James Petigru Boyce 120 years on

Thanks to God for the life and testimony of James Petigru Boyce (1827-1888), one of the co-founders of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who went home to be with the Lord on Friday, December 28, 1888. His legacy is still bearing rich fruit, God be praised.

In the faculty minutes of January 2, 1889, his colleagues acknowledged Boyce "as the foremost leader in the enterprise of establishing our seminary" and recognized the "many years of thought and exertion" he gave to the school "and for which he made many sacrifices."

What a privilege for Southern today to have a man of such sterling spiritual calibre as Boyce (not to mention Broadus, Manly and Williams) as a founding father. May the truths he loved be adored by all who teach at and attend the school he co-founded and sacrificially laboured to make a beacon for truth and for the glory of God.

John Gill, "the neglected Baptist theologian"

Working currently on the Charleston Association and its use of the Second London Confession of Faith I noticed that in its publication of this confession in 1813, the Association also published a Summary of Church Discipline. One of the distinguishing marks of the latter is its liberal quoting of the Baptist theologian John Gill (1697-1771). Despite some recent studies of Gill—including a collection at the time of the tercentennial of his birth—Gill is still very much, as Paul Helm has recently noted, “the neglected Baptist theologian” (December). Because of this I am very much looking forward to Prof. Helm’s promised postings on Gill in the new year. See his blog: "Helm's Deep".

New painting of Andrew Fuller discovered and bought

I have long suspected that there was another oil painting of Andrew Fuller besides the one hanging in the dining hall of Regent’s Park College, Oxford. Well, such has proven to be the case. Another Fuller painting, a portrait in oils, has recently been sold at auction and is now in the hands of a lover of Fuller’s works in the south of England. This is tremendously exciting news. The portrait is by Samuel Medley, Jr (1769-1857), who was a Baptist layman and a member of John Rippon’s Church, had a career in the stock exchange and was one of the founders of University College, the University of London. He was also a painter, and exhibited at the Royal Academy. The painting was done in 1802 and was the basis for the frontispiece in John Ryland’s life of the Baptist divine.

The sale was in Northumbria, far from Fuller country, and raises questions naturally about how the painting came to be in that part of England.

I am deeply thankful to the new owner of the painting for contacting me, and hope in the very near future to display a picture of the portrait on this blog.

Doctrine, revival and Basil Manly Jr.

I am always amazed at those who think that reform/revival can genuinely take place without concern for doctrine. Classic orthodoxy is essential for anything that can be called a move of God. And how sad when such substantial doctrine is in place and it be taken away to make way for so-called better ways of doing ministry! Basil Manly, Jr. put it this way in his great hymn: "Soldiers of Christ, in truth arrayed/A world in ruins needs your aid." It is only as we are arrayed in truth that we can help anyone in this world.

Conference on Southern Seminary & the History of American Christianity

Southern Seminary is hosting an outstanding conference on February 18th and 19th, 2009.  The theme is Southern Seminary & the History of American Christianity.  Speakers include church historians and theologians as:  Dr. Mark Dever, Dr. Gary Dorrien, Dr. Timothy George, Dr. Darryl Hart, Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., Dr. Russell D. Moore, Dr. Thomas Nettles, Dr. Stephen Nichols, Dr. Grant Wacker, and Dr. Greg Wills.  To view the complete schedule click here.  Conference registration can be done online by credit card here at the rates of:

$25.00 — SBTS / Boyce Student Registration Fee $45.00 — Conference Registration Fee $55.00 — Late Registration Fee (after February 7th)

These conference fees cover the cost of the conference, as well as a continental style breakfast and boxed lunch on Thursday (the 19th).

Lodging is available on campus at The Legacy Center Hotel. Please call 877-444-SBTS to place a reservation. Be sure to request the “SSHAC09” Special Conference Rate.

This promises to be an excellent conference that I'm greatly looking forward to attending myself.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Jonathan Edwards on Christ and Lucifer: a misunderstanding making the rounds

There is a charge that is making the rounds on the web that Jonathan Edwards (1703 - 1758) believed that Satan was initially a superior being to Jesus and that Jesus was an exalted man. The text of Edwards cited in relation to this charge is the following from “Fall of the Angels,” in “Miscellaneous Observations on Important Theological Subjects,” Chapter XI, of The Works of Jonathan Edwards (Hendrickson Publishers, 1998), II, 609. The charge is an utterly silly one based on a failure to read the text closely. Here is the text. My comment follows.

