Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. Of Henry Nicholas, and older Familists and Antinomians.The birth and qualities of Henry Nicholas the father of the Familie of Love. H.N. Epistle to the two daughters of Warwicke.
HEnry Nicholas was borne at Amsterdam as some thinke, he spread his heresie a little after David George, about the yeare 1556 he was an ignorant, foolish man, a craftie hypocrite, had a sort of deceiving violence in his smooth eloquence of love. he calleth himselfe The first illuminate Elder of the Family of Love, was at the beginning austere, riged, and fasted, waked divers nights, and prayed and praysed, spread his errors through Holland, and Lower Germany pretended visions, and conferences with the Angels from whom he had his way of exponing scriptures by allegories, but turned afterward, loose and vaine; he came over to England and spread his foule heresies, and seduced a number of Artificers, and silly women, and wrote an Epistle to two daughters of Warwicke, disswading them from regeneration by the word of God, read or preached, and called that regeneration Ceremoniall, …lementish and false and laboured to perswade the maids to a spirituall new birth, by the Spirit and internall word, and did forbid suffering for the truth▪ or confessing of Christ to the death, before men, and exponed the laying downe of the life for Christ ▪ of the mortifying the body of sinne: he had his errors from the Antitrinitarians and denyed Christ to be God. This Epistle was answered and r…futed by H. Ainsworth, he wrote a Booke of Documentall sentences, another called Evangelium regni. The Gospell and ioyfull message of the Kingdom…, his doctrine and that of David Georgius was confuted by M. Martyn Micronius Minister of the Dutch-church at London, under Edward the Sixth of England, and by M. Nicholaus Charineus, Minister also of the Dutch Church, who dyed, An. 1563. H. Nicholas his tenents, especially his joyfull message was refuted by M. John K…ewstub preacher in Queen Elizabeth… time, the book was printed at London, An. 1576. and Dedicated to Ambrose Earle of Warwick. H. N. wrote in dark and obscure termes, following much that wicked pe…ce called Theologia Germanica, set out by Randall, 1646. this forme of writing saith Knewstub is an evident note of a seducing spirit.
This blasphemous Impostor, as if he were an Apostle, speaketh of his calling like a false Christ.
1 Chap. Evangelium regni. The joyfull message of the Kingdome.
H. Nichol…s, through the grace and mercy of God, through the holy Spirit of the love of Jesus Christ.What H. Nicholas called h…m…elf.
Raised up by the highest God from the death, Ephes. 2.1. according to the providence of God and his promises.
Anointed with the Holy Ghost, in the old age, of the holy understanding of Jesus Christ, Ephes. 4.13. Godded with God in the Spirit of his love. Illuminated in the Spirit with the heavenly truth, The true light of perfect beeing.
Made Heire with Christ in the heavenly goods, of the riches of God.
Elected to be a Minister of the gracious word, which is now in the last times raised up by God, according to his promises in the most holy service of God, under the obedience of his love.
The Familists of New England, and Antinomians, professe all of them are Christed with Christ. The Apostles doe not so extoll themselves. Towne Assert. of Justifica p. 39. So soare…h. Keep the Law (saith he) and works here below on the earth, and as Enoch converse in Spirit and walk with God in the alone righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith. As if a holy conversation and a spirituall walking with God in faith and duties, were low, base, and for men of the earth onelyonly.
H. Nicholas his wicked doctrine▪The speciall… errors and Heresies holden by H. Nichol. are such as are for the most part either abominably blasphemous or much like to the errors of Anabaptists, David-Georgians, Swenskfeldians, from whence they sprang, as have been, and shall be, God willing, cleared to be the same with Libertines and Antinomian errors.
1 H. N…cholas challengeth to himselfe that which is proper to Christ Esa▪ 61. Lu, 4. (a)H. Nicholas evangel, c. 15.that the Spirit of the Lord is on him to preach glad tydings to the poore. The Antino, Beacon bBeacon cat…chis. 155, 156.saith that none can be true preachers, but they run unsent, that run without the Spirit of sanctification.
