Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of Casper Swenckfield his Tenets complying with Antinomians.
CAsper Swenckefield was borne about the yeare 1499 spread his errors in & about an. 1520 as he died in Sweden 1561. he was a Knight of Ossing in Silesia, he was so grave, civill,Casper Swenckfeeld his rise, tenets and the compliance betweene him and Antinomians. fervent in prayer, that it was said of him he wanted not a good heart, but a solid head and wit, he allured to his way Valentinus Krantwald, a simple religious man, and Ioan. Sigismundus werner, pastors and professors of Lunenburgh. Schlusserburgins catalo. hereticorum. l. 10. p. 27. saith that Luther and Melancthon gave him the name S…enckfeldius from the noysome smell of his doctrine; he was eloquent, unlearned, ignorant of the Latine tongue, wrote all in Germans, ignorant of arts, once a hater of Romish Idolatry, but seeing God honoured Luther, being a proud man, he sought a name, pretended that he stumbled much at the bad conversation of the Churches, turned from popery, pretended the spirit, and Enthysiasticall dreames, as Antinomians and Familists doe, he was a Sceptick and a Neutrall betweene papists and Lutherans, through occasion of Anabaptists risen then he cryed downe a litterall carnall church framed by Luther (as he said) and called for a new and perfect Church, as Antinomians doe. Rise, reigne. er. 79, 80, 81. In Silesia he seduced many with his eloquence and new speculations, he calls for spirituallnesse and the spirit, and the internall word, that we must not depend on the externall word. Iust as M. Del doth. But (yee may say) Schlusserburgius …ata. hereticor. l. 10 p. 32. Swenckfeldius ait preces faciendas, ut deus interiorem illuminationem largiatur, nihil omnius legenda esse Biblica scripta, quibus externus homo crudiaturDel. pag. 7. ser. calls for an outward change, such as flownes from an inward change in his Gospell Reformation. So did Swen…ckfeldius say the Scriptures must be read that the externall man may be instructed, & so said Saltmarsh. Scriptures were given by divine inspiration and profitable, but (if I mistake not Antinomians) neither law, nor any letter of the word is needfull to their regenerate persons, he adhered to somewhat of Anabaptists, somewhat of Calvins way, to somewhat of the papists, he was banished out of Silesia by the prince of Lignice Fredricke, wandring through Germanie, came to Luther and revealed his phancies, was sharply rebuked by h…m, but to no purpose, pertinacie cleaves to the plague of Heresie, hee went through Sweden, Nornburg, Vlms, Tubinga, in private houses, accuses the Pastors, that no man was the better of their preaching, extolls the spirit that does all.
At Argentorat hee infects a little, Wolfangus Capito. at Ulms he was confounded, at a dispute by Marti…nus Frechus before the Senate. At Augusta hee perverted many, men, and sillie women,Swenckfeldius wrot… many books though unlearned and …gnorant of Gramme… o… Arts ▪ hee wrote many epistles to Men, Women, Virgins; he writes an. 1556. that in 18, yeares hee had writen above fiftie bookes. He troubled Luther with his bookes which hee sent to him for an answer. Luther said to the Messenger, the Devill was the Author of them, and, the Lord, rebuke thee o Sathan. Sathan raised up Swenkfeldius to trouble the Church of Christ, … and many …after Servetus, was burnt at Geneva, Bucerus, Calvin, Pet. Martyr, Beza Musculus, Fre…bus, Simon Grynaeus, Dani. Tossanus admonished him, but without any fruit. In Saxonie, Luther, Melanthon, Illyricus, Nich. Gallus refutes him. In Hasia. Corvinus and Kymeus, in Silesia Hyronimus Wittich, Ioan Gigas, Laurentius Harenraffe refute him A Synod at Norimburg. an. 1554. condemned the errors of Swencfeldius. The confession of the divines of Mansfeild in 1555. condemns him, and sayeth hee hath now 30. yeares vexed the Church.… Rise re…gn. … ▪ Theolog German. c. …2. H. Nicholas epistle to the daughters of wa…ick The errors of Swenckfeld, a …ine to Familists and Antinomians▪
His Errors and Heresies are shortly these.
