adoption make us Covenant-breakers Truce-breakers Traitors I thought the Gospel had condemned all these and taught us to live righteously and not to cousen and defraude one another Who now come nighest to the lying Antichrist who can dispense with all Lawes of God For Saltmarsh who calleth Presbyterians Antichristian Legalists because they cannot away with Antinomian Heresies saith To doe or performe what wee have promised and covenanted because we have promised and covenanted is more properly the service of the Old Testament and part of their bondage for wanting the power and fulnesse of the Spirit of adoption then a Gospel-obedience by the free Spirit of adoption I remember Sam. Gortyn and other Familists the deadly persecuting enemies of the faithfull and gracious people in New England deny it lawfull to sweare at all deny Magistracie or any subjection to them deny the Law the Letter of the Law and Gospel all Learning Lybraries Bookes reading and all such externals as Saltmarsh argueth against in this Chapter as savouring of Legall bondage But to keepe Covenants and promises because ye have put your selves under them by a willing ingagment is a fruit of the free Spirit and is not contrary thereunto Gal. 5.12 Ephes. 4.15 Col. 3.8 9. Object 6. Saltmarsh When they come to God in any act of worship or prayer c. as to a Creator rather saith Saltmarsh then a Father and as a God rather then as a God in Christ they put themselves under such an infinite purity as they can neither have accesse with faith nor boldnesse Answ. 1. But Saltmarsh I conceive speaketh of the Spirit of adoption his not working freely but in a Legall way as under the Old Testament bondage by which hee must insinuate that the Saints under the Old Testament in any act of worship or prayer came to God as Creator rather then Father and as God rather then as God in Christ. How then saw they the day of Christ How were they saved by faith purifying the heart And by the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ the way of Jew and Gentiles both And were justified by the imputed righteousnesse of Faith as the Gentiles The 7 th being refuted before I come now to the last which is a strange Character of a servile Spirit When they measure saith he their forgivenesse by their sinne and sanctification and can beleeve no more then they have peace for and that peace upon something of their owne performed and not from beleeving on him who hath performed all God hath not given us the Spirit of feare but of power and of love and of a sound minde 2 Tim. 1.8 or of a minde not corrupted with any of these Answ. 1. To measure forgivenesse by sin that is to thinke our sinnes are too many for Christ to pardon and we too foule for Christ out of free grace to wash is indeed a Spirit of bondage but that is not the Antinomians sense But thus To measure forgivenesse by sinne and sanctification As to argue thus I wallow in the myre with the Sow and goe on with an high hand without remorse and sorrow adding drunkennesse to thirst and drawing iniquity with cart-ropes of vanity void of all sanctification Ergo I have no forgivenesse and am not washt from my old sinnes then truely it is most false and licentious doctrine to say in this sense its Legall to measure forgivenesse by sinne and sanctification for sinne is a measure to sanctification thus but Antinomians will have living after and walking in the flesh and free pardon of sinne to consist together in one 2. It is good to beleeve no more of forgivenesse then wee have sound and well-grounded peace for which floweth from justification as Paul speaketh of peace Rom. 5.1 Being justified by Faith we have peace with God c. But wee make not rotten and false peace or peace of unbeliefe to be of the same circumference and compasse with pardon 3 Peace flowing from justification as the cause we allow and also peace flowing from our spirituall performances done in the strength of Christ and his free grace as from signes and land-marks and evidences So the wearied night-watch hath both comfort or freedome from night-feares and anxities from the appearance of the day-starre and from the rising of the Sunne from the former as a signe from the latter as a cause 4. Nor doth Saltmarsh truely say This peace is from something of our owne and not from something of Christ except he defame all the spirituall performances in the Saints as bastards begotten of pure nature and father them not on Christ. 5. Nor is the act of beleeving lesse ours and so lesse a ground of our peace then our performances done by the grace of Christ except Saltmarsh comply with Libertines who say that the faith that justifieth a beleever is the faith that is and remaineth subjectively in Christ and not the faith that is in the beleever himselfe which is a way to loose us from all Gospel performances and let us live in fleshly licence not in Christian liberty 6. The Spirit of feare that Paul speaks of 2 Tim. 1.8 is that servile mercenary feare in Devils and hirelings not the feare of such as keep covenants and promises and pay their debts and stand to treaties because they thinke just promises and covenants doe bind even beleevers in Christ in the feare of the Lord to performance except they would sinne against the Law of God which Antinomians cannot beleeve If this externall tye be contrary to the free working of a Gospel-Spirit of adoption I confesse all duties of the Law of Nature must be cryed downe by the Gospel and better covenant with Indians and Americans then with Antinomans CHAP. LXIX The dead and bastard faith of Antinomians ANtinomians do obtrude a dead vaine presumption to us in lieu of saving faith 1. We follow Christs own fashion and order of beleeving that sinners sick pained humbled plowed by the terrors and the Law who are onely under such breakings and rentings of preparations should relie on Christ for salvation not for these preparations nor because they are thus prepared but meerly in this order lest they should say Because I am innocent surely his anger shall turne away from me and I have no neede of Christ that same sense Repentance I dare not call it in an Evangelicke sense of sin and pricking of heart and feare of shutting up under an everlasting prison may highten the price of an excellent Saviour Antinomians will Pharises as Pharises obdured undaunted heifers swift Dromedaries traversing their wayes wild Asses used to the wildernesse snuffing up the wind at their pleasure all sinners as such without any order of first breaking the iron sinnow in the neck even while they think they are wholy righteous as Pharises and count sin as knots of strawes to own the blood of propitiation immediately without
were in the matter of Oathes Magistracy Pedobaptisme confuted by Hallerus and by Kolvius at Bern and forced to say The Spirit taught them otherwise then the Letter of the Scripture spake And also at Zosing in Argovia An. 1532. Conradus Grebelius with his labouring to seduce many were confuted and cast out of Sengall Thomas Schuker the Disciple of Melchior Rinkius beheaded with a sword his brother Leonard by the impulsion of the Spirit at Sengal but it was not the Holy Ghost who leadeth us in Scripture truth saying in that The will of God was done and it was finished this made a Spirit without Scripture hatefull to many having made much adoe with their Scriptures Spirit at Strâ—asbrough Wormes Ausbourg Vlmes and being driven out of Helvetia and High-Germany they carried their plague to Morâ—via and adjoyned to themselves seditious men in Bohemia Poland Hungaria Austria and Silesia Balthasar Hubmeier for tumults in Moravia was burnt at Vienna Hence in West-phalia Frizland Holland and especially at Munster arose new Revelations In comes An. 1533. John Becold out of his own element of a Tailor amongst the Prophets with the Prophet Baker John Matthiz and some of Munster Roâ—mannus a faint and fained confuter of Anabaptists turnes to them and with him Herman Strepeda Hen. Rullius and Godfrey Stralen strengthen them they were confuted in a publick dispute and ordained to depart the City of Munster and did depart but they partly steal in again in the night partly hide themselves and make themselves masters of the city one Warendrop a Godsmith prophesies that John of Leiden must be King of the whole earth and King