Have the Apostles any successors? To speak properly, they had none to succeed them in the degree and dignity of apostleship; and therefore when James was beheaded, none was chosen into his place. Otherwise all pastors and ministers of the gospel, who . . . Continue reading →
English Reformed theology
William Perkins Is Back!
William Perkins (1558–1602) is among one of the most important English Reformed theologians. Arguably, he and John Owen (1616–1683) are the two most important English Reformed theologians. Remarkably, his works have been out of print and largely inaccessible for the centuries. Now, . . . Continue reading →
New In Print: William Perkins On Galatians
William Perkins (1558–1602) is one of the most important of the English Reformed writers of the late 16th and early 17th centuries and yet he is among the least read in the modern era. One reason for this is because his works . . . Continue reading →
William Perkins On Justification (2)
In connection with Trent and Bellarmine’s stance on purgatory and the sacrifice of the Mass was Rome’s doctrine of a second justification. Bellarmine’s Scriptural basis for a second justification was Romans 3—which he saw as the first justification, and James 2—which he saw as the second justification. For Perkins, James 2 was for the justified because of Christ, “outward testimonies of the truth of our faith and profession, proving that the grace of our hearts is not in hypocrisy, but in truth and sincerity.” In other words, James 2 spoke not of justification in the same sense as Paul in Romans, but in a completely different sense, scope, and design, James 2:21 is in the demonstrative for Abraham’s “works did testify that his faith was true and sincere. Continue reading →
Sibbes: Heaven Is Not Heaven Without Christ
Heaven is not heaven without Christ. It is better to be in any place with Christ than to be in heaven itself without him. Paul loved to see Christ, to embrace him, and enjoy him that had done so much and suffered . . . Continue reading →
Sibbes: We Must All Be Unloosened From Our Houses Of Clay
Death is but a departing; like loosening a ship from the shore or moving a ship to another coast (2 Tim. 4:6; Phil. 1:23). We must all be unloosened from our houses of clay, and be carried to another place, to heaven. . . . Continue reading →