How The Words "Flesh" & "Spirit" Are To Be Understood In The Scriptures John Bradford (1548)

How The Words "Flesh" & "Spirit" Are To Be Understood In The Scriptures

For your better understanding of the scriptures, especially of the new Testament; for the forearming you against errors, which, through the ignorance or diverse acception and taking of terms or words used and written of the holy apostles, might happen; and for your consolation in the conflicts you are cumbered with in this present life; I am purposed, my dearly beloved, to write unto you some things (as God shall lend me his grace, the which I ask for his Christ's sake now and for ever) hereabout. Take it in good part, I pray you, at least for my good will's sake towards you in Christ.

In reading the scriptures, and especially Paul's epistles, we very often do see these words, "flesh" and "spirit." When therefore this word "flesh" is set against "the spirit" by the way of contrary, as Gal. 5, and almost everywhere, then must we know that it comprehendeth all and every of the natural powers, gifts, and qualities of man: yea, it comprehendeth all that ever is in man, whatsoever it be, (the "sanctification of the Spirit," which none have but the elect and justified, only excepted:) like as this word "spirit," when it is opposed or set against as a contrary to the "flesh," doth signify that which in man the Holy Ghost hath purged from evil and sanctified to righteousness. The which word sometimes Paul calleth "the mind," sometimes "the inward man," sometimes "the new man," and sometimes "a new creature." The word "flesh," taken as before I have said, is sometimes called "the old man," sometimes " the outward man," sometimes "the body." All which words do appertain, as to the soul that look inasmuch as it is regenerate, it is called "the spirit," "the, mind," "the new man," "the inward man," "a new creature." Inasmuch as it retaineth the natural affections of man, it is called "flesh," "the old man," "the outward man," "the body." So that you may see in these terms and in every one of them is comprehended whole man, both soul and body, to be considered either according to regeneration and to the sanctifying of God's Spirit, or else according to all that ever he is or hath by nature or otherwise, by any means, inwardly or outwardly.

Whilst we live here, there is a fight and strife in us which are the elect and, children of God;" "the flesh," outward man, body, and "old man," striving against "the spirit," inward man, "new man," and "new creature:" that is, so much as we are regenerate and endued with God's Spirit, we do strive and fight against all the powers of our souls and bodies; retaining the natural and corrupt affections we have in us, and shall have so long as we live, to bring them as much as may be into obedience to the Spirit; at the least to bridle them, that they bear not dominion or rule in us.

This battle and strife none have but the elect "children of God:" and they that have it are the elect "children of God" ("in Christ before the beginning of the world," whose salvation is as certain and sure as is God himself; for they are given to Christ, a faithful Shepherd, who hath so prayed for them lest they should perish, that we know his prayer is heard: — yea, he promiseth so to keep them that "they shall not perish." And therefore they ought to rejoice, and comfort themselves in their conflicts, which are testimonials, and most true, that they are the elect and dear "children of God;" for else they could not, nor should not feel any such strife in them.

But perchance you will say, that the wicked have strife also in themselves, and oft are grieved with themselves because they have done such a sin; and therefore this is no such certain demonstration of election. To this I answer, that indeed the wicked and reprobate have sometimes, as you say, strifes and conflicts; as in Saul we may see it against David, and in Antiochus. But this strife in them is not a strife or battle betwixt "the spirit and the flesh;" as you shall see if you mark the differences to discern these battles, which now I will give unto you.

When man is displeased with himself for any thing done amiss, and striveth thereagainst, in respect that the fault displeaseth God his Father and Lord, in respect of Christ, etc., then is the same strife the strife of a good man, of one elected and that is the dear child of God: and the same man so displeased with himself may assure himself that he hath the "good Spirit" of God, which hath wrought in him that affection. Let him therefore call to God and cry, 'Abba, dear Father,' and ask grace and mercy, which assuredly he shall find.

But when one is displeased with himself, and striveth to amend any fault, in respect of civil honesty, of men, shame, beauty, bodily health, profit, hurt, friendship, etc., and not in respect of God's displeasure and favour; then is the same sorrow after the world, and not after God; then is the same strife or battle a battle between the flesh and the flesh, and not between "the spirit and the flesh." Such battles have the wicked, as Saul had, in respect of worldly honesty, shame, civil justice, etc. The wicked have not God's Spirit of sanctification and regeneration to sanctify and regenerate them, though they have it concerning other gifts: and therefore they want the affections of the holy elect "children of God" and regenerated, although they have other affections by the which they are not discerned from the ungodly, or taken for holy in God's sight.

I say, you shall see that the doctrine of election is not a casting of the bridle in the horse's neck, or an overstrait curbing of the horse; that is, neither occasioneth licentiousness nor despair, but provoketh to battle against sin; and that not hypocritically, but in God's sight and for God's sake, (for they feel not their election that so fight not;) but it comforteth also in the cross and battle most comfortably, with comforts that never can be taken away: for what a comfort is it to see my sorrow and fight to be a demonstration of mine election! Wherein is true rejoicing, as Christ said, "Rejoice in this, that your names are written in the book of life."

If any man would alter the natural course of any water to run a contrary way, he shall never be able to do it with dams: for a time he may well stop it; but when the dam is full, it will either burst down the dam or overflow it, and so with more rage run than ever it did before. Even so, if any man would have the streams of his nature and will altered, to run after the will and nature of God, the same shall never be able to do it, nor all the world for him, by making of dams; that is, by telling and teaching us how that we should do, speak, and think otherwise than we do naturally. For a time the streams of our affections may be stopped by telling and teaching, and other bodily exercise; yet these very affections will weesel out now and then, and at length break down all our dams and devices, or else so overflow them that "the latter end will be worse than the beginning." Therefore the alteration hereof must be at the head-spring by the making of other water ways, and rivers of incorruption for our will and our nature to run in.

But who can do this? The spring itself? Nay, God himself, and him alone, which worketh this in whom, when, and howsoever, it pleaseth him for his own good will's sake. And they in whom he worketh this are his elect children "before the beginning of the world;" who may and should feel their election by loving the good and bating that which is evil, although in great imperfection: whereas the hypocrites have a thousand parts more shew of holiness, but in deed less love to God and hatred to evil, yea, in deed none at all as it is in God's sight.

Wherefore let us pray for the daily increase of "regeneration," which is nothing else but the alteration of our natural streams, that, as from Adam we have received them running naturally contrary to his will, so we may receive from Christ, the second Adam, his "good, Spirit" to draw and lead us in all things after the through-ways of his good will: which he grant to us for his mercy's sake! Amen.

Paul Washer

Cuenta con piadoso por John Piper

Dios le encanta cuando cuenta con hombre en Dios, y Dios odia cuando dispone de hombre en hombre. "Deja que cuenta con, presumir en el Señor" (2 Corintios 10: 17). "Ahora que me presumir excepto en la Cruz de nuestro Señor Jesucristo" (GAL. 6: 14). "El aspecto altivo de hombre se pondrá en baja y el noble orgullo de hombres, deberá ser humilde y el Señor solo será exaltado en aquel día. Para el Señor de los ejércitos tiene un día contra todos orgullosos y nobles, contra todo lo que es levantado"(2:11–12 de ISA.).

Hay dos razones (al menos) por qué Dios odia para que hombre a presumir en el hombre:

1) Boasting en hombre desvía la atención del hombre desde la fuente de su alegría y las ruinas de su vida. Engaña a hombre reemplazando magnificencia con un espejo. Hombre no fue hecho para admirar el hombre. Fue nombrado para admirar a Dios. La alegría de admiración es prostituida y arruinada cuando el hombre trata de encontrar la gloria del tamaño de la galaxia en el resplandor de su propia reflexión. Dios no le gusta el daño hecho por cuenta con en el hombre.

2) La otra razón Dios odia para hombre a presumir en el hombre es esto: que transmite la convicción de que el hombre es más admirable que Dios. Ahora que es, por supuesto, es falsa. Pero nos faltaría el punto si nos dice, "odia Dios mintiendo y por lo tanto, Dios odia con en hombre porque transmite una mentira." No.

