Roberts was an influential English puritan, best known for his Key of the Bible, a large introduction to the books of the Bible, and for God’s Covenants, the puritan magnum opus on Covenant Theology.  Here is a lesser known work of his now made available on the net.  It is a summary outline of the whole gamut of theology in ten pages, originally made for the benefit of his flock.  This is an airplane view of the whole scope of Christian theology, so one can see its broad layout and understand better how the parts relate to the whole.  Please enjoy.  

A Synopsis of Theology, or Divinity  1645, 10 pp., an outline of theological headings

For the first time, John L. Girardeau’s, The Will in its Theological Relations is fully available online.  Girardeau (†1898) was an important, American, southern presbyterian, reformed theologian who taught systematic theology at Columbia Theological Seminary in South Carolina.  Here he devotes a full-scale treatise to the topic of the freedom and necessity of man’s will.  

A seismic shift occurred on the topic of Predestination and the Will in the early 1700’s with Jonathan Edwards’ treatise Freedom of the Will.  The earlier view of Calvin, the Reformation and Westminster argued that fallen man did not have the power of contrary choice with regard to spiritual things, though Adam did have the power of contrary choice before the Fall, and depraved man still retained the power of contrary choice with regard to external and civil affairs after the fall.  In the pre-modern era (1500’s-1600’s), theologians did not believe that the will was necessitated by the laws of nature, or governed by internal, necessary laws in a similar way like unto the laws of nature.

Edwards, being influenced by the developing philosophies of the Enlightenment, including that of John Locke and others, argued that the will was necessitated in the same way as the then newly developed universal laws of nature.  The earlier doctrine of a moral necessity was transformed into a doctrine of natural necessity.  It came to include not just certain spiritual choices of a person, but all the choices of the will and all the motions of nature as well.  This was previously unknown to Reformed theology, and came to be called Philosophical Necessity, or Determinism.  

Girardeau argues that this is a departure from historic reformed theology, and demonstrates that it was not the view of Calvin and the Reformed Confessions.  Richard Muller, one of the leading reformed historians in the world today, has also recently confirmed numerous of Girardeau’s concerns with the shift occasioned by Edwards.  Listen to the lecture here: 

Richard Muller – “Jonathan Edwards and the Absence of Free Choice: A Parting of Ways in the Reformed Tradition”, 1 hour and 11 minutes, Sept. 29th, 2010, at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, being the Inaugural Lecture for the Jonathan Edwards Center

Short on money to buy the best bible commentaries?  Here are all the reformed, whole Bible commentaries in English since the Reformation that are online (23), as well as most all of the online whole Bible commentaries that evangelicals would be interested in (for a total of 52 works).  Come here for your sermon prep.  Categorized by: the Best, Great, Good, Useful and Less Useful.

We hope it is a blessing to you.  Tell your friends.

Whole Bible Commentaries

It was the custom of Jewish men to recite parts of the Song of Songs to their brides on their wedding night.  Now you can too!  Entice your lover with chapter 6, verses 4-12 or another tantalizing part of this inspired love song.

The Song of Solomon in Poetry

Read the Bible in poetry!  Much of the Bible was written in poetry and much of this aspect of God’s revelation is lost in English translations.  This collection is only a start to much more coming down the road.  We hope, Lord willing, to collect the whole Bible into poetry.

The Bible in Poetry

Here is a webpage with the beginnings of a collection of some resources on this intriguing and elusive subject:

Baptism for the Dead

Rev. Fentiman gives an introduction to the thorny subject of the ‘baptism for the dead’ (1 Cor. 15:29) and argues that it refers to the purification washing for touching dead bodies in Num. 19, which the Jews (rightly) held to be a picture of the Resurrection.  R.L. Dabney, amongst others took this view, though Fentiman argues it in more detail.  May this be a blessing to you in understanding Scripture better.

Baptism for the Dead: Sermon Notes 1 Cor 15:29  2015, 18 pages

This short piece by Rutherford is perhaps the best concise explanation of how the Sacraments work.  Rutherford gives the standard, widely prevalent, vanilla reformed view of the Reformation.  The Sacraments work:

(1) as signs,
(2) as seals,
(3) are instruments by which faith works, and
(4) they are means of grace to be used in obedience to Christ’s command.  

What is noteworthy about these distinctions is that one could not fully explain the sacraments without all four distinctions (these distinctions are necessary).  Nor does one need more distinctions than these four in order to explain the Biblical material (these distinctions are sufficient to account for all of the Biblical data).  Thus, one may rest assuredly that here is the Biblical view of how the Sacraments are means of grace.  May it stir us up to greater faith in our Savior as we see Him represented and sealed to us in baptism and the Lord’s Supper!

Rutherford, Samuel – The Efficacy of the Sacraments  1644, 5 pages, being pp. 211-215 of his Due Right of Presbyteries

Here is every reformed systematic theology that has been written since the Reformation, which is online.  Grow in your knowledge of Christ and of God’s things (which are more important than our things).  Everything around you changes; but God’s truth endureth forever.  Please enjoy.

Every Reformed Systematic Theology Online

Dickson’s Holy Therapeutics shows how to apply God’s covenants to our life in order to grow in assurance and resist temptation.  It contains Dickson’s fullest contribution to covenant theology: his articulation of the Covenant of Redemption, of which he was one of the first systematic expositors for.  Dickson’s work has long been neglected due to there being no easy way to peruse it.  Here is an Introduction to this long work and a Table of Contents with links to make it accessible to all.  