“Corol. I. Hence learn that Satan before his fall was the Messiah or Christ, as he was the anointed. The word anointed is radically the same in Hebrew as the word Messiah: so that in this respect our Jesus is exalted into his [Satan’s] place in heaven.

“Corol. II. These things show another thing, wherein Jesus is exalted into the place of Lucifer; that whereas he had the honour to dwell in the holy of holies continually, so Jesus is there entered, not as the high priests of old, but to be there continually, but in this respect is exalted higher than Lucifer ever was; that whereas Lucifer was only near the throne, or kneeling on the mercy-seat in humble posture, covering it with his wings, Jesus is admitted to sit down for ever with God on the throne.

“Corol. IV. In another respect also Jesus succeeds Lucifer, viz. in being the covering cherub. The word translated cover, often and commonly signifies to protect. It was committed to this archangel especially, to have the care of protecting the beloved race, elect man, that was God’s jewel, his first-fruits, his precious treasure, laid up in God’s ark, or cabinet, hid in the secret of his presence. That was the great business the angels were made for, and therefore was especially committed to the head of the angels. But he fell from his innocency and dignity, and Jesus in his stead becomes the Cherub that covereth, the great Protector and Saviour of elect man, that gathereth them as a hen her chickens under his wings.

“Corol. V. Lucifer, while a holy angel, in having the excellency of all those glorious things that were about him, all summed up in him, was a type of Christ, in whom all the glory and excellency of all elect creatures is more properly summed, as the head and foundation of all, just as the brightness of all, that reflects the light of the sun, is summed up in the sun.

“… Therefore, seeing Lucifer was the head, and captain, and prince of all, and the highest creature in the whole universe, we may suppose that he had, as God’s chief servant, and the grand minister of his providence, and the top of the creation, in some respect committed to him power, dominion, and principality over the whole creation, and all the kingdom of providence; and as all the angels are called the sons of God, Lucifer was his [God’s] first-born, and was the firstborn of every creature. But when it was revealed to him, high and glorious as he was, that he must be a ministering spirit to the race of mankind which he had seen newly created, which appeared so feeble, mean, and despicable, so vastly inferior, not only to him, the prince of the angels, and head of the created universe, but also to the inferior angels, and that he must be subject to one of that race that should hereafter be born, he could not bear it. This occasioned his fall; and now he, with the other angels whom he drew away with him, are fallen, and elect men are translated to supply their places, and are exalted vastly higher in heaven than they. And the Man Jesus Christ, the Chief, and Prince, and Captain of all elect men, is translated and set in the throne that Lucifer, the chief and prince of the angels, left, to be the head of the angels in his stead, the head of principality and power, that all the angels might do obeisance to him; for God said “Let all the angels of God worship him;” and God made him his first-born instead of Lucifer, higher than all those thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers, and made him, yea, made him in his stead the first-born of every creature, or of the whole creation, and made him also in his stead the bright and morning star, and head and prince of the universe; yea, gave this honour, dignity, and power unto him, in an unspeakably higher and more glorious manner than ever he had done to Lucifer, and appointed him to conquer, subdue, and execute vengeance upon that great rebel.”

My comment: A close and careful reading of the text reveals simply this: Edwards is arguing that the unfallen Lucifer is a type of glorified humanity of Christ—the chief responsibilities of Lucifer before his fall have now been given to the glorified humanity of Jesus Christ. There is nothing heretical in this, though, in true Edwards style, this is something I had never thought of before. But the latter is of no import, there is so much in Edwards that we lesser minds would never have thought of if we did not read it in Edwards. As a theologian, he was stellar. Is he right: that is another question. Again, Edwards is not exalting Lucifer over our Lord. He is simply arguing that the unfallen Lucifer has typological aspects to his character when it comes to his relationship to the glorified humanity of Christ.

