Gold That Glisters

Edward Fisher, The Marrow of Modern Divinity (2009 ed.), p. 201:

Antinomista - But, sir, if an unbeliever may have a resemblance of every grace that is wrought in a believer, then it must be a hard matter to find out the difference: and therefore I conceive it is best for a man not to trouble himself at all about marks and signs.

Evangelista - Give me leave to deal plainly with you, in telling you, that although we cannot say, every one that hath a form of godliness hath also the power of godliness, yet we may truly say, that he who hath not the form of godliness, hath not the power of godliness; for though all be not gold that glitters, yet all gold doth glitter. And therefore, I tell you truly, if you have no regard to make the law of Christ your rule, by endeavouring to do what is required in the Ten Commandments, and to avoid what is there forbidden, it is a very evil sign: and, therefore, I pray you consider of it.

Thomas Boston, "Who have right to baptism, and are to be baptized?" in Complete Works of Thomas Boston, Vol. 6, p. 218:

But whenever men may speak of people's going to heaven, the sound of their feet not being heard, it seems to be no very difficult question, Whether or not a person come to eyars, can be a real saint, and yet want a form of godliness? "Although," says a grave author, "we cannot say, every one that hath a form of godliness, hath also the power of godliness, hath not the power of godliness; though all be not gold that glisterth, yet all gold doth glister." Our Lord tells us, "By their fruits ye shall know them." I shall ad, that if a person be a real believer, and yet not appear so to be, he that judgeth him a visible believer, judgeth amiss, for he is not so.

May We Do Evil That Good May Come?

It is an age-old hypothetical (for many of us) ethical dilemma wrapped up in 20th century context: If I was living in Nazi Germany, and hiding a Jew or a Christian whose life was in danger, and the Nazis came to my door and asked point-blank if I was hiding such a one, and to answer yes would be to presumably sentence that one to death, while to answer no, would risk my own life, and involve me in a violation of the ninth commandment, what should I do?

I have culled a few relevant responses from Puritan divines to this question, who draw upon the cases of Rahab the harlot and the Hebrew midwives of Egypt, in discussing whether such a lie uttered for the greater good of saving a life may be justified. May we indeed do evil that good may come?

Richard Baxter, A Christian Directory, p. 360:

Quest. II. 'Is it not contrary to the light of nature, to suffer e. g. a parent, a king, myself, my country, rather to be destroyed, than to save them by a harmless lie?'

Answ. No. Because, 1. Particular good must give place to common. And if once a lie may pass for lawful in cases where it seemeth to be good, it will overthrow human converse, and debauch man's nature and the world.

2. And if one evil may be made a means for good, it will infer that other may be so too, and so will confound good and evil, and leave vicious man to take all for good which he thinks will do good. That is not to be called a harmless lie, which is simply evil, being against the law of God, against the order of nature, the use of human faculties, and the interest and converse of the sociable world.

3. The error of the objectors chiefly consisteth in thinking that nothing is further hurtful and morally evil, than as it doth hurt to some men in corporal respects. Whereas that is evil, which is against the universal rule of rectitude, against the will of God, and against the nature and perfection of the agent; much more if it also tend to the hurt of other men's souls, by giving them an example of sinning.

4. And though there may sometimes be some human probability of euch a thing, yet there is no certainty that ever it will so fall out, that a lie shall save the life of king, parent, or yourselves. For God can open the eyes of that enemy whom you think to blind by a lie, and cause him to know all the truth, and so take away that life, which you thought thus to have saved.

5. And there are lawful means enough to save your lives when it is best for you to save them. That is, Obey God, and trust him with your lives, and he can save them without a lie, if it be best: and if it be not, it should not be desired.

6. And if men did not erroneously overvalue life, they would not think that a lie were necessary for it. When it is not necessary to live, it is not necessary to lie for life. But thus one sin brings on another: when carnal men overvalue life itself, and set more by it than by the fruition of God in the glory of heaven, they must needs then overvalue any means which seemeth necessary to preserve it. See Job xiii. 7—10; Prov. xiii. 17; Rom. vi. 15; iii. 7—9; Psal. v. 7; Hos. iv. 2; John viii. 44; Rev. xxi. 27; xxii. 15; Col. iii. 9; 1 John ii. 21.

7. Yet as to the degree of evil in the sin, I easily grant (with Augustine, Enchirid.) that Multum interest quo animo et de quibus quisque mentiatur: non enim ita peccat qui consulendi, quomodo ille qui nocendi voluntate mentitur: nee tantum nocet qui viatorem mentiendo in adversum iter mittit, quantum is qui viam vitae mendacio fallente depravat.

Object. 'Are not the midwives rewarded by God for saving the Israelitish children by a lie?'

Answ. I need not say with Austin, "The fact was rewarded, and the lie pardoned;" for there is no such thing as a lie found in them. Who can doubt but that God could strengthen the Israelitish women to be delivered without the midwives? And who can doubt but when the midwives had made known the king's murderous command, that the women would delay to send for the midwives, till, by the help of each other, the children were secured? Which yet is imputed to the midwives, because they confederated with them, and delayed to that end. So that here is a dissembling and concealing part of the truth, but here is no lie that can be proved.

Object. ''But Heb. xi. 31., and James ii. 25., Rahab is said to be justified by faith and works, when she saved the spies by a lie.'

Answ. It is uncertain whether it was a lie, or only an equivocation, and whether her words were not true of some other men that had been her guests. But suppose them a lie, (as is most like,) the Scripture no more justifieth her lie, than her having been a harlot. It is her believing in the God of Israel, whose works she mentioned, that she is commended for, together with the saving of the spies with the hazard of her own life. And it is no wonder if such a woman in Jericho had not yet learned the sinfulness of such a lie as that.

Object. 'But at least it could be no mortal sin, because Heb. xi. 31., and James ii. 25., say she was justified.'

Answ. It was no mortal sin in her, (that is, a sin which proveth one in a state of death,) because it had not those evils that make sin mortal: but a lie in one that doth it knowingly, for want of such a predominancy of the authority and love of God in the soul, as should prevail against the contrary motives habitually, is a mortal sin, of an ungodly person. It is pernicious falsehood and soul delusion in those teachers, that make poor sinners think that it is the smallness of the outward act or hurt of sin alone, that will prove it to be, as they call it, venial, or mortified, and not mortal.

