From Reformation to Reformation

δ. In this way the Mystery of the Trinity necessarily goes forth either unto Tritheism, that is, if the distinction of the Persons is...

2. Description of the person of John: Boanerges, ἐπισήθιος, one leaning on the breast, the Theologian, Pillar of the Church. His History...

4. A Theologian in the Netherlands, recently Philosophizing, proceeds our AUTHOR, is not able and ought not to be passed over here...

Take Up and Read! Shortly after my conversion to Christ, I became a regular listener to the radio broadcast of Dr. R.C. Sproul.  Through Dr. Sproul I was exposed to Reformed theology for the first time, and, from the first, I was captivated.  I was quite interested, of course, when he mentioned that he thought that Jonathan Edwards’ Freedom of the Will was the most important, most theologically formative, book that he had ever read.  I ordered it immediately and waited anxio

But Tolerance differs much from Syncretism. We admit the former concerning Heretics as well as Infidels in the external society of the world, imitating the example of God Himself, who bears with the same in His Tolerance, and does not deprive them of life: consult PETER MARTYR’S [1] Locos communes , division II, chapter IV, pages 135-147; and the Letters of Frederick III, Elector Palatine, in the year 1566, sent unto the Duke of Savoy for the favor of the Waldenses, [

β. There is to be no Syncretism with any Heretics, that is, who err Fundamentally, which is to be held especially in the case of the Socinians and Papists , as it is evident from what has already been said, and will be made more abundantly evident throughout the entire System. Concerning the Papists , consult in particular what things our AUTHOR has, Chapter XXXII, § 12-14. Concerning the Socinians , see HOORNBEECK’S Apparatum ad Controversias Socinianas , pages 80-85; SPA

But, as Religion requires such a Confession, so true Religion refuses Mixture with False Religion , either in the same Men, 1 Kings 18:21; Matthew 6:24; 22:37, or in the same body of the Church, Titus 3:10; 2 John 10; Revelation 2:14, 15, with practice also teaching this, in Paul’s delivery of Hymenæus and Philetus [1] to Satan, 1 Timothy 1:20. Whence Syncretism ought to be condemned, which Greek noun, Συγκρητισμὸς/ Syncretism , our AUTHOR best explains in his Compendio ; t

2. Nevertheless, true Religion requires a Prudent Confession, not with a worldly prudence, of which Luke 16:8, and which might persuade them to adjust themselves to whatever Religion for a time: but with a holy Prudence, which belongs to the children of God, which the Lord commends, Matthew 10:16, and which both dissuades from giving an occasion for a profanation of the mysteries of Religion by an untimely profession, Matthew 7:6, and prohibits them from rashly exposing them

True Religion requires the Confession of it, 1. Free and Constant , unto Martyrdom, according to the divine declaration of the Lord Himself, Matthew 10:32, 33, compared with Mark 8:38, and the grave command of the same, Revelation 2:10: which things are confirmed by the Apostles, when they teach that the Faith of the heart and Confession of the mouth are to be conjoined, Romans 10:9, 10; they will each believer always to be prepared to give an ἀπολογίαν/ apology/answer

Now, the More Specific Marks , also sought out of the Scriptures, will prove the excellence of the Reformed Religion above all others. They are these: 1. Esteem of and attention to the Scriptures , 2 Peter 1:19, 20, upon which passage consult my Commentary . This obtains in the Reformed Religion, in comparison with that of the Papists , who next to the Sacred Scripture urge Traditions, and even cause the authority of Scripture to depend upon the Church, keep the common people

Marks , by which we are able to distinguish true Religion from false, so that we might be certain of the truth of our Religion, and at the same time persuade others of the true Religion, are supplied by our AUTHOR, § XVIII, XIX: even indeed, 1. Marks more General , by which the Christian Religion is discerned as true, in contrast with false Cults, to which Infidels adhere, § XVIII: 2. Marks more Specific , by which the genuineness of the Reformed Religion is able to appear