Dickson, David – Sacred Therapeutics: Table of Contents  1656, with an Introduction by Travis Fentiman

Dickson was a Scottish colleague of Rutherford and Gillespie during the mid-1600’s.  His song is ravishing; it sets forth the loveliness of Christ in contrast to all other lovers.  Only in Christ do all other loves find their pleasure.  Read it aloud, and then send it to everyone else who counts the Savior precious.  ‘Whom, having not seen, ye love.’ 1 Pet. 1:8. 

David Dickson – True Christian Love – A Poem  1655, 30 pages

If the Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:7), how much more does He love a cheerful worshipper?  Indeed, He tells us to sing psalms to Him with joy (Ps. 95:2)!  Let us, with the psalmist, stir ourselves up to this pleasure; this sermon will help us. It is a treasure. You will not find anything like it in modern Christian literature.

Wells, John – How We may make Melody in our Hearts to God in Singing of Psalms  late-1600’s, 32 pages, this is a sermon from Puritan Sermons, 1659-89, re-typeset, re-formatted and re-edited, with an Introduction and explanatory footnotes.

Two newly edited sermons by the puritan Richard Rogers (1612) on Conversion have been published!

These very experientially rich sermons on conversion lay the entrance to God’s kingdom sweetly low: to any that thirst for it.  Rogers, with a discerning and soft hand, reproves worldly minded persons who do not desire the best things (even their own salvation), shows that the way to be saved is to thirst for it (for those that desire what God offers), and assures those that do thirst that God will surely make good his end of the deal.  It is in thirsting that the Christian continues in this life to receive the best spiritual graces from God for everything that he or she needs. 

Two Sermons on Conversion from Deut. 5-28-29  1612, 21 pages

Deut. 5:29:

‘Oh! That there were such a heart in them to fear me, and to keep all my commandments always; that it might go well with them, and with their children forever!’

Should ladies have the right to vote for their own rulers in the elections of church officers?  The question is scriptural, practical and perennial; and, as it deals with ‘rights,’ it sometimes incites fervor in those whom the question affects.  What saith the Lord?

Whether Ladies have the Right to Vote for Church Officers

This page has a collection of some of the best resources on the topic, both Pro and Con.  The historic letter of Thomas M’Crie arguing ‘no’ has been re-edited, and, for the first time, has helpful explanatory footnotes.

An Analysis of Rutherford and M’Cire on whether Ladies have the Right to Vote for Church Officers  2015, 21 pages, with Samuel Rutherford and Thomas M’Crie appended on the subject

Rev. Fentiman analyzes the arguments of Rutherford (who was for ladies voting) and M’Crie (who was against it) and comes to a third middle viewpoint in-between both: that it is indifferent.

Here are heart-melting quotes from Gillespie, Shields, and MacPherson, some the strictest and most principled men church history has graced us with, on the pressing for Church unity, giving up everything one can for it except the truth.  Quotes on how to work for such unity are also given.

On the Pressing Urgency of Church Unity

Here is 36 more pages of Rutherford against excommunication by Independent churches.  Please enjoy, and safeguard yourself with a loving and lawful presbytery.

A Congregation does not have the Whole Power of the Keys of Church Government from Christ  1642  36 pages

Do you say ‘Amen’ after prayers?  It is a way we show our audible consent to what is prayed, and join therein.  The significance of this Rutherford quote is two-fold:

(1) It demonstrates that the Scottish practice during the days of the Westminster Assembly was for the congregation to say an audible ‘Amen’ after prayers, per Scripture’s prescription.

(2) It answers the perennial question of humble saints whether we can say ‘Amen’ to prayers where there is a mixed crowd of ungodly people, who are also saying ‘Amen’.  Mr. Coachman, below, was a Separatist; Rutherford argues against him.   

Rutherford on Saying ‘Amen’, No Reason for Separation

Rutherford argues that ladies have the right to vote in ecclesiastical elections, as the right of election of officers belongs to the Body of Christ, every member of it.  Such voting is not an act of ruling.  Rev. Fentiman compares Rutherford’s position to that of Thomas M’Crie’s justly famous letter arguing for head-of-household voting. 

Ladies have the Right to Vote in Ecclesiastical Elections  1644  2 pages, from The Due Right of Presbyteries, pp. 476-77, with a 3 page Introduction by Rev. Travis Fentiman

Rutherford argues at length in this substantial piece against the Independents, during the time of the Westminster Assembly, that a local church does not have the authority for greater excommunication.

Independent Churches do not have the Authority for Greater Excommunication, 1644, 53 pages, from Chapter 10, Section 10 of his The Due Right of Presbyteries, pp. 289-323

If you are not aware yet, there is a black-side to conservative presbyterianism.  For several decades numerous heavy-handed independent ‘presbyterian’ churches have torn lives and families apart by excommunicating believers, with little due process and no recourse for appeal.

What is not always well known is that the Bible and historic presbyterianism does not allow independent churches to excommunicate believers out of the visible Church, and hence such ‘excommunications’ are invalid.  It is your Savior’s will that ‘you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (Jn. 8:32)  

Independent Chruches do not have the Authority for Greater Excommunication