The Marrow of Modern Divinity

Edward Fisher

• Publisher: Christian Focus Publication
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781845509651

PART ONE

BOSTON’S PREFACE

Whosoever thou art into whose hands this book shall come, I presume to put thee in mind of the divine command, binding on thy conscience, ‘Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great’ (Deut. 1:17). Reject not the book with contempt, nor with indignation neither, when thou findest it entitled The Marrow of Modern Divinity, lest thou do it to thine own hurt. Remember, that our blessed Lord himself was ‘accounted a friend of publicans and sinners’ (Matt. 11:19). ‘Many said of him, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?’ (John 10:20). The apostle Paul was slanderously reported to be an Antinomian; one who, by his doctrine, encouraged men to do evil, and ‘make void the law’ (Rom. 3:8, 31). And the first martyr, in the days of the gospel, was stoned for pretended ‘blasphemous words against Moses and against the law’ (Acts 6:11, 13).

The gospel method of sanctification, as well as of justification, lies so far out of the ken of natural reason, that if all the rationalists in the world, philosophers and divines, had consulted together to lay down a plan for repairing the lost image of God in man, they had never hit upon that which the divine wisdom has pitched upon, viz: that sinners should be sanctified in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:2), by faith in him (Acts 26:18); nay, being laid before them, they would have rejected it with disdain, as foolishness (1 Cor. 1:23).

In all views which fallen man has towards the means of his own recovery, the natural bent is to the way of the covenant of works. This is evident in the case of the vast multitudes throughout the world, embracing Judaism, Paganism, Mahometanism, and Popery. All these agree in this one principle, that it is by doing men must live, though they hugely differ as to the things to be done for life.

The Jews, in the time of Julian the Apostate, attempted to rebuild their temple, after it had lain many years in ruins, by the decree of heaven never to be built again; and ceased not, till by an earthquake, which shook the old foundation and turned all down to the ground, they were forced to forbear, as Socrates the historian tells us. But the Jews were never more addicted to that temple, than mankind naturally is to the building on the first covenant: and Adam’s children will by no means quit it, until Mount Sinai, where they desire to work what they do work, be all on a fire about them. Oh, that those who have been frightened from it were not so ready to go back towards it!

Howbeit, that can never be the channel of sanctification, whatsoever way men prepare it and fit it out for that purpose, because it is not, by divine appointment, the ‘ministration of righteousness and life’ (2 Cor. 3).

And hence it is always to be observed, that as the doctrine of the gospel is corrupted, to introduce a more rational sort of religion, the flood of looseness and licentiousness swells proportionably; insomuch that morality, brought in for doctrine, in room and stead of the gospel of the grace of God, never fails to be, in effect, a signal for an inundation of immorality in practice. A plain instance hereof is to be seen in the grand apostasy from the truth and holiness of the gospel, as exemplified in Popery. And on the other hand, real and thorough reformation in churches is always the effect of gospel light, breaking forth again, from under the cloud which had gone over it; and hereof the Church of Scotland, among others, has, oftener than once, had comfortable experience.

The real friends of true holiness, then, do exceedingly mistake their measures, in affording a handle, on any occasion whatsoever, for advancing the principles of legalism, for bringing under contempt the good old way in which our fathers found rest to their souls, and for removing the ancient landmarks which they set.

It is now above fourscore years since this book made its first entrance into the world, under the title of The Marrow of Modern Divinity, at that time not unfitly prefixed to it; but it is too evident it has outlived the fitness of that title. The truth is, the divinity therein taught is now no longer the modern, but the ancient divinity, as it was recovered from underneath the Antichristian darkness; and as it stood before the tools of the late refiners on the Protestant doctrine were lifted up upon it—a doctrine which, being from God, must needs be according to godliness.

It was to contribute towards the preserving of this doctrine, and the withstanding of its being run down, under the odious name of Antinomianism, in the disadvantageous situation it has in this book, whose undeserved lot it is to be everywhere spoken against, that the following notes were written.

And herein two things chiefly have had weight: one is, lest that doctrine, being put into such an ill name, should become the object of the settled aversion of sober persons, and they be thereby betrayed into legalism. The other is, lest in these days of God’s indignation so much appearing in spiritual judgments, some taking up the principles of it, from the hand of this author and ancient divines, for truths, should take the sense, scope, and design of them, from (now) common fame; and so be betrayed unto real Antinomianism.

