Puritanism as a Reviving Work of God (Flow)

Introduction

Common questions about intro convictions to Puritans.

What was it that made these men so impassioned, and captivating?

Read and reread and reread. Revive this today. How?

No other movement like the Puritans in church history (150 years)

The Great Ejection. Probably the reason it started to fade. Then the enlightenment.

Revival (Jonathan Edwards and Thomas Baxter)

Henrys quote about the best of Puritan age

Bulk and quality of high caliber books of the majority of the Puritans

16-18 century Puritans took the doctrines of reformation and applied it to everyday lives (Godly husband, wife, children, student, teacher, everyday person)

Liveliness of piety -> salvation of sinners opposed to nominalism

Open The Text (2 Tim 4:1-5)

Doctrine

Puritanism is a reviving work of God, primarily among believers as well as the lost.

Reasons.

Puritan Revival: Scripture centeredness. People of the book. Reverence for God and reverence for scripture. No greater sin to the creator than to neglect his word.

Renewal of the inner life in piety.

Second Generation phenomena: First Reformers treated horrible -> Second generation took it for granted and started to slack

Puritans revived the first reformers and apply to every single area to our lives. (All of life, for all of Christ) Every area fully dedicated for God. Caleb in Numbers 14:24

Illus: Can you do this thing you want to the glory of God? If yes, then sure you can.

Story: John Rogers riding on horse. How can you serve so precisely? Because I serve a precise God.

Every line you read was written for you by God.

Zealous to spread the Bible, in many translations.

Do you love the Scriptures? Can you live a month without it?

Revival of Worship: Lord’s Day was 100% dedicated to the Lord.

Family worship: Father taking what was preached on the Lords Day could be taken throughout the week and applied to the family.

Experiential Sermon:

Revival of Preaching: Anglicans would just read a homily from the queen.

Perkins preached with such passion.

William Smith: preacher taught so well that people would stand because there was no room to sit. It was so full.

Bunyan, if he taught in london, 1200 people gathered once in the morning on a work day, because they wouldnt/couldnt miss him preaching.

Gripped by their plain teaching (clear) so 13-14yo it was expounded, chose a doctrine and that was expounded.

Lectureships: not the full pastor with pastoral duties so they could spend time fully writing out their sermons

Oxford and Cambridge trained.

Experiential preaching: From their minds to the hearers hearts. Holy Spirits work in the soul. They wanted to search that work out.

Illus. : How does war work? Experiential preaching. From heart to heart and that is what won the hearts of so many.

Created a discernment for who truly tasted and seen that the Lord is Good.

Revival of Piety

Being Pious was a compliment, but not accepted because (O if God would be so gracious to grant that)

Not for you privately, but meant for your family through Family Worship. Every day speak the word of God to them. Wash your wife in the water of the Word

Revival Evangelism of the Lost

Tracts for the lost. 150 page tracts

Baxter visited with people twice a week and poured in to them individually and truly physician to the soul.

Edwards: Scarecly a person in town that was unconscerned with the eternal things of God.

The matched what they portrayed in the pulpit and the private. Godly men with a passion for the souls. My pastor loves my soul more than I do (Unconverted)

Complained about their darkness as well as the darkness of their people. Because of their love for them.

Be earnest for all of them

Uses.