Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist
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 poor, thin, liueles, hopeless, 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 • urseth, it is to a believer a mere 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 Spain is merely passive in condemning a free borne man dwelling in Scotland.
11 The binding authority in the law laying on the sinner an obligation to do 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 a • it is violated and disobeyed. 2, The former is eternal & 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 condemn to eternal suffering, for Christ's passive obedience removeth all possibility of our passive obedience for sin in a satisfactory way.
12 The Law admonish • th but helpeth not.
Hence these conclusions for the clearing of the truth, and of the mind of Luther more fully.
1 Conclusion, Luther expressly declared himself against Antinomians, by that title and name
They are (saith Luther ) pernicious 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 truly 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 murderer &c. let him only believe that God is gracious 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 entreat Saltmarsh, Eaton, Crisp, Den, Town, Del, Randel, Simson, who are so much against all preparations for Christ, and for sole believing, and cry out so much against strict walking with God, to consider this.
How can the preaching of the Law be excluded out • f the Church? do 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 be sweetly handled, and ought not to be terrified with examples of God's wrath, but Paul teacheth another thing, 2 Tim. 2.3. when he saith The Scripture is profitable to rebuke, to correction. So Saltmarsh, Crisp, Den, Del, Town, Randel, preach a honey Gospel, and a short cut to heaven, and exclude all gall and vinegar, from the law.
Let's not fall to the madness of Antinomians, who remove the law out of the Church, as if they were all holy that are in the Church the world loves such teachers and say, preach to us pleasant things.
Antinomians teach that all sins are simple, taken away, and are not to be rebuked, and that because they are pardoned and damnation is removed and sin is nothing so Honey-comb. c. 3. p. 23. Saltm. free grace, 140. Town asser. gr. 71.72. Believers are as clean from all sins as Christ or the glorified Saints, pardoned sin is no sin, God cannot see adulteries to be sins in them.
2 Conclusion, Luther saith for justification, the law is unpossible, but its given to show sin to work wrath, and to make the conscience guilty. But lay aside the matter of justification (saith he) no man can too highly commend good works commanded of God and Its necessary that Godly teachers press as diligently the doctrine of good works, as of faith. Satan is angry at both and resisteth with all his strength both.
(k) Faith only is not sufficient and yet only faith justifieth, for if it be true faith, it obtaineth the spirit of love. This Spirit fullfilleth the law, and obtaineth the kingdom of heaven.
Except faith be without the least good works, it justifieth not, yea it is not faith, it is impossible that faith can be without assiduous and great good works.
Faith justifieth not as our work, but as a work of God for the promise is a work of God, not our work in which we do or give something to God, but in which we receive something from God and that through his mercy.
Thou holdest in thine hand seeds of divers kind, but I ask not what seeds are conjoined with these or these seeds; but what is the proper virtue of every seed, in this case, show plainly, what faith it's alone doth in justification, but not with what other virtues it is conjoined, faith it alone apprehendeth the promise, believeth God promising, and puts to its hand, and receiveth something that God promiseth: this is the proper work of faith only: Love, hope, patience, have objects about the which they work, and other bonds within which they consist, for they embrace not the promise, but fulfill the commandments:
So Luther in the matter of justification putteth reproach on good works, just as Paul Phil. 3. maketh all his privileges, and his very works of righteousness that he doth by the grace of Christ dung and loss in the comparison of imputed righteousness.
Works (saith he) cannot be taught, except ye hurt faith, seeing faith and works in the matter of justification are extremely contrary; so that the doctrine of works must necessarily be a doctrine of Devils, and a departure from faith.
Pernitiosi Doctors sunt qui hodie nescio quibus occasionibus adducti, contendunt legem in ecclesiâ non praedicandam. Tu legem non doceres. ubi verus legis populus est, scilicet, avari, supe • bi, adulteri, usurarii, Idololatrae.
In Antinomorum dogmate erat haec propositio, sig • is esset adulter, tantum ut crederet se habitu rum Deum propitium. Sed qualis quaeso Ecclesia, in quâ tam horribilis vox sonat? faciendum discrimen erat & docendum, quod adulteri s • u peccatores▪ duplices sunt, quidam qui agnoscunt adulterium, se • p • ccatum suum, alii secure indulgent.
Quomodo predicatio legis potest as debet ex Ecclesiâ ejici; nonne simul, excludis timorem Dei & maximam partem operum Dei.
Luth. tom. 2. in Ge. Antinomi novi isti prophetae contendunt homines tractandos suaviter, nec terrendos irae divinae ex • mplis, sed diversum Paulus dicet, 2 Tim. 2.3. Vbi dicet scripturam utilem ad objurgandum, ad castigandum.
Ne in Antinomorum insaniam in • idamus, qui legem ex Ecclesia tollunt quasi vero in ecclesia ommes si • t sancti, mundus quidem tales doctores amat, sicut apud Hierem. dicunt loquer • nobi • placentia.
Antino. docent omnia peccata sublata, nec arguenda esse, nec homines terrendos lege, pescatum esseremissum, nibil damnationis, igitur peccatum est nihil, et prorsus sublatum. Lex non tantum non est necessaria ad justificationem, sed plane inutilis et impossibilis sed data est ut peccatum ostendat, iram operetur, hoc est, conscientiam ream fa • it,
Extra causam iustificationis nemo potest bona opera a Deo praecepta satis magnifice praedicare.
Aeque necessarium est ut pij doctores tam diligenter urgeant doctrinam de bonis operibus, quám doctrinam de fide: Satan enim utrique sensus est, et acerrime resistit.
Non sufficit sola fides, et tamen sola fides iustificat, quia si vera est, impetrat, spiritum charitatis sic legem implet et regnum Dei consequitur, fides nisi sit sine ullis etiam mini mis operibus non iustificat, impossible est fidem esse sine assiduis et magnis operibus.
Fides justificat non tanquam opus nostrum, sed tanquam Dei opus: promissio enim non est nostrum opus, cum nos Deo facimus aut damus aliquid, sed accipimus aliquid a Deo, idque tamen per ipsius miserecordiam.
Texes manu varia semina, non autem quero ergo, quae cum quibus conjuncta sint, sed quae cuiusque propria virtus, hic aper • e die, quid faciat sola fides: non cum quibus virtutibus conjuncta fit, sola enim fides apprehendit promissionem, credit promittenti Deo, Deo porrigenti aliquid manum •• m • vet et id accipit, hoc proprium solius fidei opus est, charita • , • pes, patientia, habent alias materias, circa quas versa • tur, habent alios limites intra quos consistant, non enim amplectuntur promissionem, sed mandata exequuntur.
Opus non potest doceri, nisi laedas fidem: cum fides & opera in re justificationis extreme adversantur ita a fit ut doctrina operum necessario sit doctrina daemoniorum et discessio a fide.
I persuade myself Luther had an eye to Antinomians, when he said, 〈◊〉 feared after his death that the doctrine of the true office of the law should be obscured, Luther to 3. fol. 102, admoneo pietati • amatores, praecipue qui aliquando sunt futuri doctores ut diligenter ex Paulo dis ••• t intelligere verum et proprium usum legis qui (ut timeo) post t • mpora nostra▪ interim obscurabitur, et prorsus obruetu • . to 4.106 timeo quod ista doctrina (de vero legis usu) nobis extincti • • bscurabitur.
3 Conclusion. Luther saith the New man needeth no law, its the flesh, the old man, the body of sin that is under the Law,
The law in a Christian ought not to exceed his bounds, and ought only to have dominion over the flesh which is subject to it, and remaineth under it. but oh law! wilt thou invade the conscience and exercise dominion there, and accuse the conscience (of a justified believer none terrified) of sin, and take away the joy of heart, thou dost this beyond thy office.
When I behold Christ, I am all holy and pure knowing nothing of the Law (as it curseth and condemneth the believer) but if I behold my flesh, I find avarice, lust, wrath▪ pride, fear of death, sadness, horror, hatred, murmuring and impatience against God, in so far as these are present, Christ is absent, or if he be present, he is weakly present, here there is need, yet of a paedagogoe. who should exercise and vex this strong asse (the flesh) that by this paedagogue sins may be diminished, and a way prepared for Christ.
Luther Lex in Christiano non debet excedere limites suos, sed tantum dominum habere in carnem, quae et ei subiecta sit, et sub ea maneat, hoc ubi fit, lex consistit intra suos limites lex, si tu vis ascendere in regnum conscientiae et ibi dominari (loquitur de conscientia hominis justificati sub tentationibus terrefacta) et eam arguere peccati, et gaudi • m cordis tollere, hoc praeter officium tuum facis
Si Christum inspicio, totus sanctu • et purus sum, nihil plane sciens de lege. Si vero meam carnem inspicio, sentio avaritiam, libidinem, iram superbiam, timorem mortis, tristitiam, pavorem, odium murmurationem, et impatientiam contra Deum; quatenus ista adsunt, catenus abest Christus, aut si adest, infirm adest: hic opus est adhuc paedagogo qui fortem asinum carnem exerceat et vexet ut hac paedagogia minuantur peccat • , et Christo via paretur.
I grant the Antinomians now▪ as Town Saltmarsh Den, and the old Antinomians in Luther's time spoke after the same Grammar and style, and so did the Libertines in Calvin's time say, non ego pecco, sed A • inus meus. Its not I that transgress the law and am under the law, but my asse. But they have a far other mind then Luther, for the Antinomians (as Schlusfelburgius saith cato heriti. l 3. p. 53, 54.) taught that the flesh only and the unrenewed man was under the law, but the renewed and justified man was under no law, more then if it had been never given to him, and the law was no rule of life and obedience to a believer. Luther crieth against this as most false, and Luther saith, those that believe in Christ must be daily mortified by daily Law-rebukes, and arguenda sunt peccata et proponenda ira dei propter incredulos qui in eccl • sia sunt, imo etiam propter credentes ne adhaerescenti peccato et innatae imbicillitati indulgeant: lex manet inquit ante evangelium et justificationem, in justification et post justificationem.
Luther, verum tunc amplius non sunt opera legis, sed Christi in nobis per fidem operanti • , et viventis per omnia: ideo non possunt sunt Mogis omitti, quam ipsa fides, n • c sunt minus necessaria quam ipsa fides. Caeterum opera (legalit • r perfecta) quae vere sunt legis, ficta et falsa sunt.
Good works (saith Luther ) are not anymore the works of the law, compelling under the pain of damnation, (for he saith in the same place libere et gratis facienda sunt ) but works of Christ working in us by faith, and every way living in us: therefore they can no more be omittted, then faith it self, and are no less necessary then faith it self.
Observe this in reading Luther's works, that he taketh the law, as opposed to justifieing grace, and as it may condemn or justify, and so as an instrument of the Covenant of works exacting perfect obedience in a legal sense, otherwise neither Luther nor any of our Divines will say good works absolutely perfect and in all things conform to the Law are necessary to salvation, for it is false, all believers are saved by faith in Christ without any such good works or perfect legal obedience. Then we must hold this to be Luther's mind, that if good works be commanded to the renewed man, in the law, as well as faith, and be as necessary as faith, then the renewed part is under the law commanding good works, as well as it is under the command of faith but Luther saith, the former Antinomi. say nothing sins but the flesh, & nothing is under the law, but the flesh▪ & so nothing is under a command and an obleiging rule of law or Gospel to do good works and believe, but the flesh: a senseless untruth, For it is the new man by the Spirit of Christ, saith Luther from the word of truth, that doth good works and believeth. So Luther to 4. fol. 499, in Psal. 130. (2) and excellently saith Luther to 1 fol. 436▪ Christiana l • bertas est, quando non • utata leg • , m • ta • tur homines, ut l • x eadem, quae prius libero arbitrio odiosa • uit, iam defusa per spiritus sa • ct • charitatem cordibus nostris iucunda fiat. Hence Luther saith two things, that contradicts the Antinomians. 1. The Law is not changed, when the sinner is changed, but that which was hateful to free will before, is the same law, but now sweet and pleasant to the heart, then if the law be not so much as changed, it is not abolished to the believer, its made of hateful pleasant. 2. That Law that is pleasant to the heart, and sweet, it is not given to the flesh and unrenewed part, but especially to the renewed part. 3 The renewed part in the believer doth either do good works by the grace of Christ and so keep the law, though unperfectly, or not do good works at all. If the latter be said, the renewed part, is not renewed, but dead and is the very old man, which is a contradiction, but if th • former be said, that it is the new man or renewed part that doth good works in the believer, then the new man either doth th • se good works contrary to the law, which is non-sense, for to be merciful, sober, just, true, chaste, are agreeable, not contrary to the law, or the new man doth good works without the law, and so without the word of either Law or Gospel, this is will-service to God and separateth the Spirit from the word, and is a high way to legittimate, murder, adulteries, paricides, under the veil of the Spirits working, and leading without the word, if the new man work according to the law, then is the law a rule, and what the new man doth according to a ruling law, he doth it ex debito out of obligation, then must the new man be under this law and obligation as a rule, nor can it be said that the flesh doth good works for Paul saith in his flesh there dwelleth no good nor can it be said the new man worketh not according to the law, but according to the Gospel▪ because the Gospel as distinguished from the Law, showeth us creed • nda non fac •• nda, what we should believe▪ not what we should do (4) the new man worketh by love, the flesh worketh not by love, but love is the fulfilling of the law Ro. 1 • .8 9. Ga. 5.14.18.19▪ 24. Ga. 6.2. th • n must the new man be under the debt of love, and so under the law as an obleiged rule, and to this Luther • e • reth witness.
Sponte faciunt quod lex requirit, fide enim Spiritum receperunt, qui non si • it eo • esse otiosos si caro resistit, Spiritu ambulent. Sic Christianus implet legem, fide: Christus enim perfectio legis est ad salutem omni credenti: f • ris operibus, et remission peccatorum intus.
But our Antinomians mean that there is no indwelling sin in believers, they are as clean as Christ from all sin, as the glorified in heaven; that God can see no sin in believers, because there is no sin in them he cannot be displeased with them for sin, because it is not, forgiven sin is no sin, it hath no being before God, its but a seeming sin, not really and to faith.
3 But Antinomians, as Town asser. pag 77, 78. Salt. free grace. pag. 140 44, 45. Eaton Honey-come. c. 11.322. teach that all the natural, civil and religious works of believers, as well as their persons, are made perfect and conform to God's law, then Christ cannot be absent in any measure, nor weakly present, as Luther saith nor have they need of the paedagogie of the law to make way to Christ.
Believers of their own accord do what the Law r • quireth, for by faith they have received the Spirit that suffereth them not to be idle, if the flesh resist, they walk in the Spirit, so a Christian fulfilleth the Law of God by faith, for Christ is the end of the Law for salvation to everyone that believeth, he fulfilleth the law without, by good works and remission of sins within.
2 Luther Meaneth that the flesh the asse in believers truly sinneth, and violateth the Law, and bringeth the believer under condemnation, if God would enter into judgment with them, so as God seeth sin, adultery in David to be sin, denying of Christ in Peter to be sin, and hateth it and is displeased with it, and believers have carnem peccatricem a sinning sin in them Luther Tom. 2. c. 18. fol. 119, pride, avarice, murmuring against God, and in so far as they have these in them, Christ is not in them. To 4. fo. 114.
3 Luther in these words expressly saith the justified man is not perfect, nor are his works perfect, because the sin of them is pardoned quatenus ista (avaritia, libido, superbia &c.) adsunt, Christus abest, aut si adest, i • firm adest, hic opus est adhuc paedagogo qui fortem asinum carnem excerceat et vexet, in so far as there is sin in the believer, Christ is absent, or if he be present, he is weakly present, &c. and hath need of the paedagogie of the law.
3 Conclusion, Taking the Law simply as the Law and an instrument of the covenant of works exacting by Law-compulsion perfect obedience without a Mediator and that under the strictest penalty of eternal wrath for the least breach, as it is opposed to the Gospel, which is a milder King, and taking the conscience not in its latitude, as it is in both the believer and the unbeliever, but as it is in the believer renewed, and withal troubled and terrified with the sense of sin, so the Law as Luther saith, is abrogated, and hath no dominion over the renewed man or the renewed conscience to condemn it, but only over the old man and the sinning and lusting flesh to chase the believer to a more strict closing with Christ, and arguing and convincing him of too real and true sinning, not of seeming and imaginary offending against a Law, as Antinomians dream, so is Luther to be taken.
Lex justo non est posita; sie enim vivit, ut nullà lege opus habeat, quae eum admoneat, urgeat, • ogat, • ed sine ullà coactione legis, sponte facit, quae lex exigit, Id • o lex non potest accusare; & reos agere credentes in Christum, nec enim conscientias perturbare, terret quidem & accusat, sed Christus fide apprehensus a • igit • am cum suis terroribus & minis. Itaque lex iis simpliciter abrogata est, non igitur habet jus accusandi eos, Sponte enim faciunt, quod lex requirit.
Luther, ingrediendum est igitur Regia vià, ut neque legem, pla • e rejiciamus, neque plus ei tribuamus, quam • portet.
Luther, Ante Christum [lex] est sancta, post Christum est mors: Ideo ubi Christus venit (justificans impium) nihil simpliciter scire debemus de lege, nisi quatenus imperium habet in carnem, quam coercet & premit.
Luther, lex etiam dedecalogi sine fide in Christum est mortifera, non quod lex mala sit, sed quod justificare non possit, quia pl •• e contrarium habet effectum.
Luther, Legis (c • ge • tia cond • mnantis) proprium officium est nos reos facere, humiliare, occidere, adinfer • um d • ducere & omnia nobis auferre sed illo fine, ut justificemur & non ergo simpliciter occidit, sed ud vitam occidit.
Luther, Dominetur sa • e lex in corpus & veterem hominem, is sit sub leg • , h • ic praescribat lex, quid facere, quid perferre debet, cubile enim in quo Christus s • lus quiescere & d • rmire debet, non contaminet id est, novum hominem nullo suo usu aut officio perturbet.
