I do not and have not read fiction, of any kind, for a very long time now it seems. My reasons for this, are, that I have an illness that is likely to not give me as long on earth than I may have otherwise expected, (even given none of us know how long we have), and to me, reading fiction did not fulfill the Biblical mandate of Redeeming the time well, because there was absolutely no spiritual gain to be had by it. And reading books, any book, takes huge chunks of time.  I know other Christians who also do not read fiction, though I am unaware of what their own reasons are, but the above is mine.  It was pleasing to me under that consideration, to read In John Newton’s autobiography, how he laid aside his earthly pleasures this way,  his times of recreation in them, for very similar reasons.  The art of self denial or the practice of it to any extent,  needs to be brought back into the church as part of daily life for all professors; because many Professors, (though by far not all) wouldn’t know how to practice self denial if their life depended upon it, it often seems.  Christ said,  let any man who followed him take up his cross and deny himself, (Matt 16:24), yet by enlarge the spirit of self-denial seems to belong to a bygone age.  I also note in the below quote, that when Newton is taking of the things he laid aside, he also didn’t want learning or knowledge for its own sake; he laid them aside, realizing the real riches, were not knowledge for its own  sake,   but Christ, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit by being nourished enough by what he fed upon, for him to practice experimental religion, and  not merely  have knowledge without understanding or practice. I’m afraid to say, that many or even most of us today, (self included) have more theology and learning than we know or have the ability to practice ind day to day life, which is a reflection of the age we live in I think, where filling our brains with as much information as we can,  because we can show off or out-do each other in our learning and knowledge, than does  heart work.

John Newton’s example is a worthy one to be followed I believe:

Having now much leisure time, I committed myself to the study of Latin with good success. In the space of two or three voyages I became tolerably acquainted with the best classics. I conceived a plan of becoming a Ciceronian myself, and I thought it would be a fine thing indeed to write pure and elegant Latin. I wrote some essays, but by this time the Lord was p leased to draw me nearer to Himself. he gave me a fuller view of the “Pearl of great price” (Matt. 13:46), the inestimable treasure hid in the file of the Holy Scriptures. For the ake of this, I was willing to part with all my newly-acquired riches.
I began to think that life was too short, especially my life, for such elaboratete trifling. Neither poet nor historian could tell me a word of Jesus, and I therefore applied myself to those who could. the classics were at first confined to one morning in te week, and at length, completely laid aside I prefer Buchanan’s Psalms to a whole shelf of Elzevirs. I have gained much from Latin since it enables me to read any useful or interesting book in that language. Beyond this, however, I have no interest. About the same time, and for the same reason, I laid aside mathematics. I found that it not only took up considerable time, but also so engrossed my thoughts that my  head was literally full of it. I was weary of cold, contemplative truths that can neither warm nor amend the heart, but rather tend to amplify self. I found no traces of this “wisdom” in the life of Jesus or the writings of Paul. I do not regret that I have had some opportunities of knowing the first principles of these things, but I praise the Lord that He inclined me to stop in time. While I was “spending my labour for that which is not bread” (Isa. 55:2), he was pleased to set before me “wine and milk, without money and without price” (Isa. 55:1)
—John Newton “Out of the depth’s”

Geoffrey chaucer tells In the Canterbuy Tales, is much like the characters of many real, historical puritans. Sadly, through the ages, we have gone from Chaucer’s quite accurate depiction, to the cardboard cut outs and caricatures we so often see today, as a representation of “puritanism” when, these “representation” for the most part, goes way beyond poetic licence, to border on slander, and even stark lies.  But enough truth has been left, that if we want to see who or what these  men and women were in actual fact, we can do o today, despite the passing of time, which is often not the case in  many instances. It is not so easy to defend John Calvin for instance, against all the hatred that is out there against him. And his writings, which we have translations of not in his original language written, could quite often mean other things than how they have been translated. Unless we understood the language he used at the TIME, he wrote it, (and many of us English speaking folk do not even understand English from those days) and also understand the times that Calvin lived in, that what may seem cruel or unjust to us today, was common place in those days, as one thing Calvin was, was a man of his time.  But that should give caution to folks who take issues of life, rather than Scripture passages which Calvin has exposited, and think they know what Calvin said on thi subject or that because of the translations we have available to us today, that the translations may actually be in some parts, stating the case far different to how Calvin intended when he wrote the original text, because of the above issues and perhaps some besides.

