Required reading The Works Volume 4 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Commence 'A glance of heaven' by reading 'To the Christian reader' and 'The First Sermon'. My summary This week we start a new series of sermons on 1 Corinthians 2:9 'But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.'
In the first sermon Sibbes affirms that God hath a company of beloved children in the world that he means a special good unto.
Sibbes then answers how we know the things that God has prepared for his children:
(i) divine revelation;
(ii) taste;
(iii) arguing from the less to the greater;
Then Sibbes gives some uses of the doctrine:
(i) for matter of instruction - there is no principle at all of the gospel in nature;
(ii) we must not stand to look for reason too much, nor trust the reason or wit of any man, but divine authority;
(iii) we have an use of direction how to carry ourselves in reading and studying holy truths: especially the sacred mysteries of the gospel;
(iv) learn to arm yourselves against all scandals;
(v) that a man when he hath the Spirit of God knows things otherwise than he did know them before, though he did not know them by outward revelation of hearing and reading;
(vi) let us make this the rule of our esteem of anything that is good, or anything that is ill; make it a rule of valuation.
What grabbed me I enjoyed the encouragement to devour divine revelation: 'What a pitiful case is this, that God should give us our understandings for better things than we can see or hear in this world, yet we employ them in things of the world wholly. Let us not do as some shallow, proud heads, that regard not divine things. The holy Scriptures they will not vouchsafe to read once a-day, perhaps not once a-week ; nay, some scarce have a Bible in their studies. For shame ; shall we be so atheistical, when God hath provided such excellent things contained in this book of God, the Testament ? Shall we slight these excellent things for knowledge that shall perish with us ? '
The Bible is a fantastic gift - sadly we often do not view it as such.
Next week's reading
Continue 'A glance of heaven' by reading 'The Second Sermon'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading A body of divinity by Thomas Watson (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read I. Man's chief end is to glorify God. My summary Today's subject is man's chief end, which the catechism teaches us is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
Firstly Watson looks at 'glorifying God'. He answers the following questions:
(i) What is it to glorify God?;
(ii) Why must we glorify God?;
(iii) In how many ways may we glorify God?
Secondly Watson unpacks what it means that man's chief end is to enjoy God for ever in:
(i) this life;
(ii) the life to come.
What grabbed me I liked the reminder that being happy glorifies God: 'We glorify God by walking cheerfully. It brings glory to God, when the world sees a Christian has that within him that can make him cheerful in the worst times; that can enable him, with the nightingale, to sing with a thorn at his breast. The people of God have ground for cheerfulness. They are justified and adopted, and this creates inward peace; it makes music within, whatever storms are without. 2 Cor 1:4. I Thess 1:6. If we consider what Christ has wrought for us by his blood, and wrought in us by his Spirit, it is a ground of great cheerfulness, and this cheerfulness glorifies God. It reflects upon a master when the servant is always drooping and sad; sure he is kept to hard commons, his master does not give him what is fitting; so, when God’s people hang their heads, it looks as if they did not serve a good master, or repented of their choice, which reflects dishonour on God. As the gross sins of the wicked bring a scandal on the gospel, so do the uncheerful lives of the godly. Ps 100:2. ‘Serve the Lord with gladness.’ Your serving him does not glorify him, unless it be with gladness. A Christian’s cheerful looks glorify God; religion does not take away our joy, but refines it; it does not break our viol, but tunes it, and makes the music sweeter.'
An unhappy Christian brings dishonour on his master.
Next week's reading Read 2. The Scriptures. Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Hints and helps in pastoral theology by William S Plumer (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 13 (Public worship - who shall attend?). My summary
This week Plumer continues to discuss public worship.
Firstly Plumer explains who should attend public worship:
(i) Christians and non-Christians;
(ii) rich and poor;
(iii) learned and unlearned;
(iv) deaf and mutes;
(v) children.
Secondly Plumer suggests when and how often public assemblies should be held: twice on the Sabbath.
Thirdly Plumer gives some suggestions on the spirit and temper with which men should assemble together to worship God and to hear his Word.
Fourthly we are given some considerations intended to persuade men not to neglect the assembling of themselves together:
(i) public worship and public preaching of the Gospel are God's ordinances;
(ii) the business for which Christian congregations assemble is the most weighty and solemn;
(iii) these precious privileges will not last always.
