Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist

CHAP. XVI Of the first sowers of the tares of Antinomianism and Familism in New England.

THe first Authors of these wicked opinion • were N. Wheelright some adherents to M. Wheelright, and Mistress Hutchison. This woman is called the American Jezebel, she was the wife of M. William Hutchison of Boston, the daughter of M. Marbury, sometime preacher in London : She was haughty, bold, active in wit, eloquent, vain, and self-conceited, would not stick to lie, and brought these opinions from old England and so was holden for a time out of Church communion, yet admitted, deceived many with extolling of Christ as working all in the souls of believers, as in dead and passive Organs and depressed sanctification and all qualifications of inherent graces as nothing held union with Christ and justifica • ion without faith, she drew to her way many godly people and many loose and profane by a weekly lecture she held in her house, under pretence of repeating sermons, took on her to sit in a chair and to teach men. All these foresaid errors were condemned by a general assembly of the Churches of New England, at New-town August 30. 1637. They learned by sad experience of these seducers from that time, as I am informed to remove farther from M. Robinson's democracie and popular government, and come a little nearer to Presbyterial Government, and while they embrace that Apostolic Government, they shall ever be infested with heresies, as now they are this day with new Be-hives of Anabaptists, Seekers Enthusiasts, Familists, and Antinomians: they come, blessed be the Lord, a little nearer to it then they did, M. Cotton in his Treatise of the keys of the kingdom of heaven, set out by M. T. Goodwin and M. Philip Nye, is well sound in our way, if he had given some more power to assemblies, as is clear Act. 15. and in some lesser points, Though Independents in England oppose that Godly and learned Divine, and as we hear have suppressed his judgment touching constitution of visible Churches, and are not willing that Antinomians, Familists, Socinians, Anabaptists, or other abominable sectaries be brought to the trial of a lawful Church assembly, but plead for a toleration to them, which the Churches of New England deservedly abhor as Atheistical and distructive to the truth, peace and unity of the Church of Christ.

Mistress Hutchison ought to have been convened before this Church-assembly, and M. Wheelright and others were convened before a civil court in Massachusset. Octo. 2. 1637. For disturbance of the public peace, where in the month of March, M. Wheelright was convict of sedition: upon occasion whereof, a number of Familists gave in a Petition or Remonstrance complaining that their beloved M. Wheelright was condemned for no fault, whereas his doctrine was no other then the very expressions of the holy ghost himself, though he had said expressly, That Magistrates, Ministers, and most of the people were under a Covenant of works, and therefore were enemies to Christ, such as Herod, Pilate, Scribes and Pharisees, and encouraged the people to rise up against them, as Philistines, and pronounced the curse of Meroz on them who would not join with them against the churches of the legallists. And made mention of Moses his killing the Egyptian. Much falls doctrine and debates and disputes raised he in the Church there, which were not known before his coming to the Country, where upon he was sentenced to be disfranchized and banished out of their jurisdiction and committed to safe custody till he should find surety to depart before the end of March, upon this he appealed to the Kings Majesty.

Others of his Disciples saying he held forth nothing but the truth of Christ, were censured, some banished, some fined, and imprisoned. Mistress Hutchison boldly justified her self, that she might teach as Priscilla did, reproached the Ministers as Legallists, told by revelation and many misapplied Scriptures that she was forewarned by God, in Old England that she should separate from all Ministers because legal men: except M. Cotton and M. Wheelright ; that she should come to New England, suffer for the truth. She said she should be delivered as Daniel was from the Lions. Such Prophets love to foretell things past and say they knew them before they came to pass.

She having received the sentence of banishment, though she had before dissembled and lied, now stood to own all these Articles laid against her.

1 The souls of men by generation, are mortal, as beasts. Eccl. 3.8▪ but made immortal in regard of Christ's purchase who bought the souls of the wicked to eternal pain, and of the Elect to eternal peace.

2 The united to Christ have new bodies, and two bodies 1 Cor. 6.19. She knew not how Jesus could be united to our fleshly bodies.

3 Those who have union with Christ shall not rise with these fleshly bodies. 1 Cor. 15.44.

4 The Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. and John 5.28. is not of the body but of our union with Christ in this life. so said Hymenaeus, Phyletus, the Libertines, the Georgians, Henry Nicholas, and his.

5 There be no created graces in the Saints, Christ takes them out of their own hands into his.

6 There was no created graces in the human nature of Christ, he was only acted by the God-head.

7 The Image of God in Adam was not in holiness, but in being like to Christ's manhood.

8 No scripture warranteth Christ's manhood to be now in heaven, but the body of Christ is his Church ; So Saltm. Sparkles of glory, as before observed.

9 We are united to Christ with the same union that Christ's humanity on earth was with his Godhead, Joh. 17.21. that is right down, Christ and every Saint is one person▪ then were the saints personally and really crucified, died, buried, rose again, and ascended to Heaven with Christ.

10 No evidence of our good estate, is either from absolute or conditional promises.

11 The Disciples were not converted before Christ's death, Matth. 18.3.

12 The Law is no rule of life to a Christian.

13 There is no Kingdom of heaven but only Christ.

14 There is a first engraffing in Christ by union, from which a man might fall.

15 The first thing God reveals, is to assure us of election.

16 Abraham, till he offered his son, and saw the firmness and certainty of his election, was not in the state of grace.

17 Union to Christ is not by faith.

18 All commands even of faith, kill, as the Law doeth, Rom. 3.17. Contrary to the Gospel that gives life, and commands faith in Christ also.

19 There is no faith of dependence, but only that of assurance.

20 A hypocrite may have Adams righteousness, and perish, and is obliged to keep the Law.

21 There is no inherent righteousness in us.

22 We are dead to all spiritual acts, and only acted by Christ.

23 Not being bound to the Law, it is no transgression against the Law, to sin, for our sins are inward, spiritual, exceeding sinful, and only against Christ.

24 Her own revelations about future events, are as infallible as Scripture, the Holy Ghost is author of both, she is obliged with certainty of faith to believe the one as well as the other.

25 So far as a man is in union with Christ, he can do no duties perfectly, and without the communion of the unregenerate part with the regenerate,

26 Exhortations to work out our salvation, to make sure our calling and election by good works, are given only to those that are under a covenant of works.

M. Weld showeth, when preaching could not prevail to gain Familists, though thereby many were gained to the truth, many doubting ones confirmed, an assembly was appointed at Cambridge, then called New-Town: M. Hooker, and M. Bulkley were chosen Moderators. The Magistrates sitting by as hearers, and speakers when they saw fit, Liberty being given to the people, to hear, that they especially might be satisfied in conscience, touching the truth then controverted by wicked wits, A place was appointed for all the Opinionists to come in and speak, due order being observed. Which if done by citation and the Ministerial power of Jurisdiction, as may be gathered from Matth. 18.15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20. 1 Tim. 5.19. And they accused upon the Testimony of witnesses, and publicly rebuked, and not only the Heresies condemned, but the holders of such opinions, ministerially, and by authority and power given of Christ for edification, 2 Cor. 10.8. declared publicly to be such as trouble the Churches, and pervert souls, Act. 15.24. and that the people of God believe no such lying opinions, nor follow such wicked practices, Act. 21.25. and if the Opinionists should refuse to hear the Church or Churches offended, they should be excommunicated and holden for Heathen and Publicans, as Matth. 18.15, 16, 17, 18. 1 Cor. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5. that they leaven not the whole lump of many Churches, Gal. 5.9, 10. compared with Gal. 1. v. 2. if, I say, so they had been dealt with, it had been right. But though this Synod did much work upon many, the chief leaders remained obstinate.

When four Elders were sent to Mistress Hutchison, she with a fiery countenance, asking whence they came, received this answer,

We come in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, from the Church of Boston, to labor to convince you, Answered, with disdain, from the Church of Boston? I know no such Church; call it the whore and strumpet of Boston, no Church of Christ.

As men turn to these abominable opinions, God gives them up to vile affections, for divers of them became unclean, M. Weld saith, they had no prayer in their family, no Sabbath, insufferable pride, hideous lying, some of them convicted of five, some of ten lies, one smitten of God, in the act of lying, fell in a deep swoon, and being recovered, said: Oh God, thou mightest have struck me dead, as Annanias and Sapphira, for I have maintained a lie.

Mistress Hutchison and others were excommunicated for lies, others for other foul scandals. Mistress Hutchison defended her twenty and nine errors in the Church of Boston openly, with lie • ng, known to many that heard her, she brought forth deformed Monsters, to the number of thirty.

Omnipotency of Divine Justice further interposeth a revenging hand from heaven, for at Boston, 1637. October 17. When God was beginning to take vengeance on persecuting Prelates and their adherents in Scotland, (for the Assembly of Glasgow was convened the end of the next year, Anno 1638.) in which the Prelates of Scotland were excommunicated, and the morning of Britons Reformation was dawning, at this time the Wife of William Dyer, a proper comely young woman, was delivered of a large woman child, (as the Story saith, Rise, Reign, p. 43▪ 44) it was still-born, about two months before the time, the child lived a few hours. The child was a fearful and rarely prodigious Monster: It had no head, but a face which stood so low on the breast, as the ears, most like an Apes ears, grew on the shoulders, the eyes and mouth stood far out, the nose was hooking upward, the breast and back was full of sharp prickles like a Thornback, the Navell and all the belly, with the distinction of the sex, were where the lower part of the back and hips should have been, and those back-parts were on the side the face stood, the arms and hands were as other children's, but instead of toes, it had upon each foot three claws, with talons like a young foul, upon the back above the belly, it had two great holes like mouths, and in each of them stuck out a piece of flesh, it had no forehead, but in the place thereof above the eyes four horns, whereof two were above an inch long, hard and sharp, the other two shorter.

The Father and Mother were the grossest and most active Familists, malicious opposers of the godly, the father of the Monster, after a Moneths absence came to Boston, the Lord's day the just time when it was borne, and the same day was convented before the Church, for making Christ, and the Saints a monster, he maintained that Christ and the Church together are the new creature, that there is no inherent righteousness in believers, that Adam was not made after God's Image, and other monstrous lies he held, which do make the first and second Adam, in divinity, Monsters.

2 The Midwife, one Hawkins Wife of St. Ives, was notorious for familiarity with the Devil, and now an active Familist.

3 The Monster was concealed five months, yet in the day Mistress Hutchison was excommunicated, she revealed the Monster, the Magistrate caused to dignity up the grave, and it was seen in the horns, claws, holes in the back, and some scales, and that by an hundred persons.

4 When the child died, being two hours after the birth, the bed violently shook, that all in the house conceived it to be an earth-quake.

5 The manner of concealing it was strange, all present with the travelling woman were taken with violent purging and vomiting, some fetched home to their children in a new convulsion, none left but the Mid-wife with two other, of which one fell asleep.

Mistress Hutchison, who defended her opinions with lies, and equivocations, and pretended she was still of Mr. Cottons judgment, and that she was by revelation in England, that she durst hear none, by M. Wheelright, and M. Cotton, all the rest being Satan's Ministers, still spake of the things of the Kingdom of God, and professed Repentance, and yet kept her wicked opinions. M. Cotton, and M. Davenport, convinced her of her errors all to the last, and she confessed in the Congregation, her Errors, her contempt of the Magistrates, that she was deserted of God, deluded in her revelations, desired the Congregation to pray for her, afterward she was found to be a liar, gave no satisfaction in her answers, but lying circumlocutions, and denied she held any such opinions as were imputed to her, the contrary whereof was known to many godly persons: she was banished to the Isle called the Road-Island, from thence removed to the Dutch-plantation, near a place called in the Map Hell-gate, where the Indians, beside their custom, slew her and her daughter, and husbands daughter, some say the Indians burnt her house, and all she had.

CHAP. XVII. Of the late Familists banished out of New England in Massachusetts and now inhabitants of Shaw-omet, otherwise called Providence, and their tenets.

THere is a piece lately Printed and Licensed, Aug. 3. 1646. called Simplicities defense against seven-headed Policy, Or, Innocency Vindicated, being unjustly accused and sorely censured, by that seven-headed Church-government united in New England. Its a piece stuffed with wicked principles and gross and bl • sphemous deductions of Familism, smelling ranckly of the abominable Doctrine of Swenckefield, Muncer, Becold, David Georgius, and of H. Nicholas the first Elder of the Family of Love, of the piece called Theologia Germanica, and the Bright Star. It is flowred with a Poem, inveighing against the godly in New England, who hate the deeds of the Nicholaitans, cannot endure those that call themselves Apostles, and are not, and oppose wicked Liberty of Conscience, and have banished Antinomians and Libertines out of their bounds, these Libertines say, that the same spirit of persecution works in Papists, Jews, Turks, and the Churches in New England. The Author of the Poem, who makes • one Saints, and of the Kingdom of Christ, but Familists and Antinomians, and all the rest enemies, is reported to be R. Beacon, who wrote a Catechism, of stuff not unlike this.

1 Sam. Gortyn, and his late Disciples of Familism, hold all the godly and sound, of the Churches of New England, that are not theirs, to be Antichrists, Idolaters, worshippers of the star of their God Remphan, figures that they made to themselves, Pharisees, Scribes, Herodians, children of disobedience, in whom the God of this world Satan works, false teachers, &c. and what not, and themselves the only Saints.

2 The calling of the Apostles and ministers, extraordinarily without the ministry of men, and the calling of them now ordinarily by men, must argue a Change in the son of God and a nullity. Then must the ceasing of sacrifices and old Testameent-Ceremonies, and God's divers ways of revealing himself to us say Christ is not the same yesterday and today, and forever, contrary to Heb. 13.7, 8, 9, 10.

3 Libraries, books, and human learning are to be condemned, Simpl. defense p. 15. as Antino. do.

4 The rising of Anabaptists, Familists and sects, which the truly godly in New England fear and abhor, is the Messenger of the Covenant, Christ coming to his temple, Ibid.

5 Herod, Act 12. Taking on him to be a Magistrate, to protect the people with wisdom and Counsel, to minister Justice unto them, took on him an office that belongs only to God, (and so did Brother Winthrop, the Governor of New England) for which cause Herod was stricken with worms, Magistracy then in it self must be unlawful, Simplic. Defen. p. 17, 18.

6 The two Olive trees and candlesticks standing before the God of the earth, are the two witnesses whom the godly of New England do kill, and these two witnesses are the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the strength and the weakness of Christ: for he was crucified through weakness, but liveth by the power of God, Simplic. Def. p. 19, 20. Thus these Wizards change the true Christ, true man like us in all things, except sin, into a Metaphoricall imaginary Christ; for Gorton in the Postscript, expounding these words, Except ye eat the flesh, &c. Joh. 6. saith p. 104. And whereas he saith, I say unto you, or, as the word is, I say in you, it signifies, that what ever the Saints utter in point of Religion, it is, and must be the voice of the Son of God, and not of themselves; so that as he suffereth death in them, else can he have no death at all, and then no Savior, even so he speaketh in them, or else hath he no voice or language at all, and therefore without them, no revealer of the will of his Father, For where Christ is silent, there can be no revelation, therefore he is the word, or expression of his Father. Hence by the new way of new Familists, it is clear, Christ is not true man, dying in his manhood for man, but he dieth in the Saints, and suffers in them, else (saith Gorton) He cannot die, nor suffer, because p. 105. He is that fountain of life, yea, life it self. Then all the dying and suffering of Christ-man, is the dying and the suffering of the Saints; But the Saints dying and suffering, offer not themselves a sacrifice to God for their own sins, and the sins of the world, nor are they our Redeemers, nor Savior's, to save the people of God from their sins, as Christ was, Matth. 1.21.

The Son of God is made flesh, that is, weak and frail, in regard of us, or our nature that he took. But he means that Christ took our nature, not in his own person (that I cannot fasten upon their words) but the Son of God became flesh in us, that is, weak in the Saints, who bear his image; therefore Gorton expounding flesh and blood, Joh. 6. saith, p. 106, 107. By blood is here meant the life, Spirit, and power of the Son of God, as he discends from the Father, even as the life, spirit, power, virtue and vigor of the Son of man, runs in the blood in creatures, and such is the life, descent, and power of the Son of man, as he is of the life, descent, and power of the Father from above, and so is God blessed forever, Amen. So the Apostle, this is he that came by water and blood, that is, by weakness and strength, — that is by weakness in us, or in our nature, (then not in Christ personally) but by power in God, or in that nature divine, so is he said in the like sense to be crucified in the flesh, but quickened in the Spirit, then its but metaphorical flesh and blood that Christ took, not real and material, but in regard the Saints that bear his image are men, Christ is a man in them, and Christ weak in them, that is, Christ lives in them, according to the wisdom, skill, strength, study, and forecast, about the things of God, that a creature (merely as he is a creature) is able to procure and bring forth, now the best thing that is in man (saith he p. 106.) which is his wisdom, is enmity with God, for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be, so we have from these Familists, an imaginary and a Metaphoricall Savior, And if we eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood (saith he, p. 107, 108.) that is, if we eat and communicate with that weakness and frailty that is naturally in man, and which the Son of God assumed and took into unity, (he saith not unto the unity of the second person) with himself, without alike drinking in, and communication with that spirit and life, wherein he visits us, and comes into our nature from on high, (even out of the bosom of the Father) then do we surfeit and suffocate the Spirit (so is flesh eaten to the body without drink) and die in ourselves and in our sins, and so also if we neglect that weakness that is in us, (as though no such thing were) and dream of an high and spiritual estate, which doth not arise out of, and is the result (through the wisdom of God) of that weakness that is in us, then do we either sink in our folly, and become sottish, the things of God being drunk up only with the things of this natural life, else are we puffed up, and become giddy in ourselves, thinking that we know something, when indeed we know nothing as we ought.