of Jerusalem that all Princes must obey him Becold appoints Bernard Knippeâ—dolling and Kippenbrugh Consulls the Christian Magistrates are deposed John Matthiz after a revelation from heaven commands all books to be burnt except the Bible all Gold and Silver to be brought and laid downe at his feet that all might be common Truteling a Smith called them dirty Prophets therefore Matthiz shot him dead and Matthiz himselfe not long after was cut off by the enemy Righteous is the Lord. Becold after three dayes lying in a fancied transe commands Polygamy in obedience to his own Vision marries three wives then other three til he came to fifteen Becold according to the prophesie of a Tailor is made a most Gorgeous King and sent out twenty eight Apostles to shew his Kingdome was above Christ he would have this number twice twelve Apostles and four Angels as Evangelists sent to the foure corners of the earth to Preach Tailor Becold King of Kings all of them were killed some say one only returned to give an account of spreading the spirit of Anabaptisme Becold appointing a great Lords Supper the King Tayler came in to see the Guestâ—s and findes a man and reading on his face the want of a wedding garment others say he saw him to be a Iudas killeth the innocent man presently After he had prophecied the Towne of Munster now beseiged should be supplied and killed one of his wives who said his prophecies came not to passe he and Knipperdoling were deservedly after Torturing Killed and hanged in an iron cage in the Cathedrall pinâ—cle The Tenents of Anabaptists in which they side with Antinomians are these more of this see in the writers cited The Reformation of Luther and others was Legall Literall carnall not Spirituall So Del. The Father Son and Spirit are not three distinct persons and in essence and nature one God so Familists deny Christ to be God and make every Saint equall with Christ. 3 The Lord Iesus did not really and truely but in imagination take our nature Antinomians say a beleever is God incarnate Godded and Christed Theol. Ger. c 22. Rise reig er 11. 4 The doctrine of Christ before his suffering is not so much to be observed as after his death for Peter resisted ill Saltm saith Shadowes flying away pag. 7 8 9. Christ and Iohn Baptist preached legally and spake not fully of free grace 5 Christ hath removed the Law and all its obleiging power and now the pure Gospell and Command of faith is our onely rule so Antinom 6 Christ reformed the ten commandes and brought in a more perfect rule Antinomians say they have nothing to doe with Moses and the Law The Law is now in the Spirit saith Saltmash free grace 146. Del. ser. p. 19.26 7 In the old Testament oaths were permitted perjury only forbidden all oathes are forbidden in the new the Sabbath was kept then not now so our Antinomians and Familists of new E. 8 They deny that the soules of the Godly or wicked goe to heaven or Hell till the day of Iudgement and deny the resurrection of the same body that was buried or that flesh and bloud â—shall rise againe contrary to Scripture Iob 19.26 27 28. Esay 26.19 Ezek. 37 11.12 Daniel 12.2.13 Phil. 3.19 20. 1 Cor. 15. 53. Ioh. 20.27 So say Antinomians life eternall is in this life the resurrection is past that the soule is mortall 9 The visible Church consisteth of those that are perfect and onely of those so Antinomians 10 None can with a good conscience exercise the office of a Magistrate under the New Testament Familists say its against Christian liberty 11 Vniversities Schooles humane arts ought not to be Saltmarsh they are legall and litterall 12 That its unlawfull to goe to law and that warres are unlawfull See Del. serm 6 7 8. 13 These Anabaptists called Libertines deny all Scripture as a dead Letter all preaching Sacraments church assemblies singing of Psalmes praying all ordinances and say the Spirit the inward anoynting and the internall word that proceeds immediately out of the mouth of God as Gideons sword is the onely meanes of Gospell-reformation so Antinomians reject all Ordinances as legall and say the spirit is all and some as Del. serm Beacon Catechism tit say the joyfull knowledge of God and man and all things else that relate to either is alone in the Spirit by Iesus Christ he counts all ordinances and externall duties and worship triviall and indifferent O therefore preface if distempered Christian Nations he excepteth not Papists Arminians Socinians c. were once wise to forbeare this clashing and dashing themselves in pieces one against another for matters externall triviall and circumstantiall in religion and would content themselves with that which is alone saving c. To the Antinomian Beacon Idolatry Angell-worship preaching praying scriptures duties of the Law precepts of the Gospell of nature of grace opinions c. all controversies in Religion these in which the distempered nations now contravert yea Church-government sacraments ministers are matters externall triviall and circumstantiall in religion not things in which salvation consisteth not to be contended for on either side 14 The second rancke of Anabaptists called concionatores preachers denyed all the Old Testament
or the flesh and old man in every man So say the English Antinomians that the precepts of a Christian conversation doe onely obleige the hypocrites under the law that are mixed with true beleevers so doth Towne all the duties Mat. 5. Blessed are the meeke c. are performed by the beleever in Christ and Christ presseth not these â—uties as obleiging the beleever but that he may destroy all vaine boasting and confidence in mans owne righteousnesse of workes bred by the Scribes and Pharisies which is an abominable doctrine for then there was no beleever on earth blessed through personall meekenesse spirituall poverty hungring for Christ and the Apostles and beleevers were not blessed nor had any reward to looke for in heaven in that they were persecuted and killed for Christs sake the contrary is cleare in scripture The putting on of the new mâ—n said they and walking in newnesse of life is nothing but externall discipline and hath nothing common with the Spirit So Eaton Crispe Den Saltmarsh it s but to walke according to the outward conversation honestly as in the sight of men not as in the sight of God yea walking contrary to new obedience and after the lusts of the old man in beleevers is no sinne which God can see in beleevers say Eaton Towne Saltmarsh in Luthers time Christopherus Petzelius wrote a bitter peece for Antinomianisme against Ioannes Wigandus Crellius in spoâ—gia contra Ioâ—n Vigandum and others as Petrus Paladius in catalo aliquot haereseor relateth Antinomians now as of olâ— pretended that Luther is of their mind and alleadge diverse testimonies out of Luther But Luther instituted six publicke disputations at Wittingburg against the Antinomians but the style of Luther was according to his Spirit and zeale hot hyperbolicke vehement against justification by works and therefore these distinctions are to bee observed to cleare Luthers minde 1 Luther speaketh one way of the Law and the workes of the law in the matter of justification and a far otherway of the Law and workes simply as they obleige all 2 To Luther the law teaching squaring commanding is one thing the law in strict terms commanding perfection under highest eternal paine compelling terrefying cursing condemning is another thing 3 The Law compelling legally and condemning that it may condemne is one thing and the Law compelling and condemning materially not that it may destroy and condemne but condemning to the end it may chase the sinner to Christ and save intentionally is a farre other thing 4 The conscience simply is one thing and the conscience terrifyed crushed shaken with dispaire a far other thing Luther constantly â—aught that the law obligeth the conscience of believers as well as unbelievers and yet that the law ought to exercise no dominion over the terrified affrighted conscience of a believer to presse him to despair 5 The Law according to Luther hath three speciall uses 1 That it may reveale sinne and wrath and by this be a paedagogue 〈◊〉 lead the sinner to Christ. 