But the puritans it is not so hard as it to get a clear picture, even though the misrepresentations of them are perhaps even more rife than that of Calvin.  The Bible says Woe to them who call good evil, and evil good, and in the cases of both Calvin and the puritans, and more figures from the Reformation era, we have this very syndrome often times.  I could cite several sources, but, I think the reader is probably already aware of many of them, so unless anyone asks, I will not do so in the post.  But Chaucer’s depiction of his puritan he met on the way to Canterbury goes like this:

“His business and his opportunity was to preach to the people but in order to preach successfully he must preach to the people, must preach what the people would listen to and think they understood. He must preach what could be practiced, and he must himself practice what he preached. The preacher has to say that a man’s chief concern sould be with teh welfare of his own soul, that he m ust not let his life be swallowed up in immediate and material affairs but must dedicate it to spiritual ends.
—William Haller “The Rise of Puritanism” pp. 4

Chaucer lived in the fourteenth century, two or three centuries before the age of that which is known as puritanism began. Yet, he depicted the character quite accurately, and more than many modern day writers do, and sadly, even more than many who are part of the Reformed church. If we remain ignorant on such matters, that is our choice. But it is a choice. We have a duty to our God, and to our Reformed fore fathers to not remain ignorant, because to do so, we not only do so to the detriment of our own souls and spiritual welfare, we also do so, at the risk of harm and damage to the Reformed faith.

There are plenty of places in Scripture that give us warrant and duty to study Christian history, Psalm 78 is one that easily comes to mind, as does verses 4-5 from Psalm 22
There are other places in Scripture that also give a warrant to of course, it is not only a great encouragement to our faith, a strengthening of it, to see how God delivered or worked among his church through the ages, but it also helps us, to not tarnish the memory or testimony of those who paid with their blood for the love of Christ. Sadly there are too many who do so. And for me, its one of those things that steps upon my bllue suede shoes of Christendom. But whether puritan history, Reformed history, or any aspect, it is our duty to be learned in such matters, and Scripture calls us to it on many occassions, yet, it is sadly a subject oft neglected, and folk can fail to see the import of or relevance to us in our lives today. But it is HIStory. It does and always will have relevance, because of that alone.

Canterbury Tales

Here [in Christ] is the fairest representation that ever thi world had or that could be had, of this most delectable object. The Divine holiness incarnate did never shine so bright. And we may easily apprehend the great advantage of having so lively and perfect a model set before us of what we are to design and aim at. Rules and precepts could never have afforded so full a description or have furnished us with so perfect an idea.
Look steadily to Jesus, “with open face” behold the gory of the Word, and be “changed from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord” (II Cor. 3:18).
Truth is the means of holiness (John 17:17)… We have this practical truth not only exhibited in aphorisms and maxims in the Word, but we have it exemplified in the life of Christ. And when the great renovating work is to be done, the old man to be put off, the new man to be put o n, the spirit of our m ind to be renewed, our business is to learn Christ and the truth as it i in Jesus. (Eph. 4:20-24)
—John Howe “The Living Temple”