In all these, Familists 1 Deny the Trinity, three persons in on God. And if the reader consider it Saltm. speaketh the same way with Gortine and H. Nich. Sparkles of glory p. 288. Others say (he meaneth himself and Familists whom he divideth from Protestants) the mystery of salvation is no other then Immanuel or God with us, or God in flesh, Christ being no more but an anointed one, and that anointed one is our nature or weakness anointed with the spirit, even God himself who is strength. There is not a word here of God and man in one person, and of true God consubstantial with the Father, and man like us in all things except sin, in the unity of one person, but Christ is our nature (in every Saint and believer) and weakness anointed with the spirit. Then every saint is Christ, and Christ hath nobody and soul of his own, but every believer, Goded, deified, and anointed with the spirit, is Christ.

2 Christ is not one single man, who was crucified on Mount Calvery: But every weak believer made of flesh, and a frail body, and of a soul Goded and anointed with the spirit, is God manifest in the flesh, and another Messiah we have not but every Saint is his own Savior, Christ is nothing but mystical Christ by his spirit dwelling in the flesh and weak nature of all Saints; is not this the Antichrist who denieth that Christ is come in the flesh?

Now Christ suffers in us saith Gortyn p. 105. Because no other creature in the creation was made according to the Image of God but man alone, and so no other creature in regard of degeneration can bear the image of death and hell but man alone. Then the Father and Spirit suffers in us and our weakness, because of the unity of images that is in God, and in us. If this be all, here is no incarnation or suffering personal in the Son more then of the Father and the Spirit.

2 This is but the imaginary and Metaphoricall Savior of H. Nich. and unclean Familists ; for if flesh and blood be but Metaphors, that is, the weakness and nothingness of man, and blood be Metaphorically only the power of the divine nature, and if the blood and water that issued from Christ's side was not material blood and water, and if Christ's being crucified according to the flesh, and his living according to the Spirit, be but fair Metaphors, as we say, the Meadows laugh, when they are but vigorous, green and flourishing, and are not capable of material laughter, more then of a reasonable soul, then surely Christ was not true man borne of the virgins Mary, but a Metaphoricall man, that is, weak in us who alone are his Image by creation.

3 Then died he but in fantasy and Metaphorically, for his fl • sh that he was crucified in, is not true flesh; nor the true manhood assumed in the unity of his person, but only it is Metaphorically the weakness that is in us. And John saith, He saw the water and the blood that came out of his side, and did bear record, and his record is true, yea, they heard Christ with their ears, they saw him with their bodily eyes, and looked on him, and their hands handled the Lord of life, John leaned on his bosom, they pierced his hands and his feet, they parted his garments among them, they took down his body off the Cross, folded it in clean linen, laid him in a new Tomb, he truly rose again, eat with his Disciples, when they doubted if it was he, he called to them to make their senses and fingers witnesses, a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see I have, 1 Joh. 1.1, 2, 3. Joh. 19. Mat. 26, 27, 28. Luk. 22.23. ch. 24.39, 40, 41. And he was seen of all the Disciples, and was seen of more than five hundred brethren at once, 1 Cor. 15.5, 6. And he shown himself to his Disciples after his suffering, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and spake of the things concerning the Kingdom of God, yea, Paul saith, Act. 20. • 28. God purchased a Church by his blood. Our Divines with good reason say, Here is concluded against the Socinians a real satisfaction, a true, real, not a moral or exemplary dying by way of imitation only to teach us the like patience, but that Christ God-man really offered to the Father blood as a perfect ransom to redeem his Church. The deceiving Familists eluding the whole history of Scripture, and this Impostore Gortyn saith his blood is to be expor • ed only of the power of his God-head, and his flesh of the weakness of our natures, or of us, who only in creation are made according to the Image of God; Yea, Gortyn saith, p. 104. Christ suffereth in them, that is, in the weak Saints, else can he have no death at all, and then no Savior, then he suffered not in his own Manhood, then hath he not by himself purged our sin, Heb. 1.3. Nor was it Christ himself who in his own body on the tree bare our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. The body of Christ say the Familists and Antinomians, is his Church; Now the Church is his mystical body, but Christ had and yet hath another true, real, natural body besides his body the Church. This seemeth to me to be the doctrine of M. Saltmarsh, who in his latest piece (that I cannot now examine this work being printed, but it is the very picture of the spirit of Henry Nicholas ) giveth hints that Christ is not true man, Sparkles of glory▪ p. 39. The baptism of Jesus Christ is that whereby we are baptized into his body. Now his body is a spiritual one, and fashioning like his glorious one, that place, Phil. 3.20, 21, that speaks of Christ's natural body, Saltmarsh exponeth of his mystical body the Church, as if Christ had not another body then his Church his mystical body; Now Christ's mystical body suffered not on the Cross for our sins. And pag. 43. When Jesus (saith he) went out of flesh into spirit, or ascended, he confirmed this ministration &c. Then Christ's ascension to heaven in his manhood is not local and visible, though the scripture say Act. 1. His Disciples saw him locally and visibly ascend, and the Angels said these men of Galilie should see him after the same manner come to judgment, but his ascension is but his leaving of his flesh or mystical body on earth, and being turned into a spirit, or his entering in a more spiritual and glorious being into heaven, and if this be true that his ascension is but his going out of flesh into spirit, then hath not Christ taken our nature and flesh and a man's heart to heaven with him that he may be touched with our infirmities. Contrary to these Scriptures Eph. 2. ver. 6. Phi. 3.20.21. Heb. 4.14, 15. Heb. 7.24, 25, 26. Heb. 10.20, 21.

Again by blood in scripture is never meant the power or life of God. How shall we then make sense of that Heb. 2.14. For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil. And what is that but he was true man? v. 17. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful High Priest.

Now the Children were not partakers of flesh and blood that is of weakness and the power of God, or the God-head, for so Familists expone flesh and blood, except we say that every believer is both borne of the seed of David according to the flesh, and is God blessed forever. A horrible blasphemy, for so Christ, Rom. 9. partakes of flesh and blood according to the Familists way.

And this way of changing all histories of the word in allegories, is the way to elude all truth. When it is said, God created the Heaven and the Earth, the Sea, Man, Beasts, Birds, Fishes, we must make the world an Imaginary and Metaphoricall world, the Creation must be but an allegory, men must be figures, allegories and metaphors, so must heaven, earth, sea, land, birds, fishes, be metaphors, for there is as true a real history of all that Jesus did and said until the day he was taken up to heaven, Act. 1.1, 2. As of all other true histories in the word. Else Familists puts us to a stand in all the Articles of our faith. I confess the way that Del and the Familists take, when they cite these words for an internal word, and a spiritual and allegorick sense, besides the literal sense, The words that I speak are spirit and life, Is an unavoidable way to elude all scripture, and M. Beacon in his Catechism while he clear himself, is a gross Familist to me, for he speaking of Christ crucified, turns all Christ in a Metaphoricall Imaginary Christ in these words pag. 137.

Q. how long did this suffering last?

A. Till he gave up the Ghost.

Q. Who was crucified hereby?

A. The old man.

Q. What was the old man?

A. The sinful man.

Q. Is the sinful man ceased?

A. Yes, in Christ.

Q. How so?

A. He was left nailed on the cross.

These words ( who was crucified ) in a Catechism, ask in what nature Christ suffered, and whether or no Christ God & man in regard of communion of properties may be said to suffer. Who did suffer? Now he should answer the Lord of life in his human nature. But passing the answer touching all personal and material sufferings of Christ, which is a special and fundamental article of our faith, and ought not to be omitted in a Catechism, he cometh to a moral suffering of the body of sin by influence of Christ's death on our souls; now first and primarily Christ himself was nailed to the Cross as a sacrifice, for our sins (this is omitted by Beacon ) secondarily as a fruit of his death, the Old-man is crucified with him, Rom. 6. but not as Beacon means, that the Old-man is ceased, and we sin no more being once justified, as if the Old-man were perfectly crucified, as he answereth. And it is true, that Christ's dying teacheth us to die to sin, and so Christ's death is spiritually to be expon • d, where the scripture exponeth it, as Rom. 6.1, 2, 3, and 1 Pet. 1.23, 24. and else where. But that is no ground for Papists, Antinomians and Familists to take away all the truth of histories touching Christ his incarnation, death, resurrection, ascension, sitting at the right hand of God, redeeming of the world, heaven, and hell, and to subvert our faith and change all in spiritual and allegorical senses under pretence of a spiritual Gospel-preaching, we cannot then by the learning of these Jugglers expone the story of the drowning of the world by waters, but of allegorical men, allegorical drowning, not literally. For if we expone the stories of the Scripture literally, Familists say we are literal expositers and know nothing of the spirit and spiritual learning.

7 These Familists teach, that Christ reveals his will by no voice, but the voice of the Spirit in the Saints, p. 104. that is, the internal Spirit and word is our only rule, and not the written word, suitable to H. Nicholas his Spirit, and to the Enthysiasmes of Swenckefield, and to John Waldesso, (a piece that M. Beacon highly extols, p. 138. Catechi. who saith, Consideration 3. p. 8.) That believers make use of some rules (of Scripture) to preserve the health of their souls, as they do for the health of their body, rather to conform themselves outwardly with the sons of Adam, then because they feel themselves to stand in need of such observations: forasmuch us they being governed by God alone, observe the will of God, and wholly depend on it. And the same Popish Author, Cons. 32. p. 107, 108. maketh crucifixes, Images, and the holy Scriptures Alphabets of Christian Piety for beginners (M. Beacon who commends this superstitious Famil • sticall book, must always judge Images unlawful) so as a Christian having first (saith Waldesso p. 108.) served himself with holy Scriptures as with an Alphabet, he afterward leaves them to serve for the same effect to beginners, he attending to the inward inspirations, having for his proper Master the Spirit of God, and serving himself with holy Scriptures, as with an holy conversation, and which causeth refreshment unto him, altogether putting from himself all these writings which are written by an human Spirit. So they judge Scripture to be written by an human spirit contrary to 2 Pet. 1.19, 20, 21. 2 Tim. 3.16.

8 Its folly to conclude of certainty of Scripture, and not of infallibility in the interpretation thereof, So M. Saltmarsh, and M. Dell, deny the Scripture to be an obliging rule to the Saints, but only the word written in the heart. Hence, as the Holy Ghost dited the Scripture, so also dited be the exposition of Scripture to the Familists, and their exposition is as infallible as the Scripture, because the same Spirit speaks in both, for the same spirit that dites the word must expone it.

Answ. Then must the writing of H Nicholas, and the uncle • n house of Love, and of Antinomians, be as infallible as the writings of the Prophets and Apostles, who were immediately inspired; Horrible blasphemy. Men, and holy men may err in their Expositions, but the Word of God is infallible truth.

2. The Scripture is our rule, by which all other Truths, Doctrines, Spirits, Revelations must be tried, and if they be not according to the Law, and the Testimony, there is no light in them, Esa. 8.19, 20. Luk. 16.30, 31. Psa. 119.130.105. Luk. 4.17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Joh. 5.39. 2 Tim. 3.16. Act. 26.22.

3 No marvel that Antinomians be Anti-scripturians, and deny Scripture to be the Word of God, affirming it to be a dead letter, a human thing of Inke, and that what the Spirit speaks to the soul, is only the word of God, and no other thing contained in the Old and New Testament.

9 Faith justifying is no fiducial recumbency on Christ, God and Man. Nor do we eat his flesh and drink his blood spiritually by believing in Christ crucified, but by acts of humility, seeing our self to be flesh and nothing, and Christ to be in us blood, that is, the spirit, life, and power of God, as if we were Goded with him.

10. God and man united in one eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, or man as Goded, and God as humanized, p. 111

11 The reasonings and dictates of our spirit, are translated into the 〈◊〉 and dictates of the Spirit of God, and so the writing, 〈◊〉 ▪ and arguments become Divine and eternal, not human and • empora • y. Wind-mils, and phanacies must they be big 〈◊〉 ▪ who leave the Scriptures▪ and imagine that God only acts, understands, wills, loves, fears, hopes, &c. and doth 〈◊〉 in the Saints.

12 Swearing at all, though before a Judge, is unlawful, Simpl. Defenc. p. 22.

13. While you tell the people (say they to the godly in New-England:) that by sorrow, compunction, and anxiety of Spirit, and would of mind, they communicate in the sufferings of Christ, it is nothing else, but to conclude the Son of God to be Beliel.

14 Baptism is unlawful, except it be conjoined with the cross and sufferings of Christ, • o Saltmarsh Sparkles of glory, p. 30, 31. denieth all Baptism.

15 As every Saint ought to hear the word, so ought he to preach it, Calling of Ministers is groundless, so p. 66.67. so the An •• nom. Beacon, Catechi. p 7.8. and Saltmarsh Spark. p. 131.

16 They are Idol Shepherds of Rome, who cannot preach to the people but in a way of so much study and ease, not laboring with their hands for their bread, p. 67.

17 If I preach the Gospel willingly (say they) I have a reward, 1 Cor. 9.17. that is, if I do it out of any ability, skill, or will of mine own, gotten, or acquired by any pains, or industry, as men do attain to Arts and Trades, wherein they are to be preferred before and above others, then I have a reward, that is, something to be attributed, and contributed to me for the same, then I go about to deprive my Lord of his right, showing myself an unfaithful Steward, & • . Simpl. Defen. P. 68. then was Gorton unfaithful in writing this book, for pains of art he must have taken in writing, in consulting, by reading the Scripture, to set down Chapter and Verse, but all this is the Enthysiasticall gang of Divinity, in which Antinomians in praying, believing, loving, bereave us of the use of mind, will, reason, affections, and make the Holy Ghost and Christ in his person united to us to do all.

18 To preach for stipend or contribution, is to give unto God, and unlawful, contrary to 1 Tim. 5.17, 18, 19. which I grant, if stipends be the preachers design and end.

19. None is to forethink of what text or subject he is to preach on, but as God's Spirit for the time casteth in his mind, p. 75. that is, he is to speak fancies, without sense, method, or intention to edify, which thing the Prophets, Christ, and Apostles, did not in their preachings. But of this before and somewhat hereafter.

20 He denies the resurrection, exponing these words, My flesh shall rest in hope, that is, my weakness and tired out condition hath rest and strength in another, though not in myself, for hope, that is seen is no hope. This place Psal : 16. is exponed Act. 2.26, 30, 31, 32. of the hope of the resurrection of Christ and of ours in him who is the first begotten of the dead, but Gor • on, p. 106. wresteth it most foolishly to another sense, as if it were metaphorical flesh and burial, and so an allegorical and spiritual resurrection only.

21 He most corruptly and unsoundly turneth all the Scripture in childish Allegories, as is to be seen, p. 96, 97▪ 98.

In the following Treatise you have other Antinomian conceits holden by Ro. Town, who coldly refuteth Doctor Taylor, and by M. Eaton in his Honey comb, and Saltmarsh of late fallen off conformity to Antinomianism, and Tob. Crisp, a godly man (as is thought) But Melancholions, who having built much on qualifications and signs, fell to the other extremity of no signs of sanctification at all, by H. Den, an High Altar man, a bower at the syllables of the name Jesus, and conform to all the abominable late Novations introduced by Canterbury, who also opposed the Remonstrance and Petition of the well affected, pleading for a riddance from Episcopacy, Ceremonies, and other corruptions, and is now a rigid Arminian, and an enemy to free Grace, an Anabaptist, an Antinomian, to these join Paul Hobson, who speaks more warily then the rest, and R. Beacon, in his late Catechism, who holds sundry gross points, and M. Del in his Sermon before the House of Commons, whose noble Ancestors could not have endured Familism, S • einianisme, or the like to be preached in their ears.

CHAP. XVIII. Saltmarsh cleareth his mind touching personal mortification faintly, and holdeth many other points of Familism, as of Christ crucified, risen, ascended to heaven in a figure, or in the spirit, not really in his true Man-head.

SAltmarsh is now the chief Familist in England, hath written of late a Treatise called Sparkles of glory, which contains the spirits and extractions of the doctirne of Swenckfeld, David Georgius, Henry Nicholas, and all the Familists, Antinomians and older Libertines, in which he professeth himself A Seeker, and disclameth Presbytery, Independency, Anabaptism, and that there is neither Ministry, Church or Ordinances, nor any promise of continuance of them till Christ's second coming, contrary to Mat. 28.19, 20, 21. Ephe. 4.11, 12, 13. Mat. 26.13. Mat. 24.14. And pleads for liberty of conscience, and yieldeth that he will write no more against that learned and Godly man M. Tho. Gittaker. He further labors to clear himself, ( Sparkles of glory pag. 323, 324, 325, 326,) That he said, that Christ hath believed perfectly, repented perfectly, mortified sin perfectly for us ; which he thus explaineth to wash it from Antinomianism and so calleth it a pretended Heresy.

