A short View of the ANTINOMIAN ERRORS: With a Brief and plain Answer to them, As the Heads of them lie in order in the next Page of this Book.  
Being a nest of cursed Errors hatched by Heretics, fed and nourished by their Proselytes; being taken as they were flying abroad were brought as the Eagle doth her young ones to see if they could endure to look upon the Sunbeams of truth with fixed eyes, the which they could not; were presently adjudged to be a Bastard-brood, and the●● necks chopped off, and their carcases thrown to the Dunghill.  
Imprimatur Ja. Cranford.  
Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheep's clothing; but inwardly are ravening Wolves,  Mat. 7.15. 
There are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,  Judas 4. 
For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error; for while they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption,  2 Pet. 2, 18.19. 
London, Printed by T. B. for Ed. Blakmore and Tho. Banks, and are to be sold at the Angel in Paul's Churchyard and upon the top of Bridewell-staires, 1643.   

1 THey hold that a man is justified as soon as he hath a being in the sight of God, before they have any faith or calling.  
2 Then they say, God cannot see their sin, for they are as perfectly righteous even as Christ himself, as soon as they have any being, and faith doth but declare to them what was done in them before they had it, even as soon as they were borne.  
3 This they know by revelation, or a bare Testimony, or suggestion, they say, from the Spirit of God, when as they deny the operation or the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God, to be any means whereby they may come to know their justification; for so to do, they say is the doctrine of our legal Teachers, which go by marks and signs.  
4 Then they being as righteous as Christ, they say, God doth not correct them for sin, neither can he do it, but only to exercise their faith.  
5 They are freed they say, by the free grace of Christ, from the commanding power of the law of God, and they are discharged from all duty or obedience to it, and now the law is no rule to them, but what they do is only out of love unrequired, not as any duty, for they are freed from all by their free grace.  
These things I have gathered both from their Sermons, and by conference with them? as also out of their books, which have passed privately amongst themselves.   

TO THE READER.  
CHristian Reader, now in these last & perilous days, the devil is very busy to sow the Tares of Heresies even in the Cornfield of Christ, especially when men sleep and heed him not; and therefore Christians had need to be circumspect & watchful, because their adversary the devil as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour, 1 Pe. 5.8. Then be no more tossed too & fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Ephe. 4.14. I say be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established with grace, Heb. 13.9. Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men, and be strong, take unto you the whole Armour of God, that ye may be able to stand; stand therefore having your loins girt about with truth, Ephe. 6. and having laid the true foundation, which is Christ Jesus, be ye rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, Col. 2.7. if so be ye have been taught by him as the truth is in Jesus, Ephe. 4. I writ unto you and exhort you, that you would earnestly contend for the faith, that was once delivered unto the Saints, Judas 3. only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ, and that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind, striving together for the faith of the Gospel, Phil. 2.27. and the gates of hell shall not prevail against you. They that trust in the Lord shall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abideth for ever, Psal. 125. it is true that offences must needs come, but woe be to that man by whom they come, Mat. 18.7. for there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest, 1 Cor. 11.9. then seek no novelties or new doctrines, but rather stand in the ways, and see and ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk ye in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls, Jer. 6.16. think of no other way to heaven, but that which our fathers have gone in before you, for the time is come that men will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts they will heap up to themselves teachers, having itching ears they will turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables, but watch you in all things, 2 Tim. 4.3, 4, 5. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they be of God, because many false Prophets are gone out into the world 1 John 4.1. follow Paul but as he follows Christ, and be ye like the noble Bereans, who searched the Scriptures daily to see whether those things were so, Acts 17.11. affect neither Paul, nor Apollo's, nor Cephas, nor any other, but as they ground their doctrine on the clear word of God, for seducers will labour to steal away your affections and your money also, as Absalon by flattery stole away the hearts of the men of Israel, 2. Sam. 15.6. they will teach for hire and divine for money, Micah 3.11. but saith Paul, I seek not yours but you, 2 Cor. 12.14. but seducers will creep into houses about moorfield's and other places, and lead captive silly women laden with their lusts, they will set upon those that are led away with their lusts, who are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Tim. 3.6, 7. let no man deceive you, for with fair speeches they will deceive the hearts of the simple, who believe every thing, but the wise looks well to his going, Prov. 14.15. thus through covetousness, they will with feigned words make merchandise of you, 2 Pet. 2.3. then hear those that have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, and do not walk in craftiness nor handle the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, do commend themselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God, 2 Cor. 4.2. who are not as many, who corrupt the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, so speak they in Christ, 2 Cor. 2.17. saith Paul, though we or an Angel of Heaven shall preach unto you any other Gospel then that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed: I say again, let him be accursed, Gal. 1.8, 9 then take heed of the Antinomians new Gospel, who have cast off all obedience to the law of God, who desire to live without rule like sons of Belial, that they may take their full swing in sin under their damnable pretence, that they have gotten free grace that hath freed them from all obedience to the law of God; but for thy information I have written this little book, read it, and if thou receive any benefit or satisfaction, give God the praise and me the benefit of thy prayers, now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and Majesty, dominion and power, now and evermore, Amen.  
Thine in the Lord Jesus, Thomas Bakewell.   

A short view of the Antinomean Errors, with a Brief Answer to them.  

They hold, that a man is justified as soon as he hath a being in the sight of God, before faith or calling.  
TO this I answer, leaving the decrees and purposes of God to himself as secret things, not belonging to us till we have faith and calling but to speak as it is revealed, and according to our apprehension, both of the causes and time of a sinners actual justification, as it is revealed unto us in the Scripture.  
First, we are said to be justified by the blood of Christ, Rom. 5.9. this is done by Christ as the meriting cause of our justification; He hath purchased his Church with his own blood, Acts 20.28.  
Secondly, we are said to be justified by the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 5.18. Therefore as by the offence of one, judgement came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all unto juctification of life: this is the formal cause of our justification; this righteousness of Christ is not that Inherent righteousness or sanctification that is wrought in us by the Spirit of God, but it is that without us, which remains in Christ himself that justifies us, for they are two distinct thing, it is called the righteousness of God. Rom. 1.17. Then they are very ignorant of God's righteousness that go about to establish their own righteousness, and have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God, Rom. 10.3. Paul desired not to be found in his own righteousness, but in that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. This righteousness without us being imputed to us, makes us just and righteous in the sight of God. by this alone we are counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, 2 Thess. 1.5. and accounted worthy to obtain that world. and the resurrection from the dead Luke 20.35. see 21.36. and saith Paul, David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works: and Abraham by the hand of Faith as an instrument, whereby he took fast hold of the righteousness of Christ. giving glory to God, and staggered not through unbelief, it was counted, reckoned, or imputed unto him for righteousness; now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed unto him, but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him, who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, Rom. 4.6 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. Thus we become righteous in the sight of God, and although we were borne in the guilt of original sin, yet now it is done away by Christ, for he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all, Isa. 53.6. so then Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sin is covered; and Blessed is he to whom the Lord will not impute sin, Rom. 4.7. Psal. 32.1. God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses, 2 Cor. 5.19. thus our sins were imputed to Christ, but not infused into him, for still he was the Lamb without blemish and without spot, who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth, 1 Pet. 1.19.2.22.  
Yet he that knew no sin was made sin for us by imputation, they were accounted and reckoned to be his, and so Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, 1 Pet. 3.18. That we might be made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. But this was not done by infusing his righteousness into us to make us just, for we are sinful creatures, still we are all as an unclean thing; and all our righteousness are as filthy rags, Isa. 64.6. So then we are justified by the righteousness of Christ without us imputed or reckoned to be ours, for we are made the righteousness of God in him and not in ourselves; this rightly observed might convince them of their proud boasting, that they are as righteous as Christ, when as the righteousness of Christ that makes us just remains in him and not in us.  
Thirdly, we are said to be justified by faith, Rom. 3.28.5.1. This is done when we take or receive the righteousness of Christ, being purchased by the blood of Christ, and so imputed and reckoned to be ours, being reached forth unto us by the spirit of God and received by the hand of our faith, and so we come to have a true title to it; yet not by infusion but by imputation and faith for as many as received him he gave power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his Name, John 1.12. To him that worketh not, but believeth on him, that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness, Rom. 4.5. Not having mine own righteousness which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith, Phil. 3.9. Israel hath not attained to the law of righteousness: wherefore, because they sought it not by faith but by the works of the law; therefore they stumbled at that stumbling stone; but whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed, Rom. 9.31.32.33. Faith applying makes Christ ours, as Thomas believing said, my God and my Lord, John 20.27, 28. Then I conclude this third cause of our justification being the instrumental cause of it, with that saying of Paul, God justifies the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith; Rom. 3.30. but I never read of any that were justified without faith, or before faith or calling, let the Antenomeans prove the contrary if they can.  
Fourthly, we are said to be justified freely by his grace, Rom. 3.24. that is, when God the Father doth freely accept of the righteousness purchased by the blood of Christ, and accounts and imputes it unto us as ours, and reacheth it our unto us by his spirit, and we take and receive it by faith; thus to justify us is freely of his grace; and this deserves the title of free grace; For God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life, John 3.16. He spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things? Rom. 8.32. then is not this of free grace, and Christ gave his life a ransom for all the Elect, 1 Tim. 2.6. he gave himself for his Church, Ephe. 5.25. he gave his life a ransom for many Matt. 20 28. he gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Titus 2.14. saith he, I lay down my life, no man taketh it from me, I lay it down of myself, I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it up again, John. 10.17.18. and then is not this out of free grace, and the spirit of God worketh where it listeth, John 3.8. then if the spirit of God reach out unto us the righteousness of Christ, is it not of free grace, and out hand of faith by which we receive the righteousness of Christ? this faith is the gift of God Ephe. 2.8. then is not this also out of free grace: thus by grace ye are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, Ephe. 2.8. then let us speak of this, to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved, Ephe. 1.6.  
And thus fare of the causes of our justification in the sight of God, being all that are mentioned in the Scripture except that of works, which justifies our faith and persons in the sight of men, as James speaketh, James 2.24. but this we are not to speak of at this time.  
From these cawls we may easily see when we are justified in the sight of God; I grant in the decree of God this righteousness of Christ was purchased virtually for all the Elect a● well before his coming in the flesh as afterward, for he was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World, Rev. 13.8. Again, I grant that this purchase was actually paid above sixteen hundred years agone when Christ in our nature died actually and really on the Cross for believers; but to say that the righteousness of Christ is really ours before that the spirit of God doth reach it forth unto us, or before we have any faith or calling; that is, before that we have either eye to see it, or hand of faith to receive and take it; this I say is a cursed error suggested by the father of lies, into those that are led by him to believe lies. For was that man in the Gospel who had a legion of devils within him, justified when as the presence of Christ was a torment to him, and he cried out Jesus thou son of God most high, I beseech thee torment me not; I must needs confess in one thing he was like our Antenomeans for no bonds could hold him: but when the devils were cast out the man was in another mind, he that could not abide the presence of Christ before, now he can beseech Christ that he might be with him, Luke 8.18.38.  
