*This was held over from the December issue, see p. 353, line 13 from foot of page.—Editor.
DURING the 17th century a controversy of considerable keenness was waged around the question of the believers’ relation to the Law. In the 18th century the question again became acute during the Neo-nomian Controversy in England and the Marrow Controversy in Scotland. There is a voluminous literature on the subject. The writings of the Marrowmen—Boston, the Erskines, etc., deal with the subject and their teaching is set forth in a small volume Gospel Truth (1831) which was edited by Rev. John Brown, Whitburn. The Westminster Divines in a careful and well-balanced statement state this relationship as follows:—”Although true believers be not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned; yet is it of great use to them, as well as to others; in that, as a rule of life, informing them of the will of God and their duty, it directs and binds them to walk accordingly; discovering also the sinful pollutions of their nature, hearts, and lives; so as, examining themselves thereby, they may come to further conviction of, humiliation for, and hatred against sin; together with a clearer sight of the need they have of Christ, and the perfection of His obedience. It is likewise of use to the regenerate, to restrain their corruptions, in that it forbids sin; and the threatenings of it serve to shew what even their sins deserve, and what afflictions in this life they may expect for them, although not as due by them by the law as a covenant of works; so as a man’s doing good and refraining from evil, because the law encourageth to the one, and deterreth from the other, is no evidence of his being under the law, and not under grace. Neither are the forementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the gospel, but do sweetly comply with it; the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God revealed in the law requireth to be done” (Confession of Faith, chaps. xix; secs. vi., vii).