Reformed Christians have been enquiring about the papers that were given at the 7th Annual Amyraldian Association Conference, held in mid-April in Attleborough, Norfolk. The conference celebrated the 500th anniversary of the birth of the French Reformer, John Calvin in 1509 (10th July).
Various topics were dealt with by the six speakers, and these can be listened to at http://nrchurch.axspace.com/aa.html
Click the "2009 Conference MP3 Recordings NEW" and this will bring you to the six MP3s. Click on the paper desired, and listen.
Whilst all the papers are relevant, of particular importance to Presbyterians are the two papers dealing with Calvin and church order, delivered by Ron Barnett, an elder in Ely Presbyterian church in Cardiff, and Calvin and the covenant, dealing with Christian, or covenant, baptism, delivered by Rev Stephen Quinton, assistant minister at Norfolk Reformed Church.
Please post your comments in the box below.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Calvin and Servetus
Calvin’s life and ministry were characterised by many and varied controversies. Perhaps the most damaging to his memory and legacy, in the eyes of some, is the Servetus affair. Miguel Servetus, of similar age to Calvin, and a man of great, though erratic, genius, came from Spain to Geneva. At this time, Calvin was holding his power in Geneva with difficulty, and in the February elections of 1553, the polls went in favour of his opponents. Servetus’ arrival in Geneva was providential because it was early in 1553 that he published his book, Restitution of the Christian Religion. In it, he argued that the Nicene Creed with its doctrine of the Trinity, the Christology of the Chalcedon creed, predestination, total depravity, hereditary guilt, and the doctrine of infant, or covenant, baptism which was of no efficacy unless preceded by repentance and the illumination of the Spirit; these doctrines, according to Servetus, were the chief sources of the corruption of the church. Indeed, as early as 1545, he had begun an exasperating correspondence with Calvin, whose Institutes he contemptuously criticised.
Living and working as a medical man and under an assumed name, Servetus’ saw his calling in life to disturb, not only the Roman Catholic leaders, but the entire Reformed world as well. When he got in touch with the various Reformation leaders, and eventually with Calvin, Servetus sought to convince them of the errors of their ways and to persuade them to accept his views. Servetus demanded that Calvin be exiled and that his goods given to him. The people of Geneva were not prepared to openly support such a notorious heretic, and supported Calvin’s action against him. His true identity was finally exposed and, because of his heretical views, he, along with his books, were condemned. The heresy trial, which lasted for two months, and conducted by a large competent jury, ended with Servetus being found guilty and condemned to death by a slow fire on 27th October 1553. At the stake, the condemned man displayed “frantic terror” and yielded up his soul with the suffocating cry, “Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Eternal God, have mercy upon me.” Even in death, Servetus would not recognise Christ as the Eternal Son of God.
While some voices were raised at this, many supported Calvin’s decision to have Servetus executed, agreeing that it was “justly done.” Many regard this trial as odious and the outcome tragic; but for Calvin, it was a great victory, because it freed the Swiss churches from any imputation of unorthodoxy regarding the Trinity. Calvin’s detractors “ruined themselves by making difficult the punishment of one whom the general sentiment of that age condemned.”
In such a tenuous position, it took great courage in Calvin to see this matter through to its conclusion. Humanly, his position was somewhat precarious, but from heaven’s perspective, he could do no other than remove the theological poison from the churches of that day. Obviously he believed that what he was doing was agreeable with, and conformable to, the Word of God, and thus for the ultimate good of the church. His own comfort and success were not uppermost in his mind, but the overall good of the church and of the Gospel in the church. Servetus he saw as “an enemy of the truth,” who was to be removed from the church, and even from the world. They must not be tolerated in the church who find the everlasting Gospel intolerable.
How sparse courageous ministers are in the church today! How few men there are who take the Gospel seriously, when it is challenged by theological liberalism and ecumenism, and other ‘isms’! Where are the men of ‘true grit’ in the modern church? Where are the “Calvins” who not only profess they believe in the Gospel, but demonstrate in practical terms that they do? They are not hard to count! Even those regarded as men of theological principle can and do fall to pragmatism and the lure of ecclesiastical politics and position, counting the Gospel as a matter of personal preference rather than biblical principle.
But not so Calvin. He knew his Book, he knew his God, and he remained true, regardless of personal consequences.
It is quite interesting and disturbing that the modern liberal evangelical churches sing "worship songs" that teach the very doctrine for which Servetus was burned at the stake. He was put to death for denying that Christ was the Eternal Son of the Eternal God. Unthinking and untaught liberal evangelicals do exactly that today. The words of one popular song go, "I believe in Jesus; I believe He is the Son of God." Servetus believed Christ was the son of God, but not the Eternal Son of God. Christians are sons (children) of God, and no different from Jesus, according to Servetus and the liberal evangelical religion of today. Yet there are not the reformed men of courage and conviction who are prepared to oppose such heresy being taught as evangelical truth, why? Because these are the very men who include such heretical teaching in the services of worship for which they are responsible.
I ask again, "Where are the Calvins" in today's decadent churches? Answers please in the comment box.
Living and working as a medical man and under an assumed name, Servetus’ saw his calling in life to disturb, not only the Roman Catholic leaders, but the entire Reformed world as well. When he got in touch with the various Reformation leaders, and eventually with Calvin, Servetus sought to convince them of the errors of their ways and to persuade them to accept his views. Servetus demanded that Calvin be exiled and that his goods given to him. The people of Geneva were not prepared to openly support such a notorious heretic, and supported Calvin’s action against him. His true identity was finally exposed and, because of his heretical views, he, along with his books, were condemned. The heresy trial, which lasted for two months, and conducted by a large competent jury, ended with Servetus being found guilty and condemned to death by a slow fire on 27th October 1553. At the stake, the condemned man displayed “frantic terror” and yielded up his soul with the suffocating cry, “Jesus Christ, Thou Son of the Eternal God, have mercy upon me.” Even in death, Servetus would not recognise Christ as the Eternal Son of God.
While some voices were raised at this, many supported Calvin’s decision to have Servetus executed, agreeing that it was “justly done.” Many regard this trial as odious and the outcome tragic; but for Calvin, it was a great victory, because it freed the Swiss churches from any imputation of unorthodoxy regarding the Trinity. Calvin’s detractors “ruined themselves by making difficult the punishment of one whom the general sentiment of that age condemned.”
