Cases of Conscience on Psalmody

William Ames, Conscience and Cases Thereof (1639), Book IV, pp. 43-44:

Chap. XIX
Of Singing

Question I. What use has Singing above the ordinary pronunciation?

1. A.1. It brings a kind of sweet delight to godly minds, Psalm 104.34
2. A.2. It has a more distinct and fixed meditation, Ibid.
3 A.3. It has a more copious and ample profession of piety, Col. 3.16
4. A.4. It has more command of mutual edification, if it be with others, Eph. 5.19

Question II. Whether Singing do equally agree to the mind in trouble and in joy?

5. A.1. It doth more properly agree to joy, James 5.13 because of the sweet dilation of the heart, which it makes a show of yet it well agrees to the profitable recording of past sorrow, as appears by these Psalms which are called Penitential; and sometime to the removing of sorrow, Prov. 25.20.

Question III: How are we to sing those Historical Psalms which belong to other persons, and times?

6. A.1. If we so meditate of them, that we reap consoloation, and hope from them, Rom. 15.4.
7. A.2. To this end, we ought in our thoughts to put on, as it were, the person, either of them, of whom those Psalms were composed, or of them who composed them, that whatever is spoken there, we may, in some sort, take it as spoken to ourselves.

Question 4. How may we sing those Psalms aright, which contain dire imprecations in them?

8. A.1. We may upon occasion of those imprecations meditate with fear and trembling, on the terrible judgments of God against the sin of impenitent persons.
9. A.2. We may thereupon profit in patience, and consoloation, against the temptations which are wont to arise from the prosperity of the wicked, and affliction of the godly.
10. A.3. We may also pray to God that he would hasten his revenge (not against our private enemies, but) against the wicked and incurable enemies of his Church.

HT: Chris Rhoades

Reasons For the Great Migration

The Great Puritan Migration of 1630-1640 is the name given to the mass removal of approximately 20,000 Puritans from Old England to New England in one decade. This numerical increase of whole families to the small colony of Massachusetts helped to establish and solidify the tenuous European foothold on the northern American continent. Puritans in England at this time were suffering much persecution as a result of Archbishop William Laud's high church policies. The economic and religious refuge possibilities envisioned by the London Company and the Plymouth Company (later the Plymouth Council for New England) and, later, as a result of the efforts of John White of Dorchester (1575-1648), "Patriarch of Dorchester," "Founder of Massachusetts," and member of the Westminster Assembly, the work of the Dorchester Company and its successors, the New England Company and the Massachusetts Bay Company, along with the 1629 Royal Charter and Cambridge Agreement, providing financial and legal support for the colonial enterprise; the providential survival of the Pilgrim Separatists at Plymouth Colony after the hard winter of 1620-1621; and the ongoing Anglican persecution all contributed to this mass migration. In 1630, John Winthrop sailed to New England on the Winthrop Fleet, famously preaching the "City on a Hill" sermon ("A Model of Christian Charity") while on the deck of the ship Arbella. William Ames designed to come over to New England but died in Holland in 1633 before he was able to do so. Also in 1633, on the ship Griffin, John Cotton, Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone crossed over to New England. As Cotton Mather reports (Magnalia Christi Americana, Vol. 1, p. 242):

There were then three eminent ministers of God in the ship; namely, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Hooker, and Mr. Stone; which glorious triumvirate coming together, made the poor people in the wilderness, at their coming, to say, that the God of heaven had supplied them, with what would in some sort answer their three great necessities; Cotton for their clothing, Hooker for their fishing, and Stone for their building:

The clearest account of the Puritans' motives in transplanting their families and churches, along with answering objections and concerns from those who felt that they were abandoning the Church of England in its time of need or separating from it, as well as providing Biblical justification for colonizing land peopled by the American Indians, is found is certain writings by some of the aforementioned men. Besides Winthrop's sermon above, see:

1. The Humble Request of His Majesties Loyall Subjects, the Governour and the Company late gone for New England; to the rest of their Brethren in and of the Church of England (1630). This document published by John Winthrop and his group may have been been drafted by John White of Dorchester. It sets forth their formal farewell to England, yet affirming their unbroken communion with the Church of England.

2. God's Promise to His Plantation (1630), a sermon preached by John Cotton upon the farewell of the Winthrop Fleet. In this sermon, Cotton provides "an ideological justification for engaging in such a risky venture, a promotional tract to encourage emigration, and a typological argument for possessing the wilderness" (Reiner Smolinski). He also promises a forthcoming more detailed justification for the colonial endeavor, which was to be provided by John White:

Ere long (if God will) thou shalt see a larger declaration of the first rise and ends of this enterprise, and so cleare and full a iustification of this designe, both in respect of that warrant it hath from Gods word, and also in respect of any other ground and circumstance of weight, that is considerable in the warrant of such worke, as (I hope) there will easily be removed any scruple of moment, which hitherto hath beene moved about it.

3. The Planters Plea, Or the Grounds of Plantations Examined, and usual Objections answered. Together with a manifestation of the causes moving such as have lately undertaken a Plantation in NEW ENGLAND: For the satisfaction of those that question the lawfulness of the Action. 2 Thess. v. 21. Prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. (1630) by John White of Dorchester. This important document satisfies John Winthrop's promise and constitutes a full treatise on the history of the settling of Massachusetts to date, and setting forth the Biblical reasons for the planting of this particular settlement, its relation to the Church of England, and the establishment of colonial endeavors generally (including arguments "from Gods gift of the earth to men," "from the Law of marriage" and "from the benefit that comes to mens outward estates"), as well as answering concerns by friends and foes of the Puritans' enterprise.

Midnight to Midnight - Part 1

The first table of the Decalogue has been nicely summarized in this way by Thomas Vincent in his Exposition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism:

The first commandment hath a respect unto the object of worship; the second commandment hath a respect unto the means of worship; the third commandment hath a respect unto the manner of worship; but this fourth commandment hath a respect unto the time of worship.

God alone regulates whom, how and by what means, and when we are are to worship him. With respect to time, although we are the recipient of daily mercies and he is to be worshiped privately and in families daily, he particularly in the fourth commandment appointed one day in seven, the Christian Sabbath or the Lord's Day, to be devoted to his worship in a special way. Christians acknowledge that Christ changed the Sabbath day from the last day of the week to the first, by example, if not explicit precept in the Word. Most Christians also believe that the reckoning of the Sabbath day was also changed from the Jewish manner (sundown to sundown) to the Roman (Gentile) manner (midnight to midnight), and on the same basis as the change of day itself, that is, by the example of when Christ arose from the dead, although practically speaking, in the modern church, Sabbath observance is largely assumed to be a matter of personal preference, rather than an objectively-measured standard. It is this question which I aim to explore in this post.

God has commanded that the whole Sabbath day is to be consecrated to him, not just a portion, although in his mercy he allows us time for food, sleep and other necessities. But since the whole day belongs to him, it behooves us to consider whether we are recognizing his authority over the whole day of his appointment. Far from being legalistic or an instance of vain sophistry, the question of when the Lord's Day begins and ends is, or ought to be, an example of commendable scrupulousness, when it aims to honor the Lord during the time of his appointment. For example, when the Sabbath is reckoned has a bearing on what activities may be lawful on a Saturday evening or the Lord's Day evening. Things that are lawful during the week may not be lawful on the Sabbath. How the Sabbath is to be reckoned is a question that many divines have addressed and I have here compiled some of their wisdom (in the Puritan era, Robert Cleaver, wrote a whole treatise defending midnight-to-midnight Sabbath observance, and in modern times, Greg Price has also done so here, but my extracts, though they make for a long double blog post, are much shorter). Some, such as the New England Puritans, have observed a Sabbath that runs from sundown on the seventh day of the week (Saturday) to sundown on the first day of the week (the Lord's Day). Thomas Shepard and John Cotton, for instance, have written able -- though I believe, erroneous -- treatises defending this view. Below are some Puritans and others who take the majority Christian position that the Christian Sabbath ought to be reckoned as we reckon other days, that is, from midnight to midnight, for midnight is when the morning begins.

Thomas Vincent, The Shorter Catechism Explained From Scripture, pp. 139-141:

Q. 6. When doth this holy day or Sabbath begin, in the evening before, or that morning from midnight?

A. In the evening before, by virtue of that word, "Remember to keep holy the seventh day," we ought to begin to prepare for the Sabbath; but the Sabbath itself doth not begin until the evening is spent, and midnight thereof over, and the morning after twelve of the clock beginneth.

Q. 7. Doth not the Scriptures require us to begin the Sabbath in the evening, when it is said, "The evening and the morning were the first day" (Gen. 1:5); and, "From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath?"— Lev. 33:32.

A. 1. It doth not follow that the evening of the first day was before the morning, though it be first spoken of; no more than that Shem and Ham were elder than Japheth, because they are reckoned up in order before him. "The sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Gen. 10:1); and yet Japheth is called the elder brother. — Verse 21. But Moses, reckoning up the works of God on the first day, retires back from the evening to the morning, and saith, they both make up the first day. Surely in the account of all nations, and in Scripture account too, the morning is before the evening. "The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, came Jesus," &c. (John 20:10), where the evening following this day, and on the evening before the day, is called the evening of the same day. 2. That place in Leviticus, concerning the celebration of the Sabbath from evening to evening, hath a reference only unto a ceremonial Sabbath, or day of atonement, on the tenth day of the seventh month, wherein the Israelites were to afflict their souls; but it hath not a reference unto the weekly Sabbath.

Q. 8. How do you prove by the Scripture that the weekly Sabbath doth begin in the morning?

A. That the weekly Sabbath is to begin in the morning, is evident— 1. by Exod. 16:23: "This is that which the Lord hath said, to-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." If the Sabbath had begun in the evening, Moses would have said, This evening doth begin the rest of the Sabbath; but he saith, To-morrow is the rest of the Sabbath. 2. Most evidently it doth appear that the Sabbath doth begin in the morning, and not in the evening, by Matt. 28:1: "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre." If the end of the Jewish Sabbath were not in the evening, when it began to grow dark towards the night, but when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, which must needs be towards the morning, and in no rational sense can be interpreted of the evening, then the Sabbath did also begin in the morning, and not in the evening, for the beginning and ending must needs be about the same time. But the former is evident from this place, concerning the Jewish Sabbath's ending; and therefore, consequently concerning its beginning. 3. Further, it is also said in this place, that the first day, which is the Christian Sabbath, did begin towards the dawning, as it grew on towards light, and not as it grew on towards darkness; therefore the Christian Sabbath doth begin in the morning. 4. Moreover, the resurrection of Christ, in commemoration of which the Christian Sabbath is observed, was not in the evening, but early in the morning ("Now when Jesus was risen early, the first day of the week "— Mark 16:9); therefore the Sabbath is to begin in the morning. 5. If the Sabbath did begin in the evening before, it would end in the evening after; and it would be lawful for men to work in their callings, or to go to their recreations, on the evening of the Sabbath, which surely would be very unsuitable after the holy employments of that day.

William Gouge, The Sabbath's Sanctification:

Question 48. When begins the Lord's Day?
Ans. In the morning, Acts 20:7.
When Paul came to the Church at Troas, he had a mind to spend a Lord's day with them, though he was in great haste to depart so soon as he could. He came, therefore, to their assembly at the time that they came together according to their custom; but he kept them till the end of the day (for he would not travel on the Lord's day); and having dismissed the assembly, he departed. Now it said that he continued his speech "till midnight" (Acts 20:7), even "till break of day" (verse 11), and then departed; which departure of his is said to be "on the morrow." By this punctual expression of the time, it appears that the first day of the week, the Lord's day, ended at midnight, and that then the morrow began. Now to make a natural day, which consisteth of twenty four hours, it must begin and end at the same time; for the end of one day is the beginning of another. There is not a minute betwixt them. As, therefore, the Lord's day ended at midnight, so it must begin at midnight, when we count the morning to begin. Which is yet more evident by this phrase, Matt. 28:1, "In the end of the Sabbath" (namely, of the week before which was the former Sabbath) "as it began to dawn" (namely, on the next day, which was the Lord's day). Or, as John 20:1, "when it was yet dark" there came divers to anoint the body of Jesus, but they found him not in the grave. He was risen before; so as Christ rose before the sun.

Question 49. What reasons may be given of the Lord's day beginning in the morning?
Ans. Other days then begin.
That they do so with us is evident by the account of our hours. For midnight ended, we begin with one o'clock; then the first hour of the day beginneth. And it appears to be so among the Jews; for when Aaron proclaimed, Exod. 32:5, 6, "Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord," "they rose up early on the morrow." I deny not but that sundry of the Jewish feasts began in the evening, as the Passover (Exod. 12:6). But it cannot be proved that their weekly Sabbath so began. There were special reasons for the beginning of those feasts in the evening, which did then begin. As for the supposed beginnings of the first days gathered out of this phrase: "the evening and the morning were the first day;" they cannot be necessarily concluded to be at the evening. For the evening and the morning there importeth the moment of the evening and morning parting from one another, and the return to the same period; which moment is rather at the beginning of the morning than of the evening. The evening useth to be referred to the end of the day and the morning to the beginning, as Exod. 29:38, 29; 1 Sam. 17:16; John 20:19.

Question 50. What other reason is there of the Lord's day beginning in the morning.
Ans. Christ then rose, Mark 16:2, 9.
Of Christ's rising in the morning, no question can be made; all the evangelists agree in the narration thereof. Now the Lord's day being a memorial of Christ's resurrection, if it should begin in the evening, the memorial would be before the thing itself, wihch is absurd to imagine. As all God's works were finished before the first Sabbath, so all Christ's sufferings before the Lord's day. His lying dead in the grave was a part of his suffering. Therefore, by his resurrection was all ended. With his resurrection, therefore, must the Lord's day begin.

