Henry on New Year's

It was the practice of both Philip Henry and his son Matthew to reflect at New Year's on the year past and the year to come. Here are some extracts from their diaries containing New Year's meditations and resolutions for consideration as we close one decade and enter into another. Diary of Philip Henry, January 1, 1661:

This day begins the new year, the Lord make it a year of mercy.

January 2, 1670:

Vows renewed this day of better obedience. Lord, give a new heart this year that the life may be new also.

January 1, 1671:

Covenants of new obedience solemnly renewed with God, and sealed, this new year's day, in the blood of Jesus Christ. Amen! Lord, be surety for thy servant for good! I yield myself, and all my concerns, to be at thy disposal; and I am heartily glad that my times are in thy hand, and not my own. Do with me, and mine, this year, as seemeth good in thine eyes! So be it!

January 1, 1673:

At Moston at John Lawrence's. Col. I. 18. That in all thee might have the pre-eminence, Lord Jesus, thine it is, I give it thee this day, beginning the year with thee, Lord, make it to me a year of mercy.

Matthew Henry seems to have made a special point to begin memorializing his anniversary reflections at the turn of the 18th century. Diary of Matthew Henry, [presumably January 1, 1700]:

This new-year's day, I have solemnly renewed the resignation and surrender of my whole self to God, as my God, deliberately, and upon good considerations. I have renounced the world and the flesh, as knowing they cannot make me happy; and have devoted my whole self to the blessed Spirit, to be enlightened, and sanctified, and so recommended to the Son, as qualified for an interest in his mediation, according to the tenor of the gospel. I likewise devote myself, through the Spirit, to the Lord Jesus Christ, as my Advocate with the Father, and my way to him; by him to be recommended to the grace and favor of God the Father, relying upon Christ's righteousness alone; for without him, I am less than nothing, worse than nothing. I, likewise, devote myself, through the Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father, as my chief good and highest end; as the author of my being, to whom I am obliged in duty; and the felicity of my being, to whom I am obliged in interest. O Lord, truly I am thy servant; may I ever be free in thy service, and never desire to be free from it. Nail my ear to thy door posts, and let me serve thee forever.

January 1, 1701:

I solemnly renew the dedication of myself unto God, thankfully acknowledging and admiring his patience and forbearance towards me, that he has continued such a dry and barren tree as I am in his vineyard for so many years, and continued to me the gifts of his bounty and grace; and particularly acknowledging the last year to have been a year of much mercy especially in the encouragement given to my ministry. Lamenting and bewailing my great unfruitfulness, and that I have governed my thoughts, appetites, passions, and words, no better; that I have husbanded my time and opportunities no better; and improved so little in knowledge and grace, and done so little to the honor of my great Creator and Redeemer. But being also more and more confirmed in my belief of the being and attributes of God, of the mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ between God and man, and of the reality and weight of invisible things, and being more and more satisfied that this is the true grace of God, wherein I stand, and am resolved, in the strength of God, to stand in it. I do solemnly resign and give up my whole self to God in Jesus Christ. I commit my soul and all the concerns of my spiritual state to the grace of God. and to the word of his grace, subjecting myself to the conduct and government of the blessed Spirit, and to his influences and operations, which I earnestly desire and depend upon for the mortifying of my corruptions, the strengthening of my graces, the furnishing of me for every good word and work, and the ripening of me for heaven.

I commit my body, and all the concerns of my outward condition, to the providence of God, to be ordered and disposed by the wisdom and will of my heavenly Father. Not knowing the things which may befall me this year, I refer myself to God. Whether it shall be my dying year or no, I know not; but it is my earnest expectation and hope, that the Lord Jesus Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death, by health or sickness, by plenty or poverty, by liberty or restraint, by preaching or silence, by comfort or sorrow. Welcome, welcome the will of God, whatever it be. The Lord give me grace to stand complete in it.

December 31, 1701:

Believing prayer to be an instituted way of communion with God, and fetching in mercy and grace from him, I have comfort in it daily; my daily prayers are the sweetest of my daily comforts. Having of late had my body feasted above the ordinary meals, I desire this day to have my soul fed more plentifully with the duty of prayer, and thus to close the year, which (Janus-like) looks both ways. I have not had this year such remarkable afflictions as some other years. The greatest has been the death of my dear and honorable friend, Madam Hunt of Boreatton. But my errands to the throne of grace to-day are,

1. By way of lamentation and humiliation.

I have reason to lament greatly the strength of my own corruptions, and weakness of my graces. By reason of the former I am as smoking flax, by reason of the latter as a bruised reed. I am still full of vain thoughts, and empty of good thoughts; many of my secret prayers are wretchedly disfigured and spoiled, by a multitude of distractions and diversions of mind; the flesh, and the things of the flesh still minded, to the prejudice of the Spirit, and the neglect of the things of the Spirit.

I have lost a great deal of precious time, and not filled it up, or else I might have gone forwarder in my notes on the Evangelist John. [This was written before Matthew Henry began to write his famous Commentary on the Bible.] Sins easily beset me, and I do not do the things that I would.

I have very much reason to bewail my manifold defects in my ministerial work, my coldness in prayer, that I speak not of the things of God with more clearness and concern. O, how many, how great, are the iniquities of my holy things! 

I bewail the little success of my ministry, and the miscarriages of some this year, for hereby my God will humble me. Grief also, great grief for this sin of ------; some of the young ones whom I have catechised and taken pains with are no comfort to me. Lord, show me wherefore thou contendest with me? 

The low condition of the church of God ought to be greatly lamented; the protestant interest small, very small; a decay of piety; attempts for reformation ineffectual. Help, Lord!

2. By the way of prayer and supplication. I have many errands at the throne of grace this day. 

The pardon of sin, victory over my corruptions and temptations, mortifying of my lusts, which go not forth but by prayer and fasting. In reference to sin, I desire I may be enabled to act faith upon Rom. vi. 14. 'Sin shall not have dominion over you, for ye are not under the law, but under grace;' and Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26, 27. 'Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean from all your filthiness, and from your idols will I cleanse you; a new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you,' &c.

The increase of my ministerial gifts, a sound judgment, a clear expression, a door of utterance, readiness in the Scriptures; in reference to which I desire I may be helped to act faith upon Exod. iv. 12. 'Go, and I will he with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say;' and John xiv. 26, ' He shall teach you all things.'

The success of my ministerial labors, that sinners may be converted, saints built up, and the congregation flourish; in reference to this, I desire to act faith on Matt, xxviii. 20. 'Lo, I am with you always;' and Isaiah iv. 10, 11. 'As the rain cometh down,' &.c.

The blessing of God upon my wife and children; that God will give his grace to my dear little ones, and drive out the foolishness bound up in their hearts; in reference to which I desire to act faith on Isaiah xliv. 3. 'I will pour out my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.'

My other dear relations I would recommend to God's protection and blessing in prayer; my friends, acquaintance, brethren in the ministry, in London, in Dublin, in Cheshire, and Lancashire particularly; and the congregation at Broad Oak, and their minister, some Members of Parliament, and other gentlemen of my acquaintance.

January 1, 1702:

The covenant of grace being a new covenant, because ever new, and often to be renewed, I have, this new year's day, early in the morning, while it is yet dark, solemnly renewed it upon my knees; and be it a memorandum indeed, ever remembered, and never forgotten. 

Humbly acknowledging my dependence upon God, as my Creator and the Author of my being; my obligations in duty to him as my Sovereign Lord and Ruler, and my engagements in gratitude to him as my Protector and Benefactor; and mentioning, with thankfulness, the many mercies of my life hitherto, and particularly those of the year past; during which, I have found myself the care of a very kind Providence, which has made the steps of my pilgrimage comfortable; which has preserved to me the use of my reason and understanding, limbs and senses; hath continued my liberty and opportunity to exercise my ministry; hath provided plentifully for me and my family, and loaded me daily with his benefits. For all which I praise his name, and for the mediation of Jesus Christ, to which I owe all. 

Acknowledging, also, and lamenting the remaining strength of my corruptions, and my bent to backslide from the living God, taking to myself the shame of my many defects and follies, notwithstanding my frequent renewing of my covenant with God, and flying to Christ for righteousness, pardon, and peace.

I once more bind my soul with a bond to be the Lord's wholly, and only, and for ever his. Into thy hands, O God, I commit my spirit, to be ruled, cleansed, and sanctified throughout, qualified for thy service in this world, and for the fruition of thee in the other. My body I present unto thee a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable for it is my reasonable service. My ministry I devote to thy honor, and the continuance and success of it I submit to thy will. All my worldly comforts I lay at thy feet, to be disposed of as thou pleasest. My life itself is thine; O God of my life, 'my times are in thy hand.' Whatever maybe the events of this year, let divine grace be sufficient for me, to enable me to accommodate myself to the will of God in them; and then nothing can come amiss. If God will be with me, and keep me in the way that I go, throughout the remaining part of my pilgrimage, in the world where I am but a stranger, and will gfve me bread to eat and raiment to put on, and a heart to love him, and serve him, and live to him, so that I may come at last to my heavenly Father's house in peace, then shall the Lord be my God, my Lord, and my God forever. Amen. Hallelujah.