Milton Audio Now Online

On November 13, 2008, the Andrew Fuller Center sponsored an event celebrating the life and thought of John Milton (1608-1674).  The occassion was the quatercentenary of Milton's birth.  This event featured a brief historical introduction to Milton by Dr. Michael Haykin, followed by selected readings from Milton's works by Dr. Jim Orrick.  The event concluded with a presentation on Milton's classic work Paradise Lost by Dr. Timothy Paul Jones, interspersed with readings from Mr. Anthony Sauls. The complete audio of this event is now available for free MP3 download.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

More on centres of love

In the latest round of debate regarding the so-called “new atheism,” Christian theologian Doug Wilson takes on Christopher Hitchens in a published give-and-take on the topic Is Christianity Good for the World?[1] Hitchens is convinced that Christianity, along with religion in general, poisons everything good in life. And thus, for him, the answer to the question in the book’s title is a resounding no. Hitchens’ answer, however, is one that would have amazed numerous pagans living in the Roman Imperium in the first four centuries after Christ. The love, generosity, and showing of mercy of believers to those outside of the Christian community was, according to Henry Chadwick--that great patrologist who died this past summer and on whom I still need to write a small appreciation--“probably the most potent single cause of Christian success” during the period of the Roman Imperium.[2]

[1] Is Christianity Good for the World? (Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 2008).

[2] Henry Chadwick, The Early Church (Rev. ed.; London: Penguin Books Ltd., 1993), 56.

Centres of love?

Evangelicalism has done a great job historically of creating communities of light. But what of centres of love? Have we Evangelicals been as successful there? Are our churches known as places of love? Are we lovingly building into each others' lives? Sometimes I genuinely fear that the answer to these questions is no and that this is one reason--not the only one, but an important one--why our churches are failing to make a profound impact on our society.

ETS, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, & Parkside Church

Last week I attended the Evangelical Theological Society annual meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, a beautiful city with a rich Baptist history. The busyness of the meetings, both formal and informal, though prevented me from getting to see the nearby First Baptist Church of America--the beautiful 1775 meeting-house--and Brown University. I did see the church in the shuttle taking me to the airport last Thursday and am thankful for the saints of James Manning's day who built this house of prayer and worship. This past weekend, my son Nigel and I and a close friend, Stephen Swallow, and his two sons, Peter and Ben, went to Cleveland to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Had three hours at the museum--especially interesting were the various written memorabilia, like the report card of John Lennon at twelve years of age in 1953 (the year I was born) or letters relating to Jim Morrison of the Doors. It was fascinating to read a report from Jim Morrison's Sunday School Superintendent (also written in 1953), after Jim had given a fine Sunday Scool recitation. How different was his end from his beginning! A good reminder of the necessity of finishing well.

Afterwards we stayed in a Marriott hotel and then this morning attended the third worship service at Parkside Church. Alistair Begg preached an excellent word from Isaiah 45 and Acts 17.

All in all a delightful weekend.

Book Review of Return to Rome by Francis Beckwith

Michael Haykin has written a review of Francis Beckwith's new book, Return to Rome: Confessions of An Evangelical Catholic.  Dr. Francis Beckwith was the president of the Evangelical Theological Society (ETS), until he resigned last year due to his conversion to Roman Catholicism.  This review is very timely, as this book has just been released this week in advance of this year's annual meeting of ETS. To find this review and others which might be of interest to our readers, please visit the Book Review page of this site.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

“Love for the Brothers”: A Message by Dr. Michael Haykin

Today in chapel at SBTS, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin preached from 1 John 3:11-24 on the theme of "Love for the Brothers."  It was an excellent and challenging message that features faithful exposition of the text elucidated by fascinating accounts from the history of the church.  In this message, Dr. Haykin argues that "love for the brothers" (along with the preaching of the Word, the administration of the ordinances, and church discipline) constitutes a clearly biblical mark of the church.  To hear the message or to download the MP3 click here.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

New Audio Posted

Over the last week or so I've posted three new MP3s on this site's Audio page.  The MP3s are of lectures given by Dr. Michael Haykin at a variety of venues.  These include a lecture on William Tyndale given on behalf of Southern Seminary's Bible Translators in Training student society.  Another lecture on spiritual disciplines for pastors was given at a recent meeting of the Toronto Pastor's Fellowship.   A final new posting is actually the posting of a lecture from last year's conference on Islam held by Sola Scriptura Ministries.  Dr. Haykin's session covers the historical background of Islam. For more audio by Dr. Haykin visit the Audio page where new MP3s are posted regularly.

