Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics Blog
News, Updates, Articles, Books, and Resources of all Kinds
For God So Loved the World by John Owen (1616-1683)
“‘God’ the Father ‘so loved,’ had such a peculiar, transcendent love, being an unchangeable purpose and act of his will concerning their salvation, towards ‘the world,’ miserable, sinful, lost men of all sorts, not only Jews but Gentiles also, which he peculiarly...
Importance of Justification by Daniel Toussain (1541–1602)
First of all, the style of this epistle to the Galatians is excited and vibrant, which is what the state of the church, which at that time was bewitched by false apostles, demanded. But this epistle has always been a favourite of the great men of the church, and...
Keeping Your Distance from Sin by Thomas Brooks
Remedy (1). First, Keep at the greatest distance from sin, and from playing with the golden bait which Satan holds forth to catch you; for this you have (Romans xii. 9), “Abhor that which is evil, cleave to that which is good.” When we meet with anything extremely...
Election and Prayer by Robert Rollock
More then this (Brethren) ye see the Thessalonians are elected: yet he prays for them, Making mention (sayeth he) of you in our prayers. And for this same cause; knowing that ye are elected. Mark this. The election of God, that sure ground and foundation of life and...
The Synod of Dordt Condemned Arminianism as Heresy
Dordt stated that in reaction to the Arminian and Remonstrant Articles and Opinions, that Arminius and the Remonstrants, “summon back from hell the Pelagian error.”[1] They said that Arminianism “deceive(s) the simple,”[2] “is an invention of the human brain,”[3] is a...
The Superiority of the Psalms Over Uninspired Hymns by David Hay Flemming
Those who wish to know the bearing of Scripture on human hymns as matter of God’s worship should read the two excellent little treatises, respectively entitled, The True Psalmody, and The Public Worship of God, the first of which is an American publication, and the...
God’s Absolute Right in Election and Reprobation by Francis Turretin
For in election it belongs to the absolute right that God, according to his most free good pleasure, destines sinful and guilty men to salvation; and although all are equal, yet he elects this one instead of another, as in the case with Esau and Jacob … In...
James MacGregor on the Westminster Confession Replacing the Old Scots Confession
That the Lord’s supper ought not to be celebrated privately, by one person alone may be proven; 1. Because it is a communion, and is the sign of our communion with Christ: but a private supper is no communion. 2. Because it is a solemn thanksgiving; and we ought all...
Jeremiah Burroughs on the Lord’s Day
God would have us upon the Sabbath rest from all other works, that we may be free to converse with him. Therefore it is so much the more inexcusable if we have nothing else to do , [if we should] deny to converse with God as he requireth of us. If a friend should come...
Can the Lord’s Supper be Taken in Private? by Zacharias Ursinus
That the Lord’s supper ought not to be celebrated privately, by one person alone may be proven; 1. Because it is a communion, and is the sign of our communion with Christ: but a private supper is no communion. 2. Because it is a solemn thanksgiving; and we ought all...
The Purity of Worship by John Calvin
I have also no difficulty in conceding to you, that there is nothing more perilous to our salvation than a preposterous and perverse worship of God. The primary rudiments, by which we are wont to train to piety those whom we wish to gain as disciples to Christ, are...
Nicholas Bownd’s Summary of Puritan Sabbatarianism
“First of all, that the observations of the Sabbath is not a bare ordinance of man, or a mere civil or ecclesiastical constitution, appointed only for polity; but an immortal commandment of almighty God, and therefore binds men’s consciences. 2. The same was given to...
Guarding Against Sexual Sin by Wilhelmus a Brakel
Everyone ought to be on guard so that, consistent with the exhortation of the apostle, everyone may possess his vessel in sanctification and honor (1 Thess 4:4). We must know that we have the enemy within ourselves, that we carry the seed of uncleanness within, which...
John Brown of Haddington on the Sin of the Civil Magistrate Tolerating False Religion
II. The Scriptures plainly represent magistrates’ granting of men an unrestrained freedom to profess and practice a false religion as extremely sinful and hurtful. 1. It is in the name of God to give liberty to the flesh, of which heresies and idolatry are the...
Samuel Miller on the Yellow Fever of 1798 in NYC
Yellow Fever was as feared if not more than what is currently going around. It killed 10 percent of the remaining population in NYC when half the 50,000 citizens had fled the city. Samuel Miller was minister at the collegiate Presbyterian church at the time and...
Theodore Beza on staying or fleeing during the plague and the Sixth Commandment
“And although that in so great varietie of Circumstances, Rules for every singular thing cannot be set down; yet is it no hard matter to give certain General Precepts agreeable unto the Word of God, by the which, as by a certain Rule, singular Cases may afterwards (as...
Edward Leigh on Singing in Church
Edward Leigh, theologian and contemporary of the Westminster divines, on Colossians 3:16: Teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spiritual Songs] See Ephes. 5.19. In both which places, as the Apostle exhorteh us to singing, so he instructeth...
A True Church from a False Church by Girolamo Zanchi
V. Particular churches how they may be known, whether they be true churches or not. And hereby we believe every particular church may be discerned, whether it be a true church gathered in the Lord, even by those things whereupon the Lord hath willed them to be built,...
Johannes Wollebius on Defining a Heretic
Heretics are they, who maintain stubbornly against the plain light of truth, any doctrine which overthrows directly, or by necessary consequence the fundamentals of Christian faith. The Rules. I. Not every Error makes an Heretic. For either there is an error against...