What grabbed me I think Plumer made some excellent points regarding the need for the learned to sit under preaching: 'The learned and the unlearned should alike visit the house of God. In most Protestant churches, the services are so arranged as well to suit the ignorant. A discourse, the object of which is to expound and enforce the will of God on some great truth, is commonly delivered, and so the unlearned may gain light and instruction. Any mode of worship or teaching which excludes the unlearned from its benefits can not be according to the mind of God. They should be there. So ought the learned, even if they know more than their teacher. For, first, they owe much in the way of example to the rest of the community. Secondly, though the preacher may say nothing which they had not heard before, yet it is eminently useful to be reminded of truths quite familiar to us. Indeed, this is, in Christian countries one of the greatest advantages of public worship and instruction. Thirdly, a man must have a very remarkable amount of knowledge, or a very stupid preacher, who does not often find suggested to his mind trains of profitable thought, which he never would have had except in the house of God. Lastly, however vast any one's learning, he is in comparison with God a poor creature, and in the sight of God a poor sinner, and it is right that he should humble himself in the dust both publicly and privately before his Maker. '
Anyone who considers church beneath them, is simply kidding themselves. Next week's reading Read Chapter 14 (The matter of preaching).
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 XIV (Charity, or true grace, not to be overthrown by opposition). My summary
Now Edwards expounds 1 Corinthians 13:7 'Charity..endureth all things'. Edwards explains that 'charity, or true Christian grace, cannot be overthrown by anything that opposes it.'
Firstly Edwards shows us that there are many things that do greatly oppose the grace which is in the heart of the Christian.
Secondly we learn that all the opposition that is or can be made against true grace in the heart cannot overthrow it because:
(i) there is so much more in the nature of true grace that tends to perseverance than in false grace;
(ii) God will uphold true grace, when he has once implanted it in the heart, against all opposition.
Thirdly Edwards states some applications of the doctrine:
(i) we learn one reason why the devil so exceedingly opposes the conversion of sinners is because if Christians are once converted, they are forever converted and thus forever put beyond the devil's reach;
(ii) we may see from this subject that those who seeming grace fails, and is overthrown, may conclude that they never had any true grace;
(iii) the subject affords matter of great joy and comfort to all who have good evidence that they indeed have true grace in their hearts;
(iv) the subject also affords matter of great encouragement to the saints in carrying on the warfare against the enemies of their souls.
What grabbed me I enjoyed reading the reasoning for why Satan opposes conversions: 'We may learn one reason why the devil so exceedingly opposes the conversion of sinners, — It is because if they are once converted, they are forever converted, and thus forever put beyond his reach, so that he can never overthrow and ruin them. If there was such a thing as falling from grace, doubtless the devil would even then oppose our having grace ; but more especially does he oppose it since he knows that if once we have it, he can never expect to overthrow it,but that we, by its very possession, are finally lost to him and forever out of the reach of his destroying power. This may show us something of the reason of that violent opposition that persons who are under awakenings and convictions, and who are seeking conversion, meet with through the many and great temptations they are assailed with by the adversary. He is always active and greatly bestirs himself for the overthrow of such, and heaps mountains in their way, if possible, to hinder the saving work of the Holy Spirit, and prevent their conversion. He labors to the utmost to quench convictions of sin, and if possible to lead persons that are under them to return to the ways of heedlessness and sloth in transgression. Sometimes he endeavors to flatter, and at other times to discourage them, laboring to entangle and perplex their minds, and to his utmost stirring up exercises of corruption, suggesting blasphemous thoughts, and leading them to quarreling with God. By many subtle temptations he endeavors to make them think that it is in vain to seek salvation. He tempts them from the doctrine of God's decrees ; or by their own impotence and helplessness ; or by telling them that all they do is sin ; or by trying to persuade them that their day of grace is past ; or by terrifying them with the idea that they have committed the unpardonable sin. Or it may be he tells them that their pains and trouble are needless, and that there is time enough hereafter; or if possible he will deceive them with false hopes, and flatter them that they are in a safe estate while they are still out of Christ. In these, and innumerable other ways, Satan endeavors to hinder the conversion of men, for he knows the truth of the doctrine we have insisted on, that if ever grace be implanted in the soul, he can never overthrow it, and that the gates of hell cannot prevail against it.'