To make the evening before the Lord's day a time of preparation thereunto is a point of piety and prudence; but to make it a part of the Lord's day is erroneous, and in many respects very inconvenient.

William Perkins, Cases of Conscience, in Works, Vol. 2, p. 111-112:

When doth the Sabbath begin?

To this some doe answer, in the evening, and some in the morning. My answer is this, that the Sabbath of the new Testament amongst us is to begin in the morning, and so to continue till the next morrow, and not in the evening till the evening.

The reasons be these. 1. The Sabbath is to begin when other ordinarie dayes begin, according to the order and account of the Church wherein we live. 2. It was the practice of Christ and the Apostles. For Christ (as it hath beene thought of ancient times) consecrated the Sabbath, in that hee rose from the dead early in the morning, when the first day of the weeke began to dawne, Matth. 28.1. and therefore it is fit that the Sabbath day should then begin when he rose, for as much as it is kept in remembrance of his resurrection. The same was the practice of the Apostles. For Acts 20.7. the first day of the weeke the Jewes came together at Troas in the morning, and there Paul preached from that time till midnight; being the next morning to depart, having stayed there, as is plaine out of the sixth verse, seven daies. In that text I note two things. First, that the night there mentioned was a part of the seventh day of Pauls abode at Troas. For if it were not so, then he had stayed at least a night longer, and so more than seven days, because he should have stayed part of another day. Secondly, that this night was a part of the Sabbath which they then kept. For the apostle keeps it in manner of a Sabbath, in the exercises of piety and divine worship, and namely in preaching. Yea further, he continues there till the rest was fully ended: he communed with them till the dawning of the day, and so departed, verse 11. Besides this text, David saith in his Psalm of the Sabbath, that he will declare God’s loving kindness in the morning, and his truth in the night, Ps. 92:2, making the night following a part of the Sabbath.

Against this doctrine it is alleaged, first, that the Sabbath is to begin in the evening, because in the first of Genesis, it is said, six severall times, the evening and the morning made the first day, and so the second, and third, &c.

Answ. First, in that text when it is said, the evening and the morning made such and such daye, by the evening is understood the night, and by the morning the day, and the evening was the end of the day, and the morning the end of the night. This exposition is ancient, and yet in Scripture wee finde not one place where the evening is put for the night. Secondly, I answer, that the collection from that place is of no force: for thus the reason must needs be framed. That which God did in appointing of daies, the same must we doe in using of them: But in appointing of dayes, began the day at evening, Erg. &c. The consequent is false. For the case is otherwise in the constitution of time, than it is in the use of time constituted: and there is not the same reason of things in doing, as there is of the same things in being and use. Thirdly, this did not bind the Jewes. For they in all likelihood began their Sabbaths in the morning. Indeed their solemne feasts, as the Passover and such like, began and were kept from evening to morning, as wee may read, Levit. 23.5. But their ordinarie Sabbath was kept from morning to morning. Whence it is, that S. Matthew cals the dawning of the first day of the weeke, the end of the Sabbath of the Jewes, Mat. 28.1. and there is nothing (I take it) that can be brought to the contrarie.

It is objected that Moses saith, Lev. 23.32. From even to even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath. Answ. The words must be understood of the feast of reconciliation, being the tenth day of the seventh moneth, which was solemnized and kept from even to even. And it is called a Sabbath, because it was by special commandement appointed to bee kept as the Sabbath day, and that in two respects. First, because it was to be kept holy by the Jewes, in humbling themselves and offering sacrifices, vers. 37. Secondly, because upon that day it was not lawfull to doe any servile worke upon paine of death, vers. 25. 30.

Againe, it is alleaged that Ioseph of Arimathea could not embalme Christ, by reason that the Sabbath was at hand, and this was the evening. I answer, that the Jewes Sabbath there meant concurred with the day of their Passover, and hence it was that their Sabbath began in the evening.

By this that hath beene said, the answer to the third Question is plaine, to wit, that in the new Testament the Sabbath is to begin at the morning, and so to continue to the next morning, and not as some suppose, to begin at the even and continue till the next even.

James Ussher, A Body of Divinitie, p. 244-245:

Why doth our Sabbath begin at the dawning of the day?

Because Christ rose in the dawning; and to put a difference between the Jewish, and the true Christian Sabbath. For as the Jewes begun their Sabbath in that part of the day, in which the Creation of the world was ended, and consequently in the Evening: so the celebration of the memory of Christs Resurrection, and therein of his rest from his special labours and the renewing of the world, being the ground of the change of that day into this; it is also, by the same proportion of reason, to begin when the Resurrection began, which was in the morning.

Can you see this by example?

Yea. Paul being at Troas, after he had preached a whole day, until midnight, celebrated the supper of the Lord the same night, which was a Sabbath dayes exercise: and therefore that night following the day was apart of the Sabbath. For in the morning he departed, having staid there seven dayes: by which it is evident, that that which was done, was done upon the Lords day. Acts 20.7.--10.

William Ames, The Marrow of Theology, pp. 297-298:

35. Just as the beginning of the old sabbath occurred in the evening because the creation also began in the evening (the formless earth being created before the light) and the cessation of the work of creation also began at evening, so also the beginning of the Lord's Day appears to begin in the morning because the resurrection of Christ was in the early morning, Mark 16:2; John 20:1.

William Fenner, Treatise of the Sabbath:

Another reason is this: God rested the seventh day: now looke what time God rested, that time we must sanctifie: now God rested the seventh day, all of it, he left none of the creation to do upon the seventh day; he had finished the creation in six days, and rested all the seventh day, therefore we must keep the whole day. Thirdly, because this is the nature of a Sabbath to bee 24 houres, not to be an artificiall day, but to be a naturall day, 24 houres together, as you may see Lev. 23.32 you shall keep the Sabbath from evening to evening; then the days were reckoned from evening to evening from the creation; though now under the gospel, because Christ arose in the morning, they are reckoned from morning to morning.

John Flavel, An Exposition of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, re: Q. 57-59:

Q. 6. When doth the Christian Sabbath begin?

A. It appears that this day is not to be reckoned from evening to evening, but from morning to morning; because the Christian Sabbath must begin when the Jewish Sabbath ended, but that ended towards the morning, Matthew 28:1. In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary, to see the sepulchre.

Fisher's Catechism, Q. 58:

Q. 1. To what about the Worship of God has this command a reference?

A. It refers to the special TIME of God's worship.

Q. 2. Is the TIME of God's worship left arbitrary to the will of man?

A. No; we are to keep holy to God such set times as he hath appointed in his word.
***
Q. 7. What is the special and stated time, which God has expressly, appointed in his word, to be kept holy?