2 To be a rule of a holy life 3 To discipline and compesce with the fury and feare of wrath hypocrites and wicked men that they may be disciplined externally and not goe with loose raines after their lusts 6 The Law in its rigour as it sounds out of the mouth of Moses and is violated and presseth us to absolute obedience out of our owne strength without a Mediator or a Mediators free grace is to the beleever a rough and bloody enemy and preacheth bloody tragedies and craveth and exacteth hard things but the Law as pacified with the blood of a surety and as it is the sweet â—reathing of the love of Christ through the Spirit and as it saith walke in love through the strength of him that hath loved you to death it is a sweet warme kindly lovely freind and leadeth us being willing 7 The law is eternall the law condemning forceing cursing a believer is not eternall but ceaseth to the believer in that bloody office through the satisfaction of Christ. 8 Luther highly magnifieth good works in themselves but as the agent resteth on them with confidence he abaseth them 9 The law without the Spirit is a poore thin liueles hopeles useles dead letter the law animated with the Spirit and tempered with some ounces of Gospel-breathings of free grace concurreth instrumentally to convert quicken revive us and to promote salvation 10 The law as it teacheth directeth commandeth obligeth bindeth to duties for the authority of the law-giver and is ever an active rule to the believer and never a passive thing But as it condemneth and â—urseth it is to a believer a meere passive and a naked stander by and hath no activity nor can it act in that power upon any in Christ as the law of Spaine is meerly passive in condemning a free borne man dwelling in Scotland 11 The binding authority in the law laying on the sinner an obligation to doe and act is different from the binding power of the law to suffer punishment for transgressing of the law The former agreeth to the Law simply as it is a Law the latter agreeth to the Law aâ— it is violated and disobeyed 2 The former is eternall urgeth the believer unbeliever before the fall after the fall in the life to come the latter is removed in Christ to all those that are in Christ for the law fully satisfied neither condemneth nor can it condemne to eternall suffering for Christs passive obedience removeth all possibility of our passive obedience for sin in a satisfactory way 12 The Law admonishâ—th but helpeth not Hence these conclusions for the clearing of the truth and of the minde of Luther more fully 1 Conclusion Luther expresly declared himselfe against Antinomians by that title and name They are saith Luther pernitious teachers who in our time moved by ways I know not what contend that the law should not be preached in the Church wouldest thou not preach the Law where there is truely a people for Law to wit men greedy proud unclean usurers Idolaters In the Antinomian sect saith Luther this is a peculiar proposion if any was an adulterer a murtherer c. let him only believe that God is gratious to him and that 's enough but what a Church is this in which so horrible a voice doth sound But we must teach that there be two sort of sinners some who acknowledge their sin some who securely please themselves therein I intreat Saltmarsh Eaton Crispe Den Towne Del Randel Simson who are so much against all preparations for Christ and for sole beleeving and cry out so much against strict walking with God to consider this How can the preaching of the Law bee excluded out â—f the Church doe ye not also exclude the fear of God and a great part of the works of God The Antinomians these new prophets contend that men should
1. That they would have the Gospel a body and susteme of non-senses and foolish dreames and all Logick banished that the Gospel may be a fardell of phancies under the vaile of spirituall and supernaturall knowledge for the perfect like that piece called the Bright Starre and Theologiâ— Germanica and the Power of Love and the Tree of knowledge of good and evill 2. All reasonings and use of Logick which the Prophets and Apostles make a heavenly and spirituall use of in the Scripture to them are Legall and smell too much of the dead Letter the sowre and killing Law yea the Letter of written Gospel because written and because preached and opened in spirituall discourses to Cornwell and others is a humane thing and begets but a humane faith so that Faith commeth by hearing is to Saltmarsh not vocall Preaching but the very Spirit of grace working faith as I observed before 3. All expounding of Scripture by consequence is expounding of Scripture in the Letter saith Saltmarsh in the Letter to Towne is in a Law-way to Cornewell is in a humane not a Divine way Then Christ Matth. 22. must bee a Legall Preacher and must argue after a Law-way or a humane not a Divine and Gospel-way and must much darken the glory of the Gospel for he proveth the resurrection of the dead onely by a consequence I am the God of Abraham c. Ergo the dead shall rise and he sharply rebuketh the Sadduces as ignorant both of the Scripture and the power of God because they did not thus argue in the Letter and in the consequence to the darkening of the glory of the Gospel Libertines said also to reason against committing of Adultery as Joseph doth Shall I doe this and sinne against God Is a worke of Old Adam discerning good and evill as wee shall heare if the Lord will And Saltmarsh saith Exhortations perswasions conditionall promises and Gospel-commandements are natural and so conveyances carnall Legall and of the Letter Which to me is a foule aspesâ—ron laid on the Gospel and a mixing of Law and Gospel Works and Faith according to the Antinomians way and a rendering of the preaching of the Gospel which is the power of God and the wisdome of God as odious as the Jewes and Greeks made it of old that is to make it a meere naturall and humane thing But reasoning from Scripture is as Divine as to convince silence rebuke convert and open the heart though the Spirit bee the principall agent in these 4. If wee be meere patients and act nothing by any obligation but as the Spirit acteth on us and in us then not onely the morall Law but the very Law of nature and the dictats of a naturall conscience shall not of themselves oblige us as to honour our Parents to love our brethren to doe to all as we would that men should doe to us except the Spirit act us to these duties and then must either the Holy Ghost attend the suggestions and dictats of the law of nature to blow with and concurre with them and with the Word read and preached which were a fettering of the Holy Ghost to attend the inclinations and motions of our heart or then no man could sinne at all against either the Law of nature or written Scripture save onely these heathen and others who resisted the Spirit not to say that grace were not grace nor every way free if the will of the creature should be master and exercise a dominion over grace to command at its nod the spirations and breathings of the Holy Ghost then should it be in the power of free will to dispose of desertions absence and the ebbings of the joyfull out-goings and manifestations of the Holy Ghost so should wee command the North and South winde of the Spirit to blow upon the garden that the Spices may flow out and command the out-flowings of the river and the tyde that gladneth the soule Which sure we cannot admit or then our doubtings complaints love-jealousies should be free of all unbeliefe and disquieting doubts contrary to Scripture and experience yea and all our sinnes and darknesse and false apprehensions under sad desertions should bee counted on the Holy Ghosts score as his sin who did not act us to the declining of these sinnes and the performing the contrary duties and not be imputable to us for all sinne must bee contrary to some Law-obligation 5 We hence clearely see Antinomians must come fully up to New England Libertines that In the saving conversion of a sinner the faculties and workings of the soule in things pertaining to God are destroyed and made to cease and the holy Ghost commeth in place of them as the faculties of the humane nature of Christ whereas grace purgeth away the oare but destroyeth not the gold and doth not remove nor substantially change the soule and heart but maketh it new sanctifieth it reneweth the Spirit purgeth the conscienâ—e bringeth all things to our memory When Christ casteth the old