The Puritan Vision: Loving the Glory of God

The chief aim of most of the proponents of the puritan vision was a passion, a zeal, a love for the glory of God. While arid caricatures are often made of the puritans it is a gloss over the real heartbeat of the issues at hand. As the puritan Thomas Brooks wrote on "Precious Remedies Against Satan's Devices", he warns his readers of Satan's devices. Satan does not want the puritan vision to be rightly understood and pursued because their vision was a godly vision for a love for the glory of God. Paul the apostle reminds us all: "so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs" (2 Cor. 2:11).

The opening question of the Westminster Larger Catechism (WLC) clarifies this vision. Question 1 WLC. What is the chief and highest end of man? 
Answer. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.

The last question of the WLC ends with the same note by focussing on the glory of God. Question. 196. What doth the conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us?
 Answer. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer (which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.) teaches us to enforce our petitions with arguments, which are to be taken, not from any worthiness in ourselves, or in any other creature, but from God; and with our prayers to join praises, ascribing to God alone eternal sovereignty, omnipotency, and glorious excellency; in regard whereof, as he is able and willing to help us, so we by faith are emboldened to plead with him that he would, and quietly to rely upon him, that he will fulfill our requests. And, to testify this our desire and assurance, we say, Amen.

The works of the puritans bear witness to this zeal for the glory of God. Just think of just three of John Owen's works which are titled "Communion with God" or "The Glory of Christ" or "The Holy Spirit". A zeal for the glory of God should consume the church, its office-bearers and our worship. Do you desire the glory of God in the church above all else? Are you prepared to work and labour to reform the church to its instituted pattern which includes God-centred worship with simplicity and reverence?

Let us join together in prayer for the recovery of this apostolic and puritan vision for the church, most especially in the UK and Western Europe while trusting for God's help. That age-old motto of the reformation was often Psalm 124:8 "Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth".