I have found it absolutely necessary to oppose different opinions; both those of the public adversaries of the reformed churches, amongst whom I reckon, first, the Socinians and the Remonstrants, who, by their daring comments have defiled the doctrine of God’s covenants; . . . Continue reading →
HeidelQuotes
Witsius On The Relation Between Human Reason And Divine Authority
III. Let then these things be premised. First. Reason signifies either that faculty of man where by he perceives, and judgeth, and distinguisheth truth from falsehood, or those maxims, aphorisms, or axioms, which are either self evident, or believed to be rightly . . . Continue reading →
Johannes Marckius On Witsius’ Embassy To England
…He had always the preference given him in their synods, and was twice honored with the supreme government and headship of the university; namely, in the years 1686, and 1697. Nor must we omit, that when, in the year 1685, the states . . . Continue reading →
Classical Liberalism Now Looks Conservative
Silber was often labeled “conservative.” In fact, and as he always insisted, he was a liberal of the old school. He believed in advancement according to merit, not quotas; colorblind justice; the disinterested pursuit of truth; and open debate, not ideological conformity. . . . Continue reading →
Helm: Modified Classical Theism And The Evangelical Big Top
It occurs to me that in this convergence of views in the direction of what is called ‘modified classical theism’ there is the makings of a theology for the ‘big tent’ of evangelicalism, a formula for providing space for the various disparate . . . Continue reading →
Catechism And Catechesis In The Early Church
The earliest known example of a Catechetical work is the “Teaching of the Twelve Apostles,” which Athanasius names among the “books not included in the Canon, but appointed by the Fathers to be read by those who are just recently coming to . . . Continue reading →
Honoring But Not Venerating
Obj. 1. The saints, on account of their virtues, are to be honored with the worship either of adoration (λατρεια) or of veneration (δουλεια). But it is not in the former sense that they are to be worshipped; because this form of . . . Continue reading →
Boston: Man Under The Covenant Of Works
7. Lastly, In his person. Being a sinful man under the covenant of works, he is a cursed man; For it is written, “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law . . . Continue reading →
A Minister Not A Priest
This truth is deeply reflected in historic Reformed practices regarding the observance of the Lord’s Supper. For instance, the truth of Jesus’ sole mediation is one reason the Presbyterian ministers stand behind the communion table (and not in front of it) when . . . Continue reading →
An Ogre Minding Long Term Developments
Because of this emphasis on mentalités, Le Goff preferred to speak of birth and genesis rather than origins, decline, or decadence. Hence he wrote The Birth of Purgatory (1981) and The Birth of Europe (2003) (the French title posed a question: L’Europe . . . Continue reading →
Christ’s Intercession As Our Surety
This intercession consists of various acts. (1) The appearing of Christ for us by which he places himself before God the father as the only satisfier for our sins, representing the blood once shall (i.e., The merit of his death) and asking . . . Continue reading →
Turretin: Christ Has Saved Us And Is Keeping Us
The method of our salvation; it was not sufficient to obtain salvation once, unless it could be perpetually preserved and applied. Christ obtained the former by his satisfaction, but the ladder he should procure by his intercession. By the former, he obtained . . . Continue reading →
Christ Is And Is Not A Legislator
VII. To question (wont to be agitated here) whether Christ is and can be called a legislator. We answer in a few words that Christ can be viewed in two ways: either absolutely and theologically (inasmuch as he is the Word [Logos] . . . Continue reading →
Macchiatos Real And False
But, in modern America, a culture not known for its sensitivity to history and precedent, “Reformed” has started to refer to “a different drink”. As Starbucks re-discovered espresso and popularized it, people have re-discovered Augustinianism (i.e., predestination) and are now marketing it . . . Continue reading →
R. C. Sproul On Infant Baptism, Sin, And Patience
I believe that people who reject infant baptism, for example,—I think they’re wrong—but I believe they’re zealous about it because they want to practice the sacraments the way they believe God intended them to be practiced. And they believe it would be . . . Continue reading →
The Chaos Of The Present
But more and more there is a tendency to brand as illiberal, medieval and narrow any man who differs from the current of popular religious thought, and declares it to be non-Christian in its tendencies. There is a great discussion in the . . . Continue reading →
God Cares How We Worship
Furthermore, Protestants are not concerned with the manner, or how, of worship, with the forms and circumstances of public praise, simply for their own sake, but for the sake of the object and aim of worship. In other words, Protestants understand that . . . Continue reading →
Dad: More Than Outcomes
All of this focus on “outcomes,” such as graduation rates, employment statistics, etc. is BOGUS. It has nothing to do with the value of the relationship. A good child-father relationship has a value beyond measure. Not just for the happiness of the . . . Continue reading →
Silent Dissent No Longer Permitted
The message to all employees is perfectly clear: You are expected to fall into line with the approved and required thinking. Nothing short of assent is acceptable. Silent dissent will no longer be permitted. — Anonymous Employee at Chase Bank
We Never Graduate
I don’t think Paul is saying that he doesn’t offer his members unto righteousness or that he doesn’t make efforts to resist sin and obey God’s law. Could it be it’s just that he (we) never graduated from needing the sufficiency of . . . Continue reading →