heart in his furnace or putteth it on a new frame it loseth no substance but receiveth a new mould 6. It fomenteth the presumption of the Libertine who saith If Christ will let me sinne let him looke to it upon the perill of his honour bee it Which may have this good sense as to be a word of boldnesse of faith holding forth as much as it highly concerneth the honor of Christ his faithfulnesse and unchangeable grace who is intrusted with all the flocke young and old to suffer none to fall in such sinnes as may tend to or be a finall falling from Christ but that upon the perill of his glory He will lose none but raise them up at the last day but as Libertines sense carrieth the matter the justified cannot sinne Christs Spirit is ingaged to enact immediatly and to preserve the ransomed man from all sinne if the man fall Christs Spirit not inacting him to stand is the Author and cause of his fall Whereas we are commanded to keepe our selves in the love of God David kept himselfe from his iniquitie CHAP. XLVIII Antinomians hold that the beleever cannot sinne against God but against men in his conversation WEe beleeve that the Law or Commandement of Christ respecteth our salvation with God as well as our conversation with men contrary to Antinomians who will have us as compleatly saved being once justified as sinnlesse and perfectly holy as the glorified in heaven Yea wee have not so much as the blot of Papists venials or Protestants sinnes of infirmity or originall sinne dwelling in us So as I judge the man that said to a learned opposer of the Anninomians spoke right in the Antinomian way Sinne is nothing how then can Christ hate nothing If from eternity it was so pardoned and remitted before it was committed I see not how to Antinomians it must not bee meere nothing as concupiscence
first make our selves by some preparing grace his married Spouse For sure this is a Marriage-covenant we must first make our selves his people and then for shame he must be our God as if Marriage-love bred first in our breast and stood upon this poore legge the grace of man to God not the grace of God to lost man 2. We teach that faith in Christ is both a condition of grace on our part but not Antecedent and preparatory to the Covenant and also a grace promised when the new heart is articled to us so that Christ bringeth into the covenant himselfe his righteousnesse his free grace and the condition of Faith that receives him just as if the heire of a King should offer to marry a Maid of low birth upon condition she weare about her necke on the Marriage day a gold chaine having in it a rich Diamond of the Crowne and withall should oblige himselfe under his hand and seale in the Marriage-contract both to bestow this chaine on her freely and to infuse a Spirit of grace and love to close in her heart with such a lover and to yeeld consent to the match and to adorne her selfe with this chaine Just so doth the Prince of life here and its a vaine thing to parallel this covenant of grace with other covenants 3. Nor did ever any man before Saltmarsh dreame that Law-obedience was an Antecedent condition of the Covenant of works with Adam nor were Adam and Eve in their state of sinlesse innocencie The people of God before God was first their God for then never man Adam nor any other were under the Law or Covenant of works till first they absolved and kept to the end a course of perfect obedience Yea so there was never on earth such a thing as a covenant of works except made with Christ nor can we say that God made a Covenant of works with Adam for his perfect obedience yet sure perfect obedience was a condition of the Covenant of works Antinomians have a second great mistake of the covenant of grace while they make it as old as election to glory and the Lambe slaine from the foundation of the world it s an everlasting covenant indeed but that is not because it is not made in time Christ is an eternall Mediator and an eternall Priest and the Lambe slaine from eternity but that was onely in Gods decree and eternall purpose as touching the beginning of his Mediatorship and Priesthood and so the creation of the World is eternall but sure Christ in the fulnesse of time was made of a woman entred by a calling of God in time to bee Mediator and Priest and dyed not for sinners till the raigne of Tyberius Cesar as he was borne in the raigne of Augustus nor were we justified pardoned and redeemed from eternity more then we were effectually called sanctified and gloryfied from eternity But Antinomians will have our sinnes pardoned from eternity before we beleeve And when were we then borne in sinne and the heires of wrath by nature and under condemnation by the second Adam Never really When were we sometimes dead in sinnes and trespasses and in time past walking according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire And sometimes foolish disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures lyving in malice and envie hatefull hating one another Not when we were justified if we were justified from eternity and when wee were chosen to glory before the World was But so must all our sinnes before conversion be but sinnes in conversation not in conscience and our Murthers cousening stealing persecuting whoredomes if we be chosen and so justified and washed when wee are chosen are seeming and fancied not reall sinnes nor such in themselves nor to the light of faith or in Gods sight by this Antinomian dreame Their third great mistake in the covenant of grace is in the parties Saltmarsh tells us that the new covenant is no covenant properly with us but with Christ for us It s true Christ standeth for us as principall undertaker who articles as the second Adam for us yea for all his seed to worke the conditions in us he is the Mediator surety witnesse Messenger or Angel of the Covenant for us But Antinomians will have him so for us as the Covenant shall oblige us to no dutie or condition of beleeving to bee performed by us and the Gospel shall tye us to no holy walking Why Wee are saith Saltmarsh to beleeve that our beleeving repenting new obedience mortification are all true in Christ who beleeved repented obeyed for us It is true wee are to beleeve our repenting obeying beleeving are true in Christ. 1. As in the meritorious cause who hath satisfied justice for all our sinnes and for the sinfull defects in our believing repenting obeying 2. We are to beleeve they are true in Christ as the author and principall cause who works in us to will and to doe by his effectuall grace But Antinomians will not have us to beleeve they are true in us as personally and in our selves though by Christs strength acting them or doing or performing the duties of beleeving repenting mortifying our lusts by any obligation of the Law or Gospel commandement CHAP. LXVII Of Legall and Evangelicall conversion WEe deny not but there is a Legall conversion and Gospel terrours and Gospel-hell fire and condemnation and the worme that never dyes and that nature may propose ends to it selfe in turning to God outwardly and that as incident to Antinomians as to any generation of people For it is knowne that many Antinomians are deluded not converted by a worke of the Law storming and quelling the conscience with the smoake and fire-slaughts of everlasting burning especially where the conscience neighbours wich a Melancholike complexion and when the party comes to such a Physitian as M. Saltmarsh though there be no inward change in the heart no evidences either to him or the deluded soule of a new and inward worke but the party still in the gall of bitternesse no sense of sinne but a dumbe beastly feeling of the flashes of hell fire a Pharaoh-like disposition the counterfeit white Angel saith to the perplexed soule Beleeve everlasting love and read Pharaoh and Simon Magus and your own names in the Lambes Booke of life beleeve and apply immediately without care conscience or sense of sinne or humiliation all these are reprobate money to buy grace away with them to come to the bloud of attonement come though yee be neither wearie nor laden nor pricked in heart with sinne and be yee assuredly perswaded that that bloud was shed for you that yee are as cleane from sin 160. agoe as Christ himselfe Honey combe cap. 3. pag. 25. Mourne no more be not humbled doe nothing at all but rest upon what Christ hath done for you rejoyce evermore sorrowing for sinne is Legall unbeliefe severe and