A. One whole day in seven, to be a holy Sabbath to himself.

Q. 8. What is meant by a whole day?

A. A whole natural day, consisting of twenty-four hours.

Q. 9 What do you understand by one whole day in seven?

A. A seventh part of our weekly time; or one complete day, either, after or before six days' labour.

Q. 10. When should we begin and end this day?

A. We should measure it just as we do other days, from midnight to midnight, without alienating any part of it to our own works.

George Swinnock, The Works of George Swinnock, Vol. 1, pp. 245-246:

Observe how exact God is in expressing a whole natural day: "From evening to evening you shall keep the Sabbath," Lev 23:32. Their days were reckoned from evening to evening, from the creation; but ours, because Christ rose in the morning, from morning to morning.

Matthew Poole, Annotations Upon the Holy Bible, Vol. I, p. 249, re Lev. 23.32:

The Jews are supposed to begin every day, and consequently their sabbaths, at the evening, in remembrance of the creation, Gen. i. 5, as Christians generally begin their days and sabbaths with the morning, in memory of Christ’s resurrection.

Thomas Ridgley, A Body of Divinity, Vol. 3, pp. 495-497:

IV. The proportion of time that is to be observed as a weekly Sabbath. Thus it is said in this answer, we are to keep holy to God, one whole day in seven. A day is either artificial or natural. The former is the space of time from the sun's rising, to it's setting; the latter contains in it the space of twenty four hours. Now the Lord's day must be supposed to continue longer than the measure of an artificial day; otherwise it would fall short of a seventh part of time. But this has not so many difficulties attending it, as that has which relates to the time of the day when it begins. Nevertheless, we have some direction, as to this matter, from the intimation given us, that Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, while it was yet dark, John xx.1. Luke xxiv.1. Therefore the Lord's day begins in the morning, before sun rising; or, according to our usual way of reckoning, we may conclude, that it begins immediately after midnight, and continues till mid-night following; which is our common method of computing time, beginning the day with the morning, and ending it with the evening; and it is agreeable to the Psalmist's observation; Man goeth forth to his work, and to his labour in the morning, until the evening, Psal. civ.23. Rest, in the order of nature, follows after labour; therefore the night follows the day; and consequently the Lord's day evening follows the day, on which account it must be supposed to begin in the morning.

Again, if the Sabbath begins in the evening, religious worship ought to be performed sometime, at least, in the evening; and then, soon after it is begun, it will be interrupted by the succeeding night, and then it must be revived again in the following day. And, as to the end of the Sabbath, it seems not so agreeable, that, when we have been engaged in the worship of God in the day, we should spend the evening in secular employments; which cannot be judged unlawful, if the Sabbath be then at an end. Therefore, it is much more expedient, that the whole work of the day should be continued as along our worldly employments are on other days; and our beginning and ending the performance of religious duties, should in some measure, be agreeable thereunto. Again, this may be proved from what is said in Exod. xvi.23. To-morrow is the rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord. Whereas, if the Sabbath had begun in the evening, it would rather have been said, this evening begins the rest of the holy Sabbath.

Another scripture generally thought to prove this argument, is in John xx.19. The same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you; it is called the evening of the same day; so that the worship which was performed that day, was continued in the evening thereof. This is not called the evening of the next day, but of the same day in which Christ rose from the dead; which was the first Christian Sabbath.

Object. To this it is objected, that the ceremonial Sabbaths under the law, began at evening. Thus it is said, in Lev. xxiii.5. In the fourteenth day of the first month, at even, is the Lord's passover; and ver. 32. speaking concerning the feast of expiation, which was on the tenth day of seventh month, it is said, It shall be unto a Sabbath of rest; and ye shall afflict your souls in the ninth day of the month, at even; From even unto even shall ye celebrate your Sabbath.

Answ. To this it may be answered; that the beginning of sacred days is to be at the same time with that of civil; and this was governed by the custom of nations. The Jews' civil day began at evening; and therefore it was ordained that from evening to evening, should be the measure of their sacred days. Our days have another beginning and ending, which difference is only circumstantial. Whereas, the principal thing enjoined, is, that one whole day in seven, be observed as a Sabbath to the Lord.

Caspar Olevianus on the Apostles Creed

On the heels of the first volume of the Classic Reformed Theology series, published earlier this year -- sermons by William Ames based on the Heidelberg Catechism -- comes volume 2, the first-ever English translation of Caspar Olevianus' exposition of the Apostles' Creed, which is available for pre-order now and is expected to be released in January 2010. Thanks to editor R. Scott Clark, translator Lyle D. Bierma and publisher Reformation Heritage Books for making possible this valuable translation. For more information, visit The Heidelblog.

Puritan Begats

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. (1 Cor. 3.5-9)

The faithful preaching of the Word of God in the Age of the Puritans resulted, by the powerful and effectual working of the Holy Spirit, in a remarkable "apostolic" succession of conversions, a genealogy of Puritan "who's who's," as it were. It is a striking illustration of how the faithfulness of one man's ministry in God's providence plays a role in the lives of so many others. Or, as Clarence the Angel said in It's a Wonderful Life:

Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. When he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?

Darrett Rutman, American Puritanism, p. 7:

The generation of ministers of this sort approaches something of the quality of the opening chapter of Chronicles: "Richard Rogers begat (in a spiritual sense) Paul Baynes, who begat Richard Sibbes, who begat John Cotton, who begat John Preston, who begat Thomas Shepard.

To expand on this, Paul Baynes (1560-1617) was converted under the ministry of William Perkins (1558-1602), himself convicted of his sin after a woman in the street spoke of him as "drunken Perkins," and Richard Rogers (1550?-1618). William Ames (1576-1633) and Richard Blackerby (1574-1648) were likewise converted under the preaching of William Perkins. Richard Sibbes (1577-1635) was converted under the preaching of Paul Baynes. John Cotton (1595-1652) was converted under the preaching of Richard Sibbes. John Preston (1587-1628) was converted under the preaching of John Cotton. The preaching of Richard Sibbes and John Preston was influential in the spiritual awakening of Thomas Goodwin (1600-1680). Thomas Shepard (1605-1649) was converted under the preaching of John Preston. Shepard himself was known as "Pastor Evangelicus," who was "as great a converter of souls as has ordinarily been known in our days" (Cotton Mather, Magnalia Christi Americana, Vol. 1, p. 380), and Jonathan Mitchell (1624-1668) traced his spiritual awakening to the ministry of Thomas Shepard.

We see how souls were converted on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean by means of such a golden chain. The ministries of these men have led to many conversions and influenced many millions more through their literature, even to the present day. Thank the Lord for these men who have planted and watered; to God be the glory for giving the increase.

What's In A Nickname?

The Puritans had a thing or two to say about nicknames, Robert Bolton in particular. He spoke of 'Puritan' as "the honourable nickname of the best and holiest men" (Mr. Bolton's Last and Learned Worke of the Foure Last Things (1635), p. 12).