Thankfully God is more powerful than Satan and no matter how hard the Devil fights to keep the sinner in his dark kingdom, God continues to draw sinners to himself.
Next week's reading
Read Lecture XV (The Holy Spirit for ever to be communicated to the saints, in the grace of charity, or divine love). 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 12 (A discourse upon the goodness of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'III. The third thing, that God is good.'
My summary Today we begin to look at the goodness of God.
Firstly Charnock gives a brief exposition of Mark 10:18: 'And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.'
Then we read Charnock's first main point about what is God's 'goodness'. It is:
(i) the perfection of his nature;
(ii) not the same as the blessedness of God;
(iii) not the same as the holiness of God;
(iv) not the same as the mercy of God;
(v) the bounty of God;
(vi) the comprehension of all God's attributes.
And lastly, today, we read Charnock's second main point which is to give some propositions to explain the nature of this goodness:
(i) God is good by his own essence;
(ii) God is the prime and chief goodness;
(iii) God's goodness is communicative;
(iv) God is necessarily good;
(v) God is freely good;
(vi) God's goodness is communicative with the greatest pleasure;
(vii) the displaying of God's goodness was the motive and end of all his works of creation and providence.
What grabbed me I liked the way Charnock drew a distinction between God's mercy and goodness: 'Nor is this goodness of God the same with the mercy of God. Goodness extends to more objects than mercy ; goodness stretcheth itself out to all the works of his hands ; mercy extends only to a miserable object ; for it is joined with a sentiment of pity, occasioned by the calamity of another. The mercy of God is exercised about those that merit punishment ; the goodness of God is exercised upon objects that have not merited anything contrary to the acts of his bounty. Creation is an act of goodness, not of mercy ; providence in governing some part of the world, is an act of goodness, not of mercy. The heavens, saith Austin, need the goodness of God to govern them, but not the mercy of God to relieve them ; the earth is full of the misery of man, and the compassions of God ; but the heavens need not the mercy of God to pity them, because they are not miserable ; though they need the goodness and power of God to sustain them ; because, as creatures, they are impotent without him. God's goodness extends to the angels, that kept their standing, and to man in innocence, who in that state stood not in need of mercy. Goodness and mercy are distinct, though mercy be a branch of goodness; there may be a manifestation of goodness, though none of mercy. Some think Christ had been incarnate, had not man fallen : had it been so, there had been a manifestation of goodness to our nature, but not of mercy, because sin had not made our natures miserable. The devils are monuments of God's creating goodness, but not of his pardoning compassions. The grace of God respects the rational creature ; mercy the miserable creature ; goodness all his creatures, brutes, and the senseless plants, as well as reasonable man. '
Thankfully God is both merciful and good!
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 12 (A discourse upon the goodness of God) by reading up to the paragraph commencing 'IV. The fourth thing is, the manifestation of this goodness in creation, redemption, and providence.'
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading
The log college by Archibald Alexander (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 9 (Memoir of the Rev John Tennent). My summary Now we read about the rather short life of William Tennent's third son, John Tennent.
We are given an account of John's:
(i) birth;
(ii) conversion;
(iii) spiritual state;
(iv) religious education;
(v) church in Monmouth, New Jersey;
(vi) preaching;
(vii) love for his church;
(viii) sickness;
(ix) death at age 25.
What grabbed me I liked the description of John Tennent's humility: 'First, his humility. He was wont to speak of himself in the most abasing terms, saying that he thought himself one of the worst creatures the creation bore; and on his dying bed he desired his relations to forbear any funeral encomiums upon him when he was gone, for he declared with vehemence that he was not worthy of them. When admitted to preach, he would often, in his private studies, take the Bible in his hand, and would walk up and down the room weeping and mourning, that although there was a treasury of precious truth contained in that blessed book, he understood so little of them. A sense of the greatness of the ministerial work, and of his ignorance and unfitness for it, was often a very oppressive burden to him. It was a striking evidence of the low opinion which he entertained of himself,that he never could be persuaded that a holy God would bless the labours of a person every way so mean and so unworthy as he felt himself to be. And when informed that certain persons had been convinced under his ministry, he could not for some time believe that the work was genuine, until further conviction was afforded by bright and incontestable evidences.'