December 31, 1702:

1. As to myself and family, the days of another year are numbered and finished, a year not made particularly remarkable by any great change in my circumstances; no new thing created, but, as usual, (1.) The usual matter of complaint against myself; folly is still found, yea, bound up, in my heart; though I hope, through grace, corruption is dying, yet not without some struggles, and much opposition from a naughty heart. I desire to lament my unskillfulness, and unreadiness in scripture, my dullness in holy duties, particularly in secret. I wish I had prayed more for the success of my ministry, but sometimes I have thought I should pray for more grace, to make me faithful myself, that I may be accepted of God, though not of men; but, perhaps, I should pray more for the prosperity of the work of God, even in my hand, though most unworthy; vain thoughts, crowds of them, are matter of complaint daily; never was more corrupt soil more fruitful in weeds. (2.) The usual matter of thanksgiving to God. I have had great measure of health, few of my brethren so much. I note it, because, perhaps, the ensuing year may bring sickness or death with it. I have not ailed any thing considerable, and sometimes the highest degree of health is the next degree to sickness. I have not so many sensible memorandums of my frailty, as those have that are often ailing. The Lord grant I may, by the power of grace, be kept more mindful of it. Ever since brother Radford died, which is now three years ago, death has made no breach among my relations. Since I set out in the world, I never was so long without the death of children, or others near and dear to me. My children are very healthful, and have had no ill accident. My dear wife, though often indisposed, yet, blessed be God, under no languishing distemper ; and my dear mother still continued in usefulness. As to my ministry, that which has been most discouraging this year is, that few young ones have come into communion, I think fewer than any other year.

As to my estate, I have lived comfortably upon it with what I have received here, but while in these circumstances I cannot expect to lay by much; perhaps troubles may come which may sweep away all. I have some comfort, that I hope I do some good with what I have, and spend none of it ill.

2. As to the public, the death of the king [King William III] this year has made a great change in the face of things, though not yet such a change as many feared. Our successes abroad, both by sea and land, have been very great, which magnifies the present government, and that we have reason to rejoice in. The discontented in the last reign are now pleased. I wish they may ever be so. The high-church are very high, both against the low, and dissenters. Now, Lord, behold their threatenings. We are alarmed to think of sufferings, and we need such alarms.

I have heartily wished that the bigotry of some violent conformists, on the one side, and of some dissenters, on the other, might drive the sober, moderate, and peaceable on both sides, nearer together, and prepare things for a coalescence when God's time is come, which I earnestly pray for, and which, perhaps, might he effected if they could disentangle themselves as much from the high-church as I think we are from the high dissenters, or I wish we were.

January 1, 1703:

'Looking for the blessed hope.' This new-year's day I have in much weakness, and compassed about with many infirmities, upon my knees, made a fresh surrender of myself, my whole self, all I am, all I have, all I can do, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, my Creator, Owner, Ruler, and Benefactor; all my affections to be ruled by the divine grace, and all my affairs to be overruled by the divine providence, so that I may not come short of glorifying God in this world, and being glorified with him in a better.

Confirming and ratifying all former resignations of myself to God, and lamenting all the disagreeableness of my heart and life therewith, and depending upon the merit of the Redeemer to make this and all my other services acceptable, and the grace of the Sanctifier to enable me to make good these engagements, I again bind my soul with a bond to the Lord, and commit myself entirely to him; particularly as to the events of this year which I am now entering upon, not knowing the things that may abide me in it.

If this year should be a year of continued health and comfort, I commit myself to the grace of God, to be preserved from carnal security, and to be enabled in a day of prosperity to serve God with joy. 

If my opportunities, as a minister, should be this year continued, I commit my studies, and ministerial labors at home and abroad, to the blessing of God; having afresh consecrated them all to his service and honor, earnestly desiring mercy of the Lord to be faithful and successful.

If I should be this year at any time tried with doubts concerning my duty, I commit myself to the divine conduct, with an unbiased desire, praying to know what God will have me to do, with a fixed resolution by his grace to follow his direction in the integrity of my heart.

If I should this year be afflicted in my body, family, name, or estate, I commit my all to the Divine disposal. The will of the Lord be done; only begging that the grace of God may go along with the providence of God in all my afflictions, to enable me both to bear them well, and to use them well.

If this year I should be disturbed or molested in the exercise of my ministry, if I should be silenced, or otherwise suffer for well doing, I commit the keeping of my soul to God as a faithful Creator; depending upon him to guide me iu my call to suffer, and to make that clear, and to preserve me from perplexing snares : depending upon him to support and comfort me under my sufferings, and to bring glory to himself out of them; and then, welcome his whole will.

If this year should be my dying year, as perhaps it maybe, I commit my spirit into the hands of my Redeemer, to .be washed with his blood, and presented in his arms with exceeding joy. My wife and children I commit to him to be owned, blessed, and preserved by him when I am gone. 'In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust, let me never be ashamed.'

December 31, 1703:

[After reciting, as on some former occasions, his sins and mercies, and observing that, even under the gospel, there must be a remembrance of sins every year, he proceeds—] Not such as speaks any deficiency in the sacrifice, as that under the law did, but such as speaks deficiency in my daily repentance,—which ought, therefore, to be renewed,—and the imperfection of the work of sanctification,

Unfixedness of thought, a wretched desultoriness. Some speak of time well spent in thinking, but I find, unless in speaking, reading, or writing, my thinking doth not turn to much account. Though I have had comfort in some broken good thoughts, yet I can seldom fix my heart to a chain of them. O that the thought of my heart may be forgiven.

I have oft bewailed my barrenness in good discourse, and unskillfulness in beginning it, and coldness of concern for the souls of others ; and in reflection on this year, I find it has not been much better. I bless God I love good discourse, and would promote it, but I want zeal. The Lord pity me.

I have great reason to be thankful for continued health, for comfort in my soul, not made a terror to myself. I have oft thought this year, what a mercy it is to be kept out of the horrible pit and miry clay.

I have had much satisfaction this year in my nonconformity, especially by reading Mr. Hoadly's books, in which I see a manifest spirit of Christianity unhappily leavened by the spirit of conformity.

January 1, 1704:

Acknowledging my continued dependence upon God as my Creator, Preserver, and chief good; and my continued obligations to him in duty as my Lord and Ruler; and in interest, as my Benefactor and Protector; believing that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Relying upon the merit, mediation, and everlasting righteousness of my dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who loved me and gave himself for me, as my way to the Father, and the spotless robe wherein alone lean appear before him.

And submitting my soul to the operation and influences of the blessed Spirit of grace, without which, l am nothing, and can do nothing.

Thankfully owning God's goodness to me the last year, in lengthening out my life, health, comfort in soul, peace, plenty, settlement, relations, liberty, and opportunity: and admiring his patience, forbearance, longsuffering, in sparing me in his vineyard, who deserved to have been cut down and cast into the fire as a barren tree.

Lamenting my foolishness, the foolishness which is still bound up in my heart, and that which still breaks forth in my life; and particularly that my improvements in grace and usefulness last year did not answer the covenants which began it.

Because of all this I make a sure covenant and write it.

In the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, on which alone I depend to work all my works in me and for me, I covenant for this new year, for my whole life, to walk closely with God in all holy conversation, to keep my heart with all diligence; and to thee, O my God, I commit the keeping of it. To take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue; and do thou set a watch, O Lord, before the door of my lips. I covenant to redeem my time, and to thee, O God, do I consecrate this year, and all the hours of it. The Lord enable me to fill it up with good according as the duty of every day requires. I bind myself to follow the spirit of God in all my affections, and the providence of God in all my affairs, whatever God shall appoint me. to this year; to health or sickness, to plenty or loss, to evil report, or good report, to liberty or restraint, to the house of mourning or the house of rejoicing, to life or death. Behold, here I am, let him do with me as seemeth good in his eyes. Only, whatever the providence of God allots for me, let the grace of God be sufficient for me, to enable me to accommodate myself to it; and then welcome the will of God.

January 1, 1705:

Not renouncing, but repeating and ratifying., all my former covenants with God, and lamenting that I have not lived up more closely to them, I do, in the beginning of this new year, solemnly make a fresh surrender of myself, of my whole self, body, soul, and spirit, to God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; my Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier; covenanting and promising, not in any strength of my own, for I am very weak, but in the strength of the grace of Jesus Christ, that I will endeavor this year to stand complete in all the will of God. I know this is the will of God, even my sanctification. Lord grant that this year I may be more holy, and walk more closely than ever in all holy conversation. I earnestly desire to be filled with holy thoughts, to be carried out in holy affections, determined by holy aims and intentions, and governed in all my words and actions by holy principles. O that a golden thread of holiness may run through the whole web of this year.

I know it is the will of God that I should be useful, and by his grace I will be so. Lord, thou knowest it is the top of my ambition in this world to do good, and to be serviceable to the honor of Christ, and the welfare of precious souls. I would fain do good in the pulpit, and good with my pen; and, which I earnestly desire to abound more in, to do good by my common converse. O that the door of my opportunities may be still open, and that my heart may be enlarged with holy zeal and activity for God this year; and that I may be thoroughly furnished with knowledge, wisdom, and grace, for every good word and work.

