Thomas Sullivan on SermonAudio

Welcome to another episode of the podcast, where today we dive deep into Jonathan Edwards's foundational revival trilogy to explore how one of history's greatest pastor-theologians navigated the thrilling yet treacherous waters of spiritual awakening. From the remarkable local conversions in Northampton to his razor-sharp diagnostic tests for genuine revival, Edwards offers an unequaled masterclass in discerning the work of the Holy Spirit. Together, we'll examine his searching warnings on undiscerned spiritual pride, the deceptive snare of modern "immediate revelations," and the subtle ways Satan exploits even our most elevated spiritual frames. Whether you are seeking a biblical blueprint for testing spiritual claims or a humbling guide for pastoral discernment, Edwards's timeless insights remain a vital manual for the Church today.

John Owen's Works, Volume 3 (Pneumatologia), provides a foundational, Spirit-centered defense of Christian theology that spans the Holy Spirit's distinct personhood, His work in Christ, regeneration, sanctification, and eternal election. Driven by a desire to defend the Spirit's deity against rationalist attacks while rescuing His internal ministry from both formal neglect and fanatical claims, Owen demonstrates that redemption applied by the Spirit is as essential as redemption accomplished by Christ. Through key insights—such as total depravity's darkening of the unregenerate mind (prefiguring presuppositional apologetics over Common Sense realism), the Spirit-wrought use of the means of grace in an awakened sinner without falling into preparationism, the absolute necessity of ongoing actual grace alongside habitual grace for every holy act, and a matured view of mortification—Owen roots all Christian growth in sovereign grace. By grounding these doctrines in both the election of believers unto holiness and the real-world conversion of Augustine, Owen establishes that true Christian living is an unceasing, Spirit-empowered work from initiation to final perseverance.

In this upcoming episode of The Narrated Puritan, we journey into 18th-century colonial America to uncover the incandescent life and ministry of Samuel Davies—a man Dr. David Martyn Lloyd-Jones famously called "one of your greatest preachers." Born to humble beginnings and educated under Samuel Blair at the historic Faggs Manor academy, Davies entered pastoral ministry under the constant shadow of terminal illness, preaching every sermon with urgent, eternity-bound gravity. From navigating Virginia's rigid legal establishment to turn local "Reading Houses" into licensed Presbyterian churches, to pioneering literacy and evangelism among hundreds of enslaved African Americans, Davies' fearless leadership laid the very groundwork for religious liberty in America while inspiring the legendary pulpit fire of a young Patrick Henry. Join us as we trace his remarkable journey from the Virginia frontier to his final days succeeding Jonathan Edwards as the fourth president of the College of New Jersey, and discover why Davies' solemn, heart-searching preaching still speaks with profound power to our generation today.

Jonathan Edwards was far more than the solemn, fire-and-brimstone preacher history textbooks suggest—he was a teenage prodigy, a revolutionary thinker, and a man whose formidable intellect was consumed by a passion for the beauty and glory of God. From his radical youthful vowing to "live with all my might" and his fiery leadership during the Great Awakening, to his dignified posture when ousted by his own congregation and his groundbreaking writings on the frontier, Edwards' life stands as an unshakeable blueprint for intentional living. His story strips away modern excuses, daring us to trade digital distraction and passive drifting for a disciplined mind, unyielding convictions, and a life wholly devoted to what matters for eternity.

Behind the iconic narrative of Jonathan Edwards' legendary sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" lies a far more intense, forgotten historical reality: the day Edwards lost control of his pulpit. Delving into rarely cited eyewitness accounts, diary entries, and the overnight prayers that preceded the famous July 8, 1741 assembly at Enfield, this deep dive peels back centuries of embellishment to reveal an unfinished sermon drowned out by cries of distress, an all-night intercessory vigil that laid the groundwork for the revival, and Edwards' own cautious distrust of the very emotional hysteria he unleashed. Discover how a team of visiting pastors stepped into the chaos of the meetinghouse floor, and why the real spark of America's Great Awakening was less about one man's literary rhetoric and far more about hidden intercession, collaborative crisis counseling, and the complex reality of human conversion.

