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Pilgrim's Progress THE BANNER OF SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH SPECIAL THEME: Top 15 Books that Shaped the Reformation and Beyond Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards A Call to Remembrance Praise for Christ’s Birth A PERIODICAL FOR FAMILIES NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 l VOL. 25, NO. 6 THE BANNER OF CONTENTS SOVEREIGN GRACE TRUTH NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2017 • Vol . 25, No . 6 Publication Number (ISSN 10726357) MEDITATIONS The Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth is published bimonthly by the Heritage Reformed denomination, 540 Crescent Street A Call to Remembrance | Rev. Bartel Elshout . 227 NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503. Typeset at Grand Rap- The Birthday of a Perfect King | Rev. Michael Fintelman . 228 ids, Michigan (Gardner Graphics); printed at Grand Rapids, Michigan (Grandville Printing). PRACTICAL CHRISTIANITY | Dr. David Murray Subscription price for six issues per year: $25.00 in the United 8 Ways to Develop Pastoral Antennae . 229 States. $30.00 in Canada, payable in U.S. funds. To foreign EDITORIAL | Dr. Joel R. Beeke countries $35.00 (surface mail) or $65.00 (air mail), payable in U.S. funds. Rates listed are for one year subscriptions. Ten Important Fruits of the Reformation (1) . 230 Dr. Joel R. Beeke, Editor OLD TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY | Dr. Michael Barrett 2965 Leonard Street NE Praise for Christ’s Birth – Isaiah 12 . 232 Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525 (616) 977-0599; fax (616) 285-3246 NEW TESTAMENT BIBLE STUDY | Dr. Gerald Bilkes e-mail: [email protected] Studies in John (21): “It Is the Lord” . 234 Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven, Assistant Editor Rev. David VanBrugge, Assistant Editor SPECIAL THEME: TOP 15 BOOKS THAT SHAPED THE REFORMATION AND BEYOND The Confessions by Augustine of Hippo | Dr. Carl Trueman . 236 Office of Publication 540 Crescent Street NE John Chrysostom’s Sermons and their Influence on John Calvin and Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503-3402 the Reformation | Dr. Bill VanDoodewaard . 237 (616) 977-4304; fax (616) 285-3246 e-mail: [email protected]; website: bsgtonline.com The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin | Rev. Gerald Procee . 238 The Heidelberg Catechism by Ursinus and Olevianus | Dr. Joel R. Beeke . 239 Copy for the Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth is due the 5th of the month prior to publication. All copy (including announce- The Art of Prophesying by William Perkins | Dr. Joel R. Beeke . 240 ments, obituaries, anniversary notices, and ads) should be sent Westminster Confession of Faith | Dr. Charles Barrett . 241 to the editor. All announcements submitted for publication should be typed, and are subject to editorial policy. Commu- Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan | Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas . 242 nications relating to subscriptions should be addressed to the On the Mortification of Sin, On Temptation, On Indwelling Sin in Believers, subscription manager. Change of address should be forwarded to the subscription manager one month in advance of moving Volume 6 by John Owen | Dr. Derek W. H. Thomas . 243 date. Please provide both new and old address. The Marrow of Modern Divinity by Edward Fisher | Dr. Sinclair Ferguson . 244 PERIODICAL Postage is Paid at Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Enduring Significance of à Brakel’s The Christian’s Reasonable POSTMASTER: Send address changes to “The Banner of Service | Rev. Bartel Elshout . 245 Sov ereign Grace Truth,” 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards Rapids, Michigan 49503. Dr. Adriaan C. Neele . 246 ADDITIONAL SOURCES A History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards | Dr. Adriaan C. Neele . 247 Dr. Ian Hamilton For a list of printed Reformed literature, write: Reformation Redemption Accomplished and Applied by John Murray | . 248 Heritage Books, 2965 Leonard Street NE, Grand Rapids, Knowing God by J . I . Packer | Dr. Charles Barrett . 249 Michigan 49525, or visit our on-line bookstore at www.heri- The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven . 250 tagebooks.org; 616-977-0889. PRTS Faculty Thoughts on Top Books that Shaped the Reformation . 251 For free sermons write: Inheritance Publishers, P.O. Box 1334, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501. BOOK TALK | Dr. Joel R. Beeke . 252 http://inheritancepublishers.com/ MEDITATION FOR CHILDREN | Mary Beeke For free sermons and radio messages of HRC ministers write: Are You Strong? . 254 The Gospel Trumpet, 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand Rap- ids, Michigan 49503. BIBLE QUIZ FOR CHILDREN | Elina VanderZwaag . 255 For tract distribution write: Banner of Truth Tract Mission, STORY FOR CHILDREN | Andrea Scholten . 256 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503. CHRISTIAN WORLD VIEW | John Goudzwaard . 