Then shall we be so foolish to think that the holy spirit of Christ will dwell in that foul and filthy heart, where the devil reigns and leads them captive at his will, 2 Tim. 2.26. but such are all the Elect, before they be recovered out of the snare of the devil; shall we think that the holy spirit of Christ was in Mary Magdalen when those seven devils kept their randevouse within her? What agreement hath Christ with the devil, that he should be as an underling in that soul where the devil reigns? Doth Christ come to justify such a soul, and not to sanctify it at the same time? Doth he not say come out of Babylon and be not partaker of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues, Rev. 18.4. Come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord, touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and I will dwell in you 2 Cor. 6.16, 17. but will Christ come into the strong man's house and not bind him nor spoil his goods, is not Christ stronger than he? Luke 11.21, 22. Why then will Christ live in that soul that Satan hath in possession, it may be twenty or forty years togther, before faith or effectual calling be truly wrought in it? If ye be the Temple of God and his spirit dwell in you, if any man defile the Temple of God, him shall God destroy— let no man deceive himself, 1 Cor. 3.16.17. Doth Christ say this, and will he himself live and dwell among devils, especially where they rule and reign; I hope no Christian truly justified will harbour such blasphemous thoughts within him, lest they should say, he hath an unclean spirit, Mark 3. ●0.  
Secondly, But will they yield and say, God forbidden that we should think that the holy Spirit of God should dwell and live in that soul that the devil hath in possession: then I reply and say, if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is for the present none of his; Ye are not in the flesh but on the spirit, if so be the Spirit of God dwell in you, Rom. 8.9. There shall no flesh be justified in his sight, Rom. 3.20. but saith Paul. You in times pasted were Gentles in the flesh, at that time ye were without Christ and without God in the world, but now in Christ Jesus: ye who were sometimes afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ, Ephe. 2.12.13. Then is the righteousness of Christ wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ, that makes us clean temples for his Spirit to dwell in; and will not his holy Spirit live among devils in a cage together of unclean and filthy lusts? and are they for the present without Christ and without God in the world, and in the flesh? when as no flesh living shall be justified in the fight of God; and having not the Spirit of God, they for the present are none of his: then how dare any man say that they are justified in the sight of God, as soon as they had any being in this world? O horrible and blasphemous doctrine! that makes the pure and holy Spirit of God, to be a companion, yea a very band to cursed devils, and filthy lusts else how can he live where the devil's reign: but thou O blessed Spirit of God, art of purer cyes then to behold evil; and canst not look on iniquity with approbation, Hab. 1.13. But ye in time passed walked according to the course of the world, and according to the prince of the air that ruleth in the children of disobedience saith Paul, we all had our conversation in time passed in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as others, Ephe. 3 2, 3. but were they justified as soon as they had any being, when they lived in all manner of sin whatsoever, the devil having their souls in full possession, But such were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, and then it follows, that they were justified, 1. Cor. 6.11. doth God charge us not to cast pearls before swine, nor to give that which is holy to dogs; and will he give his chiefest benefits to them that remain dogs and swine many years before they are effectually called, and have any true faith wrought in them; this is very pleasing doctrine I must needs confess for dogs and swine, but let the true Children of God take heed of it, lest they suck too much of their honeycomb, and so they poison their souls, and perish eternally: but the righteousness of Christ is received of us, by the hand of our faith, and so becomes ours, and you see that the Scripture is clear for it. But they will needs be justified in the sight of God without faith or calling; and I find their reason to be this, because that Christ took our nature upon him, and suffered in it, therefore by the human nature of Christ they are truly made the sons of God by adoption, and justified without any faith or calling; they say that they need make no application of it to themselves by faith, but without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.6. and whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14.23. therefore the truth is, as marry as received him, he gave power to become the Sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, John 1.12. God the Father signed and sealed his Son to the office of Mediatorship, but who hath any part in him: I ans. He that receiveth his testimony hath set too his seal that God is true, John 3.35. He that believeth is not condemned, but he that believeth not is damned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God, he that believeth on the Son hath life, and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3.18.36. He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the witness in himself, and he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son, John 3.10.  
Then are such as these unbelievers uncalled, that make God a liar, that are in a damnable estate, and the wrath of God abiding on them; are these justified in the sight of God? let such doctrine be damned to the pit of hell; yet such are the Elect as well as the Reprobate before their calling and conversion, as they came into the world until they have justifying saith wrought in them, there was no difference between us and them, till our hearts were spirifiedly ●aith, Rom. 15. ●. 2.22. The Scripture hath concluded all under 〈…〉 at ●he promise by faith in Jesus Christ, may be given to them that believe, Gal. 3.22.  
But they say that faith is imperfect, therefore it cannot take hold sufficiently on Christ to justify them. I answer, if the beggar can but reach out his hand, although it be weak or lame, to take his alms, yet it is his when he hath received it sure enough, as if he had received it by a stronger hand, and it were folly to say that his alms is not his, because his hand is weak or lame that received it: so he that by faith taketh the righteousness of Christ, it is his sure enough, although his faith were never so weak, if it be true faith, and it were folly to say that the righteousness of Christ is none of his, because he had not a stronger faith to receive it; but mark their folly, they say that a man may be justified without faith and yet not by faith because it is too weak; but must we believe their errors, or the Spirit of God that cannot lie, Rom. 3.28.4.5.5.1. but they say faith will not endure for ever, therefore it cannot justify us, as a hand or instrument.  
I answer, from the former simile, that when the beggar hath received his alms, if he should bethink himself then and say, this alms is not mine because the hand that took it must perish and rot in the grave; should we not think it gross folly in him, and so to say that the righteousness of Christ is not mine, because my faith must end with my body; but if the beggar's hand were afterward cut off, yet the alms is his for all that, and so let faith die with us, yet having received the righteousness of Christ, that is really ours to all eternity, and the Lord looks upon his people as they are clothed with the righteousness of Christ being received by faith, and not so much upon the hand that received it, whether it be weak or strong so it be in truth, and then he esteems us as perfectly justified, and shall abide so for ever.  
The next gross errors are these, they being justified assoon as they have any being, than God cannot see their sin, for they are perfectly righteous, even as righteous as Christ, assoon as they have any being; and faith doth but declare to them what was done before.  
To speak of them that are elected before they have faith or calling, when thou wast naked and bare, I saw thee polluted ●n thine own blood, than I looked upon thee, Eze. 16.6.8. shall we think that God did not see that catalogue of sins in Manasseh before his conversion when as the penmen of the Scripture wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2. Pet. 1.21. The Lord turned not from the fierceness of his wrath wherewith his anger was kindled against judah, because of all the provocation that Manasseh had provoked him withal, 2 Kings 14.26. I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, Jer. 15.4. then did not God see his sins, although afterward he repent, and prayed, and the Lord was entreated of him 2. Chron. 33.13. and saith Peter, ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you, and killed the Prince of life, Acts 14.15. jesus whom ye have crucified: now they were pricked at the heart, and three thousand of them converted, Acts 2.36.37.41. then did Peter see their sins, and did not God see them, when as he spoke but as he was moved by the Holy Ghost; saith Paul, no thiefs, nor covetous, nor drunkards shall inherit the kingdom of God, and such were some of you, but ye are washed; doth Paul see them, and doth not the Spirit of God see them. In time past ye walked according to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air that worketh in the children of disobedience, we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and were by nature children of wrath even as others. Ephe. 2.2, 3. did Paul see this, and did not God see it, at that time they were without Christ, and without God in the world, ver. 12. and did not God see them; saith Paul, I was before a blasphomer and a persecuter, and injurious, 1. Tim. 1.13. did he see this and did not God see it? doth not Christ say, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest, Acts 9.4.5. did not Christ then see his sin, although he was a chosen vessel? ver. 15. but so much before saith or calling.  
But after conversion, did not God see Lot's incest, and Noah drunk, and Moses and Aaron's unbelief, which barred them out of the land of Canaan; the Lord sent Nathan to David to convince him of his sin, 2. Sam. 12. and he confesseth saying against thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight, Psal. 51.4. and saith Moses thou hast set our iniquities before thee, and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance, Ps. 90.8. & saith the Lord) the high places were not taken away out of Israel; nevertheless the heart of Asa was perfect all his days 2. Chro. 15.17. yet he was wroth with him that told him of his sin, and put him in person and oppressed some of the people at the same time, chap. 16.10. and trusted in the Physician more than God ver. 12. then did not God see this, how should the Prophet have known it if God had not told him? (saith the Lord) among my people are found wicked men they lay wait as he that setteth snares, they set a tra● they catch men, they overpasse the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper, Jer. 5.26.28. the sin of judah is written with a pen of Iron and with the point of a Diamond it is graven upon their heart. Jer. 17.1. (saith Paul) Peter and the other Jews desembled, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation, Gal. 2.13. Did Paul see this and did not God see it? when Peter denied Christ, did not he see him the Lord turned and looked upon him, and Peter remembered the words of the Lord, and Peter went out and wept bitterly, Luke 32.61.62. Ye fools, when will ye be wise, he that planted the care shall not he bear? and he that form the eye shall not he see? Psal. 94.8 9 the Lord knows the thoughts of men; then I conclude, that a man may build upon the true foundation, hay, wood, or stubble, and he may suffer loss, but himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire, 1. Cor. 3.11.12.15. therefore God sees all the sins of his justified children, both before and after conversion.  
And although it be said, He beheld no iniquity in Jacob, nor perverseness in Israel, Num. 23.21. yet he saw it although he would pass by their transgressions, Micah 7.18. and would not suffer Balaam to curse them, neither would he forsake them, but correct them as he saw good and not according to their enemy's rage which hath no mercy. And although it be said that they cannot sinne, 1 John 3.9. yet saith the same john, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us, 1 John 1.8. but yet they do not sinne that sin unto death, 1 John 5.16. neither with that whole swing as wicked men do: but the spirit striveth against the flesh, that they cannot do the things that they would, Gal. 5.17. yet how can he be clean that is borne of a woman? who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Job 14.1. how can man be justified with God, or how can he be clean that is borne of a woman? Job 25.4. Who can say I have made my heart clean, Pro. 20.7. there is no man living that sinneth not, 1 Kings 8.46. 2 Chron. 6. ●6. Eccle. 7.20. Then are we perfectly righteous; I mean in respect of degrees in this life; if this were so, how can there be any degrees of grace, as a strong faith in some and a little faith in others? Or how can there be any growth in grace, if we had already attained, or were already perfect in degrees? but perfection in this world consists not in the absence of sin, but in the sight of sin, and fight against sin, and groaning under the burden of sin: and because we sinne daily, we must ask forgiveness daily, and to be kept from temptation daily, Matth. 6. we are not perfect in degrees of grace here, therefore the Sacrament was ordained to strengthen our faith and to increase our holiness; but they that say that they are as perfect as Christ, what makes them to receive the Sacrament which is only to strengthen their faith? let the subtellest of them make answer if he can; but saith Paul, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, so abound in this grace also, 2 Cor. 8.7. and saith john, I pray God thou mayest prosper even as thy soul prospereth, 3 John 2.  