1. Christ as man is borne of the essence of God, and grew till he obtained the full essence of the Godhead by birthright, and was disposed to be our Saviour: for it is said wee grow to the stature of God and are partakers of the divine nature.
Who is such a stranger in the writings of Familists and Antinomians, who readeth not these blasphemies, the Saints are Christed and Goded, a beleever is Christ, a beleever is partaker of the Godhead, being a justified man is God manifested in the flesh; now to be partaker of the divine Nature is to partake of graces and created goodnesse and anoynting of the Spirit, otherwise the essence and nature of God in us should be subject to change, sadnesse, sorrow, feare, dispair, unbeleefe, sin, &c.
The errors of Swenck. touching Christ.2. the flesh of Christ is not a creature, nor created of the Father, but conceived and borne by himself through the Holy Ghost and changed in the essence of God, and glorified with the glory he had with the father before the world was.
3 Though there be two natures, in Christ, yet now is the fl…sh of Christ made equall in essence and glory with God.
4 Christ is not once onelyonly borne, but often till he made perfect and wholly of the essence of God: the father said. Thou art my son this day have J begotten thee, nor is it impossible that God can make his owne sonne a God, though unrenewed men understand not this▪ Antinomians speake not so honourably of Christ for Rise Reig. er. 11 every beleiver is God incarnate. But Christ is here in words made the substantiall son o… God, by Swenckfield.
5 Christ in both natures is the onelyonly begotten son of God and Lord of glorie and King of the Church in both natures.
6 Christ now at the right hand of God having obtained fully al the power, honor, and kingdome, and essence of God worketh as much for our salvation as man, as he doth as God.
7 Whole Christ undivid…d according to both natures, perfects the iustification and washing of a sinner by the spirit, and whole Christ according to both natures undevided obtaineth the state of the second person in the Trinity, Theolog. Germani…. Bright Star….as one and coequall God in power and honor with the Father. Familists make God in his nature and essence to dwell and worke in all creatures, especially in the regenerate. But these are but fanci…s. 1. Because after Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the Father and so en…red into his glory, there is evidence that his manhead was entered in no degrees of communion in the essence power and glory of God equally with God;The manhead of Christ after … glorification remaineth manhead, and is not changed into the essence and name of God as Sweenkfield dreameth. because there remaineth a body with flesh and bones that may be touched and handled. Luk. 24.36.37, 38, 39, 40. with the print of the nailes in his hands and sides Ioh. 20 27. now there is nothing of the nature, essentiall honor, and glory of God an infinite Spirit, that fills heaven and earth yea or of any spirit, in a body of bones flesh hands and feet and having in it such materiall and sensible qualities as the impression of wounds. 2. Christ did eat with his disciples after his resurrection. Ioh. 21.12, 13, 14▪ and so after he was entered in some degrees of glory and was seene of five hundred brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6. Of Cleophas, of the twelve Apostles, of Paul also, now what ever partaketh of the essence of a Spirit, cannot eat▪ nor be seene with bodily eyes, and the disciples with their bodily eyes saw him ascend to heaven even till the clouds tooke him out of their sight. Acts 1. (3) The eyes of all beleevers and reprobates, even his enemies that peirced him, in the generall Iudgement shll see him: in which state Swenckefeldius dreames that the manhood is fully changed in the essence of God Rev. 1.7. now that the bodily eyes of men, and of Reprobate men, shall see the essence of God, who is invisible 1 Tim. 1.17. is a dream, for He dwels in light which no man can approach unto, though we nothing doubt but the man Christ, as man, is elevated now in heaven, to our uncomparable comfort, to such eminency of glory, above Men and Angels, as the capacity of a created thing can receive 4. the Manhood of Christ is a creature, having beginning and a cause of being in time Mat. 1. Luk. 2 in the fulnes of time Gal. 4. 4 was borne of a woman. Now what is man borne of a woman that he should be equall in essence and nature with God? who is like unto God? Angels and created powers, cannot answer the question. God is essentially eternal, and eternity differenceth him from all things beside himselfe; Esay. 9.6. chap. 43.10. Before me there was no God, neither shall there be after me c. 40.28. Psal. 99.1, 2. Psal. 102.26.27. 1 Tim. 1.17. it's then an everlasting contradiction, that a creature in time, can be a creator and a God before time, or pertake of the essence of the eternall God, for God must then create another God, different in number from himself 5 our bodies shal be made conform to the glorious body of Christ. Phil. 3.21. if the Manhood of Christ, and so his body, which is a part thereof, be changed into the essence of God, we must be like the very invisible and eternall essence of an infinite Spirit, and there is no glorifying of our bodyes then, nor any resurrection, nor any caughting up of our bodyes to the aire to be ever with the Lord, but an utter extinction and an anhihilation of our bodyes and the body of Christ. Hence the flesh profiteth not, then the manhood does not spiritually quicken, give the Holy Ghost, justifie, as Swenckefield sayes, but Christ God doth these.