2 H.N. saith c. 1 Evan. not one man Adam sinned, and we in him, but man from the beginning to this day was disobedient: Hence Adam was no one man. 2 Wee have no more sinne from the first Adam, then by following the sinnes of all men. 3 The story of Adam of the tree and fruit, is but an allegory. Antinomians cRise reign er. 53, 54.turne all in allegories. Randal. serm. a sower went out to sow; here is a warrant from parables to expone scriptures by allegories: all things of nature are sacraments of Gospell mysteries, as doe this in rememberance of me.
3 H.N. saith c. 1 All that walked not in the forme of Abel, according to the manner and ordinance of Seth, were not of the right stocke of Seth. Then righteousnesse commeth by personall imitation of Seth, not by the imputed righteousnesse of Christ.
4 Christ to H. N. is head of Abrahams faith, not Abrahams flesh, which destroyes his humanity, for H. N. applyeth these words, the power of the most high shall come on thee, and overshadow thee; by an allegory to all beleevers, which dH.N. e…. …. c. 5.had their discent out of the faith of Abraham partakers of the Godly nature and being, and according to the will of God, are wholly minded with God so eRise reig. er. 11.Antinomians, as Christ was once made flesh, so is he now first made flesh in us, ere we be carryed to perfection. Del. ser. 17, 18, 19▪ 20. tells us of two meanes of Gospel-reformation.
1 The word dwelling in the flesh reformes the flesh, M. Del and H. Nicholas the familist, sympathiz… in the same Grammer, and it… to be feared in the same doctrine touching God manifested in the flesh.and it dwells in us through faith, this word is not the word without us, then it is not the scripture word, but the word within us; Jt sheweth us Christ and changeth us into his image. The 2 meanes is the Spirit, which God promised long before to powre upon all flesh and so to reforme all flesh, the Spirit reformes, 1 By taking away all evill out of the flesh, as pride, …nvy, and all errors and false doctrines, for the Spirit burnes up all errors as …ay and stubble. I feare Del give us no more for God manifested in the flesh but this, not one word of the Scripture or preached Gospell is once mentioned heare, fo… feare Enthysiasts offend, 2 The Spirit reformes by changing the flesh into its owne likenesse, as fire changeth every thing into its selfe, so doth the Spirit in the flesh, make the flesh spirituall, M. Del inclines to deny Christ God incarnate. It were good he would cleare himselfe of Familisme, and of this point in particular.heavenly▪ holy, meeke, good, loving, &c.
Here I desire M. Del, to separate from H.N, and give a reason of his faith to those that offend at his doctrine. 1 How is the Spirit powred on all flesh, and so is all flesh reformed? p. 19. l. 20. Is he for universall salvation of all? the Scripture speaketh not a word of the heart reformation of all, This Devill is going abroad in our times. Del speaketh like this wandering Spirit. 2 How is the inward word, which he carefully distinguisheth from the outward word, p. 18. l. 3▪ 4. differenced from the Spirit? p. 19. for the inward word, is the word made effectuall by the working of the Spirit, and he saith the word (not the letter without the Spirit which is but the dead law, (saith he) and Spirit are alwayes joyned, that is the inward word, (that is) faith wrought by the Spirit as I take it, is ever joyned with the Spirit; who doubts but the Spirit, is ever with the Spirit? (3) The Spirit takes all evill out of the flesh, what is that? out of the man, out of the soule and body, this is a rare expression. 4▪ How dwells the word in our flesh? pag. 18. l. 1. God the substantiall word the sonne of God dwells in our flesh, that is, personally in the nature of man, Ioh. 1.14. why does Del speake with hereticks and not explaine himselfe? 5 How does the inward word change us into the image of Christ? p. 18. he hath not told us of the Spirit all this while p. 19. which only changeth us into the image of Christ. 6. How doth the Spirit change the flesh into its owne likenesse? by fl…sh, yee meane not corruption, so the scripture Rom. 7. Rom. 8. Gal. 5.17. and in many places takes the word flesh. Now the Spirit maketh not corruption, and sinne spirituall, heavenly, holy, meeke, good, loving, &c. then by flesh yee meane the fabrick of the nature of man, soule and body. Why speaketh not Del with protestant divines and calleth it the mortification of the old man, and the vivification of the new, but he speakes with H. N. and puts us to request him for the truths sake, to expone what a God manifested in the flesh, and what a word dwelling in the flesh he acknowledgeth, for H.N. grammer rules his pen and tongue,What Christ, God manifested in the flesh is to Familists. not the Holy Ghosts.