In such a tenuous position, it took great courage in Calvin to see this matter through to its conclusion. Humanly, his position was somewhat precarious, but from heaven’s perspective, he could do no other than remove the theological poison from the churches of that day. Obviously he believed that what he was doing was agreeable with, and conformable to, the Word of God, and thus for the ultimate good of the church. His own comfort and success were not uppermost in his mind, but the overall good of the church and of the Gospel in the church. Servetus he saw as “an enemy of the truth,” who was to be removed from the church, and even from the world. They must not be tolerated in the church who find the everlasting Gospel intolerable.
How sparse courageous ministers are in the church today! How few men there are who take the Gospel seriously, when it is challenged by theological liberalism and ecumenism, and other ‘isms’! Where are the men of ‘true grit’ in the modern church? Where are the “Calvins” who not only profess they believe in the Gospel, but demonstrate in practical terms that they do? They are not hard to count! Even those regarded as men of theological principle can and do fall to pragmatism and the lure of ecclesiastical politics and position, counting the Gospel as a matter of personal preference rather than biblical principle.
But not so Calvin. He knew his Book, he knew his God, and he remained true, regardless of personal consequences.
It is quite interesting and disturbing that the modern liberal evangelical churches sing "worship songs" that teach the very doctrine for which Servetus was burned at the stake. He was put to death for denying that Christ was the Eternal Son of the Eternal God. Unthinking and untaught liberal evangelicals do exactly that today. The words of one popular song go, "I believe in Jesus; I believe He is the Son of God." Servetus believed Christ was the son of God, but not the Eternal Son of God. Christians are sons (children) of God, and no different from Jesus, according to Servetus and the liberal evangelical religion of today. Yet there are not the reformed men of courage and conviction who are prepared to oppose such heresy being taught as evangelical truth, why? Because these are the very men who include such heretical teaching in the services of worship for which they are responsible.
I ask again, "Where are the Calvins" in today's decadent churches? Answers please in the comment box.
Calvin and the Libertines
When John Calvin arrived in Geneva in 1553, he was met by the godless Libertines. This group appealed to the freedom of the Spirit as an excuse to indulge the desires of the flesh. They argued against the Evangelists, jeered at the Apostles calling each of them nicknames, and denied the resurrection. Some have said of the Libertines, that the "communion of saints" meant the common possessions of all goods, including other men's wives. They were sexually immoral and proud of their liberty, and all the while insisting on their right to attend the Lord's Table.
But the Reformer opposed them. ‘A dog barks if it sees someone attacking its master,’ says Calvin. ‘I would be cowardly if I remained silent and did not make a single sound when I see the truth of God being attacked.’
Calvin was concerned about the well-being of the church and community. Experience taught him that “the upshot of serious doctrinal deviation was moral mischief.” No tolerance whatever should be shown to heretics. Calvin entered this conflict, determining that “nothing short of their suppression and extinction” be settled for. His love for the Church and for the Gospel demanded manly courage in this situation. Indeed, true pastors will be known by such a zeal for the truth burning them up. Calvin knew nothing of a “nice quiet country living” for the minister! Ministry for him meant daily battles with “the enemies of the truth.”
To Calvin, the shepherds of the church must not only provide good food for Christ’s flock, but must also keep watch against wolves and thieves. Calvin saw it as his God-given responsibility to argue against this dangerous sect, in his view, the most pernicious in the world. In addition, believers had asked him to speak out against this sect in view of the havoc they were creating, but Calvin held back to see if this evil would go away, not the wisest decision the Reformer ever made. It didn’t, and he had to speak out.
This sect was led by Quintin Thieffry, and Calvin simply had to expose their use of Scripture, in which they interpreted it allegorically, and even expected Calvin and Co. to go beyond it in search of new revelations. Such a suggestion angered Calvin, who viewed it as heretical to go beyond the clear teaching of Scripture. If these ‘theologians’ were prepared to tamper with the Scriptural data, they would have Calvin to answer to. Making Scripture say what the writers never intended it to say was anathema to the Reformer, a lesson we all need to keep in mind.
These Libertines were dogma-driven, but Calvin was data-driven; they had made up their minds about what the Scripture taught, and then looked for texts to back up those beliefs. Calvin sought what God was saying in His Word, and drew his doctrine from that. The two methodologies could not have been more different. And the doctrines they arrived at were also very different. The truth of God was being attacked by these men, and Calvin could not remain silent. And neither can we!
The Libertines were quite a troublesome lot, and became very concerned about there being too many ministers (Geneva only had four, but for them, this was four too many), too many sermons, and Calvin was writing too many books. These men wanted to abolish the sermon from church services because in these sermons, their promiscuous life-styles were being lashed by this faithful preacher, and this condemnation found its way into the press and from platforms. They preferred a harmless kind of worship – we might say, a user-friendly form of worship where anything goes, where large numbers of contemporary worship-tasters are attracted, where there is a high level of worldly entertainment, where the Word read and preached is kept to a respectable minimum, and where the young are catered for fully – this is the kind of worship services the Libertines desired, the kind of thing we see in all liberal evangelical churches around our country. Tozer puts it well when he talks about "that part of the church that cannot be satisfied without a vists from the latest gospel peddler, who promises cowbells, a musical hand-saw, and a lot of other novelties." These Genevan ‘liberals’ were prepared to tolerate, as a minimum, the “Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments,” as the content of teaching. More than that was too much, too dangerous, and not needed.
Those who denigrate and who wish to minimum the reading of the Word and biblical preaching, are not keeping very good company!
Here is what one historian writes on the occasion of these Libertines wishing to come to the Lord’s Supper:
"The eventful morning dawned. The bell invited the people to the church of St. Peter. The Libertines were present, with their swords (drawn), determined to communicate (saying, ‘Administer communion to us or you will die.’ ). Calvin preached on the intention of the sacred ordinance, and spoke of the state of mind necessary for obedience to the Lord’s command. At the close, he said: “As for me, so long as God shall leave me here, since He hath given me fortitude, and I have received it from Him, I will employ it, whatever betide; and I will guide myself by my Master’s rule, which to me is clear and well known. As we are now about to receive the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, if anyone who has been debarred by the Consistory shall approach this table, though it should cost my life, I will show myself such as I ought to be.” - He then left the pulpit, and stood at the table. Removing the white cloth, and covering the bread and wine with his hands, he said, with a voice that rang through the building, “These hands you may crush; these arms you may lop off; my life you may take; my blood is yours, you may shed it but you shall never force me to give holy things to the profane, and dishonor the table of my God.”
