Henry Scougal and The Life of God in the Soul of Man

My mom has often said that church cookbooks contain the best recipes because you can be sure that they've stood the test of time and use. They are tried and shown themselves true. I think the same principle applies to what we've been talking about here in this space over the course of the last month. We're highlighting dead guys, theologians and pastors whose words are tried and true. They've stood the test of time and examination.

In my earlier post in this series I told you I emailed a pastor blogger years ago to ask his recommendations on this very topic of reading works by dead theologians. Reading any sorts of theological works, by guys dead or alive, was something of a novel endeavor for me so I had no idea where to even begin. In true pastoral fashion, my friend sent me a list of six or seven titles, some small and seemingly innocuous, some large and rather intimidating. Two weeks ago I wrote about one of his recommendations to me, The Autobiography of George Mueller.

Included on his list was The Life of God in the Soul of Man by Henry Scougal. Scougal lived in the seventeenth century (1650-1678). He was a pastor and a professor who died at the young age of 28. Scougal wrote this particular work to a friend to explain true Christianity--the life of God in the soul of man as it were. Directed to a friend from a friend, it is a short and personal book.

The first part of the book examines the nature of genuine religion. From there Scougal discusses the "excellency and advantage of religion" meaning religion in its truest sense. The greatest advantage? knowing divine love. The last part of the book explores the difficulty and struggle which can accompany Christian discipleship and the importance of meditating on the truths of the gospel and the future grace that awaits.

Here are a few quotes to pique your interest. On the love of God...

The love of God is a delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections, which makes the soul resign and sacrifice itself wholly unto him, desiring above all things to please him, and delighting in nothing so much as in fellowship and communion with him, and being ready to do or suffer anything for his sake, or at his pleasure. Though this affection may have its first rise from the favors and mercies of God toward ourselves, yet doth it, in its growth and progress, transcend such particular considerations and ground itself on his infinite goodness, manifested in all the works fo creation and providence. 

On the satisfaction that is ours in Christ...

Behold on what sure foundation his happiness is built whose soul is possessed with divine love, whose will is transformed into the will of God, and whose greatest desire is, that his Maker should be pleased! Oh! the peace, the rest, the satisfaction that attendeth such a temper of mind!

And the secret to genuine humility...

[T]he deepest and most purest humility doth not so much arise from the consideration of our own faults and defects as from a clam and quiet contemplation of the Divine purity and goodness. Our spots never appear so clearly as when we place them before this Infinite Light...

I find Scougal's prayers to be particularly encouraging.

Fill our souls with such a deep sense, and full persuasion of those great truths which thou hast revealed in the Gospel, as may influence and regular our whole conversation, and that the life which we henceforth live in the flesh, we may live through faith in the Son of God. Oh! that the infinite perfections of thy blessed nature, and the astonishing expressions of thy goodness and love, may conquer and overpower our hearts, that they may be constantly rising toward thee in flames of devoutest affection, and enlarging themselves in sincere and cordial love toward all the world for thy sake, and that we may cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in thy fear, without which we can never hope to behold and enjoy thee. Finally, O God, grant that the consideration of what thou art, and what we ourselves are, may both humble and lay us low before thee, and also stir up in us the strongest and most ardent aspirations toward thee. 

George Whitefield (another dead theologian) reportedly claimed that he never knew what true religion was until he read Scougal's treatise. I wonder if you would agree? The Life of God in the Soul of Man is available in several places across the internet as a free download. I encourage you to read it, particularly if you are new to the whole reading-dead-guys deal. I think you'll be glad you did. And, please, be sure to let us know what you think!

This is last post in our dead guys series. I know we on the writing end enjoyed it and we hope you, our readers, did as well. We'd love to know what dead guys you would recommend. Did we highlight a book or author that was new to you? Have you read any of our recommendations? Comments and conversation are always welcome; we'd love to hear your thoughts!

John Owen on Regeneration

Sometimes the Christian life can be discouraging. We take baby steps. We sin. We repent. Rinse. Repeat. During these cycles, it's easy to wonder if anything has really changed deep down inside. You may not have had these thoughts run through your head, but I have.

Here are a few passages from John Owen on regeneration - what happened when we were born again. I hope they will encourage you as they have me. When the doubts come, there's nothing better than looking away from my present condition and being reminded of how God raised my spiritual corpse to life.

God began the work of salvation. He will finish it, and He gets all the glory.

Regeneration is the putting into the soul of a new, real, spiritual law of life, light, holiness and righteousness which leads to the destruction of all that hates God and fights against him.

Regeneration produces an inward miraculous change of heart. "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." Regeneration is not produced by the outward signs of a moral change of heart and is quite distinct from them (Gal. 5:6; 6:15)

Regeneration is a creating act of almighty power. A new principle or law is created in us by the Holy Spirit (Ps. 51:10; Eph. 2:10). This new creation is not a new habit formed in us. but a new power and ability. So it is called "the divine nature" (2 Pet. 1:4). This new creation is a habitual new power and ability created in us by God and it bears his image (Eph. 4:22-24).

Regeneration renews our minds. Being renewed in the spirit of our minds means that our minds now have a new, saving supernatural light, to enable them to think and act spiritually (Eph. 4:23; Rom. 12:2). The believer is "renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him" (Col. 3:10).¹

All this is the work of the Holy Spirit. He brings us who were dead in trespasses and sins to life. He gives us a new heart and puts a new spirit within us. He writes his laws in our hearts, so that we may know and do the will of God and so walk in his ways. He works in us both to will and to do of his good pleasure. He makes them who were unwilling and obstinate to become willing and obedient, and that by their freedom of will and choice.

