Quoting the Puritans

The Bible

"The Word written is our pillar of fire to guide us... it is the map by which we sail to the New Jerusalem."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 63

"If we would have God's Word ready in our mouths when we have occasion for it, we must keep it in our hearts at all times."

- Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, pg 1145

 

"The Bible has passed through the furnace of persecution, literary criticism, philosophic doubt, and scientific discovery, and has lost nothing but those human interpretations which clung to it as alloy to precious ore."

- Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Psalm 12:6

"Let us read our Bibles reverently and diligently, with an honest determination to believe and practise all we find in them.  It is no light matter how we use this Book.  Eternal life or death depends on the spirit in which it is used."

- J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Volume 1, pg 2

In The Company Of....

One of the greatest determiners of who we are as individuals both now and the kind of person we will be shaped into in the future, are those whom we spend the majority of our time with and those we allow into our inner circle of influence.  We tend to be molded (if not completely, at least partially) by the external circumstances that happen around us, and for most of us those external circumstances are directly caused and driven by our closest companions.  That is why it is of utmost importance for a Christian, who has been called to be a student and follower of God's biblical ordinances, to be very cautious and wary of whom he/she chooses as influences during their life-long walk with Jesus Christ.  This truth is mentioned in Scripture by the Apostle Paul, when he quotes the Greek poet Menander as saying "Bad company corrupts good character" - 1 Corinthians 15:33.  Commentating on this verse, the 17th century Puritan Matthew Henry wrote, "Those who would keep their innocence must keep good company.  Error and vice are infectious; and, if we would avoid the contagion, we must keep clear of those who have taken it."  This truth is stated even more succinctly in Proverbs 13:20 - "Whoever walks with the wise will become wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm."

The two specific groups of people in our lives that have the most impact on our individual personalities and behaviour are our local church pastor (spiritually) and our closest friends (socially).  Regarding these two monumental shapers of our lives, the 17th century Puritan Richard Baxter wrote an entire section in his biblical counseling book "A Christian Directory" warning us to be extremely selective when choosing which pastors and which friends we will give admittance to our lives.  I would like to quote two of those extensive and well-written exhortations from Baxter to help enlighten us on how to discern and ascertain which pastors and friends should influence our walk with our Lord and Savior.  As Richard Baxter concludes, "Be exceedingly wary, not only what teachers you commit the guidance of your souls unto, but also with what company you familiarly converse; that they be neither such as would corrupt your minds with error, or your hearts with viciousness, profaneness, lukewarmness, or with a feverish, factious zeal; but choose, if possible, judicious, holy, heavenly, humble, unblamable, self-denying persons, to be your ordinary companions, and familiars; but especially for your near relations."

Take heed of proud and worldly guides... it is not every one that pretendeth piety and zeal, that is to be heard, or taken for a teacher.  But,

1. Such as preach, ordinarily, the substantial truths which all Christians are agreed in.

2. Such as make it the drift of their preaching, to raise your souls to the love of God, and to a holy, heavenly life, and are zealous against confessed sins.

3. Such as contradict not the essential truths, by errors of their own; nor the doctrine of godliness, by wicked, malicious applications.

4. Such as drive not on any ambitious, tyrannical designs of their own, but deny themselves and aim at your salvation.

5. Such as are not too hot in proselyting you into any singular opinion of their own; it being the prediction of Paul to the Ephesians, Acts 20:30, "Of your ownselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."

6. Such as are judicious with holy zeal, and zealous with judgment.

7. Such as are of experience in the things of God, and not young beginners, or novices in religion.

8. Such as bear reference to the judgments of the generality of wise and godly men, and are tender of the unity of the church; and not such as would draw you into a sect or party, to the contempt of other Christians; no, not to a party that hath the favour of rulers and the people, to promote them.

9. Such as are gentle, peaceable, and charitable; and not such as burn with hellish malice against their brethren, nor with an ungodly, or cruel, consuming zeal.

