Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 1 · Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. How Ordinances and the letter of the Word are Instruments of conveying of Christ and his grace …o us, and neither adored of us, nor uselesse to us.
31. NO outward Ordinance or Ministration of the Creature, or of Letter, can convey or conferre any spirituall thing, they are but images or shadowes of spirituall things, the seeing of things darkly, as in a glasse, 1 Cor. 13. Sparkles of glory, p. 247.
Answ. This is that which Swenckfield and Mr. Dell, and all Libertines teach, that the written, read, and preached Word, is no instrument of saving soules; because it is not an effectual instrument without the Spirit; but the word internall, or the Spirit within teaching, must be all; then is every mans inward word, Spirit, Conscience, his Bible, Rule and obliging L…w: and every man is obliged to follow his blind guide, his conscienc…, and then he is not infallible. Hence no compulsion in matters of Conscience; yea, nor in Polygamy, murther, For the Word is no Rule, say Familists.
2. There is not one faith, but every man hath a faith and Religion of his own, by which he is saved.
32 Saltmarsh now riseth higher, for whereas he said, Free grace c. 49. p. 179, 180. To doe any thing merely as commanded from the power of an outward commandement, brings but forth legall and mixt service, or at best finer hypocrisie. Now hee saith in his Sparkles of glory, now the outward Ordinance or ministration of the creature or of the letter cannot convey spirituall things to us, and epist. to the Reader p. 6. The other opinion (of Protestants) is that the letting up of such a forme (of worshiping God in ordinances, scripture, letter of the word, praying, faith, habits of graces, &c.) is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it; which is indeed, a finer kind of Idolatry, The minde of Saltmarsh and his Familists concerning ordinances such as scripture, praying, preaching, sacraments &c.to conceive that God enters into out…ard things, and conveys his alglorious and allmighty spirit by them, when as they are onelyonly signes, figures, and Images of more spirituall things injoyed, or to be injoyed, and that of Gods appearance, and conveyance of himselfe in outward things according to this opinion, is such as the Papists hold, as to Images, &c. Or things conferring grace ex opere operato, and all Idolaters accordingly conceiving that God immediatly informes and glorifies, and spiritualizeth those formes and figures to the beholders; as the Israelites when the Calfe was made cryed these are thy Gods O Israel.
I know Ordinances used in their true nature and as things that are the parables, figures, and types of spirituall thing…, are not to be rejected, but many Christians doe sweetly partake of them in this their estate of weakenesse or bondage, wherein God makes heavenly things appeare by earthly, that men as Thomas may see and beleeve, though blessed are they that have not seene, and yet doe beleeve.—Th…re is something of the mystery of God in this, and som…thing of a mystery of Sathan in it: That of God is this, that the Lord doth in much wisdome suffer the weakenesse of some spirituall men to come forth, and by this hee carieth spirituall things in more mystery, and manageth the glory of his spirit through wayes and things which are an offence and scandal before the world, by which some stumble and fall and are broken, Christ was set up for the falling as well as rising of many in Israel. That of Sathan is this, of reproaching the pure spirit of God by reproaches, viz. Of praying by the spirit, and preaching by the spirit, and new revelations, and new lights, thus making the world blaspheme, and the weaker Saints affraid of the glory of the spirit▪ lest it proove delusions.
Answ. Here is, good Reader, a more avowed reproaching of the wisdome of God in Ordinances, Familists and Antinomians willingly mistake and pervert Scripture, while they conceive the letter that killeth (which is the Law of wo…ks, as opposed to the Gospel, and nothing else,) to be the whole Ordinances of God as in formes, that is, the written scriptures, praying, preaching, seales, hearing, conference, and that if we beleeve, God conveys his spirit in, or by these,What is meant by le…ter and Spirit in the Gospel. we are Idolaters and worship God in formes, images and signes: the very Doctrine of H. Nicholas, but Rom. 7.6. the oldnesse of the letter is the law commanding intire and absolutely perfect obedience under a curse, and having no promise of the spirit and grace, to obey, and this oldnesse of the letter is the meere letter of the law, as law-holding us as the Sonnes of the old Adam under condemnation. And the newnesse of the spirit is the grace of the Gospel inabling us to obey what the law commandeth, and whereas we cannot obey perfectly, assuring us we are under a new Husband and Surety who by his merits takes away the guilt of our sinne, for the oldnesse of the letter is opposed to the newnesse of the spirit in the Text, as two contrary states, to wit, the state of Law, and the state of Grace, which are as two contrary Husbands, the one saving, the other condemning.
