Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary Charles
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PURITAN REFORMED THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY CHARLES SPURGEON’S LOVE FOR CHRIST: IN THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL (VOL. 1-7) A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. HAYKIN FOR MODERN CHURCH HISTORY BY MICHAEL DEWALT GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN DECEMBER 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Charles Spurgeon’s Reasoning of The Sword and the Trowel was to Reveal Christ II. Charles Spurgeon’s Centrality of The Sword and the Trowel was Christ III. Charles Spurgeon’s Christ-likeness in The Sword and the Trowel CHARLES SPURGEON’S LOVE FOR CHRIST: I. Charles Spurgeon’s Reasoning of The Sword and the Trowel Charles Haddon Spurgeon, well known for being called the “prince of preachers” with his massive 63 volume set of sermons, was one of the most famous Baptist preachers of all time. Many others might know him for his well known commentary on the book of Psalms, The Treasury of David, or his devotional talks like Morning by Morning or Evening by Evening. Charles Spurgeon was well known for his famous books like, Commentating on Commentaries, All of Grace, Lectures to My Students, or even his massive four volume autobiography. Some only know him because of his fine love for cigars but it seems that many have not heard or known about his magazine which was published throughout his ministry as a pastor. Charles Spurgeon started a magazine in the year of 1865 called The Sword and the Trowel, and would continue it until his death in 1892. This was a publication which published articles including his sermon texts from the previous month, articles about Christianity, articles for being a pastor, articles about Spurgeon himself and his church as well as writings and reviews of the Reformed and Puritans’ works which he loved dearly, to even updates of the orphanages in which he had a part to play in throughout his ministry. From the introduction of his first magazine Spurgeon made it clear for the purpose behind his magazine saying, “Our magazine is intended to report the efforts of those churches and associations, which are more or less intimately connected with the Lord’s work at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, and to advocate those views of doctrine and church order which are most certainly received among us. It will address itself to those faithful friends scattered everywhere, who are our well-wishers and supporters in our work of faith and labor of love. We feel the want of some organ of communication in which our many plans for God’s glory may be brought before believers, and commended to their aid. Our friends are so numerous as to be able to maintain a magazine, and so earnest as to require one. Our monthly message will be a supplement to our weekly sermon and will enable us to say many things which would be out of place in a discourse. It will inform the general Christian public of our movements, and show our sympathy with all that is good throughout the entire Church of God. It will give us an opportunity of urging the claims of Christ’s cause, of advocating the revival of godliness, of denouncing error, of bearing witness for truth, and of encouraging the laborers in the Lord’s vineyard.”1 Charles saw an importance that both the elect and the lost needed. He wanted to inform others of the need for Christ. In a time that many had lost hope and a time when many churches had begun to lose their truths of the gospel, he did not want to see the church lose their hope. Spurgeon wanted to publish a magazine to not cover 1865 alone, but to examine the Lord’s work, which had always existed and would continue forever more.. This must have been a goal in publishing his magazine, The Sword and the Trowel because he mentions it from the beginning, “Our matter, for the most part, belongs not to 1865 alone, but to all time, and is of the kind which never grows stale; and wherein we chronicle work peculiar to a certain year, the record may stimulate you to do the like in the time now current.”2 1 Charles Spurgeon, The Sword and the Trowel, Vol. 1, 1865, Introduction, p.5. 2 Spurgeon, Preface, p.4. No matter whom the reader may have been, Spurgeon wanted all to know that the purpose behind publicizing The Sword and the Trowel was to reveal the work in which God had allowed him to partake in. II. Charles Spurgeon Centrality of The Sword and the Trowel Charles Spurgeon published his first magazine with only one article, What Shall be Done for Jesus? In this article he introduces the reasoning behind his ministry and most of all his number one passion in life, Christ. Spurgeon saw the importance to make his first article Christocentric, and show the importance of Christ to the believer. He reveals to the believer the importance of centering ministry and life in general on what Christ had accomplished in the believer by washing them pure from sin. Spurgeon explains the importance of the three offices of Christ (priest, prophet and king) and the signifigance of them to the believer to remember and live out. He reveals how Christ pleased and glorified God to his utmost and how the believer should as well. He pleads to both the lost and his flock, showing the importance of Christ--the gospel--to all of mankind. Spurgeon says, “In every other act of grace the design of the King is to honor the Lord Jesus. You cannot taste the sweetness of any doctrine till you have remembered Christ’s connection with it. You are washed from every sin, but how? Ye have “washed your robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” You are sumptuously arrayed from head to foot; ye are appareled as the King’s sons and daughters, but who is this that hath clothed you? Are you not robed in the righteousness of your Lord Jesus Christ? Up to this moment you have been preserved, but now? “Preserved in Christ Jesus.” The Holy Spirit is the author of your sanctification, but what has been the instrument by which he has purified you? He has cleansed you by the water which flowed with the blood from the wounds of the expiring Savior. Our eternal life is sure; because he lives, we shall live also.”3 It can be seen that Spurgeon’s love for Christ was always the center of his life, his preaching, his study, his writing, and most of all center of everything in which he did. Spurgeon is well known for his preaching Christ every Sunday morning. Today in the 21st century of America it is very easy to walk into a church and never hear of Christ in the Sunday morning message, but Spurgeon says this about his church, “We love Christ better than a sect, and truth better than a party, and so far are not denominational, but we are in open union with the Baptists for the very reason that we cannot endure isolation, lie who searches all hearts knows that our aim and object is not to gather a band around self, but to unite a company around the Savior.”4 Spurgeon’s love for Christ was most important not only to his personal life but in his pastoral life. His desire was to teach the importance of Christ to the lost and the found. Spurgeon wanted to reach the lost of his day, but moreover he wanted the ones in his flock to see the need for evangelism. This is why he would always preach to two crowds on a Sunday morning. One of Spurgeon’s enjoyments was to preach and teach the gospel of Christ to his flock. He would often publish articles for believers to read on how Christ could be enjoyed. One of the perfect 3 Spurgeon, 1865, What Shall be Done for Jesus?, p. 7-8. 4 Spurgeon, 1866, Spurgeonism, p. 252. examples of this would have been his letter in 1867 called; The Joy of the Lord is Your Strength.5 Spurgeon would often reveal from the Scripture how Christ was the believer’s hope to for the church and that Christ was what was central to the believer’s life. Showing the necessity of Christ to the believer gave them the strength to become mature in the faith and grow in the pursuit of sanctification. Spurgeon saw that the spirituality of the believer needed to have a firm foundation of knowing Christ and living out Christ-likeness every day. One of his lengthy articles called Christ and His Table Companions shows just how important this relationship with Christ is in the life of the believer when it comes to the Lord Supper, “We finish with this word of deep regret that many here cannot understand what we have been talking about, and have no part in it. There are some of you who must not come to the table of communion because you do not love Christ. You have not trusted him; you have no part in him. There is no salvation in sacraments. Believe me; they are but delusions to those who do not come to Christ with their heart. You must not come to the outward sign if you have not the thing signified. Here is the way of salvation — believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”6 Spurgeon wanted all to know that the Lord’s Supper was not about playing games. He knew that some did not even know of Christ and for that he did not want them partaking or even trying to be seen in relationship with Christ.