Animadversions on William Dells Book, Section 2
SECT. II.
I (Saith Paul) through the Law, am dead to the Law: that is, The Law it ſelf, makes me dead to the Law. For the Law with its wrath, and curſe, and puniſhments, hath ſlain me: it hath through my ſin delivered me up to death and hell, (A) without ſhewing me any way of eſcape or deliverance; it hath done againſt me what ever it could do; it hath fully kill'd and ſlain me. And therefore, how can the Law any more give Laws and Commands (B) to a dead man, yea to one whom it ſelf hath ſlain? or how can it expect obedience from ſuch an one? And this ſenſe Chryſoſtom gives of theſe words.
But ſecondly, (C) we conceive theſe words, in another ſenſe, after this manner, I through the Law am dead to the Law, that is, I through a new Law am dead to the old Law; I am dead to the old Law, (which was the Law of the Letter, written in Tables of ſtone) by a new Law, which God hath written in my heart, and inwardparts. foreignAnd this is the Law of Grace, or the Law of the Spirjt of Life, that is in Chriſt Jeſus, which is not a Law conſiſting of Letters, words and ſentences, but is the living word of God, written in our hearts by the living ſpirit of God; according to that of Paul, touching Believers, 2 Cor. 3.3. Ye are the epiſtle of Chriſt, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; and the living Spirit writes a living Law. (D) And this Law makes us dead to the Law: and a man is never truly dead to the Law of the letter, till the Law of the Spirit of life be writ in his heart by the finger of God. But when we have the Law of Grace, which is a living and almighty Law in our hearts, we are then ſafely dead to the Law of the letter.
The Law commands all fleſh that hath not the living Word or Law of life within it ſelf; (E) but when a Believer hath in him the Law of the Spirit, the Law of the letter hath no more power over him: that is, ſo far as he is taken up into that other Law of the Spirit, (F) but no further.
And there is no danger at all in this Doctrine, That the new Law makes us dead to, or delivers us from the old, as ignorant and carnal Chriſtians think there is; inaſmuch as this new Law, imprints in our ſouls the love of righteouſneſſe, and hatred of iniquity: (G) And he that is thus freed from the Law, is the only man that keeps it and fulfils it, through the law of love put into his heart by the Spirit. And this Law of love, doth fulfil the other Law, but never break and violate it. Wherefore, ſaith Paul, I through the Law, am dead to the Law.
ANIMADVERSION 2.
(A) THe Law taken comprehenſively for the whole Law of Moſes, or ſtrictly for the legal Covenant of works, ſheweth a ſinner no way of eſcape from death and hell in it ſelf, without Chriſt. But the Law in the Ceremonial part of it, did ſhew the true way of eſcape from death and hell by Chriſt, Rom. 3.21. Heb. 10.1. Mr. Dells unlimited poſition therefore in this place, needs ſome limitation, or explication, that it may obtain a general approbation.
(B) The Law cannot give commands to a dead man, as far forth as he is dead, that is in the caſe before us, to a believer, as to the ſeeking of righteouſneſſe by the Law: But notwithſtanding this death, yet believers are alive as to the doing of righteouſneſſe according to the will of God expreſſed in his law, Rom. 6.11. Mark 3.35. 1 John 3.7. 1 Theſ. 4.2,3. Yea, they alone can do aright the works of the Law, as Mr. Dell hath before acknowledged; And therefore as to divine direction, the Law of God can give commands to believers, as to living men.
(C) This is a voluntary ſenſe of thoſe words, having no footing in the text; The former interpretation of the words given by Mr. Dell, is ſound and proper, being not overſtrained; Quum exitium nobis minitetur, nihil nobis relinquat praeter deſperationem, hoc modo nos expellit à ſui fiducia, Calvin. Seeing it (ſcil. the Law) threatning deſtruction to us, leaves nothing but deſperation for us, by this means it drives us from all dependence on it ſelf: The new Law mentioned here by Mr. Dell, is never under the name of the Law ſpoken of in this Epiſtle: it ſeems therefore very unwarrantable to force that ſenſe of the Law upon this text only.
(D) What? doth the Law of the ſpirit make men dead to the Law without all diſtinction? Was David as to all intents dead to the Law when he wrote, The law of thy mouth is better to me then thouſands of gold and ſilver, Pſal. 119.72. or Paul, Rom. 7.22. yet had both theſe the Law of the Spirit of life in them? Me thinks Mr. Dell ſhould have ſome exceptions from this general poſition here laid down by him, if he pleaſed to expreſſe them: or elſe if this muſt ſtand unlimitedly for true, that which Mr. Dell hath before affirmed, will prove unqueſtionably falſe, namely, that they who are firſt made righteous, can do aright the works of the Law.
(E) It is true, that when a believer hath in him the Law of the Spirit, the Law of the letter hath no more power over him, as to 1. malediction, Gal. 3.13. 2. Condemnation, Rom. 8.1. 3. Slaviſh compulſion, 1 Tim. 1.9. 4. Powerful irritation of ſin, Rom. 7.5. 5. Juſtification to life, Rom. 10.4. 6. In the time of the Goſpel, carnal and temporary commands, Heb. 9.10. Col. 2.20. but not as to divine regulation and direction in perpetual duties of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, Luke 1.75,76. 1 Cor. 9.8,9,21, Epheſ. 6.1.2. Prov. 6.23. which laſt and laſting uſe of the Law, Mr Dell here confidently affirmeth believers to be dead unto, through the Law of the Spirit; and faſtneth the reproach of carnal & ignorant Chriſtians upon all thoſe who ſhall dare to ſay, that there is any danger at all in this his Doctrine; but of this let underſtanding, and ſpiritual Chriſtians judge by that word of Chriſt, by which we ſhall be all judged, Perſons, and Doctrines, at the laſt day. Iohn 12.48.
(F) But no further? Then belike a believer is in ſome degree under the power of the Law ſtill, which Mr Dell ſeemeth to deny earneſtly throughout this book.
(G) If he that is free from the Law, keeps and fulfils it through the Law of love, as is here affirmed, and I fully believe; then can I not ſee how there can be any danger at all in this doctrine, That believers are the only men on earth dead to the Law, as to juſtification, and alive to the Law as to the outward regulation of them thereby, according to the inward rule of love, which is in their hearts from the ſpirit of Chriſt, Rom. 13.8,9,10. Iames 2.8,9. And this I believe upon trial will be found all which they teach, or believe whom Mr Dell afterwards reproveth, or rather reproacheth, as Jewiſhly zealous of the honour of the Law.