But the oldnesse of the letter, or of the law is not contrary to the ordinances of scripture, Hearing, Praying, Sacraments; for then the law should condemne and forbid all these, which it doth not.
2 Because Paul had called the Law the oldnesse of the letter, some might say, then the Law is essentially an ill thing, and sin. He answereth, ver. 7. What shall wee say then? is the Law sin? God forbid. Then it is cleare, by the oldnesse of the letter, he meant the law.
3 The oldnesse of the letter is opposed in the Text to the newnesse of the spirit, then the oldnesse of the letter cannot be ordinances, scripture, the letter of the Law and Gospel, the written and preached word, for the written and preached word is never opposed to the grace of Christ, or the renewing spirit. The word & spirit are diverse, never opposite or contrary. And 2 Cor. 3. the letter is not the written word, and seales, and ordinances, and Ministers preaching the Gospel.
1 Because Paul saith expresly, God hath made us able Ministers of the new Testament. Now sure, in this sense, they were Ministers of the letter to the far largest part to whom they preached, yea the savour of death unto death, 2 Cor. 2.16. and their Gospel hid, and so a mere letter to these that perish, yea, and to the most part to a world, 2 Cor. 4.3, 4. but they were Mininisters of the spirit, not of the letter, not because they preached not the letter, and externall word of the crosse to the effectually called, for the contrary is said, 1 Cor. 1.23. and if the letter be ordinances, the Apostles were Ministers of the letter to all saved, and not saved; for word, and seals, and Law, and Gospel, were written, spoken, preached, held forth by the Apostles, to both saved, and lost in the visible Church. But Paul expresly denies that they were Ministers of the letter, but of the spirit.
2 The letter is the ministration of death. The ministration of death, written on stones only; And not on fleshly tables of the heart, not the Law written in the inward parts. Jer. 31. For this Law on stones, is the Law commanding, but promising no grace to obey, and commanding all, and perfect obedience under a curse and eternall wrath, and for that a killing letter, yea, for that, the ministration of death, the letter is not then new Testament ordinances, as the written and preached Gospell and seales of the Covenant, for as these are written on paper, and not on the heart, they are also a killing letter, but not in the Apostles sense, and yet the Apostles were Ministers of the new Testament in these, to those that were lost and to those that were saved.
3 The ministration of death had a glory that Israel could not behold, and if a glory then a spiritualnesse, as it is v. 7. and v. 9: it is called glory, but letters graven on stones are dead of themselves, and have no glory at all, except in the thing signified, then the written Law, as it is here spoken of, is not a naked signe, figure, and shadow, But a spirituall ordinance including the thing signified, and so something of God, and therefore the Letter or ministration of death here, cannot be so large as all written or preached ordinances and seales, and that as they are meere formes, types, figures.
4 The letter spoken of here, v. 11 is done away and opposed to that which remaineth, and is not done away, but the letter of the written Law, and the Ordinance of the Gospel, preaching of Christ, and the seales of the new Covenant, and expresly the Lords Supper, are not in this sense a letter, a meere sign, figure, and shaddow, for they are not done away. The old and new Testament doe remaine, and must be preached till Christs second comming. Yea, that the letter and outward ordinances are not done away, as Moses his veile, and his shaddows and types, is most evident in that John who wrote after the ministration of the Spirit was come, and to these who have the anointing that teach them all things, 1 John 2.27. saith expresly, 1 John 1.3. we declare unto you (by writing) the word of life, 1 John 2.1. I write these ver. 12. I write to you little Children, 13. I write to you Fathers, 14. I have written, 26. These things have I written to you concerning them that seduce you, and Paul must be a Minister of the letter in all the Epistles he wrote to the Churches by this way.
