Meet The Puritans

John Owen on Revival

Posted on 15. Feb, 2010 by Danny Hyde.

If you listen to some in the Reformed churches today, you would think that the concept of revival is an 18th century phenomenon and that everyone who believes in revival is a “revivalist,” no different than Charles Finney and his ilk in the 19th century. Unfortunately this does not fit the evidence of history. The concept of revival is not an 18th century concoction. Case in point is John Owen’s “Letter 85: To Charles Fleetwood” from 1674 (The Correspondence of John Owen, 159–160). He wrote this letter at a time when he and his wife were sick, and Owen thought the Lord was preparing him for death:

“The truth is, if we cannot see the latter rain in its season as we have seen the former, and a latter spring thereon, death, that will turne in the streams of glory unto our poor withering souls, is the best relief. I begin to feare that we shall die in this wilderness; yet ought we to labour and pray continually that the heavens would drop downe from above, and the skies poure downe righteousness—that the earth may open and bring forth salvation, and that righteousness may spring up together. If ever I return to you in this world, I beseech you to contend yet more earnestly than ever I have done, with God, with my own heart, with the church, to labour after spiritual revivalls.”

Notice that last phrase: “to labour after spiritual revivalls.” This exhortation was not penned by some 17th century Quaker or Shaker or 19th century advocate of “new measures,” but the greatest of English Reformed theologians. As a Reformed theologian this meant Owen believed Scripture to be principium cognoscendi—the basis of knowledge of God, his world, and his redemptive plan. We see that here in Owen’s letter as he looks to the pattern of the biblical prophets for spiritual revival, citing Isaiah 45:8, “Drop down, ye heavens, from above, and let the skies pour down righteousness: let the earth open, and let them bring forth salvation, and let righteousness spring up together; I the LORD have created it.”

Later, in his posthumous treatise of 1684, Meditations and Discourses on the Glory of Christ, in His Person, Office, and Grace: with the Differences Between Faith and Sight; Applied unto the Use of Them That Believe (Works 1, 395–396).

Do any of us find decays in grace prevailing in us;—deadness, coldness, lukewarmness, a kind of spiritual stupidity and senselessness coming upon us? Do we find an unreadiness unto the exercise of grace in its proper season, and the vigorous acting of it in duties of communion with God? and would we have our souls recovered from these dangerous diseases? Let us assure ourselves there is no better way for our healing and deliverance, yea, no other way but this alone,—namely, the obtaining a fresh view of the glory of Christ by faith, and a steady abiding therein. Constant contemplation of Christ and his glory, putting forth its transforming power unto the revival of all grace, is the only relief in this case; as shall farther be showed afterward.

Some will say, that this must be effected by fresh supplies and renewed communications of the Holy Spirit. Unless he fall as dew and showers on our dry and barren hearts,—unless he cause our graces to spring, thrive, and bring forth fruit,—unless he revive and increase faith, love, and holiness in our souls,—our backslidings will not be healed, nor our spiritual state be recovered. Unto this end is he prayed for and promised in the Scripture. See Cant. iv. 16; Isa, xliv. 3, 4; Ezek, xl 19, xxxvi. 26; Hos. xiv. 5, 6. And so it is. The immediate efficiency of the revival of our souls is from and by the Holy Spirit. But the inquiry is, in what way, or by what means, we may obtain the supplies and communications of him unto this end. This the apostle declares in the place insisted on: We, beholding the glory of Christ in a glass, ” are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord.” It is in the exercise of faith on Christ, in the way before described, that the Holy Spirit puts forth his renewing, transforming power in and upon our souls. This, therefore, is that alone which will retrieve Christians from their present decays and deadness.

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More Owen Audio on Prayer

Posted on 03. Dec, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Lectures 6 and 7 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, are now online.

Lecture 6 dealt with chapter 5, “The Matter of Prayer,” and Lecture 7 dealt with chapter 6, “The Manner of Prayer.”

You may also download a .pdf of the outlines: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–chapter 5 and Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–chapter 6.

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Westminster Theological Journal 71:2

Posted on 07. Nov, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Last night I received Westminster Theological Journal 71:2 (Fall 2009) in the mail. There are several pieces worth mentioning for the purposes of this blog:

• The Pneumatology of the “Lost” Image in John Owen—Suzanne McDonald
• A Practical Scholasticism? Edward Leigh’s Theological Method—James E. Dolezal
• Samuel Rutherford and Liberty of Conscience—Crawford Gribben
• Marrow Theology and Secession Church History—William VanDoodewaard
• Review of Stephen Hampton, Anti-Arminian: The Anglican Reformed Tradition from Charles II to George I—Kenneth J. Stewart

Tolle Lege.

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John Owen’s Exposition of Romans 8:26

Posted on 05. Nov, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Last night I presented lecture #5 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer. In this lecture I dealt with chapter 4 of the treatise and Owen’s exposition of Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (KJV).

