Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 2 · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX. Of the threatnings of the Law and Gospel.
TOuching the third part, as the Law is in strict tearmes divided from the Gospel. 1. The Law-threatnings are on the person for the actions, and for the least faile in thought, word, or deed; but the Gospel-threatnings are rather on the …tate, then the actions; or if they be on the actions, it is for the condition and state; therefore the learned Pareus a…saith, that the Gospel, as the Gospel, hath no threatnings at all. For indeed the state of the kingdome of the beleever fenceth him from the curse; bRom. 8.…. Io…. 3.…8.he is free from condemnation, because he is under another King, then the man that is under the Law. As the man in Scotland is free from Murther which he committed in Spaine, not because his act of Murther deserveth not hee should die; but because he is a member of the state of Scotland, and no penal law of Spaine can reach him in that Sate. Pareus thus farre saith true, that it is the Law properly that curseth, and that the Gospel, as the Gospel, curseth not, but is properly glad tydings. For 1. He that beleeveth not foreign, is already condemned; that is, before his unbeliefe, sentence is passed on him by the Law, and the Gospel doth but ratifie the sentence. For if we suppose there had never been a Gospel, nor a Mediatour, the sinner should have been a cast-away and sentenced man; but now because he beleeveth not d…he shall not see life, but the wrath of God foreign: abideth on him; then it was on him before, if hee should beleeve in the Sonne of God, the sentence of the Law should be taken off, the Prince offereth a pardon of grace to a man that hath … h…s Sonne, so he will accept of it, he refuseth to accept of a Pardon, and therefore dyeth rather for his bloud-sh…d then for his not accepting pardon, it would seeme among men too l…w a cause of death, to put him to death, for refusall of a pardon; at … the sentence was given out for killing the Kings Sonne, onelyonly he dyeth more deservedly, that both he killed the Son, and despised his Princes grace; or rather his doome is aggravat…d, and the chaines of Capernaum, are made heavie…, because they comparatively justifie Sodome, and so the Gospel-vengeance is an addition to the Law-vengeance, as he that dyeth of an extreame distemper of body, and by a gracious Physitian may be cured, but refuseth the medicine, the distemper is the Physicall cause of his death, his contempt of the art of the Physitian is the morall cause, and a reason why he dyeth without the compassion of his friends, and with greater torment of mind to himselfe; Yea, Faith is not properly the cause that hath any effective influence on so noble effects, as are free pardon, and free salvation, farre lesse is it any meritorious cause. Christ hath no joint causes with him in this excellent worke of saving a sinner; unbeliefe is a morall cause, non removens prohibens.
2. The Gospel is an exception of grace against the Law; for the Law saith, He that sinnes shall dye; the Gospel addeth, except he beleeve; or, he shall certainly dye, except he beleeve in him who justifieth the ungodly; so that the Gospel saith Amen to the Lawes threatning, and taketh them not off, nor contradicteth them in their owne nature▪
3. What ever threatnings are executed against an unbeleever, they are the Law-threatnings; its a Law-death that the unbeleever dyeth; for all that eternally perish, doe perish under the law, and the covenant of works; never man▪ is lost under Christ; if therefore the Gospel say, Whoremon…ers, Adulterers, Murtherers, Drunkards, shall not inherite the kingdome of God, this threatning doth necessarily presuppose a Law-state, if they which doe such things, remaine under the Law, otherwise the Gospels intent is not that they perish, but that they beleeve and be saved,
CHAP. X. Of Gospel feare.
… with Gospel-freedome to feare hell, so wee … and punishment more then sinne; for sinne is a … then punishment. For 1. we are commanded to … him, who can cast both soule and body into hell a…. 2. Its not a Law-spirit of bondage, that some tremble at the word of …, b…nor for Josiahs h…rt to melt at the reading of the …aw. 3. Not to be affraid of judgement, is a part of a heart rockie and hardened. Though Felix his trembling at judgement did prove him to bee under the Law, because hee feared onelyonly …udgement, and judgement as a greater evill then sinne. Nor is it mercinary to love the reward, so it be not more in our intention, then a holy communion with God. For 1. Moses by Faith had an eye to the recompence of reward c…. Paul set the garland before him as his end d…. 2 Wee are commanded so to runne, that we may obtaine e…: to lay up a sure foundation, that we may f…lay hold on life eternal. OnelyOnly wee are not to make happinesse, and our created blessednesse, so much out formall end in running our race, as holynesse and our objective happinesse, which is God himselfe, If Antinomians would difference betweene love of a hire, and hireling love; then should not g…Towne condemne the just; nor can the Fathers under the Law, be said to have served the Lord with an upright heart, if they served him for hire, which Satan judged hypocrisie in Job cap. 1. vers. 9.10. See Psalm. 73.25. Job 13.15.