Dr. R. Scott Clark wrote on his blog (
link) in the first of a 3-part series on the republication of the covenant of works at Sinai:
Quote:
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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.
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Why does this logic not equally apply to WCF 19.3 which also speaks of "this law"? Is the moral law (see 19.3) synonymous with the covenant of works? Isn't (for sake of argument, applying this logic consistently) the antecedent of "this law" in 19.3 pointing to 19.1 just as 19.2 points back to 19.1?
This logic obviously (at least to me!) leads to an absurdity as I argued above (see copied post #1 up top) and, if consistently followed through, places all justified believers in the covenant of works. Throughout Dr. Clark's three posts on the republication of the covenant of works at Sinai he appeals to WCF 19 in the support of his republication view which seems to me purely illegitimate.
I don't think Dr. Clark has been frequenting the PB as much as he has in the past, but I would appreciate it if someone who holds to his interpretation of WCF 19 would offer an answer. I'd be happy to set straight on this if I'm misreading Dr. Clark or the Confession.
I feel like I'm beating a dead horse here but I haven't yet heard an answer.
Thanks, and I pray all my brothers and sister of the PB have a blessed Sabbath.