One thing that is quite clear, about the majority of Christians today, (self included) is that we do not have knowledge and indepth understanding that the puritans had nor before them the  Reformers.  The Bible was at the heart of the reformation, to making it accessible to the common man, and it not being shut up in darkness and obscurity and only having what the Pope said to understand and be able to interpret it for the common people. Our forefathers, paid for the freedom and easy accessibility we have today to the pages of God’s Word, with their blood and very lives often times. And what do we today do with this inestimable treasure? we do not prize it, as they did, at least over all, that is to be sure.. They had the Word in their hearts, as Scripture tells us to have it.  They were Biblicists in the real sense of the word, (and believe it or not I have even heard them called that in a way of trying to put them down!) Oh for more  such Biblicists among us today.  Knowledge or rather ignorance of the Bible, its teachings, God’s will, God Himself and Christ, are, in my opinion one of the major causes for the church to be in its current state of declination.  Even among  parts of the so-called Reformed church.  To know Him is to love him, that much is true. The more we know HIM, the more we will love HIM, and the more we will be the shining lights that we should be.  Rather than groping our way along, still in darkness and not being able to discern if we turn to the right or the left, so limping blindly on regardless and hoping for the best.  That we, of the Reformed faith, are no less culpable of this than any other branch of Christianity, is an abomination, when the Bible and its freedom and accessibility and availability to the common man,  was at the heart of the Reformation, and that they started off not having that glorious liberty we have today. And yet, we turn liberty to licentiousness, by refusing or rejecting the godly liberty of a Bible for every man, woman and child; to the ungodly liberties we find in the pleasures of the world.

Today we have Bible memorization programmes, and the technology to help them stick, such as this one by John Piper’s  ministry So, what excuse do we have. And also, God makes it quite clear, that ignorance is not an excuse for sin. And I myself have long believed, that ignorance is often a choice.

A New England Antinomian  was heard to utter:

I had rather hear such a one that speaks from mere notion of the Spirit, without any study at all, than any of your learned scholars, although he maybe fuller of Scripture.

Which would also seem to confirm my theory that often, ignorance is a choice.

According to a biography on John Bruen, Robert Pasfield who was an illiterate servant of Bruen’s was:

“a man utterly unlearned, being unable to read a sentence or write a sylablle. Yet he was so well acquainted with the history of the Bible, and the sum and substance of every book and chapter, that hardly could any ask him where such a sayinkg or sentence were, but he would with very little ado tell them in what book, and what chapter they might find it.”

We all have to start somewhere. You can’t expect a two year old Christian to have the vast stores of understanding and knowledge  that a 15 year old on will have. But if after, considerable time has passed, and  medical reasons notwithstanding, that could cause it,   the person remains ignorant as many a new born babe, then, I think that person should do some soul searching to ask why it is so.

Lord perseve us from ignorance, and from choosing the worldly pelasures to the dteriment of spiritual concerns. Give us grace to perservere, even when we don’t see  progress, but trust that your grace is sufficient, in this matter, as much as it is, in any other. In Jesus, Name. Amen.

This seems like it maybe an appropriate post to start off my series of “Reformed or Deformed” which at the moment I am trying to organize in my mind to set down on paper in an organized way.

Joseph dismissed his brethren with a seasonable caution, “See that ye fall not out by the way.” He knew they were too apt to be quarrelsome; and having forgiven them all, he lays this charge upon them, not to upbraid one another. This command our Lord Jesus has given to us, that we love one another, and that whatever happens, or has happened, we fall not out. For we are brethren, we have all one Father. We are all guilty, and instead of quarrelling with one another, have reason to fall out with ourselves. We are, or hope to be, forgiven of God, whom we have all offended, and, therefore, should be ready to forgive one another. We are “by the way,” a way through the land of Egypt, where we have many eyes upon us, that seek advantage against us; a way that leads to the heavenly Canaan, where we hope to be for ever in perfect peace.
–Matthew Henry Commentary on Gensis 45

A man is not so prone to live according to the truth he knows except it deeply affect him, so neither doth his soul enjoy its sweetness, except speculation do pass to affection. The understanding is not the whole soul, and therefore cannot do the whole work… The understanding must take in truths, and prepare them for the will, and it must receive them and commend them to the affections;… the affections, are, as it were, the bottom of the soul.
—Richard Baxter

I ordered some books today; some of them are ones I have wanted to get hold of for a while, and it is likely to be the last time I am able to spend that much money on books at once. I am sharing them with any readers who have an interest in puritanism, in case they are titles you may not be aware of and because at least a couple of them are worthy of pointing out a few things about:

The Above Title along with William Haller’s Rise of Puritanism are worthy of special note. Because until around 50-60 years ago, puritanism was very much still a dirty word, a by-word, and people really had a cock-eyed impresssion of who the puritans were, what they stood for, and the lives they lived.  These two books are two that earlier this century helped to set the record straight.  And perhaps started the tide turning, so that in those days, there was around 10-25 puritan titles printed in the preceding fifty years, that in the fifty years since then,  it well into treble figures, and around 50-60 new titles are being printed every year that was written by the puritans. Another book I ordered of which the same is true as the two preceding book is this one:

These 3 titles in particular I have wanted for some time. If we are going to either encourage their thought, or refute and reject any group of people’s thoughts or ideology then the least we can do, is have an informed opinion,  one not based on fable or folk-lore, or the BBC, but  by things that have been proved to be fact and some good men have set these things down on paper just for the very reason that we need not be ignorant.

A couple more I ordered as relatively inexpensive paperbacks were these:

If I had to pick just 2 or 3 as recommendations, it would either be William Haller,  Worldly Saint’s and/or Visible Saint’s. I’ve heard enough to know they changed the face of how the  puritans as a group of people are perceived, though sadly, much ignorance does still reign over this issue, which is the reason for this blog post, because today, we have no justification for ignorance to continue forever.

However, I do want to add a short anecdote I heard last weekend, as far as exhorting or reading the puritans.  That we can read all we like, it is only a walk and life to match, and  a heart cleansed by Christ’s blood in sanctification that will lead us to purer lives and purity in the puritan vein.  I heard  a well known preacher relate this tale the weekend and I shall use my own words to get across what he said. He knew a man who had a vast puritan library. He was very proud of his library. He was thought to be a pillar of the Christian community,  and a bright light.  But what no one outside of his home knew, was that next to his wonderfully spiritually rich puritan library, in the next room, he had a different kind of library, of shelf after shelf of triple X movies, and the police had raided him, and he was now in prison on pornography charges and was an active and practicing homosexual. AS Christ so wisely said, and it applies no less to good stuff as bad stuff, that it is not what goes in that defiles a man, (or improves him) its what comes out, as that shows what is in our hearts.

No surer shorter way there is than when a man is led to despise the present life and meditate upon heavenly immortality. From this derive two rules: The first rule is that those who use this world must have as little affection for it, as if they used it not; those who marry, as if they did not marry; those who buy, as if they did not buy–according to St. Paul’s rule. The second rule is that we learn equally to bear poverty with grateful and patient hearts, and to use affluence with moderation.
He who bids us use this world as if we used not, not only suppresses all intemperance in eating, drinking, all delights too great ambition, pride, overfastidiousness in buildings, clothing, styles of life; but also corrects all care and inclination that divert and hinder us from thinking  on the heavenly life and from decking our soul with its true ornaments. Long ago Cato truly said, “Where there is great care for dress there is great neglect of virtue.” And as the old proverb bears it out that those who are much occupied with pampering and decking our their bodies do not take sufficient care of their souls.
Therefore, although the freedom of the faithful in outward matters must be restricted to fixed formulas, still it is subject to this law, namely that they allow themselves as little as possible on the other hand that they be watchful to cut back all superfluity and vain show of affluence–but not intemperately and diligently to guard against making hindrances of the things that ought to help them.
—John Calvin, “The Piety of John Calvin”

The spiritual beauty and comeliness of the soul consists in its conformity to God… Grace gives beauty… The beauty originally consisted in the image of God in us, which contained the whole order, harmony, and symmetry of our natures, in all their faculties and actions, with respect to God and our utmost end… Sin has a deformity in it, brings spots,  stains, and wrinkles on the soul… Holiness and conformity to  God is the honour of our souls. It is that alone which makes them truly noble…This we have only by holiness, or that image of God wherein we are created. Whatever is contrary to this is base, vile, and unworthy.
—John Owen, “Discourse on the Holy Spirit”

