Required reading Christian ministry by Charles Bridges (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue reading Part 4 by reading Chapter 3, 'The Scriptural mode of preaching the law. My summary Bridges now looks at the Scriptural mode of preaching the law.
Firstly he looks at the law's character, uses and obligations. The law's character is holy, just and good. Its uses are threefold: (i) public restraint; (ii) conviction of sin; (iii) rule of life for the Christian. The law's obligation is that man must keep it.
Secondly Bridges looks at the connexion of the law with the gospel:
(i) The differences between them (e.g. in revelation, regards to man, their power of sanction, their connection to promises);
(ii) The harmony between them (e.g. same source, same plan, same end);
(iii) The law as a preparation for the gospel;
(iv) The establishment of the law by the Gospel.
What grabbed me Bridges is careful to make clear that Christians prove their love by keeping his law: 'The proof of our love to the Saviour is the "keeping of his commandments;" which are none others than the precepts of the moral law, bound upon the Christian's heart with chains of the most powerful and attractive obligation. The first desire of the awakened sinner is - "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" His constant prayer is "that his love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgement;" that he may "not be unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is." It cannot therefore, be legal bondage, or indeed otherwise than evangelical privilege, thus to receive the law from the Saviour's hands, stripped of its condemning power, and regulating our affections, temper, and conversation to his glory.'
Do we love the Lord? Keep his commandments. It is a privilege to do so.
Next week's reading
Continue reading Part 4 by beginning Chapter 4, up to point 3 'Practical preaching of the Gospel'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).Continue reading Section 4 by continuing Point 4, 'Exhortation and Counsel' with the reading of Part '2. A warning against sinful words' and Part 3, Point (i) 'Take heed of sins of omission'.
My summary Last week we were warned against sinning in thought. Today we are warned against sinful words and the sins of omission.
In regards to sinful words we are warned that:
(i) Sinful words are wholly forbidden us and their opposites are enjoined upon us;
(ii) Unless a man take heed to his words and bridle his tongue his religion is vain, and consequently in vain;
(iii) Sinful words are evidences of sinful hearts;
(iv) Evil words corrupt men and their manners;
(v) The tongue is either man's glory or his shame;
(vi) God will judge us for and by our words, as well as by our works and actions.
Then regarding sins of omission we are advised:
(a) Some of the best men have been guilty of this, and have suffered by it;
(b) Yet generally it is a great affliction to good and godly men to be forced to omit duties, though the omission of them in this instance is no sin of theirs, as in time of sickness or in case of flight;
(c) Just as it should be an affliction to be in a necessity, so it is a sin to be willing to omit a duty;
(d) One omission makes way for another. He who, under pretence of unfitness for duty, puts it off, makes himself fit for nothing more than to omit again;
(e) The more knowledge of any duty we have, the more clear it is and the more we are convinced of it, the more aggravated is the omission of that duty;
(f) Sins of omission, if done in the sight of others, are bad examples, just as sins of commission are;
(g) Consider that sins of omission are sins which God has severely judged men for in this world, and for which He will judge men in the great day.
What grabbed me Venning gave us a good reminder of how hard it is to keep the tongue under control: 'Holy David was so afraid of his tongue, lest he should offend with it, that he put a bridle into his mouth (Psalm 39.1). Surely the tongue is an unruly thing that it must be bridled like a horse or an ass! Indeed it is so unruly that one may better rule horses and manage them, and more easily turn such unwieldy things as great ships are than keep the tongue in order; therefore St. James pronounces him a perfect man who offends not in word, and one that is able with ease to bridle the whole body, when he has the mastery of his tongue (James 3.2-4). It is a rare thing to use the tongue well!'
Although it is a rare thing to use the tongue well, we should make every attempt to gain mastery over it.
Next week's reading
Finish the book by reading about sins of commission and the Conclusion. Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading Book Seven by reading Chapters 1-16. My summary In today's reading from Book Seven, Augustine continues to attack 'civil theology' and the 'select' gods of the public.
Augustine says that Varro outlined twenty gods and the reasons that they were considered 'select' is because of their more important responsibilities in the universe and because they were better known to the people in general.
