[Just for a little clarity: It wasn't my intention to say that the Westminster Standards are positively opposed to the idea of republication, rather, my argument is that the Westminster Standards don't positively teach republication.]
Dr. R. Scott Clark wrote on his blog in the first of a 3-part series on the republication of the covenant of works at Sinai:
Finally, it has been argued by some (e.g., some of my friends on the Puritanboard) that the doctrine of re-publication is “unconfessional.” To this I appeal to the logic implied by the grammar of WCF 19.1 and 2. 19.1 which reasserts the doctrine of 7.2, that God “gave to Adam a Law, as a Covenant of Works, by which he bound him and all his posterity to personal, entire, exact, and perpetual obedience; promised life upon the fulfilling, and threatened death upon the breach of it: and endued him with power and ability to keep it.” 19.2 says, “This Law, after his fall…was delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, in ten commandments….” (Articles, 30–31). The phrase “covenant of works,” in 19.1, is appositive to the noun “Law.” Thus the “Law” is reckoned here as a covenant of works. Thus when, 19.2 establishes “This law” as the subject of the verb to be, “was delivered,” the antecedent of “this Law” can be none other than the “Law” defined as a covenant of works in 19.1.
Here are some of the reasons why I believe this interpretation of the Confession is erroneous:
- If the doctrine of a “republication” of the covenant of works at Sinai was taught in the Confession, the divines would have put it in Chapter 7 (“Of God’s Covenant with Man”), not in Chapter 19 (“Of the Law of God”). In Chapter 7 there is no suggestion of a republication of the covenant of works. Rather, it says that the Mosaic and the New Covenants are “not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same,” only under two different administrations (7.6). Thus the Confession explicitly says the opposite of the republication doctrine; the Mosaic Covenant is an administration of the covenant of grace, not the covenant of works.
- WCF 19.2 says “this law,” not “this law, as a covenant of works.” The law is distinct from the covenant of works and 19.2 concerns the law, not the covenant of works. Nowhere in the Confession is the law equated with the covenant of works as though the law were itself a covenant of works. The “first covenant” (7.2) established a certain relationship between Adam and the law, as a covenant of works, but even the covenant of works was a “voluntary condescension on God’s part” (7.1). If the Confession intended to convey the idea of “republication” in 19.2, it would have read, “This law as a covenant of works, after his fall, continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness, etc.” But the Confession does not read this way. Thus the law per se continued to be a perfect rule of righteousness, not the law as a covenant of works.
- In the interpretation of the Confession quoted above Dr. Clark states that, in reference to WCF 19.2, “the antecedent of ‘this Law’ can be none other than the ‘Law’ defined as a covenant of works in 19.1.” But why does this logic not equally apply to 19.3 which also speaks of “this law”? (19.3 reads: “Beside this law, commonly called moral, God was pleased to give to the people of Israel,” etc.) Why would the antecedent of “this law” in 19.2 be different from the antecedent of “this law” in 19.3? Clearly the “this law” of 19.2 and 19.3 must refer to the same antecedent or an inconsistency is introduced in the Confession. Thus, 19.2 and 19.3 both refer to the “law” given to Adam (19.1), but no longer as a covenant of works.
- The Confession states that “true believers be not under the law, as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified, or condemned” and that the “promises of it [i.e., the law], in like manner, show them God’s approbation of obedience, and what blessings they may expect upon the performance thereof: although not as due to 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” (19.6). The Scripture proofs associated with this section of the Confession (e.g., Ex. 19:5-6; Deut. 5:33; Lev. 18:5; Lev. 26:1-3; Ps. 19:11; Ps. 37:11) demonstrate that 19.6 describes the position of both OT and NT believers who are in the covenant of grace, not the covenant of works. Believers are promised rain, bread to the full, fruit on their trees, and safety in the land as blessings for their obedience “although not as due to them by the law as a covenant of works.” In this sense, according to the Confession, even OT believers were under grace and not law. These proof texts speaking of temporal blessings and afflictions are, according to the Confession, not to be interpreted to mean that OT or NT believers are under the law as a covenant of works. Those who adhere to the “republication” doctrine use these very same Scriptures in an attempt to prove the contrary of the Confession’s teaching.
