acts2027,<br><br>Ok, I went to the 16 volume work and took down volume #3 (originally I went and just looked at my paperback…). Your quotes are there, but…<br><br>I think I see the problem—Mis-Owenology. [Linked Image]<br><br><ul>First, these are William Goold’s, the editor’s comments, and not Owen’s. This is merely a “brief” summary of the whole. IMHO Owen believed in preaching the whole counsel of God within the framework I laid out earlier and similarly to what Perkin's states below.<br><br>Second, and more to the point, the problem is that you are NOT looking at quotes in "context". <br><br>Lastly, when you get further into the material, you will see that Owen is addressing something far removed from what you are thinking.[/LIST] In these quotes, clearly "some" were attacking the doctrine of the Holy Spirit openly (active) and contending against the faith of the Church. He was not attempting to correct imbalanced teaching or preaching by some pastors in varied congregations (passive). Did you notice, in several of your examples, that “particular” individuals and not “entire” congregations were being addressed (consistent with how the Spurgeon quote, I posted earlier, stated it should be done)? Did you notice that parts of the work appeared posthumously (it would be kind of hard to preach this way, though some would probably improve their preaching [img]http://www.the-highway.com/w3timages/icons/grin.gif" alt="grin" title="grin[/img])? Did you notice that these were “not” all spoken texts, but written texts--thus they were not given in a church setting? IMHO, since these were misunderstood, out of context, they do not support your view.<br><br>If this is what you are going to offer in the way of substantive proof against what I have already (1) quoted “from” some of the Puritans themselves, and (2) quoted “about” the Puritans (of which you formally stated I made several good points, which you did not refute) then I do not see where more quotes by Edwards, Philpot, or Bunyan will matter. Thus, this would conclude the matter IMHO. <br><br>But, just so there will be no misunderstanding, the Puritans preached for the most part “rightly.” Samuel Perkins in his book, The Art of Prophesying, said there were four great principles that should guide and govern the preacher:<br><br><ul> 1. To read the text distinctly out of the canonical Scriptures.<br><br>2. To give the sense and understanding of it, being read, by the Scripture itself (the exposition “must be” Scriptural—comparing Scripture with Scripture).<br><br>3. To collect a few profitable points of doctrine out of the natural sense.<br><br>4. To apply the doctrines, rightly collected, to the life and manner of men in simple and plain speech.[/LIST] I fail to see him saying he would emphasize one part of “truth” for the sake of another. (quote, from The Puritans, Lloyd-Jones).<br><br>May God Bless,

Reformed and Always Reforming,