Required reading Confessions by Augustine (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Book XII.
My summary Now Augustine gives an exposition of Genesis 1:1: 'In the beginning God made heaven and the earth.'
Augustine's understanding is that 'the already perfected and formed natures, visible and invisible, are not signified under the name of heaven and earth, when we read, In the beginning God made heaven and earth, but that the yet unformed commencement of things, the stuff apt to receive form and making, was called by these names, because therein were confusedly contained, not as yet distinguished by their qualities and forms, all those things which being now digested into order, are called Heaven and Earth, the one being the spiritual, the other the corporeal, creation.'
Yet Augustine confesses that the depth of Scripture is such that different applications can be made from the one verse: 'So when one says, “Moses meant as I do”; and another, “Nay, but as I do,” I suppose that I speak more reverently, “Why not rather as both, if both be true?” And if there be a third, or a fourth, yea if any other seeth any other truth in those words, why may not he be believed to have seen all these, through whom the One God hath tempered the holy Scriptures to the senses of many, who should see therein things true but divers?' What grabbed me I liked Augustine's prayer for light from God's word: 'O let the Light, the Truth, the Light of my heart, not mine own darkness, speak unto me. I fell off into that, and became darkened; but even thence, even thence I loved Thee. I went astray, and remembered Thee. I heard Thy voice behind me, calling to me to return, and scarcely heard it, through the tumultuousness of the enemies of peace. And now, behold, I return in distress and panting after Thy fountain. Let no man forbid me! of this will I drink, and so live. Let me not be mine own life; from myself I lived ill, death was I to myself; and I revive in Thee. Do Thou speak unto me, do Thou discourse unto me. I have believed Thy Books, and their words be most full of mystery.'
Amen.
Next week's reading Read Book XIII. Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Tracts and Letters (Volume 3) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Tract III (On shunning the unlawful rites of the ungodly, and preserving the purity of the Christian religion).
My summary Now we read a letter from Calvin to a friend (known only as N.S.). The letter is in response to a request for advice on how to live in a Roman Catholic community.
Calvin spends the bulk of the letter speaking against the teachings of Roman Catholicism, particularly the Lord's Supper which he condemns as idolatry.
He then closes the letter with two commands:
(i) Consider it a thing altogether interdicted to allow any man to see you communicating in the Sacrilege of the Mass, or uncovering your head before an Image, or observing any form of Superstition belonging to the class of those by which, as shewn above, the glory of God is obscured, his religion profaned, and his truth corrupted.;
(ii) Unless you are preparing to give any one an exposition of your faith, indulge their bigotry so far as not to push yourself forward at the time when they are performing their Rites, causelessly to make a display of contempt, which you are aware that they (such is their ignorance !) will regard as sheer impiety against God.
What grabbed me An altogether interesting letter demonstrating Calvin's sympathy for those that didn't have the privilege of living in Protestant Geneva.
I appreciated the clear teaching that the Roman Catholic Mass is idolatry: 'There is a third point, however, which, the more clearly it is explained, the more seriously it ought to impress pious minds, viz., the abominable Idolatry, when Bread is pretended to assume Divinity, and raised aloft as God, and worshipped by all present ! The thing is so atrocious and insulting, that without being seen it can scarcely be believed ; but it stands so exposed to the eyes of all, that there is very little need of argument. A little bit of Bread, I say, is displayed, adored, and invoked. In short, it is believed to be God, a thing which even the Gentiles never believed of any of their statues ! And let no one here object that it is not the Bread that is adored, but Christ, who becomes substituted for the Bread the moment it has been legitimately consecrated. '
God does not want you to worship bread, he wants you to worship him and him alone.
Next week's reading Commence Tract IV (Psychopannychia) by reading up to the paragraph beginning: 'Let us now examine the cradle in which they rock souls asleep, and let us dispose of the soporiferous draught which they give them to drink.'. Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading The Works Volume 1 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue the discourse entitled 'The church's visitation' by reading sermons IV and V. My summary Today we conclude the treatise on 1 Peter 4:17-19: ' 17 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.'
Having dealt with verses 17 and 18 in previous sermons, we now read the last two sermons which are concentrated on verse 19. Chapter 4 is concerned with what is taught about suffering in verse 19. The Christian:
(i) is to suffer;
(ii) is to suffer according to the will of God;
(iii) is to commit his soul to God in well doing.
Then Chapter 5 looks at the teaching of the end of verse 19: '...as unto a faithful creator'. We see that the saints hiding place is in God as a faithful creator. This is because God is faithful in his:
(i) nature;
(ii) word;
(iii) works.
The chapter then closes with:
(i) directions on how to commit your soul to God;
(ii) answers to objections;
(iii) trials to see whether you are truly committed to God.