Yet I grant that we are perfectly justified at once, but we are not perfectly sanctified in this life, I mean in respect of degrees, although we be perfectly sanctified in respect of parts, as a child hath all the parts of a man, but he must grow up unto the degrees of a man; then what bold presumption is this, to say we are perfectly righteous as Christ, when as he neither wants parts nor degrees; and besides, it is in him as in the Fountain, and in us but as the Cistern, out of his fullness we receive grace for grace, John 1.17. again, he wa● never defiled with sin as we are and we have no more of his righteousness then our weak faith is able to receive; yet I grant he that hath little shall have no lack; yet there is degrees of grace here, and of glory hereafter; God gave not the spirit to Christ by measure. John 3.34. but unto every one of us is give grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephe. 4.7.16.13. the let us take heed lest we offend Christ in boasting of our righteousness, whe● we have nothing but what we have received, then why should we boast as if we received it not, 1 Cor. 6.7. and take heed lest you say God cannot see your sin, for be sure your sin will find you out, Num. 32.23. the Lord commended job for a perfect man, upright, and one that feared God and eschewed evil, Job 1.1. yet job sinned not only in his passion, chap. 3. but afterward when he saith, the Lord breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause, chap. 9.17. he saith, I am righteous, and God hath taken away my judgement, my wound is incurable without transgression, chap. 34 5, 6. he saith I am clean without transgression, I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me, behold he findeth out occasions against me, chap. 33.9, 10. he hath said, I am more righteous than God, chap. 35.2. But did not God see all this? The Lord answered job and said, shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him, he that reproveth God let him answer it; wilt thou disannul my judgement? wilt thou condemn me that thou mayest be righteous? chap. 40.2.8. then how dare these men say, that they are as righteous as Christ, and that God can see no sin in them; but the truth is, they are sick of jobs disease, and it were good for them if with him they would repent of their pride, and abhor themselves in dust and ashes, Job 42.6. then should they see the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy, James 5.11. but it may be they will catch at those words, when the Lord said to satan, thou movest me against him to destroy him without cause. Job 2.3. I answ. That the devil that accuser of the brethren, could not tax him of any foul or scandelous sin, yet job had his failings as well as other men; as he saith, when his passion is over that if he should contend with God, he cannot answer one of a thousand, then how shall man be just with God? Job 9.23. and saith David, O God thou knowest my foolishness, and my sin is not hid from thee, Psal. 69.5. Then whether shall I go from thy presence, thou knowest my down-sitting and my uprising and understandest my thoughts a fare off, thou knowest my paths, and art acquainted with all my ways, Psal. 139.2, 3. we hear of none that have learned the language of Canna●, that pure language, that call on the name of the Lord and serve him with one consent, Zeph. 3.9. in all the book of God, saving, I am perfect, I am pure, I cannot sinne if I would, or if I did, God cannot see my sin, I am as righteous as Christ, I need not grieve for my sin nor pray for pardon; but contrary saith Peter, I am a sinful man O Lord; and saith Paul, I am the least of all Saints Ephe. 3.8. and the chiefest of all sinners, 1 Tim. ●. 15. and saith David pardon my sin for it is great Psal. 25.11. and in humility saith Abraham, I am but dust and ashes; and saith jacob, I am the least of all thy mercies; and saith john Baptist, I am not worthy to lose the latchet of his shoe; and saith the Centurion, I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my Roof; then where did these men learn this their proud boasting of their holiness, which the Lord saith is a stink in my wrath and a fire that burneth all the day, Isa. 65.5.  
In the next place, they tell us that they are assured of this their happy condition only from a verbal testimony, they say from the spirit of God; yet they deny the operation or sanctifying work of the same spirit of God to be any means whereby they may come to know their justification, for this they say is the doctrine of our legal teachers that go by marks and signs.  
But here they deny one of the witnesses, whereby we should come to know our condition as we stand in the fight of God; for saith Paul, the spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God, Rom. 8.16. when Christ comes into the soul, he brings both water to sanctify and blood to justify us; This is he that came by water and blood, not by water only, but by water and blood, than the spirit beareth witness because the spirit is truth; then the Father, the Word, and the Holyghost, will bear Record with our spirit here on earth, when our spirit with the witness of water doth sanctify us, and that other witness from the blood of Chest doth justify us, then are we really the sons of God, 1 John 5.6, 7, 8. the spirit of God first convinceth the heart of sin, and then subjecteth the heart to his will, and then gives testimony by a divine reasoning on this manner saying, He that believeth shall be saved; then cut spirit or conscience makes answer, saying, I believe; then the conclusion ariseth from both these witnesses, that I am the child of God.  
For it is not enough to have a persuasion that we are the children of God, except with that persuasion the gift of faith be wrought in us with all the qualifications of a child of God; as the grace of fear, not a slavish but a filial fear, wrought in our hearts that we may not departed from him, Jer. 32.40. by neglecting of any duty commanded, or committing any sin forbidden, my son fear thou the Lord Prov. 24.21, that is fear to offend him, and be careful to please him in all things, John, 8.29. and to love and delight in his presence, Psal. 73.28. to honour and reverence his name, Mal. 1.6. Psal. 111.9. and to serve and obey him in all things, John 5.30. Mat. 26.39. he that findeth an inward desire and an outward endeavour to do these things is certainly the child of God; but a bare persuasion without any operation or sanctifying work of the spirit of God in the soul, is the suggestion of the devil, who would persuade them that kill you that they do God service, John 16.2. whose possessors slay them and hold themselves not guilty, Zac. 11.5. The devil can easily turn himself into an Angel of light, to deceive those that deny all marks and signs of grace in them; but can the spirit of God come into the soul where the devil dwells in full possession, and bind him and cast him out, and change the will and affections from the service of the devil to serve himself? can the strong holds of the devil be cast down, and the Throne of Christ set up without any noise or stir in that soul? it is rather an evidence that soul was never changed, than not to be senceable of it any otherways but only by a bare testimony, not looking what work the Lord hath wrought in it, nor knowing any thing by experience but by hear say, or a testimony of the devil, or some lying spirit which hath told him so.  
But what saith the Apostle John, Ye have an unction from the holy one, and ye know all things; the anointing which ye have received abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth and is no lie; and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him; if ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doth righteousness is borne of him, 1 John 2.20.27.29. sometimes the spirit of God ceaseth to give testimony a long time together; then our spirit or conscience witnesseth from the work wrought by the spirit of God, this anointing abideth in us, and teacheth when the verbal voice or testimony is gone or ceaseth; for saith Paul, our rejoicing is the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, 2 Cor. 1.12. I have lived in all good conscience before God to this day. Act. 23.1. I say the truth in Christ I lie not, my conscience beareth me witness in the Holyghost, Ro. 9.1. Thus you see that we must not content ourselves with a bare testimony, but we must labour to see the work wrought in us, let but thy conscience bring thee to thy trial and thou shalt easily see how it is with thee; and do not say that this is legal teaching, lest thou be filled with fancies and no real work of grace be wrought as yet in thee, and do not think that the spirit of God will work when thou liest still and remainest an empty trunk or a dead stone; no thou must be made a living stone, and must work actively by the move of the spirit of God in thee: draw me, and we will run after thee, Cant. 1.3. I shall run the ways of thy Commandments when thou dost enlarge my heart, Psal. 119.32. but this they condemn as legal teaching, because spiritual slothfulness hath so possessed them, that they will make no other trial, but rest upon a bare idle persuasion or testimony, but whether it came from God or the devil they know not.  
Well, they say they are justified as soon as they were borne, and then as righteous as Christ, and this they know from a bare testimony; now it follows say they, that God cannot correct them, neither doth he correct for their sin, but only to exercise their faith.  