10. Such as live not sensually and wickedly, contrary to the doctrine which they preach; but show by their lives, that they believe what they say, and feel the power of the truths which they preach.

- Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, Chapter 2, pg 55-56

          "And your familiar companions have great advantage to help or hinder your salvation, as well as your teachers.  The matter is not so great, whom you meet by the way, or travel with, or trade and buy and sell with, as whom you make your intimate or familiar friends.  For such have both the advantage of their interest in your affections, and also the advantage of their nearness and familiarity; and, if, they have but also the advantage of higher abilities than you, they may be powerful instruments of your good or hurt.  If you have a familiar friend, that will defend you from error, and help you against temptations, and lovingly reprove your sin, and feelingly speak of God, and the life to come, inditing his discourse from the inward power of faith, and love, and holy experience; the benefit of such a friend may be more to you, than of the learnedest or greatest in the world.

          How sweetly will their speeches relish of the Spirit, from which they come.  How deeply may they pierce a careless heart.  How powerfully may they kindle in you a love and zeal to God and his commandments.  How seasonably may they discover a temptation, prevent your fall, reprove an error, and recover your souls.  How faithfully will they watch over you.  How profitably will they provoke, and put you on; and pray with you fervently when you are cold; and mind you of the truth, and duty, and mercy, which you forget.  It is a very great mercy to have a judicious, solid, faithful companion in the way to heaven."

- Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, Chapter 2, pg 56

Puritan Poetry

"The Excellencies of Christ"

To Christ, the Lord, let every tongue
Its noblest tribute bring
When He's the subject of our song
Who can refuse to sing

Survey the beauties of His face
And on His glories dwell
Think of the wonders of His grace
And all His triumphs tell

Majestic sweetness sits enthroned
Upon His awful brow
His head with radiant glories crowned
His lips with grace overflow

No mortal can with Him compare
Among the sons of men
Fairer He is than all the fair
That fill the heavenly train

He saw me plunged in deep distress
He flew to my relief
For me He bore the shameful cross
And carried all my grief

His hand a thousand blessings pours
Upon my guilty head
His presence gilds my darkest hours
And guards my sleeping bed

To Him I owe my life and breath
And all the joys I have
He makes me triumph over death
And saves me from the grave

To heaven, the place of His abode
He brings my weary feet
Shows me the glories of my God
And makes my joys complete

Since from His bounty I receive
Such proofs of love divine
Had I a thousand hearts to give
Lord, they would all be thine

Samuel Stennett
1727-1795

Puritan Library

"Worthy is the Lamb" - Puritan Poetry To Honor The Savior

For those who are lovers of poetry, I could not recommend a more treasured collection of poetry than that which is found in "Worthy is the Lamb."  This book is a collection of Christian poems written by Puritans of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.  Such Puritans presented are Benjamin Keach, Philip Dodderidge, Augustus Toplady (author of hymn 'Rock of Ages'), Isaac Watts (author of hymn 'When I Survey The Wondrous Cross'), and John Newton (author of hymn 'Amazing Grace').  The Puritans were Christians greatly devoted to living pure lives in honor of their love for Jesus, and that strong devotion can be seen in their poetry.  For example John Newton wrote,

Author and Guardian of my life,

Sweet Source of light divine,

And all harmonious names in one,

My Savior, Thou art mine.

What thanks I owe Thee, and what love,

A boundless endless store,

Shall echo through the realms above

When time shall be no more.

The poems in "Worthy is the Lamb" will assist in elevating the hearts of Christians today to a level of devotion towards Jesus Christ that is the great tradition given to us by the Puritans.

The Westminster Confession of Faith

Of God - Chapter 2 Section 2

"God hath all life, glory, goodness, blessedness, in and of himself; and is alone in and unto himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which he hath made, nor deriving any glory from them, but only manifesting his own glory in, by, unto, and upon them: he is the alone foundation of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things; and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them, whatsoever himself pleaseth.  In his sight all things are open and manifest; his knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature, so as nothing is to him contingent or uncertain.  He is most holy in all his counsels, in all his works, and in all his commands.  To him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience, he is pleased to require of them."