What grabbed me I liked the encouragement today to commit to God in deed and not in pretence: 'A true Christian hath his eye always heavenward, and thinks nothing too good for God. Lord, saith he, of thee I have received this life, this estate, this credit and reputation in the world. I have what I have, and am what I am of thee, and therefore I yield all to thee back again. If thou wilt serve thyself of my wealth, of myself, of my strength, thou shalt have it. If thou wilt serve thyself of my credit and reputation, I will adventure it for thee. If thou wilt have my life, of thee I had it, to thee I will restore it, I will not limit thy majesty ; come of it what will, I leave it to thy wisdom ; use me and mine as thou wilt ; only be gracious to my soul, that it may go well with that, and I care not. Thus we should wholly resign ourselves to the Lord's disposal, and thereby we shall exceedingly honour his majesty, and cause him to honour us, and to shew his presence to us for our good, which he will assuredly do if we absolutely yield up ourselves to him. But if a man will have two strings to his bow, and trust him so far but not so far, so he may be kept from this danger or that trouble, &c., this is not to deal with God as an omnipotent Creator; for he that doth a thing truly in obedience to God, will do it generally to all his commands. So far as the reason of his obedience reaches, his trust extends. He that commits anything to God will commit all to him. He chooseth not his objects. But upon the same ground that he commits his soul to God when he dies, he commits his estate, liberty, and all he hath while he lives. He can never rely on God for greater matters, that distrusts him in lesser. '
If you're going to commit to God, you must commit your all to him.
Next week's reading
Start Works Volume 4 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Begin 'A Christian's portion' by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'Use 1. Now to make some use of this point, 'all things are ours.' Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Glory of Christ by John Owen (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapters 9 (The glory of Christ in his intimate conjunction with the church) and 10 (The glory of Christ in the communication of himself unto believers).
My summary Now Owen moves on to discuss the glory of Christ in relation to the church.
In Chapter 9 we read of the glory of Christ that is shown in the intimate conjunction he has with the church. Firstly Owen premises that: (i) it was right for Jesus to suffer for the sins of others; (ii) Jesus' suffering was for certain persons; (iii) the conjunction between Christ and the church is natural, mystical and federal.
Thus Christ is glorious in his suffering for the church by showing: (i) the righteousness of God in the forgiveness of sin; (ii) that the law of God was perfectly fulfilled.
Then in Chapter 10 Owen speaks of the glory of Christ in the communication of Himself unto believers. We are taught: (i) about the communication of God in the old creation; (ii) the communication of God in the new creation through Christ; (iii) that the foundation of our receiving Christ is through the grace of the Father; (iv) that the acts of Christ himself communicate him to us (he gives us the Spirit and a new nature).
What grabbed me I liked how Owen showed that Christ is glorified through his fulfillment of the law: 'He is glorious in that the law of God in its preceptive part, or as to the obedience which it required, was perfectly fulfilled and accomplished. That it should be so, was absolutely necessary, from the wisdom, holiness, and righteousness of him by whom it was given. For what could be more remote from those divine perfections, than to give a law which never was to be fulfilled in them unto whom it was given, and who were to have the advantages of it? This could not be done by us; but through the obedience of Christ, by virtue of this his mystical conjunction with the church, the law was so fulfilled in us by being fulfilled for us, as that the glory of God in the giving of it, and annexing eternal rewards unto it, is exceedingly exalted. See Rom. viii. 3, 4.'
There was no way we were going to fulfill the law. Which just makes Christ's fulfillment of it even more glorious! Next week's reading Read Chapter 11 (The glory of Christ in the recapitulation of all things in Him).
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading
Ministry of the word by William Taylor (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Lecture XII (The relation of the pulpit to present questions). My summary
Today we finish the book with a chapter on the relation of the pulpit to present questions.
Firstly Taylor encourages the minister to be involved in social issues as the gospel is the only remedy that can meet the manifold evils of society.
Secondly Taylor speaks of the minister's responsibility to encourage his congregation to be involved in the political state.
Thirdly we are given some counsel on how to relate the field of science. We are not to always be attacking science but nevertheless must assess scientific claims with caution. All the while remembering that Religion and Science are elder and younger sister in the same family.
Then Taylor makes some concluding remarks now that his volume is completed.
What grabbed me
I liked the reminder that only the gospel can address the evils of our society: 'For the Gospel which we preach is the only remedy that can meet the manifold evils of society. All these are only so many different symptoms of the one disease of sin, and nothing can permanently remove them save that which eradicates it. Hence the various agencies which men have proposed and experimented with for the purpose of improving the condition of the masses, valuable as they have been in some respects, have failed to get at the source of the evil. They have " skinned and filmed the ulcerous sore," but left the constitutional malady, of which it was the symptom, to break out in some other direction. They have dammed up the stream for a little, and sent its waters over into places which were before uncovered; but they have not dried up the fountainhead. The only thing which can regenerate society, is that which can regenerate the individual heart, to wit, the power of the Holy Ghost working in and through the belief of the truth as it is in Jesus.'
