The sermon in the new world was the media tool shaping the culture. As the churches formed their on individual church governments, so also the towns each formed their own governing structures. However, this expanding freedom in the social experiment did not come without problems. With the sermon being a powerful tool shaping the culture, the social legislation in civil government was also greatly influenced by the sermon.
Obliviously, no law in the civil government was going to be enacted that in view contradicted scripture. The Puritan understanding of Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) was all of life for the Glory of God. Everything was incorporated into their Worship of God, that included their society. So the Sermons began to expand from religious instructions concerning salvation into the accepted social activity. This concerned some that the Gospel messages of Salvation by Grace alone through Faith alone was being blurred. It could be understood by some that right behavior was a prerequisite to faith and salvation.
This laid the foundation for a challenge to this new expanding idea of free government. The sinful human nature would soon find opportunity to rise and disrupt society as happens for to often and in every generation. A Puritan woman by the name of Anne Hutchinson would soon break the rules, both in Worship and civil and social norms.
She at first appeared to be a very pious lady and very valuable to the church and Christ Kingdom. She became responsible for bringing many women into the Church through ladies Bible studies she conducted in her home. John Cotton was one minister who encouraged her and saw her as a great benefit to the Church.
That was until she began to publicly question the churches authority in preaching sermons requiring social obedience to law and civil legislation. She saw it as a direct attack upon Grace Alone through Faith Alone. It was not scriptural or the cultural norm for a woman to speak out publicly against church authority so she quickly experienced resistance losing support for the one Minister John Cotton she had once enjoyed the support of.
She began to preach to mixed audiences of men and women much like Beth Moore and many other women ministers today. This was a direct rebellion against the churches practice in worship. Her preaching promoted Antinomianism, which separated one's behavior entirely from their faith. She believed one's profession of faith was all that was necessary, no works of obedience or separation from sin was necessary for salvation. She then began to promote the idea she was receiving new and fresh revelation directly from God. It seems she was much like many ministries today within the HVG (Hearing The Voice of God) group. This was heresy to the Puritan faith, though the Puritan strongly believed salvation to be by Grace alone through Faith alone, they also believe the result of regeneration would produce an increasing life of obedience. They also held to the afore mention Sola Scriptura and the sufficiency of Scripture. A simple belief that God has spoken in his Word (the Bible) and that is sufficient for faith and practice.
Heb 1:1 Long ago, at many times and in
many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, Heb 1:2 but in
these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the
heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. (ESV)
2Pe 1:3 His divine power has granted to
us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the
knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
2Pe 1:4 by which he has
granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through
them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped
from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
(ESV)
2Pe 1:19 And we have the prophetic word
more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as
to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the
morning star rises in your hearts,
2Pe 1:20 knowing this first
of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own
interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will
of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy
Spirit. (ESV)
She was brought to trial while pregnant, judged guilty of heresy and excommunicated from the church and banished from the community. Her child was later still born with sever deformity. Many opposing ministers proclaimed that to be the Judgment of God upon her, and some claimed she had given birth to a demon. Ministers would continue to attach her character stating that when she was a midwife, the children she delivered were born with claws and demon like features. One afternoon in the summer of 1643 in a Dutch colony of New Amsterdam,
Anne’s family was attacked by Native American Siwanoy warriors at
their home. Fifteen people including Anne were axed to death, their
bodies burned.
One could blame the system, another could blame religion and superstition. It seems though, the real culprit is the sinful human nature. The sinfulness of Anne Hutchinson to assert herself above the place of submission allowed by scripture along with the determination to insist upon her own interpretation of Scripture.
The sinfulness of ministers to blend the civil punishments and religious disciplines beyond their scope. To take their own prejudices and malign the Character of Anne Hutchinson both before and after the trial demonstrating their own lack of Godly love and Character in their hearts.
The sinfulness of the Siwanoy warriors in taking the law unto themselves and executing families in revenge for their own perceived mistreatments. Oh, the way of man in the earth, in his own justice he is blind, the truth alludes him though he says he sees clearly.
Joh 9:41 Jesus said unto them, If ye
were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore
your sin remaineth. (KJV)
The sinfulness of the human nature is the weakness of our society, a weakness because of the sermons that were preached, our founders were well aware of . As a result of this awareness they purposely set restrictions and oversight by design in the structure of the American government creating safe guards to tyranny. It is a constant struggle to restrain our own passions, even within the church sin breaks out and injustices occur.
Rom 7:12 So the law is holy, and the
commandment is holy and righteous and good.
Rom 7:13 Did that which is good, then,
bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me
through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and
through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. (ESV)
I know this may sound like only words by an obscure blogger, however, I cannot impress upon you the reader the weight and importance of understanding the danger that waits at the door of our American system. Perhaps President John Adams could impress upon you more soundly.
"I have ever Thought it the most
difficult and dangerous Part of the Business, Americans have to do,
in this mighty Contest, to contrive some Method for the Colonies to
glide insensibly, from under the old Government, into a peaceable and
contented Submission to new ones. It is a long Time since this
opinion was conceived, and it has never been out of my Mind. My
constant Endeavour has been to convince, Gentlemen of the Necessity
of turning their Thoughts to those subjects. At present, the sense of
this Necessity seems to be general, and Measures are taking which
must terminate in a complete Revolution. There is a Danger of
Convulsions. But I hope, not great ones.The Form of Government, which you
admire, when its Principles are pure, is admirable indeed. It is
productive of every Thing, which is great and excellent among Men.
But its Principles are as easily destroyed, as human Nature is
corrupted. Such a Government is only to be supported by pure
Religion, or Austere Morals. Public Virtue cannot exist in a Nation
without private, and public Virtue is the only Foundation of
Republics. There must be a positive Passion for the public good, the
public Interest, Honor, Power, and Glory, established in the Minds
of the People, or there can be no Republican Government, nor any real
Liberty. And this public Passion must be Superior to all private
Passions. Men must be ready, they must pride themselves, and be happy
to sacrifice their private Pleasures, Passions, and Interests, nay
their private Friendships and dearest Connections, when they Stand in
Competition with the Rights of society.
Is there in the World a Nation, which
deserves this Character. There have been several, but they are no
more. Our dear Americans perhaps have as much of it as any Nation now
existing, and New England perhaps has more than the rest of America.
But I have seen all along my Life, Such Selfishness, and Littleness
even in New England, that I sometimes tremble to think that, although We
are engaged in the best Cause that ever employed the Human Heart, yet
the Prospect of success is doubtful not for Want of Power or of
Wisdom, but of Virtue." ~ John Adams, April 16th, 1776.
Sobering words for sobering times, in our present state success is doubtful, not for want of Power or Wisdom, but of Virtue!
May God bless each of you,
David
