Loving the Puritans more than the Patriarchs, Kings, Prophets, & Apostles?
Sparks of excitement fly at the touch, texture, and smell of a book from heroic old-timers. A quiet read of one's own personalized copy only increases the fervor of religious sentimentality.
On any given day in modern times, the noblemen of "Christendom" relish the thought of living in the 16th or 17th century to accompany thePuritans in the Reformation. In the late evening, or early morning, you could catch them perusing a cherished book from their personal library. Sparks of excitement fly at the touch, texture, and smell of a book from heroic old-timers. A quiet read of one's own personalized copy only increases the fervor of religious sentimentality. The attachment grows and so does the enchantment.
Among close friends, such men show off their first edition publications of anything Puritan, even with handwritten signatures or personalized notes from or to an original author or owner. Learned men are greatly moved at the sight of such jewels, even stroking the cover and delicately turning the pages for a glance. Meanwhile, unlearned bystanders look on with curiosity and wonder at the magical sight, being enticed themselves to invest in the enterprise. A religious culture thickens over time until no one in the Church is deemed trustworthy without amassing religious paraphernalia. Even so, pretty soon nothing is pure outside of the Puritans, and all people are proud and misguided who think otherwise.
Remnant leaders these days are experts in religious paraphernalia, especially those who occupy the renowned pulpits of the land. In conversation among themselves, you will hear a staggering recollection of pastime events among the Puritans. The times, places, and people involved in any given event of Church History are cited with ease in a comfortable conversation among learned men. Nevertheless, for some reason thePatriarchs, Kings, Prophets,&Apostles are woefully absent from the conversation.
On the contrary, theApostles regularly certified their teachings to the Churches of the New Testament by quoting from thePatriarchs, Kings, & Prophets of old.
TOTAL DEPRAVITY: To show the filthiness, pollution, and defilement of sin, the Apostle Paul cited thePsalms while modern Preachers cite select sermons of Edwards
JUSTIFICATION: When speaking of justification by grace through faith in Christ, the Apostle PaulcitedAbraham while modern Preachers cite Luther ( see Abrahamic Exemplification).
REGENERATION / CONSECRATION: To describe the holy consecration of true Christianity in the experience of regeneration in Christ, the Apostlesquotedthe Ceremonial Law while modern Preachers quote famous Theologians or celebrity Preachers who quote thePuritans, or even early Wesleyan Methodism
PERSEVERANCE: When teaching on theperseveranceof the saints, the Apostlespointed to the mighty exploits of faith accomplished by thoroughly Jewish men inthe Old Testamentas aCloud of Witnesses,among other things while modern Preachers point to the elaborate controversies of Whitefield & Wesley, or Owen & Baxter, etc.
ELECTION: While professing faith in election or proving the sovereignty of God, the Apostle Paul emphasized God's dealings with Isaac in contrast to Ishmael, Jacob in contrast to Esau, & Israel in contrast to Egypt while modern Preachers quote Calvin alongside other venerated Confessions of Faith in extra-biblical Church History.
THE GOSPEL: To confirm and defend the Gospel, the Apostle Matthewcited the Kings& Prophets while modern Preachers cite "the Early Church Fathers", the Reformers, & the Puritans.
THE CHURCH: To show the origin & function of the Church, the Apostlescited the status of the Jews in the Land of Israel & Judah,the Kingdom of God,the City of Jerusalem, &Mount Zion, while modern Preachers herald the status of the Church after the Reformation - Puritanism, Separatism, Presbyterianism, ReformedBaptists, etc.
ESCHATOLOGY: To confirm and defend a new dispensation of the Gospel in the Gentile Church Age, while warning of an end to this age and the beginning of another with the Jewsthe Apostle Paulquotedthe Prophets, but modern Preachers quote the Puritans in hopes to perpetuate the Reformation of Christianity from Catholicism in every age.
If things continue as they are in this generation of Neo-Calvinists and the like, it will get darker by the day. A whole new generation will come up that doesn't know the LORD, and they will pollute the world by teaching the "fear" of God according to "the precept of men" For, without vital reality with God all is lost! Even one's own personal study of Historyand Puritanical Theology can blind the eyes that look to Jesus! This happens when one's admiration for the Puritans far surpasses a personal admiration of Holy Scripture, all the while such men adamantly and hypocritically promote the slogan: "Sola Scriptura!". This is a great deception.
While ascribing to the Orthodox Doctrines of modern times, men will forfeit the Apostles' Doctrine pertaining to the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. While professing faith in ancient Creeds andConfessions, men will denythe faith of the Apostles in how they understoodsalvation. While being engrossed inRevival Theology, men will become oblivious to the essence and implication ofrevivalin the soul. Things will get worse and worse, until aworthyexpression of Christianity will become totally unimaginable in Church-ianity, and persecutionfollows true Christians wherever they go as theyearnestly contendfor the faith. The signs of this declension are all around us. For, men loveMatthew Henrymore than the Gospel of Matthew.They admire Jonathan Edwardsmore thanthe Apostle John. Alas! They even promotePaul Washer more than the Apostle Paul!
Genesis 10–11 sets Babel’s judgment between genealogies to trace nations, lands, and languages, then to recover the spiritual patriarchs who founded God’s kingdom in Salem and Hebron. In Shem’s blessing and Melchizedek’s priesthood, Scripture unveils Jerusalem’s ancient righteousness and covenantal purpose.
Oldtimers used to preach against sabbath-breakers with holy indignation as if they were speaking to adulterers and murderers. Afterall, it is the violation of the 4th Commandment, which states: “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.”
The things revealed to Paul are impressive. Somehow, even Peter was compelled to publicly acknowledge the staggering “wisdom” of Paul’s Epistles (2 Pet. 3:15-16). How were all these things revealed to the Apostle Paul?
"You can't explain it, you can't predict it, you can't direct it... God becomes sovereign!"
"When did you last tip-toe out of the sanctuary and say, 'Surely God is in this place, and that to bless us!'"
The Church isn’t a building. You can’t go to Church. It’s only possible to become the Church through a miraculous conversion to Jesus Christ by the power of the Gospel.
If you don't know what I am talking about, then your fathers and forefathers have failed you. This comes out to be nearly 3,000 years of criminal negligence. Are you a student of Church history?