But Defection from the true Religion, whether unto Infidelity, or unto Heresy, is called Apostasy . In either case Apostasy verily obtains, and indeed emphatically in Defection unto Infidelity, when we not only depart from the true doctrine of Religion in one or another head, but together with the heads of Religion we deny its principia, and do not desire to be numbered with the professors of the Christian Religion: in our age defection unto Heresy is wont especially to be un

4. But every Error is not excluded from the true Religion, although it moves away from the doctrine and practice of true Religion: and so, if with JEROME on Galatians 5:20, page 195, you call him Heretic , who understands the Scripture differently than the sense of the Holy Spirit demands, by whom it was written, although he withdraw not from the Church:” there will be hardly anyone, who shall not find himself contaminated in one or the other thing with Heresy, since we le

3. Schism , which more directly indicates the broken Union of the Church, while Heresy denotes its abandoned faith. And, while Heresy has regard to diversity of opinions, Schism denotes dissension whether of hearts and affections, or of rites not necessary; sometimes with some sort of external communion continuing, but with the same commonly ceasing: Quæstione Euangelica XI, § 2, in operibus Augustini , tome 3, part 2, column 202, “It is wont to be asked how Schismatics

Thomas Hobbes Concerning Heresy Hobbes contends in the worst fashion, that no error pertains to the same; but that all private opinion, whether it be erroneous or not, obstinately defended against the laws of the State, is Heresy: but that it is impossible for any opinion to be heretical that the laws of the state appoint or permit to be taught publicly: that, on the other hand, the Christian Religion in the time of the pagan Emperors was a heresy: see COCQUIUS’ Anatomen Hob

When the Apostle prescribes to Titus to avoid , to reject , to repudiate a heretical man of this sort, Titus 3:10, see below Chapter XXXIII, § 21, he adds this reason for this his commandment in verse 11, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐξέστραπται ὁ τοιοῦτος, καὶ ἁμαρτάνει, ὢν αὐτοκατάκριτος, knowing that he that is such is subverted, and sinneth, being condemned of himself . In which a twofold, New Testament ἅπαξ λεγόμενον, hapax legomenon , occurs, namely, the verb ἐκστρέφειν, to subvert , a

2. Heresy , which words is Greek in origin from αἱρέω and αἱρέομαι, especially in the sense of choosing , and of apprehending anything with the embrace of the will. In the common and neutral sense it denotes an opinion, belief, doctrine, to which many men are addicted, or even a society of men, as the multifaceted Heresy of the ancient Philosophers was known: TERTULLIAN, de Resurrectione , chapter XI, page 331, “Among the Philosophers you have those that maintain that this

To True Religion is opposed, 1. Infidelity , in which case the name of Christian is not granted. For, although Infidelity might extend itself much further, and have a place even among those that with the mouth profess the Word of faith and also dwell in the external communion of the Church; indeed, in some measure even in the very faithful, complaining of their ὀλιγοπιστίᾳ, little faith , [1] and asking that the Lord might help their ἀπιστίᾳ/ unbelief , Mark 9:24; [2] Luk

In general, Impiety and Superstition are Opposed to Religion. And indeed, Impiety , as our AUTHOR holds, is opposed in Defect; which one may also call Profanity , and which obtains when a sinner, with due reverence for God shaken off, is unto such thoughts, words, and deed, by which the honor due to His consummate Perfection is trampled upon: Impious Men of this sort are mentioned by Job , Job 21:14, 15, the Psalmist, Psalm 94:3-7, etc. This Impiety was prevailing in the ol

But our AUTHOR does not suffer those inane boastings of our Adversaries concerning all the Fundamentals acknowledged by them, because they perhaps receive the Apostles’ Creed and the Decalogue. Thus Schlichtingius in his præfatione Symboli Apostolici , which he published in the name of the Polish Churches, as he says, which profess one God and His Only-Begotten Son Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit: “That the Symbol called Apostolic is most ancient, and contains that simplest