Thomas Ridgeley, A Body of Divinity (repub. as Commentary on the Larger Catechism), Vol. 2, p. 407:

Another inquiry is, what judgment we must pass concerning the actions of Rahab, the harlot, who invented an officious lie, to save the spies from those who pursued them. It is said, 'she took two men and hid men:'y and, at the same time, pretended to those who were sent to inquire of her concerning them, that 'she wist not whence they were,' but that they 'went out of the city about the time of the shutting of the gate, though whither they went she knew not.' The main difficulty we have to solve is what the apostle says in apparent commendation of this action, 'By faith Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies in peace,' that is, she protected them, and did not betray them into the hand of their enemies. But this act of faith does not relate directly to the lie which she invented to conceal them; for, doubtless, she would have been more clear from the guilt of sin, had she refused to give the messengers any answer relating to them, and so had given them leave to search for them, and left the event to providence. This, indeed, was a very difficult duty; for it might have endangered her life; and her choosing to secure them and herself, by inventing this lie, brought with it a degree of guilt, and was an evidence of the weakness of her faith. But, on the other hand, that faith which the apostle commends in her, respects some other circumstances attending this action. Accordingly, it is not said that by faith she made the report to the messengers concerning the spies, but, that 'by faith she received them with peace.' Now, there are several things in which her faith was very remarkable. She was confident that 'the Lord would give them the land' which they were contending for.a She makes a just inference relating to this matter, from the wonders which God had wrought for them in the Red sea.b She makes a noble confession, that 'the Lord their God is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath.'c She put herself under the protection of the Israelites, and desired to take her lot with them; and she did this at the hazard of her life, though she might have saved it, and probably have received a reward, had she betrayed them. This I conceived to be a better vindication of of Rahab's conduct than that which is alleged by some, who suppose that, by entering into confederacy with the spies, she put herself into a state of war with her own countrymen, and so was not obligated to speak truth to the men of Jericho. Such an interpretation is followed by many ill consequences, and gives too much countenance to persons deceiving others, under pretence of being in a state of war with them. As to what the Papists say in her vindication, that a good design will justify a bad action; this is not true in fact, and therefore not to be applied to her case.

Thomas Boston, An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion (repub. as Commentary on the Shorter Catechism), Vol. 2, pp. 261-262 [on the sixth commandment]:

Hence it is evident, that a person may not tell a lie, nor do any sinful thing whatever, far less blaspheme, deny Christ or any of his truths, commit adultery or steal, though his own life, or the life of others, may be lying upon it. For where the choice is, suffer or sin, God requires and calls us in that case to suffer. And therefore, the example of such things in the saints, as in Isaac, Rahab, &c. are no more propounded for our imitation, than David's murder, &c. Peter's denial of Christ, &c. And though we read not of reproofs given in some such cases, that will no more infer God's approbation of them than that of Lot's incest, for which we read of no reproof given him. The general law against such things does sufficiently condemn them, in whomsoever they are found.

Object. This is a hard saying. A man may be in the power of some ruffian, that will require on pain of death some sinful thing; and must one sell his life at such a cheap rate, as to refuse to deny his religion, drink drunk with him, or do any such thing for the time:

Ans. It is no more hard than that, Luke xiv.26. 'If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.' We must love God more than our own or other's life, and so must not redeem it by offending God. Sin ruins the soul; therefore says our Lord, Matth. x.28. 'Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.'

Fisher's Catechism Q. 78 [on the ninth commandment]:

Q. 12. What is it for a person to make an officious lie?

A. It is to tell a downright untruth, for their own, or their neighbour's safety and security in time of danger, as Rahab did who hid the spies in the roof of her house, and yet alleged they were gone out of the city, and that she knew not where they went, Josh. 2:4-6.

Q. 13. Does not the apostle ascribe this action of hers to her faith, when he says, Heb. 11:31 -- "By faith, Rahab, the harlot, perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace?"

A. No; What he ascribes to her faith is, her having received the spies with peace, that is, her having consulted their safety and preservation with the greatest care and diligence; but not the lie she invented in order to conceal them. Her protecting the spies is commended, but not the manner in which she did it.

Q. 14. Who are they that plead in favour of officious lies?

A. The Papists, Socinians, and most of our modern moralists.

Q. 15. What arguments do they allege in defence of this sort of lying?

A. That it has been practised by saints in scripture; and that it is so far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial to some in certain cases.

Q. 16. What answer is to be given to the practice of the saints in this matter?

A. That their sinful failures, in this and other instances, are not recorded in scripture for imitation, but for caution and warning, that we fall not into the same snares.

Q. 17. How do you answer the other argument for officious lying, "That it is so far from being hurtful to any, that it has been beneficial and advantageous to some, in certain cases, particularly in saving the life of a dear friend, or useful member of society, which might otherwise have been manifestly endangered?"

A. It is answered thus, that in no case are we to do evil that good may come, Rom. 3:8. If we are not to speak wickedly for God, nor talk deceitfully for him, according to Job 13:7, neither are we to do so, though it were for the benefit of all mankind, or the best among them.

Midnight to Midnight - Part 2

To conclude this short series of quotes from Puritan and Reformed divines affirming the reckoning of midnight-to-midnight observance of the Christian Sabbath or Lord's Day, consider the following.

John Brown of Haddington, Systematic Theology, Book VI, Chap. 1, p. 475:

The Christian Sabbath begins in the morning after midnight. 1. Christ rose early in the morning, Matt 28:1; Mark 16:2,9. 2. It begins where the Jewish sabbath ended, which was when it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, Matt 28:1,3. 3. The evening which follows the day of our sabbath pertained to it, John 20:19.

Lewis Bayly, The Practice of Piety, pp. 163-164:

The Jews kept the last day of the week, beginning their Sabbath with the night (Gen 2:2; Lev 23:32; Neh 13:19), when God rested; but Christians honour the Lord better, on the first day of the week (Matt 28:1), beginning the Sabbath with the day when the Lord arose (Acts 20:7,11) They kept their Sabbath in remembrance of the world's creation; but Christians celebrate it in memorial of the world's redemption; yea, the Lord's day being the first of the creation and redemption, puts us in mind, both of the making of the old, and redeeming of the new world.

John Willison, A Treatise Concerning the Sanctification of the Lord's Day, pp. 78-79:

But all these things being absurd, I do upon solid ground, assert, that the whole natural day, consisting of twenty-four hours, is to be set apart for the Sabbath day; and that we ought to measure this day, and begin and end it, as we do other days, that is, from midnight to midnight; during which time we are abstain from our own works, and sanctify the Lord's Sabbath: For the fourth command binds us to consecrate the seventh part of every week to the Lord, who challengeth a special property in one of seven, and asserts his just title thereto, saying, "The seventh day is the Lord's:" And also Isa. lvii.13 he expressly calls it, "My holy day." It is all holy; and therefore no part must be profaned or applied to common uses. It is all the Lord': and so it is unlawful for us to rob him of any part of it, and alienate it to our private use.

John Willison, An Example of Plain Catechising Upon the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, p. 188:

Q. How much of the day appointed for the sabbath is to be kept holy to the Lord?

A. One whole day in seven; a whole natural day, consisting of twenty-four hours, commencing from midnight to midnight, ought to be dedicated unto the Lord, seeing he claims a seventh part of our time. It is true, time for eating and sleeping must be allowed upon the sabbath as well as on other days, being works of necessity, seeing without these we cannot perform the duties of the sabbath.

Thomas Boston, An Illustration of the Doctrines of the Doctrines of the Christian Religion, With Respect to the Faith and Practice, Upon the Plan of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism, Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity, Vol. 2, p. 470 (Commentary on the Shorter Catechism, 1993 SWRB ed., pp. 189-190:

Thirdly, The day to be kept holy is one whole day. Not a few hours while the public worship lasts, but a whole day. There is an artificial day betwixt sun-rising and sun-setting, John xi.9; and a natural day of twenty-four hours, Gen. i. which is the day here meant. This day we begin in the morning immediately after midnight; and so does the sabbath begin, and not in the evening, as is clear, if ye consider,

1. John xx.19. The same day at evening, being the first day of the week: where ye see that the evening following, not going before this first day of the week, is called the evening of the first day.

2. Our sabbath begins where the Jewish sabbath ended; but the Jewish sabbath did not end towards the evening, but towards the morning, Matth. xxviii.1. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, &c.

3. Our sabbath is held in memory of Christ's resurrection, and it is certain that Christ rose early in the morning of the first day of the week.

Let us therefore take the utmost care to give God the whole day, spending it in the manner he has appointed, and not look on all the time besides what is spent in public worship, as our own; which is too much the case in these degenerate times wherein we live.

Alexander McLeod, The Ecclesiastical Catechism; Being a Series of Questions, Relative to the Christian Church, Stated and Answered, With the Scripture Proofs:

140. At what period of the twenty-four hours does the Lord’s day or sabbath commence?

Our Lord arose from the dead on the morning of the first day of the week [a]: it is more conducive to solemnity to observe one whole day, than parts of two labouring days [b]: the fourth commandment requires not a part of two days, but one whole day [c]; and the evening after Christ’s resurrection, upon which he appeared in the midst of his worshipping disciples, is called, in scripture, the evening of the same day [d]: the christian sabbath comprehends twenty four hours, from midnight to midnight.

[a] John 20. 1. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark—and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." [b] Deut. 5. 14. "The seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord—in it thou shalt not do any work." [c] Exod. 20. 8. "Remember the sabbath day to keep it holy." [d] John 20. 19. "Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week—came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you."

John Wallis, A Defense of the Christian Sabbath, p. 28:

I have insisted the longer on this, because I find him afterward moving another question about what time the Sabbath is to begin and end, and lays great stress upon it, as we shall see anon.

Of which I think we need not be further solicitous than to begin and end this day, according as other days are accounted to begin and end in the places where we live....

...I take it to be very plain from what I have said, that at the time of Christs Death and Resurrection, it [the Christian Sabbath] was accounted to begin very early in the morning, while it was dark, and continue till very late at night, according as we now account our days, from Mid-night to Mid-night.

Alexander Smith Paterson, A Concise System of Theology: Being the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Assembly of Divines, Analyzed and Explained, p. 221:

Obs. 220. -- The Fourth Commandment requireth us to sanctify one whole day in seven, which God hath expressly appointed to be a holy Sabbath to himself.

By one whole day, as the stated time of worshipping God, we are to understand the same that we are to understand by any other whole day -- namely, a period consisting of twenty-four hours, or what is commonly called a natural day. And this day we should begin and end at the same time that we begin and end any other day, -- namely, at midnight.

William Plumer, The Law of God, as Contained in the Ten Commandments, Explained and Enforced, pp.309-310:

When does the Sabbath begin?

There is some diversity in the Christian world respecting the time, at which the Sabbath begins. Some date it from sunset on Saturday till sunset on Sabbath. When asked for their authority, they refer to a phrase which occurs several times in the first chapter of Genesis: "And the evening and the morning were the first day." This has not been considered sufficient proof by the great mass of the Christian world. Nor ought it to be, as all the world knows that no day of creation began in the evening; but all of them began in the morning. That saying of Moses therefore only declares that the day was made up of two parts, the after part, and the fore part. Indeed the evidence in the New Testament seems to be clearly against this view. "Our Sabbath begins where the Jewish Sabbath ended; but the Jewish Sabbath did not end towards the evening, but towards the morning. Matt. 28:1. ‘In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week,’ etc. In the New Testament, the evening following, and not going before this first day of the week, is called the evening of the first day, John 20:19. ‘The same day, at evening, being the first day of the week,’ etc. Our Sabbath is held in memory of Christ’s resurrection, and it is certain that Christ rose early in the morning of the first day of the week."

Brian Schwertley, The Christian Sabbath: Examined, Proved, Applied:

5. The time of the Lord’s day
The sabbath law teaches that man is to sanctify to the Lord one whole day in seven. A question that needs to be answered is: “When does the Christian sabbath begin?” Some argue that the Christian sabbath begins on Saturday evening, while others argue that it runs from midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday. Those who argue that it runs from evening to evening point to the Jewish ceremonial sabbaths for support: “On the fourteenth day of the first month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover” (Lev. 23:5). The Hebrew word translated “twilight” (NKJV, NASB, NIV, NTHSMT [114]) or “evening” (RSV) literally means “between the evenings.” “The meaning of the phrase is much discussed. Most commentators think it means ‘in the evening’ (cf. Deut. 16:6, ‘at sunset’), or more precisely, the period between sunset and complete darkness. The orthodox Jewish view is that it means ‘between midday and sunset,’ and this is supported...on the grounds that it would have been impossible to kill all the passover lambs in the temple between sunset and darkness. In NT times the passover sacrifice began about 3 p.m.” [115] The evidence for an old covenant evening-to-evening sabbath is quite strong (cf. Lev. 23:32; Ex. 12:6, 30:8). Hendriksen believes that the Jewish sabbath began at 6 o’clock Friday evening: “According to the ancient Hebrew way of speaking, there were ‘two evenings’ (cf. Exod. 12:6 in the original). The first ‘evening’ which we would call ‘afternoon’ began at 3 p.m., the second at 6 p.m. Something of this is probably reflected in the phrase ‘When evening fell,’ for we cannot imagine that Joseph of Arimathea, a Jew, would have approached Pilate on Friday, 6 p.m., asking for the body of Jesus when the sabbath was beginning.” [116]