The main thrust of Augustine's argument against these 'select' deities is that their roles and responsibilities overlap which causes them to conflict with each other. Even if the Romans take Jupiter as the Supreme god, they then divide him up into other deities in accordance with his many powers: 'they must say that Jupiter himself is as many gods as they have given him names corresponding to his powers, since all those many functions which justify those names are distinct.'
The result is a confusion amongst the gods, even when you narrow it down to a 'select' twenty deities.
What grabbed me In his discussion on the god of money, Pecunia, Augustine made some good observations about riches: '...riches and money are very different things. We speak of the "riches" of the wise, the just, the virtuous; they are richer than others because of their virtues, thanks to which they are content with what they have, even when their material resources are straitened. We speak of the "poverty" of the avaricious who are always yearning for more and always in want; they can have all the money possible, and yet in their abundance they cannot help being in want. And we call the true God himself "rich", not rich in money, but in his omnipotence. Moneyed men, of course, are called rich; but they are needy in their hearts, if they are greedy: the moneyless are called poor; but if they are wise, they are rich in their hearts.'
Despite what our society screams at us, you don't need money to be rich. And those who have money with greed are always poor.
Next week's reading Finish reading Book Seven.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Life and times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Finish reading Chapter Nine
My summary Today we finish reading Chapter 9 which concerns Whitefield in Scotland.
We continue to hear of Whitefield's interaction with the Erskines - namely their unsuccessful attempts to convince him that their form of church government (Presbyterianism) is the only right one.
The rest of the Chapter recounts Whitefield's work in Edinburgh.
What grabbed me It was a little disturbing to hear how dogmatic some Christians can be about church government. The Erskines' appear to not recognise people as Christians if they are outside their Presbyterian denomination: 'I [Whitefield] then asked them what they would have me to do; the answer was, that I was not desired to subscribe immediately to the solemn league and covenant; but to preach only for them till I had further light. I asked, why only for them? Mr Ralph E------ said, "they were the Lord's people." I then asked, whether there were no other Lord's people but themselves? and supposing all others were the devil's people, they certainly had more need to be preached to, and therefore I was more and more determined to go into the highways and hedges; and that if the pope himself would lend me his pulpit, I would gladly proclaim the righteousness of Jesus Christ therein. Soon after this, the company broke up'.
Now Philip is fair and says others reported Ralph Erskine never believed that only his denomination contained Christians. But the affair does illustrate a dangerous temptation - to be so taken up with secondary issues that you begin to make them primary issues.
While I am a Baptist and do firmly believe that congregational church government is the form found in the New Testament, this doesn't force me to not recognise other denominations as containing true Christians. We must permit other Christians to follow their own consciences on secondary issues and allow them freedom to do so within their denominations. This is not to suggest that such issues are not important - without a firm conviction on church government you won't be able to function as a church. But it is not a primary issue - in other words, not a salvation issue.
Next week's reading Read Chapter 10.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Soul winner by C.H. Spurgeon (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example)- Read Chapter 3, 'Qualifications for Soul-Winning-Manward'. My summary In Chapter Three Spurgeon now at the manward qualifications of soul winning.
The soul winner should:
(i) not be ignoramus;
(ii) have sincerity;
(iii) have earnestness;
(iv) have love to his hearers;
(v) not be selfish;
(vi) have holiness of character;
(vii) have a seriousness of manner;
(viii) have a great deal of tenderness.
What grabbed me As usual, one of Spurgeon's fine illustrations grabbed me. He gave a good example of the importance of earnestness in preaching: 'The simplest truth was so driven home by the intensity of the utterance and emotion of the man from whom it came that it told with surprising effect. If any gentleman here would present me with a cannon-ball, say one weighing fifty or a hundred pounds, and let me roll it across the room; and another would entrust me with a rifle-ball, and a rifle out of which I could fire it, I know which would be the more effective of the two. Let no man despise the little bullet, for very often that is the one that kills the sin, and kills the sinner, too. So, brethren, it is not the bigness of the words you utter; it is the force with which you deliver them that decides what is to come of the utterance. I have heard of a ship that was fired at by the cannon in a fort, but no impression was made upon it until the general in command gave the order for the balls to be made red-hot, and then the vessel was sent to the bottom of the sea in three minutes. That is what you must do with your sermons, make them red-hot; never mind if men do say you are too enthusiastic, or even too fanatical, give them red-hot shot, there is nothing else half as good for the purpose you have in view. We do not go out snow-balling on Sundays, we go fire-balling; we ought to hurl grenades into the enemy's ranks.'