1 (saith he) that Christ hath done all for us is truth, he hath fulfilled all righteousness for us, b •• that which is of the Law and that which is in the Gospel in graces &c. And upon this accompt is made unto us righteousness, &c.

2 Faith, Repentance, Mortification, were all in Christ origiginally, primarily, as in their nature, their fountain, their root, or seed, and therefore he is said to give repentance to Israel, and he is the Author and finisher of our faith, and it is called the faith of the son of God, and of his fullness all we have received, and grace for grace, for every grace in him, a grace in us.

A. 1 If Saltmarsh have no other sense, but that our faith, repentance, mortification, are in and from Christ as the meritous cause, because Christ by the merit of his death procured grace to us to believe, repent, mortify sin.

2 That these are from Christ efficienter, as the efficient cause or from the spirit of Christ infusing the life of God in us, and actuating the supernatural habit of grace in us and working in us to will and to do, this is that which Protestant Divines say, that Christ is our Savior merito and efficaciâ, by the merit of his death, against Papists, and the effectual; yea, and the irresistable applying of his death to save us, as we teach against Papists, Pelagians, Socinians, then surely I hope neither that learned man M. Gattaker, nor any of ours censured M. Saltmarsh for Antinomianism or any heresy, in his point we agree, and then we say that M. Saltmarsh in these words, gives us a fair and ingenious Recantation. I am glad of this.

But Saltmarsh will be found to wash Antinomianism off himself with Ink-water, and he hath no face, at least it is much ignorance to call Protestants Legallists, because they teach that our faith, repentance, and mortification are from Christ by way of merit and the effectual working of grace, nor did ever Protestant deny this.

1 Saltmarsh free grace p. 61, 62. excludeth personal not acting such and such a sin and our personal sanctification from being part of Gospel pure▪ and spiritual mortification, p. 62, 63. And saith, our pure and Gospel mortification is to believe that Christ mortified sin perfectly for us, and the like he saith of sanctification, and repentance, p, 84, 85. So Saltmarsh willeth us not to repen • , nor believe, nor mortify sin in our own person, but to believe Christ hath done these for us perfectly, and then we believe, repent, and mortify sin perfectly

2 He citeth Scripture, But ye are sanctified, but ye are justified &c. This is out of all doubt personal sanctification flowing from Christ's merits, and his spirit. And I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. This is personal doing in Paul's person by the grace of Christ, and we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Those be good works that we in our own person do, by the spirit of sanctification. But Saltmarsh exponeth all these to be not ours, but the very personal actings of Christ, for his words are these, pag. 84. free grace.

All these scriptures set forth Christ the sanctification and the fullness of his, the all in all. Christ hath believed perfectly for us, he hath repented perfectly, he hath sorrowed for sin perfectly, he hath obeyed perfectly for us, and all is ours, and we are Christ's, and Christ is God's. Now Saltmarsh can have no such sense as here he would force on himself: For never man doubted, but personal acts of grace, or, don by the strength of grace, are ours; but how are they ours? as we are Christ's ? only as Christ acteth them for us without us. No, are they not ours? the Spirit of Jesus worketh them in us, and causeth us personally to do and act them, Ezek. 36.27. John 7.39? If Christ's perfect believing, perfect repenting, and his perfect mortifying of sin be ours, because Christ did these acts for us in the days of his humiliation while he was in the flesh; then are they ours before we be born, and the holy Ghost must exhort us to do all in the strength of Christ, and to be sanctified, and to believe perfectly to justification, and that we be his workmanship, to walk in good works, that we put on the new man, that we mortify sin 1640 years before we be born: for so many years ago Christ performed all these things for us: but we are this day exhorted to put on the new man, and to walk in good works. Now the holyghost in scripture must either speak nonsense or whē he saith, walk in love evē this day, repent while it is today, stand up from the dead today, believe today ; he must mean, you need not stir foot or hand, or any power of your soul to these acts: for Christ performed all these acts for you 1640 years ago. For then he must mean Christ hath repented perfectly in me a believer, and wrought perfect repentance free of sin in me a sinner, and Christ hath obeyed perfectly in me a sinnerr; that is, by his merit and Spirit, Christ hath wrought in me and in my sinful person, perfect obedience, and so hath made my personal sanctification, my personal new obedience by his grace perfect, and perfectly conform to the Law, which is most false. And when Paul saith, I am able through Christ's strength to do all things, his meaning must be, Christ worketh in me, in my sinful soul, understanding, will, affections, and whole man, to do all things through Christ's strength perfectly, as Christ doth all things perfectly. Now, sure, Christ doth all things perfectly, and without sin: But did Paul by Christ's strength all things perfectly, and so as he was free of si • ne? I think not. 3. Saltmarsh taketh upon him to yield us some purer and finer Gospel mortification, then the Protestant Legalists have done in former times, as he saith▪ pag. 61, 62. Now if his mortification be in Christ only, and not in the sinner himself, nor any act of him, and a perfect mortification in Christ only, as the meritorious cause, and also as the only efficient, not in us, and as in Christ the only subject not in us: then I grant he gives us a finer mortification, because what Christ doth only and perfectly, and in himself, not in us, must be finer then any mortification or acts of sanctification we do in our person, though we do these by the Merit and Spirit of Christ working in us to will and to do. But then Saltmarsh nill he, will he, must say, the Gospel-mortification is that whereby Christ hath perfectly mortified sin for us, and not that (which he saith. Sparkles of glory, 324, 325.) mortification which Christ first doth in himself, and then in us through himself ; and so he vindicates not himself. (4.) I never yet (saith he) denied graces and fruits of the Spirit of God, which appear in faith, repentance, new obedience, mortification of sin. I speak it in another conception▪ and measure of light. —The Christian as the English or French, can only speak in his own tongue or language, till the Lord be One, and his Name One amongst us. It is true, 1. Saltmarsh and Antinomians say, there are graces of Faith, Repentance, Mortification, or rather, (as Town saith) gifts of Faith, &c. But 1. they are not Gospel-mortification. Why? Gospel-mortification is perfect in Christ, saith Saltmarsh, Free Grace, pag. 84. these that are in us, are not perfect at all, nor conformable to Law and Gospel. 2. They are not commanded so, as the contrary omissions should be sin, they are only free and arbitrary acts of the Spirit, and of a spirit separated from the word. 3. Saltmarsh denies not graces in faith, repentance, and mortification. But he denies the necessity of the things themselves, as acted personally by us; Yea, Saltmarsh saith, Confession, Repentance, are sins, at least infirmities or sins of weakness. For free Grace, pag 87. he saith, You say well: For David c • yed out in the bitterness of his soul, that his sin was ever before him, and then his sanctification was out of his sight, and that God had forgotten to be gracious but I said saith he, this is my infirmity. In whic • words, David's confessing of his sin, which is a • act of 〈…〉 is joined with his quarrelling with God, 〈…〉 had been a changed God, Psal. 77. and of both it is said, that David said, This is my infirmity, or my sin. Now if he spak not of both, the words can bear no sense; and if so, confession of sin, (and by the same reason, repenting of sin) must be a sinful infirmity. How then can Saltmarsh acknowledge grace or fruits of the Spirit, except he acknowledge grace in sinning, which were absurd.

4. Saltmarsh calleth his unsound speaking, a Christian speaking, till the Lord be one, and his Name One ; as if the expressions of Antinomians and their Heretical doctrine, were the language of a Christian, when it is the language of the Antichrist. And if Saltmarsh failed but in expression, he should have answered his own Arguments, and the Scriptures that Mr. Gattaker alleges on the contrary, and confessed Mr. Gattakers doctrine was found in that point, and his own Familisticall, in his way of expression of it, at least.

Yea Saltmarsh further enlargeth himself in other Articles of Familism, more unsound then before, and worse, if worse can be; as

1. Man is said to be made after God's own Image, which Image was Jesus Christ, called by Paul, the Image of the invisible God, the brightness of his glory, the express Image of his person.

Scripture saith not, that man was made according to the Image of God Christ: for Christ is the Substantial and eternal Image of the Father. Man was created in the created participation of God in righteousness and holiness, Eph. 4.23, 24. and especially if Saltmarsh speak of Christ as Mediator, as he doth, it is most false.

2. Man while he stood was the figure and Image of Jesus Christ in his new creation, or whole body, or Saints. p. 4. Sparkles of Glory.

An. P. 201. he setteth down this as the last & highest discovery of God to man, above & beyond what Protestants say of salvation by faith in Christ crucified, died, buried, ascended, sitting at the right hand of God, &c. For all these Gospel truths he rejects as literal and fleshly, They say, (saith he, speaking of Fumilists) Adam was a way by which God preached first to man, and was not the first man in whom all stood and fell, but a way (figurative and allegorick, not literal and historical, as if Adam were a true real man) by which this mystery of God was made to appear. But what Scripture is • here, that Adam • n the st •• e of Innocency was a figure of the Mystical body of Christ Mediator? We may not at our will fancy figures and types where the word goeth not before us.

3. This excellency and glory of the first man, as it left God, life and communion in him, was a figure or image of this creation departing from God, and living out of God.

Ans. What reason hath Saltmarsh to speak with H. Nicholas who saith man sinned from the beginning, bu • speaks not one word of the first Adam that sinned▪ as if th • first sinner were not one single man, s • e Knewstub against H. Nicholas.

2 The Scripture saith, Rom. 5. All sinned in the first Adam, as the head, root, first nature and public father of all mankind. By one man many were made sinners, inherently and intrinsically. Saltmarsh will have all men to sin in Adam, as in the first figure, type and Sampler by imitation, only as Pelagius said, or he will have the first Adam, a man figuratively only, not really and indeed, and we know Familists change the whole story of Adams fall, and say the tree, the Garden, eating were not material trees, gardens, &c. but mere figures.

4. Jesus Christ is the Revelation of God, even the Father, this is the glass or Crystal of God, in whom we with open face see God, p. • .

Ans. In all the wild expressions, he hath of Christ, as that he is God's Revelation, God's Crystal. He calleth him not the Son of God, by an eternal generation, as Divines from Scripture speak.

5 The veil of this first Temple or creation, was rent by him who crucified all flesh through the eternal spirit and en • red in his glory.

Ans. What Scripture saith Christ crucified all flesh through the eternal spirit ; hath Christ nailed all his flesh to the Cross? or must he mean, as he elsewhere hinteth, that Christ had not a proper natural body of his own, in which he died, but all his mystical body the Church is his body, in which he suffers afflictions and death in his Saints, as in his image, then must the sufferings of the Saints be that satisfaction and price of Redemption, paid to justice for our sins, and so as many afflicted suffering Saints, as many Savior's.

6 Sparkles of glory, p. 15, 16, 17. He acknowledgeth no visible Church, but only the invisible baptized into one Spirit.

Ans. The word acknowledgeth a visible kingdom like a draw-net that gathers in good and bad, a barn floor in which is chaff and corn, a field, in which is wheat and tares, Matth. 13. a visible house of sons and servants.

7 The man of 〈◊〉 2 Thess. 2. is the corrupt flesh in every man, not the Antichrist the Pope of Rome.

An. So said H. Nicholas judging all the externals of Popery indifferent.

8 Pag. 29, 30. The Baptism of water, is John Baptists Ministry till Christ, Christ baptized none, nor his Disciples, but from Johns Ministry so that Baptism of water is done away, as other legal shadows, and all baptizing spoken of in the Epistles, is spiritual baptizing.

An. Christ gave a contrary mandate, Mat. 28.19, 20. and Peter saith, Act. 10.47. Can any man forbid water? Act. 8. the Eunuch was baptized with water, Act. 16.33. Col. 2.11, 12. 1 Pet. 3.20, 21. Antinomians judge baptism, the Lord's Supper indifferent, as they do all external administrations, for to them they are but the killing Letter, the flesh.

9 Christ ascending to heaven, went out of flesh into spirit, p. 43. Sparkles.

An. He hath not then our nature and flesh in heaven, contrary to Ephe. 2.6. He is not then our High Priest now touched in heaven, with a feeling of our infirmities, his flesh is now not the new and living way, contrary to Heb. 4.15.16. chap 7.24, 25, 26. ch. 10.20. Nor doth the Heaven contain him till the last day, as the Scripture saith, for his Spirit is everywhere.

CHAP. XIX. Saltmarsh with Familists phancyeth divers new administrations, of the Law, of John the Baptist, of the Gospel, of all spirits.

10. ANtichrist, or the mystery of iniquity came in upon this ministration by gifts and Ordinances, and the glory of the spirit, and power of gifts, went off from the visible Church, as the glory of God from the Temple to the threshold, till it was wholly departed. — and all things in the absence of the spirit, and of gifts were Administred by Arts and Sciences, and Grammatical knowledge of tongues and languages, p. 45. The ministry that shall destroy the Antichrist, is Jesus himself, the Prophet whom we must hear, and the God of whom we shall be all taught, pa. 49. Not that of Arts and Sciences acquired by natural power and industry.

An. The falling away was not the ceasing of extraordinary gifts of the Spirit in the Apostles. But the Antichrists bringing in of another Gospel, Joh. 2. ver. 10. and the Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh 1 Joh 4 3. is Antichrist as the Libertines H. Nicholas, Joh. Saltmarsh and Familists who pag. 219. parteth with the common Protestant to behold a state of condemnation in sin and a way of salvation by Jesus Christ and faith in him —to be but a knowledge of Christ after the flesh and of Christ as one single person or figure of a man and the first glimpse of the love of God, and but merely a discovery beyond the Law and all but a fleshly spiritualty. And why? because this comes not by a Yard-length up to the Family of Love, and teacheth salvation by Christ whom these men call a figure of a man, because not true man. And the Antichrist came in the Pope also, and denied Christ to come in the flesh, nullified his manhood, with transubstantiation, a visible head of the Church, Images, merits, traditions of men, &c. invocation of Saints, prayer for the dead, works of supererogation &c. but all these are indifferent to Mr. Saltmarsh and on • y Antichristian because literal and external, not because they are not warented by scripture. and he brought in the abuse of Philosophy, Logic, Arts and tongues, which much darkened Gospel-glory.

1 The Apostles with gifts and the Spirit made much use of arts and tongues as inferior helps in their kind to convert souls, because sinners are not Angels, and faith came by hearing of known languages and sent preachers, Rom. 10.14.

2 Saltmarsh his Sparkles of Glory, must be an administration by arts & tongues, and so not that Ministry that can destroy the Antichrist, and sparkles of flesh and Antichristianism not of glory, for he besprinckles the margin of his book in the beginning, till his breath fail and he dry up, with the popish lace of bits of Greek, as p. 1, 2, 3. &c. and citations of Scripture; and he hath had some Art such as it is, in writing Treatises to the School and Family of Love, the professed enemies of Puritans; yea, there is no writing, no speaking of English, no consequences (of which there be many monstrous ones that follow not from Scripture such as no confession of sin, no working in the Gospel, but only believe, &c. in Saltmarsh his books) but from Tongues, Arts, Logic, and so Familists yet must be under the Law.

3. Observe that Saltmarsh in bringing in Antichrist, is deeply silent of Popery, and the Romish Religion. For H. Nicholas, and Familists deny the Pope to be Antichrist, and think the Mass and Romish Priesthood indifferent, as all Religions are to them, and there is no Antichrist but the Legal Protestant void of the Spirit, because he speaks Greek and Hebrew, and hath some skill in Logic, and would have the Scriptures in use, and the preaching of Gospel, which Saltmarsh in his Reformation would lay aside, as contrary to that, Ye shall be all taught of God, he hath such a stomach against subordinata non pugnant ; but whether he will or no, teaching by the Word, and so by Tongues and Arts, and by Timothies attending to reading, shall go together till Christ's second coming, as is clear Isaiah 59.21. Isaiah 61.1. where Christ is anointed with the Spirit to preach, and yet that Scripture was fulfilled when he spoke by Art & Tongues, Luke 4.18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, &c. And that Sermon was but a dead letter to the hearers, v. 28 29. nor was Christ for that under any absence of the Spirit, 1 Tim. 4.14, 15, 16. and Revel. 1.3. compared with Rev. 2.7. whereas he saith, The Ministry that is to destroy Antichrist, is more glorious then Arts and Tongues, and this is Jesus Christ himself.

1. Libertines said, the Gospel or Word was the Spirit himself, Saltmarsh here saith, the Ministry destroying Antichrist, is Christ, which is most false. The Ministry is but 1. an Instrument, 2. a created Ordinance▪ Christ is God, Man, and Mediator.

2. The Ministry that destroyeth him is the Word preached as an instrument, and Christ the principal cause: But the principal cause removes not the Instrument, as Familists imagine; but the Ministry of Familists shall never do it.

Whereas former Antinomians made two contrary administrations, one under the Law in the Old Testament, another und • r grace or the Gosp • l, in the New Testament ; Only John the Baptist was pinned in as half a Legalist between both.