Luther. Fatemur justis non esse p • sitam legem, quaten •• just • sunt & spiritu vivunt, sed quatenus in c • rne sunt, & corpus peccati habent, esse sub lege, & facere legis opera, id est, non esse justos nec facere bona opera.
The Law is not given to a just man, who so liveth that he hath no need (in his terrified and quaking conscience of the Law as compelling and forcing with curses and as condemning) of a Law which should admonish press and compel him, but without any compulsion of the Law of his own accord, he doth what the Law requireth, therefore the Law cannot accuse and impleade believers as guilty, nor can it trouble their conscience, it terrifieth and accuseth▪ but Christ apprehended by faith, chaseth it away with the terrors and threatenings thereof: therefore the law to them is simply abrogated, nor hath it authority to accuse them, for they do willingly what the law requireth.
We must then walk (saith Luther ) in the Kings way, that we may neither utterly reject the Law, nor ascribe more to it then is due.
Before Christ [the Law] as it rigidly commands and condemns▪ is holy, after Christ justifieth, it is death. Therefore when Christ cometh (being apprehended by faith) we should know (or acknowledge in the renewed conscience nothing of the compelling and condemning Law) nothing simply of the Law▪ but in so far as it hath dominion over the flesh, which it oweth and presseth.
So the Law (saith Luther ) of the ten Commandments without faith in Christ bringeth death, not that the Law is evil, but because it cannot justify, but hath the plain contrary effect.
The proper office of the Law (as the Law without a Mediator) is to make us guilty, to humble, kill, bring to hell, take all from us; but for this end (as it is the hand of the Mediator ) that we may be justified, and then it killeth not simply, but killeth to salvation.
Therefore Luther, the Law hath dominion indeed over the body and the old man, let this man be under the Law, let the Law prescribe what he ought to do, what he ought to suffer, let it not pollute the chamber in which Christ only ought to rest and sleep, that is, let it not trouble the new man with its use and office.
We grant (saith Luther ) there is no Law given to the just, as they are just and live in the Spirit, but as they are in the flesh, and have in them a body of sin, and are under the Law, and do the works of the Law, for that is not to be just▪ nor to do the works.
But the Antinomians in Luther's time, and in our days, do wickedly infer then, these, and the like commandments, Walk in my Laws, put • n the new man who is created according to God, serve one another in love, do not belong to the new man, but only to the flesh, and to those that are under the law, for what need is there (said the old Antinomians) to bid a man put on his coat, when his coat is already on him? therefore we say this to a man that hath not put on his coat, that is to a man under the Law, and to the old man in the believer, not to the new man: for it is true these precepts, as they are merely legal and to be obeyed without the grace of the Mediator, and as they exact perfect Law obedience in a compulsive way under the pain of death eternal, are not given to the new man, nor to the believer at all, that is most true. But that these commands, Evangelically considered, and as they urge obedience imperfect and by the grace of God, are not given to the new man, but to the old only, is a most palpable untruth, for Christ biddeth the believer and the new man put on his coat, though he have put it already on, but imperfectly, there is a sleeve or a shoulder of his new wedding coat not on yet, it is not perfectly buttoned in this life; though the coat of imputed righteousness be perfect, and if sanctification be sincere, yet it is not every way so sewed and pinned on us, but the very new man hath need, in regard that his faith is in the growing hand, of that command. Put ye on the Lord Jesus. The just, as just, should have no need of a compelling Law, if they were perfectly just both in person and works▪ as Antinomians say they are. And it is most false that the Law is give • n formally to the flesh, as if sinful flesh were commanded to believe and put on Christ, or were capable of righteousness, as before is cleared.
4. Conclusion.
Luther saith, the conscience of a believer weak, and tender, terrified, challenged, accused▪ hath nothing to do with the Law.
Luth. Nunquam p • c • at homo horribilius quam in eo articulo, in quo incipit legē sentire, s • u intelligere.
Impossible est Christum & legem simul habitare in cord: aut enim legem aut Christum cedere oportet.
Discamus igitur diligentissime hanc artem distinguendi inter has duas justitias, ut sciamus quatenus legi parere debeamus, diximus autem suprà quod lex in Christiano non debet exced • re limites s • os, se • tantum h • bere dominium in carnem Christiani — Dicas legi, consist intra limites tuos, & exerce dominium in carnem, conscientiam autem n • attingas mihi, ubi nulla lex est.
Summa •• rs & sapientia Christianorum est, nescire legem, ignorare opera & totam justitiam activam, presertim cum conscientia luctatur cum judicio Dei: sicut extra populum Dei summa sapientia est, noscere, inspicere, & urgere legem, opera & activam justitiam.
Luther. Diabolo accusanti: tues peccator: ergo damnatus: respondere possumus: quia tu me peccatorem dicis, ideo vol • esse justus & salvus: imo damnaberis: non, confugio enim ad Christum qui sem tipsum tradidit pro peccatis meis.
Cum conscientia perterrefit lege, nec ratio nem nec legem consulas: sed sola gratiâ ac consolationis verbo nitar •• : ibi omnino sic te geras quasi nunquam de lege Dei quicquam audieras▪ sed • scendas in tenebras, ubi nec lex nec ratio lucet, sed solum aenigma fidei quae certo statuit te salvari extrà & ultrà legem— est & lex audienda sed suo loco & tempore.
Luth. Christiano nihil prorsus nego • ii▪ esse debet, praesertim in tentatione cū lege & peccat • , quatenus est Christi • nus, est supra legem & peccatum, habet enim in cord praesen • em & inclusum, ut 〈◊〉 gemmam, Christum d • m • num legis, itaque cum lex cum accusat, peccatum perterre▪ facit, int •• tur Christum, quo fide apprehenso, habet •• cum victorem legis peccati • orti • & diaboli, qui illis omnibus imperat, ne no • ere possint.
Luther, Exten •• tiones legis referend • sunt ad certamen conscientiae.
Nequ • satis viliter & odiose, cum in hoc argumento versamur, de ea loqui possumu • , ideo conscientia in vero agone nihil prorsus cogitare & nosse debet, nisi unicum Christum, acsummis viribus adnitatur, ut tum legem quam longissime e confl • ctu abjiciat.
Extra locum justificationis debemus cum Paulo reverenter sentire de lege & eam summis laudibus evehere, appellare sanctam, bonam, justam, spiritualem, divinam, • ebemus extra conscientiam facere ex ea Deum, in conscientia vero est vere Diabolus.
A man (a believer) terrified in conscience, and under the despairing apprehensions of wrath doth never sin more horribly, then in that article of time, when he beginneth to feel and understand the Law (in its condemning power.)
Its unpossible that Christ and the Law can dwell together in one soul; for either must the Law or Christ yield the one to the other.
Luther, Let us learn to distinguish these two righteousnesses, that we may know how far we are to obey the Law, for we said that the Law ought not to exceed its limits, but only have dominion over the flesh of a Christian (to show that he is a sinner, Saltmarsh saith free gr. 145. he is but a seeming sinner)—say thou to the law, stay within thy limits, and exercise dominion over the flesh, but come not near my conscience (to condemn me, otherwise to oblige as a rule of obedience it doth) where there is no Law.
Its the great skill and wisdom of Christians to be ignorant of the Law and works, and of all active righteousness, especially when the conscience wrestleth with the justice of God, as without the Church of God, it is the great wisdom of God to know, consider, and press the law, works and active righteousness.
To the Devil accusing; thou art a sinner, and therefore damned, we may answer; because thou callest me a sinner, therefore I shall be just and saved: yea thou shall de damned: no, for I fly to Christ, who gave himself for my sins.
When the concience is terrified with the Law, and wrestleth with the justice of God, consult neither with natural reason, nor with the Law▪ but lean only to free grace and the word of consolation, and the • e thou mayest behave thyself as if thou hadst never heard anything of the Law of God: there thou mayest enter in darkness, where there shineth neither law nor reason, but only the mirror of faith, which may save thee without and beyond the Law— the Law is also to be heard in the own time and place.
Luther, A Christian hath nothing at all to do, especially under a temptation with the Law and sin, in so far as he is a Christian he is above the Law and sin, for he hath Christ the Lord of the Law enclosed in his heart as a ring hath a pearl indented in it; therefore when the Law accuseth him, and sin terrifieth him, he beholdeth Christ, who when he is apprehended by faith, he hath with him the conqueror of the law, sin, death, and hell, who commandeth these that they hurt him not.
Extenuations of the Law, are referred to the conflict of conscience.
Nor can we vilely and hatefully enough speak of the Law in this argument; therefore the conscience in a true conflict, ought to think of, or know nothing but only Christ, and with all its might endeavor to remove the Law as far as can be, from the conflict.
Setting aside the case of justification, we ought with Paul to think reverently of the Law, and extol it with great praises, as holy, good, just, spiritual, divine, and when the Law is out of the conscience, we are to make a God of it, but in the conscience its the Devil.
Now Antinomians not only in the case of Justification debase the Law, but they cry it down as a rule of life, they have nothing to do with Moses and his Law, or strict walking.
And where as Antinomians tell us the sins of believers are but sins to our sense and feeling, or before men, or sins in our conversation, not really, not before God, not in our conscience, not to faith, they never learned this from Luther, who expoundeth sense and faith a far other way.
For so Luther speaketh, in a conflict of conscience we know by experience, sense of sin, wrath, hell, death, hath dominion, then we must say to the tempted, Brother, thou wouldst have a sensitive righteousness; that is, thou desirest to h • ve such a sense of righteousness, as thou hast of sin▪ that shall not be; but thy righteousness must go beyond the sense of sin, and believe thou art righteous before God ; that that is, thy righteousness is not visible or sensible, but there is hope it shall be revealed in its own time,
Luther In certami • e conscientiae, experienti • doctiscimus, fortitor dominatur sensus peccati, irae dei, mortis, inferni-Ibi tum dicendum est, tentato: Tu frater vis habere iustititam sensitivam, id est, cupis ita sentire iustitiam, ut peccatum sentis, hoc non fiet. Sed tua iustitia debet transcendere sensum peccati & sperare te coram Deo justum esse, hoc est, • ustitia tua non est visibles, non sensibilis, sed speratur suo tempore revelanda.
Luther never denied the sins of believers to be real sins, and that there was • o more original sin dwelling in a believer then in Christ, as our gross libertines do. But he forbiddeth the tempted to measure their own condition, as forlorn and hopeless, from sense; because they feel sin, wrath, hell, death, terrors of conscience, but contrary to the sense of all this, the weak soul must believe an invisible and spiritual righteousness, and seek no sensitive righteousness, as most men do in conflicts of conscience.
Luther hath divers comfortable grounds of believing when the Law in its condemning power breaks in upon the conscience.
In cruce aliud peccatum invenio contra meum peccatum quod me accusat & devorat, peccatum scilicet aliud in carne Christi qui tollit peccatum mundi, omnipotence est, damnat & devorat peccatum meum.
l Fateor me peccâsse sed peccatum meum quod peccavi, damnatum est in Christo, qui est peccatum damnans, est autem peccatum illud damnans fortius damnato.
2 Luther, Sicut tutissimum est canem latrantem contemnere & praeterire, ita una vincendi ratio est contemnere rations Satanae, neque cum iis disputare diutius.
Textatus à Satana, cum nullum evadendi modum sent is, simpliciter claude oculos, & nihil responde, & commenda causam Deo.
Luther, Satan nihil minus ferre potest quam sui contemptum.
Hi sunt amplexus ejus quibus amplectitur sponsam prae impatientia amoris.
Luth. Non enim feram te (O lex) Tyrannum durum & crudelem exactorem in conscientia mea regnare; siquidem ea sedes est & templum Christi filii Dei.
Qui possum esse sanctus cum habeam & sentiam peccatum? quod sentis & agnoscis peccatum, bonum est, gratias age Deo, ne despera. Est gradus ad sanitatem, cum aegrotus agnoscit, & fatetur morbum suum. S • d quomodo, liberabor à peccato? accurre ad medicum, mactatâ ration, creed in eum.
Disce credere Christum non pro fictis aut pictis, sed veris, non pro parvis, sed maximis: non pro uno atque alt • ro; Sed pro omnibus, non pro devictis (nullus: etiam Argelus velmi nimum peccatum vincere p • test) sed pro invictis peccatis traditum esse, & nisi inveniaris in numero eorum, qui dicuntur, nostri, hoc est qui ha • c fidei doctrinam habent▪ •• cent, a • diunt, discunt, & ei credunt, tum plane de salu •• tuâ actum est.
As 1. Luther, When I find remorse of conscience for my sin, I look up to the brazen Serpent Christ on the cross, and there I find another sin against my sin, that other sin in the flesh of Christ which taketh away the sin of the world, is an omnipotent sin and condemns and swallows up my sin.
And l I confess I have sinned, but my sin is condemned in Christ who is made a condemning sin, and the condemning sin is stronger then the condemned.
2. As its most▪ safe to contemn and pass by a barking Dog, so the only way of overcoming is to despise Satan's casting in thoughts, and dispute no longer with him.
And when there is no escaping▪ close thy eyes and answer nothing, and commend the cause to God, he giveth a reason Satan cannot endure to be a contemned enemy.
3. Luther, Tentations are the throngings or embracings of the bridegroom to the bride from impatience of love.
4. Luther, The tempted is to say, I cannot endure thee (O Law) a rigorous Tyrant, and a cruel exacter, to reign in my conscience, for it is the seat and temple of Christ the Son of God.
5. Luther, Its true the tempted saith, how can I be holy, when I have and f • el sin? that thou feelest and acknowledgest sin, its good, give thanks to God, despair not; its a degree to health to feel sickness. But how shall I be freed from sin? fly to the Physician, follow not reason, believe, and sacrifice reason.
Antinomians comfort us thus, the sin of believers is seeming sin. Luther saith, its too real, and must be cured by Christ.
6. Luther, Christ died not for the painted and phancied, but for true sinners, and the chief sinners, not for one or two, but for all, not for conquered, but for unconquered sins, and if thou be of the number of these that believe, its good.
Luther, here would have the weak ones that find hearing, learning, loving of his doctrine, 〈◊〉 believing, that is such as have qualifications and conditions in them to know Christ died not for phancied men, but for them, Antinomians reject all qualifications and conditions▪ Yea.
Luther comforts only these against the Law, who have this condition of Christ enclosed in their heart, as a pearl set in a ring, Luther tom. 4. f. 46. Yea though Luther be against all preparations of merits, yet is he clear for preparations of order against the Antinomians.
Legis proprium officium est nos reos facere, humiliare, occidere • o fi • e ut justificemur.
w Lex non facit filios Dei - atqui praeparat ad novam nativitatem qua fit per fidem.
Luther, Malleus lex opprimit pertinacem best ā presumptionem ut ista contusione homo in nihilum redactus desperate de sui • viribus: justitiam — • itiat misericordiam & remissi • nem peccatorum.
Luth. to. 1.472. Per fidem Christi non sumus liberi ab operibus, sed ad opinionibus ope • ū, id est, à stultâ praesumptione justificationis per opera quaesitae, fides enim conscientias nostras redimit, rectificat, & servat: quâ cognoscimus justitiam esse non in operibus, licet opera abesse neque possint, neque debeant.
Luther. Sentiens terrores & minas tuas, O Lex, immergo conscientiam meam in vulnera, sanguinem, mortem &c. Christi. Venit in mentem Christum velle expostulare nobiscum velle rationem à nobis exigere transactae vitae, &c.
Luther. Cor dictat Deum adversum, verbum Dei sequi debeo, non sensum meum.
Luther. Est diabolus persuasor mirificus— Verbum pingit Christum, non accusatorem, non durum exactorem.
Luther. Quanquam caro non nihil murmuret, tamen Spiritus gemit ad Deum & potius intentatione perpetuo manere & perire cupit quam ad impietatem à Deo recidere.
Hic canon est, quod in omnibus tentationibus, nos — ipsi alium fingimus Deum esse, quam sit, putamus enim Deum tunc non esse Deum, sed phantasma, id est, horrible spectrum.
Luther. Peccator es, igitur te odit Deus. Haec consequentia vera est in naturâ, in jure civili — ad tribunal Christi—hoc sequitur, peccator es ergo confide.
Luther Cum Satan vexat conscientiam per legem, • tile est opponere Satanae. Quid ad te tamen, non peccavi tibi, sed Deo meo. Non enim sum tuus peccator. Quid igitur juris est in m • ? — non peccavi tibi, non legi, non conscientiae, nulli homini, Angelo nulli, sed soli Deo.
It is proper to the Law to make men guilty, to humble, kill, bring down to hell, and take all from us, for this end, that we may be justified.
w The Law maketh not men sons of God— but it prepareth us for the new birth.
The Law is a fire and a hammer breaking the rocks, to suppress that pertinacious beast presumption, that a man may be brought to nothing, and despair of his own strength and righteousness, and being terrified, may thirst for mercy and pardon. More of this ye may see in Luther to. 1. fol. 11. p. 286.412. to. 4. f. 5. f. 296. to. 1.53.
Luther never meant that we are freed from the Law as a rule of good works, Luther to. 1.472. by the faith of Christ, we are not freed from works, but from the opinion of works; that is, from a foolish presumption of justification by works.
Luther. Finding thy terrors and threatenings, O Law, I dip my conscience in the wounds, death, blood, resurrection of Christ; beside these I will see nothing, hear nothing For we think Christ will quarrel with us, and seek a reckoning of our ill • ed life, and will accuse and condemn us.
In temptations though sense say, that God is an enemy, I follow the Word that saith the contrary.
The devil is an admirable persuader to cause us think a little sin a heinous crime. But the word pointeth Christ sweet, meek.
10. Luther. The flesh murmureth, but the Spirit sighs to God, and had rather die in the temptation, then depart to wickedness.