I grant that God doth not punish his children in wrath and fury, with plagues and vengeance, but as gentle corrections from a loving father for their good, yet still sin was the cause of it; saith David, there is no soundness in my flesh nor rest in my bones, because of my sin, Psal. 38.3, 4, 5. why doth the living man complain? man is punished for his sin, Lam. 3.39. then art thou made whole, sinne no more lest a worse thing come unto thee, John 5.14. if David a man after Gods own heart sin scandalously, the sword shall never departed from his house, 2 Sam. 12 10. God is not partial in his corrections, though Coniah were as the signet upon my right hand, yet would I plucks him thence, jer. 22.24. that soul that sinneth it shall die, Ezek. 18. all things come alike to all; there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, Eccles. 9.2. the wages of sin is death, Rom. 6.23. And every sickness or inward grief or sorrow or outward hurts, or maladies, all are but parts and parcels of this wages that we receive from the service of sin, and we receive this wages by parts and parcels daily; for as Adam in the day that he sinned he began to die, he received some part of that wages of sin, death seized upon him and slew him by degrees; and so we as soon as we were borne began to die, and all those afflictions and sorrows that do befall us do but hallen us to our end; but who is freed from these things? what man is he that liveth and shall not see death, Ps. 89.41. our Prophets are dead, and our fathers are fallen asleep; wise men die as well as fools, for all must die, and be as water spile upon the ground 2 Sam. 14.14. then God doth correct and that heavily for sin; yet his corrections are sweetened to his people, the sting or bitterness of them is tak●n out; yet we shall not be freed from corrections nor death, so long as we carry a body of sin daily about with us; death is passed upon all men; for that all have sinned Rom. 5.12. but will they say that death is not a correction? it is the king of terrors, job 18.14. will they say death is but to exercise their faith; but suppose one of them were shot with a bullet, how would he exercise his faith? or can they exercise their faith to prevent a sin, when they are corrected for their sin already committed; saith David, before I was afflicted I went astray, Psal. 119.67. and Manasseh was converted in the furnace of afflictions, which was the means to beget his faith, and not to exercise it before he had it: it is manifest enough that God doth correct his people for sin; if thy children forsake my law, and if they break my statutes, than I will visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquity with stripes; nevertheless I will not take away my mercy from him. Psal. 89.30. then let not the Antonomeans forsake God's law, lest they feel the weight of his correcting hand, you have I known of all the families of the earth, therefore I will punish you for your iniquities, Amos 3.2. then let them take heed how they say when they sin, tush, God sees not, God is not like to themselves; he will reprove them, and set their sins in order before them, consider th●● ye that forget God lest he tear you in ●●eces and there be none to deliver you Psal. 50.21. God will correct Jacob in measure, and will not leave him altogethen unpunished, Jer. 10.24.20.11. for the transgression of Jacob is all this, Micah 1.5. Zachariah and Elizabeth are as famous as any in all the Scripture, for being both just and righteous before God and walking in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless; yet saith the Angel to him thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak (which was a sore correction) because thou believest not my words, Luke 1.6.20. and Jehosaohat was a good man, yet if he help the ungodly and love them that hate the Lord; there shall wrath from the Lord be upon him, nevertheless there are good things found in him, 2 Chr. 19.23. & Miriam was a good woman yet if she speak against Moses the anger of the Lord is kindled, and behold Miriam became leprous white as snow, Num. 12.1.9, 10. for whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son that he receiveth; if ye endnre chastening whereof all are partakers, then are ye sons and not bastards, Heb. 12.6, 7, 8. Ephraim bemoaned himself thus, Thou hast chastised me; yet saith the Lord, Ephraim is my dear son, he is a pleasant child, I do earnestly remember him still, my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy on him, saith the Lord, Jer. 31.18.20. it is a sign of a humble heart, when the Land is scourged for sin, to acknowledge our sins to be the cause of it, as David did, saying to the Lord, I even I only have sinned and done evil indeed, but as for these sheep what have they done? 1 Chron. 21.17. see 2 Sam. 24.10. Again, when Nathan came to him, he said, I have sinned against the Lord, 2 Sam. 12.13. Again, it is the brand of a reprobate, when God ceaseth to correct him for his sin, I will no more punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone. Hosea 4.14.17. so when the L●●d smote Uzzah for his error that he died, David was afraid of the Lord t●●t day, 2 Sam. 6.7.8. when Christ said to his Apostles, one of you shall betray me, every one suspected his own heart saying, Lord is it I, Mat. 26. then let not us say, God cannot correct us, nor any other for our sins; which is one main cause why they refuse the covenant; but let them know if God have forgiven them, yet he will take vengeance on their inventions, Psal. 99.8. then if God send Jonah to cry against the wickedness of Niniveh, and he go to Tarshesh from the presence of the Lord, God will send a great and mighty wind and tempest, so that the ship was like to be broken, and Jonah forced to confess and say, for my sake this great tempest is come upon you, jonah 1.2.12. the judge of all the earth will do right, Gen. 18. and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done, saith the Lord God, Ezek. 14.23. and when some received the Sacrament unworthily, for this cause many were sick and weak and many dead, 1 Cor. 11. then doth not God correct his people for sin, or will they say they die only for oryall, for these men were some of them God's people which shall not be condemned with the world, ver. 32. judgement beginneth at the house of God, 1 Pet. 4.17. which makes David say, my flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgements, Psal. 119.120. Hab. 3.15. but these people are so full of mirth from those following grounds, that they broke out into laughter saying, they cannot sinne being in Christ, and if they should yet God cannot see it, or if he should chance to see it, he cannot be displeased with it or if he should be displeased, his hands are bound that he cannot correct them for it; then they must neither repent, nor be sorry, nor pray for the pardon of any sin, neither past, present, nor to come; neither must they hear of their sins any more; this fills their faces full of comfort, when their hearts have cause enough to be heavy; saith Solomon, he is the happy man that feareth always. Prov. 28.14. when this fear stirs up watchfulness and diligence, to please God with reverence and godly fear, H●b. 12.28, a child may fear his father's rod, although he fear not to be disinherited, even the reghteous shall see and fear, Psal 52.6. legal threaten cannot hurt the righteous; saith David, let the righteous smite me it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil which shall not break mine head, Psal. 141.6. these lower herbs will make us relish promises the better, and stick faster to them and it will inflame our love to God more deeper, for saving us from those dangers threatened, and it will stir up compassion in us towards our brethren, to help them out of those dangers, and to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, Phil. 2.11.  
Thus they being justified as soon as they are borne, and then as righteous as Christ; this they know from a bare testimony, or revelation, or suggeestion, than God cannot correct nor punish them for sin: now it follows, that they are freed from the commanding power of the law of God, by their free grace they are discharged from all duty or obedience to it, now the law of God is no rule for them, but wh●● they do is only out of love and courtesy, for they own God nothing at all.  
Here I grant that the Juditiall law was not made for us, and the ceremonial law was ended in Christ, but the moral law abides for ever; I mean the commanding and discovering power of it remains as a glass to believers, and as a rule or a bridle to keep them in continual obedience to the Lord.  
And whereas it is said, If ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law, but under grace, Gal. 5.18. it is to be understood, you do obey the law freely without the lashing or constraining power of the law, and where it is said, sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, but under grace, Rom. 3.13. this is plain, that if sin have dominion over you, you are under the curse and condemning power of the law; but from the reign of sin and from the curse of the law, you are freed by Christ, Rom. 8.1. Gal. 3.13, This curse and condemning power of the law, is not made for a righteous man but for the ungodly, for sinners, and unholy, for murderers, and whoremongers, thiefs, and liars, and perjured persons, or any other sin that is contrary to sound doctrine, 1. Tim. 1.9.10. Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good, Rom. 7.12. but they will have the commanding power of the law, to last but till John the Batpist, because it is said, the law and the Prophets were until John. Luke 16.16. and the law was added for transgressors till the seed should come, Gal. 3.19. I answer, they prophesied of Christ till John, Mat. 11.13. but when John shown them the Messiah, and pointed to him with his finger, saying, Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world, John 1.29. than they ceased to prophesy, or to foretell of his coming when they saw him; but to say that the law should la●● but till John is yet to prove, and cannot be gathered from this place; For til● the law, sin was in the world, Rom. 5.13. but will they gather from hence that there was no sin in the world after that the law was given; if Mical be childless till her death, she must needs be so for ever; and Paul saith to Timothy, Till I come give attendance to reading, exhortation, and doctrine, neglect not the gift that is in thee, 1. Tim. 4.13.14. but after that Paul is come, must he neglect these duties, because it is said, do them till I come; thus they force the Scriptures to favour their errors. Then they say Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, so I say too, for he hath put an end to all types and shadows of the Ceremonial law, and he hath put an end to the curse and bondage of the moral law; Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, Gal. 3.13. and from the condemning power of it, Rom. 8.1. but if we speak of obedience to the commanding power of the law, Christ is the scop and end to which all our obedience tends, and he is the end for whose sake all the promises are made good unto us, and not for our obedience, and he alone gives being and performance to them all, 2 Cor. 1.20. and he is the end of the law for righteousness, that is, the law brings us to Christ for righteousness, and in him we have righteousness ●● fulfil the laws, not inherent but by imputation? Then are we freed from the law, no, then are we tied faster in obedience to it, forasmuch as we had no power before to do it, but now through Christ we can do all things. Again, they say they have the spirit of God for their rule, and they do all by a free spirit, and need not the law to rule them; for they are like unto trees that bring forth fruit of themselves without any teaching. But let them know that trees although they were never so rooted in the earth, yet they would never bring forth fruit of themselves, but by the means of outward helps, as the Sun and the rain and other helps, and besides, the spirit of God brings them to the rule of the law, to square and try all their actions by it, and shows us wherein we fail, and when we do that which is required of us.  
But sure these men think that our Fathers went to Heaven by one means, and we must go thither by another means; but saith the Apostle, we writ unto you no new commandment but the old, which ye have had from the beginning, then there is but one way, jer. 32.39. for them and us; had they the law? so have we; and if we have the Gospel, so had they, and the law and the gospel command the same virtues, and both forbidden the same vices: then what a cursed error is this to think that God the son should free believers from all obedience to God the Father; but we know that he who honours the son must needs honour the Father, john 5.23. the son speaks not of himself but from the Father, ver. 16. then he that saith he abideth in him, ought himself also to walk even as he walked, 1 John 2.6. but how was that saith he, Lo I come! in the volume of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God: then said I, lo! I come to do thy will O God; Heb. 10.7.9. and saith he, I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father that sent me, John 5.30. Mat. 26.39. my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me, john 7.16. he was subject to his Parents, Luke 2.51. and saith Paul, let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, Phil. 2.5. and Christ saith, learn of me, Mat. 11.29. I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you; if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, joh. 13.15.17. and for suffering he left us an example that we should follow his steps, 1. Pet. 2.21. then did Christ free us from the law, or did he not rather by his own example show us how to obey the law more exactly, and saith David, thy law endures for ever in heaven, Psa. 119.89. and the Angels do the commandments of God, and hearken to the voice of his word Psal. 10.3. and do not the Saints lief there by the same rule, have they not all one charter, why doth Christ teach us to pray, that we may do the will of God on earth as it is done in heaven, Mat. 6. are we on earth more perfect than they, or more sanctified than they, or hath Christ done more for us then for them? if not, why then should we forsake that rule that must be for Saints and Angels for ever? they boast of their justification, but saith Ambrose how can they be justified that are not friends with the law of God? and Luther whom they challenge for their own friend he rangeth them among the unjustified, and by his censure rejects them among the unregenerate; for saith he, Paul said, I delight in the law of God, in the inward man, and I serve the law of God in my mind, Rom. 7.22.25. and saith David, O how I love thy law! Psal. 119.97. and the blessed man delights in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night, Psal. 1.2. then were Christ and his Apostles and the faithful Ministers that succeed them all legal Preachers, for urging the law and pressing on believers the obedience of the law; yea; to the law more strictly, expounded by Christ, as you shall see anon, than it was by the Scribes and Pharisees. Then he that neglects the Commandments and shall teach men so, shall, be lest in the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doth them and teacheth men so, shall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven, Mat. 5.19. again, how can a man teach obedience of faith, but he must needs teach obedience to the law, for if faith bear no fruits it is a dead faith, James 2.17, 18. and if those works or fruits be not regulated by the law, they are but grapes of gall which grows on the vine of Sodom, and their clusters are bitter Deut. 32.32. the works of the law and the works of faith are the same thing, they may be distinguished but not divided; and saith Christ to the Lawyer, what is written in the law? how readest thou? and he answered, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul; and with all thy strength, and thy neighbour as thyself; and Christ said unto him, thou hast answered right, this do and thou shalt live, Luke 10.26, 27, 28. and doth not faith work by love? Gal. 5.6. again, how can a man believe that God will show mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments, Exod. 20.6. when they show no endeavour at all to keep or obey them, but scornfully term them legal teachers that call for any obedience from them; but what makes them to love God, if the commanding power of his law doth not? or if they yield to this command of the law, why not as well to another? b●t if they love God, and not as a duty to his law that commands it, it is bottomless, groundless, and in the end will be comfortless; and why do they believe in Christ but to fulfil the Father's commandment? for this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his son Jesus Christ, and love one another as he the father gave us commandment, 1 john 3.23. this is the work of God to believe on him whom he hath sent. john 6.29.  