No es toda la razón. Lo que Dios odia es crítico de Dios. Mentira pasa a ser una forma de que él es deshonrado como el Dios de la verdad. Por lo que el problema real del hombre con en hombre es que desgraciadamente Dios.

Alardeando en Dios, por otra parte, hace lo contrario doble: honra a Dios y le da la alegría para el que fue nombrado el hombre: admirando la infinitamente admirable.

Afortunadamente, por lo tanto, Dios ha doblemente excluidos por cierto cuenta con que salva a los pecadores.

En primer lugar, que cuenta con es excluido por la fe. ¿Como explica Pablo en su Epístola a los romanos: "entonces lo que se hace de nuestra cuenta con? Está excluida. ¿Por qué tipo de ley? ¿Por una ley de obras? No, sino por la ley de la fe "(3: 27). ¿Por qué excluir fe cuenta con? La razón no es simplemente porque la fe es un don de Dios, que es. Todos los frutos del espíritu son regalos. Aún no lo hacen no todos alardeando de excluir de la misma manera. La fe es único entre todos los actos del alma. Es que el más débil, más indefensos y más con las manos vacías actúan del alma. Es all-dependencia en otra. En un sentido, es un acto no actuado.
Me explico. Es decir es una inclinación del alma para buscar ayuda con ninguna expectativa de que cualquier inclinación del alma es lo suficientemente bueno para obtener ayuda, ni siquiera la inclinación de la fe. Es único entre todos los actos del alma. Puesto que está vacío-jugadores, no es como una virtud. Parece que la virtud del otro. Se ve a la resistencia del otro. Se ve a la sabiduría de otro. Es totalmente other-directed y dependen de otros. Por lo tanto, no puede presumir en sí mismo, para que incluso no puede mirar a sí mismo. Es el tipo de lo que en un sentido no "yo". Tan pronto como la única ley del alma existe, está conectado a otro de quien recibe toda su realidad.
En segundo lugar, que cuenta con se excluye por elección: "Dios eligió lo que es tonto del mundo para avergonzar a los sabios; Dios eligió lo que es débil en el mundo para avergonzar a los fuertes; Dios eligió lo que es baja y despreciado en el mundo, incluso cosas que no, que para nada lo que es, de modo que ningún ser humano puede presumir con la presencia de Dios "(1 Cor 1:27–29).
Elección de Dios está diseñado para eliminar cuenta con. El punto es que Dios no elige personas con el fin de cualquier función en nosotros que permitiría presumir. De hecho, romanos 9: 11 hace claro elección de que Dios está diseñado para que Dios de ahorro resto propósito finalmente en Dios solo, no cualquier actuar del alma humana: "aunque [Jacob y Esaú] aún no nacieron y no había hecho nada ya sea bueno o malo, para que pueda seguir el propósito de la elección de Dios, no por obras, sino debido a lo que llama [Dios eligió no Esaú Jacob]". El contraste con obras aquí no es Fe sino "lo que llama". La elección de Dios descansa finalmente en sólo Dios. Decide que se creen y que se guardará undeservingly.
Por lo tanto, vamos a examinar de nosotros mismos y toda ayuda humana. Que cuenta con todos en el cese de los logros de hombre y del hombre y nos cuentan con en el Señor.

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Libro primero.John Calvin

Libro primero.

El conocimiento de Dios el creador

ARGUMENTO.

El primer libro trata del conocimiento de Dios el creador. Pero como en la creación del hombre que mejor se muestran las perfecciones divinas, por lo que el hombre se hace también el tema del discurso. Así, todo el libro divide en dos cabezas principales--la ex relativas al conocimiento de Dios y la segunda para el conocimiento del hombre. En el primer capítulo, estos son considerados conjuntamente; y en cada uno de los siguientes capítulos, por separado: en ocasiones, sin embargo, entremezcladas con otras cuestiones que se refieren a uno u otro de los jefes; por ejemplo, los debates sobre las escrituras y las imágenes, cayendo bajo el ex jefe y los otros tres, relativo a la creación del mundo, los Santos Ángeles y demonios, pertenecientes a este último. El último punto discutido--esto es, el método del Gobierno divino, se refiere a ambos.

En relación con el ex jefe--esto es el conocimiento de Dios, se muestra, en primer lugar, cuál es el tipo de conocimientos que Dios requiere, cap. 2. Y, en segundo lugar (cap. 3-9), donde este conocimiento debe buscar, es decir, no en el hombre; porque, aunque, naturalmente, implantado en la mente humana, es sofocado, en parte por ignorancia, en parte por la intención mal, cap. 3 y 4; no en el marco del mundo: porque, aunque brilla más claramente allí, somos tan tontos que estas manifestaciones, sin embargo deleitaba, pasan lejos sin ningún resultado beneficioso, cap. 5; pero en las escrituras (cap. 6), que se trata de Cap. 7-9. En tercer lugar, se muestra lo que es el carácter de Dios, cap. 10. En cuarto lugar, cómo impío es darle una forma visible a Dios (aquí imágenes, el culto de ellos y su origen, se consideran), cap. 11. En el quinto lugar, se muestra que Dios es único y totalmente adorado, cap. 12. Por último, cap. 13 trata de la unidad de la esencia divina y la distinción de tres personas.

En primer lugar, con respecto a la cabeza de este última--esto es el conocimiento del hombre, cap. 14 trata de la creación del mundo y de Ángeles buenos y malos (estos todos con referencia al hombre). Y, a continuación, cap. 15, tomando el tema del hombre mismo, examina su naturaleza y sus poderes.

Mejor ilustrar la naturaleza de Dios y el hombre, los tres capítulos restantes--es decir 16-18, proceder a tratar del gobierno general del mundo y particularmente de las acciones humanas, en oposición a la fortuna y la suerte, explicando la doctrina y su uso. En conclusión, se demuestra, que aunque Dios emplea la Instrumentalidad de los malvados, es pura del pecado y de la Mancha de todo tipo.

CAPÍTULO 1

El conocimiento de Dios Y de nosotros mismos conectado mutuamente; Naturaleza de la conexión

Secciones.

1. La suma de verdadera sabiduría--esto es el conocimiento de Dios y de nosotros mismos. Efectos de este último.

2. Efectos del conocimiento de Dios, en la cura de humildad nuestro orgullo, revelación nuestra hipocresía, demostrando las perfecciones absolutas de Dios y nuestra propia impotencia absoluta.

3. Efectos del conocimiento de Dios, ilustrada por los ejemplos, 1. de los Santos Patriarcas; 2. de los Santos Ángeles; 3. del sol y la Luna.

1. Nuestra sabiduría, en la medida en que debería considerarse sabiduría verdadera y sólida, consiste casi exclusivamente de dos partes: el conocimiento de Dios y de nosotros mismos. Pero como estas están conectadas por muchos lazos, no es fácil determinar cuál de los dos precede y da a luz al otro. Para, en primer lugar, ningún hombre puede encuesta a sí mismo sin activar inmediatamente sus pensamientos hacia el Dios en quien vive y se mueve; porque es perfectamente evidente, que no puede ser la dotación que tenemos de nosotros mismos; Nay, que nuestro ser muy no es nada más que la subsistencia en sólo Dios. En segundo lugar, las bendiciones que destilación incesantemente a nosotros desde el cielo, son como arroyos nos dirigiendo a la fuente. Aquí, una vez más, la infinitud de bueno que reside en Dios es más aparente de nuestra pobreza. En particular, la ruina miserable en que la rebelión del primer hombre ha sumido a nosotros, nos obliga a activar los ojos hacia arriba; no sólo que mientras hambrientos y famishing desde allí podemos pedir lo que queremos, pero que se despertó por miedo puede aprender humildad. Para tal como existe en el hombre algo como un mundo de miseria, y desde entonces fuimos stript de la vestimenta divina nuestra vergüenza desnuda revela una inmensa serie de propiedades vergonzosas todo hombre, que Picó por la conciencia de su propia infelicidad, de este modo necesariamente obtiene por lo menos algún conocimiento de Dios. Así, nuestro sentimiento de ignorancia, vanidad, miseria, debilidad, en definitiva, depravación y la corrupción, nos recuerda (véase Calvin Juan 4: 10), que en el Señor, y ninguno pero él, la verdadera luz de sabiduría, virtud sólida, exuberante bondad la detención. En consecuencia estamos instamos por nuestras propias cosas malas a considerar las cosas de Dios; y, de hecho, no podemos aspiramos a él en serio hasta que hemos comenzado a estar disgustado con nosotros mismos. ¿Por lo que el hombre no está dispuesto a descansar en el mismo? WH