Although the Jewish sabbath was probably from evening to evening (or sunset to sunset), the passages in the New Testament which discuss the Lord’s day (the new covenant sabbath) point to a midnight-to-midnight observance. A passage which indicates that the inspired apostles no longer held to the old covenant system of a sunset-to-sunset sabbath is John 20:19: “Then, 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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” John is very specific in noting that this event took place on the first day of the week. “‘On that day’ would be enough, yet John adds, ‘the first one of the week.’” [117] “It was evening. In light of Luke 24:29, 33, 36 we have a right to conclude that it was no longer early in the evening when the great event recorded in the present paragraph took place. As the Jews compute the days, it was no longer the first day of the week. But John, though a Jew, is writing much later than Matthew and Mark, and does not seem to concern himself with Jewish time-reckoning.” [118] It is very significant that John emphasizes that the disciples gathered on the first day of the week, yet also records that it was evening, for if the apostolic church had maintained a sunset-to-sunset sabbath, then John would not have regarded it as the first day, but as the second. There then would be no reason at all for John to emphasize the time, for while the New Testament often emphasizes and singles out the first day (Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2; Lk. 24:1; Jn. 20:1, 19, 26; Ac. 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Rev. 1:10), the second day holds no significance at all.

Another passage which indicates that the apostolic church had forsaken the sunset-to-sunset sabbath for a midnight-to-midnight [119] sabbath is Acts 20:7: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” Luke describes a church service that occurred on the first day of the week, yet says very specifically that Paul did not finish his message until midnight. If the Christian church had followed the Jewish synagogue practice, Paul would have concluded his message before sunset on Sunday, and not late at night. [120] “Certainly, one would almost expect the midnight-to-midnight demarcation, not only in the light of the particulars surrounding Resurrection Sunday, but especially considering that Troas was a Roman colony possessing the Jus Italicum and which therefore certainly followed the Roman midnight demarcation as a colony. It is clear that the congregation at Troas met for worship at night well after sunset, for ‘there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together’ (Acts 20:8). Seeing that ‘the disciples came together to break bread’ in ‘the upper chamber,’ and seeing that there is no instance whatsoever in Scripture of religious meetings on Saturday night after sunset, it is reasonably certain that the disciples at Troas gathered on Sunday nights perhaps even before and certainly after sunset, even as their risen Lord had appeared to His Emmaus disciples on Resurrection Sunday and broken bread with them in the late afternoon, and long after the sunset of ‘the same day at evening, (still) being the first day of the week,’ had congregated with the Jerusalem disciples in the upper room.” [121]

Furthermore, it is recorded that Paul departed at daybreak, or the break of the next day. If Luke had been following the sunset-to-sunset day demarcation system of the Jews, Paul would be described as leaving “later on the same first day of the week.” [122] But Luke says of Paul on Sunday evening that he was “ready to depart the next day” (i.e., early Monday morning at daybreak). Thus there is considerable evidence that the inspired apostles abandoned the Jewish method of day demarcation for a midnight-to-midnight system. Although the matter of sabbath day demarcation may seem trivial, it is important that the church and society follow the inspired apostles’ example for the sake of uniformity, determining when church discipline is appropriate, preparing properly for the Sabbath, and refuting heretics (such as Seventh-day Adventists). “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.” [123]

Francis Nigel Lee, The Covenantal Sabbath: The Weekly Sabbath Scripturally and Historically Considered, pp. 273, 327:

Counting the ‘three days’ as Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, it is clear that Christ must have been in ‘the heart of the earth’ on part of Friday as well as on part of Sunday. But as He was not buried until Friday evening (Mt. 27:57-60), it seems clear that the end of each of the three days does not run from evening to evening (as Jews and Seventh-day Adventists allege), but from a point between evening and dawn—probably midnight—to the corresponding point twenty-four hours later. The ‘three days and three nights in the heart of the earth’ of Matt. 12:40 etc. would then be: sunset on Friday to midnight after Friday = the first ‘day and night;’ the midnight after Friday to the midnight after Saturday = the second ‘day and night;’ the midnight after Saturday to the sunrise on Sunday = the third ‘day and night;’ and the whole period in the grave from sunset on Friday to before dawn on Sunday morning = ‘three days and three nights,’ which expression is an idiom denoting a period of exactly three days and three nights (seventy-two hours) OR denoting any consecutive shorter parts thereof, such as the approximately thirty to thirty-six hours during which Christ was in the tomb.
The answer to the fourth sub-query: "When was Sunday first observed, and how?", must be that Christ and His Spirit progressively taught its observance in the hearts of God’s children by example rather than by precept particularly from Resurrection Sunday onwards. And in so teaching, They then probably indicated that, like the Adamic sabbath before the fall and like the Resurrection Sunday of Christ the Second Adam, the New Testament Sunday observance was to run from midnight to midnight (Matt. 28:1,6,13; Mark 16:1-2,9; Luke 24:1, 13, 24-36; John 20:1, 19; Acts 20:6-7, 11 cf. Ex. 11:4; 12:6, 12-16, 27-29, 42 cf. Gen. 1:3-5, 31; 2:1-3);...

The Search for Edward Fisher

As mentioned before, Christian Focus has republished The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher with the notes of Thomas Boston. The work is particularly a blessing because it is re-typeset in such a way as to present clearly Fisher's text and Boston's notes in a manner manageable to the reader. But I wish to draw special attention to the historical introduction by William Vandoodewaard, A Journey Into the Past: The Story of The Marrow of Modern Divinity.