Heed Spurgeon's advice - don't go snow-balling on Sunday, go fire-balling!
Next week's reading Read Chapter 4.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading
Holiness by J C Ryle (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 11, 'Christ's greatest trophy'.
My summary Ryle continues using Biblical examples to make his points and this week we look at the thief on the cross.
Firstly we learn of Christ's power and willingness to save sinners.
Secondly we see that if some are saved in the very hour of death, others are not.
Thirdly it is noted that the Spirit always leads saved souls in one way, regardless of how late in their life they are converted. In the thief we see:
(i) how strong his faith was (he believed Jesus was Lord, had a kingdom, could give eternal life, was innocent);
(ii) a right sense of his own sin;
(iii) a brotherly love for the other thief.
Fourthly from the thief we learn that believers in Christ when they die are with the Lord.
Finally, we see that the eternal portion of every man's soul is close to him - 'today shalt thou be with me in paradise'.
What grabbed me I found helpful Ryle's rebuke against making much of death-bed fruit: 'It is mournful to hear what people sometimes say about what they call deathbed evidences. It is perfectly fearful to observe how little satisfies some people, and how easily they can persuade themselves that their friends have gone to heaven. They will tell you when their relative is dead and gone, that ‘he made such a beautiful prayer one day’, or that ‘he talked so well’, or that ‘he was so sorry for his old ways, and intended to live so differently if he got better’, or that ‘he craved nothing in this world’, or that ‘he liked people to read to him, and pray with him’. And because they have this to go upon, they seem to have a comfortable hope that he is saved! Christ may never have been named, the way of salvation may never have been in the least mentioned. But it matters not; there was a little talk of religion, and so they are content!...Once for all, let me say, that as a general rule, nothing is so unsatisfactory as deathbed evidences. The things that men say, and the feelings they express when sick and frightened, are little to be depended on. Often, too often, they are the result of fear, and do not spring from the ground of the heart. Often, too often, they are things said by rote, caught from the lips of ministers and anxious friends, but evidently not felt. And nothing can prove all this more clearly than the well–known fact, that the great majority of people who make promises of amendment on a sick bed, and then for the first time talk about religion, if they recover, go back to sin and the world.'
Ryle is right. If we want to see true evidences of death-bed conversion, look at the thief. His was not some weak faith or vain regret, but a strong and lively faith.
Next week's reading Chapter 12, 'Ruler of the waves'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading The Christian's great interest by William Guthrie (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin Part 2 by reading Chapter 1 and Chapter 2's points 1, 2 and 3. My summary Today Guthrie begins Part Two of his book looking at 'how to attain a saving interest in Christ.'
In Chapter One Guthrie provides some some premises that he will make his case upon, for example, the covenant of grace.
The rest of today's reading is of three points included in Chapter Two where Guthrie examines what exactly it takes to close with God's gospel plan.
Firstly, Guthrie says that to close and accept God's gospel plan is 'to quit and renounce all thoughts of help or salvation by own righteousness and to agree unto this which God hath found out'.
Secondly, it is made clear that it the necessary duty of man to close with God's gospel plan - we are commanded to do so.
Thirdly, Guthrie tries to show what are the pre-requisites to accepting the gospel plan: (i) A taking to heart of his natural sinful condition; (ii) A taking to heart the way of escape from God's wrath; (iii) A knowing that God hath not excluded him from the relief appointed; (iv) A resolving to break all covenants with hell and death.
What grabbed me I found Guthrie's prerequisites for acceptance of the gospel helpful. Particularly that the first thing man needs to do is recognise his natural condition: 'That as he was born a rebel and outlaw unto God, so he hath by many actual transgressions disobeyed God, and ratified the forfeiture of his favour : yea, a man should know many particular instances of his rebellion in every way ; as that he is a liar. Sabbath, breaker, blasphemer, or the like; as Paul speaketh very particularly of himself afterwards - "Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious."'