Holiness is not confined to this life, but passes over into eternity and glory. Death has no power over it, to destroy it or divest us of it… All those graces whereby holiness is constituted, and wherein it consists, shall in their present nature, improved to perfection, abide forever… That love whereby we now adhere to God as our chiefest good; that faith whereby we are united  to Christ, our everlasting head; that delight in any of the ways or ordinances of God… that love and good will which we have for all those indwelt by the Spirit and bear the image of Christ… shall be purified, enhanced, perfected, and pass into glory.
—John Owen “Discourse on the Holy Spirit

The glory in the kingdom of heaven shall be begun at death, but not perfected until the resurrection… Heaven is not only a kingdom which God has promised, but which Christ has purchased (Eph. 1:14) with the price of His blood (Heb. 10:19)… The elect must have this blessed kingdom by virtue of their coalition and union with Jesus Christ. They are members of Christ, therefore they must be where their head is. Can Christ lose a member of his body?
—-Thomas Watson, “Practical Divinity”

Man’s mouth, though it be but a little hole, will hold a world full of sin. For there is not any sin forbidden in the law or gospel which is not spoken by the tongue, as well as thought in the heart, or done in the life. Is it not then almost as difficult to rule the tongue as to rule the world?
— Edward Reyner.

Piety is the best thing that a parent can teach a child, for as reason makes a man differ from a beast, and as learning and civility makes a wise and sober and sober man differ from savages and swaggerer’s, so piety makes a sound Christian much more to differ from the most civil and well ordered natural man that can be. Learning, civility, calling, portion, are all nothing without piety..
There is a necessity that children be taught piety, because they are not born but made christians… Parents are by God made watchmen over their children… They must therefore nurture them in the adominition of the Lord.
—William Gouge “Domestic Duties”

This is the Christian of the right stamp, and all about him are better because of him… For my part, I had rather have the company of a heavenly-minded Christian than  that of the most learned disputants or princely commanders.
A soul that does not set its affections on things above disobeys the commands, and loses the most gracious and delightful discoveries of the Word of God…
As heaven is the perfection of all our mercies, so the promises of it in the gospel are are the very souls of the Gospel… It has pleased our Father to open his counsel and let us know the very intent of his heart, that our joy might be full and that we might live as the heirs of such a kingdom… And shall we now overlook all? Shall we live in earthly cares and sorrows, and rejoice no more in these discoveries, than if the Lord has never revealed them?
—-Richard Baxter “The Saints Everlasting Rest”

Holiness is necessary to the true peace and repose of the soul… Holiness has a mighty influence upon others: it stops the mouths of the ungodly… and is a means to open their very hearts to the embracing of Christ and his grace.
—William Gurnall “Christian in Complete Armour”

Let us note that all such as boast as having faith in the gospel, and are not sanctified by God, betray their own hypocrisy and lying, and belie themselves by their own life, no matter what they may sing or say, just as we see many nowadays who defile and profane the name of the faith which ought to be holy. For every man will say that he is faithful, and they who have least faith are boldest to say their is no faith but in themselves. And would God that it were so, only by half! But we see even among all that bear the name of Christians that their whole life is disordered and loose, insomuch that they mock God to the full and despise all religion, and yet nevertheless in the meanwhile think  they they are greatly wronged if they are not taken as good catholic Christians.
—From Sermon One on Ephesians

Piety is the best thing that a parent can teach a child, for as reason makes a man differ from a beast, and as learning and civility make a wise and sober man differ from savages and swaggerers, so piety makes a sound Christian much more to differ from the most civil and well-ordered natural man that can be. Learning, civility, calling, portion, are all nothing without piety…
There is a necessity that children e taught piety, because they are not born but made Christians… Parents are by God made watchmen over their children… They must therefore nurture them in the admonition of the Lord.
—William Gouge “Domestic Duties.”

Another glorious effect of acquaintance with God, is that it makes a man like God… Company is of an assimilating nature. He that before was unholy, and like the devil, by conversion to God and converse with him is made holy like God… A full and perfect conformity and likeness to God is the very glory of glory… Be acquainted with him, and you shall be like him. Keep much in his company by faith, secret prayer, and meditation, and you will be more holy, divine and spiritual. The last effect of this acquaintance with God: it will make a man better, far more excellent in all states and relations. All his friends will have the better life with him, the whole family… will fare the better with him.
—-James Janeway “Heaven upon Earth: Jesus the best friend of man.”

