Edward Fisher · 24 of 56

Part I. · Chapter III · Chapter III, Section 3

Antinomian objections answered. 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.

Evan. I know right well that Luther on the Galatians, p. 59, says, "The conscience hath nothing to do with the law or works"; and that Calvin, in his Instit. p. 403, says, "The conscience of the faithful, when the affiance of their justification before God is to be sought, must raise and advance themselves above the law, 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 considered and 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 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 what 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 as 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, which is dead to him, and he to it? Hath a woman any need to make conscience of doing her duty to her husband when he is dead, nay, when she herself 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, the writing defaced, nay, not only cancelled and crossed, but torn in pieces? I remember the apostle says, (Heb 10:1,2), That if the sacrifices which were offered in the Old Testament "could have made the comers thereunto perfect, and have purged the worshippers, then should they have had no more conscience of sin"; that is, their conscience would not have accused them of being guilty of sins. Now, the "blood of Christ" hath "purged the conscience" of a believer from all his sins, (9:14), as they are transgressions against the covenant of works; and, therefore, what needs his conscience be troubled about that covenant? But now, I pray you, observe and take notice, that although Luther and Calvin do thus exempt a believer from the law, in the case of justification, and as it is the law or covenant of works, yet they do not so, out of the case of justification, and as it is the law of Christ.

For thus saith Luther, on the Galatians, p. 182, "Out of the matter of justification, we ought, with Paul, (Rom 7:12,14), to think reverently of the law, to commend it highly to call it holy, righteous, just, good, spiritual, and divine. Yea, out of the case of justification, we ought to make a God of it." And in another place, says he, on the Galatians, p. 5, "There is a civil righteousness, and a ceremonial righteousness; yea, and besides these, there is another righteousness, which is the righteousness of the law, or of the ten commandments, which Moses teacheth; this also we teach after the doctrine of faith." And in another place, he having showed that believers, through Christ, are far above the law, adds, "Howbeit, I will not deny but Moses showeth to them their duties, in which respect they are to be admonished and urged; wherefore such doctrines and admonitions ought to be among Christians, as it is certain there was among the apostles, whereby every man may be admonished of his estate and office."

And Calvin, having said, as I told you before, "That Christians, in the case of justification, must raise and advance themselves above the law," adds, "Neither can any man thereby gather that the law is superfluous to the faithful, whom, notwithstanding, it doth not cease to teach, exhort, and prick forward to goodness, although before God's judgment-seat it hath no place in their conscience."

Ant. But, sir, if I forget not, Musculus says, "That the law is utterly abrogated."

Evan. Indeed, Musculus, speaking of the ten commandments, says, If they be weak, if they be the letter, if they do work transgression, anger, curse, and death: and if Christ, by the law of the Spirit of life, delivered them that believed in him from the law of the letter, which was weak to justify, and strong to condemn, and from the curse, being made a curse for us, surely, they be abrogated. Now, this is most certain, that the ten commandments do no way work transgression, anger, curse, and death, but only as they are the covenant of works. Neither hath Christ delivered believers any otherwise from them, than as they are the covenant of works. And therefore we may assuredly conclude, that they are no otherwise abrogated, than as they are the covenant of works. Neither did Musculus intend any otherwise; for, says he, in the words following, it must not be understood, that the points of the substance of Moses' covenant are utterly brought to nothing; God forbid. For a Christian man is not at liberty to do those things that are ungodly and wicked; and if the doing of those things the law forbids, do not displease Christ; if they be no much different, yea contrary; if they be not repugnant to the righteousness which we received of him; let it be lawful for a Christian man to do them; or else not. But a Christian man doing against those things which are commanded in the decalogue, doth sin more outrageously than he that should so do, being under the law; so far off is he from being free from those things that be there commanded.

Chapter III, Secion 4

The necessity of marks and signs of grace.

Wherefore, friend Antinomista, if either you, or any man else, shall, under a pretence of your being in Christ, exempt yourselves from being under the law of the ten commands, as they are the law of Christ, I tell you truly, it is a shrewd sign you are not yet in Christ; for if you were, then Christ were in you; and If Christ were in you, then would he govern you, and you would be subject unto him. I am sure the prophet Isaiah tell us, that the same Lord, who is our Saviour, "is also our King and Lawgiver," (Isa 33:22); and, truly, he will not be Jesus a Saviour to any but only to those unto whom he is Christ a Lord; for the very truth is, wheresoever he is Jesus a Saviour, he is also Christ a Lord; and, therefore, I beseech you, examine yourself whether he be so to you or no.

Ant. Why then, sir, it seems that you stand upon marks and signs?

Evan. Yea, indeed, I stand so much upon marks and signs, that I say unto you in the words of the apostle John, (1 John 3:10), "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever does not righteousness, is not of God." For says Luther, "He that is truly baptized, is become a new man, and has a new nature, and is endowed with new dispositions; and loveth, liveth, speaketh, and does far otherwise than he was wont, or could before." For says godly Tindal, "God worketh with his word, and in his word: and bringeth faith into the hearts of his elect, and looseth the heart from sin, and knitteth it to God, and giveth a man power to do that which was before impossible for him to do, and turneth him into a new nature." 1 And, therefore, says Luther in another place, "Herein works are to be extolled and commended, in that they are fruits and signs of faith; and, therefore, he that hath no regard how he leadeth his life, that he may stop the mouths of all blamers and accusers, and clear himself before all, and testify the he has lived, spoken, and done well, is not yet a Christian." How then, says Tindal again, "dare any man think that God's favour is on him, and God's Spirit within him, when he feels not the working of his Spirit, nor himself disposed to any good thing?" 2 Evan. Indeed, I must needs confess with Mr. Bolton and Mr. Dyke, that in these times of Christianity, a reprobate may make a glorious profession of the gospel, and perform all the duties and exercises of religion, and that, in outward appearance, with as great spirit and zeal as a true believer; yea, he may be made partaker of some measure of inward illumination, and have a shadow of true regeneration; there being no grace effectually wrought in the faithful, a resemblance whereof may not be found in the unregenerate. And therefore, I say, if any man pitch upon the sign, without the thing signified by the sign, 3 that is, if he pitch upon his graces [or gifts rather] and duties, and conclude The Marrow of Modern Divinity by THOMAS BOSTON