Then do we make void the law through faith, God forbidden; y●a we establish the law Rom. 3.31. being not without th● law to God, but under the law to Christ 1 Cor. 9 ●1. He that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God and approved of men, Rom. 14.18. He th●● speaketh evil of his brother and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law and judgeth the law, but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law but a judge, Jam. 4.11. If ye have respect to persons ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors; whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all; for he that said thou shalt not commit adultery, said also thou shalt not kill; now if thou do not commit adultery, yet if thou kill thou art a transgressor of the law, Jam. 2.9.10.11. Then bear one another's burden, and so fulfil the law of Christ, Gal. 6.2, here Christ claims the law to be his, There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, jam. 4.12. the Prophets came all saying, Thus saith the Lord; but when Christ came and cleared the law from those false glosses of the Scribes and Pharisees, which say, thou shalt not kill; but I say whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, is in danger of judgement. Mat. 5. and ye have heard say, thou shalt not commit adultery; but I say, whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery already in his heart, and so of the rest; therefore obey it and so fulfil the law of Christ; for he saith I am not come to destroy the law till Heaven and earth pass away, not one tittle or jot shall in no wise pass from the law, Mat. 5.17.18. now when Christ hath claimed the law to be his, and cleared it from their false glosses, than there comes a young man to him saying, Master, what good thing shall I do to inherit eternal life? then Christ answers him directly saying ●f thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandments; he saith unto him, which? Christ answered him, thou shalt not commit adultery, nor murder, nor steal, nor bear false witness, honour thy father and mother, and love thy neighbour as thyself, Mat. 19.16, 17. and although outwardly he had been doing something for which Christ loved him, yet there was that inward lust of covetousness stuck fast in his heart; therefore Christ sends him bacl to the law to be humbled for it, this one thing thou lackest, Mark 10.21. before thou art fit for faith or to have treasure in heaven, go to the law and see thy sin, for by the law is the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3.20. then is the law sin nay I had not known sin but by the law, I had not known lust except the law had said, thou shalt not lust, Rom. 7.7. and the law shows us our failings when we are in the state of grace, for it we should cast off the law from being a rule to us, we should neither know when we sin nor how to recover ourselves, for where no law is there is no transgression, Rom. 4.15. for whosoever sinneth transgresseth the law, for sin is the transgression of the law, 1 joh. 3.4. than it is time Lord to work, when they have made void thy law, Psal. 119.126. rivers of tears run down mine eyes because they keep not thy law, ver. 136. so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God, for the carnal mind is enmity against God, it is not subject the law of God, neither indeed can be, Rom. 8.7.  
Then what shall we say to those sons of belial, that are so weary of the law, that as much as in them lies they seek to make it void, both in the commanding duties and forbidding of vices, but cursed be such tenets; hath the devil so prevailed with them as to make them take counsel against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, let us break their cords and cast away their bonds from us, Psal. 2.2, 3.  
How dare they say, that Christ hath freed them from all duty, and that they own the Lord no obedience at all, so that what they do is out of their free love and courtesy, and not from any duty or obedience to his law, which is no rule for believers: But do they make void the law, God forbidden, Rom. 3.31. faith should be employed to fetch power from Christ to enable us to obey the law, we are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3.5. but we can do all things through Christ strengthening us, Phil. 4.13. then faith doth not free us of our duty, but makes us more able to perform our duty to the law of God, and therefore it is called the obedience of faith, Rom. 1.5. it stands not with true faith, to call them legal divines by way of scorn and derision, that call upon us and put us in mind of our duty to the Lord, because say they, we own him none; but let them know and be sure that their sins will find them out, Numb. 32.23. let them take heed how they say that God is like to themselves, lest he reprove them and set their sins in order before them; now consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you, Psal. 50.21.22. certainly that man was never justified from his sin, that thinks it not his duty to mortify it, and doth not grieve and mourn for want of strength to subdue it, and his duty to pray against it, which our Antinomeans renounce, saying, this is legal teaching, and they will try their condition, only from a bare testimony as I said before; although it be a suggestion of the devil, it may serve their turn well enough, while they despise the operation of the spirit of God sanctifying and changing them, and setting up his own Image in them, giving them grace for grace with Christ; they say if we look upon these marks and signs to know our condition, this is legal; this will not stand with their free grace, which frees them of that labour which should search and try them, they take all from a testimony without examination; but this building will not endure the storm of persecution.  
Then they say that they love God terribly, and this frees them from their duty: they say, the love of Christ constrains them, but they will not tell us to what, for they flatly deny all duty to the Law of God: but saith Christ, when ye have done all that ye can you have but done your duty, Luke 17.10. and saith Christ, ye call me Lord and Master, and ye say well, for so I am, but than ye ought to wash one another's feet, for the servant is not above the Master: if ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them, John 13.15.16. if the young man call him Master, presently he sends him to his work and duty of obedience, Mat. 19.17. if I be your Master where is my fear? Mat. 1.6. It is not enough to call him Lord and Master, and then to deny all duty of obedience to him; this was the love of Judas who cried, Hale Master, when he betrayed him: so these men say that they love him dear, but they defy all duty to him, for they own him none; but time will come when they that say Lord, Lord, shall not come to heaven, but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven, Mat. 7.21. But their true love frees them from all duty: but what love they have I know not, for this is the law of God, that we keep his Commandments, and his Commandments are not grievous, 1 Joh. 5.3. But if they love God, why do they despise his Law, which saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might: these words I command thee this day, Deut. 6.5.6. and where is their love to Christ they boast so much of; for he saith these words in answer to the Lawyer, This is the first and great Commandment in the Law, to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind, and the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, on these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets, Mat. 22.37.38. And Moses spoke the same words of the second Table, saying, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself Levit. 19.18. so that you see the sweet harmony between Christ and Moses; and the same was with Paul, who saith, Thou shalt not commit adultery, kill nor steal, nor bear false witness, nor covet: love worketh no ill to his neighbour, therefore love is the fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.9, 10. then doth love drive them from the law: saith David, Oh how I love thy la; and what follows? it is my meditation all the day, Psal. 119.97. thy testimonies are my delight, and what follows? and my counsellors, ver. 24. Unless thy law had been my delight, I had perished in mine affliction: I will never forget thy precepts, for with them thou hast quickened me ver. 92.93. tha● is, the showing him his duty revived his dull spirits that began to flag and faint: but these men despise the Law of God, because it is sent by Moses; but saith Christ, had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me; and if ye will not believe his writings, how shall ye believe my words, John 5.46.47. Moses told them that the seed of ●he woman should break the serpent's head, Gen. 3.15, and that the Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me; unto him shall ye hearken, and he shall speak unto them all that I command him, Deut. 18.18. and saith the Lord, This is my beloved Son, hear him, Mat. 17.5. the Apostle to set forth the faithfulness of Christ, compares him with faithful Moses; for saith he, Christ was faithful to him that appointed him; as also Moses was faithful in all his house, Heb. 3.2. then why must Moses be so despised, who was as faithful to the Lord as ever man was, but yet the message was the Lords? then why must God's law be despised? because you like not the messenger that brings it. Again, Christ clears the law of Moses from their false glosses: but it seems in their conceit that Moses hath so defiled it, that Christ is not able to clear it again except he take it quite away; for they are not minded to make it a rule to believers although they perish by swarving from it; as that cursed Whoremonger that is so busy to broach those sweet tolerations for his own villainy, and for such as he, who esteem the law of God as a heavy burden to them, and as a bridle to restrain them from their sweet pleasures in sin, but if they leave this rule, they must needs offer polluted bread to the Lord, and the blind and the lame. and the sick, in their offering, which is evil; that their governor would not be pleased with nor accept their persons then cursed be that deceiver that hath in his flock a male and offereth unto the Lord a corrupt thing, Mal. 1.7 8 9, 14. if the Lord write unto you the great things of his law and you count them as a strange thing Hosea 8.12. If you do not make the law of God your guide you must needs bring strange fire to the Lord, as the Sons of Aaron did and perished for their presumption, Levit. 10.12. for who required these things at your hands, to tread my Courts? to what purpose is all that ye do? bring no more vain oblations, it is iniquity, my soul hateth them, they are a trouble to me, I cannot bear them, Isa. 1.11.12.13.14. see Amos 5.25.26. He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man and he that sacrificeth a lamb as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation as if he offered swine's blood; and he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol; the reason is because they have chosen their own ways Isa. 66.3. thus saith the Lord stand in the way and see, ask for the old paths where is the good way, and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls; but they laid we will not walk therein: Hear O earth I will bring evil upon this people, the fruit of their own thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my law but rejected it, than it follows, to what purpose cometh their incense to me from, Sheba, your offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me Jer. 6.16.19.20. these people are like unto King Saul, who forsook the commandment of the Lord and then would go offer the sacrifice of his own devising; but to obey had been better than sacrifice, and to hearken then the fat of Rams, 1 Sam. 15.22. so these men forsake the law of God, and say that it is no rule for believers; and then they say that love will move them to something unrequired, not as any duty nor done in obedience to the Lord, but out of free love and mere good will and courtesy; but I say, if it be not done by the rule, and weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary, but only of their own head, God will say of them as he said of Saul, Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry, because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he also hath rejected thee from being King, 1 Sam. 15.23. and now O Israel, what doth the Lord require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and to keep the Commandments of the Lord and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Deut. 10.12, 13. but they will answer that their free grace hath freed them from all duties, so that they do not stand in fear to offend the Lord, neither are they bound to walk in all his ways nor to serve the Lord with all their heart and soul, nor to endeavour to keep his laws and statutes for their good, this they say is legal, and but the words of Moses, and they can love God; and this they can show sufficiently from their free will unrequired of God, or done in obedience to his law, for it is no rule for them, neither do they acknowledge any duty to it. Again they are not acquainted with the graces of God's spirit that are wrought in his people; I mean such as these, 2 Cor. 7.11. tell them what carefulness godly sorrow hath wrought in you, and they will answer, that their care is taken; and what a clearing of yourselves, and they will say that they are as clear from sin as Christ; and of anger for sin, and they will say, that they have none to be angry at; and of fear to offend God, and they will say, that they cannot sinne to offend him; tell them of a desire to please God, and they will say, that Christ hath done that already and what need they to trouble themselves; tell them of a zeal for God's glory and revenge on sin, and they will say, these are legal things which they are freed from, and so of all other graces they know not what we mean: But they have faith to see that all is done by Christ without faith or application, only when faith is come by it, they can see what was done in them before and without it; they say Christ lives in them, and acts and moves them as we move a stone; and they are still as an empty trunk for his spirit to move in, so