As if the very power of God prevailed, a calm succeeded, and the Libertines retired.... A solemn silence enabled the Reformer to celebrate the sacred ordinance in awe, as if the Lord Himself had been manifestly present. The question in the mind of Calvin was not whether he or the Libertines should succeed; but whether the Reformation should be wrecked at the very table of the Lord. He stood firm; and victory remained with him."
Calvin's courage against the Libertines was tested because it wasn't easy to face down the threat of swords. But it was obvious to Calvin that the thought of the Libertines participating in the Supper of the Lord was a thought worse than death. Calvin’s determination to fence the Lord’s Table displayed tremendous courage, a trait that is seldom found within modern evangelicalism, and a lesson we still have to learn.
But the Reformer opposed them. ‘A dog barks if it sees someone attacking its master,’ says Calvin. ‘I would be cowardly if I remained silent and did not make a single sound when I see the truth of God being attacked.’
Calvin was concerned about the well-being of the church and community. Experience taught him that “the upshot of serious doctrinal deviation was moral mischief.” No tolerance whatever should be shown to heretics. Calvin entered this conflict, determining that “nothing short of their suppression and extinction” be settled for. His love for the Church and for the Gospel demanded manly courage in this situation. Indeed, true pastors will be known by such a zeal for the truth burning them up. Calvin knew nothing of a “nice quiet country living” for the minister! Ministry for him meant daily battles with “the enemies of the truth.”
To Calvin, the shepherds of the church must not only provide good food for Christ’s flock, but must also keep watch against wolves and thieves. Calvin saw it as his God-given responsibility to argue against this dangerous sect, in his view, the most pernicious in the world. In addition, believers had asked him to speak out against this sect in view of the havoc they were creating, but Calvin held back to see if this evil would go away, not the wisest decision the Reformer ever made. It didn’t, and he had to speak out.
This sect was led by Quintin Thieffry, and Calvin simply had to expose their use of Scripture, in which they interpreted it allegorically, and even expected Calvin and Co. to go beyond it in search of new revelations. Such a suggestion angered Calvin, who viewed it as heretical to go beyond the clear teaching of Scripture. If these ‘theologians’ were prepared to tamper with the Scriptural data, they would have Calvin to answer to. Making Scripture say what the writers never intended it to say was anathema to the Reformer, a lesson we all need to keep in mind.
These Libertines were dogma-driven, but Calvin was data-driven; they had made up their minds about what the Scripture taught, and then looked for texts to back up those beliefs. Calvin sought what God was saying in His Word, and drew his doctrine from that. The two methodologies could not have been more different. And the doctrines they arrived at were also very different. The truth of God was being attacked by these men, and Calvin could not remain silent. And neither can we!
The Libertines were quite a troublesome lot, and became very concerned about there being too many ministers (Geneva only had four, but for them, this was four too many), too many sermons, and Calvin was writing too many books. These men wanted to abolish the sermon from church services because in these sermons, their promiscuous life-styles were being lashed by this faithful preacher, and this condemnation found its way into the press and from platforms. They preferred a harmless kind of worship – we might say, a user-friendly form of worship where anything goes, where large numbers of contemporary worship-tasters are attracted, where there is a high level of worldly entertainment, where the Word read and preached is kept to a respectable minimum, and where the young are catered for fully – this is the kind of worship services the Libertines desired, the kind of thing we see in all liberal evangelical churches around our country. Tozer puts it well when he talks about "that part of the church that cannot be satisfied without a vists from the latest gospel peddler, who promises cowbells, a musical hand-saw, and a lot of other novelties." These Genevan ‘liberals’ were prepared to tolerate, as a minimum, the “Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Ten Commandments,” as the content of teaching. More than that was too much, too dangerous, and not needed.
Those who denigrate and who wish to minimum the reading of the Word and biblical preaching, are not keeping very good company!
Here is what one historian writes on the occasion of these Libertines wishing to come to the Lord’s Supper:
"The eventful morning dawned. The bell invited the people to the church of St. Peter. The Libertines were present, with their swords (drawn), determined to communicate (saying, ‘Administer communion to us or you will die.’ ). Calvin preached on the intention of the sacred ordinance, and spoke of the state of mind necessary for obedience to the Lord’s command. At the close, he said: “As for me, so long as God shall leave me here, since He hath given me fortitude, and I have received it from Him, I will employ it, whatever betide; and I will guide myself by my Master’s rule, which to me is clear and well known. As we are now about to receive the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ, if anyone who has been debarred by the Consistory shall approach this table, though it should cost my life, I will show myself such as I ought to be.” - He then left the pulpit, and stood at the table. Removing the white cloth, and covering the bread and wine with his hands, he said, with a voice that rang through the building, “These hands you may crush; these arms you may lop off; my life you may take; my blood is yours, you may shed it but you shall never force me to give holy things to the profane, and dishonor the table of my God.”
As if the very power of God prevailed, a calm succeeded, and the Libertines retired.... A solemn silence enabled the Reformer to celebrate the sacred ordinance in awe, as if the Lord Himself had been manifestly present. The question in the mind of Calvin was not whether he or the Libertines should succeed; but whether the Reformation should be wrecked at the very table of the Lord. He stood firm; and victory remained with him."
Calvin's courage against the Libertines was tested because it wasn't easy to face down the threat of swords. But it was obvious to Calvin that the thought of the Libertines participating in the Supper of the Lord was a thought worse than death. Calvin’s determination to fence the Lord’s Table displayed tremendous courage, a trait that is seldom found within modern evangelicalism, and a lesson we still have to learn.
Meekness and Humility
Dr A. W. Tozer penned the following wise and challenging words: “God may use people whom you think are not worthy to shine your shoes and in a given situation He will expect you to humble yourself meekly and take from them whatever it is they are pouring on you. In that spirit of meekness you are humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God.”
Not to do so is to resist what God had ordained. To refuse to accept God’s grace just because you do not like the hand that offers it, is blasphemous. It is to despise God, and shows a lack of humility. Spiritual pride always refuses to accept whom God has accepted.
Here, the irreconcilable conflict between pride and humility reveals itself. ‘Must the Christian believer always humble himself and accept every situation with meekness?’ Answer: ‘Yes. As Christians, we much never violate morals or truth.’ If in humbling ourselves we violate or compromise morals or truth, we must NEVER do it. God has never asked a man to degrade himself either morally or in truth.