5 To H. N. Every Godly man partaker of the being of God and Spirit of love is God incarnate, and Christ; and Christ is not any one man the son of Mary, but the condition of all men beleeving, and loving▪ and Christ is no where else saith, Theo. Ger. p. 22. but he is the same man.
6 fH. N. …. …xh cap. 7.Gods being is love it selfe. The damned apostate, should acknowledge his being to be some other thing then love onelyonly, as Moses doth Exod. 34.6. The Lord strong, gracious, slow to anger, &c.
7 gH. Nich. 1 exh. c. 17. sect. 26.There is no diety belonging to God but love, of which mortall men doe pertake in this life, so H. N, The Lord hath Godded me with God in his Godly being with the Spirit of his love.
8 By our obedience of love we become sonnes.
9 Love is faith, working and doing is faith. Whereas faith worketh love and obedience as the cause of love,Sect. 9▪ saith the scripture. Iam. 2. Heb. 11.
10 Obedience of love and misliking of sinne, bringeth us unto the being of Christ, Sect. 9.cleare against the freedome of the grace of God, Tit. 3.3. 2 Tim. 1.9▪ Ephes. 2.1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
11 All that beleeve not as H. N. are unbaptized, no christians more then heathens. So Del and the Antinomians esteeme all,Sect. 10. not of their way, legall Pharesies.
12 hH.N. Evan. c. 13. Se. 2.Christ not God, nor man▪ but the state of perfection in beleevers or anoynting, or the Sabbath; yea sect. 8, 9, 10. Oh how grosely (saith he) have then certaine wise of the world overreached themselves, which have wi…hout diversity, forsaken the law of the Elders Testament (Moses his law of Ceremonies) and of the priests office after the order of Aaron, and set backe the same as a thing unneedfull. But have all for the most part cryed, Christ, Christ, and we are Christians, and attributed to themselves much freedome ere ever the time of the appearing of Christ, or the anoynting of the Holy Ghost was come to passe: which doctrine M. Hutchison approves, and the Antinomian M. Cornewell in his preface to the conference of M. Iohn Cotton approves her way and all her followers. pag. 7, 8. now she was (Rise reigne, ruine, pag. 37, 38.) much perplexed to know the meaning of that 1 Ioh 4.3, Every Spirit that confesseth not Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is the Spirit of Antichrist, for neither Papist nor Protestants deny that Christ is come in the flesh: and are the Turks then the only Antichrist? At length the Lord revealed immediately to that Iezabel from heaven that all opposite to her way of Familisme and Antinomianisme, who did not preach the N Covenant, their way were Antichrists for these (said she) who deny the covenant or Testament, deny the death of the Testator, hence while Antinomians of England resolve me, I thinke she and hers beleeve God incarnate is not the man Christ like us in all things in the dayes of his flesh except sinne, but the anoynting of the Holy Ghost, by which Antinomians preach free grace and the new Covenant their way, so by H. N. Christ is that condition of state by which men leave the written word, and betake themselves to revelations.
13 The old Testament Ceremonies are in force after Christs incarnation resurrection and ascention even till the Holy Spirit and anoynting come to make every beleever Christ: and this anoynting is all the God manifested in the flesh, and the Christ that H. N. knoweth.
14 H. Nich. In his Epistle to the daughters of Warwicke sect. 4 saith The beeing of Christ in love, H. Nicholas, with Antinomians, M. Del. M. Beacon, reject all ordinances and repute all externall worship and confessing of Christ before men all controversies in religion indifferent▪ this wic…ed opinion is re…uted by 8 arguments.is received through the power of the Holy Ghost, not by any ceremoniall Christ which one man speaketh to another, and sect. 5.7.10. He condemneth all scripture, as literall, fleshly, Elementish, ceremoniall, all preaching of the word, seales, sacraments, ordinances, as literall and indifferent ▪ and all regeneration that way as unlawfull, and extolleth a spirituall regeneration of the Family of Love, done by the Spirit, without the preaching of man, so doth the Antinomian De… pag. 6, 7, 8, &c. in his sermon extoll inward reformation, but withall cryes downe all externall reformation, that is done by lawes, synods, the power of men, yea or of Angells, as carnall, antichristian hypocriticall and false.
