posted by Phil Johnson
The PyroManiacs devote some space each weekend to highlights from The Spurgeon Archive. The following excerpt is from "Fathers in Christ," a sermon preached Sunday Morning, 18 November 1883, at London's Metropolitan Tabernacle.
here used to be a company in the north of Scotland called "The Men." Why, if heresy had been preached before them, they would have been as provoked as Janet Geddes when she threw her cutty stool at the head of the preacher. They would not have endured these modern heresies as the present effeminate generation is enduring them.Let the new theologians have liberty to preach what they like on their own ground, but not in our pulpits. Alas! the leading members in many churches are Christians without backbones, molluscous, spongy; snails I would call them, only they have not the consistency of a snail’s shell. They are ready to swallow any mortal thing if the preacher seems clever and eloquent.
Cleverness and eloquence—away with them forever! If it is not the truth of God, the more cleverly and eloquently it is preached the more damnable it is. We must have the truth and nothing but the truth, and I charge the fathers in Christ all over England and America to see to this. Get ye to your watchtower and guard the flock, lest the sheep be destroyed while they are asleep.
16 comments:
The insulting jackanapes!
Amen Mr. Spurgeon, Amen.
" .. but not in our pulpits."
Man, I love this kind of preachin'.
I wish i could do it.
I was just reading this the other day. I wonder, was CH Spurgeon one who studied Luther?
" ... the black devil comes disguised and counterfeit in all his works and devices. But in spiritual sins, where Satan comes forth, not black but white in the likeness of an angel, he passes himself with most crafty dissimulation, and sets forth his deadly poison for the doctrine of grace, for the Word of God, for the gospel of Christ." -Luther
"If it is not the truth of God, the more cleverly and eloquently it is preached the more damnable it is."
Amen. 2 Timothy 4:3 comes to mind.
How can I say anything but AMEN!
I'd object, but I have a fellowship meeting to go to, but I have to go change my shirt as I spilled my half-caf decaf when Spurgeon here used not one but two exclamation points!
I'll never be the same again.
We are called to refute the opposite of what we affirm.
Good point....
Thanks for the post. I'm providing a link to it on www.feedingonchrist.blogspot.com. Oh that we were more and more like "the Men" and less and less effeminate in our attitudes toward false teaching. Praise God for Spurgeon.
It is shameful that many pulpit searches look to everything but the substance of the preacher and his theology. They are more concerend with public relations than anything else.
Man, this is SO powerful! I'm taking it with me at all speed!
That's fightin' talk
Oh how we need more preachers and teachers like John MacArthur, James White, R.C.Sproul, Albert Mohler, Doyle Peyton, John Piper, and of course there are some others who preach/teach sound doctrine but the percentage is surely low.
I have to say that Spurgeon himself is quite clever and eloquent.
So, I don't mind if they preach God's word, and they're also clever and eloquent.
But it has to be God's word ...
David Mills, in a recent piece in the Sept. 07 Touchstone Magazine, says, “Everyone who tells the truth is a Jeremiah.”
I thought that was profound, and dovetails nicely with the extended meditation on the ministry of Jeremiah that I’m currently reading by Schaeffer, his (1969/1982?) book “Death in the City.” Here’s a quote or two for your enjoyment and edification:
“Jeremiah speaks out expressly against apostasy. Here is a hallmark of our generation, one that shows that the church today has been infiltrated by the relativism, the concept of synthesis: more and more since the thirties the church has ceased to use the word ‘apostasy.’ It is easy to use the word in a hard and harsh way. That’s wrong, of course. Nevertheless, on the basis of the Word of God, there is such a thing as apostasy; and when we see a real turning away from God, we are not faithful to the Word of God unless we call it what it is…
One must be careful not to use the word proudly, harshly, without love, without tears, or too easily, but there is a proper way…
Therefore, in a post-Christian world, and in an often post-Christian church, it is imperative to point out with love where apostasy lies. We must openly discuss with all who will listen, treating all men as fellow men, but we must call apostasy, apostasy. If we do not do that, we are not ready for reformation, revival, and a revolutionary church in the power of the Holy Spirit…
When we see men ignore or pervert the truth of God, we must say clearly–not in hate or anger–’You are wrong.’”
Since Cent closed comments on the latest pomo-poster thread, I had to come here. But I find it instructive that these deeply insightful and highly inflammatory (to some) remarks from Spurgeon would only garner a handful of comments. Yet a few posters satirically pointing out similar concerns with the latest brand of new theology results in a deluge of comments, conversation, etc. Most regarding not the content, but the "tone" of the posters, and the assumed motivations behind them. Perhaps this tells us something about the depth and content of the "conversation"?
Oh, and Daniel - stop doing that thing with your head, it's wierdin' me out.
Great bit from Spurgeon.
I gotta say, funny how so many like it when they read old dead guys saying "stop the heresy" but far fewer appreciate the same sentiments coming from not quite as old, living guys.
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