It provides excellent historical context for a book which in and of itself is worth reading by every Christian. About the author, little is known certainly, but historians have long ascribed the identity of "E.F." on the original 1645 title page to Edward Fisher, Esq. (fl. 1627-1655), son of Sir Edward Fisher of Mickleton. Prevailing opinion, relying much on Anthony Wood's Athenae Oxonienses, has been that Edward Fisher was a royalist who engaged in religious controversies over the Christian Sabbath and 'holy days' with Puritan John Collinges. Mr. Vandoodewaard believes this to be unlikely and makes the case for ascribing authorship to another Edward Fisher (d. 1650), who was a Puritan, a London barber-surgeon and bookseller, in fact. This gentleman, as Mr. Vandoodewaard demonstrates, moved in the Presbyterian and Independent circles that one would expect given the theology of The Marrow and those who endorsed its contents, as well as other writings believed to have been written by The Marrow's author. I encourage readers to read the introduction for themselves since it reads like an historical mystery investigation. The author who put forth the gospel of grace so nobly deserves to be better known. I think the case for his identity is well made by Mr. Vandoodewaard and worth the read.

Marrow Reprinted

Thanks to Christian Focus Publications (HT: M. Jay Bennett) for republishing Edward Fisher's Puritan classic, The Marrow of Modern Divinity. This edition includes the invaluable notes of Thomas Boston, as well as an Introduction by Philip Ryken and an historical Introduction by William Vandoodewaard. This book has an important place in the theology and history of the Christian Church, and will, I trust, be a blessing to 21st century readers too.

Memorial Concerning Personal and Family Fasting

Thomas Boston, A Memorial Concerning Personal and Family Fasting, in The Whole Works of the late Reverend Thomas Boston of Ettrick, Vol. 11, pp. 343-349:

Zechariah xii. 12, " And the land shall mourn, every family apart—their wives apart."

CHAPTER I.

OF PERSONAL AND FAMILY FASTING AND HUMILIATION IN THE GENERAL.

Religious fasts, kept in secret, by a particular person apart by himself, and by a particular family apart by themselves, concerning which this Memorial is presented both to saints and sinners, are not indeed the stated and ordinary duties of all times, to be performed daily, or at set times recurring; such as prayer, praise, and reading of the Word are : but they are extraordinary duties of some times, and to be performed occasionally, as depending entirely, in respect of the exercise of them, on the call of providence, which is variable.

They are authorised, and enjoined us, in the Word of God; and therefore, when we shall have performed them, we must say, "we are unprofitable servants, we have done that which was our duly to do;" and must abhor the least thought of meriting thereby.

The particular seasons of them are determined by providence. Wherefore they who would be practisers of them must be religions observers of providence; otherwise God may be calling aloud for weeping and mourning, and girding with sackcloth, while they, not heeding it, are indulging themselves in joy and gladness, Isa. xxii. 12,13; a dangerous adventure! Ver. 14, " Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from yon, till ye die, saith the Lord."

Hence the most serious and tender among knowing Christians, will readily be found the most frequent in these exercises. It is on the pouring out of the Spirit, that the land is to mourn, every family apart and their wives apart, Zech. xii. 10, 12. Paul was a scene wherein corrupt nature shewed her cursed vigour, he being, when he was bad, very bad; and grace, in its turn, its sacred power, he being, when he was good, very good, and then in fastings often, 2 Cor. xi. 27.

These duties consist of an external and circumstantial part, and an internal and substantial part.

To the external and circumstantial part of them belong time, place, and abstinence.

I. First of all, a proper time must be set apart for these duties. And this is to be regulated by Christian prudence, as best suits the circumstance of the person or family.

We find the saints in scripture ordinarily kept their fasts by Day. But we have an instance of a personal fast kept by Night, 2 Sam. xii. 16, " David fasted, and went in, and lay all Night upon the earth." This I do the rather notice, to obviate the excuse of those who quite neglect this duty, under the pretence of their not being masters of their own time. If the heart can be brought to it, one will readily find some time or other for it, either by day or else by night. It is recorded to the honour of one of the weaker sex, viz., Anna, that she "served God with fastings and prayers night and day." Luke ii. 36, 37.

As to the Quantity of time to be spent in personal or family fasting and humiliation, the duty, I judge, is to regulate it, and not it to regulate the duty. The family fast of Esther with her maidens, observed also by all the Jews in Shushan, lasted three days, Esth. iv. 16. We read of the fasting-day, Jer. xxxvi. 6. Sometimes, it would seem, it was but a part of a day, that was spent in such exercise ; as in Cornelius, his personal fast, which seems to have been over before the ninth hour, that is, before three o'clock in the afternoon; Acts x. 30, ''Four days ago I was fasting until this hour, and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house," before which time of the fourth day, Peter, to whom Cornelius saith this, might be come; there being but thirty-six miles from Joppa to Cesarea, whither he came on the second day after he set out from Joppa, vers. 23, 24; compare vers. 8, 9, 17. Much about that time of the day, Daniel got the answer of his prayers, made in his personal fast, namely, about the time of the evening oblation, or the ninth hour, Dan. ix. 21. And the people being "assembled with fasting, (Neh. ix. 1,) they read in the book of the law of the Lord their God, one-fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God," ver. 3. So they continued in the work six hours, from nine o'clock in the morning, as it would seem, till three afternoon; that is, from the time of the morning sacrifice, to the evening sacrifice, with which the work seems to have been closed, as, it may be presumed, they spent the morning in private preparation for the public duty.

Wherefore I judge, that none are to be solicitous as to what quantity of time, more or less, they spend in these exercises, so that the work of the time be done. Nay, I very much doubt, men lay a snare for themselves in tying themselves to a certain quantity of time in such cases. It is sufficient to resolve, that, according to our ability, we will take as much time as the work shall be found to require. .

II. A proper place is also to be chosen, where the person or family may perform the duty without disturbance from others. Time and place are natural circumstances of the action; and all places are alike now, tinder the gospel; none more holy than another. Men may pray everywhere, whether in the house or in the field, "lifting up holy hands," 1 Tim. ii. 8. Only forasmuch as family fasting is a private duty, it requires a private place; and personal fasting a secret duty, it requires a secret place; according to the caution given us by our Saviour; Matth. vi. 18, "That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret."

III. Abstinence is included in the nature of the thing; abstinence from meat and drink, and all bodily pleasures whatsoever, as well as ceasing from worldly business. The Jews are taxed for finding pleasure, and exacting their labours in the day of their fast, Isa. Iviii. 3. A time of religious fasting, is a time for one's "afflicting his soul," ver. 5, by denying himself even those lawful comforts and delights which he may freely use at other times. Exod. xxxiii. 4, "The people mourned, and no man did put on him his ornaments." Dan. ix. 3, "I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer, and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth and ashes." 1 Cor. vii. 5, "Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer."