15 All Ordinances, hearing, preaching, Scripture, scripture-learning, Baptisme, the Lords Supper, all confession of Christ before men, all externalls in religion are things of no worth, indifferent, free, triviall, layd on us by no law of God, so H. Nich. sect. 5.7.10. Epist. to the daughters, so the Anabaptists (as Bullinger saith) so Antinomians, so Swenckefeld, as Schlusserburg, saith Cato heret. l. 10. p. 30. and another reformation beside this of the heart, I know not, saith M. Del. But the Apostle Iames calls for the clensing of the hands, aswell as the purging of the heart, and Gospel-reformation (saith Del) onelyonly mindes the reformation of the heart then nothing is minded by the Gospell of walking worthy of the Lord in our conversation among men. So Beacon the Antinomian in his Catechisme in the Epistle to my Lady Say and Seal. Oh that they were once wise to forbeare, this clashing and dashing themselves in peeces for matters externall, trivial, and circumstantiall in religion. These be most like the words of Galli…. Act. 18.15. But if it be a question of words, and names, and of your law, looke yee to it, for I will be no iudge of such matters, 16. and he drove them from the Iudgement seat. So saith he Catech. pag. 188, 189.
Q. Are you bound to this doctrine and practise of baptizing, by a law?
A By the law of love.
Q May you use it or not use it?
A I have liberty so to doe. 1 Cor. 10.29.
Q How?
A If I use it I am not the more accepted. 1 Cor. 8.8▪ and if I use it not, I am not the lesse accepted.
Q Is it then in that respect, of the same nature with circumcision?
A Yes, and all other outward things, Gal. 6.15.
Q May we suspend the use of some outward things?
A Yes, Gal. 2.14.
Q When?
A When religion is placed in them, Gal. 2.14.
Q Doth not religion consist in them?
A No.
Q In what then?
A In righteousnesse, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Q They are not then heavenly things themselves?
A They are Iewes, that know not Christ, that so thinke.
Q What then is the baptisme of water?
A A Shadow, 1 Pet. 2.21.
Q Why doe men strive about it?
A It shewes our unacquaintance with the substance, Phil. 2.7. Mic. 6.6, 7.
Q Of what is it a shadow?
A A shaddow of Christ, Col. 2 17.
Q Is there a teaching by shadowes in the New Testament?
A Yes. 1 Pet, 3, 21, &c.
In all this good Reader obserue, this absurd doctrine from this Antinomian way of Mr. Beacon, for …he raiseth the old heresie of a sectary whom Calvin in a treatise called Confutatio Hollandi, refuteth, who said it was lawfull to bow to Id…ls, because Christ violated the Sabboth, and because Christ hath perfectly fulfilled the Law, and restored us to spirituall liberty, he hath freed us from all externall observance of the law, either ceremonies, or any other thing, if we love God, and our neighbour, we are now in Christ made spirituall, and are to seeke the things that are above, and that Christ calles us from all externalls, ceremonies even of the Lords Institution, baptisme, the Lords Supper, hearing, reading, and he spake in the Grammer of M. Beacon nos de umbra a asini et de inani atque infantili naenja certare cultum d…i nihil amplius esse atque ejus neque legem neque normam habendam. So is Del against all externalls and outward reformation, and for the heart reformation only. And Calvin, in his treatise called excusatio ad Psedonic. an Apologie to the false disciples of Nicodemus, refutes them who thought they might goe to Masse, worship an Idol, so they keepe their heart to God, and this they did to get into rich benefices, to be Bishops, Pry…rs,, and the like, being taken with the wares of the whore of Rome, for Calvin beside the example of Paul Act. 17. whose Spirit was stirred at the Idolatrous Alter at Athens, brings the Testimony of 1 Melancthon who saith, Nec tantum interior cultus nec…ssarius est, sedetiam externa significatio, seu confessio, seu professio, Mat. 10 qui negav…r…t me coram hominibus, negabo eum coram patre coelesti, so Mar. Bucerus, Peter Martyr, and Calvin condemne the same externall observance of popish superstition, Calvin excusatio ad Pseu. Nicode. pag. 521, 522.
