Meet the Puritans

In the first article of this series on covenant theology, we saw that “covenant” is, exegetically, essentially an “agreement.” Isaiah 28:15, 18 practically demonstrates this by twice using the words interchangeably as poetic synonyms. We also noted that some take strong exception to such an...

"You keep using that word—I do not think it means what you think it means." Reflecting on an essay he wrote some years ago, Richard Phillips once referenced this humorous quote from The Princess Bride to illustrate the confusion that abounds over the biblical term "covenant." [1] Such confusion is...

“The heart of the matter is this: Preach one Christ, by Christ, to the praise of Christ.” [1] These words were written by the great Puritan William Perkins (1558-1602) as his summary of the task of preaching. Perkins has been called the “principal architect of the Puritan movement.” [2] Although he...

Having shown his readers the great value of Christ’s freedom through the application of the “law of the Spirit of life,” Manton turns towards uses. For Puritan preachers, "uses" were the application of the text to the hearts, minds, and wills of the hearers. These uses were intended to change the...

In His glorious high priestly prayer (Jn. 17), Jesus reveals His heart for His followers. He earnestly asks that His glory might be made known to the elect. The reason? Such knowledge will strengthen their faith, allowing them to persevere in union with their Savior. One of the central themes of...

Read more about indwelling sin in the author's previous post. Owen, in the opening chapter of his work The Mortification of Sin states that, “The vigor, and power, and comfort of our spiritual life depends on the mortification of the deeds of the flesh.” [1] Owen’s goal for this work, according to...

Many consider the Westminster Standards an excellent summary of Reformed theology. At first glance, however, it appears that this legacy of 17th-century Puritanism has little to say about union with Christ. Do the Standards downplay the precious truth that we are in Christ? Or is there perhaps more...

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8 :2 In our circles today, it is not popular to speak about the Gospel as Law or the Law of the Gospel. The Gospel message is one that is received by faith and the division between Law and...

In 1616, ninety-nine years after Martin Luther began his reforming work in Wittenberg, John Owen was born in Oxford, England. John Owen, it may be said, contributed as much to the theological landscape of the 17th century and Martin Luther did in the century prior. Like Luther, Owen’s life and work...

If one characteristic could describe the Puritan movement as a whole—apart from their personal piety—I believe it would be the Puritans’ ability to penetrate both heart and mind. Their knack for bringing conviction to the stubborn, hope to the hopeless, and relief to the weary and heavy-laden ought...