The best thing we can do for society is continue sharing the gospel.
One sentence final verdict A readable book with much practical advice for the minister.
Next week's reading Commence Hints and helps in pastoral theology by William S Plumer (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 1 (Sources of information in pastoral theology) and 2 (The importance of the ministry).
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading
Charity and its fruits by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Lecture V (Charity disposes us to do good). My summary
This week Edwards teaches us that charity will dispose us freely to do good to others.
Firstly Edwards opens the nature of the duty of doing good to others. Three things are considered:
(i) the act of doing good;
(ii) the objects (everyone);
(iii) the manner (freely).
Secondly Edwards shows us that a Christian spirit will dispose to do good to others. This appears from two considerations:
(i) the main thing in that love which is the sum of the Christian spirit, is benevolence, or good-will to others;
(ii) the most proper and conclusive evidence that such a principle is real and sincere is its being effectual.
What grabbed me I enjoyed the section on who are supposed to be the objects of our love.
Particularly the encouragement to love both the thankful and unthankful: '...we should do good both to the thankful and the unthankful. This we are obliged to do by the example of our heavenly Father, for he (Luke 6:35) “is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil;” and the command is, that we “be merciful, as he also is merciful.” Many make an objection against doing good to others, saying, “If I do, they will never thank me for it; and for my kindness, they will return abuse and injury:” and thus they are ready to excuse themselves from the exercise of kindness, especially to those who may have shown themselves ungrateful. But such persons do not sufficiently look at Christ, and they show either their want of acquaintance with the rules of Christianity, or their unwillingness to cherish its spirit.'
It is so hard to love the ungrateful, but we must.
Next week's reading
Read Lecture VI (Charity inconsistent with an envious spirit). Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Attributes of God by Charnock (Available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Commence Chapter 10 (A discourse upon the power of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'III. The third general thing is to declare how the power of God appears in creation, in government, in redemption.'
My summary Today we begin a new chapter on the power of God.
To start the chapter Charnock gives a quick exposition of Job.
Then we read his first main point which is on the nature of God's power. We see that God's power is:
(i) authoritative;
(ii) absolute and ordinate;
(iii) the strength whereby he can bring to pass whatsoever he please;
(iv) of a distinct conception from the wisdom and will of God;
(v) a power that gives activity to all the other perfections of his nature;
(vi) originally and essentially in the nature of God and not distinct from his essence;
(vii) infinite;
(viii) not infringed by the impossibility of God's doing some things.
Then we read Charnock's second main point which gives us reasons that prove God is omnipotent. We see God's power is proven by:
(i) the power that is in creatures;
(ii) that if there were not an incomprehensible power in God he would not be infinitely perfect;
(iii) the simplicity of God;
(iv) the miracles that have been in the world.
What grabbed me An important point was made that some things are impossible for God: 'Some things are impossible to the glorious perfections of God. God cannot do anything unbecoming his holiness and goodness, anything unworthy of himself, and against the perfections of his nature. God can do whatsoever he can will. As he doth actually do whatsoever he doth actually will, so it is possible for him to do whatsoever it is possible for him to will. He doth whatsoever he will, and can do whatsoever he can will, but he cannot do what he cannot will. He cannot will any unrighteous thing, and therefore cannot do any unrighteous thing. God cannot love sin, this is contrary to his holiness ; he cannot violate his word, this is a denial of his truth ; he cannot punish an innocent, this is contrary to his goodness ; he cannot cherish an impenitent sinner, this is an injury to his justice ; he cannot forget what is done in the world, this is a disgrace to his omniscience ; he cannot deceive his creature, this is contrary to his faithfulness. None of these things can be done by him, because of the perfection of his nature. Would it not be an imperfection in God to absolve the guilty, and condemn the innocent ? Is it congruous to the righteous and holy nature of God to command murder and adultery, to command men not to worship him, but to be base and unthankful ? These things would be against the rules of righteousness. As when we say of a good man, he cannot rob or fight a duel, we do not mean that he wants a courage for such an act, or that he hath not a natural strength and knowledge to manage his weapon as well as another, but he hath a righteous principle strong in him which will not suffer him to do it ; his will is settled against it. No power can pass into act unless applied by the will. But the will of God cannot will anything but what is worthy of him, and decent for his goodness. '
I'm so thankful that sin is beyond God's power!
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 10 (A discourse upon the power of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing '3. The power of God appears in redemption.'
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
