Thank you for standing up for the Christ of Calvary!!!!

Sue

-stephen

Not at all and I apologize if the post came across that way.

I don’t think Sibbes is arguing for excessive zeal in the life of a older believer or pastor but is saying in a sense that it is easier to temper a fire for God than to get one started over in a new believer.

But I recommend that you read the book. (Don’t worry it’s short) Or you might want to read ‘A Quest for Godliness’ by J. I. Packer which steps through a typical Puritan theology, which I would argue the church at large needs, including especially myself.

Maybe if I have time I will post a few quotes later here showing the tender side of Sibbes, which is basically the rest of the book.

Love you bro, have a happy new year.

I knew nothing of Richard Sibbes at the time I posted (and very little now after 2 minutes of reading), and since he apparently died a half century before the Salem Witch trials, I think it’s safe to say, he had no personal connection :). I simply drew the connection based upon the title “Puritan Quote.” I wince when people dismiss Christianity due the failings of people who claim to be Christians, so I wholeheartedly agree that the quote shouldn’t be discounted out of hand on the basis involvement of other “Puritans” in the Salem Witch trials.

That being said I do wonder if the quote treats an “excess of passion in opposing evil” too lightly (again there may be more context to this). Pate’s example of 9/11 and the Crusades, along with the Inquisition are all examples of this zeal gone horribly wrong. The Salem Witch trials are another example and the fact that they were committed by Puritans who were likely at least somewhat influenced by Sibbes’ writings, in my mind, makes the trials relevant to the quote. To me it’s pretty clear in a historical perspective that these excesses against evil can be a lot worse than “slightly muddy”.

On the other hand, gross periods of “calm temper” aren’t usually as historically salient so it’s hard to compare the large scale failings in the opposite direction (although the appeasement policies leading up to WW II come to mind). Are there other good examples of “calm temper” going horribly wrong?

On the smaller personal scale I’ve again seen the damage of excessive zeal and personally benefited from a friend display “calm temper”. I’ve talked to many people harboring deep resentment towards Christianity due Christians approaching them with a fire and brimstone style berating their sins. I came to Christ after someone who had witnessed plenty of my sins presented the Gospel to me without once mentioning everything I was doing wrong. Even after I accepted Christ, this person still refrained from nitpicking on any of remaining obvious sins (such as cursing), instead letting God reveal them to me. Maybe I would have matured faster if I had been confronted, or maybe I would have ended up feeling weighed down by all the rules, who knows.

Sorry for the essay :). It’s a very interesting quote. At this juncture I’m not convinced that there’s less damage in an “excess of passion” than a “calm temper”. I think equally dangerous would do for my tastes. :)