grace of God we have had our conversation in the world 2 Cor. 1.12 I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day Act. 23.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience beareth me witnes in the Holy-ghost Ro. 9.1 Thus you see that we must not content our selves with a bare testimony but we must labour to see the work wrought in us let but thy conscience bring thee to thy tryall and thou shalt easily see how it is with thee and doe not say that this is legall teaching lest thou be filled with fancies and no reall worke of grace be wrought as yet in thee and doe not thinke that the spirit of God will worke when thou liest still and remainest an empty trunke or a dead stone no thou must be made a living stone and must worke actively by the movings of the spirit of God in thee draw me and we will runne after thee Cant. 1.3 I shall runne the wayes of thy Commandements when thou doest inlarge my heart Psal 119.32 but this they condemne as legall teaching because spirituall sloathfulnesse hath so possessed them that they will make no other triall but rest upon a bare idle perswasion or testimony but whether it came from God or the divell they know not Well they say they are justified as soone as they were borne and then as righteous as Christ and this they know from a bare testimony now it followes say they that God cannot correct them neither doth he correct for their sinne but onely to exercise their faith I grant that God doth not punish his children in wrath and fury with plagues and vengeance but as gentle corrections from a loving father for their good yet still sinne was the cause of it saith David there is no soundnesse in my flesh nor rest in my bones because of my sinne Psal 38.3 4 5. why doth the living man complaine man is punished for his sinne Lam. 3.39 then art thou made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee John 5.14 if David a man after Gods owne heart sinne scandalously the sword shall never depart from his house 2 Sam. 12 10. God is not partiall in his corrections though Coniah were as the signet upon my right hand yet would I plucks him thence Ier. 22.24 that soule that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18. all things come alike to all there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked Eccles 9.2 the wages of sinne is death Rom. 6.23 And every sicknesse or inward griese or sorrow or outward hurts or maladies all are but parts and parcels of this wages that we receive from the service of sinne and we receive this wages by parts and parsels daily for as Adam in the day that he sinned he began to dye he received some part of that wages of sinne death seized upon him and slew him by degrees and so we as soon as we were borne began to dye and all those afflictions and sorrowes that doe befall us doe but hallen us to our end but who is freed from these things what man is he that liveth and shall not see death Ps 89.41 our Prophets are dead and our fathers are fallen asleep wise men dye as well as fooles for all must dye and be as water spile upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14 then God doth correct and that heavily for sinne yet his corrections are sweetned to his people the sting or bitternesse of them is takâ—n out yet we shall not be freed from corrections nor death so long as we carry a body of sinne daily about with us death is passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12 but will they say that death is not a correction it is the king of terrours Iob 18.14 will they say death is but to exercise their faith but suppose one of them were shot with a bullet how would he exercise his faith or can they exercise their faith to prevent a sinne when they are corrected for their sinne already committed saith David before J was afflicted J went astray Psal 119.67 and Manasseh was converted in the furnace of afflictions which was the meanes to beget his faith and not to exercise it before he had it it is manifest enough that God doth correct his people for sinne if thy children forsake my law and if they breake my statutes then J will visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquity with stripes neverthelesse J will not take away my mercy from him Psal 89.30 then let not the Antonomeans forsake Gods law lest they feele the weight of his correcting hand you have I knowne of all the families of the earth therefore I will punish you for your iniquities Amos 3.2 then let them take heed how they say when they sinne tush God sees not God is not like to themselves he will reprove them and set their sinnes in order before them consider thâ—â— ye that forget God lest he teare you in â—â—eces and there be none to deliver you Psal 50.21 God will correct Jacob in measure and will not leave him altogethen unpunished Jer. 10.24.20.11 for the transgression of Jacob is all this Micah 1.5 Zachariah and Elizabeth are as famous as any in all the Scripture for being both just and righteous before God and walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse yet saith the Angell to him thou shalt be dumb and not able to speake which was a sore correction because thou beleevest not my words Luke 1.6.20 and Jehosaohat was a good man yet if he helpe the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord there shall wrath from the Lord be