works of the Spirit and works of all Spirit and perfect according to the rigor of the Law for the acts of the pure Spirit admitting of no retardment pollution or sinne from our nature must be as perfect as pure works of Angels And if our naturall faculties be not wholly dead they are but acts of the creature as the creature then are all our supernaturall personall duties no lesse perfect and sinlesse then the imputed righteousnesse and actings of Christ. 2. Then the holy Spirit onely is to be blamed when either the Saints pray not or pray not in the Spirit or not with that fervor faith feeling and pure spirituality that God requireth in his holy word this if any thing is a pillow of security 3. So all the exhortations to pray continually to act and work out our salvation in feare to love the brethren must be given to the holy Ghost not to us the contrary whereof is evident we the Saints not God not the Spirit of God are exhorted to praying and acts supernaturall which cannot be if the Saints have no more active influence in all these then stones blocks have for that is none at all then are we meere passive and dead in all these then must a praying Christian be God or his Spirit manifested in the flesh as to this and a Christian beleeving praising is the like CHAP. XXIII Praying a Law-bondage the letter of the word no obliging Rule to those that are in the Spirit by the way of Saltmarsh 22. WHile Christians are in bondage and not yet brought into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. they are under the ministration of prayer as children are to a Father in nonage vnd â—upillage Sparkles p. 232. A. His sense is that the Saints may be in a state of not praying at all in this life but taking bondage for a state of frailty absence froÌ„ God it is true praying argueth some Bondage want of full and compleat redemption that we as women travelling in birth long after But Saltmarsh meaneth of Legall Bondage and feare of the curse and fleshly and carnall feare and most blasphemously he makes Pauls thrice praying to remove the Messenger of Satan Christs thrice praying O my Father if it be possible remove this cup not be praying in the spâ—irit but in weaknesse or the flesh according to their own wills which must make praying in faith to be in the same act praying out of legall and fleshly unbeliefe and make Christ under a fit of unbeliefe and not to pray in the Spirit when he said Remove this Cup c. Now Saltmarsh could not have brought a place more against himselfe to prove that prayer is not a fit of Legall bondage then Rom. 8. For it is said v. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to feare but the spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father 23. The meere Commandements and letter of Scripture is not a Law to a Christian why he should walk in duties but the law written in our hearts Sparkles page 243 245. Ans. Then the written Gospel and promises of the new Covenant obligeth not a beleever to pray beleeve give almes or not to kill his father or King but when the H. Ghost breatheth in the soule to doe these duties then if a beleever whoore swear kill rob blaspheme misbeleeve c. he sinnes not against any command in Law or Gospel because the holy Spirit acted him not to abstain and God the holy Ghost is the onely cause of all the sinnes of the Saints because he concurres not with more then the letter even with saving grace to prevent these sinnes Wee sinne not in not praying not beleeving when the grace of God joyns not then a man being in Christ may whore rob blaspheme misbeleeve c. if God wil be wanting to him with his flowings and outâ—shinings of free grace let him see to it blame himselfe he fails against no Law Commandement or Obligation Libertines taught the very same to wit That God is the onely cause of sin no creature Man nor Angel is to be rebuked or punished for sin God sinnes in them Oh blasphemy 2. We never said that the meer Commandements and Letter of the Scripture is our obliging rule as the Letter is a thing of Ink and a Paper divided from the naturall and genuine sense but as it includes the things signified and as it expresseth to us what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God which will obligeth Christians with an obligation different from any obligation that the Lâ—w written in the heart layes on us But this is as much as when a Sectary being justified robbeth and killeth the innocent hee fails nothing against this written commandement Thou shalt not murther and a Saint cannot sinne yea if the Law written in the heart excite him not to abâ—taine he sinnes against no commandement of God but the Law written in the heart is the new creation as acting which cannot be a Regula or Rule but a regulatum a thing ruled and this is to make the Spirit within us not the spirit as speaking in the Word the formall object of our faith the Judge of controversies and that is then lawfull that every unwarranted spirit biddeth us doe and beleeve 3. The Law written in our hearts is either an obliging Law to the Christian because it is onely written in the heart or because it is written in the Scripture or agreeable to that which is written in the Scripture If the former be said then is the impulsion of the Spirit in the heart without any relation to the Word our warrant this is nothing but Scripture lesse revelation if then a Spirit in the heart comand Becold Knippeâ—dâ—â—ing to â—oe aâ—ts of murther and Rebellion â—s they did they 〈◊〉 in not obeying these impulsions which yet are contrary to the revealed will of God Now it is a contradiction iâ— one and the same act to obey the revealed will of God and that lawfully and not to obey it and that also lawfully If this heart-law be an obliging law because it is also written in the Scripture then is the meere Commandemement and Letter of the Scripture the last obliging law at least to a Christian. And then yet when the Spirit does not conjoyne his sweetest breathings to procure in us an holy abstinence from murther harlotry perjury but the Christian falls in these sinnes he sinnes not because no man sinnes when he doth what he is not obliged to forbeare or not to doe For every one that sinneth doth against an obliging Rule But when there is no inspiration nor actuall moving or stirring law in the heart there is no obliging Rule at all that the Christian can contravene For if the law in the heart be the onely Rule that obligeth a Christian it must oblige as it stirreth and moveth us then when it stirres or works not it
pag. 145. Nemo negare potest sub V. T. nec vitam aeternam promissam fuisse à Deo nec modum illam consequendi fuisse patefactum Ostorodius Inst. lib. 1. cap. 5. pag. 21. Promissiones veteris Testamenti tantum corporales fuerunt spiritualibus in N. T. promulgatis Non autem spirituales eternae fuerunt consequenter non accidentale tantum sed substantiale discrimen inter Vetus Novum Testamentum si res promissas spectes statuendum est Smalcius de Divin I. C. pag. 25. â— 6 Fatentur omnes Judaei hodie nullum vitae aeternae apertum extare in ipsorum lege ut ut apertius loquar in faedere quod Deus cum iis per Mosem pepigit promissum M. Del boldly saith They are all Antichristian that are not Antichristianly Popish and of the Socinian way with him to teach there was no conversion no inward reformation no promise of salvation and life eternall nor the same covenant of grace in the old Testament that is now under the New Testament and that there was no saving grace nor operation of the Spirit accompanying the Sacraments of the old Testament but onely temporall things promised them He hath Arminians also on his side as Episcopius Disp. 11. th 5. The promises of the Law were touching temporall felicity of the Gospel concerning the everlasting inheritance â—h 7. The doctrine of the Old Testament was known by nature as agreeable to right reason the doctrine of the Gospel was unknown to the Princes of this world it is evident there is no precept say the Belgick Remonstrants Apol. cap. 22. cap. 24. clearely delivered in the Old Testament for beleeving in Christ nor in terminis any promise of life eternall It s sure Arminians are limbs of Antichrist and