257 For distribution of tapes (sermons, lectures, classes, etc.) write: “The Tape Room,” 540 Crescent Street NE, Grand NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS . 258 Rapids, Michigan 49503. CHURCH HISTORY | Andrew Ballitch For material related to theological training write: Puritan Divine Intent: Sixteenth-Century Protestant Biblical Interpretation . 259 Reformed Theological Seminary, 2965 Leonard Street NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49525; 616-977-0599; www.puritan CORNER FOR TEENS | Rev. Maarten Kuivenhoven seminary.org; [email protected]. Pictures of Redemption (5): Abundant Fruitfulness . 263 For HRC mission and evangelistic work, contact POEM | Thomas Shields Glad Tidings, Jane Korevaar at [email protected]. There Was Never a Prince So Royal . .264 In all publications, the Heritage Reformed denomination aims to remain true to inerrant Scripture and its Reformed THE SPIRIT AS COMFORTER heritage as expounded in the Reformed doctrinal standards: the Belgic Confession (1561), Heidelberg Catechism (1563), Now when the Spirit comforts, He takes of Christ’s own—His righteousness, not our own. Canons of Dordt (1618–1619), and the Westminster Stan- Christ is the matter and ground of our comfort. All cordials are but “Christ distilled” and “made dards of the 1640s (the Westminster Confession of Faith, and the Larger and Shorter Catechisms). up in several promises”: His acting, not ours; His suffering, not ours; His holiness, not ours. He does not say, “Soul, rejoice! Thou art holy,” but “Soul, triumph! Christ is righteous, and is the For additional information on HRC ministries, please visit Lord thy Righteousness”; not, “Soul, thou prayest sweetly, fear not”; but, “Thou hast an Advocate our website at www.heritagereformed.com. with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous”; so that the first step to the receiving of comfort from the Spirit, is to send away all comforts of our own. —WILLIAM GURNALL MEDITATION | REV . BARTEL ELSHOUT A Call to Remembrance And thou shalt remember all the way which the LORD thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness. —Deuteronomy 8:2a As Moses engaged in a comprehensive review of God’s words the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy and precepts, he also exhorted Israel to remember the mar- hand…thou hast lacked nothing” (Deut. 2:7)? velous way in which the Lord had led them. The rest of the Furthermore, the Lord has remembered His covenant with chapter in which our text is found reveals why Moses explic- Noah, for once more we have been privileged to observe that itly directed Israel to remember the ways and deeds of the “while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold Lord. He was evidently concerned that Israel might forget the and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall multiple ways in which the Lord had graciously, patiently, and not cease” (Gen. 8:22). The words that follow in the chapter miraculously sustained them during their wilderness journey. of our text are thus equally applicable to us, for the Lord has He exhorted them three times not to forget the Lord their also given us the privilege to dwell in “a good land, a land of God (vv. 11, 14, 19) who delivered them from Egypt and its brooks of water, of fountains and depths that spring out of bondage, provided water from a rock of flint, and fed them valleys and hills; a land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and with manna in the wilderness. fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of oil olive, and honey; Sadly, we are in need of such an exhortation as well. The a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness, thou Lord could say of us what He said of His covenant people: shalt not lack any thing in it” (vv. 7–9). “Yet my people have forgotten me days without number” When we then consider who we have been during this (Jer. 2:32). We too must therefore heed David’s exhortation, past year and season, what shame should cover our faces! “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” Against the background of the Lord’s extraordinary faith- (Ps. 103:2). We ought to be compelled to engage thoughtfully fulness toward us and our families is the stark reality of our in the long-standing tradition of our nations to observe an unfaithfulness. We can only conclude that “the LORD is mer- annual day of thanksgiving—a day to stop and consider all ciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy…. the way in which the Lord has also been pleased to lead us. He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us Having said that, however, every day of our lives ought to according to our iniquities” (Ps. 103:10). be a thanksgiving day. Every day we ought to reflect on the However, as we reflect upon His innumerable mercies, we ought not to lose sight of the greatest of all mercies: the multiple and extraordinary ways in which the Lord is pleased uninterrupted ministry of both Word and sacrament in the to sustain our lives, for when we begin to count our blessings midst of our churches.
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