tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-158711802009-07-15T06:34:59.851+01:00A space where scholars with an interest in the Puritans share encouragement, information and insightChris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.comBlogger352125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-40225655070050893062009-04-07T17:10:00.004+01:002009-04-07T17:36:55.947+01:00

... here (theconventicle.com)

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-80300437236260294432009-03-09T17:46:00.001Z2009-03-09T17:48:19.896Z

From a poem by Scottish churchman Ralph Erskine (1685-1752):PART IThis Indian weed now wither'd quite,'Tho' green at noon, cut down at night,Shows thy decay;All flesh is hay.Thus think, and smoke tobacco.The pipe so lily-like and weak,Does thus thy mortal state bespeak.Thou art ev'n such,Gone with a touch.Thus think, and smoke tobacco.And when the smoke ascends on high,Then thou behold'st the

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-26357247441177512552009-01-28T19:50:00.003Z2009-01-28T19:54:34.742Z

[This is the beginning of a guest post I just submitted to Allen Mickle, Jr.'s blog, Oratio, Meditatio, Tentatio]The church has been afflicted by an epidemic of social ineptitude, which affects not just the laity, but Christian leaders as well. I could cite many examples from personal experience as evidence, but one will suffice.This past year I finished a graduate degree and began to look for

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-83251750587747367022008-12-15T19:58:00.003Z2008-12-15T20:01:33.935Z

Courtesy of Michael DeWalt's blog, Gospel-Centered Musings:"How should a beginner proceed in reading Goodwin’s works? Here is a suggested plan. (Note: Books marked by * have been printed at least once since the 1950s.) 1. Begin by reading some of the shorter, more practical writings of Goodwin, such as Patience and Its Perfect Work,* which includes four sermons on James 1:1–5. This was

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-13205471545420703062008-12-15T18:14:00.006Z2008-12-15T19:02:55.334Z

This won't seem like a big deal to many of you, but it struck me as a thing of beauty.Recently, a fellow named Keith Mathison posted a list of what he feels are the "Top 5 Commentaries on Ephesians" on the blog of Ligonier Ministries.In particular, I was very pleasantly surprised by how Mathison handled the work of Harold Hoehner, a scholar whose views are different from his own. To be specific,

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-9093030521936624272008-12-02T20:08:00.003Z2008-12-02T20:17:53.029Z

Courtesy of the Andrew Fuller Center, which recently held an event "celebrating the life and thought of John Milton (1608–1674)."Complete mp3 download here."Let it profit thee to have heard,By terrible example, the rewardOf disobedience."Paradise Lost, Book 6, lines 909-11

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-8462600096103803022008-12-01T12:58:00.012Z2008-12-01T14:01:36.071Z

Recently I started reading The Christian's Great Interest, by Scottish puritan William Guthrie (1620–1669). In it Guthrie attempts to answer two questions:How shall a man know if he has a true and special interest in Christ (if he is a genuine, or 'saved' Christian)?; andWhat shall they do who want (lack) the marks of a true and saving interest in Christ?Here I just want to call attention to

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-5011625131073928232008-11-18T21:53:00.005Z2008-11-18T22:01:49.074Z

From the Sacred Sandwich, a humorous site I recommend visiting often:

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-25271558754577991322008-11-14T15:16:00.002Z2008-11-14T15:18:54.408Z

I'm looking for a good book or website that covers the Federal Vision succinctly and objectively (as much as possible) -- the views associated, and perhaps also the controversy resulting.You can use the comments to answer ...Thanks!Chris

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-43227324759660546902008-11-11T03:13:00.013Z2008-11-11T04:15:11.687Z

Recently I found what looks to be a fun (but slightly irreverent) read on the New England puritans, called The Wordy Shipmates. Sarah Vowell, the author, has written a handful of similar works, and is a contributing editor for NPR's This American Life.I haven't made it far into the book yet, but I've enjoyed what I've read so far, and I suspect a lot of you who contribute to and visit this blog

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-59393664765526088122008-10-29T13:20:00.004Z2008-10-29T13:41:04.634Z

After reading a glut of modern folks examining the puritans, it is always interesting to read puritans talking about puritans. In this case, we see it in an explosive sermon preached by Thomas Case to 'sundry of the Honourable House of Commons' (The Long Parliament) in 1642. In this passage he offered his take on how Laudians and papists viewed puritans. Taking the tone of a satirist, Case

Bridgeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110283457841172630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-39815337547094392532008-10-14T21:51:00.006+01:002008-11-13T11:34:04.761Z

I want to thank all of you that have returned here from time to time to see what's happening at the Conventicle. We really appreciate it. Here's an update about me personally and about this site:I'm still above ground, as you've probably deduced by this point in your reading. I have moved back to Texas and finished my doctoral thesis (the pre-examination draft), the abstract to which I've

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-35290538271804931202008-09-01T16:13:00.002+01:002008-09-01T16:16:52.391+01:00