El señor es mi pastor

El señor es mi pastor; Todo lo que necesito tengo!" Salmo 23: 1

El pastor es una imagen favorita escritural del Divino amor y cuidado. En el Antiguo Testamento, el Salmo 23 º reúne la verdad todo maravillosa en exquisitas líneas, que son estimados a jóvenes y viejos donde es conocida la Biblia. A continuación, en el nuevo testamento, cuando nuestro Señor daría a sus amigos el revealings más dulce de su corazón hacia ellos y decirles lo que son para él y lo que él estaría con ellos, dice, "Yo soy el buen pastor".

El pastor hebreo vive con sus ovejas. Si están fuera de la tormenta, está con ellos. Si están expuestos al peligro, así es él. Solo así, Cristo vive con su pueblo. Entra en relaciones más cercanas con ellos.

El pastor conoce a sus ovejas. Tiene un nombre para cada uno y los llama por sus nombres. Sólo así, Cristo sabe cada uno de sus amigos, tiene conocimiento íntimo de personal de cada uno. Sabe lo mejor de nosotros y también lo peor: nuestros errores, nuestros pecados, nuestras andanzas. Aún, nosotros sabiendo que a nosotros, él aún nos ama y nunca wearies de nosotros!

El pastor es más suave con sus ovejas. No impulsan, pero va delante de ellos y les lleva. Cuando necesitan descanso en el camino, les hace acostarse y elige para su lugar de descanso, no el camino, pero verdes pastos. Es especialmente amable con los corderos, les recoge en sus brazos y lleva en su seno. Todo esto es una imagen exquisita de la dulzura de nuestro buen pastor en su cuidado de sus ovejas. Es reflexivo hacia los débiles. Ama los corderos y hace espacio para ellos en su seno. Todo lo que es la necesidad, hay algo en el corazón de Cristo que responda a su antojo y suministra su falta!

El pastor defiende su rebaño en riesgo. A menudo tuvo que arriesgar su propia seguridad, incluso su vida, en la protección de sus ovejas. Sólo así, el buen pastor da su vida — para sus ovejas!

Ovejas de Cristo son absolutamente seguras en su mantenimiento. "Doy les la vida eterna," dijo; "y nunca perecerá — nunca! Nadie será arrebatarles de mi mano!" A continuación, por fin, aportará su propia todo con seguridad casa, "y se convertirá en un rebaño, con un pastor!"

Parte tercera.

El gran Catecismo
por Martín Lutero

Traducción de f. Bente y W.H.T. Dau
Publicado en:
Triglot Concordia: Los libros simbólicas
de la Ev. Iglesia Luterana
(St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921)
págs. 565-773

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Para: página anterior - libro de Concordia - Martín Lutero - proyecto Wittenberg

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XI.
Parte tercera.
De la oración.
__________

