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Historic
Controversies

A selection of writings from authors including Jonathan Edwards, A.W. Pink, Charles Spurgeon, and John Bunyan.

The Importance of Family Religion, Part 3by S.G. Winchester, A.M., circa 1856
We come now to consider the remaining office devolving on the head of a family. In addition to that of governor and instructor, he is required to act the part of a priest to his family. Read More
The Importance of Family Religion, Part 2by S.G. Winchester, A.M., circa 1856
The head of a family should act the part of a prophet towards the rest of his household, and impart to them such instruction as is calculated to answer the purpose for which he is placed in honour and authority over them. Read More

The Importance of Family Religion, Part 1by S.G. Winchester, A.M., circa 1856
When God ordains an end, all the means requisite for its accomplishment are necessarily implied, and sometimes specifically prescribed. If then the design of God, in the family constitution, be to raise up a holy seed to serve him, it is incumbent on those who have the charge of families to train them up with a special view to this declared end, otherwise it would be presumption to expect that this end will be answered. Read More
A Sad But Instructive Historyby Rev. Wm. S. Plumer, D.D., May 1, 2006
Absalom was the eldest son of David, whose mother was the daughter of a king. His name signifies “the father of peace” or “the peace of a father.” It was not given him by prophecy, but only expressed the hopes entertained of him. Read More

David a Type of Christby John Gill, June 30, 2003
These be the last words of David. This refers not to what goes before, in the preceding chapter, which contains a psalm or song of David, and which is no other than the 18th Psalm with some little variation. That Psalm was penned upon a solemn and joyful occasion, as we are told in the title. Read More
The Agreement of the Old and New Testamentby A.W. Pink, June 30, 2003
Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great; saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: that Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Read More

The Scriptures: The Only Guide in Matters of Faithby John Gill, June 30, 2003
Take care you are not imposed upon, under the notion and pretense of an apostolical tradition; unwritten traditions are not the rule, only the word of God is the rule of our faith and practice. Read More
My Dear Wife and Childrenby William Penn, August 4, 1682
My love, that sea, nor land, nor death itself can extinguish or lessen toward you, most endearedly visits you with eternal embraces and will abide with you forever. And may the God of my life watch over you and bless you and do you good in this world and forever. Read More

A Short Essay on Original Sinby Augustus Toplady, October 17, 2001
Self-knowledge is a science to which most persons pretend; but, like the philosopher’s stone it is a secret which none are masters of in its full extent. The mystic writers suppose that before the fall, man’s body was transparent, analogous to a system of animated chrystal. Read More
Laws and Statutes for Students of Harvard CollegeOctober 15, 2001
When any Schollar is able to Read Tully or such like classicall Latine Author ex tempore, and make and speake true Latin in verse and prose suo (ut aiunt) Marte, and decline perfectly the paradigmes of Nounes and verbes in the Greeke tongue, then may hee bee admitted into the College, nor shall any claime admission before such qualifications. Read More

The Perpetuity And Change Of The Sabbathby Jonathan Edwards, October 14, 2001
That it is the mind and will of God that the first day of the week should be the day that should be especially set apart for religious exercises and duties among Christians. Read More
Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry Godby Jonathan Edwards, October 13, 2001
See to it that the operation be such upon the will or heart, not on the Imagination, nor on the speculative understanding or motions of the mind, though they draw great affections after ‘em as the consequence. Read More

Directions For Judging Of Persons’ Experiencesby Jonathan Edwards, October 12, 2001
In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works towards them, remained (as ver. 28.) void of counsel, having no understanding in them. Read More
God’s Sovereignty in the Salvation of Menby Jonathan Edwards, October 11, 2001
The apostle, in the beginning of this chapter, expresses his great concern and sorrow of heart for the nation of the Jews, who were rejected of God. This leads him to observe the difference which God made by election between some of the Jews and others, and between the bulk of that people and the christian Gentiles. Read More

A Godly Man Is A Patient Manby Thomas Watson, October 10, 2001
A godly man is content to await God’s leisure; though the vision is delayed, he will wait for it. Patience is a flower of God’s planting. Pray that it may grow in your heart, and send forth its sweet perfume. Read More
The Fourth Commandmentby Thomas Watson, October 9, 2001
The Sabbath-day is set apart for God’s solemn worship; it is his own enclosure, and must not be alienated to common uses. The commandment of keeping the Sabbath was not abrogated with the ceremonial law, but is purely moral, and the observation of it is to be continued to the end of the world. Read More

A Godly Man is a Lover of the Wordby Thomas Watson, October 8, 2001
Chrysostom compares the Scripture to a garden set with ornaments and flowers. A godly man delights to walk in this garden and sweetly solace himself. Read More
Children Brought to Christ, and Not to the Fontby Charles Spurgeon, July 24th, 1864
My attention has been specially directed to this passage by the fact that it has been quoted against me by most of the authors of those sermons and letters which are, by a stretch of imagination, called “replies” to my sermon upon “Baptismal Regeneration.” Read More

Baptismal Regenerationby Charles Spurgeon, June 5th, 1864
In the preceding verse our Lord Jesus Christ gives us some little insight into the natural character of the apostles whom he selected to be the first ministers of the Word. They were evidently men of like passions with us, and needed to be rebuked even as we do. Read More
The Fifth Commandmentby Thomas Watson, August 22, 2001
The commandments may be likened to Jacob’s ladder: the first table respects God, and is the top of the ladder that reaches to heaven; the second respects superiors and inferiors, and is the foot of the ladder that rests on the earth. Read More

