The Puritans on Sin

 The Puritans took sin seriously.   They knew it was worse than Satan: the devil cannot keep us from heaven but sin can.  They wanted people to see it, mourn it and fight it as sinners saved by grace.

If you click on the titles you can link to a great deal on the book from Reformation Heritage Books.

The Sinfulness of Sin by Ralph Venning

Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen (edited by Kapic and Taylor).  This is rich but takes some work.  If you want a simplified (yet excellent) reworking of it see the next book.   One of our daughters read the one below and was deeply convicted.

The Enemy Within by Kris Lundgaard (this is the reworked one.)

Also available is a little book on dealing with sin in our children: 

Dealing with Sin in Our Children by Arthur Hildersham

For those that want to go really study this, the following book (which I have not read) looks superb.  Because it is sermons, we know it was written for a general audience.  

A Treatise of Sin: The Deceitfulness of the Heart Unmasked by Anthony Burgess is probably one of the greatest books ever written on the deceitfulness of the human heart. It was first written in 1654 and published as A Treatise of Sin. The book is a masterpiece on the heart’s deceitfulness in sin, and formality and hypocrisy in religion. Anthony Burgess’ work contains 42 sermons that pierce to the depths of the soul in exposing false religion and the worthless props men lean on to justify themselves before God.  

I do not know if The Mischief of Sin or The Evil of Evils are still in print.  I could not find them at RHB.   Feel free to google for it.

Another invaluable guide to tracking the devices of the devil is called Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices by Thomas Brooks.

Let me assure you that this does not need to be a huge time commitment. Some days I only read a page or a few paragraphs and it helps for me to write out some of the great quotes and some thoughts if I feel moved so to do.

 

Blessings.   May God make us all more grieved for our sin so that we may love the Savior and our neighbor more.

Still learning from the Puritans...

 Since God calls us to glorify him in everything we do, how does that look in our everyday conversation?
One of my recent Puritan favorites is Godly Conversation by Joanne J. Jung.  I wrote a review at the Visionary Womanhood blog.

Suspicions of cynicism confirmed.

 Slowly reading through A Praying Life by Paul Miller, I came across one of the best descriptions of cynicism ever.  Miller describes how it creeps in and how the opposite is trusting, feisty prayer.
I wrote about it here on the Visionary Womanhood blog.

"He visits in trials...." and proves his wisdom.

He visits in trials, reproves for folly, smites for sin, and withholds the light of his countenance to testify his disapprobation of our ways; and yet all this is in love.....Was he less wise, we might have more comfort, but it would injure us; was he less holy, we might have fewer trials, but we should assuredly be losers....He is no fond parent, no foolish friend, no unholy companion; he will not tempt us to evil, nor with evil, neither will he indulge us to our injury.  He would rather close his ears to our cries, than his heart to our interests; and the day is coming when we shall see that all was needful, and not a trial could have been omitted consistently with the wisdom and holiness of his love.

The Love of Christ by James Smith

Education on the frontier.

 How is it possible that Americans had a higher literacy rate in the frontier days than it does now?   Stephen Mansfield explains in his intriguing book Lincoln's Battle With God.