It followeth then that from Beacons way, I preaching of the Gospell, false opinions of Papists, controversies betweene Protestants and Socinians, Antinomians, Arrians, Familists, Enthysiasts, Brownists, Jndependants, &c. must be but matters externall, triviall, and circumstantiall in religion 2 the profession of truth, since it is an externall & outward thing, & a testimony of Christs truth before men, and of Christ before the world then is triviall and so indifferent and free, which yet is commanded by Christ and hedged with the greatest reward and threatning in the word, Mat. 10.32. 3 Yea, for outward things and all externalls, reading, hearing, scripture, preaching, seales, praying, baptisme, the Lords Supper. There is no law, but the law of love, not a law of the soveraigne authority of God the commander, contrary to Mat. 28.19, 20. and so men sinne not in neglecting a command of God, in not observing all things whatsoever Christ hath commanded, Mat. 28.20. whereas we conceive the Lord commands not only in the Gospell by the law of love▪ but by his soveraigne authority, as God in covenant with us, that we doe all whether inward or outward things that he commands.
4 So all externalls under the New Testament of being baptised, or not baptised, hearing or not hearing, a sent ministery, confessing or not confessing Christ before men, are as free and indifferent, though expresly commanded of God, so as we sinne if we dispise prophecy, 1 Thes. 5. and reject the counsell of God as did the Pharisies and Lawyers in not being baptised, Luk. 7.29▪ 30. whereas the publicans in obeying these commandements Iustified God. They are (I say) as free, triviall, and indifferent to Antinomians, as eating, or not eating meats meerely indifferent in the case, 1 Cor. 10. 1 Cor. 8. so if it were not a scandal, we may refuse baptisme, the Lords Supper, the scriptures▪ hearing the word, confessing Christ before men, teaching and admonishing our brother, yea all duties of keeping our body cleane, of speaking the truth, of not lying, not killing, for all these are commanded beleevers, by no law, but by the law of love, for say the Antinomians we are under no morall Law else.
5 Yea▪ so also we may suspend the use of all outward things, by Beacons Antinomian argument, we need not heare, pray, prayse, receive Sacraments, teach the ignorant, comfort the the feeble minded, releeve the poore, visit the sick, &c. Why? al these are both outward things and are abused, most men place all religion in them, as in Pauls time, Gal. 2. they placed religion in circumcision, & the Iews placed all holines in them, Es. …. Mi. 6.
6 Why then was Christ circumcised? for in his time many said they were Abrahams circumcised sonnes, and that was enough to save them, which was to place all religion in circumcision; but though we may suspend the use of things indifferent, when religion is placed in them, yet may we not neglect commanded externall ordinances, because they thinke they are good christians, if they be baptised and goe to Church, nor doth Paul Gal. 2. thinke circumcision to be nothing but a thing indifferent, for that the false Apostles and be witched Galatians thought their Iustification stood in circumcision, but Paul saith, Gal. 5. Not onelyonly circumcision was not indifferent, but damnable and whosoever was circumcised, had fallen from Christ.
6 Conseq. To Beacon, they are all Iewes, who judge baptisme, the Lords Supper, the scriptures read and preached heavenly things. Its true they are externall, and without the Spirit they availe not, but there is a Majesty and divinity in the Scriptures, and in the power of God, in the foolishnesse of preaching and baptisme also, and they are in themselves spirituall ordinances of God, and though baptisme be a shadow, yet striving about the doctrine of baptisme is in Moses and Paul no token of their unacquai…tednesse with Christ, the substance of all ordinances, as M. Beacon imagineth.
7 This is to turne all orthodox and sound opinions touching Christ, free grace, redemption, worship, scriptures, over into Septicisme. doubtsome bickerings, and to leave us doubting and knowing nothing with certainty and full assurance of faith, but to halt betweene two, in all opinions touching God, Christ, the Spirit, Trinity, incarnation, free grace, scriptures, law, Gospel, resurrection, heaven, hell, as these opinions are professed before men and Angels, and this will turne to professed Atheisme, to doubt and professe we doubt of all things 5 And to be ever learning▪ and never to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 If they be Iewes who thinke not all things externall, all observances and our outward conversation with men (which is most externall) most indifferent and free, then the letter of the written and preached old and N. Testament must be free and indifferent, and it must be Iudaisme to read, heare, or study the scriptures, for they are outward things in which carnall men ever have and ever will place all religion.