11. Luther. This is a rule in all temptations, we fancy another God, and believe God not to be God, but a phancie, a Ghost.
12. This consequence (thou art a sinner, therefore God hateth thee) is true in the Civil Law or Court, but in Christ's Tribunal; its true thou art a sinner, therefore believe.
13. Luther. When Satan vexeth the conscience with the Law, its fit to say to Satan, what is that to thee, yet I have not sinned against thee, but against my God▪ for I am not thy sinner; what Law then hast thou in me?—I have not sinned to thee, not to the law, not to conscience, to no man▪ to no Angel, but only to God.
Luther's meaning is, that he hath not sinned to the Law, or so against it, that he should be therefore condemned, because he is pardoned in Christ.
Luther. Nulla alia re potest sanari hoc vulnus conscientiae quam verbo divinae promissionis.
Luther. Si es calamus contritus, noli te amplius conterere, aut Satana conterendum dare, sed da te Christo qui est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & amat conquass • tos & contritus Spiritu.
Luther. Desperatus non orat, dum desperatio durat—sed cum remittitur paroxysmus tum primum incipit clamor — plurimus adjuvatur animus, cum audit fratrem commode tractantem verbum Dei▪ —cum ad hunc modum siducia in Deum — animo anxio inculcatur: tum surgit sci • tilla fidei & gemitus cordis, O si possem; sequitur tandem sensus gaudii, neque potest Deus hos gemitus negligere.
Luther. Deus mammam gratiae etiam justificatis nonnunqu • m subtrahit, ut discamus. Quid nostra ipsorum justitia soleat facere, nempe, quod solet opprimere desperatione.
Luther. Cum Satan objicit, ecce es peccato • , non sic credis, non sic or • s, sicut requirit verbum: tu contra dic, quid me vexas his visibilibus? been sentio ista, nec opus est, ut tu me doceas, illud opus est ut verbum sequar & transferam me ad invisibilia.
Luther. Maxima pars fallitur, quod non credunt has cogitations esse tentationes Satanae.
Luth. Docemur in hoc certamine apprehēdendā promissionem in baptismo factam, quae certa & clara est, sed hoc cum fit, non statim cessat Satan, sed reclamat in cord tuo, te non esse dignum istâ promissione, est autem opus ardenti oratione—ne extorqueatur nobi • promissio—Dic, scio promissam mihi propter filium Dei gratiam. Haec promissio non mentietur, etiamsi in exteriores tenebras abjiciar.
14. Luther. This wound of conscience cannot otherwise be healed, but by the word of God.
If thou be a broken reed, do not break thyself anymore, or give thyself to Satan to be broken, but give thyself to Christ, who is a man-lover, and loveth the broken and bruised in Spirit.
16. The despairing soul prays not, while the despair continueth, — but when the fever turneth to a cool, the cry begins— he is much helped when he heareth a brother rightly handling the word of promise — when faith in God is thus inculcated in a sad heart, then glimmereth up a sparcle of faith, and a sigh of heart, O if I could— then followeth sense of joy, God cannot despise these sighs.
17. God withdraweth the paps and 〈◊〉 of Grace from the justified, that we may learn to know what our own righteousness useth to do, even to press us with despair.
18. when Satan objecteth, behold thou art a sinner, thou dost not so believe, thou dost no • so love as the word requireth: say thou again, why vexest thou me with those visible things? I feel these well, there is no need that thou teach me, there is need I follow the word and turn to invisible things.
19 Luther. The greatest part of men are beguiled, that they know not that the thoughts of their utter casting out from God, is a temptation of Satan.
20. Luther. In a conflict of despair, we must hold the promise made in baptism—if Satan cease not, but cry in thy heart, thou art not worthy of that promise — we must ardently pray that the promise be not thrown out of our hand. — Say, I know there is a promise of grace, for the Son of God's sake made to me; this promise shall not lie, though I were cast in utter darkness. I have stayed the longer on these, because possibly every Reader cannot have Luther's works at hand.
4. Conclusion.
Luther and our Divines say, that we are patients in the business of justification, which tendeth not to favor the Antinomian dream, that we are justified without faith, and before we believe, or that we are • locks and dead passive creatures in the act of believing, or in other supernatural acts. The Antinomians of old, as now t Town, and others teach that the Law hath no activity over the new man, by teaching▪ ruling, commanding, requiring, exacting or demanding obedience of him, because the Christian man is Lord of the Law and the Sabbath, and doth all without a Law teaching or commanding; for the new man, as new, doth good works by nature, as the fire casteth heat then not by law, or teaching or command. But Luther will have justification to be passive, and the Law in justification a patient in a far other sense. 1. Because the broken debtor is free in Court for nothing he doth himself; but because the rich surety did all, and paid his debt. 2. Because the Law, and the fulfilling thereof in the person of the justified is utterly unpossible, and he is justified freely in Christ's rich grace, without Law or works, and the Law makes him no help for justification at all, but is a mere patient. 3. Because Christ that justifieth the ungodly, and is the head of the justified, oweth nothing at all to the Law, and needed not to be teached what to do by the Law, and did and over-did, and out-suffered more abundantly by grace, then the compelling, cursing and threatening Law can teach or command, had we suffered for the breach of one Law, and done all the rest of the Law most perfectly and exactly, yet could we never have given such glory to God, nor such exact payment and satisfaction to the Law, both by doing and suffering, as Christ did, we should have paid to the Lord and his Law, but copper and brass. Christ paid our Law-debts in fine and precious gold. And what our new obedience wants in quantity (for we cannot by Grace keep the Law exactly, nor thereby be justified) it hath in quality, being wrought by Grace, and perfumed with the glorious merits of Christ in these respects; saith,
Luther. The whole nature of justifying us, in regard of us, is passive.
Actively the Law is a weak and poor • lement (the letter of neither Law nor Gospel can give strength to obey) and its weak passively, because of it self it hath not strength to bring righteousness▪ and newtra • lie its infirmity▪ and poverty it self.
Luther. Our merit (by doing the Law) is just nothing. What can a cursed sinner, ignorant of God, dead in sins, liable to the judgment and wrath of God deserve? therefore that is the only way of eschewing the curse to believe in God. Thou, O Christ, art my sin, and my curse, or rather I am thy sin, and thy curse, thy death, thy wrath of God, thy hell; on the contrary, thou art righteousness, blessing, life, the grace of God, my heaven; for the text saith clearly. Christ was made a curse for us, then we are the cause why he was made a curse; yea, we are his curse.
Good works are not to be drawn to the article of justification, as Monks do.
s We grant we must teach of good works and charity, but in the own time and place. When the question is without the lists of this Article of Justification—. We say with Paul, by Faith in Christ only, not by the works of the law or charity, we are j • st, not that we reject works and charity as our adversaries say— When then we are in this common place of justification, we reject and condemn works, — we simply reject all laws, and works of the Law.
Tota ratio justificandi, quoad nos passiva est.
Active Lex est elementum infirmum & egenum quia reddit homines infirmiores, & egentiores, passive, quia ipsa per se non habet vim & opes justitiae donandae & afferendae▪ neutraliter est infirmitas & paupertas ipsa.
Ergo meritum nostrum plane nullum est, Quid enim mirerer maledictus, peccator, ignorans Dei, mortuus in peccatis, obnoxius irae & judicio Dei? Quare illa unica via est evadendi maledictionem, credere & certâ fiduciâ dicere. Tu Christ, es peccatum & maledictum meum, seu potius, ego sum peccatum tuum, maledictum tuum, mors tua, ira Dei tua: infernus tuus. Tu contra es justitia, benedictio, vita, gratia Dei, coelum meum. Quare textus clare dicit, Christus factus est pro nobis maledictum. Itaque nos sumus causa quod factus sit maledictum, imo nos ipsius maledictum sumus.
Luther, non sunt trahenda bona opera in articulum justificationis, ut Monachi fecerunt.
s Concedimus docendum quoque de bonis operibus, & charitate: sed suo loco & tempore, quando, scilicet, questio est de operibus extra hunc capitalem articulum — Respondemus cum Paulo, sola fide in Christum nos pronuntiari justos, non operibus legis aut charitate, non quod opera aut charitatem rejiciamus, ut adversarii nos accusant — Cum versamur in communi loco, de justification, rejicimus & damnamus bona opera.
Our Antinomians point blank to this in all the way to heaven condemn them, so Crisp, Saltmarsh say, the only work of the Gospel is faith.
Therefore the law is passive only in the article of Justification, in which article it condemneth, compelleth, curseth, and so is just nothing, and is passive in justifying, but in binding the New man to obey, and in laying on him a rule of life, it is active.
We can then easily expone Luther. The just man ought not to live well (in regard of any compulsion of a legal curse, that the law (from which in Christ he is delivered) can inflict on him. Neither standeth he in need of the Law to teach him, (in a compulsory legal way) to live well, for he liveth not well, because the Law (forcing, and cursing, and not furnishing Grace, as the Gospel doth) requireth that he live well.
Justus non debet been vivere, sed been vivit (hoc est, non obligatur compulsione legali, & vi condemnatoriâ legis, quia nulla condemnatio iis qui sunt in Christo) ibid. Nec indiget lege, quae docet eum been vivere. Injustus autem debet (nexu legalis condemnationis) been vivere, quia non been vivit, quod lex requirit, hoc totum urget, ne ex lege & op • ribus justifieri presumant &c, Luth. l. 1.451.
In this regard Luther doubteth not to say, that the Law is simply and absolutely abolished to a just man. 2. That the law is not the law, if it be not a condemning law. But he taketh the law strictly as a covenant of Works, and as opposite to Grace, as Paul doth, Rom. 7. Ye are not under the Law, but under Grace.
Then the law is absolutely abolished to a just man, it hath no power to accuse them, for they do willingly, what the law requireth.
The law is not given for this end to justify, but to discover sin, terrify, accuse, and condemn.
This is the fruit of the law, when it is alone, without the Gospel, and the knowledge of grace, that it leadeth men to despair, and final impenitence.
The law (without Christ and the Gospel) is omnipotent — Yea, its invincible omnipotency, the conscience compared to it, most weak and poor, for its a tender thing, so that except it be strengthened, it is terrified, waxeth paile, and despaireth for the least sin, therefore the law in its proper use, hath more strength and might then heaven and earth can comprehend, so that one tittle or iota of the law can destroy whole mankind.
By the law we have no help, but the revealing and warning of our misery.
Luther, Itaque lex eis simpliciter est abrogata, non habet igitur, jus accusandi eos, Sponte enim faciunt, quod lex requirit.
Luther, non data est lex ut justificet, sed ut ostendat peccatum, terreat, accuset, & condemuet.
Hic legis effectus est quando sola est, sine evangelio, & cognition gratiae, ut adducat in desperationem, & finalem impaenitentiam.
Lex in suo usu — est omnipotence; imo est invinbilis omnipotentia - ad quā collata conscientia est infirmissima et pauperrima, et enim tam tenera res, ut propter leviss mum peccatum, ita pavefi • t, & pallescat, ut disperet, nisi rursus erigatur. Quare lex in proprio suo usu plus virium & opum habet, quam coelum & terra comprehendere potest, ita ut etiam unus apex & unum iota legis totum genus humanum occidere possit.
Per legem non adiutorium, sed nostri mali indicium & monitorium habemus.
All this is true of the Law as a Covenant of works without Christ and the Gospel, as Luther saith, quando est sola si • e evangelio, Tom. 1. in Gen. c. 3. f. 57. Then Luther thinketh that the Law conjoined with the Gospel, and as it is in the hand of Christ, hath the being of the law, and not such terrible effects, 2. Luther acknowledgeth that the law as it condemneth is to be preached to believers, that they may crucify the flesh with the lusts thereof, to the wicked, that they may feel sin and be humbled. 3. He will have the law, as it condemns to be the only law that is opposed to grace, and so meaneth the Apostle, Rom. 7.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, &c.
Luther, Lex docenda promiscue — impiis — ut territi agnoscant peccatum suum— humilientur. Piis ut admoneantur carnem suam crucifigere cum concupiscentiis.
Luther, Qui legem damnantem negat Docendam esse reipsa legem simpliciter negat, ac siquid de lege docet, velamen Mosi, non faciem clarem ac veram, id est carnaliter intellectum docet. Lex non damnans est Lex ficta & picta, sicut Chimera & trag • laphus. Nec politica ac naturalis Lex quicquam est, nisi sit damnans & terrens peccatores, Ro. 3.
Luther, the law (condemning) is to be preached promiscuously to the wicked, that they may feel sin, and wrath, and be humbled; and to the godly, that they may crucify the flesh and the lusts thereof.
Those that deny the condemning law should be preached. Deny absolutely the Law (as Paul opposeth the Law to the Gospel) — the Law not condemning, is a fancied and painted Law, a chimera — for the civil and natural Law is nothing, if it be not a Law condemning and terrifying sinners.
1. It is clear both that the Law, as the Law, and as its opposed to the Gospel, and as it condemneth all the world, is abolished to the believer, as we teach with Paul, and all our Divines. 2. That Paul in this notion compareth Law and Gospel as opposite, and so we, with him, teach that believers are not under the Law, in its rigor, exaction and condemnation, but under grace. 3. Yet is the Law not made void, but established by grace, in that the sinner is justified by Christ's passive obedience to the Law, not in any sort by his own active and personal obedience. And so his justification is to him passive, for both the Law is a mere patient to justify the believer, for it condemneth him, but justifieth him not, and he is a mere patient in being justified by the Law, for he never doth, nor can by his own holiness active and personal be justified; for that holiness is contrary to, and swerveth from the perfect and spiritual Law of God. 4. It is evident that Paul, that Luther, Calvin, and our Divines following Paul teach that believers are under the Law as a rule and a commanding and obliging Law laying on them a necessity of living according to the Law.
5. Conclusion.
In regard of the strict union between Christ and a believer, Luther hath many pithy and hyperbolick expressions, that made Antinomians, as they pervert Scripture to their own destruction, to perverr Luther's doctrine, to say a believer is Godded with God, and Christed with Christ, and that God is manned, and huma • ized by a believer. Its necessary to set down some of Luther's expressions and the reasons, why he speaketh so, and both out of his own writings.
Luth. Re vera quicquid de Christo ipso dicitur, mox de quolibet ejus membro vivo & proprio dicitur.
Luth. Vita Christiani non est ipsius, sed Christi in eo viventis.
Christianus est filius Dei, heres regni, frater Christi, socius Angelo rum, dominus mundi, particeps divinae natura.
Luth. Christianus non vivit, non loquitur, non operatur, non patitur, sed Christus in eo, omnia opera ejus sunt opera Christi, tam inestimabilis est gratia fidei.
Luther. Tunc fiunt bona opera quando Deus ipse solus ac totaliter ea facit in nobis, ut operis nulla pars ad nos pertineat.
Christus ergo (inquit Paulus ) sic inhaerens & conglutinatus mihi, hanc vitam, quam ego, vivit in m • ; imo vita qua sic vivo, est Christus ipse: itaque Christus & ego jam unum in hac parte sumus.
Luther. Fide homo fit Deus. 2. Pet. 1.
Verum est hominem Dei gratia adiutum plus quiddam & Augustiorem esse, quam hominem, atque adeo gratia Dei ipsum deiformem reddit, & quasi deificat, ut Scriptura ipsum dominum & Dei filium vocet.
Luther. What ever is said of Christ, may be said of every living and true member of his; so every Christian is a Lamb, just, holy, a rock, a foundation.
The life of a Christian or a believer, is not his own, but the life of Christ living in him.
A Christian is the Son of God, heir of the Kingdom, brother of Christ, a fellow of Angels, Lord of the world, partaker of the divine nature.
Luth. The Christian man liveth not, speaketh not, acteth nothing, suffereth nothing, but Christ in him, all his works are the works of Christ, so invaluable and incomparable is the grace of faith.
Then are good works done when God himself only, and wholly doth them in us, so that no part of them belongeth to us.
Christ therefore (saith paul ) so remaining in, and glued to me, liveth in me, the life that I live, yea the life by which I live, is Christ himself, therefore Christ and I am one in this part, or respect; then we are not one simply.
A man by believing becometh God. 2 Pet 1.
It is true a man helped by the grace of God, is more, yea and more excellent then a man, and therefore the grace of God maketh him of the form of God, and as it were Goddeth him, so as the Scripture calleth him, the Lord, and Son of God.
Such hyperbolick and Rhetorical passages in Luther, which he softened with a ( quasi ) and a ( ut ita loquar ) that I may so speak, as Catachresticall and hard sounding speeches, have driven blasphemous Familists to think and say, as the Bright Star, Theologia Germanica, Hen. Nicholas, Dav. Georgius say, Christ incarnate, or God manifested in the flesh, is nothing but a believer doing by grace greater works then Christ, and that the Saints have by love and faith communicated to them the being, essence, and nature of God, that H. Nicholas that so was Godded with the being of God. That every Saint hath a more excellent Spirit of grace then Christ, as is maintained of late in Oxford, by a Socinian Sectary, so the Familists of new England say the holy Ghost is turned in the place and stead of the natural faculties of the soul, of understanding, conscience, will, memory. 2. That love is the Holy Ghost himself. 3. That the new creature, or new man, is Christ himself. That by love and the Armor of God is meant Christ. That Christ is made flesh in the Saints. That the living Christ worketh in a man in Christ, as in a dead passive creature, so speaketh a Familist, in a blasphemous pamphlet. That there is no inherent grace in the Saints, but Christ immediately worketh all in them, and grace is only in Christ, and therefore we are not to pray, but when the Spirit acteth in us. That we are mere patients in all we do, and God the immediate agent, and that God (as say the Libertines) w is the author of sin and righteousness, no man is to be rebuked for sin, nor to be touched in conscience for sin, because God is the Author and worker thereof, and there is no letter of a command of either Old or New Testament, that doth obleige a believer, The Law is now (saith Saltmarsh) in the Spirit. There be no Laws (saith Del) now in God's Kingdom, but God's Laws, and they are these three.
