Puritan Papers, Volume 4: 1965–1967
Overview
The Reformers and the Puritans receive most of the attention in the fourth volume of Puritan Papers—16 papers originally presented at the annual Puritan and Reformed Studies Conferences in London, 1965–1967. J. I. Packer, the guiding force behind these conferences, contributes three chapters on Martin Luther; John Owen on communication from God; and the Puritans and spiritual gifts. Other chapters on the Reformation treat Zwingli (D. W. Marshall), the Anabaptists (D. P. Kingdon), Cranmer (G. S. R. Cox), and Knox (S. M. Houghton). Additional chapters on the Puritans focus on their view of catechisms (J. Lewis Wilson), Richard Baxter’s Reformed Pastor (J. A. Caiger), and Oliver Heywood (W. H. Davies). Chapters are also devoted to “Ecclesiola in Ecclesia” (D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones), Charles Finney (P. E. G. Cook) and Abraham Kuyper (Rex Ambler). These conferences, which began in 1956, helped to stir interest in the Puritans among Evangelicals in the UK.
Top Highlights
“Inspiration’ he defines as the inbreathing of the Holy Spirit, whereby revelations are given, received, and transmitted, both orally and in writing. The human subjects of inspiration, says Owen, are passive during the process, in the sense of being non-originative: though their minds are active in a psychological sense, they are being acted upon, or simply, as Owen says, ‘acted,’ by the Spirit, ‘moved (borne along) by the Holy Ghost’ (2 Peter 1:21).” (Pages 124–125)
“The internal testimony of the Holy Spirit, whereby the external testimony comes to be recognized and received, is not, says Owen, an inward voice, revealing facts otherwise unknown and unknowable (that is, a private revelation), nor is it an unreasoning conviction, objectively groundless, coming to us out of the blue; it is, rather, an activity of inward illumination, whereby a man’s natural spiritual blindness is removed, the veil is taken from the eyes of his heart, his pride and his prejudice are alike broken down, and he is given both an understanding and a ‘taste’ (Heb. 5:14) of spiritual realities.” (Page 132)
“Church must be formed on the principle of voluntary association by those who have first given themselves to Christ, and then to one another, to walk in His commandments.” (Page 17)
“He opposed the ‘enthusiasm’ of those who, like the Quakers, put their trust in supposed revelations given apart from, and going beyond, the Word. In a Latin work Owen calls the Quakers fanatici, ‘fanatics,’ for their attitude. He is quick to deploy against them the old dilemma that if their ‘private revelations’ agree with Scripture, they are needless, and if they disagree, they are false.” (Page 124)
- Title: Puritan Papers, Volume 4: 1965–1967
- Author: J. I. Packer
- Series: Puritan Papers
- Volume: 4
- Publisher: P&R
- Print Publication Date: 2004
- Logos Release Date: 2015
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Puritans
- ISBNs: 0875524699, 9780875524696
- Resource ID: LLS:PURITANPAPERS04
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-30T02:31:35Z
J. I. Packer (1926–2020) is regarded as one of the most influential evangelicals in North America. He was Board of Governors’ Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia, and his writings include books such as Knowing God, A Quest for Godliness, Growing in Christ (Crossway) and Rediscovering Holiness. He preached and lectured widely in Great Britain and North America and served as general editor of the English Standard Version of the Bible published in 2001, and theological editor of the Study Bible version. In 2014, Packer was named Author of the Year by the Association of Logos Bookstores. He was a frequent contributor to and an executive editor of Christianity Today and wrote numerous articles published in journals such as Churchman, SouthWestern Journal, Reformation Revival Journal and Touchstone. He received a BA, MA and PhD from Oxford University.