A41355:373
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.
Ant. But yet, Sir, as I remember both Luther and Calvin do speak; as though a believer were so quite freed from the law by Christ, as that he need not make any conscience at all of yielding obedience to it.
Ant. But yet, Sir, as I remember both Luther and Calvin doe speake; as though a believer were so quite freed from the law by Christ, as that hee need not make any conscience at all of yielding obedience to it.
Evan. I know right well that Luther saith, the conscience hath nothing to do with the law or works;1 and that Calvin saith, the consciences of the faithful, when the affiance of their justification before God is to be sought, must raise and advance themselves above the Law;2 and forget the whole righteousness of the Law, and lay aside all thinking upon works. Now for the true understanding of these two worthy servants of Christ, two things are to be concluded: First, that when they speak thus of the law, it is evident they mean only in the case of justification; secondly, that when the conscience hath to do with the law in the case of ⟨p. 161⟩justification it hath to do with it only as it is the covenant of works, for as the law is the Law of Christ, it neither justifies nor condemns, and so if you understand it of the Law, as it is the Covenant of works, according to their meaning, then it is most true that they say, for why should a man let the Law come into his conscience, that is, why should a man make any conscience of doing the Law, to be justified thereby, considering it is a thing impossible, nay, what need hath a man to make conscience of doing the law to be justified thereby, when he knows he is already justified another way, nay, what need hath a man to make conscience of doing that law that is dead to him, and he to it: hath a woman any need to make any conscience of doing her duty to her husband when he is dead, nay, when she her self is dead also, or hath a debtor any need to make any conscience of paying that debt which is already fully discharged by his surety, will any man be afraid of that obligation which is made void, the seal torn off,