- 1. The Law of a new creature.
- 2. The Law of the Spirit of life, that is in Christ.
- 3. The Law of Love.
Farewell Scripture then. But Luther exponeth himself, in what sense he meaneth Christ and a believer is one, and a believer is God, and as it were Christed, to wit▪ in regard of the union of the grace of Faith, and the marriage between a believer and Christ. and the legal interest that the broken man hath in Christ his surety. and of the new birth, so saith Luther, Fides est res omnipotence & virtus ejus inestimabilis, & infinita, Faith is an omnipotent thing, and the power thereof invaluable and infinite. Now faith is not Christed, nor Godded with the infinite essence of God or Christ, no more is a believer.
Luther, fides pure docenda est, quod scilicet per • am sic conglutineris, ut ex te & Christo quasi fiat una persona, quae non possit segregari, ut cum fiducia dicere possis: Ego sum Christus, hoc est, Christi justitia, victoria, vita est mea, & vicissim Christus dicat: Ego sum ill peccator, hoc est, ejus peccata et mors mea sunt: Quia adhaeret mihi, & ego illi. Conjuncti enim sumus per fidem in unam carnem & os. Ephe. 5. Ita ut haec fides Christum & me arctius copulet quam maritus uxori copulatus est.
Christus quod ad suam personam attinet, est innocens, ergo non debet suspendi in liguo. Quia vero omnis latro secundum legem suspendi debuit, debuit & Christus secundum legem Mosis suspendi, quia gessit personā peccatoris & latronis, non unius sed omnium peccata portat — non quod ipse commiserit ea.
Quaecunque peccata ego & tu, & nos omnes (clecti) fecimus & in futurum faciemus, tam propria sunt Christi, quam si ea ipse fecisset.
Luther, Faith is purely to be taught, because by it thou art so glued to Christ, that of thee and Christ, there is as it were quasi, made one person, which cannot be segregated, so that with confidence thou may say, I am Christ, that is, Christ's righteousness, victory, and life is mine, and again, Christ may say: I am that sinner, that is, his sin and death are mine, because he adhereth to me, and I to him. We are conjoined by faith, in one flesh and bone, Ephes. 5. so that this faith does more nearly couple Christ and me, then the husband to the wife.
Christ in his own person is innocent, then he ought not to be hanged on a tree, but because every robber ought to be hanged, Christ according to Moses Law, ought to be hanged, because he did bear the person, not of one sinner and robber, but of all sinners and robbers, — He behooved to be the robber— He beareth the sins of all, in his body, — not that he committed them.
What ever sins, I, or thou, or we all have done, or shall hereafter do, are as proper Christ's sins, as if he himself had done them.
Not that they were Christ's intrinsically, in the fundamental guilt, and law-obligation to suffer for them, as Crisp saith, but legally the believers sins are Christ's, the client and the advocate are in Law one law-person, they have but one cause, the surety and the broken man are one, the debt owed by both is one, therefore Christ is the sinner legally.
Luther, The believer in doing nothing, (but believing in his surety) doth all things. and in doing all things (in Christ ) doth nothing.
One Christian tempted, can do more (by faith in him who doth all things for him) quam centum non tentati, than a hundred not tempted can do.
A Christian by faith becometh a conqueror of sin, Law, and death, so as the Ports of hell cannot prevail against him.
Luther, Omnipotency is conjoined with nothingnes and weakness, and causeth the weak to do things unpossible and incredible.
So incomparable is the grace of faith, that it conjoineth the soul with Christ, as the Bride with the Bridegroom, by which mystery Christ and the Soul are made one flesh, and if they be one flesh, then are all things common, whether good or evil things, and what ever Christ hath, the believing soul may presume and glory in them, as its own, and whatever things are the souls own, Christ may ascribe these to himself.
Luther, Faith in Christ causeth him live in me, and move, and work as a saving ointment worketh on a diseased body, and is made with Christ one flesh, one body, by an intimate and unspeakable transmutation of our sin into his righteousness.
Faith bringeth to us Christ, that is, makes us one flesh with him, bone of our bone, and makes all things common with him.
A man in faith may glory in Christ, and say, it is mine that Christ lived, did, said, suffered, died, no otherwise then if I had lived, done, spoken, suffered, died, as the Bridegroom hath all the Brides, and the Bride all the Bridegroom's, for all are common to both, they are one flesh, so Christ and his Church are one Spirit.
Pius nihil faciendo facit omnia, & faciendo omnia nihil facit.
Luther, Vnus Christianus tentatus plus prodest, quam centum non tentati.
Christianus fide constituituitur victor p • ccati, legis, & mortis, ut ne quidem inferorum portae ei praevalere possint.
Luther, Omnipotentia conjungitur cum nihilitudine —eo perducit infirmum ut faciat impossibil • a et incredibilia.
Luther, Fidei gratia incomparabilis hac est, quod animam copulat cum Christo, sicut sponsam cum sponso, quo sacramento Christus & anima efficiuntur una caro, quo • si una caro sint, sequitur & omnia eorum communia fieri, tam bona, quam mala, ut quaecunque Christus habet, de iis tanquam suis presumere & gloriari possit fidelis anima; et quaecunque animae sunt, ea sibi arrogat Christus tanquam sua.
Luth. Fides in Christum facit eum in me vivere, moveri, agere non secus atque salutare unguentum in aegrum corpus agit, efficiturque cum Christo una caro & unum corpus per intimam et ineffabilem transmutationem peccati nostri in illius justitiam.
Fides nobis Christum affert, hoc est, unam carn • m, os ex ossibus nostris, & omnia communia cum illo facit.
Luth. Homo eum fiducia possit gloriari in Christo & dicere. Meum est, quod Christus vixit, egit, dixit, passus est, mortuus est, non secus quam si ego illa vixissem, egissem, dixissem, passus essem, mortuus essem, sicut sponsus habet omnia quae sunt sponsae, & sponsa habet omnia, quae sunt sponsi, omnia enim sunt communia utriusque: sunt enim una caro: Ita Christus & ecclesia sunt unus spiritus.
Conclusion 6.
Antinomians contend, as I prove, at length, from their writings, that there is no sin in the believer, more then in Christ, that Justification is a taking away of sin, root and branch, in its essence and nature, so that pardoned sin is no sin, and hath lost the nature of sin, the justified man is but a sinner seemingly, not in God's, but in the worlds account. So blasphemously they speak. But Luther and all Protestant Divines say they are licentious teachers, and gratify the flesh, and belie the Holy Ghost that so teach.
Luther whoever is justified, he is still a sinner, yet he is as it were fully and perfectly reputed righteous, the Lord pardoning and showing mercy.
Saltmarsh contradicting Luther saith the Scripture calleth us (being justified) ungodly and sinners and children of wrath, not that we are so, but seem so : or, not in God's account, but the worlds, so De • , Crisp, Town, Eaton.
Luther, We are just, and declared to be the Sons of God: but sin originally remaineth in us, rebelling against us, we are not free from all pollutions.
Its better that Peter and Paul falling in unbelief, be accursed, then that one iota of the Evangel pass away.
All the Saints have sin, and are sinners, and also none of them do sin, they are righteous according to that which grace hath wholled, and sinners in that in which they are to be wholled.
By God's mercy, the Saints when they are hardened, fall in manifest sin — and with so great care, God is forced to save them, that contrary to mercy, he leads them to mercy, and by sin freeth them from sin.
Luther, Peccator est adhuc quisquis justificatur, & tamen, velut plene et perfect justus reputatur, ignoscente et miserente Deo.
Luth. Sumus quidem justi & declarati filii regni sed peccatum originis manet adhuc rebellans in nobis. Non sumus puri ab omnibus vitiis & inquinamentis.
Melius est Petrum & Paulum in infidelitatem lapsos, imo Anathema haberi quam unum iota Evangelii perire.
Luth. Omnes sancti habent peccatum, suntque peccatores; & nullus peccat: iusti sunt juxta illud, quod gratia in iis sanavit, peccatores, juxta quod adhuc sanandi sunt.
Luth. Proinde fit miserante Deo — ut si sint Sancti crassioris duritiae, cadant aliquando in man • estarium opus peccati, — tanta{que}, curâ illos Deus cogitur servare, ut contra misericordiam suam eos ad misericordiam perducat, & per peccatum a peccato liberet.
It is a proverb (saith Luther ) they must have strong bones, who can bear many fair days of prosperity. Oportet esse ossa robusta, qui serant dies bonos. So say I, not sinning, and not being acquainted with our own weakness in falling in sin, hath broken many bones, and the falls of David and Peter hath cured their bones.
Relative non formaliter a • t substantialiter est peccatum sublatum, lex abolita, mors destructa.
By way of relation, not formally, nor essentially, is sin taken away, the Law abolished, death destroyed.
Hear this, Antinomians, who teach that sin pardoned loseth the nature and being of sin, so that God can see no sin in a believer.
Originis peccatum transit reatu, manet actu.
Luth. Deus peccata delet quoad remissionem culpae & ipsam vim peccati, non quoad rem seu materiam peccati: Haec vi • peccati per miseri • ordiam gratuitam tollitur, & tamen manēt verae hujus veneni reliquiae: ergo utrumque verum est: Quod nullus Christianus hab • t peccatum: & quod omnis Christianus habet peccatum-hinc duplex p • ccatum apud Christianos, peccatum remissum & peccatum reliquum, quod extirpandum & abluendum est.
Christianus non est formaliter justus, non justus secundum substantiam aut qualitatem, — sed est justus secundum praedicamentum ad aliquid, nempe respectu divina gratiae tantum, & remissionis gratuitae quae contingi • agnoscentibus peccatum & credentibus.
Sin original passeth away after baptism in the guilt, it remaineth actually.
God taketh away our sins, as touching the remission of the fault, and the power of sin, not according to the thing itself, and the matter of sin, this power of sin through free mercy is removed, and yet the true relics of this poison remaineth; then both is true, none in Christ hath sin, everyone in Christ hath sin: there is a twofold sin in Christians, a sin pardoned, and a sin remaining; a sin to be rooted out, a sin to be washen out.
Luther. A Christian is not formally just: he is not just according to the substance or quality— but according to relation; to wit, in regard of grace only, and of remission of sins, which befalleth freely to such as confess their sins and believe.
This is our very doctrine, point blank contrary to Antinomians. Crisp saith, Sin is taken away, as money removed out of a place, it was once in, it is no more in its being and nature there, then if it had never been there. The believer is as just and as clean from sin as Christ ; God cannot see sin in a believer, because pardoned sin as lost the nature of sin, and both his person and his works are perfect and sinless before God. The devil cannot teach more fleshly doctrine; for we are only by justification just by a relative righteousness as the prodigal bankrupt is just legally, and free from debt, for which is his surety hath satisfied. But the bankrupt personally, inherently, subjectively and in himself, is an unjust waster a thief and a robber, and hath in him still a sinful disposition to take one new debt, except both inherent and assisting grace hinder him; there is not this injustice in the surety, far less can any such thing be dreamed to be in Christ, nor is pardoned sin taken away in its nature and being, as money removed out of a place, its only in its law, obligation, and rigid power of condemning removed, as if it never had been; and we, with Luther, say, that sin remaineth formally and essentially sin in the complete being and nature of sin, both in our person and best works after we are pardoned and justified, though God see it not as a judge therefore to condemn us; the sting and condemning guilt of sin, not the sin itself, in its nature and being, is removed, as a Serpent without a sting▪ hath still the being and nature of a Serpent. A Lion, chained that it cannot devour, is still a Lion: so is sin pardoned, still sin in the kind and nature of transgression against a divine Law.
Luther. Haec est justitia infinita & omnia peccata in momento absorbens, quia impossible est quod peccatum in Christo haere. at, & qui credit, haeret in Christo, est que unus cum Christo, habens candem justitiam c • m ipso.
Luther. Impossible est ut peccet filius Dei quicunque, tametsi verum est, quod peccat: sed quia ignoscitur ei, ideo vero etiam peccans, non peccat.
Non videt Deus dubitationem de voluntate ejus, diffidentiam — & alia p • ccata quae adhuc hab • o. Don •• enim vivo in carne, vere peccatum est in me.
Luth. Peccatain nobis manent, quae Deus maxim odit, ideo propter illa oportet nos habere imputationem justitiae.
Luther. Non est dicendum, quod baptismus non tollat omnia peccata. Vere enim omnia tollit, non secundum substantiam, sed plurimum secundum substantiam, & totum secundum vires ejus, simul quotidie etiam tollens secundum substantiam, ut evacuetur.
Luther. Renatus non peccat▪ & peccat, peccat in opere eodem propter voluntatem carnis: non peccat propter contrariam voluntatem spiritus.
Quotidie peccat omnis homo, sed & quotidie poenitet.
Toto vitae tempore durat peccatum in carne nostrâ, & adversatur Spiritui sibi adversario: Quare omnia opera post justificationem sunt aliud nihil quam paenitentia, aut bonum propositum contra peccatum.
Luther. Quotidie Spiritualiter in quolibet Christiano subinde invenitur per vices tempus legis & gratiae.
Luth. Multae horae sunt, in quibus cum Deo rixor, & impatienter ei repugn • : mihi & judicium Dei displicet: ipsi vicissim displicet mea impatientia: hoc tempus legis est, in quo Christianus sub carnem semper est: car • concupiscit, &c. — Tempus gratiae est, cum cor iterum •• igitur & dicit, Quar • tristis es anima mea &c. Qui istam artem been nosset, ill merito diceretur Theologus: Ego & mei similes vix tenemus hujus artis prima elementa.
Luther, Imo quo quisque magis pius est, hoc plus sentit illam pugnam.
Ego Monachus statim putabam actum de sal • te meâ si quando s • ntiebam co • cupiscentiam carnis; tent • bam multa, confitebar quotidie, sed nihil prorsus proficiebam, si tum recte, intellexissem Pauli sententiam, Caro concupiscit adversus▪ Spiritum, non usque adeo me a •• lixissem: sed, ut hodie soleo, cogita •• em. Martin, tu non carebis probus peccato, quia carnem adhuc habes — Staupicius dicere solitus, millies vovi me probi • rem fore, •• nquam praesti • i, amplius non v • vebe.
Luther. Hoc quod verê peccatum est contra legem, lex pro peccato non potest accusare in piis.
Luth. Peccatum remissum est, quod fiduciâ misericordiae contritum est, ne damnet, ne accuset, & tamen propter hanc carnem, adhuc pullulat & militat in carne.
Cavendum ne illas peccati reliquas extenuemus— vilescit enim purgator.
Luther. Manent in nobis reliquiae peccatorum quae quotidianâ remission opus habent.
Luther. Remissa quidem & tecta sunt omnia peccata, sed nondum expurgata, haeret in nobis tantum libidinis, superbiae, odii—sed occultae etiam maculae, dubitatio, imputientia.
Luther. In carne nostra etiam cum justificati sumus; reliquiae peccati manent, ne scilicet sumus otios • , s • d habeamus exercitia pietatis.
Peccatum, sicut Augustinus loquitur, actu manet, reactu tamen transit, hoc est, res ipsa qu • vere peccatum e • t, & remissa est, & â Deo tolleratur, ea manet in carne reliqua, nec dum plane mortua est, nisi quod per Christum, caput serpentis contritum est, lingua tamen adhuc mi • at & cauda minatur ictum.
Luth. Quid, Inquies? an non decalogus praestari debet? si autem praestatur, an non ea justitia est? Respondeo volumus decalogum praestare & servare sed cum largâ, hoc est vere Evangelicâ dispensatione seu distinctione. Quia accipimus tantum primitias Spiritus, & gemitus Spiritus in cord manent, item caro nostra cum suis libidinibus ac concupiscentiis, hoc est tota arbor cum fructibus etiam manet: haec causa est cur decalogus nunquam pleno praestari possit.
Luther. The infinite justice of God in a moment swalloweth up all sin; because it is impossible that sin remain in Christ, and he that believes in Christ, remaineth in Christ, and is one with Christ, having the same righteousness with him.
It is unpossible that a Son of God should sin, though it be true, that he sin, but because his sin is pardoned, therefore when he truly sins, he sins not.
Because of saith, God seeth not my doubting, my unbelief, my sadness of spirit, and other sins, which I have yet in me; for so long as I live in the flesh it is truly sin that is in me; but because I am under the shadow of Christ's wings, I am protected as a chicken under an hen.
Sins remain in us, which God hateth; for them therefore we must have the imputed righteousness of Christ.
We must not say that baptism takes not away all our sins▪ for it truly takes them all away, not in their essence or nature, but in some respect in their nature, and wholly in their dominion, and it removes them daily in their being and nature, through the growth of sanctification, that sin at length may be fully exhausted and spent.
Luther. A renewed man sins, and sins not: he sins in the same work, in regard of the will of the flesh, he sins not because of the contrary will of the spirit.
Luther. (every renewed) man daily sins, and daily repents.
All our life sin dwells in our flesh, and resists the spirit, as an adversary, therefore all our works after justification, are nothing but repentance, or a good purpose against sin.
Luther. Every day there is by course spiritually in every Christian a time of the Law and of Grace.
There be many hours in which I quarrel with God, and impatiently fight against him, the wrath and judgment of God displeaseth me: and again, my impatience displeaseth him, this is the time of the Law, in which a Christian is under the flesh, for the flesh ever lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, in some more, in some less. The time of grace is when the heart is erected, and saith, why art thou cast down, O my soul, &c. He that knows this art well, is deservedly a Divine. I and those like me, know scarce the first elements thereof.
The more godly any is, the more he feels this battle.
When I was a Monk, I thought my heaven gone, so often as I felt the concupiscence of the flesh, I assay'd much, I confessed every day but in vain, while I understood Paul, saying, The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, then I was not so afflicted, I thought then as now. Martin, even thou, though godly, shalt not want sin, and this battle, despair not, but fight then, thou art not under the Law. Staupicius said, I have vowed a thousand times to be godlier, but I keep not, I will vow no more, &c.