Saltmarsh p. 68. after he with the Familists hath made a greater number of spheres and circles of Administrations, following the spirit in his fullness and variety, he foldeth them up in three, of Law, Gospel, and Spirit, or of Letter, Graces, and God, or of the First, Second, and third Heavens. After the cut of David Georg • , who said the first Ministration was the law of death, and the letter, the second was under Christ and the Apostles, but not very spiritual, but fleshly, literal, carnal; but the last under David George the true Messiah was spiritual, purely spiritual, beyond that of Christ and the Apostles, and so spiritual, that to have conscience or sense of uncleanness, or sin, was a work of the flesh. And Saltmarsh saith it is fleshly, and literal that a pardoned man should confess sin, p. 69, 70, a Christian (saith he) passeth thro • gh several ages, even as Christ was under the Law, circumcision, Supper of the Lord, Baptism, and then he crucified all that fl • sh he walked in under these dispensations, and entered unto glory.

Answ. Then he crucified Baptism, the Lord's supper, preaching of the Gospel, the Ministry, the visible Church, and every outward letter of conference, praying, for Saltmarsh now turned Seeker, denies all these, and he must have crucified all his preaching, tongues, writing of books.

2. What tongue or Science of the Holy Ghost taught Saltmarsh to call the Ordinances of the New Testament, flesh, or fleshly Ordinances? for I doubt, he meaneth not that Christ true man, died for our sins, for 185, 186. he saith; It is a discovery of the highest attainment of Protestants generally, that we are born in sin, — And that the way of salvation was by Jesus Christ the Son of God, born of a Virgin in the fullness of time, made under the Law, bearing our sins, crucified, dead, buried, and risen, and ascended, and entered into glory, &c. but pag. 190, 191. he forsaking this as legal doctrine, tells us of a further discovery, as to free grace as if the Protestant Doctrine were merits of men, not the free grace of God; And he setteth down that of the Antinomians, and not a word of Christ God-man, crucified and dead for our sins; And the confession of Faith, made in this Assembly at Westminster, yea, all the Reformation now, is only in some outward ordinances (saith he) not any purer or more glorious discoveries of God, or the Spirit, or Jesus Christ, or our union with the Spirit, or glory as to spiritual things, or Christ risen, but as to Christ in the flesh, or under the Law, of which these Ordinances were a sign, And p. 198, 199, 200, 201. which he calleth the last, highest, and most glorious discovery of God, by love and grace, for (to the Familists ) there is no Article of the Protestant faith that savors of truth, for to them all our Doctrine is a dead Letter. Nor did Christ die for our sins, and rise for our righteousness, but only the dying of Christ is a mere figure, insinuating that he died not in our nature as true man, but as Gortyn saith, the sufferings of every Saint who is the figure and image of Christ, is all the Christ crucified the Scripture knows. There is nothing in all the books or writings of Familists discovered touching the controversies between Protestants and their Adversaries, Papists, Arminians, Socinians, Arians, Antitrinitarians, Sabellians, Libertines, Swenckefeldians, Anabaptists, &c. Concerning Election, Reprobation, the power of free-will, the supremacy of the Pope, Idol-worship, the consubstantiality of the Son of God, Christ's manhood, his dying, satisfaction, merit, burial, resurrection, ascension, the last judgment, heaven, hell, the resurrection of the body, in all which they are unsound, and ought to give a confession of their faith, as Anabaptists have done.

12 The Jewish Church, (saith Saltmarsh p, 70.) or dispensation that was according to Moses, and the Letter, in which they were led out in carnal and more fleshly courses, as in proceeding against the Nations by war and fighting, with all their other legal Rites, and Rudiments, were a clear figure of the Christian under age, or under tutors and Governors, and worldly Rudiments.

Here lawful Wars, and the use of the Sword, are made legal rites and figures. War (saith he) with all other legal Rites ; then War is no more lawful to us under the New Testament, then Circumcision, and all the Law of Ceremonies. Saltmarsh then would no more go as a Priest to the Campe, to preach to the General, then he would be Circumcised, except with H. Nicholas, he thought all Moses Law indifferent, and that the spirit without scripture led him to be accessory to unlawful blood • shed, and the spirit is his rule, not the word of God.

2 If the ceremonies of Moses be the figure of a Christian under Tutors, and worldly rudiments, such as hearing of the Gospel, baptism, prayer, confession, reading; then all these must be abolished in this life to the Christian; and if Christ have crucified all these as fleshly ordinances, to Pray, hear, must be as unlawful as to be circumcised, which Paul saith, Gal. 5. is to fall from Christ. See if these men mind God.

13 The Disciples of Ch • ist (saith, p 70, 71.) according to Johns ministry were a type and figure of such as are under Tutors, as Gal. 4.1. and as carnal and Babes in Christ, 1 Cor. 3.1, 2.

Answ. These under non-age, Gal. 4.1. are under the Law of Moses, and yet Heirs of the promise : The Disciples were under Christ's ministry, and believed in Christ as come, and were blessed, in that the Father revealed Christ to them, not flesh and blood, Matth. 16.16, 17. The Baptists ministry, and his Doctrine, and baptism, were all one with the ministry and baptism of Christ and the Apostles, as our Divines prove against Papists, for both preached Christ the Savior that taketh away the sins of the World, justification by free grace, faith, repentance to life, sanctification &c.

Corinthians are called carnal, not because they prayed▪ and heard▪ and believed, but because, though Babes and weak, yet they were contentious, and Shismaticks, ver. 3, 4. For one saith I am of Paul, and another I am of Apollo. Sure Saltmarsh ordinarily expones Scripture by consequences which are fleshly and legal, and fancies types by a spirit that contradicts the spirit speaking in the word.

14 And the great and excellent design (saith he speaking of the marrow of the Family of love) or mind of God in all these things is only to lead out his people, Church, or Disciples, from age to age, from faith to faith, from glory to glory, from letter to letter, from ordinance to ordinance, from flesh to flesh, and so to spirit, and so to more spirit, and at length to all spirit, when the Son shall deliver up the Kingdom to the Father, which is not only when the fullness of time, or ages is come, but in transacting and finishing in par • s and Members of the body of Ch • ist, and is not one • single act, point, or effusion of glory, but a per • ecting and fulfilling it, in several members of Christ, till the fullness of the stature of Christ; for the day dawnes, 1 Pet. 2.19.75. And for a Disciple to stay longer in any ministration then the Lord, or the life and Spirit of Christ is in it, is as if Lot should tarry in Sodom. For (saith he, p 73.) A Christian must crucify each condition he passeth through.

We must then learn from Familists, 1. That Christ was a legal and literal Savior, as David George said, for he passed through all these ministrations. And Saltmarsh must be nearer to all Spirit, then Christ and the Apostles.

2. Saltmarsh grows in transitions to new Orbs and Heavens: For in his Treatise of Free Grace, we heard of nothing but Law and Gospel; now he is upon the secrets of Famil • sts, and Enthusiasts, to crucify Scripture, praying, hearing, writing, and he is become all spirit. And this is a third state. I grant the Scripture saith, that the Messiah shall, Dan. 9.27. cause, in the midst of the week, the Sacrifice and the Oblation to cease ; and that shadows of good things to come shall be abolished, when the body and life of ceremonies shall come. But I desire one letter of Scripture that saith, when the Spirit cometh, even in this life, he shall cause praying, believing, prophesying, seals, the Scriptures, to cease, and we shall be above and beyond all Gospel-Ordinances even in this life.

3. For Familists that are all Spirit, to hear, be baptize • with water, read, is as unlawful, and fleshly, as for Lot to stay in Sodom, after the Lord had commanded him to depart.

4, Then the delivering up of the Kingdom spoken of, 1 Cor. 15. and the day of judgment is already begun, and is in doing these many centuries of years. So we heard before H. Nicholas say, even now in this present day, doth the Lord sit in his Throne, and judge the world. I rather believe Paul then Saltmarsh or H. Nicholas ; For Paul saith, 1 Cor. 15. speaking of the Resurrection of our bodies, which I am sure the Familists have not yet seen, 1 Cor. 15.24. then cometh the end, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. Then, when the resurrection of the body shall be, Then shall be the end, when he shall render up the Kingdom to the Father. So the rendering up of the Kingdom to the Father, (which Saltmarsh faith, pag. 72. is even now, when the day dawneth, and the Day-star ariseth, ) shall not be till the end, and till the general Resurrection of all be: And therefore Saltmarsh misseth a step in his new devised order, except he say with Libertines, and Hen. Nicholas, that the resurrection is to be exponed spiritually, as Hymaeneus and Philetus said, and there shall be no more resurrection, nor day of judgment, nor rendering of the Kingdom, nor heaven nor hell, but such as we see in this life, (as it is most like Saltm. believeth with all the Nation of the Familists ) for the administration of the spirit is in this lif, as well as the ministration of Law and Gospel were in this life. The Scripture speaks of the day of judgment, as of a thing not yet come, 2 Thess. 2.2. Let no man trouble you, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter, as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Then some by the spirit of Scripturelesse revelation, • s now Anabaptists and Familists, have said, the day of judgment was near, or begun in this life; yea, the Scripture saith, It is a day appointed of God, Acts 17.31. and showeth us the fore-going tokens of that day, beyond which there is no more time nor Gospel, as 1 Thess. 5.1, 2. Matth. 24.22, 23, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47. Matth. 25.31, &. 46. 2 Pet. 3.1.2, 3, & 10, 11, 12, 13, &. 1 Cor. 15.24, 25, 26. And what needed the Holy Ghost bid us watch and be sober, and beware that that day come not on us unawares, and tell us, if we have not oil in our Lamps at that nick of time, wh • n the shout shall be given that the Bride-groome is entered in his chamber, Matth. 25. there is no more place for repentance, or buying oil, or any possibility of salvation, when that day is once come; because, if the day of judgment be now, and the rendering up the Kingdom to the Father, be in this life, how is it that so many daily repent and escape out of the snare of the Devil? And the market of buying oil in this life, is not passed: For Peter, Act. 8. willeth Simon Magus, while he liveth, to repent and sue for pardon. And so the time of the offered Gospel, and the day of judgment cannot be both together Paul could never s • y, 1 Cor. 3. I could not write to you as to spiritual, but as to ca • nall, except he meant that he wrote to some spiritual man, nor could he say, the spiritual man discerneth all things except the last ministration, which is the spiritual ministration, were begun in the time that Paul wrote to the Corinthians, and then began the ministration of the Spirit, and our seeing of the Lord with open face, 2 Cor. 3. and so then was the rising of the dead, & the rendering of the Kingdom to the Father. And where are we now, If the d •• d have been a rising now these fifteen hundredth yea • es, and a dying all this 〈◊〉 ▪ For Saltmarsh as • ured u • • hat the 〈◊〉 of the Kingdom is not in the end of 〈◊〉 • orld, when the full •• s • e of • ime or ages is come, but it is a 〈…〉 in parts, till the fullness of the stature of 〈…〉 Ephes. 4.11, 12, 13. that we meet all in heaven, and the Lord Jesus his myst • cal body be filled up and perfected, and so long as Pastors, teachers, and a ministry shall be on earth, and when this shall be, the scripture telleth when the end shall c • me, 1 Cor. 15.24. and when all rule, power, and Authority shall be put down, and Christ's enemies subdued, and when all things shall be subdued. Now this is not in this life.

5 That Saltmarsh and his Spiritualists should stay under the ministration of Ordinances of preaching, praying, believing, hearing, reading, or that they should preach, is as unlawful as for Lot to remain in Sodom. But when is there a ministration that Peter, Paul, and believers in this life, should pray no more, when they are to pray continually ? to hear and read no more, when John saith they are blessed who read, and Christ that they are blessed who hear and do ; and they are to watch to the end, to grow in grace?

CHAP. XX. Of the ceasing of Ordinances since the Apostles died as Saltmarsh teacheth.

SInce Antichrist now reigneth, and Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists are no more, there is no warrant to labor a reformation like the Ap • stolicke times. God hath nowhere said he will have them restored, but he aims at a pure spiritual worship, more glorious than that of the Apostles, when there shall be no Temple nor Ordinances; • nd that place Ephes. 4 Till we all meet in the unity of Faith, is till he fill all things.

1 • or who 〈◊〉 perfect the Saints but Christ? Apostles cannot do it, and we 〈◊〉 no Apostles now nor any of the pure gifts of the holy Ghost. Doth the scripture anywhere speak of Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, only for the first age, and Pastors and teachers only for the ages after? And that of Matth. 28. Lo I am with you to the end of the world is (if more clearly translated) to the finishing of the age, or that age of ministration, pag. 108, 109, 110, 111.

Answ. It cannot be denied but Antichrist reigneth, but where? in false Doctrine in the Protestant Churches ? It is most false. We have separated from Babylon. Nor is it true that Saltmarsh saith, local separation is Legal and Jewish, and hath begotten strife and abated love, p. 53. For separation out of Babylon cannot be Jewish, when the Lord hath expressly commanded the Christians, come out of her my people ; and a Church-separation, where there is nothing found, as to come out from the unclean Family of Love, is Christian not Jewish, except we should communicate with the unfruitful works of darkness, and not care to defile our garments. And Familists separation from Protestant Churches upon their own ground must be fleshly, legal, and Jewish, and hath begotten much 〈◊〉 and abated love. But any outward performance or duty done out of conscience of a command, even not to go to Mass, not to worship Idols, is legal to Familists, if we do it not upon the impulsion of the Spirit separated from the command; as for corruption in conversation, if that be the reign of Antichrist (our separation (I confess) is to scarce) then must he reign more in Familists the uncleanest of sects, then in the truly godly who hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans.

2 Familists and Seekers would have no Churches reformed according to the Apostlick pattern; because they think the Apostles legal and Jewish men, and they judge all externals and outward Ordinances, as hearing, baptism, praying, to be Jewish and legal, and hold that love is all. And another commandment there ought not to be. Upon this ground I judge Antinomians say, this is the only gospel-work and way to believe, and there is no sin but unbelief; adultery, murder, sodomy, covenant-breach, perjury, treachery of Arm • es, Servants to Masters, are sins before men only, but not against God, and in these we are obliged by no Law, but to please one another in love, adultery is against no obligation of command, Saltmarsh free grace 193.74.14 • 154. Town 39.40. Honeycombe 95.37. Den sermon of the man of sin 9, 10.

3 Another more pure, and spiritual, and more glorious Ministration where love & all spirit reigns, then is warranted by the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles, we know not. Yet Saltmarsh pag. 194, 195. condemneth the Assembly of Divines, the seven Churches of the Anabaptists, their confession and reformation, because they endeavor a Reformation only in some outward Ordinances, and not any purer or more glorious discoveries of God, or union with the spirit or glory. Why? and what cause is there? For these new discoveries and new lights of a more pure and glorious spirit, are either warranted by the Word of God in the Old and New Testament, or they are not warranted: If the first be said, the Assembly and Reformed Churches, Calvin and Luther, whom Saltmarsh carpeth at, as p. 107. dark, legal, and Jewish reformers, because they loved not the Spirit of the Family of Love, ought to have gone no further on to reform or measure the Temple then according to the golden Reed of the word of God.

But Saltmarsh cannot away with any reformation, but such as setteth up a firmament of new lights especially of Antinomian and Familisticall wild-fire to shine to men, and we confess we endeavor no new discoveries of that kind, for they are not known to the Apostles, such as that the justified cannot sin, their Adultery is no Adultery, they are as free of any indwelling sin as Jesus Christ.

2 They are not to be touched in Conscience for sin.

3 Nor to crave pardon.

4 Nor to do any duty because commanded in the Law.

5 Nor to believe that Christ died for sinners, rose for their righteousness.

6 Or to pray continually.

7 To hear.

8 To be baptized with Water, &c.

Answ. 1. Paul saith, 1 Cor. 2.1. He determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, then Paul knew no discovery or new light, nor anymore spiritual way that is all spirit, and a dispensation beyond the Law and that of the Prophets, and beyond the Gospel, which is that of the Spirit, all spirit, and pure spirit, For Paul would have, no doubt, desired to know it, yea, all other things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whatever they be, are dung and loss to him in comparison of the super-excellent knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord, Phil. 3.2. John the Apostle who saw so many Divine revelations and discoveries of the spirit, if any man else, must be above Law and Gospel, and up at this highest and most spiritual discovery: But John even in his actual visions, and spiritual ravishments, Revel. 1.10. was never beyond sinning, and a capacity of exhortations, consolations, and rebukes for Idolatry, as is clear, Revel. 1.16, 17. Revel 19.10. Revel. 22.8, 9. Then there can be no such pure and spiritual dispensation to the Saints in this life as is beyond all ordinances of exhortation, consolation, rebukes; for the Holy ghost telleth us that John, in the discoveries of God that are most spiritual, had need of these. Fear not, I am the first and the last, and see thou do it not, I am thy fellow-servant, worship God.

2▪ It will be found that the anointing and the holy spirit that leads in truth, leadeth by no other means then by the word preached, Rom. 10.14. Esa. 59.19, 20, 21.

But if these new discoveries be not warranted by the word, they must be the traditions of men, and argue the imperfection of the word of God; and if they be another Gospel, then though the Apostles or an Angel from heaven preach them, let alone Familists, we are to pronounce them as accursed, knowing well, that the word of God is able to save our souls, John 20.31. Luke 16.29, 30, 31. To make us perfect to salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. To convert the soul, to make wise the simple, Psa. 19.7. and that new spirit must involve us under a curse, and the breach of a commandment, if we add to the word of God, Revel. 22.18, 19. Deut. 12.32. chap. 4.2. Prover. 30.6. And the spirit of God biddeth us not follow a rule contrary to the word.