upon him nevertheles there are good things found in him 2 Chr. 19.23 Miriam was a good woman yet if she speake against Moses the anger of the Lord is kindled and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow Num. 12.1.9 10. for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne that he receiveth if ye endnre chastening whereof all are partakers then are ye sonnes and not bastards Heb. 12.6 7 8. Ephraim bemoaned himselfe thus Thou hast chastâ—sed me yet saith the Lord Ephraim is my deare sonne he is a pleasant child I doe earnestly remember him still my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy on him saith the Lord Jer. 31.18.20 it is a signe of a humble heart when the Land is scourged for sinne to acknowledge our sinnes to be the cause of it as David did saying to the Lord I even I onely have sinned and done evill indeed but as for these sheep what have they done 1 Chron. 21.17 see 2 Sam. 24.10 Againe when Nathan came to him he said I have sinned against the Lord 2 Sam. 12.13 Againe it is the brand of a reprobate when God ceaseth to correct him for his sinne I will no more punish your daughters when they commit whoredome nor your spouses when they commit adultery Ephraim is
for the pardon of his sinne is like a man afrighted with sinne and at the same time giving thankes for the râ—mision of sinne and of a man that is afraid of the sinnes of his present prayers and of one that hath victory over sinne death and hell I answer although our sinnes be pardoned and the guilt taken away yet the being of sinne is not taken away and although we are justified from all sinne yet we are not sanctified from all sinne so that we ought to be humbled for our filthinesse for want of sanctification when we come into the presence of God and because that sinne is in us we may well feare that we shall not carry our selves so holy as becometh such a presence as the men of Beth-shemish said Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God 1 Sam. 6.20 and yet not so despaire as to leave off the duty but to pray still and as sanctification increaseth we come into the presence of God with more cheerfulnesse and as our assurance increaseth we shall be lesse in our petitions and more in thanksgiving and praising God for his mercies to us He saith we present a man that is delivered from the law into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God and yet puts himselfe under the law I answer we are delivered from the curses of the law and the threatnings of the lavv and from the condemning povver of it and from the constraining povver of it but vve are not delivered from the commanding povver of it the free grace of Christ did not deliver us from our obedience to the lavv of God but in giving us the eye of faith vve see our duty more cleerly that is vvritten in the lavv of God and by our hand of faith vve fetch more strength from Christ to enable us to performe our duty to the lavv of God I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4.13 but if our eye of faith vvere never so cleere to see our duty yet if vve vvill not looke upon the lavv of God but count it as a strange thing Hosea 8.12 it is all one to them as if the book of the law were sealed up and he that hath no faith is like a man to whom the booke of the law is open but the man cannot read for he is not learned Isa 29.11 12. so then the eye of faith is the Organ and our duty is the object and the written law of God is the Medium by which we see our duty but when the law is taken from us or if we cast away the commanding power of it which is all one we can see our duty no more then a man can see in a dungeon then well may the Antinomians be so blind concerning their duty when as they cast away that light that should shew it unto them thy law is a lanterne to my feet and a light unto my pathes Psal 119.105 But then faith hath another property when it sees the greatnesse of the work to be done and the weaknesse of the doer of it that it seeth helpe in another which is Christ and presently fetcheth it to helpe him this honour have all the Saints Psal 149.9 He saith we need not to tell a healthfull man that it is his duty to feed himself even so is it needfull to tell a beleever that it is his duty to heare Sermons read the Scripture and frequent the Lords Table these are his proper and his naturall food by which his faith is strengthened and increased yet saith he in what a sad and fearfull manner are these pressed upon mens consciences upon paine of having no part in Christ and of everlasting damnation in hell for ever I answer first if one should tell a healthfull man that it is his duty to feed himselfe I hope it would not make him leave feeding and goe about to starve himselfe because he is told that he must doe it as a duty and so for spirituall duties to be told of them is rather an encouragement to goe on still because it is their duty and what if he know it before he need not be offended at the love of his friend for telling him that which he knew before but I smell wherein lieth the venome of this man he hath free grace bestowed on him which hath freed him from all duties of obedience to the Lord so that what he doth is onely out of free love for he thinkes to be tyed by way of duty will not stand with his free grace but I say againe we trust in no duty as causes