enemies to free grace Yet Antinomians with Del joyne hands with them against Protestants who all teach to this day the same Saviour the same promises of life eternall the same free grace of imputed righteousnesse the same covenant of grace was revealed darkely in shaddowes and types to the Jewes and more sparingly and to us more clearely and abundantly in the New Testament and that Abraham was saved as we who now are Antichistian whether Del and his Antinomians or wee These that teach the same with Antichrist and contend for perfection and freedome from all sinne in this life are not the men who must fight the battels of the Lambe But 1. was there then no Spirit and life in the Patriachs Prophets Moses David till Christ came in the flesh and reformed them inwardly What became then of the soules of those that dyed in peace and entred into their rest before Christ came in the flesh Esa. 57.1 2 3. Dyed they under the curse and severity of the second death as never inwardly converted Hee belyeth the Old Testament who saith so and doth the Letter of the Gospel without the Spirit save and inwardly reâ—orme and justifie before God more then the Letter of the Law I thinke Judas and the people whose hearts were fatted and heardned and yet heard Christ in the flesh and the Apostles preach Gospel were as farre from inward heart-reformation as uncircumcised Jewes and Heathen Mat. 13.14.15 16. Act. 28.26 27. 1 Pet. 2.7 8. Rom. 11.8 9. Joh. 8.21 Joh. 9.41 Job 5.40 Then Del must meane by the spirit some other thing then the Gospel as opposed to the condemning Law For the Gospel is a condemning Gospel to thousands who stumble at the stone laid on Zion as well as the Law 3. Del saith No outward Law of Synods Councels of men can make men perfect as pertaining to the conscience more then Leviticall Lawes could doe and so the Gospel abolisheth all such outward Lawes imposed on conscience as well now as heretofore under Moses Gospel-reformation saith he is the mortifying destroying and utter abolishing out of the faithfull and elect all that sinne corruption lust evill that did flow in upon them through the fall of Adam Or it is the taking away and destroying the body of sinne out of the faithfull and elect by the presence and operation of the righteousnesse of God dwelling in their hearts by faith This is true Gospel-reformation and beside this I know no other Esai 1.27 Zion shall be redeemed with judgement and her converts with righteousnesse Againe Christ as hee makes us righteous with his owne righteousnesse and makes us the righteousnesse of God in him so hee is called our righteousnesse not in himselfe onely but in us And therefore you see how grossely they are mistaken who take Gospel-reformation â—o bee the making of certaine Lawes and constitution by the sacred power or Clergie for externall conformity in outward duties of outward worship and government and to have these confirmed by civill Sanction and inforced upon men by secular power when in the meane time all that inward corruption and sinne they have brought with them into the world remaines in their hearts and natures as before so the old Prelats reformed His reasons are 1. All things belonging to Christ a Spirituall King having a spirituall Kingdome are spirituall a carnall Reformation is not sutable to a spirituall Kingdome The reformation of the Civill and Ecclesiasticall state is but carnall wrought by the power of flesh and bloud and stands but in outward things 2. Gospel-reformation is inward layes hold on the heart soule and inner man and changes and renewes that dâ—th not much busie it selfe about outward formes or externall conformitie but onely mindes the conformity of the heart for when the heart is right with God the outward formes cannot bee amisse Christ saith touching the worship of the New Testament God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth hee speakes not one word of any outward formes So that God in his Gospel-reformation aymes at nothing but the heart according to Jer. 31.33 I will put my Law in their inward parts c. So that they shall not onely have the word of the Letter in their bookes but the living word of God in their hearts But now Civill Ecclesiasticall reformation is outward and so industrious and elaborate about outward formes outward orders outward governing outward confession outward practises like the Reformation of Scribes and Pharisees notorious hypocrites who made cleane onely the outside of the cup or platter leaving them all filthy and uncleane within So Civill Ecclesiasticall reformation makes a man cleane outwardly with an outward confession of Faith when inwardly he is all filthy thorow unbeliefe and whites him over with new handsome formes of worship Object But is there no change of outward things in the Gospel Ans. Yes an outward change that flowes from an inward but not an outward change to inferre an inward c. Answ. 1. Master Del must lay downe a ground that outward Lawes were imposed on the conscience and forced on them with violence of Magistrates and Synods
Historicall Literall and Grammaticall sense but in the Mysterious Allegoricall and Spirituall sense is the way of Legalists who say they follow the Letter and know nothing of the Spirit but the Letter killeth and the Spirit quickneth Read Philosophy dissected and the peeces called Theologia Germanica and the Bright Star and H. Nicholas his Exhortations and Documentals and you shall find strange Allegories And Saltmarsh is as Monkish in Allegories as they 2. Antinomians tell us often of imputed righteousnesse which supposeth Christ was a true reall Man and God-Man in one person and that we are saved by the merit an satisfaction of his obedience and death imputed to us But Saltmarsh and Familists herâ— tell us Christ is a meere figure sampler document or example onely in which God discovers to us grace and love And all that is spoken of Christ as in that person not in that person really but figuratively as in that person that was borne of a virgin who was circumcised c. is spoken in figure of the whole nature What Was not Christ reall and very Man our only surety Mediator High Priest who offered a reall sacrifice for us Is he nothing but a figure and if Adam was not the first man in whom all stood and fell so that all have sinned in him neither can Christ be the second Man in whom all his sonnes are justified redeemed and saved But Familists deny that Adam was the first man in whom all stood and fell as Saltmarsh told us before and therefore Familists deny that doctrine of the first and second Adam Rom. 5. and 1 Cor 15. 3. It is a mystery that all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifying death and crosse was a discoveâ—y of God by this Figure in the whole mystery how God is in all his and works and hath his times of Law-crucifying c. Was his crucifying but a discovery or a document of God by this figure The Scripture riseth higher He was wounded for our transgression he was bruised for our iniquity the chastisement of our peace was upon him with his stripes we are healed Esai 53. And him that knew no sinne God made sinne for us that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him as it is 2 Cor. 5.21 And in his own selfe on the tree he bare our sinnes 1 Pet. 2.24 The Familists make Christ a discovery and a teaching figure not a true Man The Socinians make him a Man but a meere example of patient suffering if we follow him his example will save us but they denyed he payed a reall satisfactory ransome to Gods justice for us 4. By Christs death say they God witnesseth to his people that he is their God and they his people by killing all their strength and life and power of the first creation and carrying it up to a more excellent and glorious life his own Spirit How killed Christ the strength life and power of the first creation Christ is but a figure and Christ but suffers sayth Gortine and dies in us when we who beare his Image For Man saith Saltmarsh p. 3 4. is created according to the Image of God which was Jesus Christ doe suffer and die for God cannot die And to this agreeth well what Saltmarsh saith p. 288. Others say he himselfe and Familists in opposition to Protestants who make Gospel-administration to stand in repentance faith sanctification justification 285 286. the mystery of