Robert Bolton, A Discourse About the True State of Happinesse (1631), p. 163:

I am persuaded there was never poor persecuted word, since malice against God first seized on the damned angels, and the graces of heaven dwelt in the heart of man, that passed through the mouths of all sorts of unregenerate men, with more distastefulness and gnashing of teeth, than the name of puritan doth at this day; which notwithstanding as it is now commonly meant, and ordinarily proceeds from the spleen and spirit of profaneness and good fellowship, as an honourable nickname, that I may so speak, of christianity and grace.

Elsewhere he is reported to have said:

All those nick-names of Puritan, Precisian, Hypocrite, &c. with which lewd tongues are wont to load the saints of God, are so many honourable badges of their worthy deportment in the holy path, and resolute standing on the Lord's side.

Samuel Rutherford, Letters (1894 ed.), p. 512:

I assure you, howbeit we be nicknamed Puritans, that all the powers of the world shall not prevail against us.

George Gillespie, English Popish Ceremonies (1846 ed.), Vol. 1., p. 39:

...they make godly and zealous Christians to be mocked and nicknamed Puritans, except they can swallow the camel of conformity....We know the old Waldenses before us were also named by their adversaries, Cathares or Puritans; and that, without cause, hath this name been given both to them and us.

In the tradition of David, the "sweet Psalmist of Israel," many individual Reformers, Puritans and Reformed have been known to contemporaries and to posterity by nicknames dubbed and bequeathed by both admirers and opponents. Here are a handful to consider.

Thomas Adams, English Puritan (1583-1652) -- "prose Shakespeare of the Puritan theologians"
William Ames, English Puritan (1576-1633) -- "Learned Doctor Ames"
William Bates, English Puritan (1625-1699) -- "Silver-Tongued"
Richard Baxter, English Puritan (1615-1691) -- "Chief of English Protestant Schoolmen"
Wilhelmus à Brakel, Dutch Puritan (1635-1711) -- "Father Brakel"
John Bunyan, English Puritan (1628-1688) -- "Immortal Tinker" and "Immortal Dreamer"
Jeremiah Burroughs, English Puritan (1600-1646) -- "Prince of Preachers"
Richard Cameron, Scottish Covenanter (1648-1680) -- "Lion of the Covenant"
Thomas Cartwright, English Puritan (1535-1603) -- "Father of English Presbyterianism"
John Cotton, English-American Puritan (1585-1652) -- "Patriarch of New England"
Samuel Davies, American Presbyterian (1723-1761) -- "Apostle of Virginia"
David Dickson, Scottish Covenanter (1583-1662) -- "Apostle of the Covenant"
John Duncan, Scottish Presbyterian (1796-1870) -- "Rabbi Duncan"
Jonathan Edwards, American Puritan (1703-1758) -- "America's Greatest Theologian" and "Last Puritan"
Hans Egede, Danish-Norwegian Lutheran (1686-1758) -- "Apostle of Greenland"
John Eliot, English-American Puritan (1604-1690) -- "Apostle to the Indians"
Bernard Gilpin, English Reformer (1517-1583) -- "Apostle of the North" and "Northern Apostle"
William Gouge, English Puritan (1575-1653) -- "Father of the London Divines" and "Arch-Puritan"
John Howe, English Puritan (1630-1705) -- "Platonic Puritan" and "Puritan Plato"
John Kennedy of Dingwall, Scottish Presbyterian (1819-1884) -- "Prince of Highland Preachers"
John MacDonald, Scottish Presbyterian (1779-1849) -- "Apostle of the North"
Thomas Manton, English Puritan (1620-1677) -- "King of Preachers"
Stephen Marshall, English Puritan (1594-1655) -- "Geneva Bull"
Joshua Moody, English-American Puritan (1633-1697) -- "Angelical Doctor"
James Nalton, English Puritan (1600-1662) -- "Weeping Prophet"
John Owen, English Puritan (1616-1683) -- "Prince of the Puritans"
William Perkins, English Puritan (1558-1602) -- "The Calvin of England"
John Robinson, English Separatist (1575-1625) -- "Pastor of the Pilgrim Fathers"
Richard Rogers, English Puritan (1550-1618) -- "Enoch in His Age"
Thomas Shepard, English-American Puritan (1605-1649) -- "Soul-Melting Preacher"
Richard Sibbes, English Puritan (1577-1635) -- "Heavenly Doctor Sibbes"
Henry Smith, English Puritan (1560-1591) -- "Silver-Tongued Smith"
Charles Spurgeon, English Baptist (1834-1892) -- "Prince of Preachers"
Solomon Stoddard, American Puritan (1643-1729) -- "Northampton Pope" and "Pope of Connecticut Valley"
Willem Teellinck, Dutch Puritan (1579-1629) -- "Father of the Dutch Further Reformation"
Pierre Viret, Swiss Reformer (1511-1571) -- "Angel of the Reformation" and "Smile of the Reformation"
John White, English Puritan (1575-1648) -- "Patriarch of Dorchester" and "Founder of Massachusetts"
John Wycliffe, English Reformer (1385-1384) -- "Morning Star of the Reformation"

The Christian Warfare

Kudos to Solid Ground Christian Books for republishing John Downame's masterpiece on the subject of spiritual warfare, The Christian Warfare Against the Devil, World and Flesh. It is a Puritan classic of the highest rank, and it has long been largely inaccessible to modern readers, so it with great joy that I hold a copy in my hands today. It is a massive work the reading of which will greatly repay the careful soldier's in Christ's army.

This edition is a paperback facsimile of the 1974 English Experience reproduction of the 1609 edition, and it includes three of the four parts of the original work. Its typeface will be a challenge to many modern readers, but I encourage those seeking to benefit from Puritan wisdom on the struggle to live righteously in the midst of a spiritual conflict to persevere. The reward is great.

Joel Beeke notes, "With the possible exception of Gurnall's 'Christian Armour,' this book is the finest Puritan work on the theme of the Christian warfare. It is also Downame's best work."

An interesting bit of historical trivia: The library of Harvard College was donated and established by John Harvard and supplemented by the personal library of William Ames, but ultimately every book save one was destroyed by fire in 1763. The sole surviving book was a copy of Downame's The Christian Warfare which had been checked out by one Ephraim Briggs, a student, and was in fact overdue.

If you are seeking to arm yourself wisely for the battles of a Christian pilgrimage, along with the Bible, consider adding this book to your spiritual armoury. It will be well worth it.

The Continuators Continued (Part 2)

This is, ahem, a continuation of a previous post on the continuators of certain Puritan works for those interested in such trivia.

Jeremiah Burroughs' Exposition of Hosea

Jeremiah Burroughs died before completing his exposition of Hosea, but it was completed by his close friends, Thomas Hall (see below) (Hosea 13.12-16) and Edward Reynolds (Hosea 14).

