Marrow of Modern Divinity

Over the last month or two I have been reading a famous 17th century book The marrow of modern divinity by Edward Fisher. It is the book chosen for the latest meeting of the Theological Study Group at the John Owen Centre. I was leading so I had to make sure I got a good handle on it. Most of us used the handsome new edition produced by Christian Focus. A hardback, wide margin book it includes the two parts of the marrow, introductory materials, an appendix and Thomas Boston's later extensive notes, which have really become part of the book. All that extra material made it a longer book than I had realised at first (376 large pages).

The significance of the book lies partly in its historical role in Scotland in the early 18th century but it is an abiding presentation of covenant theology and a careful attempt to chart a course between the twin dangers of legalism and anti-nomianism. This is it does with little subtlety but nevertheless accurately by setting up a four-way conversation (and something similar in Part 2 which chiefly expounds the 10 commandments). Evangelista is the sound minister. He speaks to Nomista, Antinomista and Neophytus. Its basic plea is to recognise that there is such a thing as the law of works, which we are all under by nature and that is set out in the Ten Commandments, the law of faith (the gospel) and the law of Christ, which is the rule of life for believers and that is again set out in the ten commandments. It also advocates what is usually called the free offer of the gospel, an idea still alien to some. One might want to quibble with some of the exegesis and one or two other things but the book is basically sound and a great help pastorally to all who have struggled with such issues.