5 The Gospel and new Testament Ordinances are delivered with much plainenesse of speech, v. 12. and the old Testament is yet to be read, and far more the new Testament is to be read and preached, as is cleare v. 14. Then the letter cannot comprehend all Ordinances, and old and new Testament in their formes, and preaching to be done away, as Familists dreame.
2 As touching the supposed Idolatry of serving God in Ordinances, written, read, and preached Scriptures of the old and new Testament. 1. We doe not include and imprison the infinite God who is incomprehensible in sounds, letters, writen or spoken; in creatures, Sacraments, that are not God (we confesse) but holy and warrantable Ordinances of God, for we are here to do as God himself doth, for we teach no man to fix or pin the Almighty within his ordinances, the way of the Spirit with the word we dare not determine, but the Spirit goes along with the word, the Lord putteth his word and his Spirit in the holy seed in Covenant with him, Esa. 59.21. The foolishnesse of preaching is a mean to save 1 Cor. 1.23.18. And if it be Idolatry to serve God in his own Ordinances. Familists stumble the same way at preaching, calling it Idolatry, as these that were lost break their necks upon the preaching of the Gospell as foolishnesse, 1 Cor. 1.18.23. And these that stumbled at the word, 1 Pet. 1.2.8. stumbled not at the internal word and the law written in their heart, the only word of Swinckefeld and Familists, Saltmarsh and Familists call it Idolatry to se…ve God in ordinances, the contrary is proven.but at the externall word preached, for they never knew the internall word. 2. When (saith he) Protestants set up such a form of worshipping God (in Ordinances, hearing, searching the Scriptures, reading, praying, seales) it is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit upon it, and indeed a finer kinde of Idolatry to conceive that God enters into outward things; he means the written and preached Scriptures, Sacraments, praying, hearing, &c. so the Antichristian Beast H. Nicholas speaketh, Evangely, or joyfull message of the Kingdome, chap. 34. But the while now that the Figurative Services and ceremonies of the Christians flourished in their vigor, he hath raised up me H. N. H. Nicholas meaneth hearing, reading of Scrip…ures, and all outward Ordinances, which he calleth Figurative Services and Ceremonies; and Saltmarsh saith, worshipping God according to the Scriptures, is an immediate way of fixing God and his Spirit to this forme. To Scriptures and Ordinances then he giveth us his good leave, except we would be finer Idolaters to follow the Spirit without and beside the Scripture. For the Scripture is but a Form, and a thing of Figures and Letters: And though the Lord and his Spirit be not tyed or fixed to Scriptures, yet are we tyed to the Law and Testimony; and if any spirit, any Apostle Paul, any H. N. or Saltmarsh, will lead us by a Spirit, with another Gospel, we pronounce him accursed, Esay 8.20. Gal. 1.8. 2 Joh. 10.
3. We confesse, if to tremble at the Word, as Josiah did, 2 Kings 22.19. and these in whom God dwelleth, Esay 66.1, 2. Esay 57.15. be a making of an Idoll of the Word, and a Legall service, then did God command and reward Idolatry in the old Testament, which is abominable; and then we professe that wee, under the new Testament, worship God after the way which these men call Idolatry, but mourning and shedding of teares at the seeing of him in the Word preached, whom we have pierced, Zach. 12.10, 11, 12. is no Legall Idolatry, but a Prophesie to be fulfilled under the kingdome of the Messiah: and when the Saints are pricked in heart, and tremble at the Word preached, Acts 2.37.38. Acts 9.5, 6. Acts 16.29, 30. Luke 7.37, 38. They adore not the Letters, nor sounds of the Word, but God that conveyes himselfe to their soules by these meanes of his own appointing.
3. It is abominably false, that God conveyes himselfe in outward things, as Papists say, he conveyes himselfe to the soule by Images: For Images, or Portraits of God, are in themselves religious meanes of worship utterly unlawfull and forbidden in the second Commandement; when as Ordinances are lawfull conveyances of God to sinners. 1 Cor. 1.18. For the preaching of the Crosse, is to them that perish, foolishnesse; but unto us who are saved, it is the power of God. 21. It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching, to save such as beleeve. 23. But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jewes a stumbling-block, to the Grecians foolishnesse, 24. But unto them that are called, both Jewes and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdome of God. Rom. 1.16. For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that beleeveth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, 1 Cor. 2.4, 5. 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. Rev. 1.16. and this is never said of Images in old or new Testament.