The Nassau Confession (1578) on Idolatry
“It were much to be wished that suitable steps against this evil had been taken in the Protestant churches soon upon the initial purification of doctrine. And moreover, that the idolatrous images, which have been and still are one of the principal abominations under...
George Gillespie on Commanded Worship
Alas! perimus licitis [We perish by permitted things], inordinate love to, and immoderate pursuing after things lawful in themselves destroy more souls than things sinful and unlawful in themselves do. The excuses of those invited to the marriage of the king’s son are...
John Calvin on Pure Worship
Moreover the rule which distinguishes between pure and vitiated worship is of universal application, in order that we may not adopt any device which seems fit to ourselves, but look to the injunction of him who alone is entitled to prescribe. Therefore, if we would...
George Gillespie on New Light in Worship
“How absurd a tenet is this, which holds that there is some particular worship of God allowed, and not commanded? What new light is this which makes all our divines [i.e. theologians] to have been in the mist, who have acknowledged no worship of God, but that which...
Columbo Deals With God as the Author of Sin
Detective Harry, and his buddy Lieutenant Columbo, are sitting in a church classroom after everyone else leaves, including the teacher, ruminating in the truths they had just been walked through concerning God as sovereign. Harry is perplexed. Columbo: Harry, what’s...
Idolatry by David Dickson
"2. The Nazarites having made this vow were no more to serve God as they liked, but were bound |414| to follow the law appointed by God for Nazarites (Num. 6); their eating, drinking, and sacrifice were appointed of God, which lets us see that albeit God will have...
George Gillespie on Idolatry and Superstition
§6. The Bishop has yet a third dart to throw at us: If the church (he says)[1] has power, upon occasional motives, to appoint occasional fasts or festivities, may not she, for constant and eternal blessings, which do infinitely excel all occasional benefits, appoint...
The Bremen Consensus (1595) on Ceremonies
“II. Some ceremonies are devised and established by men are properly called adiaphora, that is, a thing neither evil nor good, or an act which is left free, or an ecclesiastical rule. … They do not take the place of the indispensable worship service, such as the use...
The Substance of God’s Worship by Nicholas Bownd
In the observance of the 4th command consists the practice of the other 9; in the neglect of it is the neglect of all religion As in the first commandment the substance of God’s worship is set down—namely that we, knowing and acknowledging the only true God to be our...
The Debrecen Synod (1567) on Idolatry
The Debrecen Synod (1567) said, "all marks and organs of idolatry and the Mass are totally forbidden in the second commandment— indeed, everywhere in the New Testament,” and with several proofs from Scripture prove that “idols and the marks and purposes of idolatry...
Robert Leighton on God’s Glory as Our Highest-end in Prayer
He who is the beginning of all things, must likewise of necessity be the end of them all; and then are our intentions rightest and purest, when we are most possessed with the desire of that highest end, the glory of God, and look straightest unto it. And if this...
Striving After Assurance by Francis Roberts
Strive after well-grounded Assurance of a good spiritual state. Labour not only, That God, Christ, Grace, and Glory may be yours: but also, That ye may know assuredly they are yours. Assurance is possible; For God’s Spirit is given to help us to it, &c. Many have...
The Necessity of Church Membership by John Calvin
Yet it ought to be observed, that we cannot become acceptable to God without being united in one and the same faith, that is, without being members of the Church; for it is not necessary for us to run to Jerusalem, or to Mount Zion, because in the present day Zion is...
The Infinite Perfection of God by James Durham
There is but one God essentially considered: and in this the Scripture is clear, and so in this Book [Revelation], chap. 1. and last; although there be a plurality of Persons mentioned, yet it is ever God spoken of as One, in the singular number; and thus He is still...
Logos 2019 Sale
Greetings at the end of this year. Looks like Logos is having a sale you might be interested in. Check the link here.
Prayers of a Righteous Man by Martin Luther
When his close friend Philipp Melanchthon became deathly ill, Luther prayed fervently for him: “I wearied God’s ears with all his promises of hearing prayers.” Luther even threatened to question God’s faithfulness if God didn’t answer him! Melanchthon recovered, and...
How I Pray: Counsel on Approaching the Almighty by Martin Luther
How should I pray? What exactly should I say? How long should I go on? Such were the questions put to Luther by his barber and lifelong friend, Peter Beskendorf. In response, Luther composed A Simple Way to Pray, in which he showed how the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten...
CRTA Launches New Ring of Reformed Sites
Welcome to The Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics, the heart of Reformed Theology on the internet. As you can see by our brand-new site, we have completely overhauled everything! CRTA is now the main hub of a number of tried and trusted Reformed websites...
Remembering the Reformation
History cannot be documented simply as chronological events, but the intrusion of God into time to establish His redemptive purposes in and through men. Two epochs in this Spirit’s work point to the greatest revolutions ever documented: the entrance of the Lord of...
Exit Interview – Why a Reformed Pastor is Leaving the Ministry
I spoke to a Reformed Pastor this past week, and he is in a dilemma. He is in a financial crisis. No, the crisis does not run around the current economical trends of wall street and main street and the continual government overreach into those sectors. Rather, this...
The Lord’s Supper Part 2 – Calvin’s View
The Reformed church of yesteryear had a more biblically rich, complex and theologically accurate view of the Lord’s Supper than 99% of those claiming the Reformed banner today. Not only did the magisterial Reformers take time in sermons, tracts, commentaries and...
The Lord’s Supper Part 1
Through the history of the church, one of the most written about topics is the Lord’s Supper. In today’s church, one of the least written about or preached about topics is the Lord’s Supper. No doubt, as a result, there is a huge amount of misinformation that rests on...