It is fit that professors of all sorts should be reminded of these things; for we may see not a few of them under visible decays, without any sincere endeavours after a recovery, who yet please themselves that the root of the matter is in them. It is so, if love of the world, conformity unto it, negligence in holy duties, and coldness in spiritual love, be an evidence of such decays. but let none deceive their own souls; wherever there is a saving principle of grace, it will be thriving and growing unto the end. And if it falls under obstructions, and thereby into decays for a season, it will give no rest or quietness unto the soul, wherein it is, but will labour continually for a recovery. Peace in a spiritually decaying condition is a soul ruining security; better be under terror on the account of surprisal into some sin, than be in peace under evident decays of spiritual life.
—John Owen

Discipline is a vital part of a true church. According to the learned divines it is one of the marks of a true church that it faithfully administers church displine. If it doesn’t, then it is not a Biblically constituted church or a true part of the Church of Jesus Christ. I know a pastor personally, who even on a personal level, would never admonish or correct any of his flock, because to quote his words, “It would be not be a nice thing to do, being a Christian.” The flames of hell await such false teachers as that, who are willing to let his flock go to hell, than be poorly thought of. But the church he pastors has not the 3 marks of a true church. There was one pastor, no elders, no deacons, an independant church with no one to answer to, or anyone for his congregation to appeal to.

As i have said before, in by-gone ages, when the life of faith for the majority was the whole of life and not just while sat in a church pew on Sunday morning, people met on the hills of Scotland, at risk of their lives, to hold their conventicles, which were highly illegal, but the risk of life and limb, or that of their dearest loves ones could not stop them gathering on the hill-sides of Scotland, to worship the God they loved, and gave their all too, in life and often in death as many were martyred. Nowadays, I have known several cases just personally, where going or attending the public assembly of the saints is burdensome and if a reasonable excuse can be found, even though it would not be reasonable in God’s eyes, people will find their excuse to have a get out clause and be in irregular attendance.

In the sixth council of Trull of 680 whose work was completed in 692 at Constantinople to complete the disciplinary work started at the original doomed synod meeting of 680 they stated: “Whosoever was 3 days together from church, without urgent necessity was to be excommunicated.” If that kind of discipline, which I’m sure sounds quite austere to some was in place today, the churches would have much fewer members because of the any old excuse to not attend that is so often rife among professing Christians. Now before this austerity is condemned, please note the words, “without urgent necessity” which of course the logical conclusion to that is providential hindrances, things beyond our control, which should make it a reasonable assertion for churches today.

Richard Baxter in his “Reformed Pastor” has a lot to say on the subject of church discipline or lack of it, and how it could be costing souls, as well as turning the world further away from having anything to do with us, or be willing to hear us, because we do not practice as we preach by church discipline being wanting.

I desire not to spur on any one to an unseasonable performance of this great duty. But will it never be a fit season? Would you forbear sermons and sacraments so many years on presence of unreasonableness? Will you have a better season for it when you are dead? How many are dead already, before they ever did anything in this important work, though they were long preparing for it! I know some have more discouragements and hindrances than others; but what discouragements and hindrances can excuse us from such a duty? Besides the reasons which we have already stated, let these few be seriously considered:

(1) How sad a sign do we make it to be in preaching to our people, to live in the willful and continued omission of any known duty! And shall we do so year after year, nay, all our days? If excuses will take off the danger of this sign, what man will not find them as well as you?

(2) We plainly manifest laziness and sloth, if not unfaithfulness in the work of Christ. I speak from experience. It was laziness that kept me so long from this duty, and pleaded hard against it. It is indeed a troublesome and painful work, and such as calls for some self–denial, because it will bring upon us the displeasure of the wicked. But dare we prefer our carnal ease and quietness, or the love and peace of wicked men, before our service to Christ our Master? Can slothful servants expect a good reward? Remember, brethren, that we of this county have thus promised before God, in the second article of our agreement: ‘We agree and resolve, by God’s help, that so far as God doth make known our duty to US, we will faithfully endeavour to discharge it, and will not desist through any fears or losses in our estates, or the frowns and displeasure of men, or any the like carnal inducements whatsoever.’ I pray you study this promise, and compare your performance with it. And do not think that you were ensnared by thus engaging; for God’s law hath laid an obligation on you to the very same duty, before your engagement did it. Here is nothing but what others are bound to, as well as you.

