Examination of Antinomianism, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Touching the Motives of the Law, whether theſe alſo be aboliſhed: So that to propoſe the expectation of reward, as an invitation to good works, and to deter men from ſin by the fear of puniſhment, be altogether inconſiſtent with the Doctrine of Grace.
NOt only the precepts of the Law are bequarrelled by thoſe men, but alſo the Arguments of perſwaſion. In doing good-works and living a godly and holy life, we muſt not at all look to any Reward from God: But muſt do good works meerly in reference to Gods Glory and the good of others. Otherwiſe our ſervice will be meerly mercenary. Grant indeed that we muſt do good works for theſe ends: Grant alſo, That in the obtaining of theſe ends there is a full Satisfaction to a Godly and a Gracious Heart. And yet, why may we not encourage our ſelves to cheerfulneſs in our Obedience, by having an eye to the Recompence of Reward which God hath gromiſed; Doth not the Scripture propound a Reward for our encouragement; And why doth the Scripture propound it, but that we ſhould believe it, and by believing be put forward to work cheerfully; Is it not ſet down as an act of Moſes Faith, and a point of his praiſe, That he had an eye to the Recompence of Reward, Heb. 11. 25. Doth not the ſame Apoſtle ſhew this, That our bleſſed Saviour, by the Joy that was ſet before Him, did ſtir up himſelf to go on cheerfully to the end of his undertakings, Heb. 12. 2. Nay, is not this in part acknowledged by Dr. Criſp, he having ſet down this for a Doctrine, That the laying of ſin upon Chriſt is the Lords own Act: giveth this reaſon for it, Becauſe none elſe could give to Chriſt a proportionable reward; And Chriſt had an eye to ſome good conſideration, and for the proof of this he citeth Heb. 12. 2. And God (ſaith he) to put him on propoundeth rewards unto him, &c. Now then if thus it was with Chriſt, why may it not be lawful for the Chriſtian to help his weakneſs, by having an eye to the recompence of reward? Will they ſay, that this ſevice is mercenary? So they do indeed, but without any juſt reaſon; mercenary ſervice is commonly meaſured by carthly profits and preferments; when a man ſo looketh at them, that where there is no hope of ſuch a reward, he doth let fall the duty to which he is called. Self-ſeeking is then unlawful and ſinful, when Self is the ultimate end of our deſire. But he that in feeking the good of his body and ſoul ſerveth Chriſt, i. e. ſo deſireth his own good that he may ſerve Chriſt, is acceptable to God and approved of man.
This being ſo, Why are we blamed for preſſing men to holineſs, and encouraging them in it by putting them in minde of that reward which is provided? Theſe men flye out upon ſuch exhortations: This is not to preach Free-grace, this is to bring in Popery, and to teach men to hang their Salvation upon their merits, to expect their reward for their Works ſake. No ſuch matter, it is not Popery to preach the expectation of a reward upon the conſcionable performance of duties enjoyned: If it be, ſurely Chriſt and his Apoſtles taught ſo before us; If we have not them for our Preſidents let us be condemned. For why? doth not our Saviour mention that greatneſs of reward as a Motive to patience in perſecution, Mat. 5. 12. To love our Enemies, Mat. 5. 46. To faſt and pray in ſecret, Mat. 6. 6. 18. Doth our Saviour herein teach Popery, or doth he croſs the Doctrine of Free grace and Juſtification without Merits? Doth not Saint Paul tread in the ſame ſteps? urging patience in afflictions, 2 Cor. 4. 17. Perſeverance in goodneſs and godlineſs, 1 Cor. 15. 58. G…l. 6. 9, 10. Bountifulneſs to the poor Saints, 2 Cor. 9. 6. 2 Tim. 6. 19. Confidence in God, Heb. 10. 35. All theſe by an Argument drawn from the expectation of that benefit which ſhould accrew unto them. Doth not Saint Peter make uſe of the ſame Motive to preſs the ſame duties? See theſe Texts, 1 Pet. 5. 4. and 2 Pet. 1. 11. and 3. 11.
They Reply, That Divines do grant the reward is to be eyed as an encouragement; But it is promiſed to the worker, not to the work: We do not ſtumble at this, nor ſtick upon it, nay we ſubſcribe hereunto; but they adde, It is due for his Faiths ſake before he performed any thing: I demand, whether this do not ſeem to be againſt all reaſon: Due it is to the worker, but yet in relation to his work; Due unto him for his Faiths ſake, but not before he perform any thing: No, he muſt work, and then by Faith lay hold upon the Promiſe: His Faith … reth him of the reward, by aſſuring him that the Promiſe belongs to him, and that is two ways: 1. As one in Chriſt. 2. As one working and walking as becometh a Chriſtian: He muſt be in the Vine, and he muſt bear Fruit; If either of theſe be wanting he may fail: If an Heathen did the ſame work it would not avail him; The Promiſe is made to the worker, not to the work: If any Chriſtian do neglect this work, he cannot expect this reward. The Promiſe is to the worker, yet in relation …o his work. Deny this, and you deny the diverſity of manſions and different degrees of Glory whereof out Divines do ſpeak, out of theſe Texts, Dan. 12. 2. Joh. 14. 2. 1 Cor. 15. 41. I cannot tell, but I think I am not far wide in my conjecture: Theſe men do make ſo much of their Faith, as if that alone might do all both in Iuſtification and Sanctification: And as by Faith they muſt lay hold upon Chriſts Righteouſneſs for juſtification, ſo to ſave themſelves a labor of working out their ſalvation by duties of holineſs, they will by Faith alſo lay claim to the Holineſs of Chriſt for their ſanctification: And ſo the ſanct fication of a Chriſtian, ſhall be nothing elſe but the Imputation of Christs Holineſs to him, not any quality at all infuſed into him, or inherent in him. And if ſo, what ſhall be the meaning of theſe Texts, Be ye holy in all maner of converſation: Be ye perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect: Grow in grace: Work out your ſalvation: Adde to your Faith vertue, to vertue knowledge, &c. Note that Text, I beſeech you, Saint Peter doth not lay all the load upon Faith; Nor ſo urge it, as if it alone might do all: No, but he would have all vertues and fruits of the Spirit joyned with it.
Theſe men do quarrel us for preſſing good works, as if with the Papiſts we did teach men to ſeek life and Salvation by their works: But I fear their drift is to baniſh out of the Church all care of Holy duties, all care of Repentance and new Obedience. Did they preſs theſe at all, we ſhould the leſs ſcruple at the motives; though there is no reaſon, why we ſhould caſt a way ſuch motives, as the Scripture hath appointed for that purpoſe; why ſhould we think our ſelves wiſer herein then God, or better acquainted with our own ſtrength then he? as if we could walk without that ſtuff which he hath provided for us. But we can not finde them reaching any neceſſity of theſe duties at all. And for their Diſciples, we finde ſome of them caſting away all care of duties, yea and diſputing againſt them: No conſcience made of Sanctifying the Lords day in publique: No care of family duties in private: plain neglect, yea oppoſition of days and times of Eaſting and Humiliation: No neceſſity of Repentance and ſorrow ſon Sin. And certainly where there is ſo little reſpect had to the Duties of Piety, it may well be doubted there is not overmuch care of Juſtice and Honeſty.
Now for that other motive of the Law, viz. Threatning of danger in caſe of negligence and diſobedience: They ſay, Since all do grant, that the curſe of the Law is abrogated, why ſhould Chriſtians be terrified with it; Is not this to call them back to the yoke of Bondage? Surely no, Except they will ſay that Chriſt and his Apoſtles did ſo: we walk in their ſteps, ſo that either they muſt acquit us or condemn them. See for this that of our Saviour, Mat. 5. 25. 29. & Mat. 6. 15. and 7. 1. Doth it not appear by theſe Texts, that our Saviour hath renewed the penalty of the Law to make men cautelous and conſcientious in their duties: Do not the Apoſtles tread in the ſame ſteps? Other Arguments, I grant, are more frequent, yet otherwhiles we finde them propounding the danger of Sin: See theſe Texts, Rom. 6. 23. & 8. 13. & 13. 2. 2 Cor. 3, 17. & 6, 9. & 9. 16. & 11. 29. 2 Cor. 5. 11. Gal. 5. 21. & 6. 8. Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 8. 1 Theſſ. 4. 6. James 5. 1. 2 Peter 2. & 3. And what ſhall we ſay; Do the Apoſtles in theſe Texts call men back again to the yoke of Bondage?