Luther, That which is truly sin against the Law, the Law cannot accuse as sin in the godly.
Luther. Sin that is pardoned, is broken, through confidence of mercy, that it condemn not, or accuse not, yet because of the flesh it springs up and wars in the flesh.
Beware to think little or much of the relics of sin, for so the purger, the holy Spirit is lightly esteemed.
The relics of sin remain in us, which need daily pardon.
All (the believers) sins are pardoned and covered, but not yet purged, so much pride, hatred, lust, &c. yea, inward blots, unbelief, impatience, murmuring, remain in us.
The relics of sin remain in our flesh, even when we are justified, least we should be idle, that we may have exercises of godliness.
Sin, as Augustine speaks remaineth in us actually, and in guilt it passeth away, that is, the thing itself that is truly sin, is both pardoned, and tolerated by God, and the remnant of it remains in the flesh, and is not close dead, except that by Christ the Serpents head is bruised, yet his tongue moveth, and his tail threatens a stroke.
What, you will say? ought not the ten Commandments to be kept? or if they be kept, is not that our righteousness? I answer, we will perform and keep the ten Commandments but with a large, that is, with a truly Evangelic dispensation and distinction, because we receive only the first fruits of the Spirit, and the sighs of the Spirit remain in our heart, also our flesh with the lusts and concupiscence, that is, the whole tree (the whole body of sin in its nature and being, say Antinomians what they will) with the fruits thereof remains, this is the cause why the Law can never be perfectly kept.
Luther does most excellently deliver the differences of Law and Gospel, of which Antinomians are altogether ignorant, Luther calleth the Law a letter, a dead, a condemning letter, not as Antinomians say, because in the Gospel, as Del saith, The word and the Spirit are always conjoined, and therefore Christ saith, the words that I speak are spirit and life, that is, they come from the Spirit and carry Spirit with them, which the Law doth not: but Luther meaneth that the Law, as the Law and Covenant of works, hath nothing at all of the Spirit, but as a pedagogue to Christ it hath the Spirit conveying it in the hearts of the elect, and the Gospel, as the Gospel, promiseth and hath conjoined with it, the Spirit, not always, not when preached to Capernaim, as Del citeth ignorantly the text Joh. 6. not when preached to Pharisees, but when preached to the elect, and not always, not when their hearts are hardened, Mark. 6.52. Mark. 8.16, 17. but when God is pleased to open their hearts, and effectually to concur with the word of the Gospel: For Luther saith what ever revealeth sin, wrath, and death, does the office of the Law, whether in the Old or New Testament, according to Luther, the Gospel may act the Laws part on a hardened hearer: and so it hath not the Spirit always accompanying it, and the Law, when it is made a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ, carrieth the Spirit with it; but Antinomians mean no other thing but that the Gospel is the very holy Spirit himself. A most absurd Doctrine, the Gospel is the word of grace, the Holy Spirit is God making the word of grace effectual.
Luther. The Evangel is a word both of power and grace, while it beats on the ears, & within pours in the Spirit. But if it pour not in the Spirit, a hearing man differeth not from a deaf man. Then the Gospel is sometimes without the Spirit, as well as the Law.
Except the doctrine of faith, by which the heart is purified and justified, be revealed, all teaching of all commands is literal, and the tradition of Fathers.
The Law teacheth what is your debt, and what you want, Christ giveth what you should do, and what you should have.
Augustine saith, the Law of works saith do what I command: the law of faith saith to God, grant, Lord, what thou commandest: and again, what the Law of works commandeth by threatening, that the Law of faith obtains by believing, the people of the Law is haughty, the people of Faith, sighs for pardon.
Every law, especially God's Law, is a word of wrath, the power of sin, the law of death: the Gospel is the word of grace, life, salvation, the word of righteousness and peace.
It is a wonder, and unknown to the world, to teach Christians to be ignorant of the Law, and to live so before God, as if there were no Law. For except thou be ignorant of the law, and conclude in thy heart, there is no law, no wrath, but only grace and mercy in Christ Jesus, thou cannot be saved, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, by the contrary, so the law and works must be pressed on the unbelieving world, as if there were no Gospel promise, no grace.
Luther, The Gospel is a preaching of Christ, that he pardons sin, gives grace, justifies and saves sinners. Whereas there are Commandments in the Gospel, they are not Gospel, but expositions of the law, and consequences of the Gospel.
Evangelium verbum virtutis & gratiae simul est dum aures pulsat, intus Spiritum infundit. Quod si Spiritum non infundit, nihil differt audiens â surdo.
Luther, Nisi doctrina • idet, quâ cor purificatur & justificatur, reveletur, omnis omnium praeceptorum eruditio, Literalis & paterna traditio.
Lex docet quid debeas, & quo careas, Christus dat quod facias & habeas.
Augustinus dicit, lex factorum dicit homini, fac quod jubeo: Lex autem fidei dicit Deo: da quod jubes: iterum, quod lex factorum minando imperat, hoc lex fidei credendo impetrat.
Luther, Lex quae cunque presertim divina est verbum irae, virtus peccati, lex mortis: Evangelium vero est verbum gratiae, vitae, salutis, verbum justitiae & salutis.
Res mira, mundo inaudita, Docere Christianos ut discant ignorare legem, utque sic vivant coram Deo quasi penitus nulla lex sit, nisi enim ignoraveris legem & in cord tuo statueris, nullam esse legem, & iram Dei, & tantum, graciam & misericordiam propter Christum, non potes salvus fieri. — E contra in mundo sic urgeri lex & opera debent, quasi prorsus nulla sit promissio & gratia.
Evangelium est predicatio De Christo, quod remittat peccatum, donet gratiam, justificet & salvet peccatores. Quod autem praecepta in Evangelio reperiuntur, ista non sunt Evangelium, sed expositions & apendices Evangelii.
Luther meaneth that as the Gospel is distinguished from the Law, and containeth the Doctrine of justification by free grace without works, so the precepts of good works, are not Gospel-precepts▪ but otherwise taking the Gospel in its latitude, it confirmeth and establisheth the law, and commandeth the same works of sanctification, which the Law commandeth.
7. Conclusion.
And whereas Luther calleth the Law a dead letter, as the Gospel is a saving word, he hath not the same meaning with Antinomians to exclude all outward commands, to cry down the Scriptures and the written Law and Gospel, and turn the Gospel in the Spirit, and to remove all outward ordinances, word, Sacraments, praying, and make faith all our work, and the Spirit of life, that is, in Christ all our Law, as Del and Saltmarsh and other Antinomians do; and as Theologia Germanica doth, and other Familists teach: for Luther aimeth highly to extol Scripture, as you may read in Luther tom. 1.166. to. 1.252.531. to. 2.22.237.310. to. 2. in Genes. c. 17. fol. 85. and to. 2. in Gen. c. 19.143. I hate my own books, often I wish they may perish, for fear they take the readers, and draw them from reading of the Scripture, to 3. in Genes. f. 45. c. 24. Its a common proverb, Princes letters should be thrice read, so far more God's letters. Vel millies legendae, should be a thousand times read ; and whereas Antinomians and Familists are all for allegories. Luther is not so.
The literal sense of the Scriptures is the whole substance of Christian faith and divinity, which only carrieth a man out in temptation.
Allegories are empty speculations, and the froath of Scripture.
An allegory is a fair whore that cannot but be loved for the present by idle men, that are not tempted.
Only the historical sense doth rightly and solidly instruct, fight, defend, conquer edify.
Luther. Literalis sensus scripturae s • lus tota est fidei & Theology Christianae substantia qui in tentatione solus subsistit.
Luther. Allegoriae sunt inanes speculationes & tanquam spuma sacrae Scripturae.
Est allegoria tanquam formosa meritrix quae ita blanditur hominibus ut non possit non amari praesertim ab hominibus otiosis▪ qui sunt sine tentatione.
Luther. Historicus sensus recte & solid erudit, pugnat, defendit, vincit, aedificat.
And Luther acknowledgeth a literal sense of the Law.
Luther, Spiritualis intelligentia legis est ea, quâ scitur lex requirere Spiritum, & nos carnales convincere▪ literalis ea, quâ putatur, imo erratur, legem posse impleri operibus & viribus nostris citra Spiritum gratiae.
The Spiritual understanding of the Law, is that by which the law is known to require the Spirit, and to convince us that are carnal, and that is the literal meaning of the Law, by which men think, yea, erroneously imagine, the law may be fulfilled by works & our strength without the Spirit of grace.
Then to Luther, the literal knowledge of the Law or the old letter of the Law, is the false sense of the Law, that we can be justified by works; and Luther never condemneth Law or Gospel, because written and in outward commandments, as Antinomians do. And again, the law without the Spirit, as also the Gospel, is literal and legal to Luther.
Lex litera est, sive scribatur, sive dicatur, sive intelligatur, donec ametur.
The law is a letter, either written, spoken, or understood, till it be loved, this is not a work of the teaching Law, but of justifying faith converting souls.
It is true, Luther holdeth that all commandments of law and Gospel, are then sweet, and Christ's yoke easy, when the Spirit concurreth to make them sweet; but neither doth this cry down the Scriptures, nor make the Spirit, the only obleiging rule, as Del, Town, Saltmarsh, Crisp, do.
Luther, Ita dulcescunt praecepta Dei quando non in libris tantum, sed in vulneribus dulcissimi salvatoris legenda▪ intelligimus.
Luther, Duplex est lex: una Spiritus & fidei, quâ vivitur Deo, victis peccatis, impletâque lege: altera, lex literae & operum, quâ vivitur peccato nunquam impletâ lege, per legem enim suscitatur odium legis, sed per fidē infunditur dilectio legis.
Luth. tom. 4.88. Tu urges servum, hoc est, scripturam & eam non totam — sed locos de operibus, — Ego urgeo dominum (Christum) qui est Rex Scripturae, qui est factus mihi meritum & pretium justitiae & salutis. Then the law without Christ is the letter of bondage and fear.
Lex literae & lex spiritus differunt, sicut signum & signatum: sicut verbum & res: Ideo obtentâ re, jam signo non est opus: Itaque neque justo lex est posita, habito enim solo signo, docemur rem ipsam quaerere.
Luther, So the Commandments of God, become sweet, when we understand them to be read, not only in books (then as written they are sweet,) but also in the wounds of the most sweet Savior.
Luther, There is a twofold law; one of the Spirit and faith, by which we live well to God, sin being subdued, and the law fulfilled: The other, the law of the Letter and of works, by which we live to sin, the law never being fulfilled but with a feigned fulfilling. For by the law (the mere letter of the law without faith or grace) is stirred up a hatred of the Law, but by faith is infused a love of the law.
The Law of the letter and the law of the Spirit differ, as the sign and the thing signified: as the word and the thing, the when the thing is obtained, there is no need of the sign. So there is no law to the just man▪ but having only the sign, we are taught to seek the thing itself.
This expression of Luther, with another in the same Tome, to wit, The justified man ought n • t to live holily, but he doth live holily: gave occasion to Antinomians to dream (but its but a dream) that Luther is theirs, as if Luther had been of their mind, that the justified is under no commanding power of the law, and that being once justified, and having obtained the Spirit, they are not obliged by any obligation of a command involving sin in case of disobedience, to either, read, hear, or meditate in the Scriptures, but are so freed from the sign, having obtained the thing, that they are not under the letter of law or Gospel written or preached, or under any outward command, or Ordinance, or Law, or Sacrament, or sin, or obligation at all, but are led by a free arbitrary Spirit separated from all letter of the word. A vain dream. For Luther holdeth the letter of the Law, to be an erroneous, false, and wicked seeking of righteousness by the works of the Law, and a living to sin, and from the oldness of the letter in this sense we are freed by the Spirit of faith; and Luther explaineth himself, when he saith, Obtentare jam signo non opus, having obtained the Spirit, we need not the letter. He meaneth nothing less then when we have received the Spirit, we need not the written Scriptures or the Commandment or any outward Ordinances, nor any commanding. Sure Satan devised that sense, it came never in Luther, never in Paul's mind; but he meaneth having obtained the thing, that is, the Spirit, we need not the sign, that is the letter of the Law only, without the Spirit: now the letter of the Law only commandeth perfect and exactly absolute obedience under the pain of eternal damnation. But Luther explaineth himself in the very next words, Ideo obtenta re (Spiritu) jam signo non opus: Itaque neque justo lex ost posita: What is that? Luther to. 4. fol. 178. Lex justo non est posita, sic enim justus vivit ut nullâ lege opus habeat &c. He so liveth that he hath not need of the Law to teach and command without Christ that he must perform absolutely p • rfect obedience to the Law, otherwise he is eternally condemned; this is the letter of the Law, for the just man is in Christ. Ideo Lex (saith Luther there) non potest accusare & reos agere credentes in Christum, the Law cannot accuse and condemn believers in Christ: in the same sense, saith Luther, to. 1.451. Justus non debet been vivere ; the justified man ought not to live holily, according to the letter of the absolute commanding Law enjoining obedience under pain of eternal condemnation; for faith looseth him from this, debet, and from this Law debt yet, vivit been, he liveth holily, and he ought to live holily in an Evangelic sense; and that this is Luther's mind, is clear; the just man is loosed from that Law, that the unjust and believer is under; as Luther saith in the same place, Injustus debet been vivere. Now the believer being under the Law, he is a full debtor to pay active and passive obedience to the brim, he owes in a manner, as much as Christ paid to the Law. 2. Luther saith in the same place, Hoc totum urget, &c. God presseth all this that we seek not a letter-righteousness, that is righteousness by the works of the Law, for the Law in its letter requireth absolute obedience under the pain of death. But Christ's intention & sense is not that the • etter of the Law, Cursed be he that obeyeth not in all that is written in the Law to do it, shall stand against the believer; but that the spiritual sense shall stand, that the believer shall be cursed in his head Christ, suffering for him, and that he shall fulfill the Law, not in the letter, that is perfectly and completely, (for so the old letter is now out of date, and passeth away to the believer) but in the Spirit, that is an Evangelic obedience to the Law.
8. Conclusion.
Antinomians hold that a justified man is perfect and free from sin both in person and works, as if he were in heaven, and that the natural, civil, and religious works of believers are made perfect in the sight of God. Then must they perfectly keep the Law, and Christ must make our good works exactly conform to the Law, what can hinder us then to be justified by works? Randal the Antinomian and Familist, said These are ever learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth, who say, That perfection is not attainable in this life ▪ So Bullinger l. 1. c. 8. tells of the fourth sort of Anabaptists in his time, that said they could not sin, and the Church was without spot and wrinkle, they left out in the Lord's prayer, Forgive us our sins: and said we are justified by works, and could keep the Law perfectly. Sure Luther denies the believers to be perfect in this life.
Say not, I am perfect, I cannot fall, but be humble and fear, thou▪ that stands today, mayst fall tomorrow.
Luther So is the life of a Christian, that he who hath begun, may seem to have nothing; therefore Paul saith, I believe not that I have apprehended, Phil. 3. because nothing is more pernicious to a faithful man, then that presumption as if he had apprehended it, and there were no need to seek; so many make defection, and whether through security and negligence. So Bernard, to stand in the way of God is to go back, then to him that is be-back, then to him that is begun to be a Christian, this remaineth, to esteem himself, not a Christian, but to seek to be a Christian. A Christian is not at his end, but in his way, that he may glory with Paul, I am not, but I desire to be, and as many of us as are perfect, let us remain in this rule, — then he that is a Christian, is no Christian, that is, he that believeth he is made a Christian▪ when he is to be made a Christian — we endeavor toward heaven, we are not in heaven: so he is already in heaven who endeavors toward heaven, because God counts him to be in heaven. — woe to him that is wholly renewed that is, who believeth he is renewed. Then woe to Town, Saltm • rsh, for these, that are as free from sin as Christ, must be perfect.
Luther, The mind of man, when it is in temptation and danger, with difficulty rests on this consolation, for thus it doth perpetually complain: What shall be done? when shall it be done? where shall it be done? I answer then, wait on, wait on, if it be longer deferred, and the mind ask again, when shall it be? say thou, I have no other advice, but that thou endure and wait on longer, one, two, three years, he that cometh will come, and will not • arry.
Luther. Ne dicas ego perfectus sum, non possum labi, sed humiliare, et time: ne hodie stance, cras cadas.
Luther. Sic est vita Christiana, ut qui caeperit, sibi videatur nihil habere, sed tendit & pergit ut apprehendat: unde Paulus: non arbitror me apprehendisse Phil. 3. quia re vera nihil pernitiosius est homini fideli quā ista praesumptio, quasi apprehenderit, & opus quaerendi non sit, hinc etiam multi relabuntur & marcessunt securitate & ignavia. Sic Bernardus: Stare in viâ Dei est retrogredi, quare qui caepit esse Christianus, hoc restat, ut cogites, so nondum esse Christianum, sed quaerere, ut fiat Christianus, ut cum Paulo possit gloriari: non sum, sed cupio esse—Christianus, non est in facto▪ sed in fieri— igitur qui Christianus est, non Christianus est, hoc est, qui se putat Christianum factum, cum sit tantum facien • us Christianus — tendin • us in coelum, non sumus in coelo. — Vae illi qui jam totus renovatus est, id est qui putat sese esse renovatum, ill absque dubio non caepit renovari, nec unquā gustavit quid sit esse Christianum, &c.
Luther, Animus humanus quando est in tentatione & periculo, difficulter hâc consolatione acquiescit: sic enim perpetuo a • gi & quaeri solet. Quid fiet? Quando fiet? Vbi fiet? Respondeo igitur: exspecta, exspecta. Quodsi longius differtur & rursus quaerit, non habeo aliud, quod consula • , inquies quam ut • era • et exspectes amplius annum unum, duos tres, veniens, veni •• & non tardabet.