3 There is not any in this side of Heaven that need not a Temple, nor Ordinances, but such as need neither the light of the Sun, or of the Moon, or of a Candel, Revel. 21.22, 23. chap. 22.5. and so are freed of their bodies, and glorified with the Lamb, and such as see God face to face, and are not in the dark moon-light of faith, 1 Cor. 12▪ 12. 2 Cor. 5.7. We read not of any clothed with clay-bodies, all spirit, all perfect, or that can say they sin not, Pro. 20.9. 1 Joh. 1.8, 9, 10. Eccles. 7.20 nor of any beyond the reach of praying, believing, growing in grace.

4 Nor can there be anymore in Heaven than the perfection 〈◊〉 Saints, and the meeting of us all in the unity of Faith, unto a perfect man, and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. For the most perfect and most spiritual, that are all Spirit, shall have mortal and corruptible bodies till the blowing of the last Trumpet, which must be changed in a moment, instead of dying, 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. and so cannot be perfect; they must be watching, and girding up the loins of their mind, and so ruled by ordinances.

5. It is true, Christ only perfecteth, as the principal cause; but the Apostles and Ministers of Christ present men perfect in Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. 1 Thess. 2.19, 20. and they save themselves and others, 1 Tim. 4.16.

6. We have not Apostles now so eminent in gifts, tongues, miracles; but a Ministry there is, and believers, till Christ's second coming there shall be: And if so, their faith must come by hearing, and hearing there cannot be without preaching, and so ordinances of Preaching, Preachers, Sending, Rom. 10.14. else the gates of hell must prevail against the Church built on the Rock, Matth. 16. and therefore the Scripture warranteth us to think there were Apostles, for the first age, and Pastors and Teachers till Christ's second coming.

7. Saltmarsh exponeth, or rather depraveth the place, Matth. 28.20. with the help of the Greek Tongue: then he must be a Legalist▪ and in his Book give us Sparkles of Law, Flesh, Judaism, not of glory.

And sure his Interpretation comes not from all spirit, nor must we take his allegories, types, corrupt glosses, fancied consequences, to be Discoveries of pure glorious light, and all Spirit. For 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the world, is not an age containing the life time of the Apostles only, but it is the world. For the sin that ( Mat. 12.32.) is said, not to be forgiven in this world, nor in the world to come, Mark 3.29. hath not forgiveness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it cannot be that it hath not forgiveness for that age, because it is punished with eternal damnation. Matth. 21.19. Let no fruit grow on thee forever, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Saltmarsh his new Discovery of all Spirit, must say, the Fig-tree for all this might bring forth fruit the next age. Luke 1.55. as he spake to Abraham and his seed forever, John 6.51. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forever ; And must he but live one Age, and die the next? John 4.14. He shall not thirst forever. So is the same word, John 8.51. ch. 8.52.

2. Saltmarsh by this new Discovery, hath found a good way to make heaven and hell endure but for an age, and then have an end. For John 10 28. Christ's sheep shall never 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , perish. He that liveth (saith Christ, John 11.26.) and believeth in me, shall, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , never die. But do Seekers and Familists think he shall die the next age, and live the first age? John 12.34. We have heard that Christ abides forever. John 14, 16. The holy Ghost abides with you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forever. Demas hath loved this present world, 2 Tim. 4.10. 2 Cor. 4.4. Satan is called, the God of this world, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in opposition to the world to come, 2 Pet. 2.17.17. To whom the mist of darkness is reserved 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , forever. The darkness of hell endureth not for an age only.

3. And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is simply everlasting, and that which hath no end, John 3.16. He that believeth shall not perish, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but hath eternal life ; that is, not life for an age only. So John 3.36. John 4.14. John 4.36. He gathereth fruit to life eternal, John 5.24. John 6.40. v. 54. John 10.28. John 17.2. Acts 13.46. and ye judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life. Rom. 2.7. Rom. 6.22.

4. The same expression that is here, noteth ( the end of the world. ) For it is that endurance beyond which there is nothing but heaven and hell, Matth. 13.40. So shall it be in the end of the world, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . The same expression is, v. 49. v. 39. and the harvest is the end of the world. And Matth. 24.3. What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And here, Lo, I am with you, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , even till the end of the world.

5. And if Christ promised to be with his Church for an age, so as Apostles do cease in the next age, then must there be no Saints on earth now, but only in the first age after Christ's resurrection: For this promise of Christ's presence, is extended not to Apostles only (for Christ walketh with all true Churches, Rev. 10.2.) but to all the faithful. Then certainly, Christ is the head of his body the Church, Col. 1.8. but he hath nobody; he is a husband, but hath no wife on earth; he is a King, and a King forever, but hath neither people nor kingdom, nor Scepter of Word or Ordinances. He reigns in the midst of his enemies by his Word; slayeth the wicked with the rod of his mouth; hath an everlasting kingdom, & hath dominion till all his enemies be subdued, Psal. 110.1, 2. Psal. 2.6.7. Heb. 1.8. Psal. 72.7, 8, 9. Isaiah 9.7. ch. 11.4. And if there be no Ordinances, no Church, no word of righteousness preached, which is the Scepter of his Kingdom, no Sword of the Spirit coming out at his Mouth, no word of the Kingdom, no Ambassadors, no Ministers of the Gospel, his Kingdom had an end above fourteen hundred years ago.

6. Now to all this we must say, Christ's order is strange. First, he led his people through the Law, then to a purer and more glorious Gospel-dispensation, and (say Familists) to a pure spiritual way of all Spirit. And yet after his ascension, and ceasing of Apostles, he led them by a retrograde motion, and • ook away all ordinances of the preached Word, all Seals, all Preachers and witnesses, all Churches, and they have ben so under a darker then a Law-dispensation these fourteen hundred years, and shall be till men of the Family stamp shall arise, even men that are all pure spirit, such as H. Nicholas, and Mr. Dell, Randall and Saltmarsh, who teach that believers cannot sin, nor confess sin, nor are to walk in any Commandment of God, nor after any Ordinance of Word, covenant of Grace, Seals, Faith, Prayer. &c.

16. In this most pure, most spiritual manifestation of God (saith he pag. 36.) all shall be spiritual Disciples. This ministry is of the whole body of the Saints, not of one Tribe, or sort of men, page 51, 52. and that immediately in all gifts and operations, without studying or industry.

Answ. Here 1. all distinction of Church-Officers, which Paul saith, shall endure till we all meet in the unity of Faith, Eph. 4.11, 12. and is proven from the order Christ hath established, that some (not all) shall be Apostles and Teachers, 1 Cor 12.28, 29. and only those that are sent, Rom. 10.14. and only such as have such and such operations in Christ's body, 1 Corinth. 12.19. Rom. 12.4. But it is apparent, Familists dream of a dispensation, when either Christ shall not be head, and have nobody, and the Familists so denude him of his headship; or if Christ have a body, then all the members have the same Office, contrary to Rom. 12.4. and all the body is one member, and so nobody at all, 1 Cor. 12.19. and when there shall be none to obey in the Lord, and none to command, contrary to 1. Thess. 5.12, 13. Heb. 13.7.17. Tit. 1.5, 7, 8, 9, 10.

2. There is a clear contradiction in this, That all shall be Teachers and Edifiers, and yet there shall be none to be taught and edified, No Temple, no Ordinances (they are fleshly and Jewish carnalities) none but all Spirit, and taught of God, page 88, 89. page 72, 73. page 66, 67.

3. A time in this life there must be, when Timothy shall give no attendance to reading, and yet be a Prophet, and all men and women shall preach the Gospel without studying. Now the Scripture speaketh of no such time, and we cannot take such a point upon tradition from Familisis.

17. The Christian is and was (saith he 93, 94.) under Prelacy, Presbytery, Baptism, Independency, &c.

Why not under Popery, Socinianism, Arianism, Judaism, and the profession of all these? For they are Christians, believers, and saved under all Religions, by H. Nicholas his grounds, who saith, we may deny Christ and Religion before men.

2. Saltmarsh saith, p. 100, 101. under all these Religions (he excludes not Gentilism ) if they wait to come up to higher revelations of the Spirit when discovered, they are true and spiritual Disciples of Jesus Christ. This is grace universal, given to every man to gain, and purchase by his industry and honest merit more and more of Christ, till he come to the highest measure of all spirit. It is known H. Nicholas established a righteousness by the Law and works.

CHAP. XXI. The Doctrine of Saltmarsh and Familists touching Magistracy, and Spiritual discerning of Saints amongst themselves.

MAgistracie (saith he, p. 135.) is a power ordained of God, an Image of the power and judgment committed to Christ; Scripture and the gift of wisdom, justice and righteousness, are his unction now. Page 138. They are set up more specially to minister peace and judgment to God's people in the flesh.

Then Nero, the great Turk, the Indian Kings, being ordained of God, Rom. 3.1. as the image of Christ, must be his submediators and under Deputies, little spiritual Kings, and Prophets, and Priests under Chr •• t as Mediator. And who gave the Scriptures, the Law, written Gospel, and such an unction to the Indian Kings? for they are Magistrates. The man cannot speak of Christian Magistrates; for Rom. 13. which he citeth, speaketh of Nero, whose head was dry from all unction of the Gospel, or New Testament. If the Magistrate be an Image of Christ's power, and that power committed to him; they may under the Mediator Christ, ministerially judge of the doctrine preached by Ministers, if true or false. And if they be set up to minister justice more specially to God's people in the flesh; then the people of God in the Spirit, and in all Spirit, as Saltmarsh saith most of them all are, shall be under no Magistrate; but this he saith of all, page 288, 293, 200, 201, 202, &c. And by this every Magistrate must be a Christian • f an image of the Mediators power; or then no Christian, or spiritual man can be a Magistrate.

2. They are set up to minister justice to the people of God in their flesh. But these that are spiritual, having no flesh, how are they under Magistrates? The flesh is to Saltmarsh that which is under Law, not under grace: then Saints are no more under Magistrates, then under the Law, to him; and when they are not under the sword of the Spirit, or any ordinances, are they under the steel sword of the Magistrate? And what judgment minister they to Saints, in whom there is no more sin, nor in Christ? And is a believer obliged to confess murder, paricide, adultery, to a Magistrate who is a man, and to crave him pardon, when Saltmarsh saith, he is not to confess any sins to God, page • 92 He see • s to grant Magistracy, and so do the Familists in their petition to King James, But it was their doctrine there should be no Magistrate▪ 141, 142.

19. Spiritual men may know each other in Spirit and in Truth, as men know men by the voice, features, statures of the outward man.

An. It is true, there is a spiritual instinct that will try the spirits, but dull in many, & cannot go in to election & reprobation, nor do Seekers, and Familists any other thing then take their marks by the Moon, when they say, Presbyterians, Divines of the Assembly, to their spirits, are the Antichrist, the false Prophet.

2 Familists will have none judged Heretics, because none can see whether they be truly Godly and self-condemned that hold such Doctrines. Here they say they know one another, whether they be Saints or Heretics to be avoided, as one man by sense knoweth another.

3 Let us judge none before the day: tares grow and go for wheat even to the most spiritual.

4 The Familists of New England take on them to judge who are elect and who are reprobate: and Saltmarsh will have one Saint to know another, as well as we know one another by voice, features, statures of the outward man ; then must the light of this new spirit be as certain as our knowledge by sense, why then are we bidden, try the spirits, and believe not every spirit? Peter (saith he pag. 150, 151, 152.) walked in his fleshly appearance with his sword, not knowing God was to call him out of that dispensation of the flesh to more glory, into the same glory he had with God before the world was. Eye for eye, and wars, are from the Law and legal principles.

Ans. Peter was not called to the glory that Christ had with his father before the world was, in this life, so long as his flesh needed the defense of a sword, except heaven and the resurrection be in this life while we are clothed with flesh, as Familists teach.

2 Sinlesse, Gallesse, self-defense and defensive wars, without malice, desire of revenge, are perpetual moral duties under the Gospel obliging the most spiritual man by the sixth Commandment ( thou shalt not murder ) to defend his own and brothers life from unjust violence, Eph. 5.28. 1 Chro. 12.1.2.22.36. 1 Sam. 26.2. 2 Kings 6.32. 1 Sam 14.44. Pro. 24.11. So Fortunius Garcias Comment. in l. ut vim vi ff. de justit & jure. So the Law l. Gener. c. de decur. l. 10. l. si alius § bellissime ubique gloss. in verse. &c. Ferdin. Vasquez. illustr. question. l. 1. c. 8.11.18. the Gospel, the spirit looseth no man from the Law of nature ( thou shalt not murder ).

2 Eye for eye, was a judicial Law, falsely exponed by the Pharisees to maintatne hatred of our enemy, and private revenge, which both Law and Gospel forbids.

3 If because we are clothed with flesh, we may not in an innocent way defend ourselves, as the worms and all beasts do, but the Gospel must forbid this, the Gospel must forbid to eat, drink, sleep, cloth ourselves.

4 Saltmarsh in this condemneth Christians and Familists to bear arms, or to be Magistrates, the contrary of which is their daily practice, ( preserve thyself ) and ( deny thyself ) are nor contrary as Saltmarsh imagineth, pag. 160. nor did God ever command contraries in Law and Gospel.

CHAP. XXII. The highest discovery Familists have of Christ, to wit, that he is a man only figuratively not true man.

OF the highest & last discovery of God to man saith Saltm. 201. They say (speaking of Familists) Adam was a way by which God preached first to man, and was not the first man in whom all stood and fell, but a way by which this mystery of God was made to appear first to the creation, and Adam held forth nature or a part of this creation in communion with God as to grace and love while he stood, and another part of the creation or nature out of communion with God, as to love and grace, (he should say as to no love, no grace) but in communion or union to God as to Law and Justice, & thus they interpret these scriptures of man's first glory, & fall, less in the very letter, and more in the mystery, and in this twofold state were all the rest, Cain and Abel &c.—They say the Gospel or fullness of time of the clearer discovery of this mystery was the Lor • Jesus himself, or God manifested in the flesh, or as in one man, a figure of the whole mystery, as to grace and love, or God in flesh, or in his; or of God in that other part of his creation his Church or Saints—And all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifing, death, and cross, was a discovery of God by this figure in the whole mystery, how God is in all his, & how he works, & hath his times of law and of graces, and gospel, of crucifing and offering up all to death through the eternal spirit which is the blood of the everlasting Covenant, or Seal, whereby God witnesseth to his people, that he is their God, and they his people, by killing all the strength, and life, and power of the first creation, and carrying it up into a more excellent life, his own Spirit: And so all Christ's birth, growing, submitting to ordinanecs, crucifying, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, were so many discoveries as to us in the flesh, of the whole mystery of God in the Saints, made out in these parts and degrees, and several ages and conditions, to show how God weakens and brings to nothing the life of nature, or of this creation in which he will dwell, and make his Tabernacle, and carry it up into a higher and more excellent life, even himself and his own glory: So, as they say, all that is spoken of Christ, as in that person that was born of a virgin, who was crucified, dead and buried, risen and ascended, is spoken in figure, (in a myst • ry▪ an • llegory, not in Christ as a true real man) of the 〈…〉 into which God enters, or is born into the world, and so 〈…〉 along with him, through several admini • trations into 〈◊〉 .

Answ. In all this observe a greater and higher mystery of Familists then in Antinomians, though they be birds of the same nest. Saltmarsh speaks of them in the third person▪ that he may seem not to own them, but they are his own Sparkles of vain glory, while as he would speak his Antinomianism and Familism, in so high, mysterious, su • lime a strain, so far above and beyond the L • tter, and written Scripture, that Mr. Gattaker, and those whom he calleth Legali • ts, do not understand him, page 320 3 • 1▪ The same very thing saith Calvin of Libertines, They used stra • ge and dark language, so prating of Spiritual things, that they could not be understood Instruct. adve • s. Libertinos, cap, 3. in Opus • ▪ p 435. Caeterum obscuro & peregrino sermon utebantur, ut de rebus spiritualibus ob • annientes minime intelligi possent Libertini. But lest this high and last discovery of the Spirit, should not be known to all the Familists of England, he will reveal it them, and in print too, to all Legalists, whereas before we heard Familists reveal their secrets, but to some few of the perfect ••• of their own Tribe. So H. Nicholas tells us, Exhor. 1. c. 6. Sect. 5.7 8, 9. And in his Elidad. Sect. 5.

But 1. there is nothing of the first Adams sin imputed to us: that is plainly denied: They say Adam was a way, that is, a figure, mystery, or example, by which God preached first to man, Law, Justice and Wrath, and was not the first man in whom all stood and fell. What then? He was not a material man at all, it was no tree, no fruit, no eating material or bodily. For all that is according to the Familists way, to expone the word in the letter and fl • sh, not in the Spirit. For saith he, thus they interpret 〈◊〉 Scriptures of man's first glory and fall, less in the very Letter, and more in the mystery. So to expone all the histories of the first Adam, and of Christ, not in the Historical, Literall, and Grammatical sense, but in the Mysterious, Allegorical, and Spiritual sense, is the way of Legalists; who (say they) follow the Letter, and know nothing of the Spirit; but the Letter killeth, and the Spirit quickeneth. Read Philosophy dissected, and the pieces called Theologia Germanica, and the Bright Star, and H. Nicholas his Exhortations and Documentals, and you shall find strange Allegories. And Saltmarsh is as Monkish in Allegories as they.