Two Reaſons are alleaged againſt the uſe of thoſe Comminations: 1. Chriſtians need them not. 2. They need not fear them. That they need them not, they endeavor to prove by this reaſon; Becauſe (ſay they) Believers are of an ingenuous diſpoſition, and led by a free Spirit: The Spirit of Chriſt doth ſweetly incline the Heart to love God and Man; yea by Faith bringing love is man enlarged and prepared to the Duties of the Law: Nor need he be tyed and bound to it as a Bear to the ſtake. I anſwer, That what is here ſaid is right, if rightly underſtood: Only remember, that this is a ſtate of perfection to which the Holy heart aſpireth indeed, yet hardly attaineth. And therefore there is ſtill need of the Law and the Motives thereof to excite and ſtir up our over-ſlothful & ſluggiſh minds: The Spirit of Chriſt, I grant, doth execute the office of the Law, whether conſidered as the Rule, or the Principle of well doing; the Spirit is both Principle and Rule: but by reaſon of that rebellion which is in the fleſh, there is uſe of the Law and of the terror thereof: the Spirit doth make uſe of them to ſhake off that ſluggiſhneſs that is in us. As he doth teach, ſo doth he incline the Heart: Teach he doth, not only by inward Motions and Suggeſtions, but alſo by external Precepts and Inſtructions: ſo doth he incline and diſcipline the heart by external motives, no leſs then inward motions: external motives I ſay, viz. the Promiſes and Threatnings of the Law.
Object. Is not this to call for an outward Authority to incline the Heart to that which it hath none affection nor inclination?
Sol. Nothing leſs: It is indeed to call for an outward authority or Argument to quicken the Soul unto that unto which though by Grace it hath an inward affection, yet by reaſon of the powerful relliques of Corruption, that inward affection is not ſtrong enough to prevail without ſome outward helps; we know that a Crutch doth no harm to the weak and feeble, nor do we account of Chriſtians moved by fear to be as a Bear tyed to a ſtake: We know that they have in them an ingenuous and free Spirit by which they are led, but we know that there is in them alſo the Body of Sin ſtill dwelling; the Luſts whereof are violent and muſt be kept under by the Law: We fear to let the Chriſtian looſe too ſoon, leaſt like Heirs that come to their Eſtate before they be wiſe, they ſquander it away & ſpoil all: we know that they have the Spirit of Faith which worketh by love: But we know alſo that the ſame Spirit worketh by Fear; Love and Fear are as the weights and plummets of the Soul: Love is indeed the ſweeteſt and moſt potent, but it is not for beginners and Babes in Chriſt; Theſe like School-boys muſt otherwhiles be frighted into their Duty: were there no fleſh in believers, fear might be laid aſide, while there is Fleſh in them, there is uſe of fear: If not, why is it part of the promiſe in the New Covenant, Ier. 32. 40. I will put my Fear into their Hearts.
They grant, That the Law doth not loſe his Dominion till the Grace of God do challenge us to it ſelf, that it may reveal Righteouſneſs in us: very good (ſay I) but adde this, That the Law doth not loſe his Dominion wholly, till the Grace of God hath revealed Righteouſneſs in us, i. e. till it hath ſet up the reign of Grace and ſubdued corruption, which is the daily endeavor of the Spirit, but much retarded by the fleſh, nor will it be perfected till this life be changed. It is not denyed, but while the Spirit of Love is active fear may ſtand aſide: But we know, that when the Heart is taken up with the pleaſures of Sin, as too often it is, the Spirit of God muſt uſe the whip of the Law to fetch it off again: otherwiſe it is hardly reclaimed. Nor do we deny, but that according to their Doctrine and Definition of a true Believer, there is no liberty ſet up nor given to the Fleſh: But we ſay, it is a Doctrine and Difinition not fitted to the ſtate of a Chriſtian in this life: To walk by Love, is the Duty of a Chriſtian, not the Definition: This motive and mean which they preſcribe, viz. The Love of Chriſt, is potent and prevalent to lead men on in Holineſs, if it meet with an Heart rightly fitted and qualified: But it is not for the common temper of Chriſtians, as Saint Paul ſaid of the Law, It was too weak, Rom. 8. 3. Not in it ſelf, but in reſpect of mans impotency: So ſay we of this love, the only motive by which theſe men would have Chriſtians dealt withall; It is ſtrong in it ſelf, but not ſtrong enough to over bear the power and prevalency of Corruption ſtill remaining: Needs muſt we call in the help of this fear, the fear of danger that may come by Sin to keep men, even the beſt of Chriſtians from daring to meddle with it.
