Marrow of Modern Divinity - Fisher - IV - Chapter 2 continued

Required reading
Marrow of Modern Divinity  by Edward Fisher (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue Chapter 2 by reading the three sections entitled 'The natural bias towards the covenant of works'; 'The antinomian faith rejected'; and 'The evil of legalism'.

My summary
This week we continue to examine the Covenant of Grace and its relationship to the other two covenants.

Firstly Fisher shows that there is a natural bias in man to the covenant of works.  To illustrate this, Nomista gives an account of his life and how he still believes in the his own righteousness.

Then Antinomista speaks up about his life and how he lives wholly under grace and is not troubled by his sin at all.  Evangelista responds by showing that Antinomista is wrong as well.  He sums up the two conditions saying: 'Now, I suppose, this saying of Luther's may be fitly applied to you two; for it appears to me, friend Antinomista, that you have offended on the left hand, in not walking according to the matter of the law; and it is evident to me, neighbour Nomista, that you have offended on the right hand, in seeking to be justified by your obedience to it.'

Finally the conclusion is made that legalism actually does more harm than good.

What grabbed me
I liked Evangelista's response to Antinomista's claim that his understanding must be right because he has experienced peace and joy: 'And again, true faith, according to the measure of it, produces holiness of life; but it seems yours does not so; and therefore, though you have had, and have still much peace and joy, yet that is no infallible sign that your faith is true; for a man may have great raptures, yea, he may have great joy, as if he were lifted up into the third heaven, and have a great and strong persuasion that his state is good, and yet be but a hypocrite for all that. And therefore, I beseech you, in the words of the apostle, "examine yourself, whether you be in the faith, prove your own self: know you not your own self, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except you be a reprobate?" (2 Cor 13:5).—"And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness," (Rom 8:10).'

Just because one experiences peace and joy, it does not mean he is correct in his understanding.  Scripture is our supreme authority, not our feelings (which are often highly misleading).

Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 2 by reading the two sections entitled 'Christ's fulfilling of the law in the room of the elect' and 'Believers dead to the law as the Covenant of works'.

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.