A Confession For The Ages

Completed in 1646, the Westminster Confession of Faith would go on to become the most celebrated and widely held confession of beliefs by evangelical Christians.  Over 100 Puritans (also referred to as the Westminster Divines) were gathered together in England for the purpose of formulating a confession of beliefs that would serve two purposes: to state explicitly what Puritan theology taught, and secondly to unite evangelicals in England, Scotland, and Ireland in their common faith.  Such noteworthy Puritans that were among the Westminster Divines included Samuel Rutherford, Jeremiah Burroughs, Thomas Goodwin, and James Ussher.

The name "Westminster" came from the geographical location in which all the participants of the Confession met; Westminster Abbey in London, England.  After 18 months of much internal deliberation and debate amongst themselves, the doctrinal agreements they came to produced the Westminster Confession of Faith.  In addition to the production of the Westminster Confession, the Puritans also produced two catechisms (the Westminster Larger Catechism and the Westminster Shorter Catechism).  These catechisms were written in a "Question and Answer" form to further explain Puritan theology.  The two Catechisms and the Confession of Faith are referred together as "The Westminster Standards."

The Confession is made up of 33 chapters, with each chapter divided into numerous sections.  The Confession deals with such biblical topics as the sufficiency of Holy Scripture, the Triune nature of God, Jesus as the only Mediator between God and Man, the act of Justification, the process of Sanctification, the Final Resurrection, and the Last Judgment.  Many of these beliefs are referred even today as the 'essentials of the faith' and the Westminster Confession does a superb job of handling these core Christian beliefs in a God-honoring manner.  And the extreme clarity of the Westminster Confession raises its comprehensiveness to such a level that ambiguity is not allowed to creep in to cause confusion or misinterpretation, as Church historian Douglas McMillan wrote, "Its doctrine is very positive - there are no 'ifs or buts' about the statements of the Confession of Faith.  Bold straightforward affirmations of the teaching of Scripture, so that its teaching being clarified, linked together, and systematized, not only can be clearly understood, it cannot be misunderstood."

*Note - being primarily a "Presbyterian" statement of beliefs, there are a couple of points in the Westminster Confession that I personally do not agree with.  The two key doctrinal statements in the Confession that I do not concur with are its positive affirmation of Infant Baptism (also known as "Paedobaptism"), and its adherence to the Regulative Principle of worship (also known as "Exclusive Psalmody").  The Presbyterian denomination is one of the few evangelical churches that practice the baptizing of infants.  I personally do not believe the Bible teaches such a practice (I believe in "Believers-Only Baptism").  And the Confession promotes the Regulative Principle of worship which means that only the Psalms of the Old Testament are ordained of God to be used as worship songs in gathered congregations (as opposed to hymns and contemporary worship).  This principle is based on the universally accepted doctrine of "Sola Scriptura" which means to live by Scripture alone.  Although I believe the Regulative Principle is consistent with the idea of Sola Scriptura, I do not view it as binding on all Christians.  Therefore, I will not quote those sections of the Confession that I cannot in good conscience promote without holding likewise convictions.  The Westminster Confession was also written from a thoroughly "Reformed" perspective (more commonly known as Calvinism), but since I do personally adhere to Calvinist theology, I may post sections from the Confession that are explicitly Calvinistic.

