Piety and Sanctimonious are Not Dirty Words

I am drawing on this, largely from the introduction written by Joel Beeke in the republication of Teelinck’s “Path of true godliness,”  But unless there are quoations marks,  the rest is not direct quotes.  See how many of the sins of his people that so burdened Teelinck, you can spot which are common place among the Reformed church of our day

Willem Teeninck, took the puritan pathos to The Netherlands. That of vital Christianity, and true to Scripture and the Reformed Confessions.

He was born January 4th, 1579, to a godly, upright family, the youngest of eight children. His dad died when he was just 15 years old.

He was well educated, he studied Law at St. Andrews, in Scotland in 1600. 1604, He spent nine months living among the puritans of England, lodging in banbury with a godly puritan family. It was this family, and their godly examples and putting their faith into daily practice, that so impressed young Willem, in “family worship, private prayer, sermon discussions, Sabbath Day observance, fasting, self-examination, heartfelt piety, and good works,” that made the puritan pathos for experimental religion, become part of Willems mindset.

England was very different in those days, to these. “At that time, Psalm-singing could be heard everywhere a person walked in Banbury, particularly on Sabbath Days.

” The Puritans believed that the Reformation had under achieved in England, they esteemed Calvin’s Geneva, and his vision. John Dod, Arther Hildersham, William Perkins were their mentors. They lived out whta they taught, not words without the actions to follow it up, like we so often see all around us today. Their Christian walk was such, that it convinced even their most bitter foes, of their sincerity and wholeheartedness, of their faith and practice. Their foes saw faith working powerfully through love, demonstrated in their straight-forward business dealings, charitable deeds to the poor, visiting and comforting the sick and oppressed, educating the ignorant, convincing the erring, punishing the wicked, reproving the idle, and encouraging the devout. And all this was done with diligence and sensitivity, as well as joy and peace, and happiness, such that it was obvious that the Lord was truly with them.”

Teelinck believed he was converted during this time in England, and a thirst for holy living was born that was never to be quenched. He met his bride in England–she shared his values and quest for holy living, and the practice of piety. They had four sons, one died in infancy, they also had  two daughters.

Willem was a godly example to his family. He always made meal times a time of spiritual or heavenly conversation. Frivolity and idle chatter was not welcome or tolerated. He was scrupulous about family worship, and instructing his children, and once or twice each year, his whole family would hold a day of fasting and prayer, to try and reaffirm their dedication to God and strengthen it.

He was ordained as a pastor in 1606, and served for seven years. But he found the debauchery that surrounded him in village life, a great affliction and burden.

“Sabbath descration, fighting, carnival attendance, and a generally disordel spirit.”

The same things in the Netherlands were in England too. The term “Merry old England,” has its root in such behaviour here on Sabbath Days.

During this first pastorate of his, is when he started writing his books. In his writings he stressed the role of the civil magistrate to combat the cultures sins. In 1610 he returned to England to rekindle some of his puritan ties. He preached in London in 1612 to the Dutch congregation.

He lived out his faith and was a godly example to all he came into contact with. When contagious disease hit his country, he warned his flock to be cautious about keeping themselves infected, and safe, while he himself would enter infected homes to visit the sick.

He found the dead reformed orthodoxy within his church and outside of it a great burden. The reformed church in that way sounds little different to the majority of the Reformed church in  own day.

Yet his sermons, and writings often caused his critics to use the term

“legalistic” about him much like many use that term about stricter Reformed Christians today. Because he preached against dancing, Sabbath day desecration, gluttony, neglect of fasting etc,”

yet what those coined the term legalistic about him, failed to realize, is that these were only elements of a whole life of heartfelt piety. And he preached against these things, because in the dead reformed orthodoxy of his church, (same as ours) these things were common place for the congregations to do. These things were relevant for him to preach about in his own church, because he was trying to guide them towards practical piety. But the strictness of his views, caused him to be held in suspicion by some, and he complained in a letter to his brother, “that many professing Christians, were too worldly, and forget God.” And also about the abuse of worship.

Hearing was not respected, or reverenced, people often attended out of habit and nothing else. Some would deliberately make plans so that after they had attended the morning service, their pre made plans would make sure they were unable to attend the evening also. Some fell to sleep during the service, others would openly yawn. Some not instructed in the ways of faith or any true knowledge to speak of, would take the sacraments. Most never gave to the church financially, and those who did were meagre and gave it carelessly. Church members marrying unbelievers was commonplace. Children were allowed to partake in inapprorpriate and sinful activities, and there was little to no discipline.

When Willem Teelinck died, aged 50, in 1629, he could honestly say, he had, “fought the good fight.” Thousands mourned him when he died. He was buried in the church yard at St. Pieters, in Middleburge, where his minstry was for his final years.  Teelinck had suffered quite terrible health for the life of his minstry.

Willem Teelinck’s life, were examples of practicel piety and a sanctified spirit.  Words that are often seen as dirty terms today. How far we have fallen to even think so!