- The “this law” of 19.2 and 19.3 (which is synonymous with the “law” of 19.1, given to Adam, although no longer as a covenant of works as with Adam) is the “moral” law which “doth forever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof” (WCF 19.5). While believers are “under the law” in the sense that all believers are required to obey it, true believers are “not under the law, as a covenant of works” (WCF 19.6, 2 times). OT believers are “true believers” and, if the covenant of works were republished at Sinai, then this would place true believers under the law as a covenant of works. This is contrary to the Confession. Further, if Dr. Clark’s interpretation is consistently applied, then the “moral” law is to be equated with the law as a covenant of works (since “this law” of 19.2 and 19.3 must have the same antecedent). This would place even NT believers under the covenant of works, which is also contrary to the Confession.
Any appeal to WCF 19 in the support of the republication doctrine seems to me illegitimate and contrary to the intent of the Westminster divines.



17 comments
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July 24, 2008 at 4:37 pm
CoWs at Sinai/Two Kingdoms/Law-Gospel Dualism & the Westminster Standards - The PuritanBoard
[...] Well it doesn’t look like this thread is going to spark anymore discussion. If anyone’s interested, I’ve reworked my arguments regarding WCF 19 and posted it on my blog: Do the Westminster Standards Teach a Republication of the Covenant of Works at Sinai? Paradise Reg… [...]
July 26, 2008 at 9:26 am
Daniel Ritchie
Good post. RSC needs to maintain the the Sinai Covenant was a republication of the CoW in order to justify his latent antinomianism. To argue that the Westminster Standards teach such a thing is utter nonsense.
July 26, 2008 at 4:15 pm
kazooless
How about that! I just found you by searching Google for: “writings divines Westminster Standards.”
I want to search for electronic versions containing the writings of the divines because I am in a conversation with Dr. Clark about theonomy. He suggests, as you can see on his blog and the Puritanboard, that the reformers were “theocrats” and not “thonomists.” He also suggests reading the original primary sources of the reformers. I have always thought this to be a good idea anyway, and suspect that I’ll still end up a theonomist.
Anyway, this is a very good, short, and to the point rebuttal of his republication doctrine article he posted on his HB. Thanks for your efforts. I will ping you from my blog.
kazooless
July 26, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Was Sinai a Republication of the Covenant of Works? « The Reformed Standard
[...] Searching for electronic copies of primary sources WRT the Westminster Divines, I came across this blog. Casey Bessette gives five reasons he disagrees with Dr. Clark from the Heidelblog where we find an [...]
July 27, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Daniel Ritchie
Read Martin Foulner’s “Theonomy and the Westminster Confession” or my own A Conquered Kingdom for the theonomic views of the Reformers and Puritans.
July 29, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Jacob Aitken
Hey Casey,
Good work in showing how Kline’s system is in tension with the Confession.
July 29, 2008 at 5:42 pm
Mark Jenkins
Casey,
I’m also not sure I agree with Dr. Clark’s quote (the one you printed above). I need to think about it more. But you misunderstand the position of those of us who believe in republication. NO ONE is denying that those under the Mosaic Covenant were in the Covenant of Grace (see your #1 above). The issue of republication has to do with the particular administration of the MC as an administration of the CG. What was unique about the temporary administration of the CG under Moses? What distinguishes it as the “Mosaic” covenant? Among other things, there were conditional aspects to it designed to show us our inability to keep a conditional, works covenant. The whole point is grace, but God uses a works element in the MC in order to drive home a gospel point. It’s one long sermon that proclaims the clear fact of our inability – its the lesson of the garden re-iterated. God is saying, “Remember, you guys can’t make it on your own obedience!” (Clark made this stuff clear in the post you quoted.) You may disagree but you shouldn’t misrepresent.
I would strongly urge you to properly understand this position before you dismiss it as unconfessional. And remember, the confession is a consensus document. If it doesn’t officially represent a position, that doesn’t mean it denounces it. There is still room to stretch in confessionalism.
God Bless!
August 7, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Wes White
Casey,
I’m not convinced that 19.2. teaches that there is a republication of the covenant of works. It quite simply does not address it. All it says is that this law was delivered as a perfect rule of righteousness. It does not answer the question of whether or not the covenant of works was republished or taught at Mt. Sinai.
If your claim is that the WCF does not explicitly teach the republication doctrine, then you may be correct. However, based on what you cited, you cannot make the claim that the WCF excludes the republication doctrine.
August 7, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Casey Bessette
Wes,
That was essentially what I was arguing, that the Standards don’t positively/explicitly teach republication. As you can see, I was arguing contrary to the quote at the top.
And as it seems to me that there is more than one “republication doctrine,” it is possible that the Standards might exclude a certain form of republication. For example, any doctrine of republication that would deny that the Mosaic covenant is substantially an administration of the covenant of grace seems to me contrary to the Confession. But perhaps there are other forms of a republication doctrine that would be compatible with the Confession, and with those I wouldn’t have a problem.