that nothing is required of them, but only to let the spirit of God-doe his own work in them and by them; & they remain still but dead stones; they are not acquainted with that principle of life that is put into God's people; they are not as yet made living stones, but they like Balaams' Ass remain as they were, a though she speak with man's voice yet an Ass still, and so are they; but the child of God is quickened that was dead in trespasses and sins, Ephe. 2.1. saith Christ, ●he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death to life, Joh. 5.24. from all this we may clearly see, that duties of obedience are required of believers, and they will be easily convinced of it, that are living members of the mystical body of Christ, and living stones in his spiritual building; but for dead stones and empty trunks, we wonder not much at their folly, which breaks out into all licentiousness and abominable practices; as for example, a woman prostrating herself to uncleanness, said, you think that you should sinne if you should lie with me; but what law doth forbid it unto us; O horrible practice of lawless people! but when they see any to live as near the rule of God's law as they can, those they reproach with such names as these, duty-mongers, duty-doers, followers of legal preachers, scorning that word of God which condemns their sinful courses; and to express their dislike of the duties of holiness, they say, What have we to do with the dungie dirty duties of sanctification, we thank God through Jesus Christ we have nothing to do with them; these they say are works for home-booke Christians; they tell us that believers do duties only in respect of men, for God requires none at their hands; they are so deluded that a woman said, Jesus Christ came and took her by the hand and asked her why she was so sad, and bade her leave off her mourning for sin and be cheerful, for she greatly dishonoured the Gospel in being troubled for her sins: another, as she was sitting by the fire, Christ came to her and bade her pray for such a one of her acquaintance, that she may have assurance, which she did, and presently the party received by a light from Heaven full assurance: and another said, nothing troubled her so much as the time she had spent in prayer and other duties, which held her so long from her comfort: these are they that will not be guided by the law of God, who are given up to strong delusions to believe lies, that they may be damned who believe not the truth, 2 Thess. 2.11, 12. But when these men with their owl eyes cannot abide the Sunbeams of clear Scripture against them, they would hid themselves with some humane testimonies, wrested and distorted from the true meaning and intention of their alleged Authors. First, they boast highly that Master Luther is theirs wholly, and they hold nothing in this point, but what they sucked from his breasts; but by this instance you may see how they serve the rest, for Master Luther was so fare from being an Antinomean, that no man doth more expressly and sound overthrow and contradict this wicked opinion than he, neither can any man desire a stronger humane witness against them then Master Luther, read his words with a pause and judge; satan saith he stirreth up daily new Sects, and now he hath raised up a sect of such as teach that the ten Commandments are to be taken out of the Church, and that men should not be terrified with the law; see this in Luther's Preface to his Commentary on the Gal. and in pag. 171. he speaketh of three sorts of men that abuse the law; first, those that seek justification by the law; secondly, those that will utterly exempt a Christian man from the law; and on page 153. he admonisheth all those that fear God, that they would learn out of Paul to understand the true and proper use of the law, which I fear saith he, after our time will be trodden under foot and abolished by the enemies of the truth; but if Master Luther thought that Christ had abolished the law, he would never desire men fearing God to learn the true use of it, and if he feared that men would abolish it, then sure he thought in his judgement, that it ought not to be abolished; and if he esteem them that would abolish it to be enemies to the truth, then sure he is not their Patron, and in page 154. he saith, we do plainly testify that we reject not the law nor works, as our adversaries do falsely accuse us, but we do altogether establish the law and require the works thereof, and we say the law is good and profitable, and chap. 5.14. page 154. saith he, it is necessary that godly Preachers should as diligently teach the doctrine of good works as the doctrine of faith; for satan is a deadly enemy of both; but then is Luther an Antinomean? doth he not directly contradict your foolish tenants, and disclaim you as adversaries and false accusers: you reject the law and works, but he rejecteth neither; you abolish the whole law, but he establisheth it; you reject them for legal preachers, that teach not Christ aright who urge men to the duties of the law, but he imposeth it as a necessary part of their office to urge the law, as to teach the doctrine of faith: for shame never claim Luther more.  
But they object to small purpose that Luther should say, Christ hath abolished all the law of Moses; so I say too, that he hath abolished all the ceremonial law of Moses; but they say he saith, pag 177. man is not justified by God's law, nor man's law, but by Christ-alone, so I say too; but will it follow hence, that because the law doth not justify a sinner therefore it is void, it is like as if a man should say, that because he cannot hear with his eyes, nor see with his ears, therefore they are all void and of no use to him; this is Antinomean divinity.  
And so because the terrors and torments of the law are taken off to believers, therefore the law is void to Antinomeans; if this be so, then if the sting of death be taken off to believers, by their divinity they must not die nor be scourged for their sin; but as the sting of death and afflictions is taken away to believers, and so they are sweetened unto them, but not taken away, so the ●urse or sting of the law is taken away, yet the law is not made void; and so ●ne of Luther's Scholars saith, the Regenerate are not under the law, in respect ●f justification, accusation, condemnation or coaction; but he affirmeth a threefold use of the law to the Regenerate: First, as a doctrine to direct in du●es: Secondly, as a glass to see the defects of them: Thirdly, to restrain cor●●ption that is in them. And Master Calvin in his second book of Institutions, ●●ap. 7. sect. 12. speaks of the moral law as it concerns the faithful, how ●●ey should use it; namely, to know the will of God, and by the fervent meditation of it, they should be excited to the obedience of it, and strengthened in their obedience of it, and restrained from the offences of it; in the 13. sect. Libertines deny the law because it is the ministration of death; but fare be it from us saith he to hold such a profane opinion; he saith, it hath an excellent use, namely, to be a perpetual rule of life, and so in the 14. and 15. sect. and in the third book 19 chap. sect. 2. he saith, although Christians must lift themselves above the law, and forget the righteousness of the law; yet saith he, we must not conclude the law as needless, for it doth not cease to teach, to exhort, and to incite to good, though before God's Tribunal, it hath no place in our consciences; the law therefore by Master calvin's doctrine and determination, abideth by Christ an unviolable doctrine.  
I might mention many famous Divines, that have confuted this cursed heresy in their several ages, but I will only here mention one more to these two of famous memory in the Church of God because their books are all extant and easy to be had, without much trouble to the Reader, it is that judicious Mr. Perkins, in his fruitful writings appeareth every where as in his Golden-cheyn chap. 31. having set down the use of the moral law in the unregenerate he concludeth, that the use of the law in the Regenerate is fare otherwise, for it guideth them to new obedience, which may be acceptable to God through Christ; and in his Commentary on the Gall. page 172. line 6. he showeth, that still the Lord repeateth his law in his old tenure: First, to teach us that the law is of a constant and unchangeable nature: Secondly, to advertise us of our weakness, and to show us what we cannot do: Thirdly, to put us in mind still to humble us, after we have begun by grace to obey the law, because even then we came fare short in doing the things which the law requireth a● our hands; and on page 119. line 35. he enquireth, now faith is come, what i● the guard whereby we are now kept from sin? he answereth the moral law which is as stakes and nails fastened to range men in the compass of thei● own duties, Eccles. 12.11. and upon page 201. line ●4. he puts forth this question, how fare the moral law is abrogated; his answer is three ways: First in respect of justification: Secondly, of maladiction: Thirdly, in respect ●● rigour; for them that are in Christ, God accepteth their endeavours to obe● for obedience itself, nevertheless saith he, the law as it is a rule of good li●● is unchangeable and admitteth no abrogation, and Christ in this regard, did 〈◊〉 his death establish it, Rom. 3.31. and page 253. li. 35. he saith; the law must 〈◊〉 considered two ways: First, as a rule of life; thus Angels are under the la● and Adam before his fall, and the Saints in Heaven and none yield more ●●●jection to the law then they, and this subjection is their liberty,; but wh●● did the Antinomeans learn this divinity? that Christ came to abrogate ●●● law of Innocency, which Adam had before his fall, or the eternal law of Sai●●● and Angels glorified; also in his Treatise of conscience, chap. 2. he saith; 〈◊〉 moral law bindeth the consciences of all men and at all times to obedience. Now good Reader get these books, Calvins Institutions and Luther, and Perkins on the Galla. and see these things that thou mayest be satisfied, and shake off these seducers, as Paul shook off the Viper, Acts 28.5. lest thou perish eternally by them.  
Well, thus we have driven them from their strong holds, the Scripture is against them, and good men forsake them, for they have made lies their refuge, and under falsehood have they hid themselves; but the hail shall sweep away their refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow their hiding place, Isa. 28.15.17.  
But when thou art spoilt, what wilt thou do? though thou cloathest thyself with Crimson, though thou deckest thyself with Ornaments of gold, though thou paintest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair, thy lovers will despise thee, Jer. 4.30. Thou art called to give an account of thy Stewardship, art thou resolved what to do? that when thou art put out, thy Antinomean proselytes may receive thee into their houses, Luke 16.2.4. thou hast but one shift more, that when thy Master's debtors are called, to deny half their debt, to take their bill and presently discharge them of all their debt written in the old Testament; and if this will not please them to receive thee, when God and good men have cast thee off, then take thy bill and write presently scriptum est, any thing is scripture, and of an equal value with it, if it be but written in a play book or ballad, if this will not do to be maintained privately amongst them, tell them that thou knowest no word of God, but Christ and this word is in thee, and therefore thou needest no other help without thou art so full of light within; these things comes next to be answered.  
They deny utterly the authority of the old Testament; yet this need not to trouble us, when as it is so abundantly confirmed both by Christ and his Apostles in the new, not only by coating of it, but giving it the name and title of Scripture; Paul speaking of Genesis, saith, What saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, Rom. 4.3. and of Exodus, The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Rom. 9.17. and of Numbers, that the scripture might be fulfilled, John 19.36. and of Deuteronomie, as the scripture hath said, John 7.38. and of Isaiah, the scripture saith, Rom. 10.11. and of the Psalms, that the scripture might be fulfilled, and of Zechariah, another scripture saith, John 19.24.28.47. what shall I say? Christ beginning at Moses, and all the Prophets, expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself, than opened he their understanding that they may know the Scriptures, what was written in the law of Moses, in the Prophets and Psalms concerning himself, Luke 24.27.44, 45. saith Christ, search the Scriptures for they testify of me, John 3.39. now I demand what Scriptures these were, if not the old Testament, for the new was not yet written? and so Apollo's mighty in Scripture convinced the Jews, showing by the scripture that Jesus was Christ, Acts 18.24.28. and all that was written aforetime was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15.4. then how dare these men deny the old Testament that is so confirmed both by Christ and his Apostles in the new, which is the language of their Honeycomb.   

Some Errors that are in a little book called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, discovered and answered.  
IN that Book they make any humane writings to be Scripture, and make no difference between playbooks and the Scripture of truth, Dan. 10.21. but all Scripture is given by anspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works, and the Scripture is able to make thee wise unto salvation, 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. then are the writings of men such a Scripture? Again, the Scripture is of no private interpretation, For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of men, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy-Ghost, 2 Pet. 1.20.21. then is men's writings Scripture? He that shall add to this Book, God will add to him all the plagues that are written in this Book; or if any man shall take away any thing from the words of this Book. God shall take away his part out of the Book of life, Rev. 22.18, 19 then surely the two Testaments with all their several Chapters, contained in them, are the Scripture, and not any humane writings whatsoever.  