of our salvation but we obey and doe these duties as the way to salvation neither did they ever heare those worthy Divines whom they villefie with the termes of legall Teachers presse any duties to merit salvation for the doing of them but let the sonnes of Belial know that if they slight their duties to the law of God they may purchase damnation by it neither can there be any salvation for that man till he humble himselfe and freely yeeld to the commanding power of the law of God and count it his duty to give all the power of body and soule in obedience to it but this yoke is too heavy for the sonnes of Belial they will be tyed to nothing but upon free love and currisie that they may leave it when they list they have gotten free grace He saith they put us upon these duties to try and to prove our selves by the performance of them as by markes and signes of grace within I answer if Christ be in the soule there must needs be fignes of his presence we need not goe by heare-say or from a bare Testimony or suggestion they told Jacob that Joseph was alive but that did not satisfie him till he saw the Wagons Gen. 45.27.28 so now if the eyes of the soule be opened to see our duty written in the law it is Christ that hath done it Acts 16.14 whose heart the Lord opened Doe ye aske whence he is and yet he hath opened mine eyes John 9.30 Acts 26.17 18. Secondly the worke must arise from a true justifying faith that knits them to Christ and makes their person accepted Rom. 5.1 Gen. 4.4 this faith must take hold of that promise that is made to them that doe this duty Exod. 20.6 Thirdly in our duties we must aime at Gods glory 1 Cor. 10.31 thus by any duty we may try our selves whether we doe it by vertue of Gods command without us and whether it be acted by an inward principle of faith within us and whether it tend to Gods glory as the utmost end of it he that hath thesemarkes and signes the Spirit of God is in him this faith worketh by love and obedience Rom. 1.5.1 John 5.3 neither can he say what a fearfull thing it is to presse these things as duties upon our consciences that belongs to the sons of Belial that cannot abide the yoke of Gods saw
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
shall preach unto you any other Gospell then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed I say againe let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 9. then take heed of the Antinomians new Gospell who have cast off all obedience to the law of God who desire to live without rule like sonnes of Belial that they may take their full swing in sinne under their damnable pretence that they have gotten free grace that hath freed them from all obedience to the law of God but for thy information I have written this little booke read it and if thou receive any benefit or satisfaction give God the praise and me the benefit of thy prayers now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy to the onely wise God our Saviour be glory and Majesty dominion and power now and evermore Amen Thine in the Lord Jesus Thomas Bakewell A short view of the Antinomean Errours with a Briefe Answer to them They hold that a man is justified as soone as he hath a being in the sight of God before faith or calling TO this I answer leaving the decrees and purposes of God to himselfe as secret things not belonging to us till we have faith and calling but to speake as it is reveal'd and according to our apprehension both of the causes and time of a sinners actuall justification as it is reveal'd unto us in the Scripture First we are said to be justified by the blood of Christ Rom. 5.9 this is done by Christ as the meriting cause of our justification He hath purchased his Church with his owne blood Acts 20.28 Secondly we are said to be justified by the righteousnesse of Christ Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all unto juctification of life this is the formall cause of our justification this righteousnesse of Christ is not that Inherent righteousnesse or sanctification that is wrought in us by the Spirit of God but it is that without us which remaines in Christ himselfe that justifies us for they are two distinct thing it is called the righteousnesse of God Rom. 1.17 Then they are very ignorant of Gods righteousnesse that goe about to establish their owne righteousnesse and have not submitted themselves to the righteousnesse of God Rom. 10.3 Paul desired not to be found in his owne righteousnesse but in that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse of God by faith Phil. 3.9 This righteousnesse without us being imputed to us makes us just and righteous in the sight of God by this alone we are counted worthy of the Kingdome of God 2 Thess 1.5 and accounted worthy to obtaine that world and the resurrection from the dead Luke 20.35 see 21.36 and saith Paul David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes and Abraham by the hand of Faith as an instrument whereby he tooke fast hold of the righteousnesse of Christ giving glory to God and staggered not through unbeleefe it was counted reckoned or imputed unto him for righteousnesse now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed unto him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeve on him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead Rom. 4.6 20 21 22 