If it be the will of God that this year should be a year of affliction to me, a year of sickness or reproach, or loss; if my family should be visited, if my liberties should be cut short, if public troubles should arise, if any calamity should befall me, which I am least apprehensive now, I earnestly desire to submit to the divine disposal. Welcome, the holy will of God. Let me have God's favor, and the assurances of that, and by his grace nothing shall come amiss to me.

If it be the will of God that I should finish my course this year, let me be found of Christ in peace, and by the grace of God, death shall be welcome to me. My wife and children, and relations, my congregation, which is very dear to me, my ministry, myself, and my all, I commit to God, whose I am, and whom I desire to serve. Let me be the Lord's only, wholly, and forever. Amen. The Lord say Amen to it.

December 31, 1705:

We bring our years to an end, like a tale that is told. Lord teach us to number our days.

In the review of the year I find,

1. That I have as much reason as ever to be thankful to God. It has been a year of much mercy. My life has been continued to the end of it, though many of my brethren in the ministry have been removed in the midst of their days, who, had they lived, would have done God more service than I can; particularly my dear brother Mr. Chorlton. I have had a good measure of health for my ministry and study; no returns or remains of my last year's illness.

God has this year brought my children through the small-pox, and borne up my dear wife under great weakness.

My mother also, though brought low, has been helped.

My door of opportunity continues open at home and abroad; and I am willing to hope some good is done.

That which is especially remarkable, as the mercy of this year, is the nappy posture of our public affairs, particularly at home. After a mighty struggle moderate counsels have prevailed. God has wonderfully inclined the queen's heart to such counsels; and useth her as an instrument of great good to the land, that the excellency of the power may be of God. Patrons of our liberty have been strangely raised up among those who have no kindness for us, or our way. The intemperate acts of bigots have proved to make mightily against themselves; there are many adversaries, and yet the door continues open. Great endeavors used to render us contemptible, odious, dangerous, and what not, and yet we live and go on, and young ones are coming in, and some hopeful ones. O that the power of godliness, holiness, seriousness, and heavenly-mindedness, might prevail more among us, and then we should have a very hopeful prospect. And who can tell but Infinite Wisdom may yet find out a way for comprehending us, though the present temper of our neighbors rather sets it at a greater distance than ever.

2. I have reason to make the old complaint of dullness and weakness, and coldness of affection to divine things. The Lord strengthen the things which remain!

Care about my children, providing something for them, has been often in my head; and perhaps, more than it should be. Lord, I cast the care upon thee, who hast provided well for me; the Lord care for them, and teach me my duty, and then with him I will leave the event.

January 1, 1706:

It is of the Lord's mercy that I am not consumed. By night, on my bed, I endeavored to seek him whom my soul loveth; and now I begin this new year,

1. Earnestly praying for the graces of the year with a humble subjection of soul to the blessed Spirit of God, that I may, some way or other, eminently honor and glorify God this year; that I may live this year to some purpose; to better purpose than I did the last. O that no temptation may so overtake me this year as to overcome me. To the conduct of divine grace, which is, I know, sufficient for me, I here solemnly resign myself, my thoughts, my affections, my will, and all the intents of my heart, to be directed into the right way, and kept and quickened in it Let me this year receive grace for grace.

2. Patiently waiting for the events of the year, with a humble submission to the holy will of God. I know not what the year shall bring forth; but I know it shall bring forth nothing amiss to me, if God be my God in covenant; if it bring forth death—that I hope shall quite finish sin, and free me from it—Lord let thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word. I commit my family to my heavenly Father, to God, even my own God, my father's God, my children's God. O pour out thy Spirit upon my seed, thy blessing, that blessing, that blessing of blessings, upon my offspring, that they may be praising God on earth when I am praising him in heaven. Amen, amen.

January 1, 1707:

My own act and deed, through the grace of God, I have made it many a time, and now I make it the first act of this new year, to resign myself afresh unto the Lord, not only for the year ensuing, but for my whole life, and forever.    

1. To thee, O God, I give up myself, to be used and employed for thee. I desire to live no longer than I may do thee some service. Make what use of me thou pleasest, only let me obtain mercy of the Lord, to be found diligent, humble, and faithful. O that the work of this year may be better done than that of the last, and my time more filled up; and that I may never grow weary of well doing.

2. To thee, O God, I give up myself, to be disposed of by thee as thou pleasest. I know not what the year may bring forth to me, or to my family. But welcome the holy will of God; and God, by his grace, make me ready for it. If it be the last year of my life, my dying year, may I but finish my course with joy; and farewell this world. Whatever afflictions may this year befall me, I desire none of them may move me from God and my duty.

December 31, 1707:

As to the year past I have as much reason as ever to lament my barrenness, and unfruitfulness, that I have not made a better proficiency in knowledge and grace. I find myself growing into years, being now turned forty-five. I begin to feel my journey in my bones, and I desire to be thereby loosened from the world, and from the body. The death of my dear and honored mother this year, has been a sore breach upon my comfort; for she was my skillful, faithful counsellor; and it is an intimation to me that now, in the order of nature, I must go next. My estate is somewhat increased: the Lord enlarge my heart to do good with it; but as goods are increased, they are increased that eat them. My children are growing up, and that reminds me that I am going down. As to my ministry here, Mr. Mainwaring's leaving me, and his wife, has been very much my discouragement. But Providence so ordered it that Mr. Harvey's congregation are generally come in to us, or else we begin to dwindle, so that I should have gone on very heavily.

January 1, 1708:

early. Christ is a Christian's all, and he is my all.

Unto thee, O blessed Jesus; my only Saviour and Redeemer, do I make a fresh surrender of my whole self this morning, body, soul, and spirit; to me to live is Christ, particularly this ensuing year. 

All my time, strength and service, I devote to the honor of the Lord Jesus; my studies and all my ministerial labors, and even my common actions. It is my earnest expectation and hope, and I desire it may be my constant aim and endeavor, that Jesus Christ may be magnified in my body.

In every thing wherein I have to do with God, my entire dependence is upon Jesus Christ for strength and righteousness; and whatever I do in word or deed, I desire to do all in his name, to make him my Alpha and Omega. The anointed of the Lord is the breath of my nostrils; through his hand I desire to receive all my comforts. I have all by him, and I would use all for him.

If this should prove a year of affliction, a sorrowful year upon my account, I will fetch all my supports and comforts from the Lord Jesus, and stay myself upon his everlasting consolations, and the good hope I have in him through grace.

And if it should be my dying year, my times are in the hand of the Lord Jesus; and with a humble reliance upon his mediation, I would venture into another world, looking for the blessed hope. Dying as well as living, Jesus Christ will, I trust, be gain and advantage to me.

Good Lord, keep this always in the imagination of the thought of my heart, and establish my way before thee.

January 1, 1713:

Firmly believing that my times are in God’s hand, I here submit myself and all my affairs for the ensuing year, to the wise and gracious disposal of God’s divine providence. Whether God appoints for me health or sickness, peace or trouble, comforts or crosses, life or death — may His holy will be done! 

 

All my time, strength, and service, I devote to the honor of the Lord Jesus–and even my common actions. It is my earnest expectation, hope, and desire, my constant aim and endeavor–that Jesus Christ may be magnified in me. In everything I have to do – my entire dependence is upon Jesus Christ for strength. And whatever I do in word or deed, I desire to do all in His name, to make Him my Alpha and Omega. 

I have all from Him – and I would use all for Him. 

If this should prove a year of affliction, a sorrowful year to me – I will fetch all my supports and comforts from the Lord Jesus and stay myself upon Him, His everlasting consolations, and the good hope I have in Him through grace. 

And if it should be my dying year–then my times are in the hand of the Lord Jesus. And with a humble reliance upon His mediation, I would venture into the eternal world looking for the blessed hope. Dying as well as living – Jesus Christ will, I trust, be gain and advantage to me. 

Oh, that the grace of God may be sufficient for me, to keep me always a humble sense of my own unworthiness, weakness, folly, and infirmity – together with a humble dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ for both righteousness and strength.

Hear the Word With Affection

Thomas Vincent, "Godliness in Principle and Conversation," in Fire and Brimstone, pp. 217-218:

Hear the Word with affection. See the affection David had for the Word throughout Psalm 119. In verse 82: "Mine eyes fail for Thy Word." Verse 131: "I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Thy commandments." Verse 20: "My soul breaketh for the longing it hath unto Thy judgments at all times." Verse 163: "Thy law do I love." Verse 159: "Consider how I love Thy precepts." Verse 97: "Oh, how I love Thy law!" Verse 167: "My soul hath kept Thy testimonies, and I love them exceedingly." Verse 16: "I will delight myself in Thy statutes." Verse 24: "Thy testimonies are my delight and my counselors." Verse 103: "How sweet are Thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Verse 72: "The law of Thy mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver." Verse 111: "Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." Verse 162: "I rejoice at Thy Word as one that findeth great spoil."