But Tozer is not referring primarily to these issues. He is focusing our minds on our duty to accept those whom God has accepted and to submit to their teaching, provided it conforms to the Word of God. If a beggar brings the truth of the Gospel to our hearts, we are bound to accept it. If an unlearned man brings us the true Gospel, we must accept it and glory in it. We might not care much for him, or for his lack of a “sound theological education,” or for the fact that he was trained in a suspect college or university; but if he brings us “the unsearchable riches of Christ,“ we must receive it as God’s provision for our souls, and rejoice!
Not to do so is to resist what God had ordained. To refuse to accept God’s grace just because you do not like the hand that offers it, is blasphemous. It is to despise God, and shows a lack of humility. Spiritual pride always refuses to accept whom God has accepted.
Here, the irreconcilable conflict between pride and humility reveals itself. ‘Must the Christian believer always humble himself and accept every situation with meekness?’ Answer: ‘Yes. As Christians, we much never violate morals or truth.’ If in humbling ourselves we violate or compromise morals or truth, we must NEVER do it. God has never asked a man to degrade himself either morally or in truth.
But Tozer is not referring primarily to these issues. He is focusing our minds on our duty to accept those whom God has accepted and to submit to their teaching, provided it conforms to the Word of God. If a beggar brings the truth of the Gospel to our hearts, we are bound to accept it. If an unlearned man brings us the true Gospel, we must accept it and glory in it. We might not care much for him, or for his lack of a “sound theological education,” or for the fact that he was trained in a suspect college or university; but if he brings us “the unsearchable riches of Christ,“ we must receive it as God’s provision for our souls, and rejoice!
The Church in Crisis.
Churches tend to see themselves as possessing an authority that is higher than the Word of God. Indeed, most major churches see themselves firstly as religious denominations or systems, and only secondly as Christian churches. They admire and relish their power and authority, their position and prestige. They enjoying disobeying the clear command of Christ, and ‘lord it over the flock,’ including Gospel ministers, holding them in a kind of servile fear. This is disguised in very spiritual language as “submission in the Lord to the courts of the Church.” They demand submission to their authority, regardless of whether or not it has Scriptural warrant. They expect ministers to submit conscience, not to the Word of God, but to their dictates, and when the minister refuses to submit conscience to any authority but the Word of God – as his ordination vows require – he is sacked.
The Christian faith is defined in their terms, and at their will and pleasure, and not by the Word of God. So to submit to such “scurrilous authority,” as Calvin describes it, can only be done if “we are prepared willingly and knowingly to deny Christ.” Hence, there is no reason for any thinking person to object that some are prepared to distrust these ecclesiastical authorities.
But why is it that so many ministers will give their agreement either willingly or gladly according to their inclinations, or from ambition, or out of fear, to the ecclesiastical dictators? Because keeping in with the church authorities is more important to them than keeping in with Christ. As Calvin said of the church authorities in his day, “they are so enamoured with their own depraved state, that they cannot bear any reformation,” (Comm. 1st Peter, 1551:222).
Let me give two or three examples of where this is seen. First, when a minister is convinced that there is no place in the public worship of God revealed in Scripture for the modern innovation of the giving of children’s addresses, or indeed in the reformed liturgy of Geneva – where traditional Presbyterianism finds its roots; and when he submits his conscience to no other authority but the Word of God, but is required by Presbytery to violate his conscience, and to break the most solemn holy vow not to do this, he is then introduced to an ecclesiastical process that will lead inevitably to his dismissal.
From a personal perspective, and from painful personal experience which still burns sorely, when I found myself in this situation, not one ministerial colleague was prepared to stand with me or defend me and go against the Presbytery and only one spoke in my favour against the decision of the powerful Judicial Commission of the General Assembly, why? Because those who hung me out to dry had already willingly and knowingly denied Christ. As a result, I have had “to drink the cup of perpetual silence,” (Calvin).
Second, where unregenerate lawyers within the local congregation bring such pressure upon a Gospel minister and upon their Presbytery, to remove Gospel preaching from their congregation, the Presbytery caves in, surrenders to legal blackmail, and accommodates these godless lawyers. Why was this done by Presbytery? Because the elders there – both teaching and ruling – had already denied Christ in their hearts!
Third, examples could be given of the difficulties of ministers who oppose the ordination of women to the eldership being pressurised to say nothing, or to withdraw from services where such unbiblical ordinations take place. Opposition to unbiblical ecumenism by reformed ministers – which is non-existent in today’s decadent church – is met with secret plans to effect their removal from the ministry, and facilitated by evangelical, ‘reformed’ colleagues.
This is where the church in Ireland is at today. There is not one minister known to me who is working for reformation within the churches; they are all content with how things are. Admittedly there are few good ministers in these churches, but none who desire the reformation of the church according to the Word of God. Reformation is a most costly business, too costly for cosy ministers. A blind eye is turned to what they know to be wrong, but they still tolerate it – to save their own bacon, no doubt. No one is prepared to make themselves “slightly obnoxious” for the sake of the truth, or the cause of Christ and the Gospel. And these men still take to themselves the honoured titles of reformed ministers, and evangelical preachers.
A former Presbyterian minister told me today, that in his prayers, he is pleading for God to raise up ‘true men of God’ who will stand in the gap, lift high the standard of truth and righteousness. If and when they come is in God’s sovereign gift; but that they are urgently needed within organised Christendom is undeniable.
The Christian faith is defined in their terms, and at their will and pleasure, and not by the Word of God. So to submit to such “scurrilous authority,” as Calvin describes it, can only be done if “we are prepared willingly and knowingly to deny Christ.” Hence, there is no reason for any thinking person to object that some are prepared to distrust these ecclesiastical authorities.
But why is it that so many ministers will give their agreement either willingly or gladly according to their inclinations, or from ambition, or out of fear, to the ecclesiastical dictators? Because keeping in with the church authorities is more important to them than keeping in with Christ. As Calvin said of the church authorities in his day, “they are so enamoured with their own depraved state, that they cannot bear any reformation,” (Comm. 1st Peter, 1551:222).
Let me give two or three examples of where this is seen. First, when a minister is convinced that there is no place in the public worship of God revealed in Scripture for the modern innovation of the giving of children’s addresses, or indeed in the reformed liturgy of Geneva – where traditional Presbyterianism finds its roots; and when he submits his conscience to no other authority but the Word of God, but is required by Presbytery to violate his conscience, and to break the most solemn holy vow not to do this, he is then introduced to an ecclesiastical process that will lead inevitably to his dismissal.