But I fear any Scripture may serve them that regard none at all, for they say, that they are led only by an inward Principle, so that they need no other help at all; but the noble Bereans did search the Scripture daily to see whither those things were so, Act. 17.11. the Scriptures should be the sole Judge of all controversies and that by which we should try all our thoughts, words, and actions; therefore saith Christ search the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. To the law, & to the test: money, if they speak not according to that, it is because there is no light in them, Is. 8.20. for the Penmen of it could not err in writing of it, the Apostles were filled with the Holyghost, & they spoke as the Spirit gave them utterance, Act. 2.4 and when they mention that which is written in the old Testament, they say, thus saith the Holyghost, Heb. 3.7. and well spoke the Holyghost, Act. 28.5. He spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began, Luk. 1.70. therefore when these men say the law is written in their hearts, & they need not the law in the letter of it, they do err not knowing the Scriptures, Mat. 22.29. they think because they see the act of murder and theft are sins, therefore they see enough, but so much a carnal man may see with that remainder or relics of the law that was in Adam's heart, & many do by nature the things contained in the law, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, Rom. 2.14.15. but yet. Paul did not see the lust of heart to be a sin, but by the written law, Rom. 7.7. we know but in part, and we see but darkly as through a glass, 1 Cor. 13.12. we see Christ but through the lettuce, Cant. 2.9. and when we see our sins by the law, if we do not continue therein, we soon forget what manner of men we were, James 1.24.25. then let us obey that command, and write us a copy of the law, and read therein all the days of our life, Deut. 17.18.19. and the heart of man is deceitful above all things, and who can know it? Jer. 17.9. than we had need to try ourselves daily by the written law of God, that we turn not aside from it, and saith Paul, not as though I had already attained or were already perfect; but I follow after brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended but I forget these things behind, and press toward the mark; nevertheless whereunto we have attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14, 15. and as many as obey this rule, peace be on them and mercy, Gal. 6.16.  
Again, they say there is no other word of God but Christ, because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the word was made flesh, John 1.1.14. but Christ is in them and so the Word is perfectly in them, and they neither know nor need any other: It is true Christ is the essential word of God, being the second person in Trinity, but he is not the written word of God contained in letters and syllables, which are Gods own words, although many of them were spoken by men: for it is said, God spoke all these words and said, Exod. 20.1. then blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it, Luke 11.28. and again Christ said, you are clean through the word that I have spoken unto you, john 15.3. and Christ will sanctify his Church by the washing of water with the word, Ephe. 5.26. but neither water nor word were his person, it were folly to think so, then let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, Col. 3.16. he that heareth my word and believeth in him that sent me, hath everlasting life, John 5.24. his sheep hear his voice and follow him; they have Moses and the Prophets, let them hear them, for they all spoke, Thus saith the Lord; and the word of the Lord came unto me saying, but if they will not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one risen from the dead. Luke 16.29.31.   

Some other Errors I find in a little Book Entitled, Christ's counsel to the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, discovered and answered: they say that legal teachers say, God will not save us without faith, and repentance, humility, self denial, fasting, mourning, and prayer, and the use of the Ordinances, as hearing, reading, and receiving the Sacraments, and observing the Sabbath, and doing as we would be done by, and a desire to keep all God's Commandments, and yielding universal obedience thereto, and to hate all sin.  
THe Antinomeans say, that they are bewitched that hold a man cannot be saved without faith, and wisheth them cut off that so trouble them; they say it is the envious man that hath sowed those Tares, but here he calls the Spirit of God that envious man, because he hath told us, that without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11.16. and whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14.23. and he that believeth not is damned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3.18.36.  
Then what a bold blasphemer is this, to call the holy Spirit of God the envious man, because he contradicts their cursed Errors: They say, why should Christ put them upon the performance of conditions, they having no life but are stone-dead in sin? so I say too; but when Christ gives us a hand, and life, and motion in it too, it is no hard condition to put it out to receive so great a Benefit. He saith, for God to put us upon such a work supernatural as faith is, and to have no part in Christ without it, seems very difficult and unlike his Fatherly affections toward us: I answ. but God's people do not think so whatever he thinks; when God hath given them faith they must use it, and cannot do otherwise, they find so much profit and comfort by implying that Talent of faith.  
He saith, to say faith is a condition without which we cannot be saved, doth perplex the conscience, and denies our mercies and resists the spirit of God, and doth not consist with the right end; for which faith was wrought in us; he saith, Christ died for the ungodly to purchase remission of sins, and to reconcile them to God; and so I say too, so it be understood out of the number of the Elect, but when he saith this was done without any condition or application on our parts; we remaining ungodly still, and going on in a course of sins is a foul error; but I have answered it already: and he saith, faith was given that we might see what was wrought in and upon us, before we had either faith or calling; that is saith he, to see our remission of sins, and reconciliation with God, and how we are made righteous in the sight of God, justified and saved; all this as soon as we have our being in this life, and faith is but a declarative grace to show us these things that were all done before, but only we did not see them, and so faith comforts us, saith he; and when the law clamours for obedience, faith answers, we are not under the law but under grace, and therefore they own no obedience to it; it is true, they will do some things unrequired, as to break out into exaltations and thankfulness, but not as any duty they own to the Lord, but upon free will and as a courtesy, what they please unrequired; this is their free grace, but it is of the devils making to damn their souls; but Paul saith, Christ was revealed for the obedience of faith, Rom. 16.26. and he received grace and Apostleship for the obedience of faith, Rom. 1.5. they say that their love makes them do great matters unrequired; but let them take heed how they bring strange fire or any thing, before they have tried it in the balance of the Sanctuary, for God will not be served by their devisings, but by his own directions made known to us in his law, He that looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continueth therein, not being a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this man is blessed in the deed, James 1.25. we must bring that worship and service that God requires in his law for substance, and in the same manner it must be done in faith, and time, & place considered; and to the same end, that God hath appointed, which is, his glory; but their faith showeth them a Christ that requires no duty of them, but what they please out of free love and courtesy, for all was done before they had faith or calling; and he saith, children when they die are saved without faith; but I suppose that to be more than he can prove, because without faith it is impossible to please God, and he that believeth not is damned already, and ●he wrath of God abideth on him; but that wrath must be removed, and they must please God before they can be saved, although we cannot conceive the manner how it is wrought in them, therefore when Christ came to heal any disease's, if he perceived they had faith to be healed, than he cured them, and commonly he said, according to thy faith be it unto thee, all things are possible to him that believeth: he saith, they that mix the Law and the Gospel together are false teachers; and so I say too, and to make redemption conditional ●o depend on duties as causes, I say the same; but to say these duties are not required as the way to salvation, is a gross error, that beats off all obedience ●o the law of God; but they say, the state of a Christian is most free in this respect, because nothing at all is required of him; and he saith, they are deceivers that teach otherwise, so that their free grace they boast so much of, is nothing but a freedom from all obedience to the la of God.  
I find in that book of theirs, that they say, legal Teachers say, that repentance, humiliation, self-denial, weeping, mourning, fasting and praying, and the use of ●he Sacraments, the observing of the Sabbath, and doing as one would be done ●nto, and the rest, must be done as duties, but are palpable mistake, for they ●re made as duties by almost all Teachers.  
But here they show their sin as Sodom, and bewray what they mean by ●●eir free grace; yet I say again, that we deny that duties are any causes of ●ur salvation, but they are the way appointed by the Lord to attain that end, ●nd must be done in obedience to God's command, and not left for us to do, 〈◊〉 not to do at our pleasure; these aught to be pressed as duties, so long as we ●●rry about with us daily a body of sin; which is as a heavy weight upon us; ●●d being always with us, and makes us fail in all our duties; we than had ●●ed to be stirred up daily to weeping and mourning and to repent of our fail●●gs; nay, although we know nothing by ourselves, yet are we not hereby justified, 1 Cor. 4.4. because there be many secret sins in us that we cannot find out, O Lord forgive our secret sins, Psal. 19 he saith, fear hath torment; so I say that slavish fear hath torment, and is not made perfect in love, 1 Joh. 4.18. but filial fear is a companion of all joy and comfort, Psal. 2.11.56.6. he saith, it is in vain to bid a believer humble himself, for there is none so humble as he. But is this an argument sufficient, why believers should not be called upon to humble themselves, because others are not humbled? and because they see others are worse than themselves? but this is their folly; who have left the law of God which is the true rule, and make sinful men their rule, and so the blind lead the blind, till both fall into the ditch. But we must not follow the Antinomeans rule, so long as we have the true rule to walk by, which is the perfect and eternal law of God, this glass of God's law will show us our sins; I had not known sin but by the law, Rom. 7.7. for by the law is the knowledge of sin, Rom. 3.20. and it was after Paul's conversion, that he looked upon the law and came to know his sin, which shows that he had not done with it when he believed, and are we more perfect than he?  
Although a believer comes to see his own vileness, and therefore denies himself, and no man more, yet he is but part spirit and part flesh, and these two are fight continually in him, and we see the often falls of the best of God's people, which should be a warning to us to walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, Ephe. 4.15. we had need be ready and willing both to give counsel and to receive counsel, to walk watchfully and humbly, let us consider on● another, and provoke unto love and to good works, Heb. 10.24. Paul bids Timothy to stir up that gift that was given him, 2 Tim. 1.6. and Paul with stood Peter to his face, because he was to be blamed; and Barnabas was carrie● away also with their dissimulation, Gal. 2.11.13.  
Then sure Paul was no Antinomean, that stirs up their dull spirits to their duties of obedience and watchfulness; neither was Barnabas, nor Timothy, no● the rest Antinomeans, that stood in need of the help of others, when one o● them his graces seemed to die within him, and the other almost lost, till Pau● roused them up again; then take notice of this profane man, how his fre● grace gives way freely to all manner of sins in believers, when he saith, yo● need not bid them to humble themselves; what is this but to make void a●● Christian duties, and for mourning for sin and fasting? when the Bride groom seems to be taken away from them, and his faith is clouded, you nee● not to bid them fast and mourn, for (saith he) they are too apt and too pro●● to wrong themselves thereby; and so in the matter of repentance.  
Therefore rather reprove them that do so for their weakness; but mu●● we believe this Antinomean, rather than the Bridegroom himself? wh● saith, the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them and then shall they fast in those days, Luke 5.35, surely if this man had known what it had been to have his faith clouded, and the loving countenance of God hidden from him, it would make him fast, and mourn, and weep, to have those joys restored again, that the broken bones may rejoice, Psal. 51.8.12. and although this man would have them reproved that do so, yet Christ bids them ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, k●o●ke and it shall be opened; hitherto ye have asked nothing, ask that your joy may be full, John 16.24. he saith, a child that knows that his Father loves him, shall you need to tell him that he ought in duty to ask it of his Father; as much need saith he, is there to preach prayer as a duty; but cursed be he that denies that prayer to God, both for himself and others to be a duty; saith Samuel, God forbidden that I should sinne against the Lord, in ceasing to pray for you, 1 Sam. 12.23. and how frequent have the Saints in all ages been in this duty, both for themselves and others; but yet I confess that such as they are, who turn away their care from hearing the law, their prayer is abomination, Prov. 28.9. now if they be so sensible of this heavy sentence, they are wiser than I took them to be, to save themselves that labour, when their prayer is nothing worth, because they forsake the law of God.  