The audio is available at Sermon Audio.

You may also download a .pdf of the outline: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 6.

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What Should a Pastor Say When a Parishioner Loses a Child?

Posted on 29. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

One topic I never received any instruction or advice while in Seminary was what a pastor was to say to a parishioner that has lost a child. What do you do when there is a tragic accident? How do you minister to a family grieving the loss of child by SIDS? What do you say to a woman grieving a miscarriage? To my seminary brothers, let me say that you will face this terrible providence in your ministry. You will see unbearable grief on the faces of your beloved brothers and sisters. Be prepared.

Of course this is a debated issue in Reformed churches in terms of whether covenant children who die early in life are in heaven or not. While the Westminster Confession offers a theologically correct assessment that no Reformed believer will ever deny, “Elect infants, dying in infancy, are regenerated and saved by Christ through the Spirit, who worketh when, and where, and how he pleaseth” (10.3), we have to deal with things “below.” We do not know the eternal decree of God; we must judge things from within the covenant and visible church. The delegates to the Synod of Dort sought to provide an answer to this question from a pastoral point of view, in Canon 1.17:

“Since we are to judge of the will of God from His Word, which testifies that the children of believers are holy, not by nature, but in virtue of the covenant of grace, in which they together with the parents are comprehended, godly parents ought not to doubt the election and salvation of their children whom it pleases God to call out of this life in their infancy.”

The issue for those in churches that confess the Canons of Dort is whether the Canons describe certainty towards the children or only the attitude of the parents. An example of the former is Herman Bavinck (Reformed Dogmatics, 4:724–727; Saved by Grace, 69) while of the latter is Herman Hoeksema (Believers and their Seed, 149–158). Without getting into all the historical and theological debate here, let me offer several pastoral points before offering some further reading to prepare our hearts as ministers and students to face this tearful issue.

First, we need to base our pastoral comfort upon the Word. This is why it is so important to read passages such as Psalm 139 as well as the example of David and his son (2 Sam. 12).

Second, we believe that children of believers are members of the covenant of grace, therefore, we need to speak from within that rich and comforting status as the people of God.

Third, we need to offer strong encouragement to our people. They do not need to doubt where their lost child is at. They should be assured that they are in the arms of Jesus, who blessed covenant children during his earthly ministry.

Several excellent resources on this subject are the following:

• Cornelis P. Venema, “The Election and Salvation of the Children of Believers Who Die in Infancy: A Study of Article I/17 of the Canons of Dort,” Mid-America Journal of Theology 17 (2006): 57–100.
• N. H. Gootjes, “Can Parents Be Sure?” Clarion 44:20 (October 6, 1995) and Clarion 44:21 (October 20, 1995).
• W. Robert Godfrey, “Election and Covenant: The Synod of Dort and Children Dying in Infancy” (unpublished essay). [my apologies for the poor quality of the scan, it's the best I can do]
• John Calvin, “Letter CCCLXIV–To a Gentleman of Provence,” in Selected Works of John Calvin, Volume 6, 71–73.
• John Owen, “Letter 83: To Lady Elizabeth Hartopp,” in The Correspondence of John Owen, ed. Peter Toon, 157–158). [Below]

Deare Madam,

Every worke of God is good; the Holy One in the middest of us will do no iniquity. And all things shall work together for good unto them that love him, even those things which at present are not joyous, but grievous. Only his time is to be waited for, and his way submitted unto, that we seem not to be displeased in our hearts that he is Lord over us. Your dear infante is in the eternal enjoyment of the fruits of all our prayers; for the covenant of God is ordered in all things, and sure. We shall goe to her; she shall not returne to us. Happy she was in this above us, that she had so speedy an issue of sin and misery, being born only to exercise your faith and patience, and to glorify God’s grace in her eternal blessedness. My trouble would be great on the account of my absence at this time from you both, but that this also is the Lords doing; and I know my own uselessness wherever I am. But I will beg of God for you both, that you may not faint in this day of trial; that you may have a cleare view of those spirituall and temporall mercyes wherewith you are yet intrusted all undeserved, that sorrow of the world may not so overtake your hearts as to disenable to any duties, to grieve the Spirit, to prejudice your lives; for it tends to death. God in Christ will be better to you than ten children, and will so preserve your remnant, and so adde to them, as shall be for his glory and your comfort. Only consider that sorrow in this case is no duty; it is an effect of sin, whose cure by grace we should endeavour. Shall I say, Be cheerful? I know I may. God help you to honour grace and mercy in a compliance therewith. My heart is with you; my prayers shall be for you; and I would have seene you this day could I have borrowed a coach.

Dear Madam,

Your most affectionate and unworthy pastor,

John Owen

[May 1674?]