In spite of the very few instances of disagreement I have with the Westminster Confession,  I still uphold it as a historically important document and a masterpiece of Puritan doctrine.  Therefore I would like to periodically post sections from the Confession on this blog, for the purpose of bringing attention to the Confession's historical significance and to help Christians to be able to read their own cherished beliefs in a very succinct and organized manner.  Ever since its publication, the Westminster Confession has been the source of much biblical reflection and scriptural integrity for many Christians from various denominations.  But few Christians today know of its importance or even its existence.  Modern-day theologian Leland Ryken laments, "The work of the Westminster Divines have long remained the standard for Presbyterians and also many Baptists in Scotland, America, and Korea.  Therefore, it is sad to see them gradually fall into disuse in our culture.  Children no longer learn their catechisms and adults no longer know their Confession, which is a tragic loss."

Regardless of which denomination you may be affiliated with, I strongly recommend all evangelicals to read the Westminster Confession of Faith and to use it as a strong, Bible-honoring Confession of the Christian faith which was "once for all delivered to the saints." - Jude 1:3.  Westminster historian G.I. Williamson concludes, "I believe today, more than before, that the doctrines set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith are true and therefore do not need to be changed.  They are not, of course, infallibly stated.  Only the Bible is infallible.  But even today - after some 350 years - the amazing thing is that the Westminster Assembly got it so right that little needs to be changed."

"These [Westminster Confessions] are worth a hundred victories on the battle field.  We do not fear to say of them that they are the finest transfusion into uninspired language of the sublime, awful, blessed truths of the Word of God which the Church has as yet been honored to make."

- J.A. Wylie, 19th century Scottish historian

"As truly as in the case of the Nicene and Chalcedonian formularies, the Westminster Standards mark an epoch in the history of human reflection on the truths of the Gospel - an epoch in the attainment and registry of doctrinal truth."

- B.B. Warfield, 20th century American theologian

"In respect to fidelity to Scripture, precision of thought and formulation, fullness of statement, balanced proportion of emphasis, studied economy of words, and effective exposure of error, no creedal confession attains the level of excellence characterising that of the Westminster."

- John Murray, 20th century Scottish theologian

Praying With The Puritans

New Year

O Lord,
Length of days does not profit me
except the days are passed in thy presence,
in thy service, to thy glory.
Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains, sanctifies, aids every hour,
that I may not be one moment apart from thee,
but may rely on thy Spirit
to supply every thought,
speak every word,
direct every step,
prosper every work,
build up every mote of faith,
and give me a desire to show forth thy praise;
testify thy love,
advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,
with thee, O Father, as my harbour,
thee, O Son, at my helm,
thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.
Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,
my lamp burning,
my ear open to thy calls,
my heart full of love,
my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me,
thy comforts to cheer,
thy wisdom to teach,
thy right hand to guide,
thy counsel to instruct,
thy law to judge,
thy presence to stabilize.
May thy fear be my awe,
thy triumphs my joy.

- Taken from "The Valley of Vision" A Collection of Puritan Prayers

Quoting the Puritans

On Prayer

"When men cast off prayer, it is a sign they have cast off God; it is the brand of the apostate."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 109

"When the heart is inflamed with prayer, a Christian is carried as it were in a fiery chariot up to Heaven."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 90

"Believers have the Spirit of God breathing in them, and God cannot but hear the cries of His own Spirit."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 109-110

"It is not the voluble tongue but the melting heart God accepts.  'Oh,' says the Christian, 'I cannot pray like others.'  As Moses said to the Lord, 'I am not eloquent.'  But can you weep and sigh?  Does your soul melt out at your eyes?  God accepts broken expressions when they come from broken hearts."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 90

"When the arrow of a saint's prayer is put into the bow of Christ's intercession, it pierces the very heavens."

- Thomas Watson, Puritan Gems, pg 17

"To pray in the name of Christ is not only to name Christ in prayer, but to pray in the hope and confidence of Christ's mediation.  As a child claims his estate in the right of his father who purchases it, so we come for mercy in the name of Christ, who has purchased it for us in His blood."

