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The strong and steadfast faith of the Puritans influenced William Wilberforce, who dedicated his life to ending the pernicious slave trade across the British Empire.

As demonised as the Puritans have been, and still are, much of what they wrote is alive and well 400 years later.

There’s good reason why.

The Puritans were pioneers, who — even today — would embrace being paraded as pariahs down the streets of Old Vanity Fair to meet the heat of contemporary contempt.

Were they alive today, they would still surprise the sedated masses, choosing to walk the talk towards the pyres, instead of loosely invoking scripture to belay belligerence and appease demands for compliance.

Sincere Faith

They weren’t just servants of their tongues, as Richard Baxter worded it.

The Puritans sought to preach sermons to themselves before preaching them to others.

They were Christians, long before they were Reformed Pastors; ecclesial revivalists challenging the status quo of what had become a morose industry employing joyless pastors, devoid of Christ.

Despite “Puritanical” excesses, their reach is so endearing because of the depth and breadth of every word, prayer, exaltation and admonishment.

All four are key facets of pastoral care that are today either disregarded as “not essential”, or are undermined by the sugar-coated reproductions of Scripture emptying pews.

Pews artificially propped up by gimmicks, pretenders, and softly-spoken church leaders who walk on eggshells to the tune of “seeker sensitivity,” nuance, niceness, and the idolatrous nonsense of multicultural safetyism.

The Puritans never replaced the Gospel with either a Christless government or godless gobbledegook.

They never helped the world hide its sinfulness and shame.

The Puritans were as inclusive in their praise and reprimands as any person can be: many of them were their own worst critics.

God’s Grace

Theirs was a message grounded in the theology of the cross, the understanding that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

Their answer to this — humanly impossible to remove — thorn at the heart of the human condition, was just as thoroughly inclusive.

They raised up God’s self-revealing in, through, with, and by the election of Jesus THE Christ, in whom ALL are called to repentance, God’s truth, love, and regeneration.

From whom, in whom, and by whom, the sinner-saint’s words, deeds and attitudes were — in gratitude for the gift of such grace — to glorify God, and enjoy Him forever.

The enduring presence of the Puritans presents a stark contrast to the soft standard of many of today’s sermons. These pioneering pastors were bluntly spoken.

They had Gospel grit.

Many fought tooth-and-nail for souls, desperate to save the masses from the excess of vice, vindictiveness, and vain glory.

Be it government overreach, or pub-life poverty, Puritans raised up Christ as Lord over and above the chaos.

Piercing Words

Two of the greatest examples of these persecuted pioneers remain John Bunyan (Pilgrim’s Progress), and Richard Baxter (The Reformed Pastor).

Tragically, infantilised, Bunyan’s allegory is not a cosy children’s story.

The original Pilgrim’s Progress is a prison letter describing battle, the bloodlust of dragons, and the bastardisation of the Body of Christ.

Thus, Bunyan wrote in his conclusion,

‘Turn up my metaphors, and do not fail: There if thou seekest them such things to find, as well be helpful to an honest mind.’

Baxter is no different.

With fire, he admonished pastors to ‘watch over their own hearts; to study them, and subdue corruption… lest they unsay with their lives, what they say with their mouths.’ (p. 63)

‘Take heed to yourselves,’ Baxter declared, for ‘he that means as he speaks, will surely do as he speaks.’

Overall, Baxter reminds the Church that grace and self-denial go hand-in-hand.

‘I know,’ he wrote, ‘necessity may cause the Church to tolerate the weak; but woe to us, if we tolerate and indulge our own weakness!’

“Let your lives condemn sin, and persuade men to duty. Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good,” Baxter declared.

Far-reaching Influence

To emphasise how important the Puritans are, William Wilberforce’s recently published Spiritual Journals shows the abolitionist frequently referring to them.

In an undated post from 1786, Wilberforce wrote,

‘Walk charitably. Wherever you are be on your guard. Be ready with subjects for conversation, for private thought, as Isaac Watts, and Phillip Dodderidge recommend… For the loose religion and practice of common professors is not the religion and practice of the Bible.’

Wilberforce’s fondness for the guidance provided by these pastors, lends to the conclusion, that without these pioneers pastoring Wilberforce posthumously, there may never have been an end to state-sanctioned slavery.

Such was the spiritual impact of the Puritans on future generations — this includes ours.

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Image: John Bunyan in Bedford Jail (1667)/Wikimedia Commons