El padre nuestro.
Hemos escuchado lo que debemos hacer y creo, en que las cosas mejor y más feliz vida consiste. Sigue ahora la tercera parte, cómo debemos orar. Para ya que nos encontramos, así que nadie puede mantener perfectamente los diez mandamientos, a pesar de que han comenzado a creer, y dado que el diablo con todo su poder junto con el mundo y nuestra propia carne, se resiste a nuestros esfuerzos, nada es tan necesaria como que continuamente, debemos recurrir al oído de Dios, llamar a él y orar con él, que se dan, preservar y aumentar en nosotros la fe y el cumplimiento de los diez mandamientos, y que quite todo lo que es en nuestro camino y se opone a nosotros en él. Pero que podríamos saber qué y cómo orar, nuestro Señor Cristo mismo nos ha enseñado el modo y las palabras, como veremos.
Pero antes de explicar el padre nuestro parte por parte, es más necesario exhortar primero a incitar a la oración, como Cristo y los apóstoles también han hecho. Y lo primero es saber que es nuestro deber para orar por el mandamiento de Dios. Para así hemos escuchado en el segundo mandamiento: Thou shalt no tomar el nombre del Señor, tu Dios, en vano, que allí estamos obligados a alabar a ese santo nombre y exhortamos a en cada necesidad o para orar. Para aprovechar el nombre de Dios no es nada más que al orar. La oración es, por tanto, como estrictamente y sinceramente ordenó que todos los otros mandamientos: que ningún otro Dios, no matar, no robar, etc.. ¿Que nadie se cree que es todo lo mismo si él orar o no, como gente vulgar, que grope en tal delirio y preguntarse por qué debería rezar? ¿Quién sabe si Dios respeta o se escucha mi oración? Si no rezo, alguien más lo hará. Y así caer en la costumbre de no rezar nunca y enmarcar un pretexto, como si nos enseñan que no hay ningún derecho o necesidad de oración, porque rechazamos oraciones falsos e hipócritas.
Pero esto es realmente cierto que esas oraciones como han ofrecido hasta ahora cuando los hombres eran balbuceos y berrea en las iglesias no eran oraciones. Para tales asuntos externos, cuando son observados correctamente, puede ser un buen ejercicio para niños pequeños, académicos y personas simples y puede ser llamado canto o lectura, pero no realmente orando. Pero orando, como enseña el segundo mandamiento, es invocar a Dios en cada necesidad. Esto se requiere de nosotros y no ha dejado a nuestra elección. Pero es nuestro deber y obligación de rezar si seríamos cristianos, como es nuestro deber y obligación de obedecer a nuestros padres y el Gobierno; para llamando sobre ella y orando el nombre de Dios es honrado y empleado de forma rentable. Esto que debe señalar sobre todo las cosas, que con ello puede silenciar y repeler esos pensamientos como mantener y nos disuadir de oración. ¿Al igual que sería inactivo durante un hijo a su padre, "de qué ventaja es mi obediencia? Voy a ir y hacer lo posible; es el mismo"; pero allí se destaca el mandamiento, Thou shalt y debe hacerlo, por lo que también aquí no se deja a mi voluntad para hacerlo o dejarlo anulado, pero oración será y debe ofrecerse a riesgo de descontento y la ira de Dios.
Esto es, por tanto, entenderse y señaló antes de todo lo demás, para que con ello podemos silenciar y repeler los pensamientos que mantener y nos disuadir a orar, como si no fuera de mucha consecuencia si no oramos, o como si se fueron al mando los holier y a favor mejor con Dios que nosotros; como, de hecho, el corazón humano es por naturaleza tan desanimado que siempre huye de Dios y se imagina que no desean o desean nuestra oración, porque somos pecadores y han merecido más que ira. Contra esos pensamientos (decir) deberíamos considerar este mandamiento y vuelta a Dios, que nos puede no por esa desobediencia excitar su ira aún más. Para por este mandamiento da claramente a entender que él no se proyecta nos desde él ni chase nosotros, aunque somos pecadores, pero más bien llamar nosotros a sí mismo, por lo que podríamos humillarnos delante de él, bewail esta miseria y sufrimiento de nuestro y orar por gracia y ayuda. Por lo tanto, leemos en las escrituras que está enojado también con los que se enamoró por su pecado, porque no hicieron volver a él y por sus oraciones calmar su ira y buscar su gracia.
Ahora, desde el hecho de que tan solemnemente que mandó a orar, estás a concluir y que es, que nadie debe por cualquier medio despreciar su oración, pero más bien establecer gran almacén por ella y busca siempre una ilustración de los otros mandamientos. Un niño no debe despreciar su obediencia al padre y madre, pero siempre debe pensar: este trabajo es un trabajo de obediencia, y lo que hago con ninguna otra intención que puedo entro en la obediencia y el mandamiento de Dios, en que puedo resolver y mantenerse firme y lo estima una gran cosa, no en la cuenta de mi mérito, pero por el mandamiento. Así que aquí también, qué y para qué oramos nos debe considerar como demandada por Dios y hecho en obediencia a él y deben reflejar así: en mi cuenta que equivaldría a nada; pero deberá aprovechar, por lo que Dios ha mandado lo. Por lo tanto, todo el mundo, no importa lo que tiene que decir en la oración, siempre venga ante Dios en obediencia a este mandamiento.
Oramos, por lo tanto y exhortar a cada más diligentemente a tomar esto en serio y no despreciar nuestra oración. Hasta ahora ha sido enseñado así en nombre del diablo que nadie considera estas cosas, y hombres supone que sea suficiente para haber hecho el trabajo, si Dios haría oír o no. Pero que es apuesta oración en un riesgo y murmullos en una empresa, y por lo tanto, es una oración perdida. Para permitir esos pensamientos como estos para llevarnos por mal camino y disuadir a nosotros: yo no soy Santo o digno suficiente; Si fuera tan piadoso y Santo como San Pedro o San Pablo, entonces sería oro. Pero ponga tales pensamientos lejos, igual el mandamiento que aplican a San Pablo se aplica también a mí; y el segundo mandamiento se da tanto en mi cuenta como por su cuenta, por lo que pueden presumir de mejor o mandamiento holier.
Por lo tanto, se debe decir: mi oración es tan preciado, Santa y agradable a Dios como la de San Pablo o de los Santos más sagrados. Esta es la razón: para que con mucho gusto le otorgará que es holier en su persona, pero no por cuenta del mandamiento; puesto que Dios no consideran oración por la persona, pero por su palabra y la obediencia al mismo. Para en el mandamiento en el que todos los Santos descansan su oración también descanso mío. Además te pido lo mismo para que todo orar y nunca han oraban; Además, tengo sólo como gran una necesidad de ella como los grandes San, sí, incluso uno mayor que ellos.
Esto sea lo primero y más importante, que todas nuestras oraciones deben basarse y descansan en obediencia a Dios, independientemente de la persona, si nos ser pecadores o Santos, digno o indigno. Y debemos saber que Dios no se tienen tratados como una broma, pero estar enojado y castigar a todos los que no orar, como seguramente como castiga a todos los otra desobediencia; a continuación, que él no sufrirán nuestras oraciones a ser en vano o perdido. Si no desea responder a la oración, él no pujar ora y agregarle un mandamiento tal grave.
En segundo lugar, deberíamos ser más instó a los incitaron a orar porque Dios también ha añadido una promesa y declaró que serán seguramente hacerse a nosotros como oramos, como dice $ 50, 15: llamamiento a mí en el día de los problemas: entregará a TI. Y Cristo en el Evangelio de San Mateo, 7, 7: pedir, y se dará le. Para cada uno que asketh recibe. Esas promesas sin duda deberían alentar y kindle nuestros corazones a rezar con placer y satisfacción, ya que demuestra con su [propio] palabra que nuestra oración es agradable de todo corazón a él, además, que seguramente será escuchado y concedida, para que nos podemos despreciarlo o pensar ligeramente y orar en una empresa de no.
Esto puede retrasar a él y decir: aquí vengo, querido padre, y rezar, no de mi propósito ni a mi propio mérito, pero en tu mandamiento y promesa, que no puede fallar o me engañara. Quien, por lo tanto, no cree esta promesa debe conocer otra vez excita Dios ira como una persona que más le dishonors y le reprocha con falsedad.
Además de esto, deberíamos ser incitados y señala a oración, porque además de este mandamiento y la promesa de Dios anticipa y él mismo organiza las palabras y la forma de oración para nosotros y los coloca a nuestros labios sobre cómo y qué debemos orar, que podemos ver cómo todo corazón pities nosotros en nuestra angustia y nunca pueda dudar que esa oración es agradable a él y sin duda deberá responder; que [el nuestro Señor] es una gran ventaja de hecho sobre todo otras oraciones que componemos podríamos nosotros mismos. ¿En ellos la conciencia sería siempre en duda y decir: he oré, pero quién sabe cómo le complace, o si he hit a la derecha proporciones y la forma? Por eso no hay ninguna oración más nobles que se encuentran en la tierra que el padre nuestro que diariamente oramos porque tiene este excelente testimonio, que Dios ama a escucharlo, que no debemos renunciar a todas las riquezas del mundo.
Y se ha prescrito también por esta razón que debemos ver y tener en cuenta la dificultad que debería instar a y nos obligan a orar sin cesar. Para quien sería orar debe tener algo a estado presente y el nombre que desee; Si no es así, que no puede ser llamado una oración.
Por lo tanto, con razón hemos rechazado las oraciones de los monjes y sacerdotes, que howl y gruñido día y noche como demonios; pero ninguno de ellos parece de rezar por una pelo la amplitud de nada. Y si nos gustaría montar todas las iglesias, junto con todos los eclesiásticos, estarían obligados a confesar que ellos han nunca del corazón oró por incluso una gota de vino. Ninguno de ellos nunca se propone orar de obediencia a Dios y la fe en su promesa, ni ha cualquiera considerada cualquier dificultad, pero (cuando ha hecho todo lo posible) pensaban que de esto, hacer un buen trabajo, mediante el cual podrían devolver a Dios, como querer tomar nada de él, pero sólo para darle algo.
Pero cuando va a haber una verdadera oración allí debe ser seriedad. Hombres deben sentir su angustia, y esa angustia como les presiona y les obliga a llamar y gritar y oración se hará de forma espontánea, como debería ser y hombres no requerirá enseñar cómo prepararse para ella y para lograr la adecuada devoción. Pero la angustia que debería preocuparnos más, tanto en cuanto a nosotros mismos y cada uno, se encuentra abundantemente enunciados en el padre nuestro. Por lo tanto, es también servir para recordarnos de la misma, que contemplarlo y sentar a corazón, para que no seamos negligente en la oración. Para que todos tengan suficiente que nos falta, pero el gran deseo es que no se sienten ni verlo. Por lo tanto, Dios también requiere que lamentar y pedir esas necesidades y deseos, no porque no conocemos, pero que puede kindle tu corazón a deseos de una mayor y más fuertes y hacer amplia y abrir su manto para recibir mucho.
Por lo tanto, cada uno de nosotros debe acostumbrar a él mismo desde su juventud diariamente para orar por todos sus deseos, siempre es razonable de cualquier cosa que afecte a sus intereses o otras personas, entre los que puede vivir, como para los predicadores, el Gobierno, vecinos, doméstico y siempre (como ya hemos dicho) para sostener a Dios su mandamiento y promesa, sabiendo que no tendrá los ignorados. Esto me digo porque quiero ver estas cosas que trajo a casa una vez más a la gente que puede aprender a orar verdaderamente y no ir fríamente y indistintamente, según el cual se vuelven cada día más unfit para la oración; que es justo lo que anhela el Diablo, y para lo que trabaja con todos sus poderes. Para él es consciente de lo que dañar y dañarlo lo hace cuando la oración es en la práctica adecuada. Para esto debemos saber, que todos nuestro refugio y protección descansan en oración por sí solo. Somos demasiado débiles para lidiar con el Diablo y todo su poder y adherentes que se fijaron en nuestra contra, y fácilmente podría aplastar a nosotros bajo sus pies. Por lo tanto, debemos examinar y tomar las armas con que los cristianos deben estar armados para oponerse al diablo. ¿Por lo que crees hasta ahora ha logrado esas grandes cosas, ha comprobado o sofocó los consejos, propósitos, asesinato y disturbios de nuestros enemigos, mediante el cual el Diablo piensa acabar con nosotros, junto con el Evangelio, excepto que la oración de algunos hombres piadosos intervino como un muro de hierro de nuestro lado? Otro deben haber presenciado una tragedia muy diferente, a saber, cómo el Diablo habría destruido toda Alemania en su propia sangre. Pero ahora con confianza pueden lo burlarse de y hacer un simulacro de la misma, sin embargo, no obstante, seremos un partido tanto para ellos mismos y el Diablo por la oración sola, si perseveramos sólo con diligencia y no convertirse en margen de demora. Para cuando un cristiano piadoso reza: querido padre deja tu voluntad hacer, Dios habla de alto y dice: sí, querido niño, será, a pesar del Diablo y todo el mundo.
Esto que se dice como una exhortación, que hombres pueden aprender, en primer lugar, estima la oración como algo grande y precioso y hacer una adecuada distinción entre balbuceos y orando por algo. Para no rechazamos la oración, pero el desnudo, inútil aullar y murmurando rechazamos, como Cristo mismo también rechaza y prohíbe a largos palavers. Ahora vamos más breve y claramente tratamos del padre nuestro. Aquí hay quirir en siete artículos sucesivos, o peticiones, cada necesidad que nunca deja de relacionarse con nosotros y cada uno tan grande que debería restringir a que se mantenga orando todas nuestras vidas.