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The Two Parts of Seminary Education

Posted on 29. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Quick. What should be the two constituent parts of a Reformed theological education? Theology and exegesis? Philosophy and theology? Systematic and practical theology? Good guesses. On July 2, 1651 the Commissioners of the University of Dublin sent a letter to John Owen addressing this issue. Their desire was for Owen and Thomas Goodwin to review the University’s laws, rules, orders, and constitutions and give their advice on how to better the institution.

Here is where this short letter gets interesting. The Commissioners described their desire for their University and the training of men for the ministry in these words:

Wherein we desire that the educating of youth in the knowledge of God and the principles of piety may be in the first place promoted, experience having taught that where learning is attained before the work of grace upon the heart, it serves only to make a sharper opposition against the power of godliness (The Correspondence of John Owen, ed. Peter Toon, 50–51).

The two constituent parts that these Commissioners desired for a thoroughly Reformed and Puritan education were theology and piety. That sounded so odd to me as I read this letter, since I have been conditioned by our current theological training system in which what is emphasized is the school you go to (Westminster CA v. Westminster PA, RTS–Jackson v. Covenant, etc.), the degree you earn, the GPA you receive, your GRE score if you desire to go to grad school in a University, and the amount of reading you have done. Our current system is utterly focused on knowledge—systematics, biblical theology, exegesis, history, etc.

The Commissioners of the University of Dublin were on to something, though. Their experience taught them the necessity of piety in training students. What is interesting is how they qualify what they meant by piety: “where learning is attained before the work of grace upon the heart, it serves only to make a sharper opposition against the power of godliness.” Seminary students need to be born again, they need to be converted, and they need to have experienced the power of grace in their souls. Is it any different today?

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Owen’s Exposition of Galatians 4:6 (Audio)

Posted on 22. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Lecture #4 of my series through John Owen’s, A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer, is now online. You may also download a .pdf of the outline: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 5. In this lecture I dealt with chapter 3 and his exposition of Galatians 4:6: “Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son, into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father” (KJV).

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Lessons from a Letter of Call to John Owen

Posted on 20. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

Today was a day dedicated to reading. I did so sitting outside at my favorite fish market in Carlsbad and reading through The Correspondence of John (1616–1683): With an Account of his Life and Work, ed. Peter Toon (Cambridge and London: James Clarke & Co. Ltd., 1970). I was fascinated to read letter 71, “From the General Court of Massachusetts,” dated October 20, 1663 (pp. 135–136). This letter is what we call a letter of call from one congregation to a minister, seeking to impress upon him their desire for him to come.

There are several lessons that the church doing the calling can learn. Normally, we pastors speak to others about what they should say or what they should look for. Here I want to exhort elders, sessions, consistories, and congregations as to what to say, based on this letter to Owen.

First, the congregational church of Boston asked Owen “to come over and help us.” Alluding to the Macedonian man’s call to the apostle Paul, you need to remember that this is no mere perfunctory or business acquisition, but this is a spiritual task. You are seeking the spiritual help of a man of God.

Second, especially if you are a congregation in an average place without great attractions, sites, or a big city scene, listen to what the leaders of Boston said to Owen: “We confess the condition of this wilderness doth present little that is attractive, as to outward things.” Again, you are not trying to wine and dine a new CEO. You are calling a pastor so be honest.

Third, continuing this theme of honesty, listen to how the writers described themselves to Owen: “the persons that call you, are unworthy sinful men, of much infirmity, and may possibly fall short of your expectation.” Wow. You don’t hear that these days. Speaking from experience, I know I would have been more impressed by this sheer honesty concerning the sinfulness of man than with all the lengths to which men went to impress and put their best foot forward.

In short, as Reformed Christians, if we are involved in the calling of a minister, be honest, be realistic, and be sincere.

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The Puritans on Justifying Faith

Posted on 17. Oct, 2009 by Mark Jones.

“It is harder to believe in Christ for righteousness than to keep all the commandments, because keeping the commandments hath something in the heart of man agreeing with it, but so hath not the way of justification by faith” – Philip Henry

Goodwin and Owen both wrote works on justification (and on the Holy Spirit).  There are, of course, similarities, but there are also differences.  Goodwin had a special concern with assurance and his work is more pastoral than Owen’s.  Owen’s work is technically superb, but I would rate Goodwin’s work above Owen’s on account of better pastoral emphases.

In his work on justification, Goodwin had a burden to maintain the graciousness of the covenant of grace. Chief among his concerns was that graces and grace had been confused, not only by the Arminians, Socinians, and Catholics, but by some of his own (Calvinistic) brethren who were heavily emphasizing the conditional character of the covenant of grace. For example, Goodwin writes: [...]

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New Lectures on Owen Available

Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Danny Hyde.

The audio of lecture #3 of my series through John Owen’s treatise, “A Discourse of the Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer,” is now available at SermonAudio.com. This lecture deals with Owen’s exposition of Zechariah 12:10. A .pdf of the outline is also available: Work of the Holy Spirit in Prayer–Handout 4.

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