Comments on: My Biggest Surprise Yet In Reading The Puritans https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/  Informing Minds. Moving Hearts. Directing Hands. Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:08:00 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=3.8.41 By: Read This! 12.05.17 - Borrowed Light https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/#comment-50338 Tue, 05 Dec 2017 11:15:49 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=27564#comment-50338 […] My Biggest Surprise Yet in Reading the Puritans […]

]]> By: Bonhoeffer1945 https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/#comment-50335 Thu, 30 Nov 2017 01:57:00 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=27564#comment-50335 It’s Mark *Noll” by the way, not “Knoll.”

]]> By: ScriptureZealot https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/#comment-50334 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 18:23:00 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=27564#comment-50334 I noticed that Sibbes used a lot of natural reasoning (although I didn’t know the term at the time) in The Soul’s Conflict. Very interesting post.

]]> By: Adrian Keister https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/#comment-50333 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 16:16:00 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=27564#comment-50333 Here’s a Puritan (possibly) caricature I would love to demolish: the Puritans were dour, sour, inhospitable people who only took a very serious look on life and never had any fun. Example: The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth Speare. What is the historical evidence for this? Is there historical evidence to the contrary? I would think Calvinism – true Calvinism – would have people take a serious view on life, but in a glad way, a thankful and hospitable way.

]]> By: Scott Melhuish https://headhearthand.org/blog/2017/11/29/my-biggest-surprise-yet-in-reading-the-puritans/#comment-50332 Wed, 29 Nov 2017 15:13:00 +0000 http://headhearthand.org/?p=27564#comment-50332 Without having read the book, it is interesting to note and to remember Paul’s use of a heathen writer in Titus 1:12 “One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”

Paul wrote under the superintendance of the Holy Spirit, but it is an interesting precedent for us to consider – even calling him “a prophet”.

Also, in Athens, Paul argued from a heathen statue, as a launchpad to preaching the Gospel to these Gentiles…

“Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars’ hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands…” (Acts 17:22-24)

And Paul ends up his arguement by pointing to Christ as the judge of all: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)

We consider the New Testament writer’s use of the Septuagint to be instructive. What about Paul’s use of a heathen author, and a heathen statue?

We have to be careful not to add to Scripture – but on the other hand, in God’s common grace we benefit from many insights and benefits from non-Christians in the realms of science & medicine.

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