9 We are to contend earnestly for the faith, and for every truth of God, Jud. 3. Touching baptisme and all the ordinances of God, and to consent to wholsome words, against all perverse disputing of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, 1 Tim. 6.3, 4, 5. 2 Tim. 2.14, 15, 16. nor,
10. Can any Antinomian say that Paul was unacquainted with Christ the substance of ceremonies and circumsion, when, with such Godly animosity, he withstood Peter to the face, Gal. 2.11, 12, 13. and so sharpely rebuked the Galatians c. 3. c. 4. for lesser truths then we now contend for. But in this Antinomians bewray of what Spirit they are, when they professe all religions, Popish, Protestant, Socinian, Arrian, Arminian, Antitrinitarian, Antinomian, Familisticall, to be free and indifferent, and if we have love and faith in the heart, we are perfect Christians, though we live in wickednes, disobedience and rebellion against God.
16 Our second birth is our saviour Christ and dominion over sin the very son of God, said H. Nicholas.
17 H. N. His Christ is neither man nor the consubstantiall son of God, but a holy disposition or Godlinesse, whereas the Lord Jesus himselfe appeales to the senses, the eyes and fingers of his disciples even after his resurrection, when he was most spirituall and now in some measure entered into glory,Christ is truely and really perfect man, not a holy dispo… tion as H. N. blasphemously saith. that he was a speaking man, and had flesh and bones, and the print of the …ailes in his hands and sides, yea the scripture saith he was the sonne of Adam, Abraham, Isaack, Jacob, David, Mary, 3 hee was like us in all things, sinne excepted. Luk▪ 24.39, 40. Ioh. 20.26, 27.
18 The second birth is the Godhead, and Gods true being, obtaineth the victory, beareth rule with God, and bringeth forth the name of Israel or Christ it selfe. sect. 12.
19 Christ is not true man, nor Abrahams seed after the flesh, but God only in so far as he followeth Abrahams faith.
20 H. Nicholas and all his illuminated Elders are Christ, all not of his way the Antichrist, so some Antinomians now at Oxford.
Say 1 That Iesus Christ is not God essentially, but in name, 2 That his nature was defiled with sin, aswel as ours. 3 It is as possible for Christ to sin, as for any of us. 4 The Trinity of the Persons is a fiction. 5 The fulnesse of the Godhead doth dwell bodily in the Saints as in Christ, and that when this Godhead shall be manifested in them, they shall have divine honour, and have more power then Christ, and doe greater workes then hee. 6 The scripture is but a shadow and a fiction▪ now the word saith 1 The father and Christ are one, and he thought it no robbery to be equal with the father Phi. 2 and maintained he was the consubstantiall sonne of God, Ioh. 7. Ioh. 10, else the Iewes would never have said, he blasphemed in calling himselfe the sonne of God by adoption, for they knew Godly men, to be so the sons of God. 2 By him the word, the heaven and earth were created, Ioh. 1.1, 2, 3. Col. 1.16▪ 17. now God onelyonly created the World. Ier. 10, 11, 12. Esay. 44.24. Gen. 1.1. Psal. 33.6, 7, 8. 3 Hee was anoynted above his fellowes with grace, Psal. 45.2.7. and wee receave out of his fulnesse, and light our halfe-penny candles at this sunne of righteousnesse, Ioh. 1.14.16. and he giveth the Holy Ghost, Ioh. 16.14. And hath received a name above all names, Phil. 2 9▪ 10. and God said to none of the Angells, farre lesse to any man, save to the man Christ, sit thou at my right hand, Heb. 1.
21 The Familists are perfect in this life, and so are Antinomians Towne as. p 77, 78. Saltm. free grace 140.
22 To say the three persons are one God is, a foolish making three Gods. Antinomians professe that Antitrinitarians, Arrians, Socinians are their brethren, so they beleeve and love God as they doe.
23 There is but one Spirit in all creatures and that is essentially God, Epist, to the the two daughters of Warwicke.
24 Love and well doing and good workes, are the cause of our rereconciliation, and the very saviours that beares our sins: whereas Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tree, Esay. 53.6, 7, 8. 1 Pet. 2.23, 24.
