Reformed Archeology

Reformed
Archeology

Excavating and updating the works of great Reformers and other Preachers from the past!

Book of the Month

"Hard Sayings" by R.C. Sproul

God gave us His Word so that we may know Him and live by His truth. So what should we do when we're reading the Bible and a difficult passage stops us in our tracks? Sometimes the solution is right there on the page—if we know where to look-while other passages gain clarity in light of the rest of the Bible or its historical background. With the help of an experienced guide, we can overcome the obstacles to our progress and know God's Word more deeply. In Hard Sayings, Dr. R.C. Sproul applies his wisdom as a theologian and Bible teacher to some of the most challenging verses in Scrip-ture. By showing us how to navigate tough texts in the Old and New Testaments, he outlines key principles to help us grow in our knowledge of God.

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“Two types of peace are to be dreaded more than all the troubles in the world: Peace with sin, and peace in sin.” — JOSEPH ALLEINE (1634–1668)
#peace #sin

A person may be theologically knowledgeable and spiritually ignorant. — STEPHEN CHARNOCK (1628–1680) #knowledge #ignorance #spirituality

As flowers are the joy of plants, so joy is the blossom of our graces. — NATHANIEL HOLMES (1599–1678)
#joy #puritanquotes

“There are only two lessons for Christians to learn: the one is to enjoy God in everything; the other is to enjoy everything in God.”

CHARLES SIMEON (1759–1836)
#rejoiceinthelord #enjoy #rejoice #charlessimeon

“Whatever a person depends on, whatever rules his mind, whatever governs his devotions, whatever is the main object of his delight, is his god.”

CHARLES SPURGEON
(1834–1892; updated) #idolquotes #devotion #themainthing #charlesspurgeonquotes

Michael Wigglesworth (1631–1705) was an extremely introspective and depressed Puritan pastor, physician and poet (whose poem “The Day of Doom” was a bestseller in early New England). He worried constantly about his spiritual and physical well-being. Yet his contemporaries loved and respected this “feeble little shadow of a man,” as Cotton Mather (1663–1728) called him. At one point, a psychosomatic disorder came over Wigglesworth that made him feel he should not preach. His confused and disappointed congregation voted to find a replacement for Wigglesworth, an unknown and unnamed preacher who went on to embezzle the church’s funds. Thereafter, Wigglesworth was reinstated and encouraged to take up preaching again, despite his anxiety — which he faithfully did for the Gospel’s sake. A biographer writes: “His commitment to both the people of Malden[, Massachusetts] and God were his primary concern until his death.” #puritan #puritans #michaelwigglesworth #anxiety #faith

“The fear of death is ingrained in the common nature of all people, but faith works it out of Christians.”
⚰️🪦⚱️
VAVASOR POWELL
(1617–1670) #fearofdeath #faith #christians

Happy Reformation Day! — October 31, 1517
#martinluthermeme #reformationday #martinluther #thereformation #october31

“In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in everything charity.”

Though often attributed to the great theologian Augustine of Hippo, the above phrase first occurred in a tract on Christian unity written (ca. 1627) by an otherwise obscure German Lutheran theologian of the early seventeenth century, Rupertus Meldenius (1582–1651), during the Thirty Years War (1618–1648), a bloody time in European history in which religious tensions played a significant role. The saying has since found great favor among subsequent writers such as Richard Baxter, and has even been adopted as a motto by the Moravian Church of North America and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. #unity #liberty #charity

“Like Hebrew letters, some forms of providence have to be read backwards.”

JOHN FLAVEL (c. 1630–1691) #providence #divineprovidence #johnflavel

Back in the Victorian era, Christians weren’t known for their sense of humor. In fact, Charles Spurgeon wrote in his autobiography that the twelfth commandment must have been, “You shall [wear] a sad face on Sunday.” But, the Prince of preachers did not take that approach. He remarked that it’s “less a crime to cause a momentary laughter than a half-hour’s profound slumber.”
#humor #laughter #spurgeon

“Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah‬ ‭23‬:‭32‬ ‭ESV‬‬). #ministry #calling #matthewpoole #sent

“Believe God’s love and power more than you believe your own feelings and experiences. Your Rock is Christ, and it is not the Rock that goes up and down but the sea.” — SAMUEL RUTHERFORD (1600–1661)
#faithquotes #christtherock #samuelrutherford

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭ESV‬‬). #charlesspurgeonbook #spurgeonbooks #eccentricpreachers #johnberridge #2timothy

This quote by Christopher Love (1618–1651) emphasizes that obtaining Heaven — the Christian’s ultimate, or end goal in life — requires active pursuit and unwavering commitment to Christ throughout a person’s life, just like a runner striving to reach the finish line or a soldier dedicated to duty until their final breath; implying that merely wishing for Heaven isn't enough, one must actively strain towards it with perseverance and faithfulness.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭13–14‬ ‭ESV‬‬).

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭ESV).

He who prays as he should will endeavor to live as he prays. — JOHN OWEN (1616–1683)
#prayer #christianliving #johnowen #johnowenquotes #prayerquotes

On this day in history — October 16, 1555 — Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley were burned at the stake in Oxford, England for their refusal to renounce their Protestant faith. As follows is Charles Spurgeon’s retelling of their martyrdom (“Eccentric Preachers: Updated Edition” ch. 4, p. 68; Aneko Press 2024):

“Under Edward VI, Hugh Latimer enjoyed great influence, but the return of Queen Mary I soon brought him strong opposition. Fearless, honest, and straightforward, Latimer rejoiced when he was called to lay down his bishopric, and when he was summoned to be tried for his life, the old man hastened to appear and defend our holy faith to the death. His words at the stake were typical of the man. Addressing Bishop Nicholas Ridley, who was condemned to die with him, he said, ‘Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play the man. We shall this day light such a candle by God’s grace in England as I trust shall never be put out.’ And by God’s grace it never shall be.” #christianhistory #october16 #onthisday #hughlatimer #nicholasridley

“If Satan’s arrows have wounded us, faith soothes the stinging pain of sin by applying to us the precious ointment of Christ’s blood.”

CHRISTOPHER LOVE
(1618–1651) #bloodofchrist #affliction #christopherlove

“Satan never places a dish before people that they do not love.” — THOMAS WATSON (1620–1686) #temptation #thomaswatson

“Englishmen learn Christ’s law best in English. Moses heard God’s law in his own tongue; so did Christ’s apostles.”

JOHN WYCLIFFE (ca. 1330–1384)
#bibletranslations #bible #biblequotes

You must put on the whole armor of God, and then advance in the strength of the Lord. Fall in line, and the outcome will be glorious: just don’t forget to call on your General to help. Do all from Him and under Him. — ROBERT HARRIS (1581–1658)
#armorofgod

In 1665, William Dyer (1632–1696) preached at St. Anne’s, Aldersgate Street, London. He claimed in his sermons that the bubonic plague epidemic that had killed 100,000 or more Londoners and continued to ravage the rest of the country was God’s punishment on wicked, licentious London, and the next year, obviously before the September 1666 fire, he published the sermons with the title “Christ’s Voice to London.”

“Oh, London, London! God speaks to you by his judgments, and because you would not hear the voice of his Word, he has made you to feel the stroke of his rod! Oh, great city! how has the plague broke in upon you, because of your abominations! ‘They provoked the Lord to anger by their wicked deeds—so a plague broke out among them!’ (Psalm 106:29). Oh, you of this city! how is the wrath of God kindled against you, that such multitudes of thousands have died within your borders, by this severe plague, God’s immediate sword! London! how are your streets thinned, your widows increased, and your cemeteries filled, your inhabitants fled, your trade decayed! Oh! therefore lay to heart, you who are yet alive, all these things, and turn from your wicked ways, that the cry of your prayers may outcry the cry of your sins, and be like the city of Nineveh, who believed Jonah’s message from God, who humbled themselves, and fasted, and cried mightily unto the Lord, ‘The Ninevites believed God. They declared a fast, and all of them, from the greatest to the least, put on sackcloth. When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, took off his royal robes, covered himself with sackcloth and sat down in the dust!’ (Jonah 3:5–6). Oh, let not the heathen outstrip professing Christians! Did Nineveh repent and turn from their wicked ways—and shall not London?”

What must Dyer have felt when the 1665 plague was followed by a 1666 fire that burned 70,000 people out of their homes and incinerated several square miles of the teeming city; thus, consuming much of the old, rickety, closely-built neighborhoods of London.

“To bless God for mercies is the way to increase them; to bless Him for miseries is the way to remove them.”

WILLIAM DYER (1632–1696)
#williamdyer #mercy #misery

“Christ intends the true Christian to prove all things by the Word of God: all churches, all ministers, all teaching, all preaching, all doctrines, all sermons, all writings, all opinions, all practices.” — JOHN WYCLIFFE (ca. 1330–1384) #reformationmonth #johnwycliffe #bible

“The leaves of high trees shake with every gust of wind; and every breath, every hurtful word will distress and torment an arrogant person. But the humble person has the advantage when he is despised, since no one can think more lowly of him than he does of himself.”

HENRY SCOUGAL (1650–1678), “The Life of God in the Soul of Man” (1677; updated into modern English) #puritanquotes #arrogance #humility

“Christ’s ministers are your souls’ physicians. We are not fiddlers to tickle your ears, nor confectioners to please your palates, but physicians to cure your diseases, and if our most necessary medicines nauseate you, we dare not withhold them and gratify you with sugared poisons.”

DANIEL BURGESS (1645–1713)
[Charles Spurgeon, “Eccentric Preachers (Updated Edition),” p. 75] #preachers #ministers #pastors

“Christ is an expert physician at all diseases, especially at the bandaging of a broken heart.” — RICHARD SIBBES (1577–1635) #jesus #christ #healing #brokenheartquotes

It is nothing to endure tribulation for a couple of days, and then to triumph in the presence of God and His Lamb forever! — NATHANIEL VINCENT (1639–1697) #victoryinjesus #tribulation #triumph #nathanielvincent

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