In the wake of the Revolutionary War, a spiritually depleted and intellectually skeptical America faced a crisis of faith, only for an unexpected wave of revivals to ignite across New England's local parishes and elite college campuses—documented soberly in the Connecticut Evangelical Magazine and spearheaded by leaders like Timothy Dwight and Ashbel Green. Unlike the sensationalized frontier rallies or the technique-driven revivals that followed, this quiet awakening dismantled Deism through cold logic, deepened parish life without emotionalism, and restored moral clarity to the rising generation before being largely eclipsed by the louder chapters of American history.

A couple of God's providences to us this week observed and reflected on.

In the literary landscape of seventeenth-century England, few trial scenes resonate with as much raw satire and visceral injustice as the Trial at Vanity Fair in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. Before the merciless magistrate Lord Hate-good and a jury composed of men like Mr. Malice and Mr. Cruelty, the pilgrim Faithful is condemned not for a genuine crime, but for daring to challenge the corrupt, self-serving norms of a culture obsessed with worldly indulgence. This courtroom farce was no mere construct of allegory or creative imagination; it was a thinly veiled, cathartic processing of Bunyan's own lived trauma. In November 1660, following the Restoration of King Charles II and the aggressive crackdown on religious dissent, Bunyan was arrested for preaching at an unlicensed gathering in Bedfordshire. Refusing to compromise his conscience or promise silence in exchange for leniency, the humble tinker turned preacher was sentenced to a brutal, twelve-year imprisonment in the squalid, overcrowded confines of the Bedford County Gaol. It was precisely within those damp, disease-ridden walls—isolated from his family and facing an indefinite loss of liberty—that Bunyan transmuted his personal legal struggles into eternal art, forging a narrative where the terrifying corruptions of earthly justice serve only to illuminate the ultimate triumph of the steadfast soul.

Whence came you, and what would you have? He answered, I have eat and drank in the presence of the King, and he has taught in our streets. Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King; so he fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said they, Have you none? But the man answered never a word. So they told the King, but he would not come down to see him, but commanded the two Shining Ones that conducted Christian and Hopeful to the City, to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up, and carried him through the air to the door that I saw in the side of the hill, and put him in there. Then I saw that there was a way to hell, even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.

The story of Christian and Hopeful's detour into By-path Meadow serves as a poignant warning against seeking easy shortcuts in the face of hardship. Driven by physical discomfort, the pilgrims allowed a seemingly parallel path and false assurances to blind them to the gradual dangers of straying from their true course. Ultimately, their choice illustrates how small, seemingly harmless compromises can subtly lead one away from safety, leaving them vulnerable to the paralyzing grip of doubt, guilt, and despair when trials inevitably arise.

This discussion explored the free offer of the gospel in Reformed theology, beginning with Bunyan's portrait of the "grave person" in The Pilgrim's Progress, whose posture of pleading with men visualizes the minister's role as a passionate herald of divine mercy. Grounding this stance in historical Reformed orthodoxy, we examined how 17th-century Puritan John Howe and 19th-century theologian R. L. Dabney demonstrated that God's indiscriminate offer of salvation is entirely sincere and fully compatible with His immutable, sovereign decree of election. Furthermore, we examined Arthur W. Pink's defense of human responsibility alongside divine sovereignty, before concluding with the refutation of hyper-Calvinist views (such as those of Herman Hoeksema and the Protestant Reformed Churches) by John Murray and R. L. Dabney, who showed that using doctrines like Divine Simplicity or Impassibility to deny God's genuine compassionate desire for the repentance of all sinners misconstrues confessional definitions, replacing biblical revelation with rationalistic speculation.