The rule for abstinence from meat and drink, cannot be the same as to all; for fasting, not being a part of worship, but a means to dispose and fit us for extraordinary worshipping, is to be used only as helping thereto; but it is certain, that what measure of it would be helpful to some for that end, would be a great hindrance to others. Wherefore weakly persons, whom total abstinence would disfit and indispose for duty, are not called to fast at that rate; in their case, that saying takes place; Hos. vi. 6, ''I desired mercy and not sacrifice." Yet ought they not in that case to indulge them, selves the use of meat and drink, with the same freedom as at other times; but to use a partial abstinence, altering the quantity or quality of them, or both, so as they may thereby be afflicted, as the Scripture expresseth it. Lev. xxiii. 29. So Daniel in his mourning, Dan. x. 5, ''Eat no pleasant bread, neither came flesh nor wine into his mouth."

Meanwhile, all these things are but the outward shell of these duties; the internal and substantial part of them lies in the following spiritual exercises.

1. Serious meditation, and consideration of our ways, Hag. i. 5. Such times are to be set apart from conversing with the world, that we may the more solemnly commune with our own hearts, 93 to the state of matters between God and us. In them we are diligently to review our past life. "Search and try our ways."—Lam. iii. 40. And we are to search out our sins, by a sorrowful calling lo remembrance the sins of our heart and life, and that as particularly as we can; and to search into them, by a deep consideration of the evil of them, and of their aggravations, the light, love, mercies, and warnings, we have sinned against; tracing them up to the sin of our nature, the impoisoned fountain from whence they have all proceeded. And the more fully and freely we converse with ourselves upon them, we will be the more fit to speak unto God anent them, in confession and pleading for pardon.

2. Deep humiliation of soul before the Lord; the which was signified by the sackcloth and ashes used, under the law, on such occasions. The consideration of our ways is to be pursued, till our soul be humbled within us ; our heart rent, not with remorse for sin only, but with regret and kindly sorrow for it, as an offence to a "gracious and merciful God," Joel ii. 12, 13; our face filled with shame and blushing before him, in the view of our spiritual nakedness, pollution, and defilement, Ezra ix. 6; and we loathe ourselves as most vile in our own eyes, Ezek. xxxvi. 31; Job xl. 4.

3. Free and open confession of sin before God, without reserve. This is a very material part of the duty incumbent on us in religious fasting; and the due consideration and deep humiliation just now mentioned, do natively issue in it; producing, of course, extraordinary confession of sin, an exercise most suitable on such an occasion. Hence the Jews spent "one fourth part of the day in confessing and worshipping," Neh. ix. 3 ; and the angel, who brought the answer to Daniel's supplications about the time of the evening oblation, found him still praying and confessing his sin, Dan. ix. 20, 21. For here the sinner duly humbled has much ado, acting against himself the part of an accuser, recounting before the Lord his transgressions of the holy law, so far as he is able to reach them; the part of an advocate opening up the particulars, in their nature, and aggravating circumstances ; and the part of a judge, justifying God in all the evil he has brought upon him, and condemning himself as unworthy of the least of all his mercies, and deserving to perish under eternal wrath.

4. The exercise of repentance in turning from sin unto God, both in heart and life, the native result of deep humiliation and sincere confession; Joel ii. 12, "Turn ye even to me—with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning." In vain will we fast, and pretend to be humbled for our sins, and make confession of them, if our love of sin be not turned into hatred; our liking of it into loathing; and our cleaving to it, into a longing to be rid of it; with full purpose to resist the motions of it in our heart, and the outbreakings thereof in our life; and if we turn not unto God as our rightful Lord and Master, and return to our duty again. If we are indeed true penitents, we will turn from sin, not only because it is dangerous and destructive to us; but because it is offensive to God, dishonours his Son, grieves his Spirit, transgresseth his law, and defaceth his image; and we will cast away all our transgressions, not only as one would cast away a live-coal out of his bosom, for that it burns him; but as one would cast away a loathsome and filthy thing, for that it defiles him.

But withal, it is to be remembered, that the true way to deal with a hard heart, to bring it to this temper, is to believe the gospel. As ravenous fowls first fly upward, and then come down on their prey; so must we first soar aloft in believing, and then we shall come down in deep humiliation, sincere and free confession, and true repentance—Zech. xii. 10, "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall mourn." Therefore the Scripture proposeth the object of faith in the promise of grace as a motive to repentance, that by a believing application thereof the hard heart may be moved and turned; Joel ii. 13, "Turn unto the Lord your God, for he is gracious." One may otherwise toil long with it; but all in vain. "Without faith it is impossible to please God," Heb. xi. 6; and therefore impossible to reach true humiliation, right confession, and sincere repentance, which are very pleasing to him, Jer. xxxi. 18, 19, 20. The unbelieving sinner may be brought to roar under law-horror; but one will never be a kindly mourner, but under gospel influences. When guilt stares one in the face, unbelief locks up the heart, as a keen frost doth the waters; but faith in the Redeemer's blood melts it, to flow in tears of godly sorrow. Hard thoughts of God, which unbelief suggests to a soul stung with guilt, alienate that soul more and more from him; they render it like the worm, which, when one offers to tread upon it, presently contracts itself, and puts itself in the best posture of defence it can; but the believing of the proclaimed pardon touchesthe heart of the rebel so that he casts down himself at the feet of his Sovereign, willingly yielding himself to return to his duty.

5. Solemn covenanting with God, entering into, or renewing covevant with him in express words. As a fast-day is a day to "loose the bands of wickedness," so it is a day for coming explicitly into the bond of the holy covenant; Jer. 1. 4, "Going and weeping, they shall go, and seek the Lord their God." Ver. 5, "Saying, come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord, in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten." Accordingly, this was an eminent part of their fast-day's work, Neh. ix. 38. It follows of course, on due humiliation, confession, and the exercise of repentance, whereby the league with sin is broken. And it lies in a solemn professing before the Lord, that we take hold of his covenant, believing on the name of his Son as the Saviour of the world, and our Saviour, and that in and through him, he will be our God, and we shall be his people; and that we are from the heart content, and consent to take him for our portion, Lord and Master, and resign ourselves to him only, wholly, and for ever. Heb. viii. 10, "This is the covenant, I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people." Isa. xlix. 8, "I will give thee for a covenant." Chap. Ivi. 6, "Every one that taketh hold of my covenant." John i. 12, "As many as received him, that believe on his name." Psalm xvi. 2, "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, thou art my Lord." Isa. xliv. 5, " One shall say, I am the Lord's."

