confession … in thought, word and deed

Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned against you, through our own fault, in thought, word and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. For the sake of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, forgive us all our offenses, and grant that we may serve you in newness of life, to the glory of your name, Amen.

(The Book of Common Prayer)

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Newton on Calvinism

William Jay recounts how Newton described the place of his Calvinism. He was having tea one day with Newton.
Newton said, “‘I am more of a Calvinist than anything else; but I use my Calvinism in my writings and my preaching as I use this sugar’—taking a lump, and putting it into his tea-cup, and stirring it, adding, ‘I do not give it alone, and whole; but mixed and diluted.’”
In other words, his Calvinism permeates all that he writes and teaches and serves to sweeten everything.

William Jay, George Redford, John Angell James The Autobiography of the Rev. William Jay: With Reminiscences of Some Distinguished Contemporaries, Selections from His Correspondence, and Literary Remains Published by R. Carter & brothers, 1855, page 308.

http://books.google.com/books?id=1iERAAAAYAAJ

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Aslan – is he safe?

C.S. Lewis’ celebrated children’s book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, tells of the adventures of four children in the magical kingdom of Narnia. Jesus is represented by the lion Aslan. When in Narnia, the children meet Mr and Mrs Beaver, who describe the mighty lion to them.

“Is he a man?” asked Lucy.

“Aslan a man!” said Mr Beaver sternly. Certainly not. I tell you he is King of the wood and the son of the great emperor-beyond- the-sea. Don’t you know who is the King of the Beasts? Aslan is a lion – the Lion, the great lion.”

“ooh!” said Susan, “I’d thought he was a man. Is he – quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.”

“That you will, dearie, and no mistake” said Mrs Beaver; “if there’s anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than most or else just silly.”

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

Source: CS Lewis, The Lion, the Witch & The Wardrobe

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The heart is a factory of idols

” … the human mind is, so to speak, a perpetual forge of idols.”

Calvin, Institutes, Book I Chater XI Section VIII

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