Labor for like affections in hearing the Word. Labor that your hearts may be warm, yea, burn within you while the Scriptures are opened unto you, as in Luke 24:32. See the danger of hearing the Word without love and suitable affection. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12: "Because they received not the love of the truth that they may be saved, for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned, who believe not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

Pagan Calendar Names

The Quakers, Brownists and Gibbites ('Sweet Singers' who followed the teachings of John Gibb (d. 1720?)) were known, among other things, for their rejection of pagan and Roman calendar names relating to both months and days of the week. Not all Puritans shared this conviction, but there was sympathy with the expressed desire to purify the calendar of heathen and popish influences, and in particular, Puritans took a particular stand about using Biblical names for the first day of the week, i.e., the Christian Sabbath or the Lord's Day.

In Puritan New England, for example, it was common to reckon days and months with numerals; therefore, when writing to express a date such as Monday, December 23rd, it would be done in this way: 23d 10m (March being the first month of the year in the Julian calendar, therefore December was the tenth month), cf. Michael G. Hall, The Last Puritan: The Life of Increase Mather, 1639-1723, p. 14).

Ezra Hoyt Byington, The Puritan in England and New England, pp. 166-167:

Our Puritan fathers made it a matter of conscience to call the days of the week by numerals, and to call the months in the same way, as the Quakers do to this day. It was a singular scruple which they had, and it had its origin amongst the Lollards, and the Anabaptists, from whom the Quakers and some other Protestant sects came. They thought it was giving honor to the heathen gods, and to pagan worship, to call their days Sunday, or Monday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday, or to call their months January, or March, or May. But while this scruple has been so tenacious among the Friends, that even Mr. Whittier continued to follow it as long as he lived, our Puritan fathers had laid it aside before their colonies had completed their first century.

Charles Edward Jefferson, "The Puritan Sabbath and Ours," in Forefathers' Day Sermons, p. 203:

The Puritans liked to call their day of rest the "Sabbath." Sometimes they called it the "First Day." This was the expression employed in the Gospels. More frequently, they called it the "Lord's Day." They had authority for this in the first chapter of the book of the Revelation. But their favorite name was "Sabbath." This was the word which Moses had used, and David, the sweet singer of Israel, and all the Prophets, and it was, therefore, presumably the favorite of Heaven. The word "Sunday" they would not use because it was not to be found in the Bible. It was a word of pagan origin, meaning Sun's Day, just as Monday means Moon's Day, and any word coined in heathen mint could not be applied to a divine institution. Scriptural sanction was essential for all their religious names and customs, and, therefore, "Sunday" was among them a name tabooed.

George Gillespie, A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies, pp. 190-191:

Sixthly, Papists themselves teach...Yea, they condemn the very heathenish names of the days of the week imposed after the names of planets, Sunday, Monday, etc.40

40. Rhem. on Apoc. 1:10.

Maurice Grant, No King But Christ: The Story of Donald Cargill, pp. 160, 261-262:

Events soon proved the truth of Cargill's prediction. At the beginning of May [John] Gibb and his followers were all seized by the soldiers and carried to Edinburgh. The mere were imprisoned in the Canongate Tolbooth; the women were consigned to the 'correction house', the usual repository for the loose and immoral in the city. After some weeks in prison Gibb drew up a paper setting out his principles, which he presented to the Council. It was a wild, unbalanced document, aptly demonstrating the mind of its author and scarcely deserving to be treated seriously. It denounced the use of chapters and verses in Scripture, the metrical Psalms, the translation of the Bible out of the original languages, the Confession of Faith and the Catechisms, the Covenants and the Form of Church Government, the Queensferry paper, the Sanquhar Declaration and even the names of months and days of the week.1

1. The view that the common names of the days and months, being derived from pagan deities, were not worthy to be used by Christians, was not confined to Gibb and his followers. As contemporary records show, it was one of the chief points of difference between James Russel and the United Societies in the years following Cargill's death. Russel's friend and associate, Patrick Grant, maintained that his and Russel's views on the subject had been shared by William Cuthill, who died along with Cargill, and that Cuthill had asserted them in the portion of his last testimony which was supressed by the editors of the Cloud of Witnesses (1714 ed., p. 118). Grant also claimed that in his letter to Gibb's followers in the Correction House Cargill himself had expressed approval of these views, but there is nothing in Cargill's letter to lend support to this. Nevertheless it is clear that some who attended on Cargill's ministry and held him in the highest respect adopted the practice at about this time. A manuscript copy of Cargill's sermon at Dovan Common on 26 June, obviously recorded by a friendly hand, is dated 'the 26th day of the sixth month'. A letter from Patrick Forman, who with four others was put to death at the Gallowlee in Edinburgh in October 1681, is dated 'the 16th of this ninth month' and his testimony 'the 8th day of the tenth month'. The practice did not, however, become general, and was not adopted by James Renwick nor the other members of the United Societies.

Jeremiah Burroughs, An Exposition of the Prophecy of Hosea, p. 147 (on Hosea 2.16-17):

It were good therefore, seeing God hates and loathes it so much, that we should hate and loath it also, and therefore cast out even the name and memory of it; it were a happy thing if the names of popish, as well as heathenish, idols could be banished from the church; but I know not how it happens that we Christians still retain the use of them; the very days of the week among us are called by the names of planets, or heathen gods: not that I think it a sin, when it is the ordinary language of the world, to speak so as may be understood, for the apostle mentions the name of Castor and Pollux; but if there could be an alteration by general consent, (as our brethren in New England have), it were desirable; and still more so, that our children might not be educated in the use of heathen poems, whereby the names of heathen idols are kept up fresh amongst us: the papists themselves acknowledge so much in the Rhemish Testament, in their notes on Rev. i.10: "The name Sunday is heathenish, as all other of the week-days, some imposed by the Romans after the name of planets, some from certain idols which the Saxons worshipped, and to which they dedicated their days before they were Christians. These names the church rejecting, has appointed to call the first day Dominic, (the Lord's) the others by the name of Feries, successivly to the last day of the week, which she calls by the old name of sabbath, because that was of God, and not by imposition of the heathen." And in their Annotations upon Luke xxiv.1, "The first day of the sabbath; that is, the first after the Sabbath, which is our Lord's day. And from the apostle, 1 Cor. xvi.2, commanding a collection to be made on the first day of the sabbath, we learn," (say they) "both the keeping that day as the sabbath, and the church's naming the days of the week the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th of the sabbath, and so on, to be apostolical, and the calling of the days of the week, the second, the third, the fourth, &c., to be likewise apostolical, which St. Sylvester afterward named the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Feriam." Thus you have the papists acknowledging the Lord's day to be apostolical, and the calling of the days of the week the second, the third, the fourth, &c., to be likewise apostolical. The heathenish Roman names of the days were taken from the seven planets: 1. Sol, thence Dies solis, Sunday dedicated to the sun. 2. Luna, Monday, dedicated to the moon. 3. Mars, Tuesday, dedicated to Mars. Our Tuesday is a Saxon name, from Tuisco, who they say was, since the Tower of Babel, chief leader and ruler of the German nation, who, in honour of him, called this day Tuesday, Tuisco's day. 4. Mercurius, to whom Wednesday is dedicated, and we call it so, is from the Saxon's Woden, who was a great prince among them, and whose image they adored after his death. 5. Jupiter, to whom Thursday is dedicated; so called by us from the Saxon Thor, the name of an idol which they anciently worshipped. 6. Venus, to whom our Friday, which name is given it from Friga, an idol of the Germans. This idol was an hermaphrodite, and reputed to be the giver of plenty, and the causer of amity; the same perhaps which the Romans called Venus. 7. Saturnus, dedicated to Saturn, whence our Saturday; or, as others think, from Seater, an idol of the Germans. Exod. xxiii.13, we have this charge, "In all things that I have said unto you, be circumspect: and make no mention of the names of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." And Psal. xvi.4, David professes he will not take the names of idols into his lips.

Love the Brethren

Anthony Burgess, Spiritual Refining: The Anatomy of True and False Conversion, Vol. 1, p. 42:

The second proposition is, that Love of the Brethren is that sign and mark whereby we know assuredly, that we are in this happy estate; so that our love is no merit or cause, but a sign only; hence it is good to observe, that this very self-same privilege of passing from death to live, is attributed to faith, John 5:24, but in a different sense to faith, as that instrumental cause, which puts into such a condition, to love as an effect or sign only; for though love unites us to Christ as well as faith, yet faith does it by inward receiving of Christ to us, love by going out in our works for him; Hence the union by love is posterior to that of faith; Hence also it is that if love should justify, the dignity of it would arise from the act of love, because it's union consists in doing something out of us, but in faith's union, the dignity is wholly from the object, viz. Christ embraced, because this union is by inward reception and application.

That love of the brethren is a sign of true grace.

As the Apostle makes it here a sign to ourselves, so in other places to others, Hereby shall all men know ye are my disciples, if ye love one another; he does not say, if you work miracles, if you cast out devils, but if you love. Hence the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter. 1:7 bids them add to godliness, brotherly kindness. As if we could not have any true comfort from all our religious duties towards God, unless this also be added to it, or with it.