Reader, lay aside prejudices—look and see with thine own eyes—call things by their own names, and do not reckon Anti-Baxterianism or Anti-Neonomianism to be Antinomianism, and thou shalt find no Antinomianism taught here; but thou wilt be perhaps surprised to find, that the tale is told of Luther and other famous Protestant divines, under the borrowed name of the despised Mr Fisher, author of The Marrow of Modern Divinity.

In the Notes, obsolete or ambiguous words, phrases, and things are explained; truth cleared, confirmed, and vindicated; the annotator making no scruple of declaring his dissent from the author, where he saw just ground for it.

I make no question but he will be thought by some to have constructed too favourably of several passages; but, as it is nothing strange that he inclines to the charitable side, the book having been many years ago blessed of God to his own soul; so, if he has erred on that side, it is the safest of the two for thee and me, judging of the words of another man, whose intention, I believe, with Mr Burroughs, to have been very sincere for God and the reader’s good. However, I am satisfied he has dealt candidly in that matter, according to his light.

Be advised always to read over a lesser section of the book, before reading any of the notes thereupon, that you may have the more clear understanding of the whole.

I conclude this preface, in the words of two eminent professors of theology, deserving our serious regard:—

‘I dread mightily that a rational sort of religion is coming in among us: I mean by it, a religion that consists in a bare attendance on outward duties and ordinances, without the power of godliness: and thence people shall fall into a way of serving God, which is a mere deism, having no relation to Jesus Christ and the Spirit of God’ (Memoirs of Mr Halyburton’s Life, 199).

‘I warn each one of you, and especially such as are to be directors of the conscience, that you exercise yourselves in study, reading, meditation, and prayer, so as you may be able to instruct and comfort both your own and other’s consciences in the time of temptation, and to bring them back from the law to grace, from the active (or working) righteousness, to the passive (or received) righteousness; in a word, from Moses to Christ’ (Luth. Comment. in Epist. ad Gal., 27).

Thomas Boston

To THE HON. COLONEL JOHN DOWNES

One of the Members of the Honourable House of Commons, &c.,
E. F. wishes the true knowledge of God in Jesus Christ.

Most Honoured Sir,

Although I do observe that new editions, accompanied with new additions, are sometimes published with new dedications; yet so long as he who formerly owned the subject does yet live, and has the same affections towards it, I conceive there is no need of a new patron, but of a new epistle.

Be pleased then, most honoured sir, to give me leave to tell you, that your eminency of place did somewhat induce me, both now and before, to make choice of you for its patron; but your endowments with grace did invite me to it, God having bestowed upon you special spiritual blessings in heavenly things in Christ: for it has been declared unto me, by them that knew you when you were but a youth, how Christ met with you then, and by sending his Spirit into your heart, first convinced you of sin, as was manifest by those conflicts which your soul then had both with Satan and itself, whilst you did not believe in Christ; secondly, of righteousness, as was manifest by the peace and comfort which you afterwards had, by believing that Christ was gone to the Father, and appeared in his presence as your advocate and surety that had undertaken for you; thirdly, of judgment, as has been manifest ever since, in that you have been careful with the true godly man, Psalm 112:5, to ‘guide your affairs with judgment,’ in walking according to the mind of Christ.

I have not forgotten what desires you have expressed to know the true difference between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace; and experimentally to be acquainted with the doctrine of free grace, the mysteries of Christ, and the life of faith. Witness not only your high approving of some heads of a sermon, which I once heard a godly minister preach, and repeated in your hearing, of the life of faith; but also your earnest request to me to write them out fair, and send them to you into the country; yea, witness your highly approving of this dialogue, when I first acquainted you with the contents thereof, encouraging me to expedite it to the press, and your kind acceptance, together with your cordial thanks for my love manifested in dedicating it to your honourable name.