From a personal perspective, and from painful personal experience which still burns sorely, when I found myself in this situation, not one ministerial colleague was prepared to stand with me or defend me and go against the Presbytery and only one spoke in my favour against the decision of the powerful Judicial Commission of the General Assembly, why? Because those who hung me out to dry had already willingly and knowingly denied Christ. As a result, I have had “to drink the cup of perpetual silence,” (Calvin).
Second, where unregenerate lawyers within the local congregation bring such pressure upon a Gospel minister and upon their Presbytery, to remove Gospel preaching from their congregation, the Presbytery caves in, surrenders to legal blackmail, and accommodates these godless lawyers. Why was this done by Presbytery? Because the elders there – both teaching and ruling – had already denied Christ in their hearts!
Third, examples could be given of the difficulties of ministers who oppose the ordination of women to the eldership being pressurised to say nothing, or to withdraw from services where such unbiblical ordinations take place. Opposition to unbiblical ecumenism by reformed ministers – which is non-existent in today’s decadent church – is met with secret plans to effect their removal from the ministry, and facilitated by evangelical, ‘reformed’ colleagues.
This is where the church in Ireland is at today. There is not one minister known to me who is working for reformation within the churches; they are all content with how things are. Admittedly there are few good ministers in these churches, but none who desire the reformation of the church according to the Word of God. Reformation is a most costly business, too costly for cosy ministers. A blind eye is turned to what they know to be wrong, but they still tolerate it – to save their own bacon, no doubt. No one is prepared to make themselves “slightly obnoxious” for the sake of the truth, or the cause of Christ and the Gospel. And these men still take to themselves the honoured titles of reformed ministers, and evangelical preachers.
A former Presbyterian minister told me today, that in his prayers, he is pleading for God to raise up ‘true men of God’ who will stand in the gap, lift high the standard of truth and righteousness. If and when they come is in God’s sovereign gift; but that they are urgently needed within organised Christendom is undeniable.
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
Calvin Celebrated
Coming soon is this new book from the pen of Dr Alan C Clifford, minister of Norwich Reformed Church. This clearly written and research-based biography of the great French Reformer has been awaited with eagerness by those who know Dr Clifford's other works on authentic Calvinism, in which he ably demonstrates how the later Calvinists have departed from the real John Calvin in their theological formulations, and in so doing, do despite to the memory of the Reformer, and to his legacy.
Clifford believes that Moise Amyraut is the true interpreter of Calvin, and he, along with the reformed ministers who received their theological training at the Saumur Academy in France, are to be identified as Calvin's true sons. Indeed, as Clifford indicates, Calvin is the true 'prototype' of the Huguenots, or French protestants who suffered so painfully for their faith, especially under the reign of Louis XIV. His chapter on Amyraut may come as something of a surprise to those who do not see the Saumur professor as standing in Calvin's line, but the fact that Clifford places him there should be a reason to get this book and read what the author has to say.
Indeed, when Amyraut was being charged with heresy by other reformed theologians, he was acquitted at the Synod of Alencon in 1637, the reason being that had they condemned Amyraut for his teaching, which the ultra-orthodox viewed as erroneous, they would also have been condemning Calvin. Why? Because Amyraut defended his theological position by numerous appeals to the teaching of Calvin.
The book also treats Amyraut contemporary and life-long friend, Jean Daille, the French Reformed Churches D. M. Lloyd-Jones, the little known French reformed martyr Fulchran Rey, Claude Brousson, and Antoine Court.
The book ends with a Reformed liturgy and an explanation of the symbolism of the Huguenot Cross.
The 168 pages of this paperback are filled with interesting insights into Calvin and his true sons. Whoever reads and studies this book will benefit not only from gaining an accurate historical perspective on the reformer and his sons, but will experience a real spiritual and theological treat.
Details below.
CALVIN CELEBRATED
The Genevan Reformer
and His Huguenot Sons
A Contribution to the John Calvin Quincentenary1509-2009
by
Alan C. Clifford
Charenton Reformed Publishing
AVAILABLE 1 June 2009
Pbk 168 pages Price: £9.95 (£11.00 inc. p&p)
Published in Great Britain 2009
by
Charenton Reformed Publishing
8 Le Strange Close, Norwich NR2 3PN
www.christiancharenton.co.uk
ISBN 978-0-9555165-3-5
Clifford believes that Moise Amyraut is the true interpreter of Calvin, and he, along with the reformed ministers who received their theological training at the Saumur Academy in France, are to be identified as Calvin's true sons. Indeed, as Clifford indicates, Calvin is the true 'prototype' of the Huguenots, or French protestants who suffered so painfully for their faith, especially under the reign of Louis XIV. His chapter on Amyraut may come as something of a surprise to those who do not see the Saumur professor as standing in Calvin's line, but the fact that Clifford places him there should be a reason to get this book and read what the author has to say.
Indeed, when Amyraut was being charged with heresy by other reformed theologians, he was acquitted at the Synod of Alencon in 1637, the reason being that had they condemned Amyraut for his teaching, which the ultra-orthodox viewed as erroneous, they would also have been condemning Calvin. Why? Because Amyraut defended his theological position by numerous appeals to the teaching of Calvin.
The book also treats Amyraut contemporary and life-long friend, Jean Daille, the French Reformed Churches D. M. Lloyd-Jones, the little known French reformed martyr Fulchran Rey, Claude Brousson, and Antoine Court.
The book ends with a Reformed liturgy and an explanation of the symbolism of the Huguenot Cross.
The 168 pages of this paperback are filled with interesting insights into Calvin and his true sons. Whoever reads and studies this book will benefit not only from gaining an accurate historical perspective on the reformer and his sons, but will experience a real spiritual and theological treat.
Details below.
CALVIN CELEBRATED
The Genevan Reformer
and His Huguenot Sons
A Contribution to the John Calvin Quincentenary1509-2009
by
Alan C. Clifford
Charenton Reformed Publishing
AVAILABLE 1 June 2009
Pbk 168 pages Price: £9.95 (£11.00 inc. p&p)
Published in Great Britain 2009
by
Charenton Reformed Publishing
8 Le Strange Close, Norwich NR2 3PN
www.christiancharenton.co.uk
ISBN 978-0-9555165-3-5
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Calvinistic/Huguenot Order of Worship
This post has been provided by Dr Alan C Clifford, Minister, Norwich Reformed Church.
WORSHIP
Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
(Ps. 124: 8)
PSALM 121
(Anglo-Genevan Psalter)
Unto the hills I lift my eyes.
From where comes all my aid
When troubled or afraid?
The LORD shall to my help arise,
He who made earth and heaven:
His aid is freely given.
