Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 2 · Chapter 63
CHAP. LXIII. We need Law-directions, the Law and the Spirit are subordinate, not contrary.
ANtinomians aSaltmarsh Free grace. pag. 146▪ 147denying holynesse to bee now fashioned by the Law of outward Commandement, but by the preaching of Faith, will not have us to borrow so much as light and direction from the Law; because 1. The Law is the beame, the light in the first day of Creation, the candle the Sream, and the Word is made flesh and dwells amongst us; and he the Sunne, the true light, the day light, the fountaine, and Christ will not be beholding to any of the light on Moses his face. But the place 2 Cor. 3. that Saltmarsh alludeth to, is the light of a convinced conscience, We need Law-light to teach us our duty, whether Antinomians wi…l or no.by which a man seeth himselfe condemned by the Law-ministration of wrath; this light and glory is done away, where the Spirit of Jesus is; but the light of teaching direction to know our dutie, and how we are to order our walking in Gospel-holinesse, which the Spirit borroweth from the ten Commandements delivered by Moses, is established and taught by Christ, and not removed; for if Gospel-grace extirpate this light of the Morall Law, either out of our heart, or out of the written Commandements and writings of Moses; then surely Christ is come to dissolve the Law, and to teach men neither to doe, nor obey Law-commandements, seeing it is essentiall to the Law, as a Sunne shining, whether hell, and Antinomians will or not, till Christs second comming, to give light, and shew what is our dutie, Psal. 19.7, 8.9. Math. 5.1, 2, 3, &c. 19.20. And 2. if the light of direction that the Law yeeldeth be removed, and lay no obliging power on us, more then a candle serveth to give us light in day-light; or the light created the first day of the creation, which is gone now, when Sunne and Moone are created, I see not, how we sinne not in worshipping God, in abstaining from Idol-worship, blasphemie, swearing, in loving, and honouring our Parents, and in loving our neighbour as our selfe; for wee have no warranting light to doe these, but that Law of Moses, which Christ expresly said, he came not to destroy in the personall practise of his Saints; yea these beames in all their smallest titles, must stand firmer then heaven or earth, Math. 5.17, 18, 19, 20. and therefore the spirit of Satan devised a combate and contrariety between the directing light of the Law and the Gospel, and betweene Moses and Christ, in this sense; as if Sanctification by the light of the Law, and the grace of the Gospel, which are sweetly subordinate, were contrary one to another, as fire and water; eternall fire must be their portion, that so teach, except they repent. 3. Saltmarsh citeth these, The word is made flesh — We saw his glory, Saltmarsh sides with Familists.&c. to prove that the Law is now not in the Letter, but in the Spirit, and wee need not the Law, the Spirit sanctifieth. Just so did Henry Nicholas, and the Familists say, God incarnate was Christ manifested by love, and a vision of God, in the hearts bSee the Bright Star.of their perfect ones; and the incarnation was but every holy Saint, Godded and Christed in H. Nichol, and such like, and God manned by the Saints; and the Familists Rise, raigne, er. 21of New England say, As Christ was once made flesh, And Theologia Germanica.so he is now first made flesh in us, ere we be carried to perfection. The Word of God speaketh but of one incarnation; for the Lords comming in the flesh may prove a fuller measure of grace, but it never proveth, that 1. The Law is now in the Spirit. 2. That the ten Commandements under Moses are removed. 3. That all their directing light is quite gone, and as uselesse now as a candle in day light. I should wish Saltmarsh would come from under his veiles, and speake truth, and feare not to owne Familists, if they bee his, and renounce Protestant Legalists, as he speaketh.