Since then, worthy sire, it has pleased the Lord to enable me both to amend and enlarge it, I hope your affection will also be enlarged towards the matter therein contained, considering that it tends to the clearing of those forenamed truths, and, through the blessing of God, may be a means to root them more deeply in your heart. And truly, sir, I am confident the more they grown and flourish in any man’s heart, the more will all heart-corruptions wither and decay. O sir, if the truths contained in this dialogue were but as much in my heart, as they are in my head, I were a happy man; for then should I be more free from pride, vain glory, wrath, anger, self-love, and love of the world, than I am; and then should I have more humility, meekness, and love, both to God and man, than I have. Oh! then should I be content with Christ alone, and live above all things in the world;—then should I experimentally know both how to abound and how to want;—and then should I be fit for any condition: nothing could come amiss to me. Oh, that the Lord would be pleased to write them in our hearts by his blessed Spirit!

Most humbly beseeching you still to pardon my boldness, and vouchsafe to take it into your patronage and protection, I humbly take my leave of you, and remain, your obliged servant to be commanded.

Edward Fisher

TO ALL SUCH HUMBLE-HEARTED READERS, AS SEE ANY NEED TO LEARN EITHER TO KNOW THEMSELVES, OR GOD IN CHRIST.

Loving Christians,

Consider, I pray you, that as the first Adam did, as a common person, enter into covenant with God for all mankind, and brake it, whereby they became sinful and guilty of everlasting death and damnation; even so Jesus Christ, the second Adam, did, as a common person, enter into covenant with God his Father, for all the elect,¹ that is to say, all those that have, or shall believe on his name [see p. 121, n. 1], and for them kept it [Namely, by doing and dying for them, viz: the elect.]; whereby they become righteous, and heirs of everlasting life and salvation;² and therefore it is our greatest wisdom, and ought to be our greatest care and endeavour, to come out [of] and from the first Adam, unto and into the second Adam; [Uniting with Christ by faith.] that so we ‘may have life through his name’ (John 20:31).

And yet, alas! there is no point in all practical divinity that we are naturally so much averse and backward to as unto this; neither does Satan strive to hinder us so much from doing anything else as this; and hence it is, that we are all of us naturally apt to abide and continue in that sinful and miserable state that the first Adam plunged us into, without either taking any notice of it, or being at all affected with it, so far are we from coming out of it. And if the Lord be pleased by any means to open our eyes to see our misery, and we do thereupon begin to step out of it, yet, alas! we are prone rather to go backwards towards the first Adam’s pure state [That is, to the way of the covenant of works, which innocent Adam was set upon.], in striving and struggling to leave sin, and perform duties, and do good works; hoping thereby to make ourselves so righteous and holy, that God will let us into paradise again, to eat of the tree of life, and live for ever: and this we do, until we see the ‘flaming sword at Eden’s gate turning every way to keep the way of the tree of life’^{"The Spring of Legalism"} (Gen. 3:24). Is it not ordinary, when the Lord convinceth a man of his sin (either by means of his word or his rod) to cry after this manner: Oh! I am a sinful man! for I have lived a very wicked life, and therefore surely the Lord is angry with me, and will damn me in hell! Oh! what shall I do to save my soul? And is there not at hand some ignorant, miserable comforter, ready to say, Yet do not despair, man, but repent of thy sins, and ask God forgiveness, and reform your life, and doubt not but he will be merciful unto you;^{"Miserable Comforters"} for he has promised, you know, ‘that at what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sins, he will forgive him.’³

And does he not hereupon comfort himself, and say in his heart at least, Oh! if the Lord will but spare my life, and lengthen out my days, I will become a new man! I am very sorry that I have lived such a sinful life; but I will never do as I have done for all the world! Oh! you shall see a great change in me! believe it?

And hereupon he betakes himself to a new course of life; and, it may be, becomes a zealous professor of religion, performing all Christian exercises, both public and private, and leaves off his old companions, and keeps company with religious men; and so, it may be, goes on till his dying day, and thinks himself sure of heaven and eternal happiness; and yet, it may be, all this while is ignorant of Christ and his righteousness, and therefore establisheth his own.

Where is the man, or where is the woman that is truly come to Christ, that has not had some experience in themselves of such a disposition as this? If there be any that have reformed their lives, and are become professors of religion, and have not taken notice of this in themselves more, or less, I wish they may have gone beyond a legal professor, or one still under the covenant of works.

Nay, where is the man or woman, that is truly in Christ, that findeth not in themselves ...

Table of contents

• Testimonials
• Title
• Indicia
• Contents
• Joseph Caryl, Jeremiah Burroughs
• About this edition
• Introduction
• Part One
• Part Two
• Appendix
• Other Titles
• Christian Focus