A41355:393
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.
The will and affection of a believer, according to the measure of faith,1 and the spirit received sweetly quickens and bends to choose, affect and delight in what ever was good and acceptable to God or man, the Spirit freely and cheerfully moving and inclining him to keep the law without fear of hell, or hope of heaven,2 for a christian man, saith sweet Tyndale, worketh only because it is the will of his Father, for after that he is overcome with love and kindness, he seeks to do the will of God,3 which indeed is a christian mans nature, and what he doth, he doth it freely, after the example of Christ as a natural son, ask him why he doth such a thing, why, ⟨p. 178⟩saith he, It is the will of my Father ▪ and I do it that I may please him, for indeed love desireth no wages, it is wages enough to it self, it hath sweetness enough in it self, it desires no addition,4 it pays his own wages, and therefore it is the true child like, obedience being begotten by faith of Sarah the free-woman, by the force of Gods love, and so it is indeed the only true, and sincere obedience, for, saith Doctor Preston, to do a thing in love, is to do it in sincerity, and indeed there is no other definition of sincerity, that is the best way to know it by.
The will and affection of a believer, according to the measure of faith,1 and the spirit received sweetly quickens and bends to choose, affect and delight in what ever was good and acceptable to God or man, the Spirit freely and cheerfully moving and inclining him to keepe the law without feare of hell, or hope of heaven,2 for a christian man, saith sweet Tindall, worketh onely because it is the will of his Father, for after that he is overcome with love and kindnesse, he seeks to doe the will of God,