A Preparative to Marriage Part 2

A while back, I posted several extracts from the famous sermon by Henry Smith, A Preparative to Marriage. I am happy to report that this sermon is now available to read in full online, in an edition of his sermons published by John Brown of Bedford. If you have not read the sermon (it is well worth reading) or to wish to have access to this digital edition of his selected sermons, see here (note that it is also found in Vol. 1 of Henry Smith's Works, which is not currently online, but Vol. 2 of his Works is available online elsewhere here).

Roasting Venison

William Bridge, Sermon 8: "The Work and Way of Meditation," in Works, Vol. 3, pp. 147-148:

The sabbath day is our market day; and then after we have bought our market on the sabbath, we should roast it by meditation on the week. We do not go to the market on the market day, to buy meat into the house only for the market day, but for all the time until the market day comes about again. Indeed Solomon saith of the sluggard, that he is so sluggish and slothful, that "he doth not roast what he hath taken in hunting." The sabbath day is the hunting day for souls wherein the venison is taken: on the week day we are to roast it, and to live upon it by meditation, and otherwise. And what is the reason that many do not live upon their venison, that they have taken on the Lord's day? but because they do not roast it by meditation on the week day, and so are in the number of Solomon's sluggards: the sluggard roasteth not the venison that he hath taken in hunting. I am sure that David in the cxixth Psalm saith, that his meditation was at work all the day long: "It is my meditation all the day;" not a piece of it, it is every day's work, it is all the day's work. Yea in Psalm i. he takes in the night too. "He delighteth in the law of the Lord, and therein doth he meditate day and night." So that that is the second thing, meditation work is every day's work. As it is every man's work, so it is every day's work.

Elevating Art

In this year of George Frederic Handel's anniversary, it is worth remembering two particular anecdotes relating to his famous oratorio, Messiah. They tell us something of the aim of good art, which is to lift us above ourselves, that we might walk away from it elevated, in a manner of speaking, and edified, our souls raised higher than they were before. Both literally and figuratively, this point is illustrated here.

Letter of James Beattie to the Rev. Dr. Laing, May 25, 1780, in William Forbes, An Account of the Life and Writings of James Beattie, L.L.D., pp. 330-331:

I lately heard two anecdotes, which deserve to be put in writing, and which you will be glad to hear. When Handel's "Messiah" was first performed, the audience were exceedingly struck and affected by the music in general; but when that chorus struck up, "For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth," they were so transported, that they all, together with the King, (who happened to be present) started up, and remained standing till the chorus ended: And hence it became the fashion in England for the audience to stand while that part of the music is performing. Some days after the first exhibition of the same divine oratorio, Mr. Handel came to pay his respects to Lord Kinnoul, with whom he was particularly acquainted. His Lordship, as was natural, paid him some compliments on the noble entertainment which he had lately given the town. "My Lord," said Handel, "I should be sorry if I only entertained them; I wish to make them better." These two anecdotes I had from Lord Kinnoul himself. You will agree with me, that the first does great honour to Handel, to music, and to the English nation: The second tends to confirm my theory, and Sir John Hawkins's testimony, that Handel, in spite of all that has been said to the contrary, must have been a pious man."

One Day at a Time

Henry Scudder, The Christian's Daily Walk, p. 1:

Beloved friend, observing your forwardness and zeal in seeking to know how you might please God, and save your soul, I thought it would be acceptable and profitable to you, if I should, by the infallible rule of God's word, direct you how, with most certainty, speed, and ease, you might attain to this your holy aim. Wherefore, considering that most of God's children make their lives unprofitable and uncomfortable, by troubling themselves about "many things," and that too much in things less needful; by caring and fearing what shall befal them and theirs hereafter, with respect to this present life,—that you may obtain "that one thing needful," and contain yourself within your own line and calling, I exhort you heedfully to apply yourself to do each present day's work with Christian cheerfulness, and to bear each present day's evil with Christian patience.

Magnificence of True Prayer

Alexander Whyte, Lord, Teach Us to Pray: Sermons on Prayer, pp. 4-5:

Prayer is the magnificent office it is, because it is an office of such a magnificent kind...an ejaculation, a sigh, a sob, a tear, a smile, a psalm, is far greater to God than than all the oblations, and incense, and calling of assemblies, and solemn meetings of Jerusalem, because repentance and faith and love and trust are in that sob and in that psalm. And the magnificence of true prayer -- its nobility, its royalty, its absolute divinity -- all stand in this, that it is the greatest kind of act and office that man, or angel, can ever enter on and perform. Earth is at its very best, and heaven is at its very highest, when men and angels magnify their office of prayer and of praise before the throne of God.

Jay Sulzmann: In Memoriam (1946-2009)

Jay J. Sulzmann, Sr., born August 27, 1946 has gone home to be with the Lord. He died on December 20, 2009, the Lord's Day, being translated on a weekly Sabbath day to his eternal Sabbath rest. Brother Jay lived well -- as any who knew him will testify, he was always a Christian gentleman -- and he died well too, in the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. After two and a half years of battling cancer, borne with much grace, he was ready "to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better" (Phil. 1.23). His life, love, and death are a testimony to all of us left behind, most especially his beloved wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Sulzmann, and son, Jay Sulzmann, Jr., whose faith has shined amidst the grief.

My dear friend was born in Bayonne, NJ, and soon baptized in the First Reformed Church (Dutch Reformed) -- its building is now a national historic landmark -- which soon became federated with Christ Presbyterian Church of the UPCUSA. When his family moved, he joined a nearby Methodist Church, but returned to the Presbyterian Church (UPCUSA) 6 years later. His journey continued through the PCUS, the PC(USA), the PCA, the OPC and, finally, the Presbyterian Reformed Church. This is when I met him, around 2002. At the time, he was living in Pennsylvania and made the long trip for worship services in northern Virginia twice a month. He served as the precentor of our congregation, as he had done on the West Coast, and later in Charlotte, North Carolina. He had lived in New Jersey for 28 years, and later in Vancouver, WA for another 14 years -- altogether he lived in 6 states and 2 foreign countries, and had occasion in his life to travel to all 6 inhabited continents.

A math major, he taught high school math at several locations, including Norfolk, Virginia, where he met and married his wife of 27 years. He later became a computer programmer and software developer, working at several companies in Virginia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina, but in his heart his passion for teaching remained, and he became a substitute teacher once again in 2008. I recall his delight in word problems that he would pose and solve. He was very precise, organized and disciplined in his life, and mathematics was a natural source of delight for him -- though math is not my cup of tea there was something contagious about the pleasure he took in working through problems.

As a precentor, he invested much time and energy in creating spreadsheets and tables with psalms and their corresponding tunes for the edification of the saints. His precentor blog remains behind as an indicator of his love of the psalms and his desire to help God's people in their singing of his praises. I often spoke with him about the work involved in precentoring, his favorite psalter (The Scottish Psalmody), and other aspects of psalmody (his favorite psalm was 121 to the tune French) -- love of math is not something we shared, although I took joy in his delight at working through problems. His love of God's people, God's Word and, especially, the psalms, permeated his life. He believed that the regulative principle of worship requires the singing of psalms only in public worship without instrumental accompaniment. It was a conviction he held passionately, advocated graciously, and practiced faithfully.

He was not one to fall into the trap of heated debate over that or any other subject. He would offer an opinion when asked, and he loved to speak about the Lord's dealings in his life and what he gleaned from God's Word, but if he was ever over-zealous, he left the "cage stage" behind long ago. He exemplified, for me, what it means to be a mature, humble, gracious servant of the Lord, who "must not strive" (2 Tim. 2.24). His short and sweet remarks always gave me much food for thought.

Though he opposed musical instruments in church, it was he who introduced me to the music of Telemann. I always think of Jay when I listen to his Trio Sonata in D Minor. He loved classical music, classic rock, classic movies (his favorite was North by Northwest and he never tired of quoting Bogie and Claude Rains in Casablanca). In photographs, he was always with his beloved bride, and they always looked like newlyweds to me, though he always took care to refer in public to his wife as "Mrs. Sulzmann." He beamed when he spoke of his son. Like me, he loved to look up at the night sky, and, unlike me, took stunningly beautiful photographs of the moon. He had a passion for gardening, and had a dislike of unnecessary verbosity as when someone might say, “I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but …” instead of "Have you heard...?" He liked to deflect serious moments with the odd expression, "Hey look! Monkeys!"

There is a side of him, I am sure, that must have struggled with affliction in his final years, but the comfort he found in Bible verses that he and Beth shared was not artificial, forced or contrived, but genuine, sincere and uplifting. No one can walk down another's path, and I can't say what sort of valleys he went through in his last days, but I know that as much as he loved his family and friends, he longed to be with Jesus, and he was ready when the time came. When other loved ones around him passed on, he would sometimes remark, "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?" (Gen. 18:25). It is true, the Lord's ways are just and perfect. Jay lived well and died well, and I still ache for missing him. He was in my thoughts and prayers often this year, and I let him know that, but there was so much more I wanted to say and, for whatever reason, didn't. A lesson I thought I had learned before, I am learning again, tell your loved ones how much they are loved. There is pain and grief here, but no tears, no sadness for Jay now, only everlasting joy. I can't help thinking of him as I sing this last stanza from Psalm 121 from the Scottish Metrical Psalter:

7 The Lord shall keep thy soul; he shall
preserve thee from all ill.
8 Henceforth thy going out and in
God keep for ever will.

