The Narrated Puritan

How unwilling are men to be hedged in! How averse to restraint! The world can bear witness, that they are "as bullocks unaccustomed to the yoke:" and more, that it is far easier to bring young bullocks tamely to bear the yoke, than to bring young children under discipline, and make them tamely submit to be restrained in sinful liberty.

Having thus far treated of the nature of this disease, it remains for us still to point out the remedies. These are: certain preventatives and antidotes, which may be brought under these three heads. First, all hindrances and causes that make this evil greater must be removed; next, one must flee and reject the false means of healing; finally, one must take in hand and use the right means. I. The hindrances which must be removed are all heresies, all sins, and all those things which we have already enumerated under the foregoing and outwardly moving causes, namely: the harmful doctrine of the falling away of the saints, of free will, and of the meritoriousness of good works, etc. Besides these, too great solitude and melancholy, which the man of God Luther not so unjustly calls: the bath of Satan.

I discovered this work when it was published by the Dutch Translation Society, and I asked if I could provide audio for it. It took awhile but I was given permission. I commenced doing so, but abandoned the project because I will not do it, if in the sharing the audio with others it would be a copyright violation. Monergism published a single sermon by Voetius on Psalm 126 and I told them the story of this book co-written by Johannes Hoornbeeke and if they would publish a digital copy and then I will make it known. It was produced, with the aid of Grok A I, translated from the Dutch to English, and I had it in 24 hours. It is unequaled in the English language to anything I know that I have perused and also narrated. It is a theological science that is just not taught in our Seminaries. I have tried to read it, and will continue to do so, as carefully as I am able. The paperback was printed in 2003. It is out of print. There was no demand for it. By abundantly supplying it for free, the goal is to create the demand. One doesn't demand something that they don't even know exists.

When sin is resisted by prayer, it puts forth its deceit in its own defense. It labors to divert and draw off the mind from attending to prayer and similar duties. There are, among others, three ways and means by which sin attempts to accomplish its design. a. Weariness of the flesh Indwelling sin makes advantage of its weariness to the flesh. There is an aversion, as has been declared, in the law of sin toward all direct communion with God.

To vindicate God's severity, in that he not only cut off sinners—but defaced the beauty of the earth, and swept off the brute creatures from it, by the deluge; that as men had set the marks of their impiety, God might set the marks of his indignation, on the earth. (2.) To show the heinousness of their sin, in making the earth, which God had so adorned for the use of man--a sink of sin, and a stage whereon to act their wickedness, in defiance of Heaven.

Spring Clearning, came across a letter sent to my mom on January 16th 1986, forty years ago. Where I was then, what I have reflected on now. And other interesting news and updates. Also a historical sketch of the influence of the book, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, by Thomas Boston and how just reading it in a group of awakened Virginia farmers was a means to the end of the Hanover County Revival.