But they say, a believer cannot want much nor many things, therefore they need not pray: I answ. Although a believer be rich, yet he hath it not in his own keeping; he hath exceeding great and precious promises, 2 Pet. 1.4. but we must fetch out these things, as we have occasion by the prayer of faith; thus saith the Lord God, Yet I will be sought for of the house of Israel, Ezek. 36.37. ask of me and I will give thee, Psal. 2.8. and sometimes Dives hath his good things; and Lazarus his evil things, Luke 16.25. because God loves to hear his people pray, Prov. 15.8. But than saith this man, if they do pray, sure a very short prayer may serve their turn, as our Saviour well knew when he taught us how to pray, and reproved long prayer; here this man showeth all his heart, then see how he sucks poison out of the sweetest Flowers, as the Rose of Sharon, and the Lily of the Valleys, Cant. 2.1. he turns the meaning of Christ himself to his own corrupted humour, as all Heretics use to do.  
For Christ did but teach them the ground of all prayer, but when he set himself to pray, he continued all night in prayer to God, Luke 6.12. When Peter was in prison, prayer was made without ceasing to God for him, Acts 12.5. men ought always to pray and not faint, Luke 18.1. Cornelius prayed always, Acts 10.2. Then did all these say nothing but that we call the Lords Prayer, and then cease, or did they say it over as many times as a Friar will tie his whore to say it, to satisfy for her whoredom; which is their folly.  
Neither did Christ intent to reprove long prayers, but when they asked vain petitions, or when they stand in the street to be seen of men, or when they are large in their own suits, and will not hear the complaint of poor Widows, but are ready to devour them, these shall receive greater damnation Mat. 23.14.  
But this Antinomean saith, if we ask any thing it is a vain petition, because we believe that we have it already; as to ask for remission of sin, and crying out of the burden of sin, when we believe that Christ hath bourn our sins in his body on the Tree, and that his blood cleanseth us from all sin.  
I answer; although we believe that all our sins past are remitted, yet we sinne daily, therefore Christ hath taught us daily to ask forgiveness. Again, a man sometimes hath some one sin that troubleth him, that he hath no certain assurance of the pardon of it at the present; as David after the sin of murder, prays the Lord to take away blood guiltiness from him, Ps. 51.14. although Nathan had told him before that it was forgiven, 2 Sam. 12.13.  
But he saith, he that prays for the pardon of his sin, is like a man affrighted with sin, and at the same time giving thanks for the r●mision of sin, and of a man that is afraid of the sins of his present prayers, and of one that hath victory over sin, death, and hell.  
I answer; although our sins be pardoned and the guilt taken away, yet the being of sin is not taken away; and although we are justified from all sin, yet we are not sanctified from all sin; so that we ought to be humbled for our filthiness for want of sanctification when we come into the presence of God; and because that sin is in us, we may well fear that we shall not carry ourselves so holy, as becometh such a presence, as the men of Beth-shemish said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? 1 Sam. 6.20. and yet not so despair as to leave off the duty, but to pray still; and as sanctification increaseth, we come into the presence of God with more cheerfulness, and as our assurance increaseth, we shall be less in our petitions and more in thanksgiving and praising God for his mercies to us.  
He saith, we present a man that is delivered from the law, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God, and yet puts himself under the law.  
I answer; we are delivered from the curses of the law, and the threaten of the la, and from the condemning power of it, and from the constraining power of it, but we are not delivered from the commanding power of it, the free grace of Christ did not deliver us from our obedience to the la of God; but in giving us the eye of faith we see our duty more clearly that is written in the la of God, and by our hand of faith we fetch more strength from Christ to enable us to perform our duty to the la of God, I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13. but if our eye of faith were never so clear to see our duty, yet if we will not look upon the la of God but count it as a strange thing, Hosea 8.12. it is all one to them, as if the book of the law were sealed up; and he that hath no faith, is like a man to whom the book of the law is open, but the man cannot read for he is not learned, Isa. 29.11, 12. so then the eye of faith is the Organ, and our duty is the object, and the written law of God is the Medium by which we see our duty; but when the law is taken from us, or if we cast away the commanding power of it, which is all one we can see our duty no more than a man can see in a dungeon; then well may the Antinomians be so blind concerning their duty, when as they cast away that light that should show it unto them, thy law is a lantern to my feet, and a light unto my paths, Psal. 119.105.  
But then faith hath another property, when it sees the greatness of the work to be done, and the weakness of the doer of it, that it seethe help in another which is Christ, and presently fetcheth it to help him, this honour have all the Saints, Psal. 149.9.  
He saith, we need not to tell a healthful man that it is his duty to feed himself, even so is it needful to tell a believer that it is his duty to hear Sermons, read the Scripture, and frequent the Lords Table, these are his proper and his natural food, by which his faith is strengthened and increased; yet (saith he) in what a sad and fearful manner are these pressed upon men's consciences, upon pain of having no part in Christ, and of everlasting damnation in hell for ever.  
I answer; first, if one should tell a healthful man that it is his duty to feed himself, I hope it would not make him leave feeding and go about to starve himself, because he is told that he must do it as a duty; and so for spiritual duties to be told of them is rather an encouragement to go on still, because it is their duty; and what if he know it before? he need not be offended at the love of his friend, for telling him that which he knew before; but I smell wherein lieth the venom of this man, he hath free grace bestowed on him which hath freed him from all duties of obedience to the Lord, so that what he doth, is only out of free love; for he thinks to be tied by way of duty will not stand with his free grace; but I say again, we trust in no duty as causes of our salvation, but we obey and do these duties as the way to salvation; neither did they ever hear those worthy Divines, whom they villefie with the terms of legal Teachers, press any duties to merit salvation for the doing of them; but let the sons of Belial know, that if they slight their duties to the law of God, they may purchase damnation by it; neither can there be any salvation for that man till he humble himself, and freely yield to the commanding power of the law of God, and count it his duty to give all the power of body and soul in obedience to it; but this yoke is too heavy for the sons of Belial, they will be tied to nothing but upon free love and currisie, that they may leave it when they list; they have gotten free grace.  
He saith, they put us upon these duties to try and to prove ourselves by the performance of them, as by marks and signs of grace within.  
I answer; if Christ be in the soul, there must needs be fignes of his presence; we need not go by hearsay or from a bare Testimony or suggestion; they told Jacob that Joseph was alive, but that did not satisfy him till he saw the Wagons, Gen. 45.27.28. so now if the eyes of the soul be opened to see our duty written in the law, it is Christ that hath done it, Acts 16.14. whose heart the Lord opened: Do ye ask whence he is? and yet he hath opened mine eyes, John 9.30. Acts 26.17, 18. Secondly, the work must arise from a true justifying faith, that knits them to Christ and makes their person accepted, Rom. 5.1. Gen. 4.4. this faith must take hold of that promise that is made to them that do this duty, Exod. 20.6. Thirdly, in our duties we must aim at God's glory, 1 Cor. 10.31. thus by any duty we may try ourselves whether we do it by virtue of God's command without us, and whether it be acted by an inward principle of faith within us, and whether it tend to God's glory as the utmost end of it; he that hath thesemarkes and signs the Spirit of God is in him, this faith worketh by love and obedience, Rom. 1.5.1 John 5.3. neither can he say, what a fearful thing it is to press these things as duties upon our consciences, that belongs to the sons of Belial, that cannot abide the yoke of Gods saw, that requires those duties of them.  
He saith, the true believer submits himself to every Ordinance of man; mark a little the reasoning of this misguided man; he that said before, that believers must not submit to the laws of God, now he saith they must sub●it to the laws of man; and he that denied obedience to God's laws, was any mark or sign of a believer; yet he saith, he that submits to man's Ordinance is a true believer: but yet here is more venom behind in this argument, for what is this Ordinance of man? He saith it is the observation of the Sabbath so exceedingly preached and pressed as a duty, to be exactly performed in the exercise only of the worship and service of God; thus casting aspersion upon the Lord's day, and upon his worship and service, calling it man's ordinance, because he would overthrow the Sabbath of the Lord, and then he goes about to set up his own invention; in the next words saying, all days are to him, this Sabbath, for he liveth in that rest that was tipified out of the old Sabbath; he saith, he will take care to keep faith in heart, and breath, and faith will make every day a Sabbath, now he hath Christ, for the shadow is gone, the body is Christ, his free grace hath freed him from keeping a sabbath, for it is but the Ordinance of man: here he contradicts his own Character of a true believer, which was to submit to man's Ordinance; but here is a true Character of one, swarving from the true rule, which is the law of God, and now he walks in crooked paths of his own invention, playing the hypocrite, saying, although he submit the outward man, the inward man cannot be beguiled: here you see as rotten a heart discovered, as ever lived in man, some heretics deny one Commandment, some another, but never any denied them all, till this cursed heresy sprung up; but let them read the judgements of God on Sabbath breakers, & the Practice of Piety, the one to whip them, and the other to show them their duty, if perhaps the thoughts of their heart may be forgiven them; take heed, lest you with the Papists deny the Lordship of Christ, who cleared the law from all false glosses, and gave it them in his own name, showing the strictness of it, reaching not only to the outward man, but rectifying the soul and inward parts of man, and so to bring all parts of body and soul in obedience and free subjection to it, and that for ever.    

In the entrance of any answer to the first error in this book, I left the decree of God till faith and calling, because I would bar them from flying thither; but i● may be they will want courage, to face the Canon of God's Word, and 〈◊〉 for shelter to the decrees of God; and say God hath decreed to justify them before faith or calling; but these sigge leaves will not cover their nakedness, for did God decree to justify them, and then decree to give them faith and to call them? this is but another error; for doubtless God decreed to give his people faith, and to call them at the same time when he decreed to justify them, and all with one simple act from all eternity; but what means those other words? they are justified as soon as they have any being; will they say the child must first be borne before God decree to save it? and if they say by this word being, they mean in the decree of God, than I demand, what they mean by those words, as soon as they had any, etc. will they say, there was time beyond the decree of God, thus they are in a circle not knowing where to get out. This should have been inserted at the end of the answer to the first Error, Pag 6.  
Good Reader, I pray thee correct such faults in this Book, as by oversight hath escaped the Press; as page 2. line 17. for righteousness, read righteousnesses, and for the Title on certain pages, a brief Answer, read a brief and plain Answer; and for the names of those that profess this heresy here condemned, for Antenomeans and Antinomeans, read Antinomians.  
FINIS.