2011 Puritan Conference

The Puritan Reformed Conference is just a few weeks away. You will want to be part of this year's event August 25-27.

Speakers include:

Michael Barrett is the president of Geneva Reformed Seminary and an associate minister of Faith Free Presbyterian Church, Greenville, South Carolina. He earned his doctorate in Old Testament Text with a special focus on Semitic languages. For almost thirty years, he was professor of Ancient Languages and Old Testament Theology and Interpretation at Bob Jones University. He assumed his present position at GRS in the fall of 2000. He has published numerous articles and several books, including Beginning at Moses: A Guide to Finding Christ in the Old Testament; Complete in Him: A Guide to Understanding and Enjoying the Gospel; God’s Unfailing Purpose: The Message of Daniel; The Beauty of Holiness: A Guide to Biblical Worship; Love Divine and Unfailing: The Gospel According to Hosea, and The Hebrew Handbook. Dr. Barrett and his wife, Sandra, have two sons and five grandchildren.

Joel Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editor of Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited sixty books (most recently, Living for the Glory of God: An Introduction to Calvinism, Meet the Puritans, Contagious Christian Living, Calvin for Today, Developing a Healthy Prayer Life, and Taking Hold of God), and contributed fifteen hundred articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. is in Reformation and Post-Reformation theology from Westminster Theological Seminary. He is frequently called upon to lecture at seminaries and to speak at Reformed conferences around the world. He and his wife Mary have with three children.

Gerald Bilkes is Professor of New Testament and Biblical Theology. He completed a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He was recipient of the United States Information Agency Fellowship at the Albright Institute (ASOR) in Jerusalem during the 1997-1998 year. He has written several articles on biblical-theological themes and given addresses at several conferences. His areas of special interest include hermeneutics, the history of interpretation, and conversion in the Bible. He and his wife, Michelle, have four children.

David Murray is Professor of Old Testament and Practical Theology. He studied for the ministry at Glasgow University and the Free Church of Scotland College (Edinburgh). He was a pastor for 12 years, first at Lochcarron Free Church of Scotland and then at Stornoway Free Church of Scotland (Continuing). From 2002 to 2007, he was Lecturer in Hebrew and Old Testament at the Free Church Seminary in Inverness. He has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Reformation International Theological Seminary for his work relating Old Testament Introduction studies to the pastoral ministry. Dr. Murray joined the faculty of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in 2007. He is the author of Christians Get Depressed Too and the producer of God’s Technology: Training Our Children To Use Technology To God’s Glory. He also blogs at Head Heart Hand. David and his wife, Shona, have four children.

John Thackway is pastor of the Holywell Evangelical Church in North Wales. Pastor Thackway has been editor of the Bible League Quarterly since 1993. Since 2004, he has been a member of the General Committee of the Trinitarian Bible Society. He is a visiting lecturer at the London Reformed Baptist Seminary, and he has spoken at conferences throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. Pastor Thackway and his wife, Margaret, have four children and three grandchildren.

Geoffrey Thomas has been the pastor of Alfred Place Baptist Church in Aberystwyth, Wales, since 1965. He has served as the Chairman of the Grace Churches of England and Wales, and of the Association of Evangelical Churches of Wales. He studied at the university at Cardiff and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary. This year, Westminster Theological Seminary awarded Pastor Thomas the Doctor of Divinity degree. He has written a numerous articles and several books including Ernest Reisinger: A Biography, Philip and the Revival in Samaria, and Preaching: The Man, The Message and the Method. He has spoken at conferences throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. He is also a visiting lecturer at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. Pastor Thomas and his wife, Iola, have three daughters and nine grandchildren.

William VanDoodewaard serves as Associate Professor of Church History. Previously he served as Assistant Professor of European History at Patrick Henry College, near Washington, D.C., and as Visiting Professor of History at Huntington University. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Aberdeen. He is a contributing editor for the recent reprint of the 17th century Puritan work, Edward Fisher’s The Marrow of Modern Divinity, and has written for several historical and theological journals. His research interests include the church history of Scotland and the Low Countries, and the history of Christian doctrine. An ordained minister in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Churches, he has served as a guest speaker and preacher for churches in the United States, Canada, and Scotland.

Malcolm Watts trained at London Bible College from 1967-70. Pastor Watts has been the minister of Emmanuel Church, Salisbury since 1971. At present, he is Chairman of the General Committee of the Trinitarian Bible Society, and Chairman of the Bible League Trust, which publishes the Bible League Quarterly. Pastor Watts is a visiting Lecturer at the London Reformed Baptist Seminary and the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary. He has spoken at conferences throughout the United Kingdom and abroad. He is the author of The Lord Gave the Word: A Study in the History of the Biblical Text, and he has co-authored The Worship of God and The Government of the Church. Pastor Watts and his wife, Gillian, have two daughters, and six grandchildren.

Take advantage of the low registration price of just $90 before it's too late. This conference will surely sell out soon. See below for additional pricing.

• College or seminary student registration (and spouse) is $25 per person.
• One day registration is $25 per person.
• Receive last year’s conference book for an additional $10 with registration to this year’s event.

Visit us online at www.puritanseminary.org and register today.

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Dr G Campbell Morgan Studies In The Bible part 1

For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day; but this is that which hath been spoken by the prophet Joel:

And it shall be in the last days, saith God,
I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh:
And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
And your young men shall see visions,
And your old men shall dream dreams:
Yea, and on My bond-servants and on My bond-maidens in those days
Will I pour forth of My Spirit, and they shall prophesy.”
Acts ii. 15 - 18.


I HAVE not read these words as a text, but as an introduction to what I desire to say, as God shall help me, concerning the most recent manifestation of the Pentecostal power. I refer to the great work of God that is going on in Wales at this time; and I trust that something more than curiosity makes you desire to hear of this work, for I am not speaking with any intention to satisfy curiosity. I want now in the simplest way to speak to you, first, very briefly, and as far as it is possible, of what my own eyes have seen, my own ears heard, and my own heart felt.

I do this in order that we may ask finally, What are the lessons God would teach us in this day of His visitation? Yet I cannot help reverting, before going further, to the passage that I have read in your hearing. Peter stood in the midst of one of the most wonderful scenes that the world has ever beheld. When men said of the shouting multitude that they were drunk, Peter said, “No, these men are not drunken as ye suppose;” but “this is that” which was spoken by the Prophet Joel.

If anyone shall say to me, “What do you think of the Welsh revival? “ I say at once, “This is that.”