August 7, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Wes White
Casey,
It did not seem clear to me that you were arguing simply against the Standards explicitly teaching republication. It also seems that you are arguing that Dr. Clark’s view is positively rejected by the Confession.
I’m not sure I agree with your reading of chapter 7. Chapter 7 does not say that the Mosaic covenant is the covenant of grace. Instead, it says that the covenant of grace was administered under the law. I do not see why someone could not say that Moses republished the substance of the covenant of works and that he also presented the covenant of grace at the same time.
Moreover, the phrase “under the law” can refer to the entire Old Testament, since the covenant of grace was administered during that whole time. If this is the case, then the identity of the “Mosaic covenant” is left untouched.
August 7, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Casey Bessette
Wes,
My aim in this blog post was to demonstrate that Dr. Clark was misusing the Confession and that the Standards do not positively teach republication as he claims. I don’t know if Dr. Clark’s view is positively rejected by the Confession.
I agree that Chapter 7 of the Confession doesn’t say that the Mosaic covenant “is” the covenant of grace. I also agree that “under the law” refers to the entire Old Testament (and not, as some seem to think, to the law given at Sinai). But what was presented to Adam post-fall, to Abraham, and via Moses “to the people of the Jews” is, as I read the Confession, a substantive administration of the covenant of grace.
I see where you’re going when you say that the Mosaic covenant per se is, in a sense, “left untouched.” But I’m not yet willing to admit that it’s really “untouched” — how could the Mosaic covenant be a part of this OT “substantial” administration of the covenant of grace if the Mosaic covenant is not itself essentially a gracious covenant? That sounds to me like saying that my entire body is human except for my leg!
Maybe you could clarify? Thanks, my friend. :)
August 7, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Wes White
Casey,
First, you seemed to be saying, to me and others, that Dr. Clark’s view was positively rejected by the Confession.
You have to ask, where do we get the idea of a Mosaic covenant. The Confession does not even speak of a Mosaic covenant. It simply says that the covenant of grace, which was made long before Moses, was administered in the Old Testament.
If someone claimed that the covenant of grace was not present at some period in the Old Testament or that someone could be saved in a way different than the covenant of grace, then they would not be out of accord of the Confession. However, if someone says that in addition to that covenant of grace, there was another covenant made or presented for another purpose other than gaining eternal life, then they would not be outside of the Confession. For example, God made a covenant promise with Rechab in Jeremiah 35. It was not the covenant of grace per se, but it existed alongside of it.
I could see, affirming that the covenant of grace was present throughout the Mosaic period, that Moses also presented the covenant of works in substance (i.e., “Do this and live”); or, second, that God made a national covenant with Israel, as Witsius does;, or, that the covenant mentioned in Deuteronomy is simply the Ten Commandments (which it is called in Dt. 4:11-14).
However, in my view, the covenant made with Israel was the covenant of grace under the form of the covenant of works (or presentation of the law), which was given to drive them to Christ and to convince them of their inability to obtain salvation in any other way but the Mediator. Thus, the Mosaic economy has a twofold character. It is a presentation of the covenant of grace and of the covenant of works. The covenant of grace is fundamental and basic to Israel’s existence. The covenant of works is presented merely to drive them to the covenant of grace and hope in the coming Messiah.
My view is basically in line with that of Turretin’s chapter on the covenant of grace. I would recommend a careful reading of that chapter. I think he sets forth very carefully and accurately the way that the covenant of works was present in the Mosaic period.
August 7, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Casey Bessette
Wes,
Regarding Dr. Clark, I should have toned-down what I said. I can’t determine if his view is positively rejected by the Confession because he doesn’t really respond to me when I ask him questions.
I’ll go ahead and give Turretin a re-read before replying to the rest of your comment. Have a pleasant evening, brother. Would be nice to be able to take a walk to talk about some of this. ;)
September 27, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Casey Bessette
To just put a little closure here . . I’m going to be doing more reading on the Mosaic Covenant in the Reformed tradition, but don’t really have the time now. Sorry for the loose strings!
November 26, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Interesting Upcoming Book on the Mosaic Covenant - The PuritanBoard
[...] for republication is that they equate the law with the covenant of works (hence their, as I see it, misreading of WCF 19 to get their republication doctrine). Say I have a $20 bill in my hand. That piece of paper is not [...]
November 30, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Another Word on Republication « Backwoods Presbyterian
[...] Here linked is a great article refuting Republication. [...]
September 10, 2009 at 7:29 am
sandrar
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog. :) Cheers! Sandra. R.