I miss Jay, and I can't wait to sing the Lord's song with him again one day.

Every Man Dies, But Not Every Man Truly Lives

Ascribed to Walt Whitman or William Wallace (Braveheart):

Every man dies, but not every man truly lives.

The story of Similis, captain of the guard for the Roman Emperor Hadrian, is illustrative of this point. I would add for clarification that it is not cloistering oneself from the world which is to be commended, but rather the life redeemed and, forsaking vanity, spent for God in this world.

Charles Buck, Anecdotes: Religious, Moral, and Entertaining, p. 93:

Similis, captain of the guards to Adrian, got leave to quit that emperor's service, and spent the last seven years of his life in rural retirement. At his death, he ordered the following inscription on his tomb: "Here lies Similis, who lived but seven years, though he died at sixty-seven." Our true age, and our real life, are to be dated from the time of our abstraction from the world, and of our conversation to God.

Onward (Vol. 2, 1869), p. 95:

Life is not always to be estimated by years. "Here he lies who was so many years, but lived only seven," was the inscription on the tomb of Similis of Xiphilim. The writer of the epitaph correctly estimated the life of Similis, for the great man lived usefully but seven years.

John Carstares (Carstairs), Preface, p. xii, to James Durham, The Blessed Death of Those Who Die in the Lord:

The story is told of one Similis, captain of the Roman emperor Hadrian's guard, who had lived long in the city and at court, and had some seven years before his death retired to a private country house, where he thought that he had enjoyed himself more, being freed from the avocations, distractions, noise, and cumbersome converse of a court life. He commanded that after his death it should be written over his grave, "Here lies Similis who was many years old, but lived only seven." How many professors of religion are there, I say, who may thus sadly and sorrowfully complain of themselves when they come to die, "Ah! we have been here many years, but have either none at all, or but very few years." For that life that is not lived to God, and to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ, is not at all worthy of the denomination of "life," since we are, all the time we live so, but dead while we live.

Thomas Adams, Sermon XXXI: "The Two Sons; or, The Dissolute Conferred With the Hypocrite," in Works, Vol. 2, p. 89:

I have read of a courtier that, wearied with that few in these days will be wearied of, -- glorious vanities, gallant miseries, -- retired himself into the country, where he lived privately seven years. Dying, he caused this epitaph to be engraven on his tomb: Hic jacet Similis, cujus aetas multorum annorum fuit: ipse duntaxat septem annos virit; --

'Here lies Similis, whose age
Saw many years on this world's stage.
His own account is far less given,
He says he only lived seven;'

esteeming the compass of his life no longer than his retiring himself from worldly vanities. So it may be said of a wicked old man: Non dia vixit, sed diu fuit, -- He hath not lived long, but been long upon the earth. After this rule many good men have reckoned their years: not from the time of their birth, but of their new birth; accounting only from that day when they were supernaturally born again, not when naturally born into the world: as if all that time were lost which an unsanctified life took up.

Reading Plan for Matthew Henry Commentary Challenge

Thanks to Wayne Sparkman, a one-year reading plan for the 2010 Matthew Henry Commentary Challenge has been created. One may use as it a two- or three-year plan as well by taking two or three days to read each section. If you are interested in receiving this pdf document by email, just let me know and I will be happy to forward it to you.

Winter

Anne Bradstreet wrote of "The Four Seasons of the Yeare" (1650) and today it seems appropos to take note of her tribute to the year's final season. I like her use of the term "Feastivity."

WINTER

Cold, moist, young flegmy winter now doth lye
In swaddling Clouts, like new born Infancy
Bound up with frosts, and furr'd with hail & snows,
And like an Infant, still it taller grows;
December is my first, and now the Sun
To th' Southward Tropick, his swift race doth run:
This moneth he's hous'd in horned Capricorn,
From thence he 'gins to length the shortned morn,
Through Christendome with great Feastivity,
Now's held, (but ghest) for blest Nativity,
Cold frozen January next comes in,
Chilling the blood and shrinking up the skin;
In Aquarius now keeps the long wisht Sun,
And Northward his unwearied Course doth run:
The day much longer then it was before,
The cold not lessened, but augmented more.
Now Toes and Ears, and Fingers often freeze,
And Travellers their noses sometimes leese.

Moist snowie Feburary is my last,
I care not how the winter time doth haste,
In Pisces now the golden Sun doth shine,
And Northward still approaches to the Line,
The rivers 'gin to ope, the snows to melt,
And some warm glances from his face are felt;
Which is increased by the lengthen'd day,
Until by's heat, he drives all cold away,
And thus the year in Circle runneth round:
Where first it did begin, in th' end its found.

North Sea Cross-Pollination

James Gilfillan, writing in The Sabbath Viewed in the Light of Reason, Revelation, and History with Sketches of its Literature (1862), pp. 114-117, notes a fascinating connection between the Sabbatarian views of Scottish Presbyterians and those of the Dutch Nadere Reformatie. He points out that some of the largest and unrefuted treatises on the Sabbath originated on both sides of the North Sea.

First, the massive treatise of John Brown of Wamphray (c. 1610-1679), De Causa Dei contra Anti-Sabbatarios Tractatus, or Treatise in the Cause of God against the Anti-Sabbatarians (Rotterdam, 1674-1676). Brown was a Scottish Covenanter who fled his motherland due to persecution, and ended in spending his last days in Holland, residing in Rotterdam and Utrecht. Gilfillan writes that this treatise was his "principal, though least popular work, and we should suppose, the largest ever published on the subject." James Walker writes that Brown's magnum opus is "larger than all the published works of Dr. [William] Cunningham put together" and this treatise of "our Scottish doctrine of the Sabbath...belongs, among books, to the order of the mighties: it is great in length, great in learning, great in patient sifting of the subject and in meeting of assertions and marshalling of arguments," The Theology and Theologians of Scotland: Chiefly of the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries, p. 25). Written in Latin, much of it remains untranslated into English today, although, thankfully, a select portion of this work representing representing perhaps the earliest Scottish Covenanter defense of exclusive psalmody has been translated in two parts appearing in The Confessional Presbyterian Journal (part one translated by N.E. Barry Hofstetter in 2007, and part two by my pastor, Dr. Steven Dilday, in 2009). This translation effort is most valuable, and it is to be hoped that the remainder of this worthy translation project will be taken up sooner rather than later.

Second, the compilation of two works on the Sabbath published in 1685 by Jacobus Koelman (1632-1695), the Dutch Puritan divine, entitled Het dispuit, en de historie, mitsgaders de praktijke van den sabbath, en's Heeren-dag (The Argument, History, and Practice of the Sabbath and the Lord's Day). Gilfillan describes it thus: "The work is second in magnitude only to that of Brown, and, like it, is a complete thesaurus on its subject. The arrangement of topics, which is indicated by the title, is happy, and each of them receives its distinct and proportionate attention. It has a novel feature of peculiar interest in the historical account which it supplies of opinions on the Sabbath, and of Sabbatic controversies in England and the Netherlands." Koelman and Brown were close friends, and in fact, Koelman translated certain works by Brown into Dutch.

Finally, Matthew Crawford (c. 1640-1700), a Scottish Presbyterian minister, wrote Exercitatio Apologetica, pro doctrina (de perpetua obligatione quarti precepti de Sabbato) ab Ecclesus Reformatis Communites recepta, adversus Socinianos, Anabaptistas, Libertinos, Pontificiodo quosdam Lutheranos, Enthusiastas, & quosdum Viros Doctos in Ecclesiis Reformatis (Utrecht, 1669) and dedicated it to Gisbertus Voetius. He was drawn to the Continent "having been captivated with the writings of the Belgic divines, on account of their signal erudition, and complete agreement in doctrine with his own Church and the Westminster Assembly." His grief at seeing the profanation of the Lord's Day there led to the eventual publication of this treatise, which Jacobus Koelman said in 1685 had never been answered.

These powerful works upholding the Christian Lord's Day reflect the "cross-pollination" that occurred between the the Puritans and Covenanters of the British isles and the Nadere Reformatie of the Netherlands. Though they represent perhaps the high-watermark of Puritan Sabbatarianism in the seventeenth century, it would be consistent with the aims of those divines on both sides of the North Sea, and desirable for us, to have each of these Latin and Dutch works fully available in the English and Dutch languages in the twenty-first century. It is my hope and prayer that, in the Lord's providence, this will come to pass.

Heaven's Music

One of the sweetest expressions of God's delight in his church is found in Zeph. 3.17:

The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.

Consequently, I thought it good on this Lord's Day to extract some select sweet meditations on this most excellent scripture passage concerning the love of God for his people.