This is no mere piece of imagination, and it certainly is not a piece of exaggeration. “I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,” is the promise now evidently fulfilled in Wales. If you ask for proof of that assertion I point to the signs. “Your young men shall see visions!” That is exactly what is happening. It does not at all matter that this cynical and dust-covered age laughs at the vision. The young men are seeing it. “And your old men shall dream dreams,” and that is happening. The vision goes forward, the dream goes backward; and the old men are dreaming of ‘59, and feeling its thrill again. “Yea, and on My bond-servants and on My hand-maidens,” that is, on the slaves and the domestic servants, “I will pour My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.” It does not at all matter that some regular people are objecting to the irregular doings. “This is that.” If you ask me the meaning of the Welsh Revival, I say,

IT IS PENTECOST CONTINUED,

without one single moment’s doubt.

But, for a few moments let me speak of the thing itself. Let me talk familiarly and quietly, as though sitting in my own room.

I left London on Monday, reaching Cardiff at 8:30 that evening, and my friend who met me said to me, “What are you going to do? Will you go home, or will you go to the meeting?” I said, “What meeting?” He said, “There is a meeting in Roath Road Chapel.” “Oh,” I said, “I would rather have a meeting than home.” We went. The meeting had been going on an hour and a half when we got there, and we stayed for two hours and a half, and went home, and the meeting was still going on, and I had not then touched what is spoken of as — it is not my phrase, but it is expressive — the “fire zone.” I was on the outskirts of the work. It was a wonderful night, utterly without order, characterised from first to last by the orderliness of the Spirit of God.

But it is of Tuesday that I would specially speak. I was the whole of that day in Clydach Vale, spending eight hours in the actual meetings and the rest of the time in the company of Evan Roberts, whom God has so wonderfully raised up. When I had been to the evening meeting on Tuesday I told him I would not come back on Wednesday, for reasons to be stated hereafter. Let me only say now in passing that I am perfectly convinced that we had better keep our hands off this work. I will explain that more fully presently. On Wednesday we returned to Cardiff and, in answer to an invitation, Mr. Gregory Mantle and I took a meeting in this Roath Road Wesleyan Chapel, and on Thursday we took three meetings, spending seven hours there.

I want to speak of the Tuesday only. It was my holy privilege to come into the centre of this wonderful work and movement. Arriving in the morning in the village, everything seemed quiet, and we wended our way to the place where a group of chapels stood. Oh, these chapels through Wales! Thank God for them! And everything was so quiet and orderly that we had to ask where the meeting was. And a lad, pointing to a chapel, said, “In there.” Not a single person outside. Everything was quiet. We made our way through the open door, and just managed to get inside, and found the chapel crowded from floor to ceiling with a great mass of people. What was the occupation of the service? It is impossible for me to tell you finally and fully. Suffice it to say that throughout that service there was singing and praying, and personal testimony, but no preaching. The only break in upon the evidently powerful continuity of the service was when some one in the meeting, who happened to know me, said that they would like to hear me speak. And that is

WHY I DECIDED NEVER TO GO AGAIN

into these meetings. For the moment the thoughts of the meeting were turned toward me there was a break in the continuity and the power. If it were possible for me in any way to disguise myself I would go back again, and get back into the middle of the movement, but I am afraid it is a little too late in the day for that. Of course I did not move to speak, but when, presently, it was evident that there was this break, I rose and spoke a few words, urging them not to allow the presence of any stranger to divert their attention, and the meeting moved on, and I was allowed to hide myself again. It was a meeting characterised by a perpetual series of interruptions and disorderliness. It was a meeting characterised by a great continuity and an absolute order. You say, “How do you reconcile these things?” I do not reconcile them. They are both there. I leave you to reconcile them. If you put a man into the midst of one of these meetings who knows nothing of the language of the Spirit, and nothing of the life of the Spirit, one of two things will happen to him. He will either pass out saying, “These men are drunk,” or he himself will be swept up by the fire into the Kingdom of God. If you put a man down who knows the language of the Spirit, he will be struck by this most peculiar thing. I am speaking with diffidence, for I have never seen anything like it in my life; while a man praying is disturbed by the breaking out of song, there is no sense of disorder, and the prayer merges into song, and back into testimony, and back again into song for hour after hour, without guidance. These are the three occupations — singing, prayer, testimony. Evan Roberts was not present. There was no human leader.

Mr. Mantle was with me, and spoke a word or two, when a man in the gallery rose and said to him in broken English, “Is your work in London near Greenwich?” “Yes,” said Mr. Mantle, “close to Greenwich. ” “Take this address down,” said the man, “my brother is there. He is drinking and a sceptic. I am praying for him.” Mr. Mantle pulled out his note-book and said, “Give me the address,” and he dictated it to him, and then they started singing “Songs of Praises,” and the man prayed, and Mr. Mantle is on his track to-day. That is an incident. A most disorderly proceeding, you say? I will be very glad when that happens here, when you will break through all conventionalities. When a man is in agony about the soul of his brother, he will dare to ask. But it must only be as the spontaneous answer of the soul to the Spirit of God.

In the afternoon we were at another chapel, and another meeting, equally full, and this time

EVAN ROBERTS WAS PRESENT

He came into the meeting when it had been on for an hour and a half. I went with him, and with the utmost difficulty we reached the platform. I took absolutely no part, and he took very little part. He spoke, but his address — if it could be called an address — was punctuated perpetually by song and prayer and testimony. And Evan Roberts works on that plan, never hindering anyone. As the result of that afternoon I venture to say that if that address Evan Roberts gave in broken fragments had been reported, the whole of it could have been read in six or seven minutes. As the meeting went on, a man rose in the gallery and said, “So and So,” naming some man, “has decided for Christ,” and then in a moment the song began. They did not sing “Songs of Praises” they sang “Diolch Iddo,” and the weirdness and beauty of it swept over the audience. It was a song of praise because that man was born again. There are no enquiry rooms, no penitent forms, but some worker announces, or an enquirer openly confesses Christ, the name is registered, and the song breaks out, and they go back to testimony and prayer.

In the evening exactly the same thing. I can tell you no more, save that I personally stood for three solid hours wedged so that I could not lift my hands at all. That which impressed me most was the congregation. I looked along the gallery of the chapel on my right, and there were three women, and the rest were men packed solidly in. If you could but for once have seen the men, evidently colliers, with the blue seam that told of their work on their faces, clean and beautiful. Beautiful, did I say? Many of them lit with heaven’s own light, radiant with the light that never was on sea and land. Great rough, magnificent, poetic men by nature, but the nature had slumbered long. To-day it is awakened, and I looked on many a face, and I knew that men did not see me, did not see Evan Roberts, but they saw the face of God and the eternities. I left that evening, after having been in the meeting three hours, at 10. 30, and it swept on, packed as it was, until an early hour next morning, song and prayer and testimony and conversion and confession of sin by leading church members publicly, and the putting of it away, and all the while no human leader, no one indicating the next thing to do, no one checking the spontaneous movement.

Now, for one moment let me go a step further and speak just a word or two about

THE MAN HIMSELF

Evan Roberts is hardly more than a boy, simple and natural, no orator, no leader of men; nothing of the masterfulness that characterised such men as Wesley, and Whitefield, and Moody; no leader of men. One of the most brilliant writers in one of our morning papers said of Evan Roberts, in a tone of sorrow, that he lacked the qualities of leadership, and the writer said if but some prophet; did now arise he could sweep everything before him. God has not chosen that a prophet shall arise. It is quite true. Evan Roberts is no orator, no leader. What is he? I mean now with regard to this great movement. He is the mouthpiece of the fact that there is no human guidance as to man or organisation. The burden of what he says to the people is this: it is not man, do not wait for me, depend on God, obey the Spirit. But whenever moved to do so, he speaks under the guidance of the Spirit. His work is not that of appealing to men so much as that of creating an atmosphere by calling men to follow the guidance of the Spirit in whatever the Spirit shall say to them.

I do not hesitate to say that God has set His hand upon the lad, beautiful in simplicity, ordained in his devotion, lacking all the qualities that we have looked for in preachers, and prophets, and leaders. He has put him in the forefront of this movement that the world may see that He does choose the things that are not to bring to nought the things that are, the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty; a man who lacks all the essential qualities which we say make for greatness, in order that through him in simplicity and power He may move to victory.

