Semi-weekly pithiness for 8/31/07

“We are not sent into the pulpit to shew our wit and eloquence but to set the consciences of men on fire.”
- Solomon Stoddard (cited in Iain H. Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography [Carlisle, Penn: Banner of Truth Trust, 1987], 8 ) for August 31, 2007

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God’s ultimate end is his glory

The first chapter of Jonathan Edwards’ End for Which God Created the World demonstrates that his doctrine is rational. In an age that was increasingly supposing that revelation and reason were diametrically opposed, Edwards wanted to prove that Scripture’s doctrine was very much reasonable. Revelation is the ultimate guide for any doctrine, but reason can [...]

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Another Advertisement

The current “Best of WTS Sale” features commentaries, including D. A. Carson’s wonderful Pillar commentary on the Gospel of John (you really should have this one in your library). Also featured are Moisés Silva on Philippians (BECNT) and John Stott on Ephesians.

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Gill on the teaching ministry of a pastor

Here is Baptist theologian John Gill on the necessity of pastors to communicate the Scriptures well:
He must not only be able to teach, but he must be “apt to teach;” which aptitude lies in a good degree of elocution, and a free utterance of speech; for it is of little avail what is a man’s [...]

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Great Mover of All Hearts

By Charles Coffin (1736), translated by Isaac Williams (1839)
Great Mover of all hearts, whose hand
Doth all the secret springs command
Of human thought and will,
Thou, since the world was made, dost bless
Thy saints with fruits of holiness,
Their order to fulfill.
Faith, hope, and love here weave one chain;
But love alone shall then remain
When this short day is [...]

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Book review: Singing and Making Music by Paul Jones

What is one more book on music and the church? The area is admittedly becoming a kind of “burned over district” of the contemporary American church, and if this were a popularity contest, the conservatives are surely losing. For those whose sensibilities are still somewhat entrenched in tradition, Paul Jones’ 2006 title Singing and Making [...]

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Edwards on the use of words in worship

Jonathan Edwards discusses the importance of sincerity in our speech and the nature of language, and its importance especially when the church is gathered together.
If a man goes about to declare or profess any particular thing by words which have no distinguishing signification, or without any signs or discriminating marks by which men may be [...]

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Augustine on the cessation of sign gifts

Please pardon the anachronistic title used to attract better the reader’s attention. Augustine writes below in Retractions 1,13 to clarify a comment he made in his book Of True Religion. I found this quote interesting. He believes that miracles have ceased in one respect, but that they continue in another respect.
I said (chap. xxv), “These [...]

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Books on sale

Westminster Seminary’s bookstore is featuring a sale on books related to pastoral ministry, up to 55% off. Included in the discounted titles are Richard Baxter’s Reformed Pastor and Mark Dever’s Nine Marks of a Healthy Church.

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So you want to be a pastor?

Baptist theologian John Gill (1697-1771) points out that preaching is work, “the work of the ministry” (Eph 4:13):
the ministry is a service, as the word imports, and not a sinecure; there is business to be done, and a great deal of it; enough to employ all the time and talents of [...]

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All sin is voluntary

Augustine here argues that all sin is voluntary. Yet this does not limit the extent of sin as narrowly as one would suppose. This remark is taken from his Retractions 1, 13 concerning a remark he made in his book Of True Religion.
Sin is so much voluntary evil, that there would be no such thing [...]

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Jonathan Edwards on the difference between the two dispensations

Edwards references the problem of continuity between the Testaments in An Humble Inquiry (Works 12:280). This was a problem for him as those in favor of the Half-Way Covenant and Stoddardeanism appealed to the Mosaic Law for church precedent, e.g. the Law’s allowing all members of the nation to come to the passover sacrifices.
There is [...]

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Kevin Bauder on the affections

I know Scott Aniol and Greg Linscott have already alluded to this, but Kevin Bauder’s message on the affections (the FBF entitled it “Passionate Teaching”) is required listening. It is very good, both persuasive and indicting.

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As I like to call it, “Hash” for 8/8/2007

In class the esteemed librarian of the seminary Mr. L. Mark Bruffey pointed out the tool Zotero to me, and I have found it very promising. It is a free note taking/bibliography/”end note” type of of thing.
I want to thank the people over at earlychristianwritingscom for their E-Cantena, which organizes the comments of many church [...]

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