A Puritan at Heart

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J.A. WYLIE speaking of Luther’s Catechism.

His commentaries and other works had enlightened the nobility and instructed the more intelligent of the townspeople; but in his Catechisms the “light was parted” and diffused over the “plains,” as it has once been over the “mountain-tops.” When the earth is a parched desert, the herbs burned up, it is not the stately river rolling along within its banks that will make the fields to flourish anew. Its floods pass on to the ocean, and the thirsty land, with its drooping and dying plants, tasting not of its waters, continues still to languish. But with the dew or the rain-cloud it is not so. They descend softly, almost unseen and unheard by man, but their effects are mighty. Their myriad drops bathe every flower, penetrate to the roots of every herb, and soon hill and plain are seen smiling in fertility and beauty. So with these rudiments of Divine Knowledge, parted in these little books, and sown like the drops of dew, they penetrated the understandings of the populations among which they were cast, and wherever they entered they awoke conscience, they quickened the intellect, and evoked a universal outburst, first of the spiritual activities, and next of the intellectual and political powers; while the nations that enjoyed no such sowing lay unquickened, their slumber became deeper every century, till at last they realised their present condition, in which they present to Protestant nations a contrast that is not more melancholy than it is instructive.

His commentaries and other works had enlightened the nobility and instructed the more intelligent of the townspeople; but in his Catechisms the "light was parted" and diffused over the "plains," as it has once been over the "mountain-tops." When the earth is a parched desert, the herbs burned up, it is not the stately river rolling along within its banks that will make the fields to flourish anew. Its floods pass on to the ocean, and the thirsty land, with its drooping and dying plants, tasting not of its waters, continues still to languish. But with the dew or the rain-cloud it is not so. They descend softly, almost unseen and unheard by man, but their effects are mighty. Their myriad drops bathe every flower, penetrate to the roots of every herb, and soon hill and plain are seen smiling in fertility and beauty. So with these rudiments of Divine Knowledge, parted in these little books, and sown like the drops of dew, they penetrated the understandings of the populations among which they were cast, and wherever they entered they awoke conscience, they quickened the intellect, and evoked a universal outburst, first of the spiritual activities, and next of the intellectual and political powers; while the nations that enjoyed no such sowing lay unquickened, their slumber became deeper every century, till at last they realised their present condition, in which they present to Protestant nations a contrast that is not more melancholy than it is instructive.

We learn what kind of ministry is likely to do most good, namely, that which works upon the consciences of men. John the Baptist lifted up his voice like a trumpet; he preached the doctrine of repentance with power. "Repent ye: for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand" (Matt 3:2). He came hewing and cutting down mens sins, and afterwards preached Christ to them. First he poured in the vinegar of the law, then the wine of the gospel. This was that preaching which made men studiously seek after heaven. John did not so much preach to please as to profit; he chose rather to discover men’s sins than to show his own eloquence. The best mirror is not that which is most gilded, but that which shows the truest face. That preaching is to be preferred which makes the truest discovery of men’s sins and shows them their hearts. John the Baptist was a burning and shining light; he did burn in his doctrine and shine in his life; and therefore men pressed into heaven. Peter, who was filled with a spirit of zeal, humbled his hearers for their sins and opened to them a foundatin in Christ’s blood. "They were pricked in their heart" (Acts 2:37). It is the greatest mercy to have a soul searching ministry. If one had a desperate wound, he would desire to have it searched to the bottom. [Thomas Watson]

The love of children if the father’s blessing, and it is a great blessing. How many fathers have their hearts rent and divided by the rents and divisions that are amongst their children! It doth blast and wither all the comfort the parent hath, to see that there is no agreement of love, no correspondency or affection amongst those that came from the same bowels, the same loins. This is a blessing which was no common in the world, no not in those times. Adam had not this blessing. Adam when he had only two sons, they could not agree, but one murdereth the other. Abraham enjoyed this blessing, when he had but two sons, one is mocking the other, Ishmael is mocking Isaac. Isaac failed of this blessing, he had but two sons and one threatened to murder the other. The days of mourning for my Father are at hand, then will I slay my brother Jacob. This was not Jacob’s blessing, he had twelve sons, there was one of them, Joseph the common butt of all his brethren’s envy, they did all spite him, the Archers did shoot at him and grieved him and sorely hated him. They could not all agree, there were divisions among them. It is no ordinary blessing then. You see David a holy man, yet what divisions were there among his children, one murdereth another, Absalom caused Amnon to be murdered: Adonijah riseth up against Solomon, he cannot bear it, that his brother should have the crown. You see then that this is a blessing, and it is an extraordinary blessing. Therefore take notice of it, you that have an agreeing family, children that live together in love and unity, look upon it as a special blessing from God. [Joseph Caryl]