6. Lastly, Extraordinary prayer, in importunate addresses and petitions unto our covenanted God, for that which is the particular occasion of our fast. The confession and the covenanting are, both of them, to be done prayer-wise, as appears from Dan. ix. 4—15 ; Neh. ix. 6—38. But besides, there must be prayers, supplications, and petitions made for what the person or family hath particularly in view in their fast; Psalm xxxv. 13, "When they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer returned into mine own bosom." And, indeed, the great end and design for which such fasts are to be kept, is, that thereby the parties may be the more stirred up unto, and fitted for wrestling with God in prayer, anent the case which they have particularly at heart. So the Ninevites having their threatened overthrow at heart, it was ordered, that "man and beast" should be "covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God."—Jon. iii. 8; that is, that the men should cry in prayer for pity and sparing; and to the end they might be moved to the greater fervency in these their praying cries, it is provided, that they and their beasts too should he covered with sackcloth; and that their beasts, having fodder and water withheld from them on that occasion, should be made to cry for hunger and thirst, even to cry unto God, namely, interpretatively, as the "young ravens cry unto him."—Job xxxviii. 41. At which rate, the cries of the beasts, being mixed with the cries of men, would make the solemnity of that extraordinary mourning very great; and the hearts of men being, every now and then during that solemnity, pierced with the cries of the harmless brutes, would be stirred up to a more earnest, fervent, and importunate pleading with God for mercy.

Thus far of personal, and family fasting and humiliation in the general.

Remove Not Old Landmarks

Historically and spiritually speaking, many of the old landmarks (Prov. 22.28; 23.10) have been removed from us. Or so it may seem in our modern age which is so often characterized by -- in the words of C.S. Lewis -- "chronological snobbery" (Surprised By Joy, pp. 206-208). But God is faithful to his people to not remove them completely. Wisdom is not confined to the golden ages of the first or second Reformations, yet what Charles Spurgeon said (Preface, Illustrations and Meditations, or, Flowers From a Puritan's Garden, Distilled and Dispensed) of the writings of Thomas Manton is true for us as well with respect to divines of old:

Ministers who do not know Manton need not wonder if they are themselves unknown.

Gerrit Hendrik Kersten was a 20th-century Dutch divine who delighted in the old paths. One biographer described his appreciation for the giants upon whose shoulders he stood thus.

M. Golverdingen, Rev. G.H. Kersten: Facets of His Life and Work, pp. 252-253:

It was the great attention given to the work of the Holy Spirit which knit Rev. Kersten to Calvin, and particularly to the men of the Dutch Second Reformation and their English and Scottish contemporaries. Calvin's Institutes unfolded the doctrine of the inner testimony of the Holy Spirit, who seals the Word of God in the hearts of men. There was no other work of Calvin which Kersten read with "more acquiescence and greater blessing."[275] He was very much of one mind with men such as Boston, the Erskines, Watson, Justus Vermeer, and Van der Kemp, who so eminently described the work of the Spirit in the spiritual life of the regenerate, as well as with Comrie, who was one of the few orthodox theologians of stature from the eighteenth century. Numerous times in his sermons and writings he refers to Comrie, a kindred spirit. He also took the initiative to reprint his works, which were frequently advertised in De Saambinder and De Banier during the 1930s. The old writers are the spokesmen of the "old, proven truth"; the views of the neo-Reformed contradicted these truths.

[275] De Saambinder, 25 February 1932.

To Glorify God and To Enjoy Him Forever

In answer to the query, "What is the chief end of man?" the Westminster Shorter Catechism responds thus: "Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever." The chief end of man is articulated to consist of two clauses, and the relationship between those two clauses has been the subject of some interest and study, particularly in light of John Piper's "Christian Hedonism" philosophy. Below I have compiled the statements of some divines in order for us to better understand the nuances of this relationship between glorifying God and enjoying God.

John Brown of Haddington:

Q. Why is the glorifying of God placed before the enjoyment of him?

A. Because the glory of God is of more value than our happiness, Isa. xl. 17.

Q. Whether is our glorifying or enjoying of God first in order?

A. We must first enjoy God in his gracious influences, and then glorify him; and this leads on to further enjoyment of him, Psalm cxix. 32.

Q. Is our delight in the glory or glorious excellencies of God as satisfying to us, to be our chief end or motive in our actions, religious or moral?

A. No; but our shewing forth the honour of those glorious excellencies, Isa. ii. 11, Psal. xvi. 4, Isa. xliii. 21.

Q.Why may we not make our own delight in the glory of God as satisfying to our desires, our chief end and motive?

A. Because this would be a setting up of our own happiness above the glory of God.
...
Q. Why are the glorifying and enjoying of God joined as one chief end?

A. Because none can obtain or rightly seek the one without the other, 1 Cor. xv. 58.

Q. How do we most highly glorify God?

A. By receiving and enjoying him most fully.

William Gouge:

God's glory is the most principal and supreme end of all. As at the next (but subordinate) end, God in His Providence aimeth at His children's good.

Fisher's Catechism:

Q. 1.44. Why is the glorifying God made the leading part of man's chief end, and set before the enjoyment of him?

A. Because, as God's design in glorifying himself was the reason and foundation of his design in making man happy in the enjoyment of him, Rom. 11:26; so he has made our aiming at his glory, as our chief end, to be the very way and means of our attaining to that enjoyment, Psalm 50:23.

Q. 1.45. Is our happiness, in the enjoyment of God, to be our chief end?

A. No; but the glory of God itself, Isa. 42:8; in our aiming at which chiefly, we cannot miss the enjoyment of him, Psalm 91:14, 15.

Q. 1.46. Is not our delighting in the glory of God, to be reckoned our chief end?

A. No; we must set the glory of God above our delight therein, otherwise, our delight is not chiefly in God, but in ourselves, Isa. 2:11. Our subjective delighting in the glory of God belongs to the enjoyment of him, whose glory is above the heavens, and infinitely above our delight therein, Psalm 113:4.

Thomas Boston:

Glorifying of God is put before the enjoying of him, because the way of duty is the way to the enjoyment of God. Holiness on earth must necessarily go before felicity in heaven, Heb.12:14. There is an inseparable connection betwixt the two, as between the end and the means; so that no person who does not glorify God here, shall ever enjoy him hereafter. The connection is instituted by God himself, so that the one can never be attained without the other. Let no person, then, who has no regard for the glory and honour of God in this world, dream that he shall be crowned with glory, honour, immortality, and eternal life, in heavenly mansions. No; the pure in heart, and they who glorify God now, shall alone see God, to their infinite joy in heaven.