For a moment let us stand back, and look at the whole thing more generally. Let me speak of some of the incidental

PECULIARITIES OF THE MOVEMENT

as I saw it, and gathered information concerning it on the ground. In connection with the Welsh revival there is no preaching, no order, no hymnbooks, no choirs, no organs, no collections, and, finally, no advertising. Now, think of that for a moment, again, will you? Think of all our work. I am not saying these things are wrong. I simply want you to see what God is doing. There were the organs, but silent; the ministers, but among the rest of the people, rejoicing and prophesying with the rest, only there was no preaching. Yet the Welsh revival is the revival of preaching to Wales. Everybody is preaching. No order, and yet it moves from day to day, week to week, county to county, with matchless precision, with the order of an attacking force. No books, but, ah me, I nearly wept to-night over the singing of our last hymn. Mr. Stead was asked if he thought the revival would spread to London, and he said, “It depends upon whether you can sing.” He was not so wide of the mark. When these Welshmen sing, they sing the words like men who believe them. They abandon themselves to their singing. We sing as though we thought it would not be respectable to be heard by the man next to us. No choir, did I say? It was all choir. And hymns! I stood and listened in wonder and amazement as that congregation on that night sang hymn after hymn, long hymns, sung through without hymnbooks. Oh, don’t you see it? The Sunday school is having its harvest now. The family altar is having its harvest now. The teaching of hymns and the Bible among those Welsh hills and valleys is having its harvest now. No advertising. The whole thing advertises itself. You tell me the Press is advertising it. I tell you they did not begin advertising until the thing caught fire and spread. And let me say to you, one of the most remarkable things is the attitude of the Welsh Press. I come across instance after instance of men converted by reading the story of the revival in the Western Mail and the South Wale: Daily News.

WHAT IS THE ORIGIN OF THE MOVEMENT?

In the name of God let us all cease trying to find it. At least let us cease trying to trace it to any one man or convention. You cannot trace it, and yet I will trace it tonight. Whence has it come? All over Wales — I am giving you roughly the result of the questioning of fifty or more persons at random in the week — a praying remnant have been agonising before God about the state of the beloved land, and it is through that the answer of fire has come. You tell me that the revival originates with Roberts. I tell you that Roberts is a product of the revival. You tell me that it began in an Endeavour meeting where a dear girl bore testimony. I tell you that was part of the result of a revival breaking out everywhere. If you and I could stand above Wales, looking at it, you would see fire breaking out here, and there, and yonder, and somewhere else, without any collusion or pre-arrangement. It is a Divine visitation in which God — let me say this reverently — in which God is saying to us: See what I can do without the things you are depending on; see what I can do in answer to a praying people; see what I can do through the simplest, who are ready to fall in line, and depend wholly and absolutely upon me.

What is the character of this revival? It is a Church revival. I do not mean by that merely a revival among church members. It is that, but it is held in church buildings. Now, you may look astonished, but I have been saying for a long time that the revival which is to be permanent in the life of a nation must be associated with the life of the churches. What I am looking for is that there shall come a revival breaking out in all our regular church life. The meetings are held in the chapels, all up and down the valleys, and it began among church members, and when it touches the outside man it makes him into a church member at once. I am tremendously suspicious of any mission or revival movement that treats with contempt the Church of Christ, and affects to despise the churches. Within five weeks

20,000 HAVE JOINED THE CHURCHES

I think more than that have been converted, but the churches in Wales have enrolled during the last five weeks 20,000 new members. It is a movement in the Church, and of the Church, a movement; in which the true functions and forces of the Church are being exercised and filled.

Now, what effect is this work producing upon men? First of all, it is turning Christians everywhere into evangelists. There is nothing more remarkable about it than that, I think. People you never expected to see doing this kind of thing are becoming definite personal workers. Let me give you an illustration. A friend of mine went to one of the meetings, and he walked down to the meeting with an old friend of his, a deacon of the Congregational Church, a man whose piety no one doubted, a man who for long years had worked in the life of the Church in some of its departments, but a man who never would think of speaking to men about their souls, although he would not have objected to some one else doing it. As my friend walked down with the deacon, the deacon said to him, “I have eighteen young men in an athletic class of which I am president. I hope some of them will be in the meeting to-night.” There was a new manifestation. Within fifteen minutes he left his seat by my friend and was seen talking to a young man down in front of him. Presently the deacon rose and said, “Thank God for So and So,” giving his name, “he has given his heart to Christ right here.” In a moment or two he left him, and was with another young man. Before that meeting closed that deacon had led every one of those eighteen young men to Jesus Christ, who never before thought of speaking to men about their souls.

My own friend, with whom I stayed, who has always been reticent of speaking to men, told me how, sitting in his office, there surged upon him the great conviction that he ought to go and speak to another man with whom he had done business for long years. My friend suddenly put down his pen, and left his office, and went on ‘Change, and there he saw the very man, and going up to him, passing the time of day to him, the man said to him, “What do you think of this Revival?” And my friend looked him squarely in the eye and said, “How is it with your own soul?” The man looked back at him, and said, “Last night at twelve, from some unknown reason, I had to get out of bed and give myself to Jesus Christ, and I was hungering for some one to come and talk to me.” Here is a man turned into an evangelist by supernatural means. If this is emotional, then God send us more of it! Here is a cool, calculating business shipowner, that I have known all my life, leaving his office to go on ‘Change and ask a man about his soul.

Another characteristic is that you never know just where this fire is going to break out next. A preacher in one of the towns down there said, “I have got a sermon in my pocket. It has been there for three weeks. I went down to my church three Sundays ago with a sermon prepared, my notes in my pocket, and that morning some man broke out in testimony, and it was followed by prayer and singing, and it has never ceased, but two hundred people have joined the church.” He said, “I am keeping that sermon!”

The other day,

DOWN IN ONE OF THE MINES

—and I hope you understand I am only repeating to you the instances that came under my personal observation— the other day in one of the mines, a collier was walking along, and he came, to his great surprise, to where one of the principal officials in the mine was standing. The official said, “Jim, I have been waiting two hours here for you.” “Have you, sir?” said Jim. “What do you want?” “I want to be saved, Jim.” The man said, “Let us get right down here,” and there in the mine the colliery official, instructed by the collier, passed into the Kingdom of God. When he got up he said, “Tell all the men, tell everybody you meet, I am converted.” Straightway confession.

The horses are terribly puzzled. A manager said to me, “The haulers are some of the very lowest. They have driven their horses by obscenity and kicks. Now they can hardly persuade the horses to start working, because there is no obscenity and no kicks.” The movement is characterised by the most remarkable confessions of sin, confessions that must be costly. I heard some of them, men rising who have been members of the church, and officers of the church, confessing hidden sin in their heart, impurity committed and condoned, and seeking prayer for its putting away. The whole movement is marvellously characterised by a confession of Jesus Christ, testimony to His power, to His goodness, to His beneficence, and testimony merging for evermore into outbursts of singing, New let us stand back a little further and speak of

THE ESSENTIAL NOTES

as I have noticed some of the incidental peculiarities. I say to you to-day, beloved, without any hesitation, that this whole thing is of God, that it is a visitation in which he is making men conscious of Himself, ,without any human agency. The Revival is far more widespread than the fire zone. In this sense you may understand that the fire zone is where the meetings are actually held, and where you feel the flame that burns, But even when you come out of it, and go into railway trains, or into a shop, a bank, anywhere, men everywhere are talking of God, Whether they obey or not is another matter. There are thousands who have not yielded to the constraint of God, but God has given Wales in these days a new conviction and consciousness of Himself. That is the profound thing, the underlying truth.