7 The cheife argument of Swenckefeld was because Christ as man obtained a name above all names, was adored as man: but if …his stand sure, then in the state of humiliation aswell as glorification the manhood was changed in the nature of God which yet Swenckefeldius denyes; for in the state of humiliation what is proper to the Godhead, is ascribed to the Man…hood, per foreign as God purchased a Church by his blood whereas God hath no blood: they Crucified the Lord of glory and by this argument, we may well inferre that the God-head in the state of humiliation was changed into the manhood and flesh which is blasphemous, for so should God die as man dyed: and there was a booke given out in the name of Swenckefeldius that denyes the manhood of Christ after his resurrection to be a creature and calleth all of the contrary minde Creaturistae. hence
8 These wilde assertions of Swenckefeldius. The Gospell is the Essence of God, faith and ioy in the heart is the essence of God.
9 He charged Luther with these: The preached word is the substantiall word of God, the flesh of Christ is not glorified, a renewed man hath not free will. God dwells not in beleivers, Good workes profit not to salvation, the preaching of the word and Sacraments are effectuall without God. As Famil. and Antin…m. charge us with many of these, because we cannot say that a beleiver is so Christed that he is very Christ himselfe and God incarnate, and as free from sin as Christ.
10 The doctrine contained in the scriptures, is not properly the word of God, but improperly▪ by a Metonimy, where the signe is put for the thing signified. Christ only is properly and essentially the word of God Swenck. liber. de sacris liberis pa. 27, 28. Antinomians say the Scripture and the Law is but a dead letter, not the word of God, so Del. in his whole sermon rejects, all that is externall in the Gospel-reformatinn, makes nothing in it, but the Spirit, and the incommunicable act of Redeeming which is onelyonly in Christ to worke our conversion to God.
Before I proceed Swenckefeldians and Antinomians; erre for its said of the ten Commandements Exod. 20.1. And God spake all these words. All the Prophets cry, Thus saith the Lord. The Scripture i… the word of God against Swenckfeldians and AntinomiansLuk. 1.70. He hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets. 2 Chro. 36.21. The word of the Lord by the mouth of Ieremiah. Esa. 1.20. The mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, Micha. 4.4. The mouth of the Lord of Hoasts hath spoken. Deut. 30▪8. Obey the voyce of the Lord. How often is it said the Lord hath said. Esa. 29. Because they have not heard my words saith the Lord, which J spake to them by my servants the prophets rising and sending them &c. 1 Thes. 2.13. For this cause also thanke we God, without ceasing, because when yee received the word of God, which yee heard of us, yee received i… not as the word of men, Swenckefeldius epist. ad Ecclesiascum, … …ustifica…is … rerum spiri… … Spir…tus sancti … igitur … pote…t …. The … against the written word which are the reasons also … the Anti…omians. M. Del. Answered. Swenckefeldius epist. v…rbum … non potest … p…r Ie…um Chr…stum prius …, aurib …, et … effectum car…alem simila… … effectae … suo arbitr…o, nec dia …rantem ….but (as it is indeed) the word of God, which also worketh effectually in you that beleeve. Heb. 13 7. Remember them which have the rule over you, and have spoken to you the word of God all which and many other places can carry no other sense, then the word externall written and preached which God rendreth effectuall by his Spirit is an instrument of conversion.
