Theologicall axioms or conclusions publikly controuerted, discussed, and concluded by that poore English congregation, in Amstelredam: to whome H.C. for the present, ad-ministreth the ghospel. Togither with an examination of the saide conclusions, by Henoch Clapham. Here-vnto is added a litle tractate entituled. The carpenter.

Examination.

AS the old Adam (Apostate for him self and the seede of his Ioynes) introdu∣ced Syn and death into our nature / captiuing the same vnto Satan: So it is the office of the new Adam (yea the end of his appearance in our Nature is) to loose the works of the Deuel: 1. Iohn. 3.8. This spirituall knot he vntyes by his spirit / begininge there to reare vp / where Satā begonne to cast downe.

Satan begon to darken the mynde and vnderstandinge of ••euah: that do•• he turnes the will and all the affections after. For no sooner she conceiued wrongly of God / but presently / she affectioneth and then practiseth against the Commandement. Now / our Serpent (but a serpent without sting / by his vertue curing the stynged: Nomb. 21.9. Iohn. 3.14.15.) he begin∣neth with our Mynde / illuminatinge it with supernaturall lighte / and

therewithall sanctifyinge owr affections / for flying from Euell and doin∣ge of Good. Which worke of the Spirit is not ordinarily without thexter∣nall instrument of the word preached. And therfore Christ his ministres are called / Ministres of the spirit. 2. Cor. 3.16.

The worke thus wroughte / is called a New-man: a New creature: the Image of God: the seede of God: in regarde wher of (for it is spoken res∣pectiuely / not / symply) the faith full are sayde not to synne: 1. Ioh. 3.9. be∣cause / as the Apostle exhorteth / Syn (though it dwell) it raignes not in the bodyes of such: Rom. 6.12. They henceforth being Denominated by the principall Agent in them: namely / Spirituall / because the spirit of god raig∣neth in his lawe: Rom. 8.2. ouer the lawe of the flesh: Rom. 7.23.

I maruell therfore not a litle / that Manie (who seme to haue the spirit of God) are ignorant: yea / are afraeyde to say that the Regenerate Man hath any frewill vnto things holy / for holynes sake. If the first Adam / cap∣tive vs / and the second doe not fre vs / what advauntage ariseth by the second? suerly none. If thou say / to will good is from God: so say I / to will euell is from the deuell: and thus in thy ignorant speach / there shall neither be good nor euell in Man. But vnderstand / that we speake of that essentiall wil in our nature / which (both in bad and good) is of god / or / god his Crea∣ture. This faculty of the sowle (called will) if it besaid to be fre vnto euell / though the deuel drawe it: so I meane (as verily so / except the spirit of god be weaker then the spirit of hell) the will of the regenerate is fre (according to the strength of the Newbirth) vnto Good. And for this cawse only / we are taught / and fynd it true by experience / viz / That Christ his yoke / and commaundements are not greiuous / but light. Matth. 11.30. 1. Ioh. 5.3.

Otherwise / the Spirit of hell / and the spirit of heauen shold worke vpon Men / as vpon logs or stones which as it is graunted false in the first / so (considereringe there is an opposition in the Spirits and their wor∣ke: the one to death / the other to lyfe: the one to degeneration / the other to regeneration) it must needes folowe in the seconde. Neede we haue playners Euidence then this The law of the spirit of lyfe hath freed me from the lawe of syn & death: Rom. 8.2. The Truth makes fre; & the son makes fre indeede. Ioh. 8.32.36. And Paul speaketh thus of experience: I am able to doe all thinges, through the help of Christ which streng∣thneth me.

Secondly / where it is added: The will / wilbe more then the powre: it is / for that it fares with a poore sowle freed out of Satans clawes / (as with a poore prisoner escaped out of prison: who while he wold ron / is (because of som yrons / or yron frets) vnable well te goe / When he is not 2 foote from the Iaples dore / his Mynd is a myle of.

This Paul speaketh to be in him self: To will is present With me: but I fynd not meanes to performe that which is good: That is / the meanes were nothing proportionable to the will. Rom. 7.18. But as the old man perisheth / the New man encreaseth: and blessed are they that so honger and thirst / for they shalbe filled. And no maruel / for the seede of god (though but as a grayne of mustersterde) is rooted in them / which must growe till it be a big Cedar.