be more glorious And they must goe in this selfe-denyall while they be deaden or to the opinion of any propriety of goods or possessions or wives or Marriages and then they come naked to the new Kingdome of David Georgius where they are to live above all lawes of marriage c. or consanguinity or the like Antinomans doe well neere border with this way onely that which Libertines doe call opinion or discerning of sinne Saltmarsh Eaton and Den call sense Towne calleth it sense or unbeliefe all call it sinning not before God but before men and in the conversation So they say the Adulteries Murthers committed by the justified are seeming sinnes sinnes in mens account saith Saltmarsh but not so before God and to the eye of Faith Now to live by faith is Antinomian Sanctification or Mortification or these sinnes saith Towne before God are no sinnes to faith they are meere nullities but to our sense and flesh they are sinnes So Saltmarsh and Eaton to sense reason experience or to unbeliefe that can but lye and deceive they are sinnes to faith and before God who seeth no sinne in us they are no sinnes Or as Master Denne saith They are sinnes in the conversation before men not in the conscience and before God and all come from this the Justified are under no Law of God and so cannot sinne if then they thinke their adulteries to be sinne that is sense unbeliefe ignorance of their Christian liberty and the erronious opinion of the old Adam Faith beleeveth Adultery to bee no sinne at all It s true to the beleever it is no condemning sinne no sinne such as actually bindeth them over to eternall wrath say we but not a nullity for that not for that an exorbitancie against no Law of God as the Libertine and his brother Antinomian say Then no sense of sinne no trouble of minde for sinne as good Saltmarsh saith can be in beleevers because where there is no transgression there is no Law and no trouble of minde for a breach of the Law This is an opinion of faith that Christ hath purchased a power to beleeve sinne to be no sinne and this is with David Georgius not to thinke shame of sinne but to be deadned to all sense of sinne and so Faith pulleth the conscience out of the justified man hee may sinne with ease CHAP. LXXV Libertines Familists and Antinomians free us from all Law and that we neither sinne nor are to be rebuked for sinne Paral. III. LIbertines said Wee were freed from all Law either directing commanding or condemning And so did David Georgius and so teach the Libertines of New England These that are in Christ are under no Law and Antinomians as Towne Saltmarsh Crisp Denne say We are freed from all the Law of God in all its offices to direct give light rule binde oblige or command as well as to threaten and condemne Paral. IV. Libertines taught That when we are once regenerate we can sinne no more but are as Angels So Libertines of New England and Antinomians say A beleever is as free from Hell Law and bondage on earth as if he were in heaven nor wants he any thing to make him so but to beleeve he is so And Hee that beleeveth saith Eaton that Christ hath taken away his sinnes is as cleane from sinne as Christ himselfe And to Faith there is no sinne and the beleevers person and works are perfect before God and free of sinne and sinfull imperfections Paral. V. When Libertines were rebuked for sin they said It s not I that sinne but my Asse or sinne dwelling in me and they cited that text 1 Joh. 3. He that is born of God sinneth not It s true Paul saith Rom. 7. Not I but sin dwelling in me but his meaning was it s not I as regenerate who sinne because I make not sinne my taske and worke nor doe I evill with the whole bensell of my soule the whole strength of my mind affections and will in regard the unrenewed part protesteth against sinne but I as unrenewed and as fleshly in part as halfe a sufferer I sinne being as a captive sighing in my fetters and complaining that I am wretched through necessitie of sinning I doe the evill I would not doe Rom. 7.17.18.22.23 But the Antinomians conspire with Libertines in the same sense for Towne saith That the old Adam and all his works are shut up under the Law and wrath of God So it is but the Old Adam the flesh the Law of the members that doth sin but it was never the Apostles minde to deny that a beleever once justified can sinne any more For in many things we sinne all Jam. 3.2 And if wee say we have not sinne we are lyars 1 Joh. 1. But Antinomians deny that beleevers can more sin then Christ himselfe or then the gloryfied in heaven and to a beleever there is no sinne God can see no sinne in them Now sure Libertines who said the state of the regenerate was an Angelike puritie did thinke sinnes acted by their Asse the flesh were no sinnes as Antinomians deny Adulteries and cousening and robbing done by the justified to be sinnes but seeming sinnes as Saltmarsh and no sinnes before God as Eaton saith CHAP. LXXVI Libertines and Antinomians destroy Scripture and make the Spirit all and some Paral. VI. LIbertines saith Calvin are so spirituall in their owne fancie that they count no more of the sacred word of God then of Fables except when it serves their turnes The places of Scripture