A Day to Keepby J.C. Ryle, August 14, 2001
There is a subject in the present day which demands the serious attention of all professing Christians in the United Kingdom. That subject is the Christian Sabbath, or Lord’s Day. Read More
Holinessby J.C. Ryle, August 13, 2001
The text which heads this page opens up a subject of deep importance. That subject is practical holiness. It suggests a question which demands the attention of all professing Christians — Are we holy? Shall we see the Lord? That question can never be out of season. Read More

Concerning Servantsby John Bunyan, August 12, 2001
Servants also, they have a work to do for God, in their place and station among men. Read More
Duties of Masters to Servantsby John Bunyan, August 11, 2001
Masters also have a work to do as they stand related to their servants. Read More

The Special Duties of Husbands to Their Wivesby Richard Baxter, August 10, 2001
He that will expect duty or comfort from his wife, must be faithful in doing the duty of a husband. Read More
Fire, Fire!by J.C. Ryle, August 9, 2001
When a house is on fire, what ought to be done first? We ought to give the alarm and wake the inhabitants. This is true love to our neighbor. Read More

Of Adultery and Uncleannessby John Bunyan, 1663
Now I come in the last place to touch a word or two of adultery, and then to draw towards a conclusion. Read More
The Duty of Wivesby John Bunyan, August 7, 2001
The wife is bound by the law to her husband, so long as her husband liveth (Rom 7:2). Wherefore she also hath her work and place in the family, as well as the rest. Read More

Duty in Relation to the Wifeby John Bunyan, August 7, 2001
Hast thou a wife? Thou must consider how thou oughtest to behave thyself under that relation: and to do this aright, thou must consider the condition of thy wife, whether she be one that indeed believeth or not. Read More
Duties of the Master of a Familyby John Bunyan, August 5, 2001
If thou have under thee a family, then thou art to consider the several relations thou standest under; and art to know, that thou in each of them hast a work to do for God, and that he expecteth thy faithful deportment under every one of them. Read More

Duty of Children to Parentsby John Bunyan, August 4, 2001
There lieth also a duty upon children to their parents, which they are bound both by the law of God and nature conscientiously to observe: ‘Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.’ Read More
Duty of Parents to Childrenby John Bunyan, August 3, 2001
If thou are a parent, a father, or a mother, then thou art to consider thy calling under this relation. Read More

A Treatise of the Fear of Godby John Bunyan, 1679
This exhortation is not only found here in the text, but is in several other places of the Scripture pressed, and that with much vehemency, upon the children of men, as in Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1 Peter 1:17. Read More
God’s Indiscriminate Proposals of Mercy, As Related to His Power, Wisdom, and Sincerityby Robert Lewis Dabney, August 1, 2001
If God makes proposals of mercy to men, who, he foresees, will certainly reject them and perish, and whom he immutably purposes to leave without effectual calling, how can his power and wisdom be cleared, save at the expense of his sincerity? or his sincerity at the expense of his wisdom or power? Read More

From the Seventh Day to the First: A Brief Look at the History of the Sabbath Day vs. Lord’s Dayby Robert Lewis Dabney, July 31, 2001
We shall now attempt to show the ground on which we assert that the Sabbath, “from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which in Scripture is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath.” Read More
The Public Preaching of Womenby Robert Lewis Dabney, July 30, 2001
In this day innovations march with rapid strides. The fantastic suggestion of yesterday, entertained only by a few fanatics, and then only mentioned by the sober to be ridiculed, is to-day the audacious reform, and will be to-morrow the recognized usage. Read More

Grace Does Not Destroy Free Agencyby Robert Lewis Dabney, July 29, 2001
The subjects which are now brought under discussion introduce us to the very center of the points which are debated between us and Arminians. Read More
Christ About His Father’s Businessby Charles Spurgeon, March 15, 1857
Be about your Father’s business with all earnestness, because that is the way of usefulness. You cannot do your own business and God’s too. You cannot serve God and self any more than you can serve God and mammon. Read More

The Call of Abrahamby Charles Spurgeon, July 10th, 1859
Abraham’s faith was of the most eminent order, for he is called the Father of the Faithful. Let us rest assured that nothing but repeated and fiery trials could have trained his faith to so great a strength as that which it exhibited in his preparation to slay his son at the command of God Read More
Indwelling Sinby Charles Spurgeon, July 24, 2001
Surely, if any man had a right to say, I am not vile, it was Job; for, according to the testimony of God himself, he was “a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil.” Read More

An Arrow Against Profane and Promiscuous Dancing Drawn Out of the Quiver of the Scripturesby Ministers of Christ at Boston in New-England, circa 1684
Concerning the Controversy about Dancing, the Question is not, whether all Dancing be in itself sinful. Read More
Assembly at Edinburgh, August 24, 1647, Session 10by Assembly at Edinburgh, August 24, 1647
Act for observing the Directions of the general assembly for secret and private Worship, and mutual Edification; and censuring such as neglect Family-worship. Read More

Family Worshipby J.H. Merle D’Aubigne, 1827
Family worship is the most ancient as well as the holiest of institutions. It is not an innovation against which people are readily prejudiced; it began with the world itself Read More
Family Religionby John L. Girardeau, July 19, 2001
The subject assigned for treatment on this occasion is Family Religion. In considering it I shall, first and by way of introduction, briefly contemplate the family in its relations, of difference and similarity, to other social organisms, and, secondly, more fully set forth its special and practical aspects as a separate religious institute. Read More