Saltmarsh and Town, teach contrary to this, a believer wanteth nothing (say they) of heaven in this life, but believe he is in heaven, and he is not saved by hope, but hath heaven already in this life.
Luther, Grace doth not so change the godly, that it maketh them in all things new and perfect. Many things are purged, especially the very head of the Serpent, unbelief▪ ignorance of God is loved, but the scally body, and the relics of sin remain in us.
Luther, Sin in the Saints not only hath being, life, will, operation, fighting, but also it robs and leads captive, yea, (which is a greater wonder) it rages like a mad man, more in the godly, then in the wicked.
Luther, It is one thing to speak of God incarnate, or man made God, and another thing of God and man simply, so sin out of the element of grace is one thing, and sin in grace another, as you may imagine, grace, or the gift of God made sinless, and sin graced, so long as we are here, so that because of grace sin shall not be sin.
Luther, Gratia non • ic mutat pios, ut per omnia reddat novos & perfectos. Multa quidem purgantur, praecip •• autem ipsum caput serpentis, i • credulitas & ignorantia Dei praeciditur & conteritur, sed squamosum corpus & reliquia pec • ati manent in nobis.
Luther, Peccatum in sanctis non solum est, non solum vivit, non solum vult, non solum operatur, non solum repugnat▪ sed etiam furit, & captivat: Imo quod mireris, in impiis non sic furit.
Luther, Aliud est de Deo incarnato, vel homine Deifica • o loqui, & aliud de Deo & homine simpliciter. Ita aliud est peccatum extra gratiam, aliud in gratia, ut possis imaginari gratiam • eu donum Dei esse impeccatificatum, & peccatum gratificatum, quamdi • hic sumus, ut propter donum & gratiam, peccatum, jam non peccatum sit.
If Antinomians would learn: Luther hath a necessary mystery in this, for he meaneth, that sin is exceeding sinful in its own element, in a wicked man, being not pardoned in Christ, in him sin is sin, but sin in a believer, though it keep still the nature of sin, (justification destroyeth not, nor removeth (as Antinomian, ignorantly dream) sin in its nature: but only in its guilt, or actual condemnation) yet in a believer, sin is made as it were sinless or no sin, in regard that sin in them is lustered and graced with pardon, and so leaveth off to be sin-condemning, and cursing, as it is in the wicked.
Luther, Libenter (in credente) Spiritus vellet totus esse purus: sed caro conjuncta illi non permittit.
Frustrà exspec • amus in hâc vitâ perfectionem hanc, ut toti justi simus, ut Deum perfect diligamus, &c.
Luther, David fatetur Spiritum sanctum se habere, sed nondum perfect aut totum, sunt enim tantum primitiae Spiritus.
Luther, Haec propria scientia Christianorum est, scire • se in peccatis natum esse, idque in carne haerere usque ad mortem, nec posse nos ab eo perfect liberari & mundari nisi per mortem, vermes & ignem extremum.
Luther, Gladly would the Spirit in the believer be wholly pure, but the flesh conjoined therewith will not permit it.
In vain look we for perfection in this life, that we should be all just and love God perfectly, and our neighbor as our self.
Luther, David acknowledgeth that he hath the holy Spirit, but not perfectly: or in whole, for they be but the first fruits of the Spirit.
This is the proper knowledge of Christians to know that they are borne in sin, and that it sticks in the flesh to death, and that we cannot be freed and purged perfectly therefrom, but by death, the worms and the last fire.
9 Conclusion.
Luther is far from denying remission of sins, and that complete and actual to the Jews under the Law, or any way of Justification to them by the Law, but by faith in Christ, as we are justified and saved.
Luther, ipse Moses & qui sub eo fuerunt, non sunt justificati ex lege: JustiJustitia enim non est facere legem, sed credere pr • mittenti Deo.
Luther Peccatorum remissio omnibus • aeculis fuit eadem; Christus autem heri & hodie idem est etiam in saecula: illi igitur fiduciâ Christi venturi, nos fiduciâ Christi exhibiti, passi glorificati salvamur, & remissionem peccatorum consequimur.
Holaca • s • a in lege a sanctis & justis exhibita eo sine off • rebantur: non ut justificarentur per ea, sed ut testarerentur se accepisse misericordiam — sic bos immolatus est testis gratiae, seu ut ita dicam, operaria vox gratitudinis, seu gratitudo manualis, quâ manus effundit gratitudinem, tanquam realibus vocabulis.
Christum illi crediderunt futurum, nos scimus eum exhibitum & abiisse ad patrem ut pararet nobis mansiones, &c.
Vidit Abraham diem Christi, Joh. 8. sed vidit in fide & Spiritu tantum.
Idem Christus eademque fides ab Abel ad finem mundi per varia • aecula regnavit in electis.
Luther, Moses himself, and those that were under him, were not justified by the Law, for righteousness is not to do the Law, but to believe God promising.
There was the same Remission of sins in all ages. Christ is the same today, yesterday, and the same forever, they were saved and justified by faith in Christ to come, we by faith in Christ come, suffering, glorified.
Luther saith, tom. 1. p. 529. Non facta sed fidem patrum imitemur, let us follow not the deeds, but the faith of the Fathers.
Luther, burnt offerings were not for justification, but a sacrificed Ox was a witness of grace, and to speak so a working voice of thankfulness, or an handy or manual gratitude, by which the hand poured out thankfulness by real words.
They believed in Christ to come, we know he is come, and gone to the father to prepare dwelling places for us.
Luther; Abraham saw Christ's day in faith, and the spirit only.
Luther, the same Christ, the same faith from Ab • l to the end of the world, and did reign in divers ages of the world.
Antinomians, as Den, Crisp, Saltmarsh, Del, deny any heart-Reformation▪ true conversion to God, actual remission of sins, and of all sins, or free justification by free grace in a Gospel-way, to the Jews under Moses, as we are justified, and saved under the Messiah, and make the promises and covenant of grace, with Papists, and S •• inians, to differ in substance and nature from our Gospel-promises and free covenant, as if their law tutory, Gal. 4. had varied the way of Justification and salvation to them, and to us.
CHAP. XII. Of Christian Liberty, and of sense, true and false.
10 Conclusion.
Antinomians have not Luther for them in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty.
Luther, Vnusquis{que} Christianus sciat; s • per Christum constitutum esse in conscientia dominum legis, peccati, mortis: contra sc • at quoque hanc servitutem externam corpori suo impositam, ut per charitatem serviat p • oprio. Qui autem aliter intelligent libertatem, &c.
Luther, Omnia sunt libera nobis per fid • m, omnia serva per charitatem: ut, simul stet servitus libertatis, et libertas servitutis.
Libertas Evangelii non tollit res, & corpora, & debit • , nominum, sed conscientias liberat a vinculis spiritualibus.
Luther, Christianus in conscientia debet esse medicus, in externis moribus debet esse asinus.
Per fidem Christi non sumus liberi ab operibus, sed ab opinionibus operum id est, a stultâ praesumptione justitiae per opera quesitae.
Let every Christian know, that by Christ he is made in his conscience (as he believeth in Christ) the Lord of law, sin, death, so that these have no power over him. On the contrary, let him know that this external servitude is laid on the outward man, that by love he is to serve his neighbor. Those who otherwise understand Christian liberty (as Antinomians, who think they owe no obedience to the Law) they enjoy the gain of the Gospel to their own destruction, and are worse Idolaters under the name of Christians, then they were in Popery.
All things are free to us by Faith, yet all things are under obligation of Law, in regard of charity, that so the servitude of liberty, and the liberty of servitude, might stand together.
The liberty of the Gospel takes not away things, bodies, nor duties of men, but freeth the consciences from spiritual bands of wicked opinions.
Th • Christian in his conscience should be a phycisian, but without in external conversation, an Ass, to bear the burden of Brethren. Luther meaneth in things indifferent, that are without the case of scandal, as he exponeth himself, Tom. 1 472.528. and clearly, To. 1. In Christum credentibus omnia munda, indifferentia licita sunt, quaecun{que} vel praecipiuntur vel prohibentur externis ceremoniis, &c. and Tom. 2.154, 155, 156 158.
Through faith in Christ, we are not free from works, but from opinions of works, that is, from a foolish presumption of righteousness to come by works.
Now by opinion of good works, Luther meaneth conscience, and the resting of the conscience on good works, as our righteousness, hence so often, saith Luther, the Law hath nothing to do with the conscience, the Law hath no power over the conscience, the Law ought not to reign over the conscience. And so▪ 2. he placeth our Christian liberty, not only in freedom from the Judicial Law. Tom. 4 on 1 Pet. 2. Rom. 13. and from the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses, Tom. 4. fol. 145. But also from the condemnation of the Moral Law. As is clear,
Luther, That Christian liberty which Christ hath purchased, is not so easily believed as spoken, if it could be apprehended by a sure and firm faith, no fury, nor terror of the world, of law, sin, death, and the devil▪ could be so great, which would not be swallowed up as a little spark of fire by the great sea.
Libertas illa, quam nobis Christus peperit, non tam cito creditor, quam nominatur. Si certa ac firmâ fide apprehendi posset nullus furor aut terror mundi, legis, peccati, mortis et diaboli tam magu • esse posset, qui non 〈◊〉 , seu scintilla a mari, ab ea absorberetur.
Then Luther evidently thinketh our Christian Liberty is not from duties commanded in the Law, but from the terrors, accusation, and condemning power of the Law, after we have sinned against the Law.
Luther, Verba illa, libertas ab ira Dei, lege, peccato, morte, &c. Dictu facilia sunt, sed Magnitu dinem hujus libertatis sentire & fructum ejus, in certamine, in agone conscientiae, applicare, hoc plus quā dici potest, difficile est.
Luther, In carne nulla debet esse libertas: Debemus enim subjecti esse parentibus, Magistratibus, & in summâ, omnium servi esse, sed in Spiritu & conscientiâ Liberrimi ab omni servitute, ibi nulli credimus, nulli confidimus, nullum timemus, nisi solum Christum, qui regnat inter medias afflictions cum gaudio, & laetitia, inter media peccata, cum virtute & fortitudine.
These words, Liberty from the wrath of God, law, sin, death, &c. are soon said, but to find the greatness of this liberty, and the fruit thereof, in a conflict and agony of conscience, and apply it practically, is more hard then can be spoken.
So he expressly, clearly, this Liberty, in the flesh (that is, in sinning) there ought to be no liberty: for we ought to be subject to Parents, Magistrates, and finally the servants of all, but in the spirit and conscience we are most free from all servitude: for there we believe none, trust in none, fear none, but only Christ, who reigns in the midst of afflictions, with joy and gladness, in the midst of sins with strength and courage.
Its clear, by the flesh, Luther cannot mean, as Antinomians, and Papists, with Libertines do, the sensitive part, which they call the Ass, contradistinguished from the mind, will, and conscience, as if the renewed man in whole sinned not, with will, affection, reason, conscience, for the reason that Luther giveth, is contrary to that, for, saith he, We ought to be subject to Parents, Magistrates, and the servants of all ; Now not the flesh only, but the whole man, and the conscience is subject to the fifth Commandment▪ and to all the ten, to obey Parents and Magistrates, for otherwise the ten Commandments should no more oblige the conscience of believers to obey, then the Ceremonial Law, which is blasphemy: Therefore by Conscience and Spirit, Luther must mean the afflicted conscience, under great conflicts; and in the midst of challenging and accusing sins; So the believers conscience is free, and feareth none, but feareth filially, and with a son-lie fear, Christ Jesus only, and is fully free from the fear of condemnation.
Antinomians reply, that the conscience of believers is freed from the ten Commandments ; as they are a Law and enjoin obedience to the conscience by power or Authority of a Law-giver, for so say they, no believer can sin against the Law as the Law, either commanding, promising, or cursing. But the believer may sin against the Law, as sin is ungratitude to Christ the Redeemer, not as it is a thing offending God, the commanding Law-giver, or failing against his Authority. So Mistress Hutchison, and her followers said, Art. 25. Since we are not bound to the Law, as a rule of life, it is not transgression against the Law to sin or break it, because our sins are inward and spiritual, and so are exceeding sinful, and are only against Christ.
Answ. There would be some color in this Answer, if Antinomians did not teach that Believers are as free from sin, root, and branch, in the nature and being of it, as Christ himself then being once justified, they cannot so much as sin against Christ, nor against the Law, as in the hand of Christ, therefore I hear that Den maintained before a godly and learned Minister, That Christ satisfied for sins only against the first Covenant, and that we ourselves satisfy for sins against the Covenant of grace, which is to make us joint-Savior's with Christ. 2. Sins committed by Believers once justified, are not si • s, because they are against no Law, and involve the trespasser under no guilt, curse, or wrath, for he is as free, as Christ, from all danger of wrath. 3. These sins against the Law in the hand of Christ, or against Christ, are pardoned and fully removed in their nature and being, ere they be committed, say Antinomians. 4. What Scripture shall warrant us to think that Christ who came not to dissolve the Law, in the least Commandment, Mat. 5.18, 19, 20. And who saith, To do to all men, is we would they should do to us, is the whole Law and the Prophets, and obligeth us, hath freed us from the commanding power of the Law, and subjected us to the same Law, as given by Christ.
CHAP. XIII. Of good works according to Luther.
11 Conclusion.
Luther clearly contradicteth Antinomians, touching certainty from signs.
Bona opera placebunt, Deo propter fidem in Christum quod non fiunt ad jus •• itam, sed ad testimoni • m quod grati simus et gra ••• ju • tificati.
Spiritus sanctus nunquam o • iosus est in piis sed semper agit aliquid quod pertinet ad regnum Dei.
Si Muncerus & Sacramentarii, cum audirent nos docere Spiritum & rejicere opera, hâc doctrina abuti potuerunt, & neglecto verbo & Sacramentis nihil aliud nisi Spiritum sonare idque nobis viventibus, docentibus, & repugnantibus, quid futurum est ubi conticuerit nostra Doctrina?
Post meam mortem multi meos libros proferent in medium, & inde omnis generis errores & deliria sua confirmabunt.
Sed simul etiam exierunt Anabaptistae, Sacramentarii & alii fanatici qui de Trinitate & incarnatione Christi palam impia tradiderunt, non enim fuerunt ex nobis, &c.
Good works shall please God for faith in Christ, to their own end because they are not done that we may be righteous, but that they may be a testimony that we are accepted and justified freely.
Luther, The Holy Ghost is never idle in the godly, but ever doing something that belongs to the Kingdom of God.
Luther, If Muncerus and the Sacramentarians, when they hear us preach the Spirit, and that we reject works (in the matter of justification only, as I have cleared from his own words) can abuse this Doctrine, and neglecting word and seals, sound nothing but the Spirit, (as Familists and Antinomians did then, and now) and that while we live, and teach the contrary, and resist them, what shall be done, when we shall teach no more?
After my death (saith Luther ) they shall allege my writings, and therewith strengthen errors of all kinds, and their own dreams.
Also there are gone from us Anabaptists, Sacramentarians, and other fantastic men, who have openly taught impious things of the Trinity, and Incarnation of Christ, but they were not of us.
It is true, Luther falsely chargeth those whom he calleth Sacramentarians, who rejected the dream of Consubstantiation, yet as Calvin observed of the Libertines, hey had nothing more frequent in their mouth, then the Spirit, so Anabaptists, Familists, Antinomians, who all pretend that Luther is theirs, allege nothing more then the Spirit, the immediate testimony of the Spirit without the word, or any signs or marks of sanctification, by which men know that they are in Christ, and I appeal to the Reader, if they observe any scope or drift in the Sermon preached by Del, before the House of Commons, but to cry down all Word, Scripture, Preaching, Sacraments, Laws, lawful and necessary constitutions of Orthodox Synods, against Familists like himself, for all these, without the Spirit, can work but an outward Reformation, and he extolleth so the Spirits inward, omnipotent and only working of an inward, and heart reformation, as that men, ministry, preaching can have no more influence in Gospel-reformation, then in Christ's redeeming of the world, and the taking away transgression, for saith he, he only that can do the one, can do the other, now in redemption Christ hath no fellows, no under Mediators, no instruments no with-workers, he alone by himself, and none with him, Hebr. 1. Purged us from our sins, and so in all Reformation Familists contend: for God is sole Reformer, as Jesus Christ is sole and only Redeemer.
Antinomians deny any certainty of our being in grace, by signs, marks, and characters of holy walking, which Luther is utterly against in all places▪ especially where he extolls good works as the fruits of our justification.
It is true, Luther saith often we must not judge of our spiritual good estate, by sense, but by faith, and so say Antinomians, and Eaton most frequently. But the word sense is taken two ways, 1. for the indictment of the flesh, and unrenewed part opposed to faith, and so Luther and we with him, teach that in a conflict of conscience, when the Law challengeth a believer especially▪ we are never to look to sense, but to faith, and the promises▪ for the unrenewed part, never told us good news of ourselves, our Spiritual estate, or of Christ, except it speak truth▪ as the Devi • l speaketh to deceive, and to render us secure, sluggish, haughty, proud, vain, but Antinomians say all the murders and adulteries of believers, are sins only in our sense, that is, in the apprehension of our unrenewed part, not to the light and judgment of faith, now so Antinomians follow sense. But,
1. I should as soon believe the Devil, saying that the adultery of a believer is no sin, as believe sense, that is, the inditement of flesh, and the unrenewed part, it is true the devil can say truly, as the flesh also, the adultery of a believer is a sin, that actually condemns forever to hell, and argueth the committer thereof to be in nature, not in Christ, which is a lie, both in the matter, and specially in the end, to cause a believer despair.
2. The sense and apprehension of a believer, that saith adultery in him is no sin, because it was pardoned before it was committed, is as false as the Devil. Now the light of faith saith the contrary, the Word of God saith, adultery in justified David is sin, but the inference and logic of the flesh is not to be believed, therefore David is not in Christ, and so far, sense is not to be believed.