Thomas Watson:

If we glorify God, he will glorify our souls forever. By raising God's glory, we increase our own: by glorifying God, we come at last to the blessed enjoyment of him.

John Willison:

Q. Do we not promote our happiness, by making God's glory our chief end?

A. Yes; and therefore glorifying God, and enjoying him for ever, are connected in the answer.

Joseph Alleine:

Q. What is mans chief duty?

A. To glorifie God.

Q. What is mans chief happinefs?

A. To enjoy God.

John Flavel:

Q. 9. Why are the glorifying and enjoying of God put together, as making up our chief End?

A. Because no man can glorify God, that takes him not for his God; and one takes him for his God, that takes him not for his supreme Good; and both these being essentially included in this Notion of the chief End, are therefore justly put together.

Thomas Vincent:

Q. 7. Why is the glorifying of God and the enjoyment of God joined together as one chief end of man?

A. Because God hath inseparably joined them together, so that men cannot truly design and seek the one without the other. They who enjoy God most in his house on earth, do most glorify and enjoy him. "Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they will be still praising thee." — Ps. 84:4. And when God shall be most fully enjoyed by the saints in heaven he will be most highly glorified. "He shall come to be glorified in his saints."— 2 Thess. 1:10.

A.S. Paterson:

Obs. 3. The glorifying of God, and the enjoyment of him, are inseparably connected.

The glorifying and the enjoyment of God are here connected as one chief end, because God hath inseparably connected them, and no one can truly design and seek the one, without, at the same time, designing and seeking the other. And we may here remark, that the glorifying of God is here set before the enjoyment of him for ever, to show that the former is the means by which the latter is obtained ; that holiness on earth must precede happiness in heaven ; and that none shall enjoy God for ever who have no desire to glorify him in this world. Heb. xii. 14; Matt. v. 8.

Thomas Doolittle:

Q. Is the principal to glorifie God? Yes.

Q. And the lefs principal to enjoy him for ever? Yes.

Q. Are thefe two joyned together with And? Yes.
...
Q. S.D. What is the firft Propofition?

A. Man's chief End is to glorifie God, I Cor. 10. 31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God: Rom. 11. 36.

Q. What is the fecond Propofition?

A. Man's Chief End is, in, or next to to the glorifying of God, to enjoy him for ever, Pfal. 73. 25, to the end. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon Earth that I defire befides thee. 26. God is the ftrength of my Heart, and my Portion for ever: Joh. 17. 21, 22, 23.

Thomas Lye:

I. Mans chief end is,

1. To glorifie God; Proved out of 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatfoever ye do, Do all to the glory of God.

2. Next to the glorifying of God, to enjoy him for ever. Proved out of Pfal. 73. 25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I defire befide thee, v. 26. My flefh, and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
...
Q. How many Doctrines or diftinct Truths are there in this firft Anfwer?

A. There are Two.

Q. VVhat is the firft Doctrine in this Anfwer?

A. That Mans chief end is To glorify God.

Q. How is this Doctrine proved?

A. It is proved out of I Cor. 16.31. VVhether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Q. VVhere lies the force of this Text to prove this Doctrine?

A. In thefe words, Do all to the glory of God.

Q. How know you, that the force lies in thefe Words?

A. By two things.

1. By the fenfe of the words themfelves.

2. Becaufe thefe words are printed, with a different Character, or letter, from other words of the fame Text.

Q. Wherein lies the difference?

A. The words, wherein the force lies, are printed Text. with blacker, and lefs Characters: The others, in whiter, and bigger Letters.

Q. But what if at any time, as it is very often in the Catechifm, all the words of the Text are printed alike?

A. Then the Force lies not in any particular words of the Text, but in the whole.

Q. What is the fecond doctrine in this firft Anfwer?

A. Next to the glorifying of God, to enjoy him for ever.

Q. Why fay you fo? This is no Doctrine: for A Doctrine muft be full, and perfect fenfe.

A. It is fo printed in my Catechifm.

Q. It is fo indeed. But here you muft note with all Care, That when ever you are bid to draw A Doctrine, either from the Anfwer, or Scripture, you be fure to give full, and compleat fenfe.

A. Thats but fit indeed. But I know not how to help my felf herein.

Q. To help you therefore, look narrowly into your Catechifm, and there you fhall find immediately after the Anfwer to the queftion, fome other words, which being added to what you have faid, will make the fenfe full, and compleat.

A. I now fee thefe words -- Mans chief end is -- standing juft under the Anfwer.

Q. Adde them then to the words you faid before: and now tell me, what is the fecond Doctrine in this firft Answer?

A. That Mans chief end is, next to the glorifying of God, to enjoy him for ever.

Q. Now indeed you Anfwer rightly;
How is this Doctrine proved?

A. It is proved out of Pf. 73. 25, 26. Whom have I in heaven but thee! and there is none upon Earth that I defire befides thee. 26. My Flefh and my Heart faileth, but God is the ftrength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

Q. Where lies the force of this Text to prove this Doctrine?

A. In thefe words, -- Whom have I in Heaven but thee! none that I defire befides thee, 26. God is my portion for ever.

J.G. Vos:

5. Why does the catechism place glorifying God before enjoying God? Because the most important element in the purpose of human life if glorifying God, while enjoying God is strictly subordinate to glorifying God. In our religious life, we should always place the chief emphasis on glorifying God. The person who does this will truly enjoy God, both here and hereafter. But the person who thinks of enjoying God apart from glorifying God is in danger of supposing that God exists for man instead of man for God. To stress enjoying God more than glorifying God will result in a falsely mystical or emotional type of religion.

Happy Birthday Robbie Burns!

January 25, 2009 marks the 250th birthday of Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. While not a man with a godly reputation, he was a gifted writer. Earlier, I posted my favorite of his poems, The Cotter's Saturday Night. Now, as a further tribute to his memory, with a glass raised high (skipping the haggis), here are a few more lines worth recalling from his skilled hand.

The Solemn League and Covenant

The Solemn League and Covenant
Now brings a smile, now brings a tear;
But sacred Freedom, too, was theirs:
If thou'rt a slave, indulge thy sneer.

Epistle to James Tennant of Glenconner:

My shins, my lane, I there sit roastin’,
Perusing [John] Bunyan, [John] Brown [of Haddington], an’ [Thomas] Boston,