2 Your Keeper slumbers not, nor shall
He cause your foot to fail
When dangers you assail.
Lo, he who keeps His Israel
Will neither sleep nor slumber:
Nought shall your life encumber.
3 The LORD your Keeper is for aye,
A shade on your right hand:
You shall securely stand.
The moon by night, the sun by day
Shall not afflict or smite you,
But with their radiance light you.
4 The LORD will guard and keep you when
You meet with harm or strife:
He will preserve your life.
When going out or coming in,
The LORD will you deliver
From this time forth, for ever.
THE WORD OF GOD
(The Geneva Bible)
Also we know that all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose. For those which he knew before, he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestinated, them also he called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against us? Who spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death, how shall he not with him give us all things also? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen? it is God that justifieth. Who shall condemn? it is Christ which is dead: yea, or rather, which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter: Nevertheless, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8: 28-39)
PRAYER
(John Calvin)
...Moreover, we offer up our prayers unto Thee, O most Gracious God and most merciful Father, for all men in general, that as Thou art pleased to be acknowledged the Saviour of the whole human race by the redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ Thy Son, so those who are still strangers to the knowledge of him, and immersed in darkness, and held captive by ignorance and error, may, by Thy Holy Spirit shining upon them, and by Thy gospel sounding in their ears, be brought back to the right way of salvation, which consists in knowing Thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent...(Forms of Prayer for the Church).
GOSPEL SERMON
(John Calvin)
Introduction
The salvation brought by Christ is common to the whole human race, inasmuch as Christ, the author of salvation, is descended from Adam, the common father of us all (Institutes, II. xiii. 3). First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us (Institutes, III. i. 1).
I
It is true that St John says generally, that [God] loved the world. And why? For Jesus Christ offers himself generally to all men without exception to be their redeemer...Thus we see three degrees of the love that God has shown us in our Lord Jesus Christ. The first is in respect of the redemption that was purchased in the person of him that gave himself to death for us, and became accursed to reconcile us to God his Father. That is the first degree of love, which extends to all men, inasmuch as Jesus Christ reaches out his arms to call and allure all men both great and small, and to win them to him. But there is a special love for those to whom the gospel is preached: which is that God testifies to them that he will make them partakers of the benefit that was purchased for them by the death and passion of his Son. And forasmuch as we be of that number, therefore we are double bound already to our God: here are two bonds which hold us as it were [closely] tied to him. Now let us come to the third bond, which depends upon the third love that God shows us: which is that he not only causes the gospel to be preached to us, but also makes us to feel the power thereof, so as we know him to be our Father and Saviour, not doubting but that our sins are forgiven us for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, who brings us the gift of the Holy Spirit, to reform us after his own image.
True it is that the effect of [Christ’s] death comes not to the whole world. Nevertheless, forasmuch as it is not in us to discern between the righteous and the sinners that go to destruction, but that Jesus Christ has suffered his death and passion as well for them as for us, therefore it behoves us to labour to bring every man to salvation, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be available to them (Sermons on Job).
Christ...was offered as our Saviour...Christ brought life because the heavenly Father does not wish the human race that He loves to perish...But we should remember...that the secret love in which our heavenly Father embraced us to Himself is, since it flows from His eternal good pleasure, precedent to all other causes; but the grace which He wants to be testified to us and by which we are stirred to the hope of salvation, begins with the reconciliation provided through Christ...Thus before we can have any feeling of His Fatherly kindness, the blood of Christ must intercede to reconcile God to us...And He has used a general term [whosoever], both to invite indiscriminately all to share in life and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the significance of the term 'world' which He had used before. For although there is nothing in the world deserving of God's favour, He nevertheless shows He is favourable to the whole world when He calls all without exception to the faith of Christ, which is indeed an entry into life (Comment on John 3: 16).
II
Christ...offers salvation to all indiscriminately and stretches out His arms to embrace all, that all may be the more encouraged to repent. And yet He heightens by an important detail the crime of rejecting an invitation so kind and gracious; for it is as if He had said: ‘See, I have come to call all; and forgetting the role of judge, my one aim is to attract and rescue from destruction those who already seem doubly ruined.’ Hence no man is condemned for despising the Gospel save he who spurns the lovely news of salvation and deliberately decides to bring destruction on himself (Comment on John 12: 47).
Moreover, let us remember that although life is promised generally to all who believe in Christ, faith is not common to all. Christ is open to all and displayed to all, but God opens the eyes only of the elect that they may seek Him by faith...And whenever our sins press hard on us, whenever Satan would drive us to despair, we must hold up this shield, that God does not want us to be overwhelmed in everlasting destruction, for He has ordained His Son to be the Saviour of the world (Comment on John 3: 16, cont).
This is His wondrous love towards the human race, that He desires all men to be saved, and is prepared to bring even the perishing to safety...It could be asked here, if God does not want any to perish, why do so many in fact perish? My reply is that no mention is made here of the secret decree of God by which the wicked are doomed to their own ruin, but only of His loving-kindness as it is made known to us in the Gospel. There God stretches out His hand to all alike, but He only grasps those (in such a way as to lead to Himself) whom He has chosen before the foundation of the world (Comment on 2 Peter 3: 9).
III
Since it is of very great importance to us to be so thoroughly persuaded of the fatherly love of God, that we continue to glory in it without fear, Paul cites the price of our reconciliation in order to confirm God’s favours towards us. It is a notable and shining proof of His inestimable love that the Father did not hesitate to bestow His Son for our salvation. Paul therefore draws his argument from the greater to the less--since He had nothing dearer, more precious, or more excellent than His Son, He will neglect nothing which He foresees will be profitable to us. This passage ought to admonish and arouse us to consider what Christ brings to us with Himself, for as He is a pledge of God’s boundless love towards us, so He has not been sent to us void of blessings or empty-handed, but filled with all heavenly treasures, so that those who possess Him may not want anything that is necessary for their complete happiness (Comment on Romans 8: 32).
I approve of the common reading [of Isaiah 53: 11], that He alone bore the punishment of many, because the guilt of the whole world was laid upon Him. It is evident from other passages...that ‘many’ sometimes denotes ‘all’ ...That, then, is how our Lord Jesus bore the sins and iniquities of many. But in fact, this word ‘many’ is often as good as equivalent to ‘all’. And indeed, our Lord Jesus was offered to all the world. For it is not speaking of three or four when it says: ‘God so loved the world, that He spared not His only Son.’ But yet we must notice what the Evangelist adds in this passage: ‘That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but obtain eternal life.’ Our Lord Jesus suffered for all and there is neither great nor small who is not inexcusable today, for we can obtain salvation in Him. Unbelievers who turn away from Him and who deprive themselves of Him by their malice are today doubly culpable. For how will they excuse their ingratitude in not receiving the blessing in which they could share by faith? And let us realize that if we come flocking to our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall not hinder one another and prevent Him being sufficient for each of us...Let us not fear to come to Him in great numbers, and each one of us bring his neighbours, seeing that He is sufficient to save us all (Sermons on Isaiah 53).