11 Err. Faith and conversion to Christ commeth not mediately by the preaching of the word, but immediately from the inspirations of the holy spirit and from heaven. His arguments are not a whit different from the reasons of Mr. Del: in which Del proveth, laws, synods, ministery, are all externall, carnall, & literall things so Del. ser. pag. 6, 7, 8, 9. &c. Gospel reformation is internall, Spirituall, and the law written in the heart as Ier. 31.33. the word vocall, externall, or written reformes by halfes, not constantly, and intermits▪ and againe lyes still as dead as a stone, because men can doe it, But Gospel-reformation is as proper to God as to redeeme the world, and to take away sin and bring in everlasting righteousnesse; if all the Angels in heaven should undertake the work of reformation, they should sink under it, how much more the powers of the world Del. ser. 10, 11, 12, 13. Iust so argues Swenckefeld Epistola ad quendam Ecclesiasten, excussa Basil. an. 1527 his 1 argu. which is Dels also ser. pag. 6, 7. is this, iustifying faith is of the nature of internall and spirituall things, for it is of God, yea faith is the gift of the Holy Ghost, then it hath not its originall from things bodily, the word and hearing, but comes from the internall word, for the naturall man perceaves not the things of God.
2 Saith Swenckefeld, what ever is not of faith is sin, then outward hearing of the word, without faith, is sin.
3 All preaching is in vaine, except the man have eares to heare Mat. 13. since the word cannot be received but by an enlightened minde, and the light of faith, and the grace of God, the soule being fore-disposed by Iesus Christ, though you should heare the word a thousand times in thy unbelieving eares, they shall receive no more but a sound, they shall reci…ve no more but a carnall aff…ction of a fanzied and counterfeit faith, from free will which shall not indure long, so read Del. serm pag. 4.5. and as if Swenckefeldius had spitted him out at his mouth, so he speakes.
4. The Ministers (saith Swenckfeld) should be some…what.
5. Then Paul and Apollos should give increase.
6. Then the word of God should be tyed to Elements and sounds and and all that heare the word should beleeve.Saltmarch the Antinomian sayth after Swenck. free gr. p. 146. the law is now in the Spirit, and holinesse and sanctification is not now such as … fashioned by the law of outward commandement, Sweckfeld epst▪ 16: Si per vocal… verbum sive ex predicato et auditu externo esset fides Iustificans; sequeretur quod ex opere, sive per opus manuum nostrarum esset Iustificatio. —homo poner…t primum lapidem, no … Deus, at quale tum edi…icium fit, experientia nos do…t, quum per discursus …idem historicam, cogitatū et a…serssum quendam rationis ex verbo literae ample…timur. Sal…march debaseth the scripture and preached Word, the same way that Sw…ckfeld doeth.
7 But saith hee, hee that is of God heares the word of God, th…n must Grace prevening prepare us before wee can heare the externall word with fruit.
8 Their is one Maister Christ the cheif corner stone, and he teacheth the externall man, not by externalls, but by his Spirit, when God teach…s, as he doth. Ephe. 3.5. he needeth no perishing and vanishing thing to helpe him, to save us, Conspice hic (inquit Swnckefeld. epist. 16.) verum doctorem, veram doctrinam, veritatem ipsam … ternam, quae nullo Caduco, sive transitorio, in adminiculum sui egea…, ut nos salvet. 9. If the vocal word did necessarily goe before justi…ieing faith, then justification should be the work of our hands, or not without our helpe. But Abraham beleeved God, not the word preached. 10. Then should man▪ not God, lay the first stone in our Iustification and experience teacheth us; what a building it is, we have an historicall faith, and a certaine apprehension and assent of (naturall) reason form the letter of the word, so Saltmarch the Antinomian. 146 fr. g. the law is now in the Spirit and in the Gospel for a believer to walke by. Now the Spirit and the Gospel is all one, to the Antinomian, to the Enthusiast Libertines and Swenckfeldians so Saltmarch sayeth. Nor is the holinesse and sanctification now such as is fashioned by the law of outward commandement (Swenckefeld calleth it verbum vocale) but by the preaching of faith, by which the Spirit is given, which renewes and sanctifies a beleever and makes him the very law of commandement himself: what this Antinomian calles the preaching of faith Swenckefeld calleth verbum substantiale, Christ himself, not any created thing, so doe the Familists teach Rise, Reigne. er. 9. The whole letter of the Scripture (say they) holdeth for a covenant of works so er. 7. er. 8.
Know that it is most false, that sanctification is not now fashioned by the Law of outward Commandement, that is▪ by the word externally preached, as by an instrument subordinate to the working of the Spirit, for his conscience knowes, we never ascribe more to the word, for more is contrary to the word. Rom. 10.17, Faith commeth by hearing, that is, the word of the Gospell externally preached. 1 Cor. 1 24, we preach Christ to the Jewes a stumbling block, but to the called, Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God, this preaching of Christ, is the preaching of faith, but not in the Antinomian sense, this is the effectuall working o… the Spirit, for so Saltmarsh meaneth, as his exposition evidenceth, for the effectuall working of the Spirit can never be a stumbling to the Iewes, then this preaching of Christ and of faith must be outward and externall preaching of the Gospell which instrumentally giveth the Spirit, For Gal. 3.2. Paul opposeth the hearing of faith, that is, the externall hearing of the letter of the Gospell, that giveth the spirit instrumentally, to the workes of the law or the externall doctrine of the Law, that can neither promise to give, nor give the Spirit instrumentally, for if by the hearing of faith, he meane the inward hearing and effectuall working of the Spirit, then he saith as much, as yee receaved the Spirit, by the effectuall receiving of the Sp…rit, and also he must meane that all that heares externally the doctrine of the Gospell, as the Galatians did, must receive the Spirit, whereas Paul clearely makes an opposition between the externall preaching of the Gospell, and of the Law; otherwise, by the externall preaching of the law, accompanied by the Spirit, we also receive the spirit.
But let Saltmarsh answer, if either now, or under the Old Testament, true holinesse and sanctificattion was fashioned by the law of outward Commandement, without the Spirit, in some measure or degree. 2 If sanctification in the Gospell be fashioned without the external preaching of the Gospell & an outward commandement? if no: why excludes he an outward commandement as contrary to the preaching of faith? Swenckfeldius and Enthysiasts make an opposition betweene the word preached, and the preaching of faith that is, the Spirit, we make a subordination, no opposition. 3 whether Saltmarsh or any Antinomian in conscience can say that wee so go on with Pelagians, Old Anabaptists and Arminians, as to say Sanctification is framed now, or at any time, by a law of outward commandements, the Antinomian Del. who has printed in defence of Anabaptists, Arminians, and Antinomians teacheth so, not we. So Del joyneth with Swenckfeld Ser, pag. 6, 7, 8. read the stile words, and doctrine of Enthysiasts all along in the serm.
11 Swenckfeld said that that is born of the flesh is flesh▪ these that say justifying faith is from externall hearing, they teach that the Spirit comes from the carnall letter, the heaven is born… of the earth 12 Blessednes comes not from externals, nor was Thomas blessed, because he saw and beleeved, nor Simon Peter, because flesh and blood, but because the father, revealed Christ to them.
12 Swenckefeldius taught that the preachers of his time were not sent of God; because no man was the better or converted by their preaching. So Antinomians say all but themselves are but litteral and carnall teachers.