23 24. Thus we become righteous in the sight of God and although we were borne in the guilt of originall sinne yet now it is done away by Christ for he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Isa 53.6 so then Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinne is covered and Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute sinne Rom. 4.7 Psal 32.1 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing their trespasses 2 Cor. 5.19 thus our sinnes were imputed to Christ but not infused into him for still he was the Lambe without blemish and without spot who did no sinne neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 1.19.2.22 Yet he that knew no sinne was made sinne for us by imputation they were accounted and reckoned to be his and so Christ hath once suffered for sinnes the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 That we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 But this was not done by infusing his righteousnesse into us to make us just for we are sinfull creatures still we are all as an uncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy ragges Isa 64.6 So then we are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ without us imputed or reckoned to be ours for we are made the righteousnesse of God in him and not in our selves this rightly observed might convince them of their proud boasting that they are as righteous as Christ when as the righteousnesse of Christ that makes us just remaines in him and not in us Thirdly we are said to be justified by faith Rom. 3.28.5.1 This is done when we take or receive the righteousnesse of Christ being purchased by the blood of Christ and so imputed and reckoned to be ours being reached forth unto us by the spirit of God and received by the hand of our faith and so we come to have a true title to it yet not by infusion but by imputation and faith for as many as received him he gave power to become the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his Name John 1.12 To him that worketh not but beleveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 Not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Phil. 3.9 Israel hath not attained to the law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but by the workes of the law therefore they stumbled at that stumbling stone but whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed Rom. 9.31.32.33 Faith applying makes Christ ours as Thomas beleeving said my God and my Lord John 20.27 28. Then I conclude this third cause of our justification being the instrumentall cause of it with that saying of Paul God justifies the circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith Rom. 3.30 but I never read of any that were justified without faith or before faith or calling let the Antenomeans prove the contrary if they can Fourthly we are said to be justified freely by his grace Rom. 3.24 that is when God the Father doth freely accept of the righteousnesse purchased by the blood of Christ and accounts and imputes it unto us as ours and reacheth it our unto us by his spirit and we take and receive it by faith thus to justifie us is freely of his grace and this deserves the title of free grace For God so loved the
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
inherent but by imputation Then are we freed from the law no then are we tyed faster in obedience to it forasmuch as we had no power before to do it but now through Christ we can doe all things Againe they say they have the spirit of God for their rule and they doe all by a free spirit and need not the law to rule them for they are like unto trees that bring forth fruit of themselves without any teaching But let them know that trees although they were never so rooted in the earth yet they would never bring forth fruit of themselves but by the meanes of outward helps as the Sunne and the raine and other helpes and besides the spirit of God brings them to the rule of the law to square and try all their actions by it and shewes us wherein we faile and when we doe that which is required of us But sure these men thinke that our Fathers went to Heaven by one meanes and we must goe thither by another meanes but saith the Apostle we write unto you no new commandement but the old which ye have had from the beginning then there is but one way Ier. 32.39 for them and us had they the law so have we and if we have the Gospell so had they and the law and the gospell command the same vertues and both forbid the same vices then what a cursed errour is this to thinke that God the sonne should free beleevers from all obedience to God the Father but we know that he who honours the son must needs honour the Father Iohn 5.23 the sonne speakes not of himselfe but from the Father ver 16. then he that saith he abideth in him ought himselfe also to walke even as he walked 1 John 2.6 but how was that saith he Loe I come in the volume of thy booke it is written of me to doe thy will O God then said I loe I come to doe thy will O God Heb. 10.7.9 and saith he I seeke not mine owne will but the will of the Father that sent me John 5.30 Mat. 26.39 my doctrine is not mine but his that sent me Iohn 7.16 he was subject to his Parents Luke 2.51 and saith Paul let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus Phil. 2.5 and Christ saith learne