Let us fall down before the face of our good God...that it may please Him to grant His grace, not only to us, but also to all people and nations of the earth, bringing back all poor ignorant souls from the miserable bondage of error and darkness, to the right way of salvation (Calvin's usual end of sermon prayer).
HYMN
Dedicated to Calvin & the Huguenots, and all who suffer for Christ in every age.
By the Author (Rev Dr Alan C Clifford), based on Romans 8. Tune: Psalm 68 (Anglo-Genevan Psalter)
ALMIGHTY Father, Lord and King,
Your suffering saints unite to sing
With holy jubilation!
We worship now before your throne,
Rejoicing since we are your own
By merciful adoption;
Predestined to behold your face,
Chosen to know such matchless grace,
Our souls rejoice with trembling;
Confiding in your sovereign power,
We are secure from hour to hour,
For God, our God, is reigning!
2 Almighty Saviour, Son divine
In whom the Father's glories shine,
Accept our adoration;
Holy Redeemer, you have died,
We by your blood are justified,
Freed from all condemnation!
Jesus, our Prophet, Priest and King,
Your ransomed ones rejoice to sing,
Despite our tribulation;
We conquer through your mighty love,
We have the victory from above,
Blest by your intercession.
3 Almighty Spirit, by your breath
All God's elect are raised from death;
Blessèd regeneration!
Spirit of Christ, come reign within,
Subdue we pray, our every sin,
Receive our supplication;
Help us in our infirmity,
Strengthen the sons of liberty;
In earnest expectation,
May we with joy, and patiently,
Wait for the glory yet to be,
Assured of our redemption!
FINAL PRAYER
(John Calvin)
GRANT, Almighty God, that since we are here exposed to so many evils, which suddenly arise like violent tempests, - O grant, that with hearts raised up to heaven, we may yet acquiesce in Thy hidden providence, and be so tossed here and there, according to the judgement of our flesh, as yet to remain fixed in this truth, which Thou wouldst have us to believe--that all things are governed by Thee, and that nothing takes place except through Thy will, so that in the greatest confusions, we may always clearly see Thy hand, and that Thy counsel is altogether right, and perfectly and singularly wise and just; and may we ever call upon Thee and flee to this port--that we are tossed here and there in order that Thou mayest nevertheless always sustain us by Thine hand until we shall at length be received into that blessed rest which has been procured for us by the blood of Thine only-begotten Son. Amen.
WORSHIP
Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.
(Ps. 124: 8)
PSALM 121
(Anglo-Genevan Psalter)
Unto the hills I lift my eyes.
From where comes all my aid
When troubled or afraid?
The LORD shall to my help arise,
He who made earth and heaven:
His aid is freely given.
2 Your Keeper slumbers not, nor shall
He cause your foot to fail
When dangers you assail.
Lo, he who keeps His Israel
Will neither sleep nor slumber:
Nought shall your life encumber.
3 The LORD your Keeper is for aye,
A shade on your right hand:
You shall securely stand.
The moon by night, the sun by day
Shall not afflict or smite you,
But with their radiance light you.
4 The LORD will guard and keep you when
You meet with harm or strife:
He will preserve your life.
When going out or coming in,
The LORD will you deliver
From this time forth, for ever.
THE WORD OF GOD
(The Geneva Bible)
Also we know that all things work together for the best unto them that love God, even to them that are called of his purpose. For those which he knew before, he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he predestinated, them also he called, and whom he called, them also he justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be on our side, who can be against us? Who spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all to death, how shall he not with him give us all things also? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s chosen? it is God that justifieth. Who shall condemn? it is Christ which is dead: yea, or rather, which is risen again, who is also at the right hand of God, and maketh request also for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter: Nevertheless, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Romans 8: 28-39)
PRAYER
(John Calvin)
...Moreover, we offer up our prayers unto Thee, O most Gracious God and most merciful Father, for all men in general, that as Thou art pleased to be acknowledged the Saviour of the whole human race by the redemption accomplished by Jesus Christ Thy Son, so those who are still strangers to the knowledge of him, and immersed in darkness, and held captive by ignorance and error, may, by Thy Holy Spirit shining upon them, and by Thy gospel sounding in their ears, be brought back to the right way of salvation, which consists in knowing Thee the true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent...(Forms of Prayer for the Church).
GOSPEL SERMON
(John Calvin)
Introduction
The salvation brought by Christ is common to the whole human race, inasmuch as Christ, the author of salvation, is descended from Adam, the common father of us all (Institutes, II. xiii. 3). First, we must understand that as long as Christ remains outside of us, and we are separated from him, all that he has suffered and done for the salvation of the human race remains useless and of no value for us (Institutes, III. i. 1).
I
It is true that St John says generally, that [God] loved the world. And why? For Jesus Christ offers himself generally to all men without exception to be their redeemer...Thus we see three degrees of the love that God has shown us in our Lord Jesus Christ. The first is in respect of the redemption that was purchased in the person of him that gave himself to death for us, and became accursed to reconcile us to God his Father. That is the first degree of love, which extends to all men, inasmuch as Jesus Christ reaches out his arms to call and allure all men both great and small, and to win them to him. But there is a special love for those to whom the gospel is preached: which is that God testifies to them that he will make them partakers of the benefit that was purchased for them by the death and passion of his Son. And forasmuch as we be of that number, therefore we are double bound already to our God: here are two bonds which hold us as it were [closely] tied to him. Now let us come to the third bond, which depends upon the third love that God shows us: which is that he not only causes the gospel to be preached to us, but also makes us to feel the power thereof, so as we know him to be our Father and Saviour, not doubting but that our sins are forgiven us for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, who brings us the gift of the Holy Spirit, to reform us after his own image.
True it is that the effect of [Christ’s] death comes not to the whole world. Nevertheless, forasmuch as it is not in us to discern between the righteous and the sinners that go to destruction, but that Jesus Christ has suffered his death and passion as well for them as for us, therefore it behoves us to labour to bring every man to salvation, that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be available to them (Sermons on Job).