salvation is no other then Immanuel or God with us Christ being no more but an anointed one and that anointed one is our nature or weaknesse anointed with the Spirit even God himselfe who is strength And this mystery of great and exceeding glory is revealed in peeces and parts and after the manner of men according to the infirmity of our flesh within the Christian in graces c. and in the Scriptures or expressions and formes without the Christian then is Christ crucified nothing but a beleever graced within with Gods Image And p. 283. he saith O how doth the pure appearance of God powre shame upon all flesh and fleshly glory Either by letter or by graces the day of the Lord will be upon all our Cedars and Okes. Now a Saint anointed is God manifested in the flesh to Saltmarsh and will the Lord powre shame on God manifested in the flesh or is the day of the Lord against Christ â—evealed within the Christian in graces and in the Scriptures without the Christian Then is Gods wrath kindled against grace within and Scripture without brave Divinity The Scripture saith not that Christ on the Crosse killed the strength life and power of the first creation that is Gospel-grace beleeving and God manifested in the Saints that is the new creature in them and the first creation that is as they say the natuâ—rall faculties of knowing willing nilling so as the holy Ghost and the Lord Jesus must come in place of these faculties and in us love feare beleeve rejoyce and we all our powers that we had in creation must be dead passive organs Industry Arts Sciences Tongues Labouring acting of Duties quite removed as flesh and corruption and we turned in all spirit See Rise reign Er. 1 2. For Saltm saith Sparkles of Glory 230 231. all other askings or seekings of God which are not thus in Spirit or in the will or mind of God in some evidence or pure work of the Spirit is but the askings of creatures as creatures All exhortations in Scripture to this duty as Seek yee my face Pray continually are onely then rightly effectually and properly applied and obeyed when the Spirit of God doth it in the Christian when the Spirit of God breathes in and reveals the will of God and acts in the duty or expressions and the Christian speakes in himselfe or the presence of others that mind of God and so the Spirit of God cloathes it selfe in flesh or letter or expressions as to the outward man If by a pure work of the Spirit Saltmarsh mean that the Spirit acteth as the principall determining moving acting cause carrying on the work so as our Spirit and naturall faculties of mind will affection have their own subordinate and inferiour active influence in the work the holy Ghost helping our infirmities it is good but this is no new light nor Familisticall secret of all Spirit but that which Protestants teach against Den and other Arminians old liers and new lights But â— feare a pure work of the Spirit is as much as the Spirit acts purely wholly only in praying and all supernaturall acts and the naturall faculties strength power and life of the first creation are destroyed and annihilated so as we are dead passive Organs doing nothing but the Spirit doth all as Libertines say Second causes work nothing but God as the soul of all worketh all in all creatures This is the secret and so the praying and all the supernaturall duties of beleevers are pure
preaching another doctrine be an outward thing yea we are not to receive him unto our house nor to bid him God speed for he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds and we are never biddâ—n keep the unity of the spirit with false teachers 5 It is true love is more then outward things and the greatest commandement next to the love of God But loves excellency stands not in this that we must breake any Commandement of God to please our Brethren in love Christ should have the preheminence in all things above our Brother 6. Saltmarsh hath no warrant to call the Commandements of Christ in outward things such as to read and search the Scriptures to preach the Gospel to heare the preaching of faith to be baptised worldly rudiments which name Gal. 4.9 and worse yea the name of weake and beggarly rudiment Paul giveth to Jewish Ceremonies that were then in their use unlawfull Christ speaketh more honourably of the Commandements of the New Testament Mat. 28.20 teaching them to observe all whatsoever I have commanded you Joh. 15.14 You are my friends if you doe whatsoever I command you Joh. 13.17 If yee know these things happy are yee if yee do them Mat. 12.50 whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother my sister and my mother Mat. 7.21 Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is heaven I well remember that H. Nicholas Evang. c. 31. s. 1.2 and s. 23. Calleth the Church of Rome the communion of all Christians the Pope the chiefe anointed the most holy father the Cardinals most holy and famous and next to the most ancient and holy father the Pope in most holy Religion and understanding no doubt because there is no sinne no Idolatry in externall worship if love be in the heart The Familists repute all personall morfication and sanctification done in the strength of Grace worldly rudiments and all outward things killing or not killing whoring or not whoring pleasing our neighbour or sister in whoring or not whoring hearing the word or not hearing praying or not praying Prelacie and Popery or the contrary as they please or displease men indifferent and nothing to one that is in Christ Jesus This is a faire way for John of Leyden to take fifteen wives and for plurality of wives and promiscuous lusts robberies and the world of David George to act all villanies externall for the Familists and Saltmarsh say the outer man cannot sinne and in all externalls we are to please one another in love and not to count a rush or a straw of pleasing or displeasing of the Lord our God if there be familisticall love or Antinomian faith in the heart all is well 3. I doe not saith Saltmarsh undervalue other attaintments or lessen them he meanes Prelacy Popery Presbytery Independency though he bee in words against them all being now turned Seeker but if they bee unlawfull as you judge them yee should not only undervalue them but hate them as spots of the flesh have no communion with them as being unfruitfull works of darknesse but rather reprove them Ephes. 5.11 as meere will-worship and lies spoken in hypocrisie but all that is contrary to true sanctification is but trifles to Familists 4. In severall dispensations Christians are not to hasten out of any till the Lord himselfe say come up hither This come up hither is a call of the Spirit effectually moving and drawing men from Prelacy Popery the way of Legalists for these are the attaintments he speaketh of up to higher attaintments to a Gospell way of Antinomianisme to a higher way of all Spirit and pure Spirit which now Saltmarsh hath found out though H. Nicholas David George Muncâ—r and Becold of Leyden have saved him a great deale of labour For H. Nicholas proverbs ch 3. s. 12. divised sundry orbes or severall out-breakings of light 1 From Adam to Noah 2 Then from Noah till Abraham 3 Till Moses 4. Till Samuel and David 5 Till Zorobabel 6 Till Christ. 7 Till cursed H. N. But if these lower attaintments of Popery Prelacy c. be sinfull and unlawfull wayâ—s and if the state of Law-bondage be a denying that Christ is come in the flesh and the attaintment of Presbytery that teacheth the Magistrate should use the sword againâ—t wolves and false teachers be to Salâ—m persecution then must Christians not hasten out of that dispensation of Popery and persecution of the Saints but must sleep in Sodome as being obliged by no letter of a commandement to hasâ—en out till the Spirit inwardly call Come up hither as John was in a rapture and vision called to come up hither Rev. 4.1 So then 1. We must beare one anothers burthens of Popery and persecution so doth Saltmarsh countenance a bloody War against the Presbyterians that for Liberty of conscience this is to beare our corps in a wet and bloody winding sheet to the grave in waiting for raptures of the Spirit 2. Then are we not obliged to come out of any sinne or way of Popery Presbytery or persecution till by a vision and rapture of the Spirit God speake effectually to the heart and say Come up hither 3. Then we doe nothing against a Law obligation till the Spirit move us So the Spirit not moving shall be the cause of all sinne and not the sinner for he doth nothing against an obliging rule because the Spirit saying Come up hither is the only obliging rule of men not the letter of any Commandement say they Saltmarsh Sparkles p. 243. 