Republication of the Covenant of Works
Christian covenant theology
- 2 min read
- 2 chapters
Explore on Lably
ToursExplore Lably’s 3D toursHistory
Some aspects of Republication were already taught by John Calvin, but not the view in its entirety. Later, Republication was taught by John Owen, believing that though the Mosaic covenant was a covenant of grace it included a layer of aspects republished from the covenant of works. Thomas Goodwin used similar language to Owen when describing the mosaic covenant. Edward Fisher, the author of the Marrow of Modern Divinity taught republication, saying " therefore, "the law entered," that Adam's offence and their own actual transgression might abound, so that now the Lord saw it needful, that there should be a new edition and publication of the covenant of works", thus the view was advocated by Thomas Boston, who was one of the Marrow divines.
Meredith Kline in more recent times has become the most influential advocate of the republication theory.
Other advocates of different forms of republication include: Geerhardus Vos, Amandus Polanus, John Preston, and George Walker.
Sign in to keep reading
One more chapter is free with a Lably account.
Different views
Substantial Republication
Substantial republication means that the Mosaic covenant at its core was a covenant of works. The view that the Mosaic covenant is at its core a covenant of works was taught by 1689 federalists, Amandus Polanus and John Preston. A somewhat similar view has been taught by some Dispensationalists.
Administrative Republication
Administrative republication teaches that while the Mosaic covenant was a covenant of grace, it included a layer of aspects from the covenant of works. This is the position of John Owen, Marrow Brethren and Thomas Goodwin.
Subservient Covenant
Moses Amyraut, John Cameron and Samuel Bolton held to a "subservient covenant" view, which proposed that the Mosaic covenant was a third kind of covenant by substance, as opposed to the view that there are two covenants, a covenant of works and a covenant of grace. Amyraut's view is different from administrative republication; however, his view still had some common elements with republication, as in his theory the Mosaic covenant promised temporal life in Canaan for obedience.
Mixed Covenant
Very few have proposed that the Mosaic covenant had two substances, being both a covenant of grace and of works, the view was advocated by George Walker and other anonymous writers.