And then another essential note to be remembered is this. I have already said that it is essentially a Church Revival in the broadest sense of that word. What is the Church doing ? If you go to Wales and get near this work you will see the Church returning to the true functions of her priesthood. What are the functions of the Christian priesthood ? Of course I need hardly stay to say that I am referring to the priesthood of the Church, for there is no priesthood in the Church separated from the Church; and I am not at all sure that God is not restoring to Wales the true functions of priesthood, partly because she refuses to be dominated by any false system of priesthood. There arc two essential functions to the Christian priesthood: The first is eucharistic, the giving of thanks; the other is intercessory, praying. That is all. That is going on. The Church everywhere singing and praying and offering praise, and pleading with God. Every meeting is made up almost exclusively of these things. Evan Roberts, and those who sing with him, and those who are speaking in other parts, are urging the people to praise, to pray, and the Church everywhere is doing it; and while the Church is praising, singing plaintively in Welsh such songs as

“Oh, the Lamb, the gentle Lamb,
The Lamb of Calvary,”

or while the Church is singing of the love of God, men and women are coming down broken-hearted, sin-convicted, yielding themselves to Jesus Christ. It is a great return on the part of the Church, under the inspired touch of the Spirit of God, to the exercise of its priestly functions—giving praise and interceding.

And then it is a great recognition of the presence and power of the Spirit manifesting itself in the glorification of Christ. What are the

EFFECTS PRODUCED UPON THE CONVERTS?

Again I am taking the largest outlook. Two words, I think, cover the whole thing—vision and virtue. Men are seeing things! Oh, yes, it is quite cheap and easy to stay at a distance and smile. It is intensely easy for the Lancet to predict insanity. I will tell you something in passing. The insanity that will be produced in Wales by this Welsh Revival will be as nothing to the insanity from drink which it will cure.

It is intensely cheap and easy for cold-blooded men at a distance, who know nothing of Celtic fire or spiritual fire, to smile at this whole thing, this seeing of visions. But while you smile, these men are seeing visions. They will tell you crudely of them, perhaps, but it is one of those strange things that no man can ever tell of a vision when he sees it really. They are seeing God. Well, but you say that will pass. It is passing. The vision is passing out into virtue, and men are paying their debts, and abandoning the public-house, and treating their horses well. Oh, my masters! Did you say the next Revival would be ethical? It is that, because it is spiritual, and you will never get an ethical revival except in this way. Vision is merging into virtue, and theatrical companies are packing up and going back because there are no houses, and on every hand there is sweeping down these Welsh valleys a great clean river. It is the river of God, and men are being cleansed in it, in personal and civic relationships. We are quite willing to appeal to the coming years about this work, but the evidences are already present on every hand. Tradesmen are being startled by men paying debts even though the statute of limitations has run out. Tradesmen, you know what that means! An emotion that will make a man do that is worth cultivating, and it is good all the way through.

This is very fragmentary, but it must be if a man talks of these things. No man ever yet could describe a burning bush, and I know I have not described this to you.

Will you let me hold you while I say something to you about

OUR OWN LESSONS?

First of all as to Wales itself, and especially to this great district. I am perfectly sure that it will be a good thing for us if we let it alone. By that I mean that General Booth never manifested his wisdom more than when he packed up and came home. And I love him, and have for years. Any of us that go down there with any thought in our heart we can help, we had better leave the thing in God’s hand. To me it is so sacred a manifestation and glorious that I became frightened, as it wore on, lest my presence, without any desire that it should be so, should check the great movement. That was why I said to Evan Roberts, “I am going away, man, because I will not, so help me God, hinder by five minutes this great work.” I feel we had better let that thing run. We did not originate it anywhere, and— forgive the Americanism—we cannot run it. We had better stand aside and pray, and get ready for what God means to do for us.

What are

THE GREAT VALUES OF THIS MOVEMENT

in Wales? First, the reaffirmation of the spiritual. Secondly, this marvellous union of the spiritual with the practical, this manifestation of an ethical result from a spiritual renewal. Let me say it. I am not at all sure that God is not rebuking our over-organisation. We certainly have been in danger of thinking there could not be a Revival, or any work done for God, unless we had prepared everywhere. I am the last man to speak against organisation in its proper place, but I am inclined to think God is saying to us, Your organisations are right providing you do not live in them, and end in them. But here, apart from all of them, setting them almost ruthlessly on one side, Pentecostal power and fire are being manifested.

What shall we do in the presence of this great movement? Imitate it? Imitation will be fatal. Let no man come back and attempt to start anywhere in London meetings on the lines of those held In Wales, and for this simple reason: that no man started them there. If somewhere here there should break out some great manifestation such as this, then God grant we be ready to fall in line. You cannot imitate this kind of thing. What shall we do? If we cannot imitate, we can discover the principles. What are they? Let us listen for the Spirit, confess Christ, be absolutely at His disposal. Oh, but you say to me, Are not we all that? Well, I do not know. God help us to find out for ourselves. I think we are in terrible danger of listening to the Spirit, and when His voice speaks to us, quenching Him. You say, Something moved me to speak to that man about his soul, but I did not like to. That is how Revival is stopped. Speak to him. Listening to the Spirit, confessing Christ openly; absolutely at His disposal.

Let us in our Church work, not attempt to imitate the thing afar, but let us prayerfully take hold of every organisation and every method, and strengthen it. Strengthen it how? By seeing to it that through the organisation the Spirit of God has right of way; by bringing your Sunday-school class, dear teacher, into a new realm, and instead of treating it as a company of boys and girls you care for very much, that you teach and interest on Sunday afternoons, treat it as a company of souls to be saved. Begin to try and teach along that line; instead of treating our congregations as congregations to be instructed ever in holy things, treat them as men and women that are to be persuaded to holy things, and consecration, and Jesus Christ. And in order to the doing of all this, what we supremely need is that we ourselves should be at the end of ourselves, that we should dare to abandon ourselves with some amount of passion to our work. Oh, we have been too

“Icily regular, faultily faultless,
Splendidly null.”

What we do need is the abandonment of ourselves to the great truths we know so well, to the great forces that indwell. Let us “strengthen the things that remain.”

And so—now forgive me if I address myself to my own people—shall we not turn ourselves—ministers and staff and officers, and all the members, and shall we not say, at least we can now take up this work and make it instinct with new devotion and life, at least we can take hold of the thing that lies closest, and put into it the passion of a great devotion. We can begin there. The

CHURCH OF GOD NEEDS THREE THINGS

It needs first to set itself to get things out of the way for God. I appreciate the almost puzzled look upon some of your faces. What things? I do not know. All the things that are in His way: Your habit that you know is unholy; your method of business that will not bear the light of day; your unforgiving heart towards a Church member. Oh, God forgive me that I mention anything! You know, you know. They are in God’s way, these things. They must be cleared out. That is the first thing. There may be other things in God’s way. Any organisation in Church life that does not make for the salvation of men is a fungous growth, and the sooner we drop it off the better. Oh, I know churches where classrooms are so tremendously full there is no room for a prayer meeting. Are we ready to put things out of the way for God? I think we are. I think that if God manifests Himself, and men begin to be saved, I do not think there is a Guild Social we will keep. I do not think there is any bazaar coming on that will hinder it! Oh, if there is anything, we must be prepared to sweep everything out for God to have highway. That is the attitude the Church must be prepared to take.

Now let me say also to the other Churches, that is

THE TRUE ATTITUDE.

There is nothing so important as the saving of men, and when the Church says that, and is ready, God will come. We need then to wait upon Him in earnest, constant prayer. Oh, brothers, sisters, pray, pray alone; pray in secret; pray together; and pray out of a sense of London’s sin and sorrow. It is so easy to be familiar with these things, until they have lost their power to touch us. Oh, the sin and the sorrow of London! May God lay it upon our hearts as a burden. And out of that agony let us begin to pray, and go forward the moment He opens the door, and indicates the way. I do not expect—and especially to young Christians do I say this—I do not expect just the same kind of manifestation. God always manifests Himself through the natural temperament, and you can never have the poetic fire and fervour of a Celtic Revival in London. But you can have a stern, hard, magnificent consecration, and results that characterise your own nationality. Are we ready for God? I feel like apologising to you tonight for this broken talk. I have talked out of my heart. I have tried to talk of fire that cannot be described. I have tried to talk out of the tremendous sense that God is abroad, and I talk out of the desire that I cannot express—that somewhere, somewhen, somehow, He may put out His hand, and shake this city for the salvation of men.