of me Mat. 11.29 I have given you an example that ye should doe as I have done to you if ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them Ioh. 13.15.17 and for suffering he left us an example that we should follow his steps 1. Pet. 2.21 then did Christ free us from the law or did he not rather by his own example shew us how to obey the law more exactly and saith David thy law endures for ever in heaven Psa 119.89 and the Angels do the commandments of God and hearken to the voice of his word Psal 10.3 and do not the Saints liev there by the same rule have they not all one charter why doth Christ teach us to pray that we may doe the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven Mat. 6. are we on earth more perfect then they or more sanctified then they or hath Christ done more for us then for them if not why then should we forsake that rule that must be for Saints and Angels for ever they boast of their justification but saith Ambrose how can they be justified that are not friends with the law of God and Luther whom they challâ—nge for their own friend he rangeth them among the unjustified and by his câ—nsure rejects them among the unregenerate for saith he Paul said I delight in the law of God in the inward man and I serve the law of God in my mind Rom. 7.22.25 and saith David O how I love thy law Psal 119.97 and the blessed man delights in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night Psal 1.2 then were Christ and his Apostles and the faithfull Ministers that succeed them all legall Preachers for urging the law and pressing on beleevers the obedience of the law yea to the law more strictly expounded by Christ as you shall see anon then it was by the Scribes and Pharisees Then he that neglects the Commandements and shall teach men so shall be least in the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doeth them and teacheth men so shall be called great in the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 5.19 againe how can a man teach obedience of faith but he must needs teach obedience to the law for if faith beare no fruits it is a dead faith James 2.17 18. and if those workes or fruits be not regulated by the law they are but grapes of gall which growes on the vine of Sodom and their clusters are bitter Deut. 32.32 the workes of the law and the workes of faith are the same thing they may be distinguished but not devided and saith Christ to the Lawyer what is written in the law how readest thou and he answered thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe and Christ said unto him thou hast answered right this doe and thou shalt live Luke 10.26 27 28. and doth not faith worke by love Gal. 5.6 againe how can a man beleeve that God will shew mercy to thousands of them that love him and keepe his commandements Exod. 20.6 when they shew no endeavour at all to keepe or obey them but scornfully terme them legall teachers that call for any obedience from them but what makes them to love God if the commanding power of his law doth not or if they yeeld to this command of the law why not as well to another bâ—t if they love God and not as a duty to his law that commands it it is bottomlesse groundlesse and in the end will be comfortlesse and why doe they beleeve in Christ but to fulfill the Fathers commandement for this is his commandement that we should beleeve on the name of his sonne Jesus Christ and love one another as he the father gave us commandement 1 Iohn 3.23 this is the vvorke of God to beleeve on him vvhom he hath sent Iohn 6.29 Then doe we make void the law through faith God forbid yâ—a we establish the law Rom. 3.31 being not without thâ— law to God but under the law to Christ 1 Cor. 9. â—1 He that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Rom. 14.18 He thâ—â— speaketh evill of his brother and judgeth his brother speaketh evill of the law and judgeth the law but if thou judge the law thou art not a doer of the law but a judge Jam. 4.11 If ye have respect to persons ye commit sinne and are convinced of the law as transgressors whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all for he that said thou shalt not commit adultery
spirit that are wrought in his people I meane such as these 2 Cor. 7.11 tell them what carefulnesse godly sorrow hath wrought in you and they will answer that their care is taken and what a cleering of your selves and they will say that they are as cleere from sinne as Christ and of anger for sinne and they will say that they have none to be angry at and of feare to offend God and they will say that they cannot sinne to offend him tell them of a desire to please God and they will say that Christ hath done that already and what need they to trouble themselves tell them of a zeale for Gods glory and revenge on sinne and they will say these are legall things which they are freed from and so of all other graces they know not what we meane But they have faith to see that all is done by Christ without faith or application onely when faith is come by it they can see what was done in them before and without it they say Christ lives in them and acts and moves them as we move a stone and they are still as an empty trunke for his spirit to move in so that nothing is required of them but onely to let the spirit of God-doe his owne vvorke in them and by them