Zacharius Urinsus' Exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism

David Pareus completed the commentary of Zacharias Ursinus on the Heidelberg Catechism after Ursinus' death.

William Ames' Fresh Suit

Thomas Hooker assisted William Ames in writing A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God's Worship and wrote an advertisement and preface for the work after Ames died.

Fisher's Catechism

Fisher's Catechism, an exposition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, was the product of James Fisher, Ebenezer Erskine and Ralph Erskine. Ralph died (November 6, 1752) prior to the publication of the first edition (February 1753) and Ebenezer died soon thereafter (June 2, 1754) while James (d. September 28, 1775) continued to expand the work (apparently writing the whole second part of the exposition as well as contributing to the first part, according to one source) as he notes in the advertisement to the third edition.

Friday Funny

For some 21st century readers, there may be confusion about names referred to in Puritan and Reformed literature. So this is intended as a helpful (read: humorous) guide to select prominent Reformed individuals in church history.

William Ames was an English Puritan; Willie Aames is the actor who starred in Eight is Enough and Charles in Charge.

Thomas Manton was an English Puritan; Thomas Manton IV is a modern-day self-proclaimed "prophet."

John Owen was an English Puritan; Johnny Owen was a Welsh boxer.

Thomas Watson was an English Puritan; Thomas A. Watson is the man whose name Alexander Graham Bell first called on the telephone.

David Clarkson was an English Puritan; David Clarkson is a Canadian ice hockey star.

Robert Shaw was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian who authored a commentary on the Westminster Confession; Robert Shaw was the English actor who starred in Jaws, The Sting, From Russia With Love and A Man For All Seasons.

John Kennedy (of Dingwall) was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian; John F. Kennedy was an American president.

William Cunningham was a 19th century Scottish Presbyterian; Billy Cunningham was an American college and professional basketball star.

Jonathan Edwards was an American Puritan; John Edwards is an American Democratic politician.

Who can think of other names shared by Puritans or Reformed figures and notables from popular culture or modern history?

Therapeutica Sacra

In Blaise Pascal's Provincial Letters he took the Jesuits to task for their casuistic morality and thereby lent a pejorative sense to casuistry, but while Jesuits abused questions of conscience for their own purposes, Puritans however were rightly called "physicians of the soul" and their casuistry is aptly known as "practical divinity." Some great works of Puritan casuistry have been handed down to us: for example, William Perkins, The Whole Treatise of the Cases of Conscience; William Ames, Conscience with the Power and Cases Thereof; and Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory.

Another is Therapeutica Sacra: Shewing briefly the method of healing the diseases of the Conscience, concerning Regeneration by Scottish Covenanter David Dickson. First published in Latin in 1656, Dickson translated it himself and it was published again in English posthumously by his son Alexander Dickson in 1664. So far as I know, the work has not been reprinted in two or three centuries, but it is a massive and eminently useful work by a gifted Scottish divine. Several chapters have been available online for some time, but recently the work has become available online in full at Google Books (2nd English ed., 1697) and in a much cleaner, scanned edition at the Free Church of Scotland College website. Dickson's focus is on God's dealings with his Elect, and this work likewise influenced in particular Edward Taylor's famous poem God's Determinations Touching His Elect. In the words of David Lachman, Dickson's "Therapeutic Sacra was one of the most important Scottish theological works of the 17th century."

William of Paris on Temptations

Gisbertus Voetius commends a work on temptation by William of Paris, in Spiritual Desertions, pp. 48-49:

The question concerning general temptations -- namely, whether a person so abandoned or tempted in conscience could have true faith and be in the state of grace -- is treated (alongside the writers mentioned above) superbly by Richard Sibbes in his treatise The Broken Reed and in his work The Soul's Conflict and Victory over Itself. Also, Thomas Goodwin does this in his treatise The Child of Light Walking in Darkness. For reasons mentioned earlier, the way and order in which, according to the papists, one may be healed of this disease is very deficient. However, where they do speak correctly, they speak very well.

Aside from the authors cited, John Gerson offers a number of things worth reading in his treatise Remedy against Faint-heartedness and in another work entitled Spiritual Beggary. But surpassing all others is William of Paris, whose words one of our own men, William Ames, has included as an extract in his second volume of Cases of Conscience.

Below is the extract in question.

William of Paris on Temptations, quoted by William Ames, Conscience With the Power and Cases Thereof, The Second Booke of Conscience, pp. 49-54, Certaine collections out of the Booke of William Paris concerning temptations, and the refifting of them, which I thought good here to fet down for the further illuftration of the Doctrine of temptations, because they are not read in the Author, except by a very few.

Firft, Temptation in one fenfe is nothing elfe but a triall, and to tempt is nothing elfe but to make a triall or experiment of anything, that we may know it, that is, that it may be difcover’d, and become manifest, and this is all that the Devill can de, hee cannot with frength conquer us, or caft us down. For unleffe we of our owne accord truft him, and deliver our felves into his hand, he can have no power over us. He can prevaile no farther againft us, then we give him leave or permit him. All that he can do therefore is to tempt us, that is to make an experiment what we are, whether weake or strong, whether we be fuch as will yield to him, or whether fuch as will refift him valiantly. And if in the beginning of the temptation, he finde that we make valiant refiftance, he defpairing of the victory, and being overcome and confounded, for the moft part departeth prefently. And this is the property of a tempter when hee hath made his argument, and found what he fought for, to furceafe the work of temptation.

II. In another fense temptation fignifies, a fighting againft one, or a war, or a battell, and it is very likely that whatsoever the Devill attempts againft us is by way of fuch a fight, if we consider the matter but diligently. For he doth all that he doth with a purpofe and defire to conquer, whether he lay fnares for us, or whether he make tryall of us, or whether he pretend fome good things to deceive us, or whether he fmite us with the ftaffe, or fword, whether he undermine the wall of our defenfe, or whether he take from us our fpirituall food, or procure it to be taken away, for he doth do all thefe things with a defire to do us a mifchiefe. And in very deed, all thefe are parts of that war, or combate, wherewith hee fights againft us.

III. Every finne hath its temptations, and againft the mind of man doth the devill fight, befieging it, in a circumventing way, and ordering his armies, and forces, againft the armies of virtues, and againft the Caftle of mans foule.

IV. The fightings which arife from the faculty of reafon within our felves are thefe, 1. Curiofity, that is a luft to know things not neceffary, and things the knowledge of which tend nothing to, nor help forward at all falvation, 2. Slowneffe to believe, 3. Levity in believing every thing, 4. Doubtfulneffe, 5. Sufpitioufneffe, 6. A fpirit of blafphemy which is a spring and fountaine of abominable thoughts, and of thoughts fo horrible and troublefome, that fuch a kind of temptation is like a martirdome, and there have beene fome that have rather defired to fuffer Martyrdome then to endure fuch thoughts.