Although repentance and faith are the requirements for salvation, there are a number of prerequisites that come before them. And Guthrie is absolutely right to put knowledge of your sinful self at the top of the list. If you don't recognise you're a sinner, you can't repent of something you don't believe you have done!
Next week's reading Continue Part 2 by finishing Chapter 2.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Christian ministry by Charles Bridges (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Continue reading Part 4 by finishing Chapter 2 on the Preparation for the Pulpit (Sections 2 and 3). My summary To finish his chapter on preparation for the pulpit, Bridges speaks of habits of meditation and special prayer.
The habit of meditation is defined as the 'exercise of the mind on spiritual objects for spiritual purposes, fixing a clear and permanent impression of the truth...The superficial student indeed (if student he should be called) has read only for the exercise of his memory, and neglected the investigation of the meaning.'
Special prayer during sermon preparation is of vital importance. Bridges suggests some subjects for special prayer:
(i) The choice of texts and topics;
(ii) The entering upon and pursuing our subject;
(iii) The frame of our own minds in the pulpit;
(iv) The power of our ministry upon the hearts and consciences of our people;
(v) Subsequent prayer after the sermon has been delivered.
What grabbed me Excellent section on how important prayer is in the composition of sermons. Just one good quote plucked from the many in today's reading: 'The most valuable results of meditative study are essentially defective without prayer. They are the effusions of the head rather than of the heart-cold, spiritless, dead. However important it may be, that the preacher's head should be well furnished; it is of far higher moment that his heart should be deeply affected. He must himself draw nourishment from his subject in fervent prayer, that he may bring it out to his people in fulness, simplicity, and love. Indeed his success in composition mainly depends upon the state of his own soul. He cannot make an edifying sermon, when his heart is motionless. None but God can teach him to teach his people. Converse with Him in the study will give its own stamp of sanctity and energy upon his preparations for the pulpit. Our object is not to set off our talents or eloquence; but to excite and strengthen an habit of holy- sensibility. Our very employment, therefore, in the word and work of God especially binds us to study our sermons in a devotional spirit; and thus only can we receive from above a blessing to impart to our people. Our message is applied with life and interest-not when it is set forth in human eloquence-but when the spirituality and unction of its delivery savours of real communion with God.' I always feel I haven't prayed enough for my sermons.
In case it is helpful for others, here are my sermon prayer points which I pray for each day I work on my sermon:
- Understanding of the text;
- Memorisation (I make some attempt to memorise the passage over the course of the week);
- Understanding of my reading of books;
- Sermon composition;
- Application of the sermon to my own heart;
- Forgiveness of sin, mine and others (primarily that my preaching will not be hindered by deliberate sins);
- Delivery;
- Christians present for the sermon;
- Non-Christians present for the sermon.
If anyone has further suggestions of good prayer points to be prayed for during sermon preparation, I'm all ears.
Next week's reading
Continue reading Part 4 by reading Chapter 3, 'The Scriptural mode of preaching the law'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Sinfulness of sin by Ralph Venning (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example).Continue reading Section 4 by beginning Point 4, 'Exhortation and Counsel', up to (but not including) the part headed '2. A warning against sinful words.'
My summary Today we continue Venning's section about the application and usefulness of the doctrine of sin's sinfulness by hearing Venning's exhortations and counsel.
Venning counsels us to repent, believe the gospel, sin no more and take heed of living in any sin (in thought, word or deed).
Today's reading only took as far as looking at sinful thoughts. Subsequent readings will deal with sinful words and deeds.
Firstly Venning taught us about sinful thoughts: (i) Sinful thoughts defile a man. (ii) Sinful thoughts are an abomination in the sight of God. (iii) Thought-sins are root-sins and the roots of all other sins. (iv) If we had no other sins to be pardoned, yet we must beg pardon for sinful thoughts. (v) It is the great design of the Gospel to bring thoughts to the obedience of Christ Jesus. (vi) Conversion begins, is carried on and is completed in the hearts and thoughts of men. (vii) God keeps an account of, and will call us to account for thoughts as well as for words and actions.