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Fabulous discovery about Thomas Wilcox (1622-1687), author of a minor spiritual classic

“Praying will make thee leave sinning or sinning will make leave praying.” [1] This well-known saying may well have originated with Thomas Wilcox (1622-1687), the author of the minor spiritual classic A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ, which was published before the Great Fire of London in 1666. When I first wrote my Kiffin, Knollys, and Keach in the early 1990s, I included this spiritual classic as an appendix. It was excluded by the publisher, which was providential, for although I knew Wilcox wrote a number of tracts, I thought the above book was the only one extant. Today, my assistant Steve Weaver kindly got for me a PDF of a 1699 edition of Wilcox’s classic work (published then under the title of A Guide to Eternal Glory). It was attached to nine other tracts (the whole being published by Nathanael Crouch, who was a printer near Cheapside, London) and in the preface “To the Christian Reader” that preceded all of the tracts, Wilcox noted that he had “subjoined some other brief tracts” (p.6), which definitely seems to indicate he is the author, especially since no other names appear with the various tracts. [2] This is a fabulous discovery because it gives us some other material by the author of a remarkable tract that by the 1840s had gone through at least sixty printings and had been translated into numerous languages, including Welsh, Irish Gaelic, French, German, and Finnish. In light of such a printing record, it is no exaggeration to describe it as a minor classic from the late Puritan era. [3] It is currently available from Chapel Library. The Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies hopes to include a fresh edition and textual commentary on it by Dr Stephen Yuille in its Occasional Monographs series, which is to be launched in the near future.

Of the numerous Calvinistic Baptist authors of the seventeenth century, there were really only three who were being read extensively a century or two later. John Bunyan was, of course, one. Another was Benjamin Keach. And the third was Thomas Wilcox, about whom we really know very little. [4] We know that he was born in 1622 at Lyndon, then in Rutland. His early career, though, is shrouded in obscurity. By the 1660s he was living in London on Cannon Street, where a congregation of believers that he pastored met regularly in his home to worship the Lord. During the following decade Wilcox preached to this congregation at the Three Cranes, a wooden building on Tooley Street in Southwark.

Though a convinced Baptist, Wilcox was catholic enough in his sentiments to be invited frequently to preach among the Presbyterians and Congregationalists. He also courageously endured imprisonment a number of times rather than sacrifice his convictions as a Dissenter. He hoped, we are told, that his death might be a sudden one, a hope that was apparently realized when he died in May, 1687. The epitaph on his tomb in Bunhill Fields, the Nonconformist burial ground in London, was a remark that he often made in this regard, “Sudden death sudden glory.” After his death the members of his congregation appear to have joined other Calvinistic Baptist causes in the city.

Do look for Stephen Yuille’s edition of A Choice Drop of Honey from the Rock Christ in our monograph series. The work is based on a phrase from Psalm 81:16 [“He should have fed them also with the finest of wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee” (KJV)], and it well captures the Christ-centred piety of the early Calvinistic Baptists and the way in which their piety was nourished by those central themes of the Reformation, solus Christus and sola fide.

[1] The Serephick [sic] Soul’s Triumph in the Love of God in Thomas Wilcox, A Guide to Eternal Glory. Or, Brief Directions to all Christians how to attain Everlasting Salvation. To which are added, Several other excellent Divine Tracts (London: Nath. Crouch, 1699), 124.

[2] In a 1676 edition of this classic, there is an appended work, Spiritual Hymns Used by Some Christians at the Receiving the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, with some others (London: Nath. Crouch, 1676). The use of the term “sacrament” by this Calvinistic Baptist is noteworthy, it being a term commonly used by Baptist at this time.

[3] In this regard, see Charles E. Hambrick-Stowe, “The Spirit of the Old Writers: The Great Awakening and the Persistence of Puritan Piety” in Francis J. Bremer, ed., Puritanism: Transatlantic Perspectives on a Seventeenth-Century Anglo-American Faith (Boston: Massachusetts Historical Society, 1993), 281.

[4] Our principal source of information about Wilcox is Thomas Crosby, The History of the English Baptists (London: 1740), III, 101. See also Joseph Ivimey, A History of the English Baptists (London: 1814), II, 465; W. T. Whitley, The Baptists of London 1612-1928 (London: The Kingsgate Press, 1928), 120.

