SO do Antinomians hold that we are mere patients under the actings of the Spirit, athe Spirit acting in us immediately as on blocks and stocks. So there is, bsay they, no obligation to pray, at set hours and times, but when the Spirit acteth and stirreth us immediately thereunto. And Saltmarsh csaith, this is a bondage to times, and no spiritual serving of God. So hath Randell the Familist, prefixed in an Epistle to two Popish Tractats, furnishing to us excellent privileges of Familism, the one called Theologia Germanica, and the other the Bright star, which both advance perfect Saints above Law, Gospel, Scripture, Ordinances, Praying, hearing, to a Monastic contemplative life, in which their perfectists see, enjoy, live in God, without beholding him in forms, (or material images, the sign of the Cross, lawful books, as they think, to young beginners,) without any acting in them, either of understanding, will, desire, or any power, they, and their love, desire, joy, being all drowned, annihilated and swallowed up in God, immediately enjoyed, and ⟨p. 54⟩the Spirit acting immediately, Euthysiastically, in them as men dead, crucified, mortified, and if they have any acts of knowing, or willing, or loving, they be acts of the old man and the flesh. And upon the same ground, God not efficaciously and immediately concurring in moral actions, to act upon the creatures, men and Angels. The Libertines of old, some Familists, and Antinomians of late, have said, that God is the author of sin, that his working, or not working on the creature, is the cause of good, and ill; righteousness and unrighteousness. 1. Because sin is nothing but Gods not working. 2. It cannot hurt God, and why should he hate it? 3. It hath its first being in God. 4. It is his servant, and conduceth to heighten free grace, and rich mercy; I do not impute this to all Antinomians, yet some have said it, and written it, the same principles common to Libertines and Antinomians, as you may read in worthy dCalvin, incline to the same conclusions. It is true, Saltmarsh comes not up to truth in this. Mans sins was serviceable (saith he) to the glory of Redemption, and was but for the bringing forth of this, ethough not decreed of God, but occasioned by man, God foreknowing the changeableness of his creature, &c.
SO doe Antinomians hold that we are meere patients under the actings of the Spirit, athe Spirit acting in us immediately as on blocks and stocks. So there is, bsay they, no obligation to pray, at set houres and times, but when the Spirit acteth and stirreth us immediatly thereunto. And Saltmarsh csaith, this is a bondage to times, and no spirituall serving of God. So hath Randel the Familist, prefixed in an Epistle to two Popish Tractats, furnishing to us excellent priviledges of Familisme, the one called Theologia Germanica, and the other the Bright starre, which both advance perfect Saints above Law, Gospel, Scripture, Ordinances, Praying, hearing, to a Monastike contemplative life, in which their perfectists see, injoy, live in God, without beholding him in formes, (or materiall images, the signe of the Crosse, lawfull books, as they thinke, to young beginners,) without any acting in them, either of understanding, will, desire, or any power, they, and their love, desire, joy, being all drowned, annihilated and swallowed up in God, immediatly injoyed, and ⟨p. 54⟩the Spirit acting immediatly, Euthysiastically, in them as men dead, crucified, mortifyed, and if they have any acts of knowing, or willing, or loving, they bee acts of the old man and the flesh. And upon the same ground, God not efficatiously and immediatly concurring in morall actions, to act upon the creatures, men and Angels. The Libertines of old, some Familists, and Antinomians of late, have said, that God is the author of sinne, that his working, or not working on the creature, is the cause of good, and ill; righteousnesse and unrighteousnesse. 1. Because sinne is nothing but Gods not working. 2. It cannot hurt God, and why should he hate it? 3. It hath its first being in God. 4. It is his servant, and conduceth to heighten free grace, and rich mercy; I doe not impute this to all Antinomians, yet some have said it, and written it, the same principles common to Libertines and Antinomians, as you may reade in worthy dCalvin, incline to the same conclusions. It is true, Saltmarsh comes not up to truth in this. Mans sinnes was serviceable (saith hee) to the glory of Redemption, and was but for the bringing forth of this, ethough not decreed of God, but occasioned by man, God foreknowing the changeablenesse of his creature, &c.
- aTown •ss. pag. 49.50.55.6•.68. What can ye do more toward the sanctifying, or changing of your self, then toward the justifying of your selfTowne •ss. pag. 49.50.55.6•.68. What can yee doe more toward the sancti•ying, or changing of your selfe, then toward the just•fying of your selfe
- bRise, reign, er. 49.Rise, raigne, er. 49.
- cSaltmarsh Free grace, pa. 179.
- dCalvin. in […] Instruction adversus LibertinosCalv•n. in 〈…〉 I•structione adversus Libertinos
- eSaltmarsh Free gra•e. pag. 116.117.
