Notes: Sect. 6 — The natural bias towards the Covenant of Works.
Notes: Sect. 6 — The natural bias towards the Covenant of Works.
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This is not to be understood strictly of the very moment of man’s creation, in which the natural law was impressed on his heart, but with some latitude, the Covenant of Works being made with man newly created; and so divines call it the covenant of nature. See Dickson’s Therap. Sacr., book 1, chap. 5, p. 116.
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This is not to insinuate that Luther had attained but a small measure of the knowledge of the doctrine of justification and acceptance of a sinner before God, in comparison with those of later times; I have no doubt he understood that doctrine as well as any man has done since; and do not doubt that our author was of the same mind about him: but it is to show that that great man of God, and others who went before him, found their way out of the midnight darkness of Popery in that point, with less means of light by far than men now have, who notwithstanding cannot keep from it.
183
By which means they put their own works in the room of Christ, “who of God is made to us righteousness and sanctification,” 1Cor. 1.30. According to the Scripture plan of justification and sanctification, a sinner is justified by his blood, Rom. 5.9, sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1Cor. 1.2, through sanctification of the Spirit, 2Thess. 2.13, sanctified by faith, Acts 26.18.
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It is indeed the practice of every unregenerate man, whatever his knowledge or professed principles are; for the contrary practice is the practice of the saints, and of them only, Mat. 5.3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” — Phil, 3.3, “We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
185
For these flow from our building so much on something in ourselves, which is always very variable; and so little, on the “grace that is in Christ Jesus,” 2Tim. 2.1, which is an immovable foundation.
186
It is not necessary, for saving this account of Nomista’s case from the odious charge of forgery, that the particulars mentioned in it should have been real facts; more than (not to speak of scripture parables) it is necessary to save the whole book from the same imputation, that the speeches contained in it should have passed, at a certain time, in a real discussion of four men, called Evangelista, Nomista, Antinomista, and Neophytus; yet I have no doubt that it is grounded on matters of fact, falling out by some casuist’s inadvertency, excess of charity to, or shifting converse with, the afflicted as to their soul exercise, or by means of corrupt principles. And as the former are incidental to good men of sound principles at any time, which calls ministers on such occasions to take heed to the frame of their own spirits, and to greatly exercise of dependence on the Lord, lest they hurt souls instead of doing them good; so the latter is at no time to be thought strange, since there were found, even in the primitive apostolic churches, some who were reputed godly, zealous gospel ministers, especially by those who had little savour of Christ on their own souls, who nevertheless, in their zeal for the law, perverted the gospel of Christ, Gal. 1.6, 7, and 4.17. Whether Nomista was of the opinion that the Covenant of Works was still in force or not, our Lord Jesus Christ taught that it was, Luke 10.25-28; and so does the apostle, Gal. 3.10; and unbelievers will find it so to their everlasting ruin. For, “our Lord Jesus, who now offers to be Mediator for those who believe on him, shall at the last day come armed with flaming fire to judge, condemn, and destroy all those who have not believed God, have not received the offer of grace made in the gospel, nor obeyed its doctrine, but remain in their natural state, under the law or Covenant of Works.” — Westm. Conf., Practical Use of Saving Knowledge, tit. For convincing a man of Judgment by the Law, part. 2.
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That is, a hodgepodge – a jumbled and often incongruous mixture of ideas.
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For in that case, the obedience both of the one and the other is imperfect, and so it is not conformed to the law; therefore it can in no way be accepted for righteousness; but according to justice proceeding upon it, the soul that has it must die, because it is a sinful soul, Ezek. 18.4.
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Eph. 4.20, 21, “But you have not so learned Christ; if so be that you have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus.’’