- Thomas Watson, The Godly Man's Picture, pg 91

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God

The sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" has been referred to throughout history as "the most famous sermon ever preached."  Preached on July 8, 1741 by the Puritan pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards, this sermon was instrumental in maintaining the "Great Awakening" revival in the mid 18th century.  The "Great Awakening" revival was a tremendous time of the spreading (and acceptance) of the Gospel all throughout the United States.  God used many great and godly men (such as George Whitefield) to bring about the revival, but Jonathan Edwards has been identified as the main catalyst through which God brought thousands of men and women to their knees in deep sorrowful repentance, causing them to turn to Jesus Christ as the only escape from God's holy wrath to come.

In the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" Edwards spoke with very intense imagery concerning the dangers of being "outside" of Christ in unbelief while yet being "in" God's hands as a rebellious sinner.  Edwards thus directed his sermon not to Christians, but to those who had not yet placed their faith in Jesus, as Edwards stated, "Perhaps this awful subject may awaken those who remain unconverted in the church."  But although Edwards preached this sermon for non-believers, I would still very strongly recommend that Christians read intently and solemnly through this very harsh, but very biblical sermon.  As a Christian myself who is sure of my faith in Jesus Christ, and therefore convinced of my own future deliverance from the "wrath that is to come", I still could not help feeling tremendously unsettled (even disturbed) regarding the hellish future realities of those who die outside of Christ, which Edwards displays so poignantly in this sermon.  As modern-day theologian R.C. Sproul stated, "This sermon is not for the faint of heart."

We live today in an age when the truths of God's wrath are almost completely absent from pulpits in favor of an unbalanced emphasis on God's love.  This unbalance of focusing on God's love while ignoring God's wrath is self-evidently unbiblical, and can be easily demonstrated by the numerical fact that Jesus Himself spoke more about Hell than He did about Heaven.  Therefore if we are called to be true heralds of God's Word, then we have no choice but to reveal the truth and horrors of what Hell is, and will be like, for those who reject Jesus as Savior.  Regarding the scriptural need for this balance, theologian A.W. Pink wrote, "Faithfulness demands that we speak as plainly about Hell as about Heaven."  I would thus encourage all Christians to engage and absorb the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" in order to always keep fresh in mind the overwhelmingly merciful escape from Hell which God has provided for us who place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  As Jonathan Edwards correctly notes, "God has had it on His heart to show to angels and men not only how excellent His love is, but also how terrible His wrath is."

*Note - In addition to reading Jonathan Edwards sermon in book form, I would also highly recommend listening to the audio narration of "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by the noted narrator Max McLean (which can be purchased as a download at his "The Listener's Bible" website).  Actually hearing Edwards sermon preached through the strong voice of McLean gives a powerful taste of what it must have been like to have heard Jonathan Edwards deliver this frightening but God-ordained warning to the masses of 18th century America.

"Whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them."

- John 3:36

"Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?"

- Luke 3:7

 The following are excerpts taken from Jonathan Edwards sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"

"There is laid, in the very nature of carnal men, a foundation for the torments of hell.  Corrupt principles, reigning in power in them and in full possession of them, are seeds of hellfire."

"There is nothing that keeps wicked men out of hell, at any one moment, except the mere pleasure of God.  By 'the mere pleasure of God' I mean His sovereign pleasure, His all-powerful will, restrained by no obligation, hindered by no manner of difficulty, nothing else but God's sovereign will has a hand in the preservation of wicked men."

"Sinners deserve to be cast into hell.  Divine justice never stands in the way of God using His power at any moment to destroy them; it makes no objections whatsoever.  Rather, justice calls aloud for an infinite punishment of their sins.... The sword of divine justice is every moment brandished over their heads, and it is nothing but the hand of all-powerful mercy, and God's sovereign will, that holds it back."

"There is no reason to be given why you did not go to hell the moment you walked into the house of God on a Sunday morning, provoking His pure eyes by your sinful, wicked manner of attending His solemn worship.  There is no other reason why you did not go to hell last night, or why you were permitted to wake up again in this world, after you had closed your eyes to sleep.  And there is no other reason to be given why you have not dropped into hell since you woke up this morning, except that God's hand has held you up.  Indeed, there is nothing else that can stand as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell."

