Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Of Christian Liberty, and of sense, true and false.
10 Conclusion.
Antinomians have not Luther for them in the Doctrine of Christian Liberty.
aLuth. tom. 4.164.Luther, Vnusquis que Christianus sciat; s… per Christum constitutum esse in conscientia dominum legis,Luther in the point of Christian Liberty against the Antinomians. peccati, mortis: contra sc…at quoque hanc servitutem externam corpori suo impositam, ut per charitatem serviat p…oprio. Qui autem aliter intelligunt libertatem, &c.
*Luther to. 2. … ▪ 78.Luther, Omnia sunt libera nobis per fid…m, omnia serva per charitatem: ut, simul stet servitus libertatis, et libertas servitutis.
bLuther tom. 1 … ▪ …31.Libertas Evangelii non tollit res, & corpora, & debit…, nominum, sed conscientias liberat a vinculis spiritualibus.
cLuther to. 3.394.Luther, Christianus in conscientia debet esse medicus, in externis moribus debet esse asinus.
dLuther tom. 1 473.Per fidem Christi non sumus liberi ab operibus, sed ab opinionibus operum id est, a stultâ praesumptione justitiae per opera quesitae.
aLuth. tom. 4.164.Let every Christian know, that by Christ he is made in his conscience (as he beleeveth in Christ) the Lord of law,Luther in the point of Christian Liberty against the Antinomians. sin, death, so that these have no power over him. On the contrary, let him know that this externall servitude is laid on the outward man, that by love he is to serve his neighbour. Those who otherwise understand Christian liberty (as Antinomians, who think they owe no obedience to the Law) they enjoy the gaine of the Gospel to their owne destruction, and are worse Idolators under the name of Christians, then they were in Popery.
*Luther to. 2. … ▪ 78.All things are free to us by Faith, yet all things are under obligation of Law, in regard of charity, that so the servitude of liberty, and the liberty of servitude, might stand together.
bLuther tom. 1▪ … ▪ …31.The liberty of the Gospel takes not away things, bodies, nor duties of men, but freeth the consciences from spirituall bands of wicked opinions.
cLuther to. 3.394.Th… Christian in his conscience should be a physitian, but without in externall conversation, an Asse, to beare the burthen of Brethren. Luther meaneth in things indifferent, that are without the case of scandall, as hee exponeth himself, Tom. 1 472.528. and clearly, To. 1. In Christum credentibus omnia munda, indifferentia licita sunt, quaecun que vel praecipiuntur vel prohibentur externis ceremoniis, &c. and Tom. 2.154, 155, 156 158.
dLuther tom. 1 473.Through faith in Christ, wee are not free from works, but from opinions of works, that is, from a foolish presumption of righteousnesse to come by works.
Now by opinion of good works, Luther meaneth conscience, and the resting of the conscience on good works,How the Law hath nothing to doe with the conscience in Luthers meaning. as our righteousnesse, hence so often, saith Luther, the Law hath nothing to doe with the conscience, the Law hath no power over the conscience, the Law ought not to reigne over the conscience. And so▪ 2. he placeth our Christian liberty, not only in freedom from the Judiciall Law. Tom. 4 on 1 Pet. 2. Rom. 13. and from the Ceremonies of the Law of Moses, Tom. 4. fol. 145. But also from the condemnation of the Morall Law. As is clear,
eLuther tom. 4▪ 150.Luther, That Christian liberty which Christ hath purchased, is not so easily beleeved as spoken, if it could be apprehended by a sure and firme faith, no fury, nor terror of the world, of law, sin, death, and the devill▪ could be so great, which would not be swallowed up as a little spark of fire by the great sea.
eLuther tom. 4▪ 150.Libertas illa, quam nobis Christus peperit, non tam cito creditur, quam nominatur. Si certa ac firmâ fide apprehendi posset nullus furor aut terror mundi, legis, peccati, mortis et diaboli tam magu… esse posset, qui non …, seu scintilla a mari, ab ea absorberetur.