In John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, few figures offer a more sobering warning to the traveling soul than the character Temporary. Living in the town of Grace-less, right next door to Turn-back, Temporary begins his journey with intense zeal—weeping over his sins, seeking godly counsel, and setting his face resolutely toward the Celestial City. Yet, despite his bright start and genuine emotional stirrings, his zeal quickly cools, he aligns himself with a man named Save-self, and he slides back into total spiritual ruin. Through this tragic figure, Bunyan illustrates what Puritan theologians like Thomas Goodwin, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, and A. W. Pink identified as the "common influences" of the Holy Spirit—a work that can enlighten the mind, stir the emotions, and reform outward behavior without ever regenerating the heart. Temporary's story is not a tale of open hypocrisy, but a compelling, cautionary study in the vital difference between a temporary emotional reaction to the truth and a permanent, heart-transforming union with Jesus Christ.

This study explores Prince Emmanuel's final address to the city of Mansoul in John Bunyan's The Holy War, focusing on why God allows original sin to remain in the regenerate. Guided by Alexander Whyte's commentary, we see that Christ leaves these internal remnants not out of weakness, but in divine wisdom to foster genuine humility, keep faith active, and demonstrate His long-suffering mercy. Classic commentators like George Burder provide essential historical and doctrinal context for translating Bunyan's military metaphors into daily Christian experience, while John Owen's Indwelling Sin supplies the clinical theological framework distinguishing between sin reigning and sin dwelling. Complemented by the intimate, searching prayers of Philip Doddridge, the discussion ultimately encourages weary believers to maintain constant vigilance, refuse any truce with remaining corruption, and take heart in Emmanuel's ultimate command and promise: "Hold fast till I come."

This study explores the lethal threat of carnal security and spiritual lethargy as depicted in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress on the Enchanted Ground, grounding its warning in the slumbering virgins of Matthew 25:1–13. To understand the internal decay behind this condition, the lesson draws upon John Owen's exposition of Hebrews 3:7–19, which details how the deceitfulness of sin gradually hardens the unwatchful heart, alongside Arthur W. Pink's analysis of Hebrews 6:4–6 regarding the danger of separating intellectual knowledge from a living communion with Christ. Furthermore, Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor exposes how Satan strategically targets teachers and leaders, exploiting intellectual pride and disguised ease to disarm their vigilance. Together with 19th-century observational insights from Joseph Huntington Jones and Grant Powers—who examined how bodily infirmity, heightened imagination, and physical excitement can simulate or obscure true spiritual life—these sources provide a comprehensive diagnosis of spiritual slumber, equipping believers and leaders alike to cultivate active watchfulness, genuine grace, and abiding fellowship with Christ.

Thinking through with this audience about how to best use an audio-book ministry and podcast how to make it more useful for the hearers going forward.

When we look at the pace of our modern world, with its relentless noise and constant distractions, it is easy for our spiritual lives to become shallow and reactive. But if we turn to the Puritans—masters of the soul like John Owen, Richard Baxter, and William Gurnall—we discover a timeless truth: the mind is the primary battleground of the faith. They understood that whatever captures our thoughts will ultimately capture our desires, shape our character, and govern our worship. Far from being a passive space, the mind must be actively guarded against the subtle intrusions of worldliness, the sluggishness of mental ease, and the intrusive noise of unwanted distractions. Tonight, we are going to explore this rich Puritan tradition of spiritual psychology, discovering how taking control of our inner thought-life is the essential key to cultivating a heart that truly loves God and finds lasting peace.

This study explores the delicate balance between solemn warning and ultimate triumph in Reformed theology by contrasting John Bunyan's scene at the Delectable Mountains—where the Shepherds soberly observe that "few show their face on these mountains"—with the historic debate over the total number of the redeemed. By examining the rigorous pastoral warnings of Puritans like John Owen, Thomas Shepard, and Jonathan Edwards alongside the expansive, victorious vision of B. B. Warfield, R. L. Dabney, and C. H. Spurgeon, this investigation harmonizes the local, searching reality of Matthew 7 ("narrow is the gate") with the global, eschatological promise of Revelation 7 ("an innumerable multitude"). Ultimately, it demonstrates how classic Reformed theology maintains both a rigorous call to self-examination against false assurance—as embodied in Bunyan's tragic character Ignorance—and an unshakeable confidence in the cosmic, vast scope of Christ's saving victory.

