A41355:323
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.
Evan. You speak very truly indeed, and therefore, I beseech you, Neighbour Neophytus, consider seriously of it, and let neither Satan the accuser of the brethren, nor your own accusing conscience joining with him, hinder you any longer from Christ: for, what though they should accuse you of pride, infidelity, covetousness, lust, anger, envy and hypocrisy; yea, what though they should accuse you of whoredom, theft and drunkenness, and many the like, yet do what they can, they can make no worse a man of you then a sinner, or the chief of sinners, or an ungodly person, and so consequently such a one as Christ came to justify and save, so that in very deed, if you rightly consider it, they do you more good then hurt hereby, and therefore I beseech you, in all such cases, or conflicts, take the counsel of Luther, who saith, when thy conscience is throughly afraid with the remembrance of thy sins past, and the Devil assaileth thee with great violence, going about to overwhelm thee, with heaps, floods, and whole seas of sins, to terrify thee and to draw thee ⟨p. 133⟩from Christ, then arm thy self with such sentences as these,1 Christ the Son of God was given, not for the holy, righteous, worthy, and such as were his friends, but for the wicked sinners, for the unworthy, and for his enemies, wherefore if the Devil say thou art a sinner, and therefore must be damned, then answer you and say, because thou sayest I am a sinner, therefore will I be righteous and saved, and if he say, nay, sinners must be damned, then answer you and say, no, for I fly to Christ, who hath given himself for my sins, and therefore in that thou sayest I am a sinner, thou givest me armour and weapon against thy self, that with thy own sword I may cut thy throat, and tread thee under my feet, and thus you see it is the judgement of Luther, that your sins should rather drive you to Christ then keep you from him,
Evan. You speak very truly indeed, and therefore, I beseech you, Neighbour Neophytus, consider seriously of it, and let neither Satan the accuser of the brethren, nor your own accusing conscience joyning with him, hinder you any longer from Christ: for, what though they should accuse you of pride, infidelity, coveteousnesse, lust, anger, envie and hypocrisie; yea, what though they should accuse you of whoredome, theft and drunkennesse, and many the like, yet doe what they can, they can make no worse a man of you then a sinner, or the chiefe of sinners, or an ungodly person, and so consequently such a one as Christ came to justifie and save, so that in very deed, if you rightly consider it, they doe you more good then hurt hereby, and therefore I beseech you, in all such cases, or conflicts, take the counsell of Luther, who saith, when thy conscience is throughly affraid with the remembrance of thy sins past, and the Devill assayleth thee with great violence, going about to overwhelme thee, with heaps, floods, and whole seas of sins, to terrifie thee and to draw thee