Then Luther evidently thinketh our Christian Liberty is not from duties commanded in the Law, but from the terrors, accusation, and condemning power of the Law, after wee have sinned against the Law.
fLuth tom. 4.149.Luther, Verba illa, libertas ab ira Dei, lege, peccato, morte, &c. Dictu facilia sunt, sed Magnitu dinem hujus libertatis sentire & fructum ejus, in certamine, in agone conscientiae, applicare, hoc plus quā dici potest, difficile est.
gLuth. tom. 3. f. 421.Luther, In carne nulla debet esse libertas: Debemus enim subjecti esse parentibus, Magistratibus, & in summâ, omnium servi esse, sed in Spiritu & conscientiâ Liberrimi ab omni servitute, ibi nulli credimus, nulli confidimus, nullum timemus, nisi solum Christum, qui regnat inter medias afflictiones cum gaudio, & laetitia, inter media peccata, cum virtute & fortitudine.
fLuth tom. 4.149.These words, Liberty from the wrath of God, law, sin, death, &c. are soon said, but to finde the greatnesse of this liberty, and the fruite thereof, in a conflict and agony of conscience, and apply it practically, is more hard then can be spoken.
So he expresly, clearely, this Liberty, gLuth. tom. 3. f. 421.in the flesh (that is, in sinning) there ought to be no liberty: for we ought to be subject to Parents, Magistrates, and finally the servants of all, but in the spirit and conscience we are most free from all servitude: for there we beleeve none, trust in none, feare none, but onelyonly Christ, who reignes in the midst of afflictions, with joy and gladnesse, in the midst of sins with strength and courage.
Its clear, by the flesh, Luther cannot mean, as Antinomians, and Papists, with Libertines doe, the sensitive part, which they call the Asse,How the conscience is free according to the minde of Luther. contradistinguished from the minde, will, and conscience, as if the renewed man in whole sinned not, with will, affection, reason, conscience, for the reason that Luther giveth, is contrary to that, for, saith he, Wee ought to be subject to Parents, Magistrates, and the servants of all; Now not the flesh onelyonly, but the whole man, and the conscience is subject to the fifth Commandement▪ and to all the ten, to obey Parents and Magistrates, for otherwise the ten Commandements should no more oblige the conscience of beleevers to obey, then the Ceremoniall Law, which is blasphemy: Therefore by Conscience and Spirit, Luther must mean the afflicted conscience, under great conflicts; and in the midst of challenging and accusing sins; So the beleevers conscience is free, and feareth none, but feareth filially, and with a son-ly fear, Christ Jesus only, and is fully free from the feare of condemnation.
Antinomians reply, that the conscience of beleevers is freed from the ten Commandements;That distinction of Antinom. that We cannot sin against God as a commanding lawgiver, but against God Redeemer only, removed. Rise reigne ruine of Antinomia…s in New England. p. 60, 61. art. 2…. as they are a Law and injoyn obedience to the conscience by power or Authority of a Law-giver, for so say they, no beleever can sin against the Law as the Law, either commanding, promising, or cursing. But the beleever may sin against the Law, as sin is ungratitude to Christ the Redeemer, not as it is a thing offending God, the commanding Law-giver, or failing against his Authority. So Mistris Hutchison, and her followers said, Art. 25. Since we are not bound to the Law, as a rule of life, it is not transgression against the Law to sin or break it, because our sins are inward and spirituall, and so are exceeding sinfull, and are onelyonly against Christ.
Answ. There would be some colour in this Answer, if Antinomians did not teach that Beleevers are as free from sin, root, and branch, in the nature and being of it, as Christ himselfe then being once justified, they cannot so much as sin against Christ, nor against the Law, as in the hand of Christ, therefore I heare that Den maintained before a godly and learned Minister, That Christ satisfied for sins onelyonly against the first Covenant, and that wee our selves satisfie for sins against the Covenant of grace, which is to make us joynt-Saviours with Christ. 2. Sinnes committed by Beleevers once justified, are not si…s, because they are against no Law, and involve the trespasser under no guilt, curse, or wrath, for hee is as free, as Christ, from all danger of wrath. 3. These sinnes against the Law in the hand of Christ, or against Christ, are pardoned and fully removed in their nature and being, ere they be committed, say Antinomians. 4. What Scripture shall warrant us to think that Christ who came not to dissolve the Law, in the least Commandement, Mat. 5.18, 19, 20. And who saith, To doe to all men, is wee would they should doe to us, is the whole Law and the Prophets, and obligeth us, hath freed us from the commanding power of the Law, and subjected us to the same Law, as given by Christ.