Matthew Henry on Zeph. 3.14-20:

What makes a people holy will make them happy of course.

Richard Baxter, The Saints' Everlasting Rest, p. 36:

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, He will save thee, He will joy over thee with singing." Well may we then rejoice in our God with joy, and rest in our love, and joy in him with singing.

Ralph Erskine, Sermon 18: Preventing Love; Or, God's Love to Us the Cause of Our Love to Him, in Works, Vol. 1, p. 463-464:

God's love to his people is a resting love, Zeph. 3.17. "He rests in his love;" when it comes it never thinks of removing any more; "This is my rest, here will I stay:" so where true love to God is, it is a resting love; it stays, "Return to thy rest, O my soul." Ps. 116.7. The true lover of God hath no resting place but a God in Christ.

Robert Traill, Sermon XIV (on the Lord's Prayer), in Works, Vol. 2, pp. 282-283:

Christians, think justly, and think joyfully, of this great and notable day of the Lord, when he will make the greatest and most public representation of his church unto God, as the glorious head of his glorified body. See what food your faith can gather from that scripture, which, whatever fulfilments it hath had, or may yet have in time, is to be perfectly fulfilled (as many other scriptures) at the last day, Zeph. iii. 17. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Who of you hath faith to believe this? Where is the believer who dare apply these words with the confidence of faith to himself? Who is so bold as to say, (and yet all in Christ ought to say so), "The blessed day is coming, and will surely come, when Jesus Christ will be as glad to see me in heaven, as I can be to see him, or myself there? He will rejoice over me with joy; that is, he will exceedingly rejoice: he will rest in his love; that is, he will love for ever, without wearying or change: he will joy over me with singing: that is, his love and joy will break forth into a song." And indeed the joy of Christ in heaven is the best part of heaven's music.

George Hutcheson on Zeph. 3.17:

Though Christ's bride is of no worth in herself, nor does he need her, yet because he has chosen her to be his bride, he will not come behind in any duty which such a relationship promises or engages to among men; but he will take pleasure to be her God, will esteem, commend, cherish and delight in her, not according to her worth, but according to the dignity which he has called her unto, and as his wife, for his love put comeliness upon her; and he will express his delight by doing for her, as if her well-being were a sufficient recompense of all his pains. "He will rejoice over you with joy," which points at his inward delight; "he will joy over you with singing," which notes the outward expression of it; and both are borrowed from the carriage of a bridegroom to his bride. See Isa. 62.5.

The Lord's love so acquiesces in his people, whom he has chosen, that he does not only cherish them by many expressions of love when he takes up his rest in and with them, but he also answers all objections that might be against them, with his own free love, which has chosen them. He reckons that having loved them, he will always love them; and having let out his affection upon the unworthy, he will bear with their frailties, and not give a bill of divorce, nor chide continually. Thus "he will rest in his love," or her whom he loves, as having gained his end when he obtains her; and in "his love" or affection toward her, which is sufficient to make him not weary of her nor reject her. Yea, as the word signifies, "he will be deaf and dumb in his love"; his love (to speak after the manner of men) will guard his ear from hearing and his mouth from uttering accusations against her, so as to cast her off or to deny her marriage entertainment, though otherwise he may humble her.

Robert Hawker, The Poor Man's Morning and Evening Portions (Evening June 12 on Zeph. 3.17), pp. 477-479 :

My soul! look at this old testament promise, through the medium of the new testament dispensation, and behold what a cluster of rich blessings it contains; and which, like all the other promises of the bible, is "yea and amen in Christ Jesus!" And observe how it opens. The Lord thy God, that is, Jehovah in his threefold character of person, in rich covenant engagements, is "in the midst of thee;" hath set up his throne in Zion, and lives, and reigns, and governs in the hearts of his redeemed. So said Jesus, and so that dear Lord explained it in after ages: "If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him;" John 14.23. "I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth;" John 14.16-17. Mark these blessed, precious truths, my soul, in the most lively characters, on thine heart; and hence learn, that the Lord thy God, in covenant engagements, dwelleth in the midst of his people, and in the hearts of his people; that, like the sun at midday, in the centre of the heavens, he may enlighten, warm, refresh, and give forth all his blessings to bless thee. Next mark what the prophet saith of this covenant Lord God, who is in the midst of his church and people: "He is mighty!" Shout aloud at this, my soul; for if he be mighty, then he will support thy weakness, and subdue thy foes. What can bear down, or destroy the soul, whom this mighty God upholds? What shall arise to distress a child of God, as long as God is almighty? And if he hath engaged to be for thee, who can dare to be against thee? sweet consideration! What signifies my weakness, while Christ is strong? Yea, his strength will be made perfect in my weakness. Go on farther, my soul, in looking over the many blessed things spoken of in this verse. "He will save." Yea: he hath saved, and doth save, and will save. And this is the very cause, the angel said, for which his name should be called Jesus: for "he shall save his people from their sins." Matt. 1.21. Think of this, when at any time, sin or sorrow, trial or temptation, would cast thee down. Jesus is still Jesus, still on his throne: yea, thy Saviour. Amidst all thy changeableness, there is no change in him. And observe yet farther, how the prophet chimes on those sweet words: "He will rejoice over thee with joy: he will rest in his love: he will joy over thee with singing." Pause, my soul, over this most gracious account. Jesus not only saves, not only pardons, but he doth it as God, as Jesus. It is his joy, his delight, his pleasure, to do so. As he saith in another scripture, "Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly, with my whole heart, and with my whole soul;' Jer. 32.41. And as the poor timid believer, from feeling such coldness and deadness, as at times he doth in himself feel, is but too easily prevailed upon by the enemy, and by his own unbelieving heart, to suppose the same of Jesus: that he might not give way to this temptation, the Lord adds, "he will rest in his love:" will abide in it unmoved, and without change; for, as he saith in another scripture, "the Lord God of Israel hateth putting away:" Mal. 2.16. Oh! what a multitude of sweet things are folded up in this verse! Jesus rejoiceth over his people; yea, Jesus joys over them with singing. How often have I seen, in some lovely evening, like the present, that sweet bird of the air, called the skylark, mount aloft from her nest, still looking at her young as she ascends; and when advanced to her height, warbling in the most delightful notes over her brood; until at length, with all the rapidity of love, she darts down to cover, to feed, and to protect them! Thus, but in an infinitely higher degree, doth Jesus joy over his children with singing, resting in his love; and is ever near, ever mighty to defend, to bless, to keep, and to make happy, those who rest in his strength; while he rests in his love, being their God, and they his people.

William Jay, Morning Exercises, For Every Day in the Year (March 21 on Zeph. 3.17), pp. 138-139:

It is obvious he can save, for he is in the midst of them, and mighty. Here is nearness and power; he is therefore able to save to the uttermost, Heb. 7.25, whatever be the heinousness of guilt, or the depravity of nature, or the extremity of danger, or the depth of distress.

But he will save; he is inclined, he is engaged, he is bound by promise and oath and blood.

Neither does he repent of the obligation under which he has been pleased to bring himself: neither does he perform the work with reluctance: he will save, he will rejoice over them with joy.

Are they his vineyard? I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. (Isa. 27.3) Are they his sheep? "The Lord shall save them in that day, as the flock of his people: neither shall the beast of the field devour them; but they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods." (Ezek. 34.25)

But what is this salvation? It does not exclude temporal preservation and deliverance. He knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation. (2 Pet. 2.9) If he does not find a way, he can easily make one. Thus he saved Joseph from prison, and David from the paw of the lion and the bear, and the uncircumcised Philistine, 1 Sam. 17.37, and Elijah from famine, 1 Kings 17.4, and Jonah from the belly of hell. (Jonah 2.2)

We are not to look for miracles, but we may look for him who performed them, and who has said, I will be with thee in trouble. He has all events at his control; he is always the same: his hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither is his ear heavy, that it cannot hear. (Isa. 59.1) A distinction, however, is to be here observed. Temporal deliverances are promised conditionally. He could not have promised them otherwise. It would be rather a threatening than a promise, were he to engage to relieve and indulge you, whether it be good for you or evil. And it might be evil; and though you may not be aware of it, he can foresee it, and will prevent it. He has therefore said, They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. (Ps. 34.10) As to your property, he can make a hedge about all that you have. As to your reputation, he can hide you in the secret of his pavilion from the strife of tongues. (Ps. 31.20) As to your body, he can keep all your bones so that not one of them shall be broken; (Ps. 34.20) and if it be good for you, he will, he must do it. But if it should be otherwise, he will disappoint your wishes and hopes, and make the privation the privilege.

But as to the soul. Ah, what did you mean when you first asked, "What shall I do to be saved?" (Acts 16.30) when you first prayed, "Save me, and I shall be saved?" (Jer. 17.14) You thought of nothing earthly then, but of redemption from the curse of the law; (Gal. 3.13)of deliverance from the powers of darkness; (Col. 1.13) of freedom from the sting of death; (1 Col 15.56) of release from the dominion and being of sin. And it was said unto you, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16.31) And this salvation is insured; this salvation is begun. You are already justified by his blood, and saved from wrath through him. (Rom. 5.9) You are already renewed in the spirit of your mind. (Eph. 4.23) You have already the earnest of your inheritance, (Eph. 1.14) and taste some of the grapes of Eshcol. (Num. 13.23-24) And as to the completion, now is your salvation nearer than when you believed. (Rom. 13.11) The night is far spent: the day is at hand. (Rom. 13.12)

And what is every thing besides? All well with the soul; all well for eternity; a smiling God; an opening heaven!

