"For Who Did Christ Die?" By John Owen

The Father imposed His wrath due unto, and the Son underwent

punishment for, either:

1. All the sins of all men.
2. All the sins of some men, or
3. Some of the sins of all men.

In which case it may be said:

1. That if the last be true, all men have some sins to answer for, and so,
none are saved.

2. That if the second be true, then Christ, in their stead suffered for all
the sins of all the elect in the whole world, and this is the truth.

3. But if the first be the case, why are not all men free from the
punishment due unto their sins?

You answer, "Because of unbelief."

I ask, Is this unbelief a sin, or is it not? If it be, then Christ
suffered the punishment due unto it, or He did not. If He did,
why must that hinder them more than their other sins for
which He died? If He did not, He did not die for all their
sins!"

"The twofold error of despising the true, and submitting to a false Church" By John Calvin (ICR IV. 1-10,11)

Section 10. We must on no account forsake the Church distinguished by such marks. Those who act otherwise are apostates, deserters of the truth and of the household of God, deniers of God and Christ, violators of the mystical marriage.

We have said that the symbols by which the Church is discerned are the preaching of the word and the observance of the sacraments, for these cannot any where exist without producing fruit and prospering by the blessing of God. I say not that wherever the word is preached fruit immediately appears; but that in every place where it is received, and has a fixed abode, it uniformly displays its efficacy. Be this as it may, when the preaching of the gospel is reverently heard, and the sacraments are not neglected, there for the time the face of the Church appears without deception or ambiguity; and no man may with impunity spurn her authority, or reject her admonitions, or resist her counsels, or make sport of her censures, far less revolt from her, and violate her unity, (see2.1.10, and 4.3.12).

"Freedom and Authority" By J.I. Packer

"Authority" is a word that makes most people think of law and order, direction and restraint, command and control, dominance and submission, respect and obedience. How, I wonder, do you react to such ideas? Have they any place in your vision of the life that is good and sweet? If so, you are unusual. One tragedy of our time is that, having these associations, "authority" has become almost a dirty word in the Western world, while opposition to authority in schools, families and society generally is cheerfully accepted as something that is at least harmless and perhaps rather fine.

How is it that so many today will tolerate expressions of defiance and disorder in society which a century ago would have been thought intolerable? Whence came the passionate permissiveness that has made a shambles of so many homes, schools and individual lives? What goes on here? What is happening to us?

 THE QUEST FOR FREEDOM

The answer to these questions is pinpointed by the fact that "freedom" is today almost a magic word. Since World War 2, when those who fought the dictators defined their war aims in terms of Four Freedoms — freedom from want, freedom from fear, freedom of speech and freedom of religion—freedom in one form or another has been a worldwide passion, encouraged and catered to at every level. Therapists labor to include freedom from inhibitions. Playboy carries the torch for sexual freedom ("free love" as it was once called, though there is little enough real love in Playboy sex). Campaigning politicians promise freedom from this or that social evil. Young nations seek freedom from the domination of overbearing neighbors. Artists pursue freedom from conventions of form and style which bound their predecessors.

The Continental Journal Newspaper, March 11, 1779

If all things succeed as already agreed,
And immutable impulses rule us;
To preach and to pray, is but time thrown away,
And our teachers do nothing but fool us.


 If we're driven by fate, either this way or that, 
As the carman whips us his horses,
Then no man can stray-all go the right way,
As the stars that are fix'd in their courses.


But if by free will, we can go or stand still,
As best suits the present occasion;
Then fill up the galls, and confirm him and ass
That depends upon Predestination.


This answer appeared two weeks later in the same newspaper.

If an all perfect mind rules over mankind,
With infinite wisdom and power;
Sure he may decree, and yet the will be free,
The deeds and events of each hour.


If Scripture affirms in the plainest of terms,
The doctrine of Predestination'
We ought to believe it, and humbly receive it, 
As a truth of divine revelation.


If all things advance with the force of mere chance,
Or by human free will are directed'
To preach and to pray, will be time thrown away,
Our teachers may be well rejected.


If men are deprav'd, and to vice so enslav'd'
That the heart chuses nothing but evil;
Then who goes on still by his own corrupt will, 
Is driving post haste to the devil.


Then let human pride and vain cavil subside,
It is plain to a full demonstration,
That he's a wild ass, who over his glass,
dare ridicule Predestination.