4. Saltmarsh but the last yeare said Free grace pa. 97.98 Wee cannot too hastily beleeve in Jesus Christ and hasten from out of the inthralling law now this yeare he will have men staying under any dispensation and not hasten out till God say Come up hither 5. All men must please themselves in the false religions and know its Gods will they hasten not out of Sodome till a Rapture say Come up hither and if that never come they are contentedly and submissively unto Gods revealed will to sit still there in a sinfull and unlawfull worship for this is Gods will so to doe â— I am not against the Law saith he nor repentance nor duties nor ordinances so as all flow from the right principles Ans. But I never knew a controversie between Antinomians Protestants whether repentance duties flow from the principles of Free grace and the in-dwelling Spirit of Jesus if Antinomians move this question their Arminians and Pelagians of which divers are with them not we are their adversaries 2. For the right principle of ordinances we know none but the Spirit speaking in the word Familists will have no ordinances but the Law written in the heart this wee disclaime But 3. The question is touching our obligation to repentance and duties they say to sorrow
for sinnes that Christ hath so blotted out that they have neither name being nor nature of sinnes is unlawfull and we are obliged by no Commandement of God say they to duties the Spirit maketh us willing but the word and Spirit are not contrary as we conceive the Spirit doth oblige as it goes along with the obliging word for if ye commit murther or lie say they being justified yee sinne not but the flesh in you 2. Wee are not guilty therein because the Spirit acted us not to forbeare 3. It was pardoned and remitted before it was committed and so hath neither name nor nature of sinne for the right end of duties we know no other but to glorifie God to be land-marks or a way to our countrey and to testifie we love our Redeemer we make them not one penny of payment for heaven â— I am not against the settlement of Church-government prudently as now Ans. If Prudential-government be from Christ and his Testament it is not enough not to be against Christ but ye must be with him if it be not of Christ the more shame to you and all your way not to be against that which hath not Christ for its Father and Authour 2 The King of the Church in all substantials hath set out a plat-forme in his word Humane prudence is too bold to prescribe to Christ how he should rule his House But this way Saltmarsh is not against the Church-government of Rome by Popes Cardinals Patryarchs Metropolitans Arch-Bishopes and the Government abjurd in his Covenant for these be prudential Church-governments 3 It is a wide Familisticall conscience to teach there is no Church no ministry no preaching no censures now on earth as you and all Seekers doe and yet not to bee against a Church-government in a prudential way in which the Magistrate sits as a Church-Officer to judge But this is the detestable Neutrality of Antinomians in all Religions to be neither hot nor cold this nor that 6 Nor is this any cause or reason why Saltmarsh should not be against the Prudentiall Government of mans devising because God hath his people under severall attaintments and measures as in Queen Maries Martyrdome for then because God hath saved some under Prelacie some under Poperie yea before Christs comming some under Gentilisme as Saltmarsh thinketh of Job for then Saltmarsh and Familists should not be against the settlement of Prelaticall Government and of their Romish Ceremonies not against Popish and Heathenish Prudentiall and Idolatrous Church-Government I thinke then Saltmarsh will be any thing in externals Paganish Popish or Prelatical no wonder then that Familists in their Petition raile against Puritans for none-conformity and professe in their Petition to King James their obedience to all the Prelaticall will-worship CHAP. XXXI Saltmarsh and Familists teach that there is salvation in all Religions I Am onely against a forme as it becomes an Engine of persecution c. Ans. So Saltmarsh here opens a great mystery of Familisme which is Liberty of conscience and salvation under all Religions for if any forme of Religion never so sound be commanded even by a Law of God and ratified politically by a Law of man and none left free to mens owne Spirit as to the only binding rule though it be a Spirit of Sathan it is no lawfull Religion to Saltmarsh Now that this is his minde is cleare from that he saith Spark 171 172. In books of controversie we can but set letter to letter and Scripture to Scripture and argument to argument and nothing can be judged till the day or time of more revelation of truth till the Holy Ghost and fire sit upon each of us trying every mans worke and burning up that in us which is hay and stubble in which words beside that Saltm judgeth and condemneth himselfe in writing this same booke of Controversie in favour of the Familists condemning in expresse words the Protestants in all the articles of their faith he will have no man to see truth or to judge any otherwise or know what he beleeves but by conjectures till the day of revelation come that he turne Familist and become all Spirit and all glory so all the Protestants that are not Familists set but letter to letter and are literall legalists and have no certainty what they beleeve and when this Spirit commeth he teacheth not by the word setting letter to letter and Scipture to Scripture but by immediate inspiration above and beyond the word 2. This Spirit even having come upon Saltmarsh as hee plainly saith p. 68. And in his Epistle to the Parliament p. 2.3 does but dictate to him errors hay and stabble that must be consumed for if he so do when he hath taught these toyes hee teacheth the contrary the next day what a spirit is this 3. If the Scripture be not the judge of controversies by setting letter to letter Scripture to Scripture understood according to the naturall and genuine grammaticall sense which the words yeeld without constraint then is the Scripture as Scripture and in its native sense a nose of wax and hath no native sense but wee are to expect a higher spirituall allegorick sense then the letter can beare that from the Spirit We have by this way then no certain rule of faith the unâ—â—able then may lawfully wrest the scripture to their own desâ—ruction Paul proveth Jesus to be the true Messiah and that convincingly he confounded the Jewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confuting them that they were confounded in their mind and strongly proved with violence and strength of Scripture light that this is the Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 9.22 and Christ remitteth the Jews to the Scriptures as the judging rule Act. 5.39 If the Scriptures be so dark uncertain doubt some to naturall men void of the Spirit ye shall not convince Cain by the 6. Commandement that he is a murtherer nor Achan by the 8 Command that he is a theef nor Ananias that he is a lyar All may say the Spirit hath the coÌ„trary sense that truly by this way And in the following words he would not be against an Assembly or Synod at Westminster though he deny there is any such Ordinance of God now as Synod or Ministers or Church if they would minister as they have received that is propound to all the Kingdome he saith not all the Churches what they are perswaded of in their conscience and leave it without compulsion to the Spirit of God to perswade for this were true liberty where we see to minister as we receive 1 Pet. 4.10 to Saltmarsh is to teach and propound to others and walke themselves and accordingly beleeve as they have received that is according as they are perswaded in their conscience then if the Assembly of Divines were perswaded in their consciences that to one man to have fifteen wives at once as John of Leyden and his beleeved and that the Alcaron were the