We should remember that the early English settlers in the New World left England accompanied by fears that they would pursue their "errand into the wilderness" and became barbarians in the process. Loved ones at home wondered how a people could cross and ocean and live in the wilderness without losing the literacy, the learning, and the faith that defined them. The early colonists came determined to defy these fears. They brought books, printing presses, and teachers with them and made the founding of schools a priority. Puritans founded Boston in 1630 and established Harvard College within six years. After ten years they had already printed the first book in the colonies, the Bay Psalm Book. many more would follow. The American colonists were so devoted to education--inspired as they were by their Protestant insistence upon biblical literacy and by their hope of converting and educating the native--that they created a near-miraculous culture of learning.
        This was achieved through an educational free market. Colonial society offered "Dame schools, " Latin grammar schools, tutors for hire, what would today be called "home schools," church schools, schools for the poor, and colleges for the gifted and well-to-do.
We should remember that the early English settlers in the New World left England accompanied by fears that they would pursue their "errand into the wilderness" and became barbarians in the process. Loved ones at home wondered how a people could cross and ocean and live in the wilderness without losing the literacy, the learning, and the faith that defined them. The early colonists came determined to defy these fears. They brought books, printing presses, and teachers with them and made the founding of schools a priority. Puritans founded Boston in 1630 and established Harvard College within six years. After ten years they had already printed the first book in the colonies, the Bay Psalm Book. many more would follow. The American colonists were so devoted to education--inspired as they were by their Protestant insistence upon biblical literacy and by their hope of converting and educating the native--that they created a near-miraculous culture of learning.
        This was achieved through an educational free market. Colonial society offered "Dame schools, " Latin grammar schools, tutors for hire, what would today be called "home schools," church schools, schools for the poor, and colleges for the gifted and well-to-do. Enveloping these institutions of learning was a wider culture that prized knowledge as an aid to godliness. Books were cherished and well-read. A respected minister might have thousands of them. Sermons were long and learned. Newspapers were devoured, and elevated discussion of ideas filled taverns and parlors. Citizens formed gatherings for the "improvement of the mind"--debate societies and reading clubs and even sewing circles at which the latest books from England were read.
   The intellectual achievements of colonial America were astonishing. Lawrence Cremin, dean of American education historians, estimated the literacy rate of the period at between 80 and 90 percent. Benjamin Franklin taught himself five languages and was not thought exceptional. Jefferson taught himself half a dozen, including Arabic. George Washington was unceasingly embarrassed by his lack of formal education, and yet readers of his journal today marvel at his intellect and wonder why he ever felt insecure..It was nothing for a man--or in some cases a woman-- the learn algebra, geometry, navigation, science, logic, grammar, and history entirely through self-education. A seminarian was usually required to know Greek, Hebrew Latin, French, and German just to begin his studies , instruction which might take place in a log classroom and on a dirt floor.
        This culture of learning spilled over onto the American frontier. Through pioneers routinely moved beyond the reach of even basic education, as soon as the first buildings of a town were erected, so,too.were voluntary societies to foster intellectual life. Aside from schools for the young, there were debate  societies, discussion groups, lyceums, lecture associations, political clubs, and always, Bible societies. The level of learning these groups encouraged was astounding. the language of Shakespeare and classical literature--at the least Virgil, Plutarch, Cicero, and Homer-- so permeated the letters and journals of frontier Americans that modern readers have difficulty understanding that generation's literary metaphors. this meant that even a rustic Western settlement could serve as a kind of informal frontier university for the aspiring.
Enveloping these institutions of learning was a wider culture that prized knowledge as an aid to godliness. Books were cherished and well-read. A respected minister might have thousands of them. Sermons were long and learned. Newspapers were devoured, and elevated discussion of ideas filled taverns and parlors. Citizens formed gatherings for the "improvement of the mind"--debate societies and reading clubs and even sewing circles at which the latest books from England were read.
   The intellectual achievements of colonial America were astonishing. Lawrence Cremin, dean of American education historians, estimated the literacy rate of the period at between 80 and 90 percent. Benjamin Franklin taught himself five languages and was not thought exceptional. Jefferson taught himself half a dozen, including Arabic. George Washington was unceasingly embarrassed by his lack of formal education, and yet readers of his journal today marvel at his intellect and wonder why he ever felt insecure..It was nothing for a man--or in some cases a woman-- the learn algebra, geometry, navigation, science, logic, grammar, and history entirely through self-education. A seminarian was usually required to know Greek, Hebrew Latin, French, and German just to begin his studies , instruction which might take place in a log classroom and on a dirt floor.
        This culture of learning spilled over onto the American frontier. Through pioneers routinely moved beyond the reach of even basic education, as soon as the first buildings of a town were erected, so,too.were voluntary societies to foster intellectual life. Aside from schools for the young, there were debate  societies, discussion groups, lyceums, lecture associations, political clubs, and always, Bible societies. The level of learning these groups encouraged was astounding. the language of Shakespeare and classical literature--at the least Virgil, Plutarch, Cicero, and Homer-- so permeated the letters and journals of frontier Americans that modern readers have difficulty understanding that generation's literary metaphors. this meant that even a rustic Western settlement could serve as a kind of informal frontier university for the aspiring.

Dredging the River

When we lived out in Washington state we were told that in the past the Nooksack River was dredged so that it would hold more water and not keep overflowing it's banks.
Spurgeon used this picture as a wonderful metaphor for suffering:

 "He is digging you out; you are like an old ditch, you cannot hold anymore, and God is digging you out to make more room for more grace....The spade will cut sharply, and dig up sod after sod, and throw it on one side.  the very thing you would like to keep shall be cast away."

Peace Makes Rich

What a gift peace is -- peace with God, peace with our conscience, peace with our fellow man.
Matchless gift, this peace.    The absence robs food of flavor, robs shelter of warmth and robs labor of satisfaction.