Christ...was offered as our Saviour...Christ brought life because the heavenly Father does not wish the human race that He loves to perish...But we should remember...that the secret love in which our heavenly Father embraced us to Himself is, since it flows from His eternal good pleasure, precedent to all other causes; but the grace which He wants to be testified to us and by which we are stirred to the hope of salvation, begins with the reconciliation provided through Christ...Thus before we can have any feeling of His Fatherly kindness, the blood of Christ must intercede to reconcile God to us...And He has used a general term [whosoever], both to invite indiscriminately all to share in life and to cut off every excuse from unbelievers. Such is also the significance of the term 'world' which He had used before. For although there is nothing in the world deserving of God's favour, He nevertheless shows He is favourable to the whole world when He calls all without exception to the faith of Christ, which is indeed an entry into life (Comment on John 3: 16).
II
Christ...offers salvation to all indiscriminately and stretches out His arms to embrace all, that all may be the more encouraged to repent. And yet He heightens by an important detail the crime of rejecting an invitation so kind and gracious; for it is as if He had said: ‘See, I have come to call all; and forgetting the role of judge, my one aim is to attract and rescue from destruction those who already seem doubly ruined.’ Hence no man is condemned for despising the Gospel save he who spurns the lovely news of salvation and deliberately decides to bring destruction on himself (Comment on John 12: 47).
Moreover, let us remember that although life is promised generally to all who believe in Christ, faith is not common to all. Christ is open to all and displayed to all, but God opens the eyes only of the elect that they may seek Him by faith...And whenever our sins press hard on us, whenever Satan would drive us to despair, we must hold up this shield, that God does not want us to be overwhelmed in everlasting destruction, for He has ordained His Son to be the Saviour of the world (Comment on John 3: 16, cont).
This is His wondrous love towards the human race, that He desires all men to be saved, and is prepared to bring even the perishing to safety...It could be asked here, if God does not want any to perish, why do so many in fact perish? My reply is that no mention is made here of the secret decree of God by which the wicked are doomed to their own ruin, but only of His loving-kindness as it is made known to us in the Gospel. There God stretches out His hand to all alike, but He only grasps those (in such a way as to lead to Himself) whom He has chosen before the foundation of the world (Comment on 2 Peter 3: 9).
III
Since it is of very great importance to us to be so thoroughly persuaded of the fatherly love of God, that we continue to glory in it without fear, Paul cites the price of our reconciliation in order to confirm God’s favours towards us. It is a notable and shining proof of His inestimable love that the Father did not hesitate to bestow His Son for our salvation. Paul therefore draws his argument from the greater to the less--since He had nothing dearer, more precious, or more excellent than His Son, He will neglect nothing which He foresees will be profitable to us. This passage ought to admonish and arouse us to consider what Christ brings to us with Himself, for as He is a pledge of God’s boundless love towards us, so He has not been sent to us void of blessings or empty-handed, but filled with all heavenly treasures, so that those who possess Him may not want anything that is necessary for their complete happiness (Comment on Romans 8: 32).
I approve of the common reading [of Isaiah 53: 11], that He alone bore the punishment of many, because the guilt of the whole world was laid upon Him. It is evident from other passages...that ‘many’ sometimes denotes ‘all’ ...That, then, is how our Lord Jesus bore the sins and iniquities of many. But in fact, this word ‘many’ is often as good as equivalent to ‘all’. And indeed, our Lord Jesus was offered to all the world. For it is not speaking of three or four when it says: ‘God so loved the world, that He spared not His only Son.’ But yet we must notice what the Evangelist adds in this passage: ‘That whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but obtain eternal life.’ Our Lord Jesus suffered for all and there is neither great nor small who is not inexcusable today, for we can obtain salvation in Him. Unbelievers who turn away from Him and who deprive themselves of Him by their malice are today doubly culpable. For how will they excuse their ingratitude in not receiving the blessing in which they could share by faith? And let us realize that if we come flocking to our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall not hinder one another and prevent Him being sufficient for each of us...Let us not fear to come to Him in great numbers, and each one of us bring his neighbours, seeing that He is sufficient to save us all (Sermons on Isaiah 53).
Let us fall down before the face of our good God...that it may please Him to grant His grace, not only to us, but also to all people and nations of the earth, bringing back all poor ignorant souls from the miserable bondage of error and darkness, to the right way of salvation (Calvin's usual end of sermon prayer).
HYMN
Dedicated to Calvin & the Huguenots, and all who suffer for Christ in every age.
By the Author (Rev Dr Alan C Clifford), based on Romans 8. Tune: Psalm 68 (Anglo-Genevan Psalter)
ALMIGHTY Father, Lord and King,
Your suffering saints unite to sing
With holy jubilation!
We worship now before your throne,
Rejoicing since we are your own
By merciful adoption;
Predestined to behold your face,
Chosen to know such matchless grace,
Our souls rejoice with trembling;
Confiding in your sovereign power,
We are secure from hour to hour,
For God, our God, is reigning!
2 Almighty Saviour, Son divine
In whom the Father's glories shine,
Accept our adoration;
Holy Redeemer, you have died,
We by your blood are justified,
Freed from all condemnation!
Jesus, our Prophet, Priest and King,
Your ransomed ones rejoice to sing,
Despite our tribulation;
We conquer through your mighty love,
We have the victory from above,
Blest by your intercession.
3 Almighty Spirit, by your breath
All God's elect are raised from death;
Blessèd regeneration!
Spirit of Christ, come reign within,
Subdue we pray, our every sin,
Receive our supplication;
Help us in our infirmity,
Strengthen the sons of liberty;
In earnest expectation,
May we with joy, and patiently,
Wait for the glory yet to be,
Assured of our redemption!
FINAL PRAYER
(John Calvin)
GRANT, Almighty God, that since we are here exposed to so many evils, which suddenly arise like violent tempests, - O grant, that with hearts raised up to heaven, we may yet acquiesce in Thy hidden providence, and be so tossed here and there, according to the judgement of our flesh, as yet to remain fixed in this truth, which Thou wouldst have us to believe--that all things are governed by Thee, and that nothing takes place except through Thy will, so that in the greatest confusions, we may always clearly see Thy hand, and that Thy counsel is altogether right, and perfectly and singularly wise and just; and may we ever call upon Thee and flee to this port--that we are tossed here and there in order that Thou mayest nevertheless always sustain us by Thine hand until we shall at length be received into that blessed rest which has been procured for us by the blood of Thine only-begotten Son. Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)