Bill Bryson speaks for many when he defines Puritanism as 'the fear that someone, somewhere, might be enjoying themselves.' If the Puritans seem like creatures from a different planet, it's only because church culture has slipped so far from Biblical Christianity.
Lately i've been re-reading 'The Life of God in the Soul of Man' by Henry Scougal. The main thesis of the book is summed up in the title, that Christian life is a divine life, the very life of God, communion with God evidenced and outworked in our souls through good works. He was 27 when he wrote it (if not younger) which makes me feel like Caesar looking at Alexander's statue.
In the first chapter Scougal discusses what real Christianity is, what it looks like, and what it's not. he cautions us against simply judging our affections and actions against those of other men, as many have different temperaments, and many are drawn to the rewards of Heaven in a purely earthly way, without any of the inner change that the Gospel brings.
So what are the evidences of saving faith? 'The root of divine life is faith, it's chief branches are love to God, charity to man, purity and humility. The following comes from pages 55 and 56 of his book.
What is faith?
It is nothing else than a sense or feeling persuasion of spiritual things. It has a peculiar relation to the declarations of God's mercy, and reconcilableness with sinners through a mediator, and therefore, receiving it's denomination through it's principle object is ordinarily termed, faith in Jesus Christ.
What is love of God?
The love of God is the delightful and affectionate sense of the divine perfections which makes the soul resign and sacrifice itself wholly unto Him desiring above all things to please Him, and delighting in nothing so much as in fellowship and communion with Him... It grounds itself on His infinite goodness manifested in all His works of creation and providence.
What is charity to man?
A soul thus possessed with such divine love must need be enlarged to all mankind...because of the relation they have to God, and His image stamped upon them. All the parts of justice, all the duty we owe our neighbour are...comprehended for he who doth truly love the world will be nearly concerned with the welfare of every one of them. He will resent any evil that befalls others, as if it happened to himself.
What is purity?
A abstractedness from the body and mastery over inferior appetites. A temper and disposition of the mind as make a man despise and abstain from all pleasures and delights...which are sinful in themselves or tend to extinguish or lessen our relish of the more divine pleasures. A resoluteness to undergo any hardships he may meet in the performance of his duty so that not only chastity and temperance but also Christian courage and magnanimity may come under this head.
What is humility?
Humility imports a deep sense of our own meanness with a hearty and affectionate acknowledgement of all we are to the divine bounty. This is always accompanied by submission to the will of God and great deadness towards the glory of the world and the applause of men.
Where else do we see the such faith, love, charity, humility and purity than in Jesus? And how else can we be faithful, loving, humble and pure than through a relationship with Him?
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