2. Antinomians tell us often of imputed righteousness, which supposeth Christ was a true real Man, and God-Man in one person, and that we are saved by the merit an satisfaction of his obedience and death imputed to us. But Saltmarsh and Familists her • tell us, Christ is a mere figure, sampler, document or example only, in which God discovers to us grace and love, And, all that is spoken of Christ as in that person, (not in that person really, but figuratively as in that person) that was borne of a virgin, who was circumcised ▪ &c. is spoken in figure of the whole nature. What? Was not Christ real and very Man, our only surety, Mediator, High Priest, who offered a real sacrifice for us? Is he nothing but a figure? and if Adam was not the first man in whom all stood and fell, so that all have sinned in him, neither can Christ be the second Man, in whom all his sons are justified, redeemed, and saved. But Familists deny that Adam was the first man in whom all stood and fell, as Saltmarsh told us before, and therefore Familists deny that doctrine of the first and second Adam, Rom. 5. and 1 Cor, 15.

3. It is a mystery, that all that Christ did from his childhood to his crucifying, death, and cross, was a discove • y of God by this Figure in the whole mystery, how God is in all his, and works and hath his times of Law-crucifying, &c. Was his crucifying but a discovery, or a document of God by this figure? The Scripture riseth higher: He was wounded for our transgression, he was bruised for our iniquity, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, with his stripes we are healed, Isaiah. 53. And him that knew no sin, God made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him, as it is 2 Cor. 5.21. And in his own self on the tree he bare our sins, 1 Pet. 2.24. The Familists make Christ a discovery, and a teaching figure, not a true Man. The Socinians make him a Man, but a mere example of patient suffering, if we follow him, his example will save us; but they denied he paid a real satisfactory ransom to God's justice for us.

4. By Christ's death (say they) God witnesseth to his people that he is their God and they his people, by killing all their strength and life, and power of the first creation, and carrying it up to a more excellent and glorious life, his own Spirit. How killed Christ the strength, life and power of the first creation? Christ is but a figure, and Christ but suffers (saith Gortine) and dies in us, when we who bear his Image (For Man saith Saltmarsh, p. 3, 4. is created according to the Image of God, which was Jesus Christ) do suffer and die, for God cannot die. And to this agreeth well what Saltmarsh saith, p. 288. Others say (he himself and Familists, in opposition to Protestants, who make Gospel-administration to stand in repentance, faith, sanctification justification, 285, 286. the mystery of salvation is no other then Immanuel, or God with us, Christ being no more but an anointed one, and that anointed one is our nature or weakness, anointed with the Spirit, even God himself who is strength. And this mystery of great and exceeding glory, is revealed in pieces and parts, and after the manner of men, according to the infirmity of our flesh, within the Christian in graces, &c. and in the Scriptures, or expressions and forms without the Christian : then is Christ crucified nothing but a believer graced within with God's Image. And p. 283. he saith, O how doth the pure appearance of God pour shame upon all flesh, and fleshly glory,— Either by letter or by graces, the day of the Lord will be upon all our Cedars and Okes. Now a Saint anointed, is God manifested in the flesh to Saltmarsh, and will the Lord pour shame on God manifested in the flesh? or is the day of the Lord against Christ • evealed within the Christian in graces, and in the Scriptures without the Christian? Then is God's wrath kindled against grace within, and Scripture without; brave Divinity. The Scripture saith not, that Christ on the Cross killed the strength, life, and power of the first creation, that is, Gospel-grace, believing, and God manifested in the Saints, that is, the new creature in them; and the first creation, that is, as they say, the natu • rall faculties of knowing, willing, nilling; so as the holy Ghost, and the Lord Jesus must come in place of these faculties, and in us, love, fear, believe rejoice; and we & all our powers that we had in creation, must be dead passive organs; Industry, Arts, Sciences, Tongues, Labouring, acting of Duties, quite removed, as flesh and corruption, and we turned in all spirit. See Rise reign, Er. 1, 2. For Saltm. saith, Sparkles of Glory, 230, 231. all other askings or seekings of God, which are not thus in Spirit, or in the will or mind of God, in some evidence or pure work of the Spirit, is but the askings of creatures, as creatures. All exhortations in Scripture to this duty, as, Seek ye my face, Pray continually, are only then rightly, effectually, and properly applied and obeyed, when the Spirit of God doth it in the Christian, when the Spirit of God breathes in, and reveals the will of God, and acts in the duty, or expressions, and the Christian speaks in himself, or the presence of others, that mind of God, and so the Spirit of God clothes it self in flesh, or letter, or expressions as to the outward man. If by a pure work of the Spirit, Saltmarsh mean, that the Spirit acteth as the principal determining, moving, acting cause, carrying on the work so, as our Spirit, and natural faculties of mind, will, affection, have their own subordinate, and inferior active influence in the work, the holy Ghost helping our infirmities, it is good; but this is no new light, nor Familisticall secret of all Spirit, but that which Protestants teach against Den, and other Arminians, & old liars, and new lights. But • fear, a pure work of the Spirit, is as much as the Spirit acts purely, wholly, only, in praying, and all supernatural acts, and the natural faculties, strength, power and life of the first creation are destroyed and annihilated, so as we are dead passive Organs, doing nothing, but the Spirit doth all, as Libertines say: Second causes work nothing, but God, as the soul of all, worketh all in all creatures. This is the secret, and so the praying, and all the supernatural duties of believers, are pure works of the Spirit, and works of all Spirit, and perfect according to the rigor of the Law: for the acts of the pure Spirit admitting of no retardment, pollution, or sin from our nature, must be as perfect as pure works of Angels. And if our natural faculties be not wholly dead, they are but acts of the creature, as the creature: then are all our supernatural personal duties, no less perfect and sinless, then the imputed righteousness and actings of Christ. 2. Then the holy Spirit only, is to be blamed, when either the Saints pray not, or pray not in the Spirit, or not with that fervor, faith, feeling, and pure spirituality that God requireth in his holy word: this, if anything, is a pillow of security.

3. So all the exhortations to pray continually, to act and work out our salvation in fear, to love the brethren, must be given to the holy Ghost, not to us: the contrary whereof is evident, we the Saints (not God, not the Spirit of God) are exhorted to praying, and acts supernatural, which cannot be if the Saints have no more active influence in all these, then stones & blocks have; for that is none at all: then are we mere passive and dead in all these▪ then must a praying Christian be God, or his Spirit manifested in the flesh, as to this; and a Christian believing, praising, is the like.

CHAP. XXIII. Praying a Law-bondage, the letter of the word no obliging Rule to those that are in the Spirit, by the way of Saltmarsh.

22. WHile Christians are in bondage, and not yet brought into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, Rom. 8. they are under the ministration of prayer, as children are to a Father in nonage vnd • upillage. Sparkles, p. 232.

A. His sense is, that the Saints may be in a state of not praying at all in this life; but taking bondage for a state of frailty, & absence frō God, it is true, praying argueth some Bondage, & want of full and complete redemption, that we, as women travelling in birth, long after. But Saltmarsh meaneth of Legal Bondage and fear of the curse, and fleshly and carnal fear, and most blasphemously he makes Paul's thrice praying to remove the Messenger of Satan, & Christ's thrice praying, O my Father, if it be possible, remove this cup, not be praying in the sp • irit, but in weakness, or the flesh, according to their own wills ; which must make praying in faith to be in the same act, praying out of legal and fleshly unbelief, and make Christ under a fit of unbelief, and not to pray in the Spirit, when he said, Remove this Cup, &c. Now Saltmarsh could not have brought a place more against himself, to prove that prayer is not a fit of Legal bondage, then Rom. 8. For it is said, v. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but the spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

23. The mere Commandments and letter of Scripture, is not a Law to a Christian, why he should walk in duties, but the law written in our hearts, Sparkles, page 243, 245.

Ans. Then the written Gospel, and promises of the new Covenant, obligeth not a believer to pray, believe, give alms, or not to kill his father or King; but when the H. Ghost breatheth in the soul to do these duties, then if a believer whore, swear, kill, rob, blaspheme, misbeleeve, &c. he sins not against any command in Law or Gospel, because the holy Spirit acted him not to abstain, and God the holy Ghost is the only cause of all the sins of the Saints, because he concurs not with more then the letter, even with saving grace, to prevent these sins. We sin not in not praying, not believing, when the grace of God joins not; then a man being in Christ, may whore, rob, blaspheme, misbeleeve, &c. if God will be wanting to him with his flowings, and out • shinings of free grace, let him see to it, blame himself, he fails against no Law, Commandment, or Obligation. Libertines taught the very same, to wit, That God is the only cause of sin, no creature, Man nor Angel is to be rebuked or punished for sin, God sins in them. Oh blasphemy! 2. We never said, that the mere Commandments and Letter of the Scripture, is our obliging rule, as the Letter is a thing of Ink, and a Paper, divided from the natural and genuine sense, but as it includes the things signified, and as it expresseth to us what is the good, perfect, and acceptable will of God: which will obligeth Christians with an obligation different from any obligation that the L • w written in the heart lays on us. But this is as much as when a Sectary being justified, robbeth and killeth the innocent, he fails nothing against this written commandment, ( Thou shalt not murder ) and a Saint cannot sin, yea if the Law written in the heart, excite him not to ab • taine, he sins against no commandment of God; but the Law written in the heart, is the new creation as acting, which cannot be a Regula, or Rule, but a regulatum, a thing ruled; and this is to make the Spirit within us, not the spirit as speaking in the Word, the formal object of our faith, the Judge of controversies, and that is then lawful, that every unwarranted spirit biddeth us do and believe.

3. The Law written in our hearts, is either an obliging Law to the Christian, because it is only written in the heart, or because it is written in the Scripture, or agreeable to that which is written in the Scripture: If the former be said, then is the impulsion of the Spirit in the heart, without any relation to the Word, our warrant; this is nothing but Scripture less revelation, if then a Spirit in the heart, comand Becold & Knippe • d •• ing to • oe a • ts of murder and Rebellion, • s they did, they 〈◊〉 in not obeying these impulsions, which yet are contrary to the revealed will of God. Now it is a contradiction i • one and the same act, to obey the revealed will of God, and that lawfully, and not to obey it, and that also lawfully. If this heart-law be an obliging law, because it is also written in the Scripture, then is the mere Commandemement and Letter of the Scripture, the last obliging law at least to a Christian. And then yet when the Spirit does not conjoin his sweetest breathings to procure in us an holy abstinence from murder, harlotry, perjury; but the Christian falls in these sins, he sins not, because no man sins, when he doth what he is not obliged to forbear, or not to do: For everyone that sinneth, doth against an obliging Rule. But when there is no inspiration, nor actual moving or stirring law in the heart, there is no obliging Rule at all that the Christian can contravene: For if the law in the heart be the only Rule that obligeth a Christian, it must oblige as it stirreth and moveth us, then when it stirs or works not, it is no Rule; and if so, in all the sins committed by Christians, be they never so hey • ous, the Christian sins not; for he go • s against no Law, no • any obligi • g Commandment.

CHAP. XXIV. Of the Indulgence of sinning under Law and Gospel, granted by the Familists.

GOd had a time before Christ came in the Spirit, as he had before Christ came in the flesh, in which he suffered with patience their sins; so— now under Episcopacy, Independency, Presbytery, he useth much forbearance; but he hath a time in which he will judge the world, and destroy Antichrist, and then shall all the Saints Indulgencies cease to all these things under which they are walking, some in conscience, some in liberty. Sparkles, 251, 252, 253.

Answ. The Scripture speaketh of no Indulgency to sinning after the revealed Gospel; because after his ascension he came both in the flesh and Spirit, and men have no excuse for their sins. Acts 14.16. Acts 17.30. In times of ignorance God winked, but now, even in Paul's time, he commands all to repent. 2 Cor. 6.2. Behold now is the day of salvation. And Rom. 13.12. Now the night is far spent, and the day is at hand. The Gospel day is dawn, a day of the Spirit beyond the Gospel day the Scripture knoweth not, except the incomming of the Jews, which is a Gospel day, in which the Moon light shall be as the Sun in his full strength.

2. Here is a new Familistical day of judgment begun in this life, and why not also the Libertine and Nicolaitan resurrection in this life?

3. Sinning in conscience and liberty excuseth no sin, nor can Saints sin at all in the Antinomian way, as is proven, and shall be hereafter, God willing. Now under Episcop • cie must God give dispensations to Prel • ticall Saint • , under that Antichristian ministration, to bow to Altars, and 〈◊〉 , to all their Popery that now they profess and practice, and they sin not in that case; yea, and such walk with God in all • is removes, p. 316. and in all outward religious Administrations, page 314. and even following Popery.

CHAP. XXV. Familists will have us to be very Christ or Christed and Godded.

25 SOme say, CHRIST in us is no other then the habit of grace, and such a work of sanctification wrought by the graces of the Spirit, and this they say, is CHRIST formed in us. This the Protestant Generally. Others say, CHRIST in us is, when we are made the anointed of God, which is Christ, or the whole entire Christ, as one spiritual new man, 1 Cor. 12.12. and that the Image of Christ in 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, the outward man or flesh dying daily, and it is no more we that live, but Christ manifested in us, as in resurrection, Sparkles, 255, 256.

Answ. Saltmarsh here quits the Protestant, but leaves him with a slander and blot, that Christ in a Christian is but a habit of mortification: but he speaks nothing of imputed righteousness, and Christ living by faith in the heart, which he knows the Protestant teacheth to be Christ in the Saints, the hope of glory.

2. He takes him to H. Nicholas, and makes every Saint one entire whole Christ, and the whole mystical body of the Catholic Church in every believer, 1 Cor. 12.12. that is, every man is Christ, and God manifested in the flesh, and Godded with God, and Christed with Christ in suffering: and this is all the incarnation of God, and crucifying of the Lord of glory, that Saltmarsh will allow us. But we believe Christ died, and rose, and in our flesh is sitting at the right hand of God, and withal, that in a spiritual manner he dwells in us by faith, clothing a sinner in his whites of glory, and breathing, living, acting in him as in a Tabernacle, a redeemed and graced palace, which he will cast down, and raise up at the last day, and plaster, and more then over-gold with finest purest glory; This is Christ in us, the hope of Glory.

CHAP. XXVI. The Familists fancy of our passing from one ministration to another of higher glory in this life, and the Lord's Prayer, and Christian Sabbath.

27 THere is a fiery trial of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 3.13.15. 2 Pet. 3.10. Rev. 2.9. in which a Christian passing from Law to Gospel, and from a Gospel state of graces, gifts and ordinances, to more glorious manifestations of God, and all Spirit, burneth and crucifieth all his former works and ministrations, as vile and nothing.

Answ. Law or Gospel-merit, are daily to be burnt and trampled underfoot, and not only when we pass from Law to Gospel, except men under the Old Testament be saved by Law-righteousness.

2. When we pass from Law to Gospel, we leave shadows, and approach nearer to the Sun, and the night-torches of ceremonies are blown out, because the day dawneth. But that we are to admit new lights contradicent to the old, is an untruth: there was ever the same truth from the beginning, 1 John 1.1. Jer. 6.16. Gen. 3.16. Heb. 13.8. neither Christ nor Truth wears out of fashion, the matter is not thus.

It was not of old, Confess sin, and now it is sin to Saints to confess sin. Nor was it of old, that David was justified by works ; but now Paul is justified without works by the imputed righteousness of Christ. Nor was it of old, a pardoned man can sin, and is forbidden to murder; but now a pardoned man cannot sin, & no written law forbids a Saint to murder. Thus, we burn no, we crucify no truths, no acts of righteousness, the grace of God commands them now, as then, Tit. 2.11.12. and never bad crucify them. Thus we wash our hands of new lights, or rather new lies, contradicent to old truths; new and clearer manifestations of ancient Christ, are our new lights.

2. 1 Cor. 3. There is no passing from Law to Gospel, the Law and Gospel-truths are never called Hay and Stubble, and opposed to silver and gold; truth is not opposed to truth.

2. God burns that trash, law-merits we are to burn.

3. That hay is laid upon a golden foundation, Christ; Law or Gospel-merits are not built on Christ: the Spirit expones not this text so as Saltmarsh doth.

3. It is Saltmarsh his hap to misexpone all places for the last judgment, and the resurrection of the body. I dare say, the Spirit of truth never minded his passing from one ministration to another, 2 Pet. 3. the burning of the earth, and the works of it, is not men's burning of all their works. For 1. Scoffers mock the last day, and the promise of Christ's coming, but not the joyful day of their passing from their scoffing, merits, self-righteousness, to a new ministration of glory. 2. Peter minded a real, not metaphorical destroying of the world in Noah's time, not with figurative, but most real waters, and from that of burning the earth with fire really, not figuratively. 3. The whole frame of the creation here is put out of order, v. 10.11. 4. It is the day that shall come as a Thief in the night ; which is the day of judgment, Matth. 24.43, 44. 1 Thess. 5.1.2. 5. It is the day before which God will gather in his own, willing them to be saved. 6. It is called, The day of the Lord, v. 4.9, 10. I should not spend time to refute such new dreams.