(3) The neglect of discipline hath a strong tendency to delude immortal souls, by making those think they are Christians that are not, while they are permitted to live with the character of such, and are not separated from the rest by God’s ordinance. Also, it may make the scandalous think their sin a tolerable thing, which is so tolerated by the pastors of the church.

(4) We corrupt Christianity itself in the eyes of the world, and do our part to make them believe that Christ is no more for holiness than Satan, or that the Christian religion exacteth holiness no more than the false religions of the world. For if the holy and unholy are all permitted to be sheep of the same fold, without any means being used to separate them, we defame the Redeemer, as if he were guilty of it, and as if this were the nature of his precepts.

(5) We keep up separation by permitting the worst to be uncensured in our churches, so that many honest Christians think they are obliged to withdraw from us. I have spoken with some members of the separated churches, who were moderate men, and have argued with them against separation. They have assured me that they were of the Presbyterian judgment, or had nothing to say against it, but they joined themselves to other churches from pure necessity, thinking that discipline, being an ordinance of Christ, must be used by all that can. Therefore, they durst no longer live without it when they might have it; and they could find no Presbyterian churches that executed discipline, as they wrote for it. And they told me that they separated only pro tempore, till the Presbyterians will use discipline, and then they will willingly return to them again. I confess I was sorry that such persons had any such occasion to withdraw from us. It is not keeping offenders from the sacrament that will excuse us from the further exercise of discipline, while they are members of our churches.

(6) We do much to bring the wrath of God upon ourselves and our congregations, and so to blast the fruit of our labours. If the angel of the church of Thyatira was reproved for suffering seducers in the church (Rev. 2:20), we may be reproved, on the same ground, for suffering open, scandalous, impenitent sinners.

And what are the hindrances that now keep the ministers of England from the execution of that discipline, for which they have so much contended? The great reason, as far as I can learn, is, ‘The difficulty of the work, and the trouble or suffering that we are like to incur by it. We cannot publicly reprehend one sinner, but he will storm at it, and bear us a deadly malice. We can prevail with very few to make a public profession of true repentance. If we proceed to excommunicate them, they will be raging mad against us. If we should deal as God requireth us, with all the obstinate sinners in the parish, there would be no living among them. We should be so hated of all, that, as our lives would be uncomfortable, so our labours would become unprofitable; for men would not hear us when they are possessed with a hatred of us. Therefore duty ceaseth to be duty to us, because the hurt that would follow would be greater than the good.’

Earlier in the same chapter, Baxter wrote:

All Christians value God’s ordinances, and think them not vain things; and, therefore, are unwilling to live without them. Discipline is not a needless thing to the Church: if you will not make a difference between the precious and the vile, by discipline, people will do it by separation. If you will keep many scores or hundreds in your churches that are notoriously ignorant and utterly destitute of religion, and never publicly (nor, perhaps, privately) reprove them, nor call them to repentance, nor cast them out, you need not marvel if some timorous souls should run out of your churches, as from a ruinous edifice, which they fear is ready to fall upon their heads. Consider, I pray you, if you should act in the same manner with them as to the sacrament as you do as to discipline, and should only show them the bread and wine, and never let them taste of these memorials of their Redeemer’s love. Could you expect that the name of a sacrament would satisfy them, or that they would like your communion? Why should you then think that they will be satisfied with the empty sound of the word church–government?

Sadly the lack of this God-given institution and one of the marks of a true church, is in part most likely why we have many ignorant people who have been in church membership and sat in the pews a very long time; a church that has as much of a foot in the world or perhaps more firmly rooted in the world, than it does in heaven, an unsanctified church, and part of the decay and lamentable state of the church today, can in my honest opinion be traced back directly to large parts of the church, neglecting and doing away with this vital part of the life and practice of the true church of Christ. The faithful ministers of Christ, are still administering church discipline as it was given to by God, but the ones that do not, should return to the ways of old and start to implement it.