25 Christs dying on the Crosse, is nothing but H.N. and his illuminated Elders, their obeying constantly the doctrine of H. N. so as no suffering could cause them to forsake it.
26 Then is Christ put to death, when any of the Family of Love is no longer led by the Scripture, but by the Spirit of revelation, that is as sure as the Scripture, so said Mrs. Hutchison Rise reigne. p. 61. er. 27.
27 Mortification is to H.N· justification and removing of sinnes so doe Antinomians confound these two.
28 The resurrection of Christ was but a passing out of the flesh, or letter of the law to the spirituall being of illuminated Elders.
29 Christ sitteth not in our flesh, at the right hand of God, but in the spirit.
30 The comming of the Holy Ghost in cloven tongues, was the comming of Christ againe from heaven in the Spirit.
31 Christs ascending to heaven, was his comming to heavenly mindednesse and fulnesse of knowledge.
32 The resurrection of the body is a rising in this life from sin and wickednesse.
33 In H. N. God this present day judgeth the world, the family of love are the many thousands of his saints, that Judgeth with him, even now and reigneth on the earth. Evang. c. 1. sect. 9.10.
34 The Marriages of all not enlightened are unlawfull.
35 Men shall marry and have wives at the resurrection.
36 The illuminated Elders cannot sin nor pray for forgivenesse of sinnes, so Antinomians hony-combe c. 3. pag 25. c. 7 pag. 139, forgiven sin is not, or hath no being before God, Saltm. free grace, pag. 44.
37 Heaven and Hell are in this world, Antinomians say we are fully and compleatly, not in hope onelyonly, saved in this life.
38 The family of love is under no law.
39 All things are the act of God.
40 Angels and Devils and wicked men, are acted immediately by the Spirit of God.
41 The Scripture is a shadow.
42 Ordinances are for babes, in their family of love only.
43 The perfect are to live above all ordinances.
44 Jf temptations lay hold on us and force us to sin, and we cry to God for helpe, and finde no helpe, we are as guiltlesse as the maid forced in the field, who cryed and had no helpe; and is not for that a whore H.N. documentall sentences. sect. 13. sect. 8.
It is true the beleever shal not be charged to eternal condemnation, for sins of infirmities, that are his burthen and affliction, aswell as his sin: but sins of infirmities are essentially his sinnes who acts them, and make him lyable to wrath: If God should contend with David; for his adultery, and murther displeased the Lord, but God cannot charge the sinne of whoredome on a maid that is forced and doth cry out: if she doe cry out, and have no helpe, it is no whoredome on the maids part.
45 All the scriptures are to be exponed by allegories. This makes 1 The Scripture a masse of contradictions and lyes. 2 This turnes our faith and knowledg into a phancie, for the scripture it selfe cannot be a rule of exponing scripture, if the glosse destroy the text. 3 The scripture shall not Judge all controversies, as Christ referres the gravest question that ever was, Whether he be the sonne of God or no, to this tribunall: Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me, Ioh. 5. 4 All the articles touching Christ his birth, life, death, buriall, resurrection, ascending to heaven, sitting at Gods right hand, his second comming, &c. Creation, providence, histories shall teach nothing,Scriptures are not to be exponed allegorically but where the Holy Ghost so exponeth them. an Allegory shall cause scripture say the contrary. Antinomians call all their allegories the spirituall sense of Scripture. Bread may in an allegory signifie comfort, then the love of God dwells in a brother, who seeth his poore brother famishing and gives him neither cloathing nor bread, but onelyonly faith in good words, Brother goe in peace, and be warmed, and cloathed, an… feed, for he gives the poore man allegorically bread, and cloathing contrary to Iames 2.14, 15, 16, 17. 1 Ioh. 3.17, 18. yea so all scripture shall be turned over in lyes, dreames, and phancies all covenants violated, all faith private and publike among Christins may be broken, and yet truth kept in an allegoricall sense according to scripture. A man may murther his brother, and have life eternall. Contrary to 1 Io. 3.15 in regard that killing him, he saves him from sinning any more, and so does not murther him, though violently, he take away his life; for the scriptures calls the soule the man.