In contemporary evangelistic practice, the pastoral response to an awakened sinner often seeks immediate emotional relief, offering swift assurances of safety and a bare presentation of gospel facts. In stark contrast, historic Reformed soul-care—exemplified by John Bunyan's Evangelist, Jonathan Edwards's revival treatises, Thomas Scott's annotations, and the lived experience of David Brainerd—operates on the conviction that true saving faith requires a deep, experimental realization of human inability under the Law before gospel comfort can be rightly embraced. Rather than offering premature assurance to those alarmed about their souls, these historic voices advocate holding forth "more light" to dismantle all self-reliant "twigs" of moral reform, enforcing the urgent command to "flee from the wrath to come." By examining Evangelist's seemingly paradoxical counsel alongside Edwards's theology of religious affections and Brainerd's self-examining piety, this study demonstrates that stripping away false security is not ministerial cruelty, but the highest act of spiritual mercy—forcing the sinner out of self-righteousness and driving him toward true, enduring refuge in the cross of Christ.

In this episode, we dive deep into the remarkable historical accounts of child conversions during the great 18th and 19th-century revivals—from the famous four-year-old Phoebe Bartlett in Jonathan Edwards's Northampton to the quiet, powerful awakenings in the valleys of Wales and the national schools of Ulster. Together, we explore how revival leaders like James Robe, Thomas Phillips, and Asahel Nettleton documented and evaluated these young lives, examining the secret prayer societies children formed in barns and behind hedges, the profound way their simple faith catalyzed entire households, and the careful pastoral discernment used to test genuine spiritual transformation.

How can an infant—devoid of cognitive reasoning, language, or the ability to process the preached Gospel—be born again? Across centuries of church history, Puritans, Particular Baptists, and Reformed giants like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield wrestled with this profound theological enigma. Rejecting both the error of baptismal regeneration by infant baptism, and the myth of natural innocence, these theologians pointed to something far more awe-inspiring: a sovereign, unmediated work of the Holy Spirit who transforms the soul beyond the reach of human intellect. Join us in this episode as we journey through the 1689 London Baptist Confession, historical debates, and the mechanics of divine grace to discover how God secretly regenerates the most vulnerable among us, proving that salvation is, from first to last, entirely of the Lord.

In John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress, Christian's burden is a vivid theological analogy representing the conscious, crushing weight of guilt and terror of divine judgment that presses upon an awakened sinner when enlightened by God's Law. To the Puritans, this burden is not sin in the abstract, but the painful realization of one's own total depravity, heart-sins, and complete inability to satisfy God's unyielding justice through moral reform or religious duties. Driven by this "law work," the sinner is systematically stripped of self-righteousness, legalism, and mercenary self-trust—such as Christian's terrifying detour under Mount Sinai—until they are emptied of self-sufficiency. Though Christian is truly regenerated and justified upon entering the Wicket Gate, his burden remains until he arrives at the Cross, illustrating the historic Reformed principle (reflected in WLC Q.81 and Owen's exposition of Psalm 130) that a soul may be in a state of grace for some time before the Holy Spirit grants the conscious, liberating sense of pardon and full assurance.