A church historian's brief take on The Shack

Tonight I was with a good friend, Scott Dyer (whom I have known since 1982 when he took a class with me on 1 Corinthians, and which I have been teaching at TBS this term on certain Saturdays), and we chatted a little about the recent bestseller The Shack. Scott rightly pointed out how nervey it is to put words in the mouth of our holy Lord--and such words too! When one thinks of recent reading material in Evangelical circles it makes anyone concerned about biblical fidelity and solid theology wince and blush! To think that later generations will judge this day by such wretched theological pablum! Or maybe it and other pieces of literature like it will simply sink into oblivion so that only those church historians who are experts in the theological quirkiness of the early 21st century will know about it. Let's hope so! Another good friend, Dr Stephen Yuille, who blogs at Deus pro nobis (love that Latin!), has written a fine review here of The Shack.

Senator Obama on abortion: a view from the North

I am not an American, but as a Canadian who believes that our nation is intimately tied to the United States--which to my mind makes some of the remarks by the Liberal Party and the NDP in the most recent election about what they would do for the economy simply pie in the sky (thankfully many Canadian voters saw the inadequacy of the Liberals' platform in the most recent election)--I am convinced that the American election should be of deep concern to us and be a matter of real prayer. Here is a disturbing article by Robert George and Yuval Levin that clearly reveals Senator Obama's position on abortion: Obama and Infanticide. As Dr Russell Moore made plain in Thursday's chapel at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, this issue of abortion is the critical issue of our day (see his powerful message, "Joseph of Nazareth Is a Single-Issue Evangelical: The Father of Jesus, the Cries of the Helpless, and Change You Can Believe In" (Matt 2:13-23) ), and Christians must make this the critical factor in voting. Otherwise, how can we condemn the Nazi regime for its murderous brutality?

HT: Justin Taylor.

New Release: The Advent of Evangelicalism

Dr. Haykin has edited another book which is soon to be released by B&H Academic.  The volume is titled The Advent of Evangelicalism and was co-edited with Kenneth Stewart.  This volume is offers a scholarly interaction with David Bebbington's widely acclaimed 1989 book, Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730s to the 1980s by scholars on both sides of the Atlantic. Contributors include: David W. Bebbington, Joel R. Beeke, John Coffey, Timothy George, Crawford Gribben, Michael A. G. Haykin, Paul Helm, D. Bruce Hindmarsh, David Ceri Jones, Thomas S. Kidd, Timothy Larsen, Cameron A. MacKenzie, A. T. B. McGowan, D. Densil Morgan, Ashley Null, Ian J. Shaw, Kenneth J. Stewart, Douglas A. Sweeney, Garry J. Williams, and Brandon G. Withrow.

From the Publisher:

In this critically acclaimed book edited by Michael A. G. Haykin and Kenneth J. Stewart, esteemed contributors address the origins and interpretation of evangelicalism as they make a fresh and critical assessment of David Bebbington’s work, Evangelicalism in Modern Britain: A History from the 1730’s to the 1980’s (London: Unman Hyman, 1989).

Recommendations:

“This book is a must read for those interested in understanding evangelical identity, past and present”. – James A. Patterson, Union University

“David Bebbington in his magisterial Evangelicalism in Modern Britain is the object of both panegyric and protest in this collection of essays by his colleagues in the discipline of Christian history. The praise is properly profuse, even as the criticism, especially with regard to the source of evangelicalism, is properly profound. Critically, the essayists contend that evangelicalism is a phenomenon that extends geographically beyond Great Britain and that existed chronologically prior to the 1830s. Evangelicalism did not arise creatio ex nihilo; rather, evangelicalism developed within a particular, though broad, social context. Finally, in light of evangelicalism’s current crisis in doctrinal identity, this book may be especially timely.” – Malcolm B. Yarnell III, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

“The Advent of Evangelicalism makes for clearer thinking about the origin and developments of evangelicalism for a new generation. The range of scholars involved in this work is impressive, and I believe The Advent of Evangelicalism will hold the attention of many scholars and readers for years to come”. – Dr. Jack C. Whytock of Haddington House, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

“The Advent of Evangelicalism is an important series of reflections on David Bebbington’s significant work, Evangelicalism in Modern Britain. This book provides an excellent case study on the development of historiography around the organic nature of the generational changes in the church”. – Robert S. Wilson, Acadia Divinity College

Format: Paperback Page Count: 432 Retail: $24.99 ISBN-13: 9780805448603

To view the Table of Contents and Editor's Preface click here (pdf).