3. Antinomians know no sense, but the sense and inditement of the lying flesh, which they teach men to believe, when it saith falsely, that the adultery of a believer is no sin, now no whorish mother will call her own child a Bastard, and its no wonder that the flesh, especially in the fleshly Antinomian plead for the Devil and sin, but sense is taken in another meaning in the Scripture, for the spiritual knowledge and apprehension of the Spirit, as Heb. 5.14. The strong in Christ have their senses exercised to discern both good and ill, so the use of the spiritual sense is spoken of, Cant. 2.3. I sat down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet in my mouth. Cant. 1.3. Because of the savor of thy good ointments▪ thy name is as anoyntment poured out, therefore the Virgins love thee, Joh. 6.45. All that have heard and learned of the Father come to me. Here is the actual exercise and use of the spiritual and renewed sense which we are to believe no less then faith, and what this sense indyteth, that the Holy Spirit in us indyteth, and teacheth, and that we are to believe. Luther never willeth us to close our ears, and to hear nothing that this sense saith to us.
12 Conclusion.
Luther speaketh pathetickly of the slavery and impotency of our free-will by nature, but no ways to favor Antinomians and Familists, who would have us blocks and stones in all we do, and not to pray but when the Spirit acts us immediately.
Man cannot naturally desire God to be God, for he would have himself to be God, and God to be no God.
Non potest homo naturaliter velle Deū esse Deum, imo vellet se esse Deum, & Deum non esse Deum.
Luther, in regard that the efficacy and success of free-will, as of all second causes, is from God, depresseth the creature to heighten God, Tom. 3.103. Deus labor nostro utitur s • u larvâ quadam sub quâ benedicit nos & sua largitur ut fidei sit locus. God useth our labor as a shadow or cypher, under which there is place for faith.
Luther meaneth of imperated acts of the will flowing from the corruption of a natural man desiring to be above a Law, and without God, that he may sin without being awed of Justice or of a God, but there is a natural inclination going before acts of will and reason, by which a natural man desires the being of God, in so far as he desires his own being, that he may subsist in God, if we suppose reason to be in no shadow, we cannot think it naturally and simply would desire that the body on which it depends were just nothing, or that the rays of the Sun, would wish the Sun to be turned into pure nothing, or the streams, that the fountain were nothing.
Luther, The will of every man would desire there were not a law, if it were possible, and that it self were altogether free; grace is necessary to friend the law, and the will, and the Gospel.
Free-will since the fall by a subjective power can be carried to good, by an active power ever to ill; nor could the wills active, but only its subjective power, stand even before the fall, or promove into good.
Luther, Free-will is merely passive in every act that is called willing, because the will is nothing except it be pulled, drawn, moved, which drawing having influence on the members, and strength either of soul or body is the wills activity, and no other, as the drawing of the Saw, cutting the wood is to the Saw merely passive from the Sawer, nor does it confer anything to the drawing, by way of co-operation, but only being drawn, it works on the tree, being more drawn then drawing, which Sawing is called the work of the Saw with the Sawer, when yet it merely suffers.
Luther, Voluntas cujuslibet mallet, si fieri posset esse nullam legem, & se omnino liberam; necessaria est mediatrix gratia quae conciliet legem (evangelio) voluntati.
Liberum arbitrium post peccatum potest in bonum potentiâ subjectivâ in malum vero activâ semper: nec enim in statu innocētiae potuit stare, activa sed subjectiva potentia, nedum in • onum proficere.
Liberum arbitrium est mere passivum in omni actu suo, qui velle vocatur: quia voluntas non nisi rapitur, trahitur, movetur, qui tractus redundans in membra & vires, seu animae seu corporis est ejus activitas & nulla alia, sicut tractus serrae secantis lignum' est serrae mere passivus a sectore, nec ad tractum suum quicquam cooperatur, sed tantum tracta jam in lignum operatur, impulsa magis quam impellens, quae serratio opus ejus cum serratore dicitur, cum tamen mere patiatur.
It is clear that Luther makes us not blocks, and stones in believing, praying, or other supernatural works, as if after our conversion, we were mere patients, and ought not to pray, but when the wind of the Spirit bloweth fair upon the flowers, and the Garden. Or, as if the person of the Holy Ghost and Christ's grace were the only formal efficient cause and principle in all supernatural works, and we truncks and stones, and not to be rebuked as slothful servants in sins of omission or commission.
Luther saith the contrary, To. 2. in Gen. c. 24. f. 232. Antinomoi docent simpliciter omnia peccata sublata, nec arguenda esse, nec homines terrendos lege. Antinomians say simply, all sins are taken away, and are not to be rebuked, nor are men (renewed) to be terryfied by the Law, for Luther 1. speaks comparatively, and denies not all subordinate activity to renewed free-will, after conversion.
Then Luther means that they act, but grace rather acts upon them, for To. 3. in Gen. in cap. 28. fo. 82. Luther saith, there is a twofold holiness in us, one imputed, by which we are sanctified by the Word, and is perfect, another, by which we are holy by our work and conversation, which is imperfect.
The other holiness is of works, it is charity that makes us acceptable to God, there not only God speaks to me, but I study to follow God speaking.
When I was a Monk, often I desired that happiness to see a godly man in life and conversation, in the mean time I dreamed of an Eremite, that abstained from meat and drink, and fed on roots and cold water — but they are holy who are holy with a passive, not an active holiness — if every man do his duty, by rule, according to his calling, and obey not the flesh, and in the Spirit suppress the desires and lusts thereof.
Altera sanctitas operum est charitas gratum faciens, ibi non solum Deus loquitur, sed studeo ego sequi loquentem Deum.
Ego Monachus saepe ex animo optabam eam faelicitatem mihi contingere, ut possim videre, conversationem & vitam alicujus sancti bominis. Interim somniabam talem sanctum, qui in Eremo agens, abstineret a cibo & potu & victitaret tantum radiculis herborum & aquâ frigidâ — & sancti sunt sanctitate passivâ, non activâ — si unusquisque ex praescripto verbi Dei faciat officium in vocatione suâ, carni non obsequatur, sed Spiritu reprimat desideria ejus.
And where ever Luther speaketh of inherent holiness, he calleth it imperfect and active, then renewed freewill must be an Agent in it.
2 The subjective power of doing good that Luther calleth a passive power, and which was in man before the fall, in the renewed man is not simply passive, for in regard of it, saith Luther, Voluntas magis est impulsa quam impellens, the will rather is drawn, then it doth draw and act, but inclineth more to be drawn; but it is passive, because free will in pure naturals, before the fall or after regeneration, is a subject receiving a holy sanctified rectitude of will: and before the fall, that rectitude was that concreated and natural Image of God in the first Adam, in regeneration it is the supernatural image of the second Adam, which we call the new heart, and before the fall Adam did not love and serve God by free will simply, but by free-will gifted with that natural accident of concreated sanctity and holiness added to the will as a connatural gift to make the will complete in its operations. Now the will is a mere patient in receiving a supernatural active power to will according to Christ, and in this regard the will is patient and must be elevated in its natural activity, by receiving a new infused heart Ezeki. 36.26. Zech. 12.10. Deut. 30.6. And because free-will acts according to Christ in believing, hopeing, loving out of faith, all by the strength of new supernatural habits therefore doth Luther call the renewed man a patient, and his supernatural works like the drawing of a Saw which yet hath its own activity of cutting the tree and hath teeth by art for that effect, yet tis called a patient in sawing the tree, because it is moved in its motion by him that draweth the Saw,
3 In the receiving the active determination of actual assisting grace, the will is a patient in the reception and subjective and passive lying under the actual motion of him who works in us to will and to do, for we can do nothing more than clay, when God infuseth a spirit in it, to move the predeterminating wind of the spirit, to blow right on us, in regard of both these, though being acted by habitual grace, and by actual assisting grace being drawn, Cant. 1.2, 3. and Psal. 119.32. compared with Ezeki. 36.26, 27. we do and have our own subordinate active influence in all the works we do toward Heaven, and life eternal, yet Luther saith, we are patients.
Luther, Heraeseos venenum est quod tribuit libero arbitrio virtutem disponendi se ad gratiam (sive habitualem sive actualem) recipiendam quale faciunt in illo, Zech. 1. Convertimini ad me, & ego convertar ad vos.
Homo mere passive se habet nec facit quidquam, sed fit totus.
Luther, Deus in materia privativa non positiva operatur.
Its a poison of Heresy that giveth to free-will power to dispose it self to receive grace, as they say from Zech. 1. Turn to me, and I will turn to you.
Man is a mere patient, he doth nothing, but is acted, or done upon.
4. Luther holds men to be mere patients because grace and grace only beginneth all supernatural works.
Luther, How shall free-will remain, and our doing what we can. When we are taught that we are wrought upon, and we work not but God works? we are the work, not the workers, so all the Divinity of proud men utterly perishes.
Faith is wrought in us, not thinking, not wisely understanding, not willing, but who-ever is gifted with faith, is prevented by the incomprehensible & hid work of the Spirit, by the only hearing of the Word, without all work of us.
Vbi manebit liberum arbitrium, ubi facere, quod in se est, cum hic fieri nos doceamur, non facere, & non nos operemur, sed Deus nos operetur? facturae, non factores simus, funditus scilicet ruit omnis Theologia superborum.
Non nobis cogitantibus, sapientibus, volentibus, sed incomprehensibili & occulto opere Spiritus, praevenitur, quisquis fide donatur in Christo, ad solum verbi auditum, citra omnem nostram aliam operam.
4. Luther is much, as he cannot be enough, in depressing the glory of nature and free-will and exalting God.
We are not good by working, but by suffering, when we suffer the actings of God on us, and are quiet.
Whatever shall give thy • else to thee and permit thee, hold that in suspicion, for it will cause thee find thy own will in fasting, as Esa. 58. Whatever shall take thyself from thyself, follow that.
Luther, Non operando sed patiendo boni sumus, cum patimu • divinas actiones quieti ipsis.
Quicquid tibi teipsum dederit, & permiserit, tene suspectum, quia facit ut inveniatur voluntas tua in Jejunio tuo, ut dicitur, Esa. 58. quicquid autem teipsum tibi abstulerit, hoc sequere.
Therefore I add these few considerations touching the Antinomians way of free-will.
1 Consideration.
We are not able to master a good thought, but when the spirit works in us to will and to do, yet are we not freed from the Gospel-command to do, will, believe, love, hope, pray, fear, obey, even when the spirit acts us not.
2 Consideration
Nor is it peculiar to the covenant of works that what ever God commands, man hath absolute and independent power to obey.
But tis common to the dispensation both of the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, and not peculiar to pure law more than to the gospel, but common it is to all states, that Angels or man can do nothing but as predetermined by God who did show what frail nature is, for though Adam had a sanctified and strong free-will to obey God, yet when God was pleased to with-draw his predeterminating influence, by which Adam should actually have continued and persevered in actual obedience and in a holy abstinence from eating of the tree of knowledge, hic & nunc, it was no more in Adams independent power to keep that commandment, • ate not, then the sun can move or the fire cast heat, when God denieth his actual influence to either. So the law had so much of beggarlinesse, frailty and impotency of the creature, before its fall that the Image of God in its flower & Summer-prime and beauty could not keep Adam from falling on his own weight, yet was he obleiged not to fall by law and was not able to stand without the predeterminating influence of God, and so sin, in falling when he could not stand, and this is the same in the covenant of grace, the Image of the second Adam keeps us not indeclinably from sin, and though in the Gospel, God gives grace to do what he requires, yet can we do nothing even when we are gifted with a new heart, and with a new spirit, except the Lord work in us to will and to do, hic & nunc. Antinomians say, when God with-draweth his predeterminating grace, without which we cannot work, nor pray, nor believe, no command obligeth us in that case to work, pray, or believe, because we are not under the law, & it is legal that we should be obliged to fulfill a command which we cannot fulfill so Del ser. p. 19. In the Gospel the word and the spirit are always conjoined. a manifest untruth, for the spirit is free to deny his influence hic & nunc, when the Gospel is preached to believers. And it is no law-strain that we be obliged to obey a Gospel-command when the spirit worketh not.
3 Consideration.
What is our own only and nothing but pure, unmixed created free-will in any good work is not to be our darling, as if that were all. A higher principal must lead us then will, else we are misled and stuck in the briars.
4 Consideration
Even to carry grace and to be subjective and passive under grace, and to have a new heart, soures us with pride, therefore the spece and nature of mankind, let alone our individuals, must break in Adam under habitual grace, far more when we are active by grace; therefore all must be ascribed to God, I labored more abundantly than they all, to prevent boasting he must add. Not I but the grace of God in me. And least he should be proud of being the subject of grace, as if a poor Horse should boast of a golden Saddle. He saith, by his grace I am that I am, pride is so subtle, that it would creep in under the golden crown and enter in the heads of the four and twenty Elders glorified in heaven, if there were not grace to cause them Rev. 4.10. Cast down their Crowns before him that sits on the throne: most refined grace, where it wants dross, even in Heaven, in the element of grace, can swell us and puff us up, except another grace pull down our top-sails.
5. Consideration.
It is safer that we be chosen, then that we chose, that we be acted upon, then that we act, and that that choice and fine piece of us, free-will, be like a rare Jewell, kept in a case of gold, and in such a cabinet, as the grace of Christ.
6. Consideration.
Free-wills Sabbath and rest is to lie quietly and contentedly under the sweet actings of grace, and our non-resisting of Christ in his sweetest operation, is our only happiness; would we be patient of the Holy Ghosts omnipotency of saving operation, and not with-draw our hearts from under the bedewing celestial showers, and droppings of the heaven of heavens, we should improve to good purpose, free-will, and rest in the bosom of Christ's love, and sleep and lie, and drink in Christ, and then we were undeniably happy.
7. Consideration.
True, free-will is a sparkle of God, so much of a loosed and unfettered will to do good, so much of God, grace is golden wings, for nature to flee to heaven withal. Freedom to do ill, and to move to hell, is the devils fetters of vengeance.
8. Consideration.
Created free-will and Law are enemies, as fire and water: what Law willeth, Will refuseth. The love of Christ sodereth them in one, and grace maketh Law honey and milk to the soul.
9. Consideration.
Man chooseth God, because he is chosen. And marrieth Christ, because he was first married against his will, for without consent, the consent is conquered to Christ.
10 Consideration.
That we cannot lose Christ and the Crown is our best freedom.
11 Consideration.
Antinomians by fathering their heresy on Luther, harden the Papists in their lies: for Alphonsus a Casco de haeresibus, l. 6. Verb. Evangelium, saith Luther, Melanthon, Brenz teach that the Gospel commandeth no duty at all, and removes all necessity of good works, which they do only in the matter of justification. But this was that which Antinomians taught in Luther's time, which Luther refuted. For Luther often speaketh of the Gospel, as opposed to the Law of Works, and as it teacheth the way how the ungodly is justified. And saith with Paul, that we are justified by faith only, without works, which Papists cannot endure.
12 Consideration.
Broken free-will that first, and ever lost credit, is a field fit for free grace to grow in. And the less that the free-will of Angels could do to stand, when their fellow-Angels fell, the higher is the rate and worth of free grace, in sustaining them, and except we would have elect Angels to divide the glory with God, of their standing when their fellows fell, we must say the lot of grace falling on these blessed Spirits, not nature, separated them from others, as good by nature, as they were.
13 Consideration.
Let nature at its flower be a broken gold chain, that Christ may solder it. It was a depth that our wise Lord would create such timber or metal, as free-will, that Christ might engrave on it the artifice and elaborate skill of never-enough admired free grace.
CHAP. XIV. Of other Fountains and springs of Familists, and Antinomians, and of the Treatise called, The Divinity of Germany, or, Theologia Germanica, and that called The Bright-star.
THE Gnostics having their name from knowledge, had their rise not from Nicholas, one of the seven Deacons, as Philaster thinketh, but rather as Irenaeus saith, lib. 1. heres. c. 24. from Carpocrates, they said the Soul was made of the substance of God, or, It was the very essence of God ; I conceive the Monkish Familists had their rise from the Gnostics, and Manicheans, who sprang from the Gnostics. The Libertines, David George, and H. Nicholas seem to have their first spring from these two, to wit, Theologia Germanica, and The Bright-star. For Philosophy and Divinity dissected, is but a rude, foolish, and unlearned Pamphlet, of late penned, and changing as Familists and Antinomians do, Scripture, and God, and Christ, into Metaphors and vain Allegories.
The Author of Theologia Germanica is not named, one John Theophilus translated it out of High-Dutch into Latin, and it was Printed at Antwerpe, Anno 1558. The Author was a superstitious Priest, of the Order called Teutonici or Dutch lads, in French, the Knights of the Rhodes, it is like the Author was before Luther, and it is certain Familism is a branch that grew from the root of Popery, and was whelped in a Monastery, by men that would be perfect above all Law, Ordinances and Acts of a practical life, and would live on spiritual Monkish contemplations, and they are much of blood to the Antichrist, though they will not acknowledge their father, and call all but themselves Antichristian.
John Valdesso a Spaniard of noble birth, a Chevalier of the Emperor, who being a Bishop repented, wrote in the Spanish tongue, a Treatise of Practical Divinity, called Divine Consid • rations, in which though there be sundry good and excellent Meditations, yet are there in it, many fooleries, and the grounds and poisonable principles of Familism, Antinomianism, Enthusiasm, for he rejecteth the Scriptures, magnifieth Inspirations, vil. fi • th good works, heighteneth the dead faith, ext • nuateth sin, &c. The man leaving his Bishopric, came to Naples, and died there, Anno 1540. Vergerius caused to be Printed the Treatise out of the Spanish language▪ at Basil, An. 1550. It is Englished, and Printed at Cambridge, An. 1646. The Antinomians, Familists, and others in England of that stamp specially M▪ Beaco • , Catechism, pag. 138▪ salute the book as happily arrived in the English coasts, far above any piece that Calvin ever wrote; Such Lettuce such lips, But to return:
This Author of Theo. Germanica, and of the Bright Star, say, There is nothing in the Creature, but God the Creator, as there is nothing in the heat and beam of the Sun, but the Sun it self, and fire. Just so (as Libertines teach) there is but one Spirit, one God, one internal form in God, Angels, and Men, good and ill, and in all creatures. But
1 The Holy Ghost makes this the highest Treason in Tyrus, who being clothed with a bit of corruptible glory, saith, Ezek. 28.2. I am God.
