Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 2 · Chapter 52 – Chapter 53
CHAP. LII. That we are not freed from outward Ordinances, nor is it Legall to be under them, as Antinomians say.
ANtinomians pick a quarrell against the Law, and Town …ss…r. 8.….would have us freed from it, because it sanctifieth not, and cannot give us grace to obey; but by this wee are not under the Gospel, because the Gospel of it selfe, or any word of grace without the Spirit cannot worke faith, or give grace or sanctifie. But I know Antinomians thinke that the Spirit freeth us from all outward ordinances, from any obligations, that an outward command can lay on us, whether of Law, or Gospel. For Saltmarsh bS…ltmarsh Free grace, 179▪ 180.teacheth us, That the Spirit of Adoption worketh Legally, not freely; when wee doe things meerely as commanded from the power of an outward Commandement, or precept in the word, that brings forth but a Legall, or at best, but a mixt obedience, and service of something, a finer hypocrisie. But if hee meane, by a meere outward command, the letter onelyonly pressing obedience, without the acting of the Spirit, or any influence of the life of Christ; this is a dead work, and cannot come at all meerely from the power of an outward command; for the very outward command of the Gospel holdeth forth to the understanding, in the very Letter (which is a signification of Gods good and holy will) the authority of God, the love of Christ; as this, Peter, lovest thou mee, feed my Lambs: and none can out of the conscience of the majestie, authority, and love of Christ, obey this command, without the influence of the Spirit of grace; so hee refuteth not us, for we teach no such thing.… But Saltmarsh his meaning is, that the meere outward Letter of the sweetest Gospel-command or promise; such, as (He that beleeveth in the Sonne hath life, and shall never come to judgement,) (him that commeth, I will in no sort cast away, but will raise him up at the last day, &c.) layeth no obligation of obedience on us at all; but the Spirit acting, and immediatly moving us effectually to obey, layeth on all the obligation, and all alongs. M. Towne cTown… ass…r, p…g. 3.4.5proveth, wee are freed from the Law, with all its authority, offices, and effects, and are not under the Lawes rule to direct or teach; yea nor is it to give us, (saith dSaltm…r…h Free grace.Saltmarsh) So much as a heame of light; nor to command, bind, or oblige us, because the Law (saith eTowne. …sser▪ pag. 6.Towne) hath not any sanctifying vertue and power to subdue sinne, but we are under grace, that is, the grace of the Gospel, which effectually subdueth sinne and sanctifieth. And this is Townes Argument all alongs, fTowne asser. pag 9.10. pag. 12.13.the Law of works is a meere passive thing; and gTowne asser. pag. 38.vrge the Law never so earnestly with all its motives and meanes, yee can never make me keepe it, ergo, wee are freed from the Law, and clearly hTowne asser. 1…7.then are wee under the commanding power of no outward ordinances, because they cannot effectually sanctifie and subdue sinne; not the preaching of the Gospel, nor the Law, nor praying, nor hearing, nor Sacraments; wee are under nothing but grace, and that onelyonly actuall, such as is the effectuall and irresistible blowing of the Holy Ghost, for sure habituall grace in us cannot effectually worke for the subduing of sin. So say iRise, raigne, …r. 22. Antinomians will have us o…liged to no dutie, which we have no… power to performe, as the old Pelagians ….Libertines of New England, We are under no Gospel-exhortations to beleeve; and none are to bee exhorted to beleeve, but such whom we know to be the elect of God, or to have his Spirit in them effectually. The reason is, outward exhortations oblige none, but the Elect, and not them all; whereas Christ commanded, to preach the Gospel to every kM…rk. …6.15creature, to all lMatth. 18.19.20.Nations. So say they, We are not to mRise, raigne, er. 34.pray against all sinne, because the old man must be in us so long as wee live; So said the Pelagians of old; and nRise, raigne, er. 59.A man may not bee exhorted to any duty, because he hath no power to doe it. All tend to this, that to preach the Gospel to sinners, and for Saltmarsh to write a booke of free grace, is a Legall straine of teaching, and not becomming the glory of the New Testament, because grace goeth not ever along with teaching litterally.
2. We are not under the Gospel, or any Gospel-ordinances, because of our selves we have no power to obey them; this is to make us guilty of no sinne at all, because to sinne is to act against an obligation of a Law, and when grace acteth not on us, we faile against no obligation at all, because we can doe no otherwise.
3. This is deepe Pelagianisme, to say, wee cannot sinne; if we have not power to eschew sinne, and obey God, and to make our owne strength, or the strength of another without us, the measure and binding rule of our obedience.
CHAP. LIII. Necessity of ordinances, and of written and preached Scripture to the most perfect.
FRom this it commeth, that Antinomians aRise, raigne, er. 51.judge, there is no need that a soule once in Christ goe out for new and fresh supply of actuall grace, because it is acted by the Spirit inhabitating. And bS…ltmarsh Free grace, 1…0. New supply from Christ necessary notwithstanding of a s…cke within.Saltmarsh, The more any motion or obedience is caused from things without, the more forced and unnaturall is all such obedience, and the lesse from a spirituall power within. The beleever is (saith Towne) washed from all sinne, made perfectly, just, and holy, the friend and Sonne of God, the Spouse of Christ, the heire of all things, the conquerour of all his enemies, advanced to sit and remaine in the glory of heaven with Christ for ever and ever. — he is out of the power, kingdome, and limits of the Law; he is one Spirit with Christ, — hence is peace, securitie, consolation, joy, contentment, and happines of a Christian.
Hee is a compleat man (if wee beleeve Antinomians,) 1. The word preached, though it dwell within him, yet that it bee applyed by a Preacher from without is necessary, and that Peter writ, Stirre up, and put in remembrance the c2 Pet. 1.12, 13. 2 Cor. 7.6.Saints that Paul be comforted by dPh…l. ….13.Titus, and that Christ from without, blow on, and act the soule to will, and e2 Co…. ….8.to doe; and that Paul beseech Christ fR…m. 7 23.24 25.thrise, and have a new answer, my grace is sufficient for thee, is most needfull. 2. There shall be no ground of new emergent complaints to God. And 3. of praises to Christ, for particular victories over our lusts, and the g2 Cor. 2 14. 2 C…r. …. 9, 10world. 4. Nor any ground of spirituall submission and patience, while the Lord be pleased to deliver; And 5. of trusting in God, and exercising faith in him, who delivereth us h2 Cor. 1.9 10.from so great a pa…ticular death as came on Paul in Asia; and from heavinesse i1 Pet. 1.6, 7.through manifold temptations, if need be, for the triall of our faith. Now if all were within us, and the obedience more violent and Legall, lesse free and connaturall, because we must goe to helps without, faith needed not goe without doores, or without it selfe to Christ, and the in-dwelling Spirit should be one for all meanes and ordinances, and new showres and bedewings, and fresh drops from Christ the honey-combe of heaven, should be uselesse, our stock within should doe all, nor should we know what it is to walke or stand on our owne clay-legs. Its true, if externalls, and the Crosse, or the Letter of Law, or Gospel, onelyonly move us to obedience, and there be no internall principle of grace within us, then the obedience is but finer hypocrisie, and lesse free, and more violent, and as it were, forced. But Antinomians imagine a beleever to bee so perfect, because pardoned, that the Spirit within him doth all, and needeth neither Ministers nor ordinances; because helps without are Legall, not Gospel-like.