In the same way, he implants in our heart a prevailing love for God, causing the soul to cling to him, and his ways with delight and satisfaction (Deut. 30:6; Col. 2:11).

By nature, the heart is depraved so that the mind and will desire to fulfill the lusts which are in it (Gal. 5:24; James 1:14,15), but the Holy Spirit circumcises the heart with its lusts and desires, and fills us with holy, spiritual love, joy, fear and delight. The Holy Spirit does not change the essence of our desires, but sanctifies them by his saving light and knowledge. By this he unites the desires to their proper object which is Christ.²

                                                                                                                                      
1. The Holy Spirit, John Owen, R.J.K. Law editor, Banner of Truth Trust, 2006, pp. 48-49.
2. Ibid. pg. 93.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones: The Kingdom of God

I shared my affinity for Martyn Lloyd- Jones in my last post, by introducing you to his first work that I read, Spiritual Depression: Its Causes and Cure. As I wrote, Lloyd-Jones' sermons are as applicable today as they were 50 years ago. I found that to be true not only of Spiritual Depression, but also of The Kingdom of God.

The Kingdom of God is a series of 12 sermons that begins with Lloyd-Jones' exposition of Mark 1:14-15. The passage "is such a perfect summary of Christianity and what it stands for and of what the message of the Gospel really is." (p. 8) He goes on

...there is, perhaps, nothing that is so sadly needed in this modern world as just to get a simple, direct, unvarnished statement as to what the Gospel is about. Indeed, this is to me the standing and almost perpetual problem. How does it come to pass that, with open Bibles before them, men and women should be wrong not so much about certain details with respect to the Gospel, but about the whole thing, about the very essence of the Gospel? It is quite understandable that there should be certain points, certain facets of truth about which people are not clear and about which there may be division of opinion. This Gospel is many-sided, it has many aspects, so that is not surprising. But I do suggest that it is indeed very surprising that at the end of the twentieth century, men and women should still be all wrong about what the Gospel is; wrong about its foundation, wrong about its central message; wrong about its objective and wrong about the way in which one comes into relationship with it. And yet, that is the very position by which we are confronted at the present time. (p. 8)

It seems that not much has changed since 1963. Our postmodern society urges us to seek our own truth, one that is relevant and meaningful to us. Sadly this line of thought has infiltrated the church, as is evidenced by the abundance of churches that lack Biblical theology and lack a true understanding of the Gospel. Instead of boldly proclaiming truth, these churches encouraging members to find whatever truth works for them.

Lloyd-Jones battled this trend 50 years ago, firmly stating that preachers have a duty to point people to God's truth which He made known from the foundation of the world (see Heb. 1:1-2).  God has a plan and He has done the work to accomplish it.

...because He has already done it I need not waste a second in trying to discover truth. All I need to do is to pay attention to the truth that God has already revealed through the prophets, through the teachers of the Old Testament, through His Son, through the apostles of the New Testament. It is all here. I do not need anything fresh or new; all I need has already been given.  And, of course, that is why preaching is possible. If it were anything else it would not be preaching, it would be a sort of philosophical or semi-political ethical society... (p. 16)

Remind you of anyone?

Martyn Lloyd-Jones' passion for the truth of the Gospel shines through The Kingdom of God, as it does in his other works. If you're not familiar with his work, I encourage you to read one of his books. I bet you'll love his preaching as much as I do.

John Calvin: Faith and Hope, Inseparable Companions

John Calvin

We could call John Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion a theological treatise—and it is—but the word "treatise" makes me think stodgy, boring, and lifeless. So, for that matter, do "institutes" and "religion."

But once you get past the old-fashioned language of the translations, the Institutes is nothing like that. Let me show you.

Faith, writes Calvin, is "a firm persuasion of the truth of God—a persuasion that it can never be false, never deceive, never be in vain." And hope? "[H]ope is nothing more than the expectation of those things which faith previously believes to have been truly promised by God."

"Thus," he continues,

Faith believes that God is true;
Hope expects that in due season he will manifest his truth. 

Faith believes that he is our Father;
Hope expects that he will always act the part of a Father towards us.  

Faith believes that eternal life has been given to us;
Hope expects that it will one day be revealed.  

Faith is the foundation on which hope rests;
Hope nourishes and sustains faith. 

The words are Calvin's; the formatting is mine. These sentences are found in the middle of one of his long, dense paragraphs. I think of this as a piece of hidden devotional poetry.

Can you see Calvin's heart? His love for God? His love for his fellow believers, too?

[Quoting from Book 3, Chapter 2, Section 42. You'll find the Institutes online at Christian Classics Ethereal Library, or better yet, buy a real book.]

Bavinck on Justification

One of the most challenging teaching assignments I've ever had was when Todd and I taught basics of the Christian faith to 3rd through 6th graders. We discussed who God is and how we can know him. We talked about sin and how it separates us from God. The material wasn't easy, but the questions from the kids were especially challenging.

My husband, who is far more insightful than I am, commented once that all the questions essentially boiled down to a couple of basic ideas. Is salvation really a gift? Isn't there something I need to do to add to it? The answer is the same: If our salvation depended on something we could do, we have no hope. It's the same question the apostle Paul dealt with, it was still being asked in Bavinck's time, and it's one we'll be grappling with until Jesus comes again.

Justification is the doctrine on which the church stands or falls. Either we must do something to be saved, or our salvation is purely a gift of grace. If our work, our virtue, our sanctification is primary, then we remain in doubt and uncertainty to our last breath; Christ's unique, all-encompassing, and all sufficient mediatorial office is set aside and God is robbed of his honor. [1]

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

We cannot earn our salvation, but because of Christ, we can be assured of our salvation, right down to our dying breath.

[1] Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Abridged in One Volume, ed. John Bolt (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2011), 563.