they remaine still but dead stones they are not acquainted with that principle of life that is put into Gods people they are not as yet made living stones but they like Balaams Asse remaine as they were a though shee speake with mans voyce yet an Asse still and so are they but the child of God is quickned that vvas dead in trespasses and sinnes Ephe. 2.1 saith Christ â—he that heareth my word and beleeveth on him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death to life Joh. 5.24 from all this vve may cleerly see that duties of obedience are required of beleevers and they will be easily convinced of it that are living members of the misticall body of Christ and living stones in his spirituall building but for dead stones and empty trunkes we wonder not much at their folly which breaks out into all licentiousnesse and abominable practises as for example a woman prostrating her selfe to uncleannesse said you thinke that you should sinne if you should lye with me but what law doth forbid it unto us O horrible practise of lawlesse people but when they see any to live as neer the rule of Gods law as they can those they reproach with such names as these duty-mongers duty-doers followers of legall preachers scorning that word of God which condemnes their sinfull courses and to expresse their dislike of the duties of holinesse they say What have we to doe with the dungie durty duties of sanctification we thanke God through Jesus Christ we have nothing to doe with them these they say are workes for home-booke Christians they tell us that beleevers doe duties onely in respect of men for God requires none at their hands they are so deluded that a woman said Jesus Christ came and tooke her by the hand and asked her why shee was so sad and bad her leave off her mourning for sinne and be cheerfull for shee greatly dishonoured the Gospell in being troubled for her sinnes another as shee was sitting by the fire Christ came to her and bad her pray for such a one of her acquaintance that she may have assurance which she did and presently the party received by a light from Heaven full assurance and another said nothing troubled her so much as the time shee had spent in prayer and other duties which held her so long from her comfort these are they that will not be guided by the law of God who are given up to strong delusions to beleeve lyes that they may be damned who beleeve not the truth 2 Thess 2.11 12. But when these men with their owle eyes cannot abide the Sun-beames of cleare Scripture against them they would hide themselves with some humane testimonies wrested and distorted from the true meaning and intention of their alleadged Authors First they boast highly that Master Luther is theirs wholly and they hold nothing in this point but what they sucked from his breasts but by this instance you may see how they serve the rest for Master Luther was so farre from being an Antinomean that no man doth more expresly and soundly overthrow and contradict this wicked opinion then he neither can any man desire a stronger humane witnesse against them then Master Luther read his words with a pause and judge satan saith he stirreth up daily new Sects and now he hath raised up a sect of such as teach that the ten Commandements are to be taken out of the Church and that men should not be terrified with the law see this in Luthers Preface to his Commentary on the Gal. and in pag. 171. he speaketh of three sorts of men that abuse the law first those that seeke justification by the law secondly those that will utterly exempt a Christian man from the law and on page 153. he admonisheth all those that feare God that they would learne out of Paul to understand the true and proper use of the law which I feare saith he after our time will be troden under foot and abolished by the enemies of the truth but if Master Luther thought that Christ had abolished the law he would never desire men fearing God to learne the true use of it and if he feared that men would abolish it then sure he thought in his judgement that it ought not to be abolished and if he esteeme them that would abolish it to be enemies to the truth then sure he is not their Patron and in page 154. he saith we doe plainly testifie that we reject not the law nor workes as our adversaries doe falsly accuse us but we doe altogether establish the law and require the workes thereof and we say the law is good and profitable and chap. 5.14 page 154. saith he it is necessary that godly Preachers should as diligently teach the doctrine of good workes as the doctrine of faith for satan is a deadly enemy of both but then is Luther an Antinomean doth he not directly contradict your foolish tenents and disclaime you as adversaries and false accusers you reject the law and workes but he rejecteth neither you abolish the whole law but he establisheth it you reject them for legall preachers that teach not Christ aright who urge men to the duties of the law but he imposeth it as a necessary part of their office to urge the law as to teach the doctrine of faith for shame never claime Luther more But they object to small purpose that Luther should say Christ hath abolished all the law of Moses so I say too that he hath abolished all the ceremoniall law of Moses but they say he saith pag 177. man is not justified by Gods law nor