28. Page 262, 263. Saltmarsh censures the Lord's Prayer, as a legal piece, because it says, Our Father which art in heaven ; but as we are not to dream of a local God, so neither should our thoughts be creeping low, and clayie in prayer.

29. The Spiritual Christian knows no Sabbath but the bosom of the Father, 266.

Answ. No wonder Antinomians destroy the fourth Commandment, they destroy the other nine, and all the letter of the Bible, as fleshly, and a killing Letter. I believe the Lord's day is moral and perpetually moral till Christ's coming, from Gen. 2.2. Exod. 20.8▪ Deut. 5.12. Matth. 24.20. John 19.42. Luke 24.56. 1 Cor. 16.1. Acts 20.7. Rev. 1.10. Let Saltmarsh and Familists call for the book of sports on the Lord's day: I knew never any truly Godly in either Kingdom despise the Lord's day.

30. The Scriptures, or writings, are the true Scriptures; not as they are merely in their Grammatical construction & sense, or common reading, which any that understand the Hebrew and Greek may perceive. And according to such and such interpretations, are not to be imposed as mere things of Faith and Fundamentals; but so far as the Spirit of God reveals them to be the very mind of God, else they are received for the authority of Man. The Pharisees had the Scriptures in the Letter.

Answ. Scriptures are not the word of God, but in their Grammatical sense and reading; otherwise Jews and Pharisees have not the Scriptures in the letter, that is, in the true literal sense; for the Pharisees corrupted the Scriptures, and made them null: the literal sense is the most spiritual sense, because Familisticall and Popish allegories, and new-light-senses, are wild-fire, not God's word. Saltmarsh and H.N. do as corruptly also expone Scripture as the Pharisees did of old. For example, 1 Tim. 3. God manifested in the flesh, and Zach. 13.3, 4, 5. and 2 Pet. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, &c. and Rom. 5. that notable place concerning the first and second Adam, and 2 Thess. 2. and the place, Rev. 11.1, 2. where Saltmarsh saith, p. 17. the outer Court of the Temple, trodden upon by the Gentiles, is the flesh and first creation, and all outward administrations, and many the like, so as they leave off to be the word of God, being abused by their fantastical allegories and senses, that are not the mind of the Spirit, nor his scope.

2. If ye receive not Fundamentals, but in so far, as the Spirit reveals them in the literal sense, ye do well. But a natural Spirit may receive the Orthodox sound sense, and be far from inward revelation, that makes the word effectual.

3. We will no man to receive the Word believingly, because men or Churches command so to do. But of this before: the same is Swenckfields argument.

CHAP. XXVII. How Ordinances and the letter of the Word are Instruments of conveying of Christ and his grace • o us, and neither adored of us, nor useless to us.

31. NO outward Ordinance or Ministration of the Creature, or of Letter, can convey or confer any spiritual thing, they are but images or shadows of spiritual things, the seeing of things darkly, as in a glass, 1 Cor. 13. Sparkles of glory, p. 247.

Answ. This is that which Swenckfield and Mr. Dell, and all Libertines teach, that the written, read, and preached Word, is no instrument of saving souls; because it is not an effectual instrument without the Spirit; but the word internal, or the Spirit within teaching, must be all; then is every man's inward word, Spirit, Conscience, his Bible, Rule and obliging L • w: and every man is obliged to follow his blind guide, his conscienc • , and then he is not infallible. Hence no compulsion in matters of Conscience; yea, nor in Polygamy, murder, For the Word is no Rule, say Familists.

2. There is not one faith, but every man hath a faith and Religion of his own, by which he is saved.

32 Saltmarsh now riseth higher, for whereas he said, Free grace c. 49. p. 179, 180. To do anything merely as commanded from the power of an outward commandment, brings but forth legal and mixed service, or at best finer hypocrisy. Now he saith in his Sparkles of glory, now the outward Ordinance or ministration of the creature or of the letter cannot convey spiritual things to us, and epist. to the Reader p. 6. The other opinion (of Protestants) is that the letting up of such a form (of worshiping God in ordinances, scripture, letter of the word, praying, faith, habits of graces, &c.) is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it; which is indeed, a finer kind of Idolatry, to conceive that God enters into out • ard things, and conveys his alglorious and almighty spirit by them, when as they are only signs, figures, and Images of more spiritual things enjoyed, or to be enjoyed, and that of God's appearance, and conveyance of himself in outward things according to this opinion, is such as the Papists hold, as to Images, &c. Or things conferring grace ex opere operato, and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediately informs and glorifies, and spiritualizeth those forms and figures to the beholders; as the Israelites when the Calf was made cried these are thy God's O Israel.

I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the parables, figures, and types of spiritual thing • , are not to be rejected, but many Christians do sweetly partake of them in this their estate of weakness or bondage, wherein God makes heavenly things appear by earthly, that men as Thomas may see and believe, though blessed are they that have not seen, and yet do believe.—Th • re is something of the mystery of God in this, and some • thing of a mystery of Satan in it: That of God is this, that the Lord doth in much wisdom suffer the weakness of some spiritual men to come forth, and by this he carrieth spiritual things in more mystery, and manageth the glory of his spirit through ways and things which are an offense and scandal before the world, by which some stumble and fall and are broken, Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel. That of Satan is this, of reproaching the pure spirit of God by reproaches, viz. Of praying by the spirit, and preaching by the spirit, and new revelations, and new lights, thus making the world blaspheme, and the weaker Saints afraid of the glory of the spirit▪ lest it prove delusions.

Answ. Here is, good Reader, a more avowed reproaching of the wisdom of God in Ordinances, Familists and Antinomians willingly mistake and pervert Scripture, while they conceive the letter that killeth (which is the Law of woe • ks, as opposed to the Gospel, and nothing else,) to be the whole Ordinances of God as in forms, that is, the written scriptures, praying, preaching, seals, hearing, conference, and that if we believe, God conveys his spirit in, or by these, we are Idolaters and worship God in forms, images and signs : the very Doctrine of H. Nicholas, but Rom. 7.6. the oldness of the letter is the law commanding entire and absolutely perfect obedience under a curse, and having no promise of the spirit and grace, to obey, and this oldness of the letter is the mere letter of the law, as law-holding us as the Sons of the old Adam under condemnation. And the newness of the spirit is the grace of the Gospel enabling us to obey what the law commandeth, and whereas we cannot obey perfectly, assuring us we are under a new Husband and Surety who by his merits takes away the guilt of our sin, for the oldness of the letter is opposed to the newness of the spirit in the Text, as two contrary states, to wit, the state of Law, and the state of Grace, which are as two contrary Husbands, the one saving, the other condemning.

But the oldness of the letter, or of the law is not contrary to the ordinances of scripture, Hearing, Praying, Sacraments; for then the law should condemn and forbid all these, which it doth not.

2 Because Paul had called the Law the oldness of the letter, some might say, then the Law is essentially an ill thing, and sin. He answereth, ver. 7. What shall we say then? is the Law sin? God forbid. Then it is clear, by the oldness of the letter, he meant the law.

3 The oldness of the letter is opposed in the Text to the newness of the spirit, then the oldness of the letter cannot be ordinances, scripture, the letter of the Law and Gospel, the written and preached word, for the written and preached word is never opposed to the grace of Christ, or the renewing spirit. The word & spirit are diverse, never opposite or contrary. And 2 Cor. 3. the letter is not the written word, and seals, and ordinances, and Ministers preaching the Gospel.

1 Because Paul saith expressly, God hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament. Now sure, in this sense, they were Ministers of the letter to the far largest part to whom they preached, yea the savor of death unto death, 2 Cor. 2.16. and their Gospel hid, and so a mere letter to these that perish, yea, and to the most part to a world, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. but they were Mininisters of the spirit, not of the letter, not because they preached not the letter, and external word of the cross to the effectually called, for the contrary is said, 1 Cor. 1.23. and if the letter be ordinances, the Apostles were Ministers of the letter to all saved, and not saved; for word, and seals, and Law, and Gospel, were written, spoken, preached, held forth by the Apostles, to both saved, and lost in the visible Church. But Paul expressly denies that they were Ministers of the letter, but of the spirit.

2 The letter is the ministration of death. The ministration of death, written on stones only; And not on fleshly tables of the heart, not the Law written in the inward parts. Jer. 31. For this Law on stones, is the Law commanding, but promising no grace to obey, and commanding all, and perfect obedience under a curse and eternal wrath, and for that a killing letter, yea, for that, the ministration of death, the letter is not then New Testament ordinances, as the written and preached Gospel and seals of the Covenant, for as these are written on paper, and not on the heart, they are also a killing letter, but not in the Apostles sense, and yet the Apostles were Ministers of the New Testament in these, to those that were lost and to those that were saved.

3 The ministration of death had a glory that Israel could not behold, and if a glory then a spiritualness, as it is v. 7. and v. 9: it is called glory, but letters graven on stones are dead of themselves, and have no glory at all, except in the thing signified, then the written Law, as it is here spoken of, is not a naked sign, figure, and shadow, But a spiritual ordinance including the thing signified, and so something of God, and therefore the Letter or ministration of death here, cannot be so large as all written or preached ordinances and seals, and that as they are mere forms, types, figures.

4 The letter spoken of here, v. 11 is done away and opposed to that which remaineth, and is not done away, but the letter of the written Law, and the Ordinance of the Gospel, preaching of Christ, and the seals of the new Covenant, and expressly the Lord's Supper, are not in this sense a letter, a mere sign, figure, and shadow, for they are not done away. The old and New Testament do remain, and must be preached till Christ's second coming. Yea, that the letter and outward ordinances are not done away, as Moses his veil, and his shadows and types, is most evident in that John who wrote after the ministration of the Spirit was come, and to these who have the anointing that teach them all things, 1 John 2.27. saith expressly, 1 John 1.3. we declare unto you (by writing) the word of life, 1 John 2.1. I write these ver. 12. I write to you little Children, 13. I write to you Fathers, 14. I have written, 26. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you, and Paul must be a Minister of the letter in all the Epistles he wrote to the Churches by this way.

5 The Gospel and New Testament Ordinances are delivered with much plainness of speech, v. 12. and the Old Testament is yet to be read, and far more the New Testament is to be read and preached, as is clear v. 14. Then the letter cannot comprehend all Ordinances, and old and New Testament in their forms, and preaching to be done away, as Familists dream.

2 As touching the supposed Idolatry of serving God in Ordinances, written, read, and preached Scriptures of the old and New Testament. 1. We do not include and imprison the infinite God who is incomprehensible in sounds, letters, written or spoken; in creatures, Sacraments, that are not God (we confess) but holy and warrantable Ordinances of God, for we are here to do as God himself doth, for we teach no man to fix or pin the Almighty within his ordinances, the way of the Spirit with the word we dare not determine, but the Spirit goes along with the word, the Lord putteth his word and his Spirit in the holy seed in Covenant with him, Esa. 59.21. The foolishness of preaching is a mean to save 1 Cor. 1.23.18. And if it be Idolatry to serve God in his own Ordinances. Familists stumble the same way at preaching, calling it Idolatry, as these that were lost break their necks upon the preaching of the Gospel as foolishness, 1 Cor. 1.18.23. And these that stumbled at the word, 1 Pet. 1.2.8. stumbled not at the internal word and the law written in their heart, the only word of Swinckefeld and Familists, but at the external word preached, for they never knew the internal word. 2. When (saith he) Protestants set up such a form of worshipping God (in Ordinances, hearing, searching the Scriptures, reading, praying, seals) it is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it, and indeed a finer kind of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things; he means the written and preached Scriptures, Sacraments, praying, hearing, &c. so the Antichristian Beast H. Nicholas speaketh, Evangely, or joyful message of the Kingdom, chap. 34. But the while now that the Figurative Services and ceremonies of the Christians flourished in their vigor, he hath raised up me H. N. H. Nicholas meaneth hearing, reading of Scrip • ures, and all outward Ordinances, which he calleth Figurative Services and Ceremonies ; and Saltmarsh saith, worshipping God according to the Scriptures, is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit to this form. To Scriptures and Ordinances then he giveth us his good leave, except we would be finer Idolaters to follow the Spirit without and beside the Scripture. For the Scripture is but a Form, and a thing of Figures and Letters : And though the Lord and his Spirit be not tied or fixed to Scriptures, yet are we tied to the Law and Testimony ; and if any spirit, any Apostle Paul, any H. N. or Saltmarsh, will lead us by a Spirit, with another Gospel, we pronounce him accursed, Isaiah 8.20. Gal. 1.8. 2 Joh. 10.

3. We confess, if to tremble at the Word, as Josiah did, 2 Kings 22.19. and these in whom God dwelleth, Isaiah 66.1, 2. Isaiah 57.15. be a making of an Idol of the Word, and a Legal service, then did God command and reward Idolatry in the Old Testament, which is abominable; and then we profess that we, under the New Testament, worship God after the way which these men call Idolatry, but mourning and shedding of tears at the seeing of him in the Word preached, whom we have pierced, Zach. 12.10, 11, 12. is no Legal Idolatry, but a Prophesy to be fulfilled under the kingdom of the Messiah: and when the Saints are pricked in heart, and tremble at the Word preached, Acts 2.37.38. Acts 9.5, 6. Acts 16.29, 30. Luke 7.37, 38. They adore not the Letters, nor sounds of the Word, but God that conveys himself to their souls by these means of his own appointing.

3. It is abominably false, that God conveys himself in outward things, as Papists say, he conveys himself to the soul by Images : For Images, or Portraits of God, are in themselves religious means of worship utterly unlawful and forbidden in the second Commandment; when as Ordinances are lawful conveyances of God to sinners. 1 Cor. 1.18. For the preaching of the Cross, is to them that perish, foolishness; but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God. 21. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching, to save such as believe. 23. But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling-block, to the Grecians foolishness, 24. But unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Rom. 1.16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Rev. 1.16. and this is never said of Images in old or New Testament.

4 We utterly deny that God immediately informs, glorifies, and spiritualizeth these forms and figures, as the Israelites thought that God informed the Calf. If any idolize the preached or written Word, it is not our doctrine, nor did Saltmarsh ever aim to prove any such thing to be our doctrine, or that the Word heard conferreth grace ex opere operato : If hearing be not mixed with faith, it profiteth nothing, the carnal moralist dreameth, that forms and Church-service will save him, but Protestants teach no such thing.

5. Ordinances are not mere figures and signs, but holy, divine, powerful signs, like a Hammer, a two edged Sword, weapons mighty through God, and the life, majesty, divinity, power, heaven that is in the Word, do be-lie Familists : Therefore it is false that in their nature they are but Parables, Figures, and Types. For the words and letters are so▪ but in their sense, as they include the thing sign • fi • d, they are another thing of a higher strain.

6 These Ordinances are the everlasting Gospel, the Covenant, the Lord's Supper, in which we annunciate the Lord's death till he come again 1 Cor. 11.26. and therefore are not for the state of bondage only.

7. Nor are Ordinances earthly things, but lively, spiritual, heavenly treasures, 2 Cor. 4.7.

8. Who ever exponed Scripture as Saltmarsh and Familists do? For he calls the seeing, groping and feeling of the holes in Christ's side, and the print of the nails in his hands and feet, the ordinances of the written and preached Word, and Seals, or Sacraments, by which he clearly insinuates that some never enjoy ordinances of Word, Scripture, and Seals, and yet believe in Christ, as • hri • t saith, that • ome never saw, never grop • d the holes in his 〈◊〉 and side, • s Thomas did & yet do believe, and so are more bl • ss • d the • Thomas. But let Saltmarsh show who are these who believe, and yet their faith came not by hearing, contrary to Rom. 10.14.

9. It is true, Christ preached and conveyed to the souls of men by the foolishness of preaching, is a scandal to many. But not that only, but that Christ on • y so low & despicable, as a Savior, shamed, crucified, cursed, rejected, should be the Savior of the world, and the way to eternal happiness, is the great scandal, so it is not the Letter, or sound • f words, or the foolishness of Figures and Signs, that occasioneth men's stumbling at Christ; but the thing signified in this letter and sound of words: For the Grecians and great wits of the world, did convey their happiness they promised to men, by Characters, Letters, and figures, namely, by the Divine writings of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca, Socrates, and so did the wise Philosophers, who by words and grave sentences would make their Disciples and their Sectaries happy. Then Christ is not appointed for the ruin of men, and to be a sna • e, because he conveye • h himself, his Spirit and faith, salvation and grace, by words: but by words of so despicable and base a Redeemer as Ma • ies Son, hanged on a tree.

10. We cast no reproaches on the Spirit, but are as much for praying by the Spirit, preaching by the Spirit, as he; but not by the Spirit separated from the Word & Revelations. Such 1. as the Word knoweth not: 2. Revelations contrary to the woe • d, for the Scripture saith, the justified person can sin, must confess sin, because God is faithful to forgive: But Antinomians say, the spirit, that exponeth Scripture to them without arguing, discoursing, reasoning, or comparing Scripture with Scripture, but by an immediate revelation, teacheth that the justified cannot sin, are not to confess sin, and that they are no more to sorrow for sin, then • o go back again to Legal bondage after they are justifi • d in Christ, which is contradicent to the word of Truth, and therefore such a spirit we know not.

