Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist, Part 2 · Chapter 93
CHAP. XCIII. Antinomians deny the Law to bee any instrument at all of our Sanctification.
ANtinomians teach, that the aTowne asser▪ grace, pag. 3.…. Del Serm. pag. 17.Law is no instrument of Sanctification, but the Gospel onelyonly. Now the reason they give is, because the bTowne assert. pag. 3.Law commands, but gives no grace; to obey the cTowne. asser. pag. 6.Gospel is the operation of the Spirit, and the ministration of righteousnesse. And in the Gospel (saith dDel S…r. pag. 19. Antinomians make an ignorant and unequall comparison betweene Law and Gospel.Del) The Word and the Spirit are alwaies joyned; and therefore saith Christ, the words that I speake are Spirit and life, that is, they come from the Spirit, and cary Spirit with them.— But in the Law their Letter without was Spirit. Antinomians alwaies compare the Law as the Law, in the cursing Letter of it against sinners, as in the hand of Moses, voyd of the Spirit, not with the Gospel in the Letter of precepts and promises onelyonly, and as void of the Spirit; but with the Gospel in its powerfull and effectuall operation by the Spirit, and its actuall ministration of grace and righteousnesse on the elect onelyonly; and so no marvell the Gospel be Spirit and life, and the Law the dead letter and ministration of death. But compare the Law and Gospel both in their Letter: and the Antinomian differences are false. Its true, the Gospel promiseth a new heart and grace, and righteousnesse to the elect; which the Law as the Law doth not. But the Gospel in its letter doth no more give grace and righteousnesse then the Law; but the Gospel only as accompanied by the Spirit, giveth grace. Antinomians doe dreame, that the Gospel in its Letter is life and Spirit, whereas it is to thousands the savour of death unto death, no lesse then the Law, but …oth Law and Gospel in their onelyonly Letter, through our sinne and unbeliefe are death; onelyonly the Gospel promiseth a new heart and righteousnesse, which the Law doth not, but there the Spirit of grace going alongs with the election of grace, fulfilleth and maketh good the promise in the elect. But the Law in the hand of Christ, even as it condemneth by the operation of the Spirit promised in the Gospel, in the Spirits intention is a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ, and a meanes of our sanctification, though a meanes inferiour to the Gospel.
1. Whatever is a Pedagogue to lead us to Christ our surety is a meanes of sanctification being accompanied by the Spirit, for Christ is our sanctification,The Law an instrument of Sanctification▪ as well as our wisdome and righteousnesse, 1 Cor. 1.31. But such is the Law, Gal. 3.23.24.
2. That which bringeth the knowledge of sinne, and being accompanyed by the operation of the Spirit, serveth to humble us, and render us weary and loaden, leadeth us to Christ, and is a meanes of sanctification. But the Law is such in its office. Rom. 3.20. Rom. 7.7. and in Gods blessing of it by his Spirit, Acts 2.37. Acts 9.5.6.7. Acts 16.26.27.28.
3. That which we are commanded to doe by the grace of Christ, as a testimony of our thankfulnesse, and to make our calling and election sure, and to be a rule of life, obliging us so to walke, that is a meanes of our sanctification. But such is the Law; wee are commanded to doe the Law by grace, as is proved before.
4. If any thing hinder the Law to be a meanes of sanctification, as well as the Gospel, though not in that degree, it is the want of the operation of the Spirit, but this is no cause; because in the Old Testament, when the ministration of the Law was in vigour, and that onelyonly as Antinomians dreame, the Spirit wrought with the Law, or with that which Antinomians call onelyonly Law. Caleb had another Spirit, Numb. 14.24. A Spirit of Faith, where as others could not enter in Gods rest through unbeliefe, Hebr. 3.18.19 A right renewed Spirit, Psalm. 51.10. And the Spirit was promised to the Seed of Jaakob then, as now, Isai. 59.19, 20. (2.) They were justified by faith, as we are, Rom. 4.1, 2, 3, 4.5.…3.24. Pardoned as we are, Psalm. 32.1, 2. Esai. 43.25, 26. Micha 7.19, 20. then they had the Spirit of faith. 3. They prayed in faith, and the power of the Spirit as we doe, 1 Sam. 1. 1 Sam. 2. In all the book of the Psalmes. Daniel 9. Ezra 9.5, 6, 7, &c. And because Christ and his Apostles, Math. 5.1, 2, 3. &c. Paul Rom. 12.1, 2, 3. Coloss. 3.1, 2, 3. Ephes. 4.1, 2, 3, &c. Presse the same Law-dueties commanded in the Law as acts of Sanctication.
5. Whereas Del saith, the Words of Christ are Spirit and life. Just so said the Libertines, and cited the same Text, as Calvine saith, Instruct. advers. Libertat. cap. 10. pag. 442. Verbum Dei Spiritum esse aiant, quia Dominus ait, — verba quae loquor, Spiritus & vita sunt. Pag. 441. Verbum Dei nihil aliud quam Spiritum esse. — Pag. 451. Scripturam in naturali sensu suo acceptam literam mortuam esse, —ide… que missam faciendam, ut ad Spiritum vivificantem veniamus. Were they to Capernaum, that stumbled at his words of life; to Corazin and Bethsaida, to the heardned Jewes, and the blinded Pharisees, Spirit and life? they were death to them, as well as the Law. But saith he, Christs words come from the Spirits, and carry Spirit with them. If he meane a Ministeriall and Propheticall Spirit, not the killing Law came from the Spirit, it is false. Is not the Tenne Commandements, as given by Moses, a part of Scripture? Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Math. 22. And is not all Scripture given by Divine inspiration, no lesse then the Gospel, 2 Tim. 3.16? And doth the Gospel ever carry Spirit with it? Then unbeleevers, the blinded, and hardened hearers of the Gospel, not onelyonly resist the Ministeriall Spirit speaking in Christ, the Prophets, and Apostles, but also the saving regenerating Spirit of Sanctification. Arminians, Socinians, Jesuits, Pelagians, all enemies of free grace, shall close with Del in this, but Del shall not close with himselfe; for he saith, inward Reformation caryeth along with it the Omnipotent power of God, that cannot be resisted, pag. 8.
6. This opinion confoundeth the Gospel, and the Spirit making the Gospel effectuall, as if the Gospel were essentially life, and did save all, elect and reprobate, and were essentially the irresistible speciall Spirit of Sanctification▪ and so the Gospel cannot be the Gospel to these that stumble at the Gospel, but the naked Letter, which they say is proper to the Law and the Gospel, shall bee no Letter at all, no externall command urging us to obedience; and indeed Del pag. 26. saith, there is no Lawes in Gods Kingdome, but Gods Lawes, and hee speaks not one word of the Scripture, and written, and preached Gospel, onelyonly he acknowledgeth three Lawes in Christs Kingdome. One, that the Socinians acknowledge, The Law of a new nature; other two that the Enthysiasts and Antinomians acknowledge, The Law of the Spirit of life that is in Christ; and the third which the Familists call for, to wit, the Law of love. Farewell then Scripture, Law, and Gospel. And Towne goeth before him, who saith, If the Spirit be free, Towne assert. of grace, 138.why will you controule it by the Law. To which I say, because it is the lawlesse Spirit of Enthysiasts, the murthering Spirit of Anabaptists, Libertines, Familists, who kill all as Antichristian that are not of their way; as Del threatneth all Presbyterians in his Preface, that is a Spirit controuled, or contradicted, by the Law or written Word; but not the true Holy Spirit.
FINIS.
End of the text · Samuel Rutherford, Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist (1648)