Then Venning told us ways to conquer sinful thoughts: (i) Humbly make your address and supplication to God. (ii) Hide the Word of God in your heart that you may not sin against him. (iii) Begin the day with thoughts of God and good things. (iv) If this will not suffice, chide and check vain thoughts. (v) Turn away your eyes from beholding vanity. (vi) Beware of idleness. (vii) Love God and his Law much.
What grabbed me What a brilliant section on the sinfulness of man's thoughts. I found particularly helpful Venning's warning against the evil of thinking about past sins of commission and omission: 'When men please themselves in the thoughts of their past sins, when they chew the cud and lick their lips after it, or as is said in Job 20.12,13, they hide it under their tongue, as if it were a sugar-plum, then they do the sin over and over again by thinking of it, although they do not act it. In this sense, some interpreters understand the scripture, 'She multiplied her whoredores in calling to remembrance the sins of her youth' (Ezekiel 23.19). She acted it over again in her memory, in new speculations of her old sins. On the other hand, some men, perhaps the same persons, think sinfully of the sins they have not done, grieving at and regretting they had not taken such and such opportunities, and embraced such and such temptations as they had to sin.'
Relishing a past sin is doing the act all over again. Grieving the lost opportunity to sin is doing that sin. Venning is so right to say 'A man may think himself to Hell'.
We must beg God to forgive and sanctify our thoughts.
Next week's reading Continue reading Section 4 by continuing Point 4, 'Exhortation and Counsel' with the reading of part '2. A warning against sinful words'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading City of God by Augustine (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read all of Book 6. My summary In Book Six Augustine seeks to show how the Roman gods cannot grant eternal life.
Most of the Book interacts with the work of the Roman scholar Marcus Varro.
Varro divided theology into three groups: (i) mythical (theology of the poets); (ii) physical (theology of the philosophers); (iii) civil (theology of the general public).
Augustine primarily attacks both mythical and civil theology by showing that they are basically the same and neither grants eternal life: 'I believe that I have sufficiently shown that both the theology of the city and the theology of the theatre belong to one division, namely, "civil" theology. Hence, since they are both alike in their indecency, their absurdity, their unworthiness, their falsity, heaven forbid that any man of genuine religion should hope for life eternal from either of them.' What grabbed me There was an excellent illustration of the blindness of sinful humans. Varro was acknowledged as a great scholar yet his reason for giving precedence to human matters before divine matters in his writings was that 'human communities first came into existence and divine institutions are afterwards established by them..."divine matters were established by men: "The painter exists before the picture, the builder before the building: similarly, human communities precede their institutions.'
To think that man establishes divine matters is completely ridiculous. No wonder the Romans began worshipping humans as gods and assigning human attributes to gods.
Yes, Varro, the painter exists before the picture, but the painter is not man and the picture is not God. The painter is God and the picture is man.
Next week's reading Begin reading Book Seven by reading Chapters 1-16.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Life and times of George Whitefield by Robert Philip (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Begin reading Chapter 9 by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'So far the interview was mutually gratifying' (page 236 in the Banner edition).
My summary Today we read half of the Chapter concerning Whitefield in Scotland.
Most of the reading is taken up with: - an account the Secession of the Scottish Presbyterians; - letters from Ebenezer and Ralph Erskine inviting Whitefield to Scotland; - Whitefield's reply to Ralph Erskine.
What grabbed me I enjoyed the description of the Seceders: 'Like their ancestors [the Scottish covenanters], whose memory for the most part they warmly cherished and venerated, besides being zealous Presbyterians, they were distinguished by frugal habits, simple manners, and an ardent regard for evangelical doctrines. In addition to a regular and exemplary attendance on the public ordinances of Divine worship, they faithfully performed the exercises of devotion in their families, and laboured, with patriarchal diligence, to instil into the minds of their children and domestics the principles of sound doctrine and a holy life. The strict and regular observance of the duties of family religion, appears to have been one chief cause of the high eminence in scriptural knowledge, in sobriety of manners, as well as in every domestic virtue, for which the northern part of Great Britain was then justly celebrated.'
Strict and regular observance of family religion was seen to be the cause of much fruit. A good lesson for today. We cannot undervalue the importance of family worship.
Next week's reading Finish reading Chapter Nine.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