This study explores one of the most sobering and psychologically intense scenes in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress: the character of the Man in the Iron Cage. By taking a deeply casuistic and pastoral approach, we examine the critical distinction between objective judicial hardening (true apostasy) and subjective spiritual desertion—the tragic state in which an anxious, tender conscience falsely fears it has committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Spirit. Drawing upon a rich array of historic Reformed and Puritan theology—including the classic diagnostic criteria of William Gouge, William Guthrie, and William Gurnall, the exegetical insights of John Brown of Edinburgh, Thomas Chalmers' analysis of spiritual light and moral insensibility, Archibald Alexander's dual diagnosis of physical melancholy versus spiritual trial, and John Bunyan's own autobiographical struggle in Grace Abounding—this session provides a compassionate, biblically grounded framework designed to help troubled souls dismantle the false iron cages constructed in their minds and anchor their hope solely in the external sufficiency of Jesus Christ.

It is the frequent and mournful condition of many a precious soul, under the dark clouds of spiritual desertion or the heavy affliction of bodily melancholy, to apprehend themselves entirely swallowed up in total despair; yet it remains the unalterable covenant-grace of God that His children are never left without such a secret presence and support of His Holy Spirit as keeps them from final shipwreck. Though the felt sense of assurance may be utterly withdrawn, and the believer, like a bruised reed, can discern nothing in themselves but smoke and darkness, the root of faith abides invisibly preserved beneath the soil. As the chief casuists of the church—from Goodwin and Owen to Sibbes and Ridgley—have tenderly demonstrated, the Spirit's supporting hand in the dark is rarely measured by sensible comfort, but by that holy, secret tenacity which causes the downcast soul, even in its deepest agonies, to cry out from the depths and cast itself upon the bare mercy of Christ. To mistakingly judge the absence of light as the absence of life is to misapprehend the subtle workings of grace; for where there remains even a groaning desire after God, a unwillingness to depart from Him, and a casting of the soul upon His bare promise, there Christ is secretly sustaining the smoking flax, guaranteeing that while a saint may walk in deep darkness, they shall never sink into utter ruin.

A detailed examination and comments, pastoral counsel, on the cases I have come across detailed since the Reformation on Spiritual Desertion, Melancholy, apostasy leading to despair. In the cases of Francis Spira, Debra Huish, Joane Drake, John Childs, and George Edwards. What can we learn from these stories?

This really is a bibliography of what the reformed, informed past generations wrote about the subject of "spiritual melancholy." A bibliography of their writings. This has been on my heart for awhile to be the subject of a podcast. So I trust you won't be wasting your time.

Yesterday my wife's mom turned 105. And in other news.... Also an introduction and overview of Joseph Alleine's book, An Alarm To the Unconverted 1672.

The Puritan Fast Day Sermons preached between 1640 and 1660. This podcast is an overview and content of two Puritan Fast Day Sermons, 1 by Stephen Marshall preached December of 1641 called Reformation and Desolation, and a 2nd, The Saints' Hiding-Place in the Time of God's Anger by William Bridge, William Bridge preached this sermon on October 28, 1646 , to the House of Lords at Westminster Abbey. Finally an overview and some content by the sermon, The Goodness and Severity of God in Judging Sinful Churches and Nations. How does their counself apply to us in our day?

"Welcome to the program. If you walked into a Christian bookstore seventy years ago, the profound, soul-stirring writings of the Puritans were virtually lost to history—rotting in forgotten English attics and locked away in academic vaults. Today, we're sharing the remarkable story of a quiet literary rescue mission: a global, providential relay race run not by famous celebrities, but by a colorful band of printers, pastors, and tireless book-distributors. From Martyn Lloyd-Jones launching a modest magazine in post-war London, to remote bookrooms in Choteau, Montana, a devastating warehouse flood in Pennsylvania, and a hard-charging contractor who bought books by the pallet just to give them away, join us as we trace how a handful of dedicated pioneers brought the forgotten giants of the faith back to life—and forever changed the modern pulpit."