Well, But to what end ſhould theſe threatnings be uſed, ſince Chriſtians need not fear them: How ſo? Becauſe, by vertue of their juſtification they are delivered from the curſe of the Law: To this I might anſwer, That their Juſtification doth not free them from the Rod. What was ſaid of the Seed of David, is true alſo of the Seed of Chriſt the Son of David; If they break my Statutes and keep not my Commandments, then will I viſit their Tranſgreſſion with the Rod, and their Iniquity with ſtripes, Pſal. 89. 31. They may, and do ſmart for their ſins, as appeareth by the grievous complaints of divers holy men of God, Pſal. 77. and 88. 15. Now then, if they be lyable to ſmart and ſuffer for their ſin, may they not be threatned and put in fear thereof, that fear may make them watchful and careful? Not for ſin (ſay theſe men) doth the Believer ſmart and ſuffer, but from ſin, i. e. In the way of prevention, not in the way of puniſhment: A fond and a fooliſh poſition, contrary to the Text of Scripture, which directly ſaith, For this cauſe many among you are weak and ſick, and ſome are fallen a ſleep, 1 Cor. 11. 30. contrary to reaſon: Why doth one Chriſtian ſmart rather then another? Hath he in him more ſeeds of ſin then another? contrary to experience: What Father doth correct his childe for a fault not yet committed? And whoſe conſcience doth not tell him, that his ſin hath procured theſe things to himſelf? Even Job is at it, I have ſinned, what ſhall I do unto thee, Job. 7. 20.
I might adde, That if their juſtification doth exempt them from being caſt into Hell, yet doth it not exempt them from having an Hell caſt into them, even the very flames and fl…ſhes of that fire and brimſtone, for a time caſt into their ſouls, to drink up their ſpirits, and dry up the moiſture of their vital parts, as the experience of divers holy Saints of God doth teſtifie.
But this I urge finally, That notwithſtanding their juſtification, they are not exempted from the fear of Hell it ſelf. Iuſtification doth onelyonly free them from this fear, while they walk worthy of it; But ſuppoſe them ſinning againſt the Law of holineſs, ſuppoſe them ſtepping aſide from Chriſt, and wandring into the way of ſin, they cannot be free from the fear of death: The Apoſtle ſaith, If ye live after the fleſh ye ſhall dye, nor doth he make any exception of the juſtified perſon. So that if you can ſuppoſe a juſtified perſon ſinning (as no doubt but he may, otherwiſe in vain had S. Paul to them of whom he had ſaid, 1. Cor. 6. 11. Ye are juſtified, recommended this exhortation, verſe 18. Flee Fornication) if you can ſuppoſe him ſinning, I will conclude him thereby in danger of death, and till he repent and return to Chriſt, that he may gain the pardon of this ſin alſo, he cannot be out of the fear of death. Nay more, if you can ſuppoſe him ſinning, and dying in his ſin without repentance for that ſin, I will conclude him in the ſtate of death and condemnation, or elſe Saint Paul was deceived; He ſaith, If ye live after the fleſh, ye ſhall dye, Rom. 8. 13. and again, He that ſoweth to the fleſh, ſhall of the fleſh reap corruption, Gal. 6. 8. If you will exempt him from all poſſibility of ſinning, and from all poſſibility of living after the fleſh; Then I grant, he need not fear death and Hell: But if ſuch only be true Believers, I ſuppoſe you muſt go out of the World to ſeek for your true Believers.
Conſequently, ſince it cannot juſtly and truly be ſaid, either that Believers need not the threats of the Law, or that they need not fear them, it is fit that they ſhould hear them, and have them preſſed upon the conſcience: The threats, I ſay, and therefore much more the precepts and duties of the Moral Law. This we teach, and thus we practiſe, For by Faith we do not make void the Law, nay we do eſtabliſh it, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 3. 31. Our Faith in Chriſt doth give us an intereſt in the Promiſe of life and ſalvation: But our Conformity to Chriſt in holineſs, and the daily growth and increaſe thereof, is that which doth by degrees fit and faſhion us for it. Well therefore ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthines of the fleſh and ſpirit, perfecting holineſs in the fear of God.