11. The weaker are much d • l • ded by S • ltmarsh and his, if they believe a Spirit separated from th • Word.

CHAP. XXVIII. Of our assurance and comfort from Acts of free Grace

33. THe pure, rational, and glorious assurance of salvation, comes from the pure manifestation of the Spirit bearing witness. This is the white stone, Rev. 2.17. The unction whereby we know all things, 1 John 2.20. and the things freely given us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. There is assurance, 1. by Reason, or the mere light of nature, and works of this creation, as in Job and Cornelius; but sure there is no salvation out of Christ. 2. By graces, gifts, or fruits of the Spirit, self-denial, faith, repentance, and by the Letter, Promises, or outward Ordinances or duties: this assurance is of no higher and clearer, and more glorious certainty then God through these doth afford, and that is darkly (as the Apostle saith) as in a glass.

Paul Hobson, who speaketh more congruously to Scripture then any of this way: I read (saith he, speaking of our joy) It is one thing to rejoice in an act, and another thing to draw our joy from an act. It is one thing to rejoice in our suitable walking up to a Rule, another thing to draw our joy and refreshing from the apprehension of a suitableness betwixt the Act and the Rule. Men may pray and mourn for sin▪ or perform any other particular duty, and have much joy in that opportunity▪ and yet not draw their joy from it, but only their joy is distilled from a s • cret in-come of Christ, which carries them above it, while they are acted in it; but these poor souls, they only are joyful when they see they act suitable to a Rule, and they draw their joy from that suitableness, which appears in this, that if their suitableness flag, their joy is destroyed. I do not say, but that every sin e • ought to produce sorrow in us; but it is one thing to mourn for sin, • n • oying faith with peace; and another thing to mourn for sin to confirm faith, and to beget peace.

Answ. 1. I deny not but there is a pure and immediate assurance that floweth from the witness of the Spirit, Rom. 8.16. 2 Cor. 1▪ 21, 22. Eph. 1.13▪ 14. So as the shining of the Su • ne maketh eviden • that it is day, without a syllogism and discourse, and the seeing of the mother teacheth the Lamb, without any argumentative light, to follow the mother, and to follow no other. And the Sun-shine of glory on the soul, teacheth it is in a state of happiness with immediate light; but I utterly deny, that, in every moment of time, when the person believeth, he is assured he is in the state of salvation: for this reflect assurance is not essential to faith. Many believe and say, My God, and yet complain that God forgetteth them, and shut • th up their prayers, and casteth off their soul, as is clear in prayers put up to God in faith, in which the Saints want assurance, Psalm 22.1, 2 Psalm 31.22. Jonah 2.4. Isaiah 49.14, 15. Cant. 5.4, 6.7, Cant. 3.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

2. Many doubt, and these both godly and learned, of the immediate word and testimony of the Spirit, they say it is from signs and effects of saving grace, by which as by Arguments the Spirit testifies, that we are the children of God, as thus, He that believes and loves the brethren, and hath a hope causing a man to purify himself, is in the state of salvation. But I am such an one, therefore I am in the state of salvation. Both the Major and Assumption may be witnessed by the Spirit of God, and our own sense. And the places alleged by Saltmarsh, speak not of the way or the manner how the Spirit, the white stone, the • unction doth teach us, or bear witness; they only say, they bear witness and teach▪ but say nothing of the manner; and if the Spirit teach us to know the things freely given to us of God, and the anointing teach us all things, then far more doth the Spirits anointing teach us that we are the Sons of God, because we love the Brethren, because we believe, and saith is our victory by which we overcome the world.

3 There is assurance by reason of the mere light of nature and works of this Creation, that there is a God, and that he rewardeth them that seek him, but that men have assurance of salvation, or that they are in a state of salvation, (as Sal • marsh his title of the Chapter intimateth) or that Job and Cornelius have assurance or salvation by reason, or the mere light of nature, and works of this Creation, is the new Divinity of Jesuits, but hath no warrant in the Scriptures, and that Job and Cornelius were void of all Gospel-revelation, is contrary to Job. 19.25, 26.27. Act. 10.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.34, 35

4 Far less was it ever heard that Protestants teach that men may have assurance of salvation from the m • er letter of scripture▪ Saltmarsh fathers many untruths on Protestants to make his own way of all spirit taketh better with the people.

5 I •• ove else where that the way of assurance, by divers places of Scripture, • s ration •• l and Argumentative, and that most of all the Articles of our faith in the New Testament are proved 〈◊〉 from the old; nor are the assurance of the spirit, and • ation • ll and argumentative discourses of the 〈◊〉 , contrary one • o another; For the Holy spirit almost i • every 〈◊〉 of scripture is an arguing spirit, and infers on conclusion from an antecedent, and from another conclusion.

6 Nor did we ever teach men to build assurance on mere outward duties done without the grace of Christ.

7 Nor can the assurance, by the immediate testimony of the spirit, be more clear and glorious, then God doth afford light, more then certainty by signs and effects can be.

8 It is a wonder to me that Saltmarsh so undervalueth all assurances by effects and works of grace, so as they assu • e us darkly, & as in a glass. Then the immediate Testimony of his all spirit must yield an higher • vidence 〈◊〉 darkly and in a glass ; this must be the light of the immediate vision of God in heaven: Hence Familists will but have the day light of mo •• ing or noon day glory shin • on us in this life whereas the Apostle makes all the light we have in this life to be dark and in a g •• sse, 1 Cor. 1 • .12, 13. and opposeth it to seeing of God face to f • ce, v. 12.13.1 • the life to come: And Saltmarsh shall teach us n • w Divinity, if there be any evidences to found our assurance but two in Scripture; one, of walking by • aith ; and another, b • si • ht, 2 Cor. 5.6, 7. The one, while we ar • absent in the body from the Lord in this life; the other, when we are at home in our country in the life to come, yea, the highest light, in which we see with open face, & are changed thereby from glory to glory, is in a • lasse, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Cor. 3.18. is called a seeing, 1 Cor. • 3.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : then must Saltmarsh make the certainty of saith to be as conjec • urall and low as the certainty by signs, which he saith is dim, formal, discoursive, and that is shadow • d 〈…〉 , which overthroweth the Antinomians Principles touching the assurance of saith, which they say, excludeth all doubting.

A • for the conceit of Paul Holson, that we may rejoice in an act, and not draw our joy from the apprehension of the suitableness between the Act and the 〈◊〉 , he is much out: For 1. if we joy in the act, and joy not in the suitableness between the Act and the Rule our joying and rejoicing is vain; for then do we rejoice in sin: for an act not suitable to the Rule, and reveal • d w • ll of God, is sin, though it be not in a strict legal way suitable to the Rule.

2. We may have our joy distilled by a secret in-come of Christ, but not from the Act (saith he,) but these two are not con • rary, but friendly agree: For this in-come of Christ that procures our joy, is for the graciousness of the act rather then for the act it self. And if by an in-come he mean an influe • ce of the grace of Christ causing us rejoice in the g •• ci • us act, because gracious; we yield it willingly. But then 〈◊〉 gather neither joy, nor peace, nor assurance, from the act simply, but from the act as gracious and as wrought in us by the in-come and supernatural influence of Christ, who worketh in us both to will and 〈◊〉 .

3. And we may well draw joy from the suitableness between the Act and the Rule, in regard this suitableness is nothing else but that gracious conveniency between the Act and the Rule, which standeth in this, That the substance of the act is agreeable to the will of God revealed, and in the principle of faith, and the end for God's glory; which conveniency and 〈◊〉 of the act, is wrought by free grace, and so we ye rejoice, gather assurance from the father of the act, to wit, the holy Ghost the worker, rather then from the act; and though the suitableness flag, yet if it be sincere, the joy may be l • ssened, not destroyed : but the reason presupposeth we can neither have joy nor peace in the act, except it be perfectly suitable, and • word every degree agreeable to the law, which is a most false supposition: For we cannot come up in our acts to that perfection the law requireth.

4. Upon the same ground we may mourn for sin, to strengthen faith, in regard an act of believing doth arise from the act of mourning, as occasioned thereby, or wrought in us by the holy Ghost, who causeth us see him whom we have pierced, and mourn therefore, as one doth for his only child, Zach. 12.10, 11, 12.

CHAP. XXIX. The scope of Saltmarsh his Book called Sparkles of Glory, and of his denying Christ to be anything but a man figuratively and mystically.

34. THe only scope (saith he to the Reader) of this Book is to mind you of an higher excellency then mere created things can afford you, of the truth that is in Jesus, or in Spirit: and of that unity of Spirit which Christians should live in under their several forms and attaintments, and I have not held forth any discovery of Truth, or of any higher dispensation, so as to darken too much other dispensations in which Christians live, or to lessen and under value their attaintments, but only to be faithful in the power of God to his discoveries in mine own spirit.

I desire we may bear one another's burdens, and consider that God is in all his several dispensations, and measures; and Christians are not to hasten out of any, till the Lord himself say, Come up higher, and the stronger are to bear the infirmities of the weak.

I am not against the law, nor repentance, nor duties, nor ordinances, as some would say: so all these flow from their right principles to their right end. I am not against the settling of Church government prudentially, as now, so as all of another way be not persecuted, because I know God hath his people under several attaintments and measures, and is to his people in all these in his mere grace and love, as formerly to Bishops, and thousands of weak Christians in Queen Elizabeth's and Queen Mary's days of martyrdom in their forms. I am only against any form as it becomes an engine of persecution to all Christians differing from it.

I am not against a sitting of an Assembly of Divines at Westminster, that are so persuaded, because this is but to allow such liberty to others consciences as we desire ourselves: And surely, if they would propound such things only as they have received, or they are in conscience persuaded of to all the kingdom, and so leave it to the Spirit of God, and their Ministry, to persuade and convince, and not desire power from others to compel: this were but to minister as they had received.

Answ. If the scope of a Book be taken as it ought to be, from the subject matter contained in it, then the scope of this book is a far other thing, then the truth that is in Jesus and in Spirit : but to deny that Christ is come in the flesh, as I here evidence, which is the mystery of Antichrist, is the scope of his book, 1 Joh. 4.3. For every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God, and this is that (Spirit) of Antichrist whereof you have heard that he is come and even now already is in the world. But Saltmarsh confesseth not, but denieth, that Christ is come in the flesh, or is true man, or hath any other body that he suffered in, but the mystical body, the Saints, Sparkles of glory, p. 13. The Son of God did not only fulfill this bringing home this first creation or man to God according to his first excellency and communion with God, but in this appearance of the flesh, he was a figure of God whose design is to make his Saints his Temple, his tabernacle, his body, his new creation, his habitation or house; and God thus manifested in the flesh was a figure of that mystery of godliness in us, or God becoming Immanuel, or God with us. He hath a large description of the second Adam, pag. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15. he never once saith, Christ the Son of God was made true and very man in all things like unto us, sin excepted, or the second person of the Trinity assumed the nature of man in the unity of his person, or Christ was the true Son of David, borne of a woman, &c. as Scripture and Divines speak, but by the contrary only in this appearance of flesh he was a figure of God, whose design it is to make his Saints his temple, his tabernacle, his body—and God thus manifested in the flesh; that is, God by his Spirit giving us faith and a new birth to be the Sons of God, in whom he dwells by faith, is the Immanuel God with us ; that is, all the God-man, or God incarnate, which this spirit of the Antichrist will yield to us, is nothing but, every Saint anointed is Christ and Immanuel: now the Father and Spirit, both make the Saints the Temple of God, the new creation, the body of Christ thus ; and so the Son is no more God incarnate then the Father: and God is thus manifested in the flesh, in making us his dwelling house, and Temple, and body by faith, as Saltmarsh is sure not to speak against, but with the heretics who denied Christ to have a true body, or to be true man, but only to be a figure or appearance of a man, or a man in representation, in form, in mere shape, not truly and really▪ so as the Discipl • s heard, saw with their eyes, and looked on, and their hands handled the Lord of life, 1 Joh. 1.1. of him they said, He is not here, he is risen again; except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. And in his crucifying (saith Saltmarsh p. 13.14.) all his first glory in which he appeared, revealed that old design of God, that mystery hid from ages, and now made manifest to the Saints, nailing all the flesh of his Saints to the same cross, and being lifted up draws all men to him, which is the mystery of the Gospel, or Christ crucified. H. Nicholas document, c. 3. sen. 5. to be borne of the Virgin Mary out of the seed of David after the flesh is to be borne of the pure doctrine (of H.N.) out of the seed of love. How Christ nailed all the flesh of his Saints to the cross except mystically and figuratively, and in a spiritual sense, I know not, but this is all Christ's dying on the cross, except Familists say that Christ died not really and truly, but only in a figure; or they say Christ, as an extraordinary holy man, was God manifested in the flesh, and that he was not the consubstantial Son of God, but being a man Godded with the holy being of love, died as an example of singular love and patience, and most submissive obedience, and so nailed to his cross, all the flesh of his Saints exemplary, that we should follow him, as the Socinians teach, and so his death must be no real, no true satisfaction, nor any satisfactory ransom to justice for us, but that God forgave all men their sins without a price or ransom of blood; and Christ gave not himself as a real ransom, price or satisfaction for our sins, but died as a rule and pattern of holiness, that we should imitate him and without his, but by our own personal merits we might be saved, as we were saved by following the godly lives of other holy men. The Scripture saith, he nailed his own flesh to the cross; for so it is, 1 Pet. 2 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his body on the tree. And Act. 13.28. Though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain, 29. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher, but God raised him from the dead: Now the man Christ that was nailed to a tree, and buried in the grave of Joseph of Arimathea, that same man God raised from the dead, but Christ nailed not the Saints flesh, and the bodies of believers, of Saltmarsh and others, really to the cross, nor were their bodies really laid in Josephs new tomb, nor did God truly and really raise them from the dead, only in a spiritual meaning, we died, are buried with Christ, and partakers of his resurrection. But (saith Peter ) Act. 5.30. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. But Saltmarsh saith, the Christ, crucifying and nailing all the flesh of his Saints to the same cross, and being lifted up, draws all men to him, is the mystery of the Gospel, or Christ crucified. But Christ crucifying the flesh, and sinful corruption of believers in the same cross, is Christ mystically and spiritually, and by the merit of his bloody death, mortifying sin in the Saints, and the sufferings of the Saints are not satisfactory to divine justice, as Christ's sufferings were, but castigatorie, to deaden them to the lusts of the flesh: and the Saints sufferings are not Christ crucified, nor Christ on the cross drawing all men to him For Christ died and was but once really and truly in his blessed flesh and human nature crucified, Heb. 9.26, 27, 28. Matth. 27.34, 35. Mark 14.24. Luke 23. v. 33, 34. Joh. 19.23. on Mount Calvarie. But the Saints were not really crucified with him, for many of them were not borne, when he died. I have observed before, that Gortyn and H. Nicholas make the Saints who bear the image of God suffering and persecuted in the world to be Christ crucified, and nothing else, because saith Gortyn, Christ being the Lord of life, cannot die, nor suffer in himself, and therefore he suffers in his Saints, and so every suffering Saint is all the crucified Christ that these men grant. Yea H. N. never confesseth Christ to be true God and very man, but sometime the Sabbath is Christ Evang. c. 2. s. 15. or the service of love is Christ. Exhor. 14. s. 1. or the godly being in men is Christ Evang. 13. s. 16. or the eldest Elder of the family of love is Christ, that is, H.N. or a godly life is Chri • t, so are we saved by our own good works. And Saltmarsh saith, p. 14. Now all this of this new or second creation, as they are spiritual and heavenly, are only in, and through the same Spirit, and discerned in the same Spirit. Hence a Christ of flesh and blood, who is true man and died for us, is but Christ in the letter, and the Protestant legal Christ that, as a killing letter, killeth and perfecteth nothing, and cannot give life, but the true Christ is a Spirit and spiritual, and discerned in the Spirit, that is to say, only the family of love knoweth, by the Spirit abstracted from Scripture, and from all flesh and letter, the true God manifested in the flesh of every Saint, and crucified in believers, and disclaimeth the Protestant Christ that died and was crucified on Mount Calvarie, and was buried in a new Tomb, and rose the third day, and ascended into heaven. And p. 17. This is the Temple (saith he, speaking of the invisible Church) which the Angel measures with a golden reed and the alter thereof, or the eternal Spirit, upon which all the first creation is offered in the Saints, as it was offered in Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself, leaving out the outward court or the flesh and first creation, and all outward ministrations which are given to the Gentiles to tread down. Ans. I fear that by nailing the creation to the cross, and offering it up to God when Christ's flesh was offered up, is meant that which H. Nicholas said Spi • land. c. 56. sect. 7. if a man would enter into life, he must be taught in the service of love, and unlearne again all that he hath taken and learned to himself ; that is, as Libertines said, he must cast off the knowledge of good, and all sense and knowledge of sin, and as a child, know and feel neither adultery, murder, lying, stealing, nor acts of mercy, justice, chastity, but have a conscience past feeling of both good and ill, and this is the offering on the cross, the creation of God,