2. Creatures can err and be tempted to sin, God cannot be tempted, Jam. 1.3.
3. Creatures are changeable bits of dependencies on God, Rom. 11.36. Prov. 16.4. The Lord is without, and above change, or shadow of change, Mal. 3.6. Jam. 1.17.
4. All Nations to God are nothing, Isa. 40.17. God calleth himself to Moses, I am, and, I am that I am, as the fountain of being, and being by nature, and the alone infinite, only wise, happy being, as all Scriptures clear, Creatures, even Angels are in their essence, but time-dependencies, created results of God, Lame-nothings, frothy yesterday start-ups, poor time-accidents▪ branches budding out of mere mother-nothing, by the alone will and goodness of God, there was folly found in th • se Sons of the morning, the head-pieces and master-creatures, the Angels, Job 40.18, 19.
2. God becometh all things in man, Man or the Creature should arrogate to himself • nothing, not life, essence, power, knowledge, doing, or not doing, there is nothing that is not God, and belonging to God — for it is God only who liveth, understandeth, is able, loveth, doth, or leaveth undone all, So Theolo. Ger. c. 56. Nothing is but God and his will, and this will is God, and whatever is in God is God, and nothing is but God alone, 1. Because God is infinite, and if there were being in us, then should infinite being be bounded, where our being begins. 2. If man be being, he is good, for being and good are convertible, but there is none good but God. 3. Philosophers and fathers say there is but one only truly being. 4. God saith, I am that I am. 5. The son of God made himself of no reputation and descended to be a man and nothing, then man is nothing. so Bright-stare.
The old Adam and disobedience or sin, is nothing, but when the creature ascribeth to it self Being, and life and essence and goodness. So sin is nothing, but I, myself, Egoitie and such like and the new Adam or Christ is nothing but obedience and an ascribing of all to God.
So ch. 2. Faith and Scripture saith, sin is nothing else but that the creature doeth divert it self from the immutable God and adhereth to a mutable thing that is, doth turn it self from that which is perfect, and to that which is in part and imperfect, and especially to it self. Now this observe, when the creature doth chaleng any good thing to it self, as to be, to live, to know, briefly to be able to do anything that can be termed good, as being in itself that good thing, or as though that good thing were appertaining to it, then it averteth itself, what other thing then did the Devil? This arrogancy to be I, to be myself, to be me, and to be mine, was the devils aversion and fall.
I answer nothing is a being of it self, by heritage, essentially, and without dependence on another, as its father, cause, Author, Creator, but God; and nothing lives, worketh, doth good, independently, infinitely, immutably, from and of itself, but God only. And all Creatures, Angels, and Men, are but borrowed beings, beings by adoption, gift, loan, and little shadows, remaining shadows, by the essence, goodness, and free pleasure of God. And as their being is dependent, so are they God's dependent tools, and instruments of working, they do, and do good, but dependently and so as both power and actual doing, and doing good is from God principally, by moving, exciting, and determinating them to do, and from, ego, egoitas, ipseitas, from themselves actively as instruments and tools in God's hand, if the creature seek a world of its own, in being and working without God, that egoitas, that I, that myself, is the great Lord of pride, but otherwise the creature is not in its essence God. There was a comparative self-denial required in Adam, and is in the man Christ and the elect Angels, though no sinful self was in any of these three, and it is that the sinless creature should yield its being, lust, will and desires, rather to be trampled on, despised, or turned to nothing, before God be dishonored; All the essential attributes of goodness, holiness, wisdom, grace, justice, power, sovereignty, &c. that are all infinite in God, proclaim that there is an infinite distance between the Creature and the Creator, but if we speak of a borrowed being, and a borrowed working, at the second hand, and by loan, then it is no sin, for creatures to say they are creatures, for the Holy Ghost saith it, and biddeth man say, that he is clay, and a living soul, nor is it sin to the Creature to ascribe doing of good to itself, as the Church saith, I have sought thee, O Lord, Isa. 26. and David, I love thee, O Lord; and Paul, I have labored more abundantly then they all ; though it was a laboring borrowed from grace, and sure the Creature acts sin and against a law, and not in subordination to God as Law-giver acting him against a Law.
4. Error, Obedience is to deny self; The creature is all good in the Creator, and to value and esteem all being, and all good, God himself, Theol. Ger. c 13.
5. All creatures, the body and soul of man were hid potentially in God, and shall return to silence, and to nothing after.
This is clear against the immortality of the soul, that, Scripture saith, seeth God, enjoyeth his face, goeth to Paradise, or torment after death.
6▪ Hell standeth in these, 1. when a man seeth himself worthy of all ill, 2. Perpetually damned and lost. 3. Neither wills nor conceives comfort from any •• eature. 4. Yet he waiteth for deliverance. 5. Bears nothing waywardly but sin. 6. And when he cannot think ever to be delivered, or comforted.
He is in heaven, when he regards nothing, desires nothing but the eternal good, so this becomes his, he may often, in one day, pass from heaven to hell, and from hell to heaven, and is safe in both.
This is a hell and a heaven unknown to Scripture, 1. They are within the bounds of this life, hell and heaven are after death and burial, Luk. 16. 2 There is a marcet way, between this heaven and this hell. But Luk. 16. there is a gulf, and no passage between the right-heaven and Scripture hell, Luk. 16. 3. These may end, the true hell and heaven are eternal, Mat. 25. last. Psal. 16.11.
7. When God alone works in man, and leaves undone in him, without any I, to me, or mine, there is true Christ and nowhere else, Theol. Germ. c. 22. Christ crucified in Mount Calvary, is but an imagination, to suffer with Christ, is Christ crucified. Our sufferings and Christ's are one by union of will and Spirits. Bright star. c. 18 • 89, 190, 191. &c. 200.
Then is Christ not true man. 2. nor died he really, but only Spiritually in us, when we suffer with the like meekness and patience, as he died and suffered; and yet he is but an Allegorick or phancied man to the Familist. The like Familists say of his Resurrection, Ascension, and judging the world. Its but to do what is already done, to open these rotten graves any farther; These two pieces, so fleshly and abominable, agree well with the Tenants of H. Nicholas, and are now set out, An. 1646. by the Familist Randel, to the insnaring of the souls of many thousands in London.
In the year 1 • 75. the Familists of England published a confession before King James came to the Crown of England but lax and general, I know not what, for H. Nicholas wrote books of sundry sorts. As his exhortation 1 c. 6. § 5.7, 8, 9. His instructions of the upright, and Christian baptism: his crying voice: his first exhortation: and these (saith he) may be confess • d among the adulterous and sinful generation and the false hearts of the scripture learned : for so he called all the godly in England, and all that are not of his way. But for his love-secrets, he saith, ye shall not talk of your secrets (either yet utter your myster ••• ) openly or nakedly in the he • ing of your young children or disciples, but spare them not in the • ares of your El •• rs, which can understand the same, or are able to bear, or away with the sound thereof. But they have their private Traditions and unwritten verities (saith H. Nichol. in his Elidad. § 5.) By which they grow up in love according to the requiring of her service, where all things needful to be known, or declared, are always according to the capacity of their understanding brought and declared to them, to the (§ 17) young or new borne children according to their youngnesse, to the weak according to their weakness, and to the eld • r • according to their driednesse or old age, where (§ 18) neither some hear all, nor all hear some private mysteries ; but the confession might have a sound meaning. Though as they meant, there is nothing sound in it.
About the year 1604. the Familists of England presented with this fraudulent confession a supplication to King James which was printed at Cambridge anno 1606. And answered by one of the University, in the supplication they hid their soul tenets and say,
We do beseech your Princely Majesty to understand that the people of the Family of love, or God, do utterly disclame all obsurd and self-conceited opinions, and disobedient and erroneous Sects of the Anabaptists, Brown, Penry, Puritans, and all other proud-minded Sects, and Heresies whatsoever, protesting upon pain of our lives, that we are not of consent, nor agreeing with any such brainsick Preachers, nor their rebellio • s, or disobedient Sects whatsoever, but have been and ever will be truly obedient to your highness and your Laws, to the effusion of our blood, and in this part of their supplication the Reader may see the bloody persecuting minds of Familists, for they exhort King James to persecute all the truly godly that were non-conform to Prelates, and went under the name of Puritans, and tacitly praise King James for executing the Laws against such as in conscience durst not bow to the then Prelatical Baal : and the Familists principles carry them to esteem any Religion indifferent: yet half an eye may see how desirous they are the Sword should be drawn against the godly, whom they all Puritans, and therefore judge if Antinomians and Familists now in England, who cry out against the use of the Sword for matters of Religion, and plead for a Catholic license and toleration to all Religions, that themselves may be tolerated also, if they had the Sword and Power, if they would not be most bloody Dragons, in cutting the flesh and drinking the blood of those they call Presbyterians and Puritans ; for think not their doctrine is different from that doctrine of their fathers.
So here they quit the Protestant Doctrine maintained by those that are called, but unjustly, Puritans, and promise to conform to all Popish Ceremonies, to Arminianism, Popery or what else is, or shall be by law established▪ without once promise of obedience in the Lord, and according to the rule of holy Scripture.
They well knew that Puritans were hateful to King James and all such as were non-conform to Prelacy, and Ceremonies, in either Kingdoms, and therefore to ingr • tiate themselves into the Kings favor, they rail in their fleshly manner against all the godly in England, for which cause the Prelates did overlook them, partly because they made work of controversies for the times, and diverted many from eye-ing and considering the corruptions of Prelates, partly because Prelates and they were common enemies to those that were truly godly, and unjustly called Puritans, and what shall we think of those that went for Puritans in England, not many years ago, who now turn Famili • ts, as many nowadays do?
2. They defy all to object anything against them, except disobedient Puritans, who maliced them these 25 years, and what marvel, for Hen. Nichol. saith (prophet of the Spirit, c. 13. § 8.) He can no more err in what he saith, than could the Prophets of God, or Apostles of Christ, He saith § 9. Almost all of his way were an unclean whorish covetous and fleshly company.
3 They acknowledge their obedience to Ceremonies, sacraments, and the Kings supremacy. Y • t amongst them are neither Kings nor Masters H. Nicho. Spirit c. 34. Sect. 8. But are equal in all degrees among themselves as they say.
4 Th • y say, only right gracious Sovereign, we have read certain books, brought forth by a German Author under the Characters of H. N. — out of • hich service or writings we be taught all dutiful obe • ience towards God and a Magistrate and to live a godly and honest life, and to love God above all things and our Neighbor as ourselves agreing therein with all the Holy Scriptures, as we understand them.
But nothing of the blessed Trinity is here, nothing of the Gospel, of Christ, God man, of the justification of the ungodly by faith and the rest of our Articles of faith, but only of a mere legal way to heaven, as if they were in the state of innocence. So they extol fleshly Henry Nicholas and his doctrine that disclaims all the protestant faith. 2. They will not have the scriptures a rule of faith, but as they understand them.
5 They complain that H. Nicho. is shamefully slandred, and his disciples traduced, persecuted and imprisoned.
6 That nothing could ever be proved against them. But that was because they hold it lawful to deny Christ and their religion before men, what then could be proved against them?
7. They entreat the King to read H.N. his books, and commit to learned men the examining of them, and promise they will bring over some disciples out of Germany who knew H, Nicho. while he lived, to resolve the K. of hard phrases in his writings.
8 That they maintain no errors willfully.
9 They desire enlargement upon baile out of prison. Yet the Puritans maintain error willfully.
But the truth was the Prelates, because the Familist • bowed to their Baal of conformity and hated Puritans and counted any religion indifferent; fostered them, and would neither refute them▪ nor suffer any others to refute them. which is the cause of all the fects this day in England, they lay under warm prelacy, spake nothing against their domination and now in this time of liberty they come out to the sun and day-light.
CHAP. XV. Of the Familists and Antinomians of New England.
ABout the year 1630. The Christians of England, who could not bear the Antichristian yoke of prelacy, nor submit to the Popish Ceremonies and new inventions of infamous Laud, the late persecuting Antichrist of Canterbury who for his Tyranny to souls, and treason against the state, died by the hand of the Hang-man on the Tower-hill of London, were forced to remove from England and to plant themselves among the wild Americans, with no intention (as godly ministers informed me) to pitch on a Church-government, either that of Independency, or of the stricter Separation, or any other different from the reformed Churches, but only to enjoy the ordinances of Christ in purity and power, and to be freed of Prelatical Monarchy, a plant never planted, in the Lord's Viniard, by our heavenly Father, they were not well established in New England, when Antinomians sprang up among them for the Church cannot be long without enemies. These were Libertines, Familists. Antinomians, and Enthusiasts who had brought these wicked opinions out of Old England with them, where they grew under prelacy, I heard at London, that godly preachers were in danger of being persecuted by Laud for striving to reclaim some Antinomians. They held these wicked tenets especially, that follow, as may be gathered out of the story of the Rise, Reign, and Ruin of the Antinomians and libertines that infected the Churches of New England penned (as I am informed) by M. Winthrope Governor, a faithful witness, and approved by M.T. Weld in his preface to the book.
1 In the conversion of a sinner the faculties and workings of the soul on things pertaining to God, are destroyed and instead of them the holy Ghost comes in and taketh place, just as the faculties of the human Nature of Christ doth.
2 Love in the Saints is the very holy Ghost.
3. As Christ was God manifested in the flesh, so is he incarnate and made flesh in every Saint.
So saith Saltmarsh, sparkles of glory opposing the Protestants p. 255. Others say (Familists, in opposition to Protestants, as he cleareth, p. 254.) Christ in us, is when we are made the anointed of God, which is the Christ, or the whole entire Christ, as one sp • ritual new man 1 Cor. 12.12. and that the Image of Christ • n us, is Christ manifested in our flesh, as to sufferings, and death, whereby the flesh is crucified in the power of God and of the Spirit, and the outward man or the flesh is dying ▪ now Christ in the flesh, 1 Cor. 12▪12. is the mystical body of Christ his Church, and this is to Saltmarsh and Familists, God manifested in the flesh.
4. The New Creature, or new man, Love, or, the armor of God, Ephes. 6. is not meant of grace, but of Christ himself.
5. The whole letter of the Scripture holdeth forth a Covenant of works. By which, believers under grace are not to hear, or read the Scriptures, nor to search them, so Saltmarsh, Sparkles of glory p. 247, 268 269.
6. The Faith that justifieth, hath not any actual • being out of Christ, it is Christ believing in us.
7 The due search and knowledge of holy Scripture, is not a safe way of searching and finding Christ, So also Saltmarsh, Sparkles of glory: p. 244, 245.
8 The Law and preaching of it, is of no use to drive men to Christ, Salt • Spark. of glory, p. 235.236, 237, 238.
9. All Covenants to God expressed in words, are legal, Saltmar. Spark. p. 244.
10 A Christian is not bound to the Law as a rule of his Christian walking. Saltm. ibid.
11 Christ's example is no pattern to us, because 'tis external and void of the spirit.
12 The soul may have true union with the Father, son and spirit justification and sanctification, and the person remain a Hypocrite.
13. There is no difference between hypocrites and believers in their kind.
14. All graces in the regenerating are fading.
15. In the Saints there is no inherent grace, but Christ is all. So also Saltmarsh Sparkles of Glory, p. 254.255.256.
16 We are united to Christ, and justified without faith, yea from eternity, So Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory, p. 190, 191, 192. as if the decree of Justification, and • ustification itself were all one, and the decree of God to create the world, and permit sin, and redeem the Elect, were all one with the creation of the world, permission of si • , Redemption of the Elect. Yea so that which is from eternity, and since God was God, and that which falleth out in time, must be all one.
17 Faith is not a receiving of Christ, but a discerning that the man hath received him already, Saltmarsh ibid.
18 A man is united to Christ by the work of the Spirit on him, without any work of his own, he being a mere patient first and last, Ibi.
19. A man is never really and effectually Christ's, till he have such assurance as exludeth all doubting.
20 The witness of the Spirit, is merely immediate, without respect to sanctification or acts thereof, as signs, or concurrence of the word, So Saltmarsh Spark. of glory. p. 274, 275, 276.
21 He that hath once assurance, never doubteth again, contrary to Ps. 77. Ps. 88. Ps 32.22. Jonah 2.4.
22 To question assurance of a spiritual good estate upon the commission of murder or adultery, is a token of no true assurance.
23 Sanctification can be no evidence of a good estate, Saltm. Spar. of Glor. 275 276, 277▪ 278.
24 I know I am Christ's, because I believe that Christ hath crucified my lusts for me, not because I crucify them myself.
25 What tell ye me of graces and duties, tell me of Christ, as if Christ and duties of sanctification were contrary one to another; by this means, Christ and living to him, that on the tree bare our sins, Christ and walking worthy of Christ, Christ and willing and doing by the grace of Christ, must be contrary one to another, which is an inverting of the Gospel, indeed before the tribunal of Divine Justice, a wakened conscience hath peace by being justified by Christ, but not by duties or works even wrought by grace.
26 I am not better accepted of God, because I am holy, nor the worse, because unholy, sure he that hath elected me will save me.
27 To be Justified by faith, is to be justified by works.
28 No comfort, no ground of assurance or peace can be brought from a conditional gospel, or gospel-promise • bec • use all depen • s on our free-will, which might say something, if Grace did no