I don’t read Dutch. I have little acquaintance with the Dutch Reformed tradition. Apart from occasional forays into Witsius, Voetius, and Cocceius, for my Owen thesis, and a little dose of Bavinck now and then to trace up the history of a certain doctrine, I’m really quite green to the Dutch trajectory of the Reformed tradition. This is an area I would like to work on more seriously in the long

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-34809449195522495262008-08-06T18:03:00.005+01:002008-08-06T18:19:34.843+01:00

Thought I would share this, a classic expression of the puritan ethos, in a letter from two English clergy, Laurence Humphrey and Thomas Sampson, to Swiss reformer Heinrich Bullinger, in 1566:Why should we receive Christ rather maimed than entire, and pure, and perfect? Why should we look for precedents from our enemies, the papists, and not from you, our brethren of the reformation? We have the

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-23634517962155848652008-08-01T14:36:00.006+01:002008-08-02T15:15:08.855+01:00

The entire programme of the conference is now finalised and available here.Updates include the following:1. Carl Trueman is unable to present a paper (to the disappointment of many participants I'm sure!). John Coffey will be taking Trueman's place, with a paper entitled, "John Owen, the Reformed Tradition and Religious Toleration."2. Our very own Mr Tweeddale is now on board as well. He will be

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-75227921489262035202008-07-18T13:51:00.001+01:002008-07-18T13:55:05.748+01:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-86846613754344816882008-07-14T18:34:00.003+01:002008-07-14T18:43:54.389+01:00

Here is my thesis thus far. I think I'll just hand this is at my viva.

Bridgeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17110283457841172630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-52590194478535476542008-07-14T04:24:00.003+01:002008-07-14T04:56:38.470+01:00

Jonathan Edwards's sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God":The Westminster Confession:and to renew the pride of my Scottish friends, the Falkirk speech that William Wallace delivered, in Braveheart:

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-69550043587716036812008-07-13T16:42:00.007+01:002008-07-14T00:09:37.642+01:00

Is there any question which puritan gets the most coverage here? (Admittedly though, there's more than one puritan named 'John', not to mention that we also have a prolific contributor by that name).And just for fun, here's the English text of Luther's 95 Theses:And last--and yes, least--my doctoral dissertation. It may explain things a little to share the title, which is "Puritanism's Ascetic

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-71977794955033432332008-06-26T13:21:00.007+01:002008-12-09T10:27:18.588Z

Dr Stephen Yuille is the preaching elder at Braidwood Bible Chapel in Peterborough, Ontario. He is also a part-time Professor of Biblical Studies with Toronto Baptist Seminary. His doctoral work on George Swinnock was undertaken at the London School of Theology.George Swinnock is a lesser-known Puritan. For the benefit of our readers, could you give us a very brief introduction to his life and

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-24551534040976985952008-06-21T12:20:00.007+01:002008-06-21T22:06:44.554+01:00

Some thoughts from the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, writing in 1653 of his own writing:'With regard to our manner of writing, or Latin diction, as some are wont to acquire great praise from their sublimity of expression, allow me but a word or two. Know, then, reader, that you have to do with a person who, provided his words but clearly express the sentiments of his mind, entertains a

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-90404696296573053202008-06-16T22:38:00.006+01:002008-12-09T10:27:18.761Z

Reformation Heritage Books has just published a new book by J. Stephen Yuille, entitled, "Trading and Thriving in Godliness: the Piety of George Swinnock".The book description reads:George Swinnock (1627–1673) was a gifted English Puritan, known for his vivid illustrations of biblical truth. In “Trading and Thriving in Godliness”, J. Stephen Yuille highlights Swinnock’s conviction that godliness

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-55962890802924131252008-06-13T15:14:00.005+01:002008-06-13T15:23:31.503+01:00

From the series, 400 Years of English History. Stuart is a professional artist as well. The figurine you see at the beginning is his work.

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-49488137657210259572008-06-10T13:21:00.004+01:002008-12-09T10:27:19.018Z

The votes are in from our scholarly opinion poll. Apparently our readership favours puritans. (Who knew?)Of 22 who weighed in:14 (66%!) thought Charles I bore the brunt of the responsibility for the Civil War.About one quarter (5 - 23%) believed responsibility was shared between him and the puritan/parliamentary party.2 (9%) thought there were other causes worth discussing.And none of you–no one!

Chris Rosshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08832290458905110111conventicle@gmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15871180.post-71707119692079470062008-06-09T13:00:00.004+01:002008-06-09T13:10:58.497+01:00

Details of the papers to be presented are now available at John Owen Today.Main Papers:Willem van Asselt (Utrecht University, Holland), Covenant Theology as Relational Theology: The Contributions of Johannes Cocceius and John Owen to a Living Reformed Theology TodayMichael S. Horton (Westminster Seminary, California, USA), Sinai and Zion: The Mosaic Economy in Owen's Federal TheologySuzanne

Edwin Tayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13124665601772667481noreply@blogger.com0