4 We utterly deny that God immediatly informes, glorifies, and spiritualizeth these forms and figures, Ordinances are not bare shadowes and Figures.as the Israelites thought that God informed the Calfe. If any idolize the preached or written Word, it is not our doctrine, nor did Saltmarsh ever aim to prove any such thing to be our doctrine, or that the Word heard conferreth grace ex opere operato: If hearing be not mixed with faith, it profiteth nothing, the carnall moralist dreameth, that formes and Church-service will save him, but Protestants teach no such thing.
5. Ordinances are not meere figures and signes, but holy, divine, powerfull signes, like a Hammer, a two edged Sword, weapons mighty through God, and the life, majesty, divinity, power, heaven that is in the Word, doe be-ly Familists: Therefore it is false that in their nature they are but Parables, Figures, and Types. For the words and letters are so▪ but in their sence, as they include the thing sign…fi…d, they are another thing of a higher straine.
6 These Ordinances are the everlasting Gospel, the Covenant, the Lords Supper, in which we annunciate the Lords death till he come again 1 Cor. 11.26. and therefore are not for the state of bondage onelyonly.
7. Nor are Ordinances earthly things, but lively, spirituall, heavenly treasures, 2 Cor. 4.7.
8. Who ever exponed Scripture as Saltmarsh and Familists doe? For he calls the seeing, groping and feeling of the holes in Christs side, and the print of the nailes in his hands and feet, the ordinances of the written and preached Word, and Seales, or Sacraments, by which he clearly insinuates that some never enjoy ordinances of Word, Scripture, and Seales, and yet beleeve in Christ, as …hri…t saith, that …ome never saw, never grop…d the holes in his … and side, …s Thomas did & yet do beleeve, and so are more bl…ss…d the… Thomas. But let Saltmarsh shew who are these who beleeve, and yet their faith came not by hearing, contrary to Rom. 10.14.
9. It is true,Naturall men do not stumble at the letter of the Gospel, but at the thing signified thereby. Christ preached and conveyed to the soules of men by the foolishnesse of preaching, is a scandall to many. But not that only, but that Christ on…y so low & despicable, as a Saviour, shamed, crucified, cursed, rejected, should be the Saviour of the world, and the way to eternall happinesse, is the great scandall, so it is not the Letter, or sound …f words, or the foolishnesse of Figures and Signes, that occasioneth mens stumbling at Christ; but the thing signified in this letter and sound of words: For the Grecians and great wits of the world, did convey their happines they promised to men, by Characters, Letters, and figures, namely, by the Divine writings of Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Seneca, Socrates, and so did the wise Philosophers, who by words and grave sentences would make their Disciples and their Sectaries happy. Then Christ is not appoynted for the ruine of men, and to be a sna…e, because he conveye…h himselfe, his Spirit and faith, salvation and grace, by words: but by words of so despicable and base a Redeemer as Ma…ies Son, hanged on a tree.
10. We cast no reproaches on the Spirit, but are as much for praying by the Spirit, preaching by the Spirit, as he; but not by the Spirit separated from the Word & Revelations. Such 1. as the Word knoweth not: 2. Revelations contrary to the wo…d, for the Scripture saith, the justified person can sin, must confesse sin, because God is faithfull to forgive: But Antinomians say, the spirit, that exponeth Scripture to them without arguing, discoursing, reasoning, or comparing Scripture with Scripture, but by an immediate revelation, teacheth that the justified cannot sinne, are not to confesse sinne, and that they are no more to sorrow for sinne, then …o goe backe again to Legall bondage after they are justifi…d in Christ, which is contradicent to the word of Truth, and therefore such a spirit wee know not.
11. The weaker are much d…l…ded by S…ltmarsh and his, if they beleeve a Spirit separated from th… Word.