13 Swenckefeldius said that he himselfe preached the Spirit inwardly teaching, and that men must live by the rule of the Spirit, else they could not be saved. so speake Anti. of Gospell reformation of life. so Del. ser▪ p. 26, 27.
14 Neither Baptisme nor the Supper of the Lord should be Administred till the true doctrine that he taught, be preached and be revealed immediately from the substantiall and eternall word Christ without preaching, or reading or hearing the word. so Del. uniformity examined the worship of the New Testament is onelyonly inward.
15 In such dissentions of minds among Teachers the word should not be heard. Antinomians say all may be heard, sects and opinions are but names and things indifferent.
16 The word hath a twofold sense, one literall, which profiteth nothing, another the true and spirituall, which only the spirituall do understand.
17 We must try the word by the Spirit, and not the Spirit by the word. so say the Antinomians, rise reigne er. 61. All doctrines, revelations and spirits are to be tryed by Christ the Word, rather than by the word of Christ, this is against Christs way who, when it was a controversie, whether he was the sonne of God, or no, was content that they should Iudge of him, and decide the matter by Scripture. Joh. 5.39. so (2) are all controversies ended. Act. 17.11. Act. 9.11. Act: 24.14, 15. 1 Cor. 15.3, 4. Mat. 22.29.30, 31, 32, 33. Esay 8.20 which were a rule impossible, if the scripture have two senses, one literall that proves nothing, and another spirituall and allegorick (as Enthysiasts & Antinomians say) that none can understand but the spirituall, now when Christ and Paul prove the resurrection of the dead, and that Christ is the Messiah by the scripture, and referres the denyers of these, Iewes and Pharisees and Saduces to the scripture to be the Iudge, he supposeth the scriptures hold forth a cleare literall sense, which these men, though not spirituall, might understand. 2 nor could Christ say, yee both know me and whence I am. Ioh. 7.27▪ 28. if they could not see any thing of Christ by light of scripture. 3▪ all the murthers, whoredomes, villanies practised by Muncer, T. Becold, David George, Swenckfeld they fathered on the Spirit leading them without the Scripture, or on such an allegorick sense, as their uncleane spirit expounded the word, so as men know not when they sin, when they serve God.
17 The preachers not being taught by the immediate teaching Spirit, are such as the Lord speaketh of. They ran, and J sent them not.
18 There is a middle reformation to come, betweene papists and Lutherans.
19 No doctrine of word, Sacraments or any externall thing written in the writings of Moses the Prophets or apostles doe conduce to salvation, God is to be sought in his naked Majesty in dreames, inspirations and revelations of the Spirit.
20 Repentance, contrition, the knowledge of sin is not to be taught out of the Law, but by Christ onelyonly. How neere Antinomians side with this I leave to the reader.
21 The Law is not unpossible, but easie to be fullfilled by Grace. Antinomians teach that both the persons and workes of beleivers are perfect free of sin, then must they be perfectly agreable to the Law Honey…combe. c. 3. pag. 25. c 11, 12.322, 323, 324. Towne. ass. grace pag, 76, 77. Salt. free grace. p 140.
22 Our renovation is the very Holy Ghost, so Antinomians Rise Reign er. 1, 2.7, 8.
23 Our Righteousnes and iustification is not in the imputed obedience and righteousnes of Christ; but in a conformity with Christ in glory by the undwelling Spirit of Christ.
24 Faith and workes iustifie us.
25 All beleivers are the naturall sons of God begotten of the essence and nature of God, so Familists and Antino. teach that we are Christed and Godded.
26 There was no remission of sins, no righteousnes, no entrance …nto heaven before Christ dyed. So say Antinomians under the old Testament, there was no inward nor heart reformation, no covenant of grace, no pacefying of Gods wrath for sin &c. So Saltmarsh free grace, pag. 166, 167, 168. Honey-combe. chap. 11.334, 335, 336. Del. ser. pag. 2.3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. &c.