A41355:184
The Marrow of Modern Divinity
The marrow of modern divinity touching both the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, with their use and end, both in the time of the Old Testament, and in the time of the New : wherein every one may clearly see how far forth he bringeth the law into the case of justification, and so deserveth the name of legalist : and how far forth he rejecteth the law, in the case of sanctification, and so deserveth the name of Antinomist : with the middle path between them both, which by Jesus Christ leadeth to eternal life : in a dialogue, betwixt Evangelista, a minister of the Gospel, Nomista, a legalist, Antinomista, an Antinomian, and Neophytus, a young Christian / by the author, E.F. ; before the which there is prefixed the commendatory epistles of divers divines of great esteem in the city of London ; whereunto is also added, the substance of aThe marrow of modern divinity touching both the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace, with their use and end, both in the time of the Old Testament, and in the time of the New : wherein every one may cleerly see how far forth he bringeth the law into the case of justification, and so deserverh the name of legalist : and how far forth he rejecteth the law, in the case of sanctification, and so deserveth the name of Antinomist : with the middle path between them both, which by Iesus Christ leadeth to eternall life : in a dialogue, betwixt Evangelista, a minister of the Gospel, Nomista, a legalist, Antinomista, an Antinomian, and Neophytus, a young Christian / by the author, E.F. ; before the which there is prefixed the commendatory epistles of divers divines of great esteem in the citie of London ; whereunto is also added, the substance of a
London: printed by R. Leybourn for Giles Calvert, 1646
THE MARROW OF Modern Divinity.THE MARROVV OF Modern Divinity.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Nom. But Sir, were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works, than either Adam, or any of the old Patriarchs, that God renewed it now with them, rather then before?
Nom. But Sir, were the children of Israel at this time better able to perform the condition of the covenant of works, than either Adam, or any of the old Patriarks, that God renewed it now with them, rather then before?
Evan. No indeed, God did not renew it with them now, and not before, because they were better able to keep it, but because they had more need to be made acquainted what the covenant of works is, then those before: for though 'tis true, the Ten Commandments which were at first perfectly written in Adams heart, were much obliterated by his fall, yet some impressions and relics thereof still remained, and Adam himself was very sensible of his fall,1 and the rest of the fathers were holpen by traditions,2 And (saith Cameron) God ⟨p. 43⟩did speak to the Patriarchs from heaven, yea and he spake unto them by his Angels. But now by this time sin had almost obliterated and defaced the impressions of the Law written in their hearts,3 and by their being so long in Egypt, they were so corrupted, that the instructions and ordinances of their fathers were almost all worn out of mind, and their fall in Adam was almost forgotten, as the Apostle testifieth, saying,4 Before the time of the Law sin was in the world, yet did they not impute it to themselves, because there was no Law. Nay in that long course of time betwixt Adam and Moses, men had forgotten what was sin; so that although God had made a promise of blessing to Abraham, and to all his seed that would plead interest in it, yet these people at this time were proud, and secure, and heedless of their estate; and though sin was in them, and death reigned over them, yet they being without a law to evidence this sin and death unto their consciences, they did not impute it unto themselves, they would not own it nor charge themselves with it, and so by consequence found no need of pleading the promise made to Abraham; Therefore the Law entered, that Adams offence,