V. Any one may refift any temptation of the Devill, if he do fimply and purely will it, without any mixture of unwillingneffe. For no man is overcome, or yields to the temptations utterly against his will, for fo his will remains unconquered, and victorious and uninclined to confent unto the temptation, and fo a man fhould both yield, and not yield. But that a man may, fimply, and purely be willing to make refiftance it is not from man himfelfe, or from any naturall power in him but from the gift of God, and the helpe and affiftance of his grace.

VI. Now wee muft obferve that when the queftion is, whether a man may have a will to refift temptation? This word may doth admit two fignifications; For it fignifies fometimes a poffibility which is paffive, in refpect of capacity, and fometimes in regard of virtue or power, or efficiency, now it is manifest, that no man can refift any temptation by way of efficiency, but by way of poffibility, or paffibility.

VII. Befides the gifts of graces and of virtues the providence and protection of God is neceffary for believers, that they may refift temptations, and fo are thofe manifold helps wherewith God fuccors his elect in the combate.

VIII. The firft of thefe helpes is a driving away of the enemies whereby they are fometimes not fuffered to tempt the Elect, Job. 1.

IX. The fecund helpe is a bridling of the enemies that they cannot tempt fo much as they would, Job. 2.

X. The third helpe is from the tempter himfelfe, when even that very fhape under which he tempts affords us fome helpe and inftruction, fo the forme of the Serpent might have caufed Eve to have fufpected his temptation.

XI. The fourth helpe is from the temptation itfelfe, when it either ftirs up feare in us, which is the best keeper, or ftirs us up to fight, and incourageth us againft the enemy.

XII. The fifth is, a new grace, or an increafe of the former. For to thofe that imploy their talents well God gives an increafe either in the greatneffe, or number, Mat. 25. Luke. 19.

XIII. The fixth is a ceffation, or peace, or rather a truce from the temptation.

XIV. The feventh is a refrefhment in the heate of temptation, which is a mitigation of it, as when the tribulation is turned into a follace.

XV. The eighth is a comforting, that is a ftrengthening, and lifting up of the heart by a promise of ftrength and victory, and by a demonftration of the weakneffe of the enemies, and the lightneffe of the fight.

XVI. The ninth is confolation, that is a chearing of the heart, in troubles, in furrow and griefe.

XVII. The tenth is a beftowing of Faith and Hope, and a confirmation of the fame, againft the fhaking of feare, which arifeth from our own defect and infirmity.

XVIII. The eleventh is an upholding of them that are fet upon that they faill not, that is, that they receive no hurt. Now they are oft times fo affaulted that they are ready to fall, and that for this end that they may acknowledge their own imfirmities, and may afcribe it to Gods mercy and not their own power, that they are kept from falling.

XIX. The twelfth is, Gods receiving of them that fly unto him, in refpect of which he is called, the hiding place of the Elect.

XX. The thirteenth is Gods fighting againft and overthrowing the enemies.

XXI. The fourteenth is outward tribulation of which there are many profits helping this way.

XXII. The fixteenth is the remembrance of the last things, Death, judgment, damnation and happineffe.

XXIII. It is very difficult to overcome temptations becaufe that in this corruption of our nature no man fights with all his ftrength againft any temptation, but partly for it, and againft himselfe. A believer in temptation is as a Kingdome divided within it felfe, like an armed Horfeman that fits upon a winching, unruly, and unbroken Colt, like a Houfe well built, but upon a weak foundation, like ftout warriour ftanding upon a flippery pavement, or he is partly armed, and partly without armour, or loaded with a grievous burthen.

XXIV. Amongft the moft hidden treacheries and moft fubtill temptations of the devil, whereby the most wife, and valiant Chriftians are often times brought under: the firft is a long tedioufneffe, whereby he wearies him, by which he indeavors, not only to bring him whom he tempts into the temptation, but into defperation alfo, to make him believe that he belongs not to God, and that God cares not for him, And from hence comes this folly and mifchief becaufe men know not what a great deale of advantage arifeth from a long and often combating with temptations, how it ferves for the breaking of pride which is rooted within us, for the difcovering of other infirmities which would elfe have never been feen, and for the prefervation of humility.

XXV. The fecond craft of the devill is, the strangeneffe of the temptation, for he oft times fets upon many of the elect with unufuall temptations, whereupon it happens that they become very fearefull that they belong not to God, becaufe they cannot heare of any that have bin tempted in the fame fort.

XXVI. The third fubtility is, when the devill goes about to make a man change that ftate wherein he is, and wherein he is well, even as Birds and Fifhes, are often times, by noife and vehement ftirring, driven out of thofe places in which they were fafe from the nets and fnares of the Foulers, and Fifhers.

XXVII. The fourth fubtility is when he invites a man to thofe things that are above his ftrength.

XXVIII. The fifth fubtility is when under the pretence of fome good, he drawes man into danger.

XXIX. The fixth fubtility is when under the pretence of virtue he perfwades a man to fome vice.

XXX. The feventh and moft dangerous fubtility of all, is a peace, and ceffation from temptations, whereupon follows fecurity, floth, pride, contempt of our brethren, hardnes of heart.

XXXI. A man may refift temptations three wayes, 1. He refifts that confents not. The tempter is overcome, if he overcome not us, 2. He refifts temptations that flyes from them and fhunns them, 3. He refifteth which beateth them back & makes oppofition.

XXXII. With a fhunning of temptations we must joyne an indignation. For even as a Marchant that hath fome pretious commodity, will fcorne to looke after, or to hearken to fuch a chapman as fhall offer him for it a great deale under the worth, and fome times falls into an indignation againft him, fo he which lvoes God intirely will not vouchfafe to looke after or hearken to the Devill, whatfoever he offer him, that he would forfake him, yea and he cannot but have an indignation when he offers him that which is infinitely of leffe worth and even nothing at all in comparifon.

XXXIII. And here it is a point of wifdom, and fpirituall fkilfullneffe, fo to cleave unto virtue and to preferve and defend it that the darts of the tempter may not come at us. So many which love God fervently, do fo cleave unto him and bend themfelves to do his pleafure, and do imploy themfelves fo diligently therein, being fixed in fuch kind of excercifes immovably, that the Darts of the temptation do not touch them.

XXXIIII. A temptation is beft of all beaten back by its owne weapon, now every virtue doth fo, as oft as in the temption its beauty and pretioufneffe is ferioufly thought upon, for by fuch a kinde of meditation, both the fines that do tempt us, and the thoughts and darts that proceed from them, are always as it were wounded, and weakened, and fometimes alfo they vanish into nothing, even as darkneffe vanifheth, and flyeth away, where light approacheth; for this caufe onely doth vice, and the pleafures and profits thereof feeme to us in the hour of temptation to be of fome moment worth, becaufe at that time the Law of virtue is hid from our Eyes, either through ignorance, or negligence, even as the onely reafon why rotten wood, and the feales of fifhes do fhine in the night is, because the light of the fun or at leaft other lights are wanting.