Who is truly worthy to be a minister?
Next week's reading Commence Chapter 10 (Memoir of the Rev William Tennent, Jr.) by reading up to the paragraph beginning 'The writer having requested of the present Rev. Dr. William M. Tennent a written account of an anecdote relative to his uncle, which he had once heard him repeat verbally, received in reply the following letter...' Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading Tracts and Letters (Volume 4) by John Calvin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Letters LI to LXII.
My summary Today we read letters from 1540 and 1541 addressed to Viret, Farel, the Genevan church (including James Bernard) and Nicolas Parent.
Two subjects were the primary focus of the letters we read today: the Diet at Worms and Ratisbon; and Calvin's call back to Geneva.
But in the letters to Nicolas Parent we also see Calvin's pastoral concern for his current charge at the church of Strasbourg. Parent was filling in for Calvin while he was at the Diet.
What grabbed me I thoroughly enjoyed today's readings as I think we saw a softer side of Calvin, particularly in his fear of returning to Geneva.
In a letter to Viret who was the current minister in Geneva but keen to have Calvin back, Calvin writes: '... there is no place under heaven of which I can have a greater dread, not because I have hated it, but because I see so many difficulties presented in that quarter which I do feel myself far from being equal to surmount. Whenever the recollection of former times recurs to my mind, I cannot but shudder throughout with heartfelt alarm at the thought, that I may be forced to expose myself a second time to these sort of contests. Had I merely to superintend that church, I would feel more at ease upon the matter, certainly I would be much less alarmed at the prospect, but you must understand well enough that there is much more in this matter than I can describe. This much, however, I may say in one word, while from many tokens I wot very well that he whom you wot of, who can do the most mischief of all, entertains an implacable hatred towards me : when I call to mind how all around him there lie open to his hand so many inlets of approach on every side, ready for mischief-making, how many bellows may be set agoing for lighting up the fires of contention, how many opportunities presented which I can never be well provided against, it quite appals me.'
The wound Geneva caused was deep and hard to forget.
It is so sad to see the family of God inflict such pain on ministers who love it so dearly.
Next week's reading Read Letters LXIII to LXX. Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
Required reading The Works Volume 4 by Richard Sibbes (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude 'Yea and Amen'.
My summary Today we conclude a lengthy sermon on 2 Corinthians 1:19-23: '19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us, even by me and Silvanus and Timotheus, was not yea and nay, but in him was yea. 20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 23 Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth.'
Firstly, this week, Sibbes explains what is the manner of our sealing by the Spirit. It is: (i) an imprinting of a likeness of him that doth seal; (ii) distinction; (iii) appropriation; (iv) authentical. He then answers various questions regarding the sealing of the Holy Spirit and gives some uses.
Secondly Sibbes shows us in what regard the Spirit is called an 'earnest'. An 'earnest' is: (i) security of a contract; (ii) part of the bargain, a part of the whole which is secured; (iii) little in comparison of the whole; (iv) given rather for the security of the party that receives it, than in regard of him that gives it. And, again, Sibbes answers various questions.
What grabbed me I enjoyed this comment about the 'earnest' of the Holy Spirit: 'Labour not then to be strengthened in things below, neither value thy self by outward dependences. Alas all things here are perishing. If thou hast grace, thou hast that which will stand by thee when these fail. The Comforter shall never be taken away. What are all friends in the world to the Holy Ghost ! This will speak to God for us when no creature dares look him in the face. The Spirit will make requests with ' sighs and groans ' in our behalf ; and we may be sure we shall be heard when that intercedes for us. What prison can shut up the Spirit of God ? Oh gain this, whatever thou losest ; prefer it to thy chief treasure. The very ' earnest ' of the Spirit is far more precious than the creature's full quint essence. If the promises laid hold on by faith quicken and cheer the soul, what shall the accomplishment of them do ! If the giving a taste of heaven so lift our souls above all earthly discouragements, how glorious shall we shine forth when the Spirit shall be all in all in us ! This will make us more or less fruitful, more or less glorious in our profession, and resolute in obedience through our whole course. '
Secure the Holy Spirit as a deposit at all costs!
Next week's reading Commence 'A glance of heaven' by reading 'To the Christian reader' and 'The First Sermon'.
Now it's your turn Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