"The bow of God's wrath is bent; the arrow is made ready on the string; and justice bends the arrow at your heart, and strains the bow.  It is nothing but the mere pleasure of God, and that of an angry God, without any promise or obligation at all, that keeps the arrow from being made drunk with your blood."

"Natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it; and God is dreadfully provoked.  His anger is great toward them as it is towards those who are actually suffering the executions and fierceness of His wrath in hell.  These natural men have done nothing at all to appease or abate that anger, and God is not in the least bound by any promise to hold them up... Hell is gaping for them; the flames gather and flash about them, and would prefer to lay hold of them and swallow them up.  The fire pent up in their own hearts is struggling to break out; and they have no interest in any Mediator.  There are no means within reach that can be any security to them.  In short, they have no refuge, nothing to take hold of.  All that preserves them every moment is the sovereign, all-powerful will, the uncovenanted, unobliged forbearance, of an incensed God."

"The infinite might and majesty and terribleness of the omnipotent God will be magnified upon you, in the unspeakable intensity of your torments.  You will be tormented in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb; and when you are in this state of suffering, the glorious inhabitants of heaven will go forth and look on the awful spectacle, that they may see what the wrath and fierceness of the Almighty is."

"O Sinner!  Consider the fearful danger you are in!  It is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, over which you are held by the hand of God.  And this is the God whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you as against many of the damned in hell.  You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it and ready every moment to singe it and burn it asunder; yet you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing that you ever have done, nothing you can do, to induce God to spare you for even a moment."

"You have reason to marvel that you are not already in hell."

Puritan Library

The Mortification of Sin

This book is a collection of sermons preached in 1656 by the Puritan theologian John Owen.  The book concerns the subject of mortifying (or killing) sin in our lives.  Owen deals with the subject of mortifying sin on such a deeply theological, yet very personal, level that one is left with strong conviction afterwards for being lackadaisical towards one's  own willful faults and weaknesses and allowing sin to prevail on our lives.  Owen also goes through the biblical process of how to mortify sin, and just as importantly how not to mortify sin.  For example, Owen demonstrates that the purpose of mortifying sin is just as relevant to the success of mortification as the actual act of killing sin, as Owen stated, "Mortification of sin from a self-strength, carried on by ways of self-invention, unto the end of a self-righteousness, is the soul and substance of all false religion in the world."

The book concludes with the most important aspect of sin-mortification as being wholly dependent upon trust and reliance on the crucifixion of Jesus.  Without recognizing ourselves as partakers in His "baptism of death" we won't be partakers of Jesus' victory over sin for us.  As Owen wrote, "Without the death of Christ, there is no death of sin."  And only by relying completely on the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit can we obtain a reliance upon the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, as Owen concludes, "The Spirit alone reveals unto us the fullness of Christ for our relief: which is the consideration that stays the heart from false ways, and from despairing despondency.  The Spirit alone establishes the heart in expectation of relief from Christ: which is the great sovereign means of mortification."

*Note: John Owen has been called the "Prince of the Puritans."  Owen earned this title because of all the Puritans, he wrote on the most profoundly rich and highest theological level.  Because of this fact, I found myself needing to read multiple pages of Owen's book twice-over in order to fully grasp and absorb the important truths he was attempting to convey.  Therefore, much mental effort and focus is required to read through this book (and others) from John Owen.  But the benefits of such effort will grant tremendous blessings in a Christian's life as they wage war against their greatest mortal enemy; their own sins.

"Set faith at work on Christ for the killing of thy sin.  His blood is the great sovereign remedy for sin-sick souls.  Live in this, and thou wilt die a conqueror.  Yea, thou wilt, through the good providence of God, live to see thy lust dead at thy feet."

- John Owen, The Mortification of Sin, Chapter 14, pg 162