Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of Ioannes Agricola Eislebius the first father of the Antinomians. The first rise of Antinomians under that name to wit of Joannes Agricola Eislebius the Author of Antinomians.
THe first man that appeared under the name of an Antinomian was Ioannes Islebius Agricol… a Schoole-master or Reader of divinity in Eisleben as (a)Luc▪ Osian. …er, epi…o. hist. eccles. Centur. 16. l. 2. c. 29.Luc. Osiander saith: he was a proud, vaine unconstant man, so saith (b)Schlusselburgi…, S. Theol. Doct…r Gymnasio, Tralesund…nsi…i… pomerama, in suo …atologo …aer…ticorum lib 4. p. 35, 36.Conradus Schusselburgius.
This man in the Augustine Assembly defended with Melancthon and Brentius, the Augustine confession an 1530, as (c)Osiander▪ ibi.Osiander saith, and adhered to the Saxon confession, so saith (d)Sleidanus, … l. 7.Sleidan. And after the battell of Smaldack, saith Osiander; with Iulius Pflugius Bishop of Numburg, and Michael Sidonius he composed that unhappy booke called the Jnterim. For Antinomians are much for indifferency of all Religions, especially in externalls, see R. Beacon in his Catachis. pag. 194▪ 195. and in this they comply with the Anabaptists called fratres liberi, free brethren who thinke all things under the Gospell are free, and neither forbidden nor commanded, which the councell of Trent (as also Alphons. a castro) said, was the doctrine of Lutherans; but Osiander with reason said, this was a Calumnie, and layes the charge justly upon Eislebius and the Antinomians.
The lying Iesuite(e)Gualterius in tabula Chronographica, s…cul. …6. c. 36. Gualterius saith that Antinomians are the disciples of Luther: But Luther (saith Osiander) Instituted six publicke disputes at Wittingberge against the Antinomians, and brought Eislebius to a Recantation, and in an Epistle at length cleares himselfe of the Antinomian way with a great deale of vehemence and indignation against them.
Eislebius an. 1538. brought in this error in the Church, he was first admonished privately, by Luther, before he wrote. But that Luthers innocency may appeare, I have from a Godly and Learned Divine caused to be printed an Epistle of D. Luther in which the Reader may see how vainely Antinomians of our time boast that Luther is for them, in which both the Recantation of Eislebius and the judgment of Luther may appeare.