A survey of the spiritual antichrist opening the secrets of familism and antinomianism in…A survey of the spirituall antichrist opening the secrets of familisme and antinomianisme in…

2 Conclusion. The word preached of it self, is not a dead letter, as Schwenkfeldians say with Antinomians, ¹Paul calleth the Law a dead Letter, Because it teacheth what we should do, but promiseth not the Spirit of Grace, to obey as the Gospel doth. And punit delinquents punisheth eternally delin•u••ts, saith Chrysost, 2 Cor. 3. hom. 7. and Oecumenius ▪ [Greek or Hebrew] ⟨p. 28⟩[Greek or Hebrew].² Theophylact saith the same▪ Augustine saith the Law makes us know, not eschew sin, and the Gospel is not a dead letter of it self, even as the Letter of it is void of the Spirit, except by accident, in the same sense, that it is the savour of death unto death, and a rock of offence to those that stumble at the word. But is not (may some say) the law also by accident, and through our sinful condition, a condemning letter, aswell as the Gospel, and so both, because they are external, and literal, must be a dead letter? I answer, not so, because the Gospel in the letter and literal sense offereth a way or means of reconciliation to tho•e that believe, but the Law as the Law in no sense, can either offer or give life, but in regard that all have sinned, the proper use of the Law to all under the Law, is to give out a sentence of condemnation in the very external and literal sense of it. If the Law lead as a Paedagogue any to Christ that is now by a higher Spirit then that which speaketh in the letter of the Law, it's true, its the same infinite Spirit, The Lord that speaketh in all Scripture, but in the Law he saith nothing but either perfectly, do all or die eternally. But in the Law as handed by the Prophets, Christ and the Apostles the Lord condemneth and convinceth, that we may flee to the surety of a better Covenant, Heb. 7.22. Now in this sense Law and Gospel called the word of God, is not a dead letter in it self for