Have we received this principle of holiness and of spiritual life by the gracious operation of the Holy Ghost? There are—among many others—three duties incumbent on us, of which we ought to be as careful as of our souls. First, carefully and diligently by all means to cherish and preserve it in our hearts… Secondly, it is equally incumbent on us to evince and manifest it by its fruits, in the mortification of corrupt lusts and affections, in all duties of holiness, righteousness, charity, and piety in the world, that God may be glorified…. [Thirdly], in like manner it is required that we be thankful for what we have received.
Without these visible fruits, we expose our entire profession of holiness to reproach.
—John Owen “Discourse on the Holy Spirit”

The way to prevail is to get the victory over the pride of our own nature, by taking shame to ourselves, in humble confession to God; to overcome the unbelief of our hearts, by yielding to the promise of pardon; to set ourselves against those sins which have prevailed over us, in confidence of Christ’s assistance. Then, prevailing over ourselves, we shall easily prevail over all our enemies.
—Richard Sibbes “The Bruised Reed.”

Faith is the proper foundation of holiness and good works… The faith of Christians is a “most holy faith”; no doctrine has such pure precepts, such high examples, such raised motives, such mysterious enforcement’s, such blessed rewards, and all to encourage holiness.
In the Word of God you have the copy of his holiness…an impure life will not suit with a holy faith; you dishonour God and disparage your religion when you walk as heathens. This holy faith is but “kept in pure conscience.” (1 Tim 3:9).
Good company preserves and keeps up your warmth and vigour as a remedy against apostasy.
—Thomas Manton “The Epistle of Jude”

EVENING OCTOBER 10

“As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts, in your ignorance.”—1 Pet 1:14

There is somewhat very striking in these words of the apostle; and they certainly mean more than not being found in actual transgression. The very fashion of a newborn child of God is supposed to distinguish his obedience; and his whole appearance, as well as his whole conduct, marks that the former lusts of his ignorant state, when unregenerated, are done away. And though the believer is not called upon to a singularity of dress or apparel, yet a singularity against customs leading to the confines of sin, and unsuited to the manners of a soul walking with Jesus, should certainly distinguish the Redeemer’s people. It was said, as one among the characters by which they should be known; that “they should dwell alone, and should not be reckoned among the nations,” Num 23:9. And surely a total diversity of character, pursuit, and conduct, ought to distinguish them from the world. For, even among men, different nations have their diversity of character and occupation; and if there be a subject of contention between them, the ports and garrisons of one kingdom are shut against the admission of the people of another; there will be a total disconformity in this case, and nothing of harmony between them. My soul, see to it, that thy path and walk of life bear not the fashion of the world. Thou hast given thy name unto Jesus: his thou art, and the subject of his kingdom; professing to be guided by another Spirit, directed by another rule, walking by another faith, and looking forward to another world. See then, that every thing in and about thee mark this character of Jesus’s pilgrim. Let thy dress be the robe of Jesus’s righteousness; thine armour, the sword of the Spirit; thy conversation always “such as becometh the gospel of Christ.” And as the Redeemer, long before he came, by the spirit of prophecy, pointed out the singularity of himself and followers, “as for signs and wonders in Israel,” Isa 8:18, so let the character be thine, as “Joshua and his fellows, men wondered at,” Zech 3:8. Precious Jesus! keep me always near thyself, and let my soul be always exercising a holy jealousy over all the parts of my conduct. Lord, I would pray, that whereever I am, or however engaged, all who behold me may know that “I have been with Jesus!
—Robert Hawker

Be sure to seek for Holiness of Heart and Life only in its due order, where God has placed it after Union with Christ, Justification, and the gift of the Holy Ghost; and, in that order, see it earnestly by Faith, as a very necessary part of your salvation.
—Walter Marshall, “The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification.”