This discussion outlines the compilation of a specialized 19th-century pastoral bibliography centered on the *Ars Moriendi* (The Art of Dying) literary tradition, which contrasts the final moments of believers and non-believers to demonstrate the power of faith. Key figures in this genre include Davis W. Clark, John Gregory Pike, and John Warburton, whose works served as evangelistic tools and pastoral guides. A focal point of the research is the rare 1807 Middlebury pamphlet, *The Contrast; or, The Death-Bed of a Free Thinker and a Christian Contrasted*, which physically pairs the harrowing, despair-filled demise of the skeptic Sir Francis Newport with the triumphant, ecstatic deathbed testimony of Presbyterian minister Dr. Samuel Finley—a historical text that can be reviewed via institutional databases like HathiTrust or downloaded in full PDF format through widespread 19th-century regional reprints.

Welcome to today's program, where we are stepping back into the vibrant, often forgotten print networks and pastoral pulpits that forged the early nineteenth-century Second Great Awakening. From the foundational 17th-century English Puritanism of William Gurnall's The Christian in Complete Armour to the strategic New England revival engines of Nathan Strong's Connecticut Evangelical Magazine and Jedidiah Morse's The Panoplist, we will explore how local awakenings transformed into a unified global mission movement. Joining us on this historical journey are the towering figures of the era—including Edward Dorr Griffin, Heman Humphrey, Bennet Tyler, and Ashbel Green—whose traditional Reformed orthodoxy and orderly revival methods were defended and distributed through historic publications like The National Preacher and The Christian Advocate.

The Beta (test) version of the Monergism APP has been released. After 15 months of providing audio for a few of the titles, the seed has been planted, another waters, may God bring an increase. Reflections on the last 16 months of this ministry.

To introduce a modern audience to the classic theme of spiritual warfare, this bibliography traces a robust, historically rich trajectory that spans over three centuries—beginning with the massive, foundational strategy manuals of 17th-century Puritans like John Downame and William Gurnall, mapping the deep psychological and pastoral care found in the soul-diagnosing "cases of conscience" by Pike and Hayward, and culminating in the vivid, fiercely practical 19th- and 20th-century expositions of Charles Spurgeon and Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Far from being a relic of abstract, archaic mysticism, this enduring body of literature functions as a brilliant, clinical handbook for the human soul. By masterfully distinguishing between the internal vulnerabilities of our own hearts and the external, highly adaptive "wiles" of a defeated but persistent adversary, these authors provide contemporary readers with a timeless blueprint for vigilance, mental resilience, and an unwavering reliance on the all-sufficient triumph of Jesus Christ.

Meditating on the 6th doctrine mentioned in the Introduction to the Sermon Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, needed to be explored deeper. And 2 more fearful teachings in this doctrine.

What happens when our public religious lives don't match the hidden corners of our hearts? Today, we're diving into the deep end of the human soul with the help of America's greatest spiritual detectives. From Jonathan Edwards' piercing warning that true faith is verified in the dark, to John Owen's ultimate blueprint for a peaceful, focused mind in a world drowning in distraction, we're pulling back the curtain on performative faith. Even legendary statesman Daniel Webster warned over two centuries ago that without a solid moral compass, a nation slides into chaos. If you've ever wondered whether your inner life matches your outer presentation, or if you're just looking for a little unshakeable peace in a loud world, stay with us—this is a conversation you cannot afford to miss."

"Why is modern America so politically fractured and culturally adrift? The answer isn't just found in the latest headlines, but in a hidden theological shift that began over a century ago. Join us as we trace a profound line of thought from the prophetic 19th-century warnings of Southern Presbyterian Robert L. Dabney, through the sharp historical analysis of C. Gregg Singer, to the sweeping cultural philosophy of R.J. Rushdoony. Together, these three thinkers argued that America's shift toward big government and political pragmatism was ultimately caused by an apostasy in the American pulpit—the trading of biblical realism for humanistic utopianism. But don't mistake their ideas for today's top-down 'Christian Nationalism'; these men fiercely distrusted centralized power, warning that a society cannot be saved by the sword of the state, but only through a bottom-up reformation of individual hearts, families, and churches. Stay tuned as we dive into how their warnings predicted our current cultural crisis—and why their solution is radically different than what you hear on the news today."