"A hope so much divine
May trials well endure."

Octavius Winslow, Morning Thoughts: Daily Walking With God (February 8 on Zeph. 3.17), p. 46:

The marginal reading of the passage is exceedingly beautiful and expressive: "He will be silent because of His love." Divine wrath is silent, because love has hushed it. Divine justice is silent, because love has satisfied it. Sin is silent, because love has condemned it. Satan is silent, because love has vanquished him. God's love has silenced every voice but its own. When an accusation was brought against a poor sinner in the presence of Jesus, and He was called upon to adjudicate in the case, it is recorded that He "stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not" (John 8.6). He was silent, because of His love! And have we no accusers? Ah, yes! Many and just. Conscience accuses, Satan accuses, sin accuses, and the world accuses—but Jesus accuses not; He is silent, because of His love. They condemn loudly, fiercely, justly, but He never condemns. "And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground" (John 8.8). Still not a word of condemnation breathed from His lips. He had been wronged, He had been sinned against, His own holy law had been broken, and the witnesses, many and malignant, are there to testify in truth against the sinner. But Jesus is silent, and silent in His love.

For the Spread of the Gospel

George Hill, born in 1750, died 190 years ago today, on December 19, 1819. He graduated the University of St. Andrews at 14, was appointed Professor of Greek there at the age of 22, and was ordained to the ministry at St. Andrews when he was 28. He eventually rose to the positions of Professor of Divinity and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. His publications include Volume of Sermons (1796); Lectures upon Portions of the Old Testament (1812); Theological Institutes (1817); and, posthumously, Lectures on Divinity (1821).

On May 20, 1790, he preached a sermon before the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland challenging that body, on the basis of the sermon text, Ps. 22.27-28, to take up the cause of the "universal propagation" of the Christian gospel throughout the world. This sermon promoting a worldwide missionary endeavor preceded by two years the publication of William Carey's An Inquiry into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens, and constitutes an important step forward in the history of missions.

Sermon XIV (preached on May 20, 1790):

While we are thankful for the Father of Lights for the fullness and purity in which the inhabitants of this happy isle enjoy the advantages of the Christian Revelation, let us aspire to the exalted office of being workers with Him in the great and benevolent scheme, by which he is gathering his children out of all kindreds and tribes. The ministers of religion fulfill the peculiar business of their station, when they recommend the gospel to the attention and esteem of the world, by preaching its doctrines uncorruptly, and by exhibiting in their lives, a specimen of the divine power of those truths which they preach. Men of rank and influence act in the spirit of true patriotism, and of a philanthropy still more enlarged, when they cherish, by their example, the respect which the people entertain for the religion of their country: and the most private Christian, by discharging the duty which Jesus requires of him, and by forming his children to the love of that religion into which they were baptized, contributes, in his place, to maintain the barrier which the God of truth hath erected against the progress of idolatry and superstition. The public establishment of Christianity is the light of the world, and the virtues of Christians, by making this light to shine before men, draw them unto Jesus. When the subjects of the Prince of Peace appear clad in the beauties of holiness, they display the glory and the excellency of his kingdom. The attraction of virtue, that charm which commands the heart of man, is felt by every one who beholds the fruit of the spirit in all goodness, and righteousness, and truth; and the friends of Jesus thus prepare for Him, a people who shall be willing, in the day of his power.

Pun-Divinity

Charles Lamb, The Best Letters of Charles Lamb, pp. 159-160:

That was a clever way of the old Puritans,--pun-divinity.

Today's "Friday Funny" (unattributed):

There once was a young Puritan man, who had a great deal of difficulty remembering the various rules of conduct in his community. He tried hard, but was constantly being ridiculed because of some breach of etiquette. In desperation, he asked an older man to teach him proper manners. The task was formidable, and the older man's patience grew thin, as he had to repeatedly chastise the younger man for his awkward ways. Finally, on the way into church one Sunday, the younger man started into the building ahead of the older man. He was firmly collared by his elder, who then allowed a lady to go in ahead of both of them.

The young man expressed his regret and the older, losing his temper, yelled, "Canst thou remember nothing? How much easier can it become?"

Pointing out the woman who had just entered, he said, "It is I before Thee, except after She!"

Every Coast is Jewry

Westminster Confession of Faith, Chap. 21 (1646):

VI. Neither prayer, nor any other part of religious worship, is now under the Gospel either tied unto, or made more acceptable by any place in which it is performed, or towards which it is directed:(c) but God is to be worshipped everywhere,(d) in spirit and truth;(e) as in private families(f) daily,(g) and in secret each one by himself;(h) so, more solemnly, in the public assemblies, which are not carelessly or wilfully to be neglected, or forsaken, when God, by His Word or providence, calls thereunto.(i)

(c) John 4:21.
(d) Mal. 1:11; I Tim. 2:8.
(e) John 4:23, 24.
(f) Jer. 10:25; Deut. 6:6, 7; Job 1:5; II Sam. 6:18, 20; I Pet. 3:7; Acts 10:2.
(g) Matt. 6:11.
(h) Matt. 6:6; Eph. 6:18.
(i) Isa. 56:6, 7; Heb. 10:25; Prov. 1:20, 21, 24; Prov. 8:34; Acts 13:42; Luke 4:16; Acts 2:42.

Speaking of the people of God, John Rainolds, the Puritan who proposed and later contributed to the King James translation of the Bible, wrote, The Summe of the Conference betwene John Rainolds and John Hart touching the Head and the Faith of the Church. Penned by John Rainolds and allowed by John Hart for a faithfull report (1584), cap. 8, divis. 4, p. 491:

...with their spiritual sacrifices of praise, they may now sing the songs of the Lord in all places. To them no land is strange; no ground unholy. Every coast is Jewry, every town Jerusalem, every house Zion, and every faithful company, yea, every faithful body, a temple in which they may serve God.

George Gillespie, A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies (1642, 1993), p. 145:

How much more soundly do we hold with J. Rainolds, that unto us Christians, no land is strange, no ground unholy -- every coast is Jewry, every town Jerusalem, and every house Sion -- and every faithful company, yea, every faithful body, a temple to serve God in.

The Precentor's Dream

Nicholas Dickson, The Auld Scottish Precentor as Sketched in Anecdote and Story (1894), pp. 146-148:

The foregoing incident reminds us of another sick-room experience in the life of a precentor connected for many years with one of the churches in Glasgow. To the minister visiting him during convalescence, the precentor related the following remarkable dream.

"Man, Doctor, it was sic a real dream that I canna help thinkin' it wasna a dream after a', but something as real as if I seen and read it in the newspapers."

"A dream which was not all a dream," replied the Doctor, quoting Byron.

"Exactly. I thought I was takin' a wee bit daun'er round George Square ae lovely munelicht nicht. I was admirin' the mune in a' her grandeur, but a very singular sicht drew my attention frae her in the heavens an' made me wonder in my dream if I was really dreamin'. Frae east an' wast, frae north an' south, a great body o' men, bigger than the biggest giants I ever heard tell o', cam marchin' into the Square. Round an' round they marched, like the Israelites about Jericho, till the captain at their head roared out in a voice of thunder—Halt!

"In an instant, the giants halted like a weeldrilled regiment o' sodgers, an' waited for the word o' command. What that word was I canna tell ye, Doctor, but no sooner did they get it than the giant regiments a' marched back the way they had come, an' left the Square to the munelicht an' to me. No for lang, however, for back they all inarched wi' the maist extraordinar' bands at their head. What d'ye think, Doctor, the bands were playin' on?"

"Oh, big drums and that sort of thing."

"Not at a'; naething o' the kind, Doctor. Ilka bandsman had a big kirk, a real kirk, below his oxter, like a bagpipe, and the end o' the steeple in his mouth like the chanter—playin' and blawin' away like ten thousand Hielandmen let lowse in Glasgow."

"And what tunes did they play?"

"That's weel asked, Doctor; ye may be sure that was the thing that interested me maist; for as ilka band passed me, I kent the kirk that was being played on, an' the tunes that were played were just the psalm-tunes the precentor o' that kirk sang best."

"A remarkable dream, Andrew," observed the Doctor, rising to go. "Which dream, however, is an allegory and foreshadows things that must shortly come to pass."

"An' what may they be, Doctor?"

"The introduction of instrumental music in our churches, the choirmaster surrounded by his choir, and an empty precentor's desk."

"Amen !" replied the old precentor. " As for me, I'm dune with the desk, an' for the organ an' the choir—they may be very fine. But I'll ne'er forget the auld precenting days wi' the swing o' the Auld Hunder on special occasions, an' Coleshill at the Sacrament."