Samuel Stone's Whole Body of Divinity

Samuel Stone, who arrived in the New World on the same boat with John Cotton and Thomas Hooker (that "glorious triumvirate" -- Cotton Mather) was an assistant to Hooker and, with him, one of the founding fathers of Hartford, Connecticut. He served as pastor there until his death. He is known for producing the first American colonial systematic theology, A Whole Body of Divinity, which was left in manuscript in 1650s and has never been published. Samuel Bellingham, son of Massachusetts Governor Richard Bellingham, proposed to do so, but did not follow through. Samuel Willard transcribed the work in 1697 (and later produced his own systematic theology, A Compleat Body of Divinity, which was an exposition of the Westminster Shorter Catechism). Stone's work, the fruit of his preaching in the 1630s and 1640s, was not an exposition of the Catechism, but rather a systematic theology in the vein of Alexander Richardson, John Yates and William Ames. Cotton Mather reports that Stone's work ("this rich treasure") was so highly regarded that ministerial candidates were required to copy the manuscript by hand. Willard's transcript is owned by the Massachusetts Historical Society. It is being prepared for publication by Baird Tipson, president of Washington College, who notes that "Stone’s 540-page treatise is almost surely the first systematic treatment of any subject written in the new American colonies." In this reader's opinion, it will be a valuable contribution to the study of New England Puritan theology when it is published.

Lost Treasures

Puritans were "people of the Book," and as such, they read and wrote prolifically. "Puritanism was an intrinsically bookish movement" (N.H. Keeble, "Puritanism and Literature," in John Coffey and Paul C.H. Lim, eds., The Cambridge Companion to Puritanism, p. 309). We are grateful to those who republish their works today and it is a blessing when long-lost works suddenly come to light.

There are some works by Puritans that, in God's providence, may never again see the light. Here are some of those lost treasures that I have read about from time to time. It makes one wonder, with pious reverence, "What if...?"

Samuel Rutherford is said to have prepared an exposition of Isaiah, and Robert Blair an exposition of Proverbs, both of which would have contributed to the Scottish Puritan Commentary Series, but are supposed to be lost.

Henry Ainsworth, famous for his Annotations on the Pentateuch, Psalms and the Song of Solomon, his Psalter and other writings, also had many other Biblical expositions which were not published following his "untimely" death (he is thought by some to have been poisoned). A search for those unpublished commentaries was made by John Dury on behalf of Samuel Hartlib and John Worthington (tutor of Matthew Poole, who is also thought by some to have been poisoned), who were seeking to aid the work of a committee charged with preparing a planned revision of the King James Bible with marginal notes and desired to find Ainsworth's unpublished manuscripts. Dury sought for Ainsworth's nachlass in the Netherlands, but ultimately his son refused to allow them to be published and, as far as I know, they are lost to history.

Willem Teellinck wrote a commentary on the Pentateuch, Verklaeringe Over de Vijf Boecken Moses (Exposition of the Five Books of Moses), which was ready for print shortly before he died at the age of 50, but was lost.

Patrick Simpson, cousin of George Gillespie, reported (as recorded by Robert Wodrow, Analecta, Vol. 1, pp. 159-160) that at his death (at the tender age of 36), "He had all his sermons in England, part polemicall, part practicall, prepared for the press; and but one copy of them, which he told the printer's wife he used to deal with, and bad her have a care of them. And she was prevailed on by some money from the Sectarys, who wer mauled by him, to suppress them." And so his English sermons were lost.

William Ames' personal library was donated to Harvard College and formed the nucleus of it, but it was all (save one copy of John Downame's The Christian Warfare) destroyed by fire in 1763.

But who knows, perhaps some of these are waiting to be discovered after all? There may be lost treasures, more precious that pirates' gold, yet to be found.

William Ames Republished

The first volume of a new series of Reformed works known as Classic Reformed Theology is now available at Reformation Heritage Books -- the sermons of William Ames on the Heidelberg Catechism. Once known as The Substance of Christian Religion, this volume is entitled A Sketch of the Christian's Catechism. While not an exposition of the Heidelberg Catechism, it is an important contribution to Dutch theology by an English Puritan.

Also, coming soon, dv, from Puritan Reprints is a reprint of A Fresh Suit Against Human Ceremonies in God's Worship. This book upholds the regulative principle of worship and is said to have persuaded Richard Baxter of Nonconformity.

The works of William Ames are significant in the history of Puritanism -- English, American and Dutch -- as well as relevant to issues in our own day, and it is exciting to see them become more accessible to readers in 2009.

The True Theologian

Martin Bucer: "True theology is not theoretical, but practical. The end of it is living, that is to live a godly life."

William Perkins: 'Theology is “the science of living blessedly forever.”'

William Ames: 'Theology is the “doctrine of living to God.”'

Herman Witsius: “He alone is a true theologian who adds the practical to the theoretical part of religion.”

What is Your Favorite Book (Besides the Bible)?

If you had to pick one book, besides the Bible, as your favorite, what would it be? Here are some examples given by others in history.

J.I. Packer said of Richard Baxter's A Christian Directory that next to the Bible it was:

...the greatest Christian book ever written.

Jonathan Edwards said of Petrus van Mastricht's Theoretico-Practica Theologia that it was:

...much better than Turretine or any other book in the world, excepting the Bible, in my opinion.

Thomas Hooker and Increase Mather said that William Ames' The Marrow of Theology was:

...the most important book beyond the Bible for making a sound theologian.

Charles Spurgeon said of Matthew Poole's English commentary:

If I must have only one commentary, and had read Matthew Henry as I have, I do not know but what I should choose Poole.

Samuel Rogers said of his father Daniel Rogers' Treatise on the Two Sacraments that he

could misse any booke lesse except [the] bible.

Samuel Johnson, a student at Harvard, once said of Johannes Wollebius's The Abridgement of Christian Divinitie that at Harvard it was

considered with equal or greater veneration than the Bible itself.

R.C. Sproul said:

Pelagianism has a death grip on the modern church. Perhaps the most important refutation of this distinctive is [Jonathan] Edwards' Freedom of the Will. I believe this is the most important theological book ever published in America.

James Hervey said of Walter Marshall's The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification that if he were banished to a desert island and could take only a Bible and two other books, Marshall's classic would be among them.

According to Philip Schaff:

The moderate and judicious Richard Baxter esteemed the Westminster Confession and Catechisms the best books in his library next to the Bible...

In response to the question, "If you were stranded on a desert island, and could only have one book with beside the Bible, which book would you choose?" Dr. Joel Beeke said:

Without a doubt, Wilhelmus a Brakel's The Christian's Reasonable Service -- and not just because I would be getting four volumes for one!

Martin Luther said of Philip Melanchthon's Loci Communes Theologici:

Next to Holy Scripture, there is no better book.

John Newton:

If I might read only one book beside the Bible, I would choose [William Gurnall's] The Christian in Complete Armour.