I’m sure I’ve mentioned this website before, but I want to point out that I just added it to the link list to the left.

It is simply an awesome resource for the history of the Reformed heritage. I would love to see it keep expanding with more sources–perhaps adding earlier catechisms and other documents to complement the later commentaries on the Westminster Shorter Catechism.  It would also be great to see similar websites devoted to other catechisms and Confessions that cross link each other to show continuity and discontinuity
Just recently I was thinking of my study on the Westminster Standard’s exposition of what the Bible says about obedience and salvation and noticed this great entry by Thomas Vincent.

Q. 18. What is that obedience which we must deliver ourselves up unto, in our returning to the Lord?
A. The obedience which we must deliver up ourselves unto, in our returning to the Lord, is the new obedience of the gospel.

Q. 19. Why is the obedience of the gospel called new obedience?
A. The obedience of the gospel is called new obedience, because it is required in the new covenant, and because it must proceed from newness of spirit, the new nature, or now principle of grace and spiritual life, which is put into the soul by the Spirit of God. “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held, that we shotild serve in newness of spirit.”— Rom. 7:6.

Q. 20. When do we deliver up ourselves unto this new obedience?
A. We deliver up ourselves unto this new obedience— 1. When we have full resolutions and purposes of it. “I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.”— Ps. 119:106. “And exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord.”— Acts 11:23. 2. When we are diligent in our endeavours after it, that we may constantly walk in the ways of new obedience, without offence either to God or man. “And they were both righteous before God, walk. mg in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”— Luke 1:6. “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men.”— Acts 24:16.

Q. 21. Do all that truly repent fully perform new obedience?
A. None that truly repent do here in this life perform new obedience fully, without any failure or defect, but they diligently endeavour to do it; and wherein they fall short, it is their glief and trouble. “For I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me.”— Ps. 38:17.

One of the unrecognized and most deadly evil of modern life’s facets is Chinese food. Most people are wholly unaware of the critical nature of the Chinese food question, and blithely continue to participate in this wicked and dangerous activity: eating Chinese food. Of course, to speak against such a hallowed institution as Chinese food is to be regarded as a fanatic, or even as sacrilegious, but we must be true to the faith!

A moment’s reflection by any serious and committed Christian will show transparently why Chinese food must be rejected. Chinese food is an expression of Eastern monism. Not only does it come from the East, the heart of the world’s most sophisticated paganism (which in itself is reason to reject it as dangerous); it also in its very nature and composition reflects the monistic philosophy of the East.

Christianity gives equal ultimacy to the one and the many. In the West, this has meant that on one’s plate there are several kinds and portions of food: salad, vegetables, meat, and dessert. These are not, however, all mixed up together in a monistic unity, but are left diverse. It is the harmony and combination of the various foods, eaten one bite at a time, which gives expression to unity and diversity.

Chinese food, however, tries to break this down. All the foods — salad, vegetables, meats, and sweets — are mixed together in an attempt to destroy diversity and create a food-monad. This is obviously perverted and evil. Beyond this, sweet and sour are mixed together, in accordance with the philosophy of yin and yang. What could be more pagan?

There is more. Because the perverse nature of Chinese food causes it to be so intrinsically unpalatable to the human tongue, vast quantities of monosodium glutamate are added to make it taste better. Now, monosodium glutamate, or M.S.G. as it is popularly known, is recognized to be a poison, causing hyperactivity in children and cancer in adults. Not only is Chinese food pagan, it is also poisonous.

It is also idolatrous. This is in part due to the addicting nature of M.S.G., which causes the widely-recognized “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” The present writer, however, has further cause for alarm. Over the years I have tried to alert friends and family to the danger of Chinese food, and I have always met with rejection and ridicule. There can be only one possible reason for this — an idolatrous attachment to Chinese food. Why won’t people give it up? The arguments I have presented are clear as crystal, and obviously Scriptural and Christian. The reason can only be that people have an idolatrous attachment to Chinese food.

Non-Christians, of course, are more crazy about Chinese food than are Christians. I say this: Anything the pagans are that crazy about must be evil, and so Christians should keep as far away from it as possible.

There is still more. Few modern Christians have studied the classic exposé of Chinese food by Alexander Slipshod: The Four Babylons. Slipshod in his masterful work demonstrates beyond a shadow of doubt that Chinese food originated at the Tower of Babel. Nimrod and three of his cousins, descendants of the four sons of Ham and known as the “gang of four,” developed Chinese food as a subtle means of undermining the true faith. People would become addicted to Chinese food, they believed, and as they ingested the food, they would absorb the monistic philosophy. For instance, if they ate sweet and sour pork, they would become committed to the philosophy of yin and yang. This has surely proved to be the case! We must beware of eating demons hiding in Chinese food! (Slipshod’s book has, I am aware, not been well treated by reviewers. Its arguments, however, are obviously correct. Let the reader obtain a copy and find out for himself. The reviewers, obviously, are Chinese food addicts.)

How did Chinese food come into the West? Slipshod shows that it was the Bishop of Rome who introduced Chinese food into the Christian world. Do we ever read about Chinese food in the New Testament? No, of course not. So, I rest my case. It can only be a Romish plot to destroy God’s true faith. Do we read anything about Chinese food in the Westminster Confession of Faith? No; so clearly the WCF is totally opposed to all Chinese food.

Have you ever noticed how fanatical people are about Chinese food? Not only do they eat the stuff, but they are willing to pay money for it. They even set up and support Chinese restaurants, wholly given over to the production of this evil, poisonous, idolatrous, and subversive food. When you try to get people to quit eating Chinese food, they act as if you are crazy. The whole world has to stop, just so they can eat their darling sin — Chinese food!

Like Luther before me, HERE I STAND! And if others do not like it, then it must be TRUTH BEFORE FRIENDSHIP!

Christmas

Judgment According to Works

Note to self: read this essay.