To preorder from Amazon.com click here ($16.49!).

Posted by Steve Weaver, Research and Administrative Assistant to the Director of the Andrew Fuller Center for Baptist Studies, Dr. Michael A.G. Haykin.

Oliver Cromwell, Crawford Gribben & a quick reply

In my previous post on Cromwell and the current elections in Canada and the United States I didn't think that my remark about having admiration for Cromwell would be the controversial remark, but what I said about developing a Christian maturity when it came to politics. But since my remark about Cromwell elicietd three strong responses, permit me to make a quick reply in a few points.

1. First, I am an Irish Canadian, raised in England in a traditional Irish Catholic home, and proud of my heritage as an Irishman. But I am well aware that in the seventeenth century far too few Emglishmen, Anglican or Puritan, Royalist or Parliamentarian, regarded the Irish with any love or concern. One has to move beyond ethnicity in historical judgments.

2. I was referred to the great scholarly work of Crawford Gribben. Crawford is a close friend for whom I have a deep admiration. I have read most of his work, and agree with his emphases. In making the statement that I admire Cromwell, I am not also saying he was completely innocent when it came to the slaughter at Drogheda and Wexford. But, and this is important, those were the exceptions rather than the rule. He was, as Tom Reilly has put it in his history of the Cromwellian campaigns in Ireland, "an honourable enemy." And those words are from a Catholic historian from Drogheda.

3. If Cromwell did fail, are we then to resort to a "black and white" interpretation that depicts him as an utter scoundrel? That also would fail to do justice to the historical record. He was a touchstone of controversy in his day--but there must be something of value in his life when men as far afield as James Ussher, John Owen, Roger Williams, William Kiffin, and John Milton regarded him with admiration.

4. Finally, I am personally delighted at the responses--thank you for posting--it shows that concern about historical interpretation is still a vital concern to some.

Oliver Cromwell & the current elections

I must confess to having enormous admiration for that most controversial of figures, Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658), about whom two or three new books have appeared this year. The reason for my admiration will become plain in part from the following extract from A Declaration of the Army of England upon their March into Scotland To all that are Saints, and partakers of the faith of God’s Elect, in Scotland, which was issued July 19, 1650. In it Cromwell made this excellent statement: "Is all religion wrapped up in that or any one form? Doth that name, or thing, give the difference between those that are the members of Christ and those that are not? We think not so. We say, faith working by love is the true character of a Christian; and, God is our witness, in whomsoever we see any thing of Christ to be, there we reckon our duty to love, waiting for a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit of God to make all those Christians, who, by the malice of the world, are diversified, and by their own carnal-mindedness, do diversify themselves by several names of reproach, to be of one heart and one mind, worshipping God with one consent."

With elections facing both Canada and the United States, some bitter words are being uttered by adherents of the different political persuasions. And even Christians have allowed what Cromwell here calls “the malice of the world” to influence them in harsh remarks about political opponents. I suppose this is a danger to which young men are prone and some of the comments I have read that have deeply disturbed me by their attitude have been written by younger brothers. But folly and malice are no respecters of age!

There are Christians today who make the heart of the gospel a political position or an economic perspective. Surely Christians may differ on such issues. As Cromwell rightly says: “Is all religion wrapped up in that or any one form?” He was talking about making ecclesial issues the heart of the gospel. In our day, some, and some who should know better, are making this political policy or that economic strategy essential to gospel truth.

The gospel touches on political and economic realities for sure—not one square inch of this universe is not owned by King Jesus, and we look forward to a glorious theocracy one day in the new heavens and the new earth in which there will be true liberty—but till then, we must learn as Christians to disagree in love on such secondary issues. Yes, have convictions; but love all who love the Lord Jesus.

If we cannot love our brothers and sisters who disagree with us in this and must hit them verbally with invective and name-calling, how on earth will we ever love those that reject the gospel and take very contrary positions to ours on matters far more weighty?