This 1665 outbreak was the last major widespread epidemic of the bubonic plague in England, killing an estimated 100,000 people—roughly a quarter of London's population at the time—before tapering off in the winter of 1666, a decline accelerated by the Great Fire of London.

A look at the collegiate landscape at the beginning of the 19th centuries, and true college revivals. The story of Asahel Nettleton. (April 21, 1783 – May 16, 1844)

In an effort to enlarge on books that have been influential to me, I thought that I would just walk through the video of the walk-through of Paul Washer's library and enlarge on his comments to just add additional information. Some background information, and a couple of comments from Charles Spurgeon's Commenting and Commentaries.

From the beginning of this journey in 1981, how I was providentially led to my first solid Christian Books. My awakening and my early pilgrimage. How I went from reading Kenneth Hagin and Watchman Nee to within 6 months reading A. W. Pink and Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Spurgeon and Jonathan Edwards. Given in an autobiographical entertaining way.

I couldn't settle on anything to narrate this morning and decided to just speak about some things that were reflections, and recalled a revival story I had read from James Hall and the Revival in North Carolina in 1802. At then end I read from Ruth Bryan's diary, and somehow tied it all together.

Of all of the biographical sketches I have taught in a Sunday School setting, the Life of A W Pink was drawn the largest audience and the most comments. From a life of relative obscurity, this is the story of how his commentaries and topics gained a large audience within 10 years after his passing in 1952.

Spring Clearning, came across a letter sent to my mom on January 16th 1986, forty years ago. Where I was then, what I have reflected on now. And other interesting news and updates. Also a historical sketch of the influence of the book, Human Nature in its Fourfold State, by Thomas Boston and how just reading it in a group of awakened Virginia farmers was a means to the end of the Hanover County Revival.

The story of the Payson family is a captivating study in how profound spiritual light can emerge from the deepest valleys of human suffering. Dr. Edward Payson, famously remembered as "Praying Payson," was a towering figure of the Second Great Awakening whose legendary, agonizing intercessions literally wore grooves into his hardwood floors, yet he was constantly bedeviled by physical pain and overwhelming bouts of melancholy. This complex legacy of fierce devotion and raw vulnerability did not end with his early death; it was magnified in the lives of his two brilliant daughters. Louisa, a self-taught intellectual powerhouse, masterfully translated the silent longings of the soul into clear, resonant prose, while her sister Elizabeth—enduring a lifetime of devastating chronic illness and the tragic loss of her own children—penned the immortal hymn More Love to Thee, O Christ and the bestselling novel Stepping Heavenward. Together, this 19th-century family transformed their personal battlefields of grief, doubt, and physical frailty into an enduring literary and spiritual roadmap that continues to guide weary travelers home.

Latest news, prayer requests, and another ministry opportunity I learned about yesterday. What it is, why I am particularly emotional about this one.

They set out with prayers and polished promises, bound for a Canaan they had only mapped in their dreams, completely blind to the terrible arithmetic of the wilderness. From the salt-sprayed decks of the Mayflower in 1620 to the snow-choked passes of the Sierra Nevada in 1846, the American pioneer's progress has always been a brutal ledger of faith paid for in flesh. We remember the grand myths of standard-bearers and empire-builders, but we forget the raw, human cost: the agonizing winters where the wind howled like a starving wolf, the agonizing choices made when the rations ran out, and the shallow graves that dug a highway across a continent. This is not a tale of seamless triumphs, but of ordinary men, women, and children who pushed past the edge of the known world, proving that the true price of discovering a new home is often everything you have left to lose.

In this episode, based on a lesson I taught in 2019, the aim will be to show that a revisionist history has taken place. The aim is to exhonerate Cotton Mather's reputation and then give the history of a slave named Onesimus and the development in early America for a cure for Small Pox.

Much of this history is the recorded audio for an American Church History Sunday School class taught in 2019, but I wanted to speak about the history of John Owen's interaction and battle for religious toleration and review the whole of this.