Like brilliant lights the churches were now illuminating the world, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ was flourishing everywhere when the Devil, who hates what is good, true, and saving, turned all his weapons against the church. Previously he had attacked her from the outside through persecutions, but now that he was prevented, he resorted to internal tactics, using wicked imposters as corrupt agents of destruction, assuming the name of our religion to destroy every believer they could ensnare while deflecting unbelievers from the path that leads to salvation.

Eusebius, The Church History, 137-138.

Clearly then, the recent proclamation of Christ’s teaching to all nations is none other than the very first and most ancient of all religions discovered by Abraham and those lovers of God who followed him.

Eusebius, The Church History, 31.

“Then at last, when all humanity throughout the world was now ready to receive knowledge of the Father, that same divine Word of God appeared at the beginning of the Roman Empire in the form of a man, of a nature like ours, whose deeds and sufferings accorded with the prophecies that a man who was also God would do extraordinary deeds and teach all nations the worship of the Father. They also predicted the miracle of his birth, his new teaching, the wonder of his deeds, the manner of his death, his resurrection from the dead, and, finally, his restoration to heaven by the power of God.”

Eusebius, The Church History, 26.

“The history of nations must be imperfect and erroneous, unless all is referred to the secret spring by which every motion is directed — the purpose of God to glorify himself in the salvation of the Church.”

Alexander McLeod’s historical introduction to the 1806 Testimony, quoted in William J. Edgar, History of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America 1871-1920, 159.

“In Gen. 1:27 it is declared that man was created in ‘the image of God.’ In Eph. 4:24 and Col. 3:10, men in regeneration are declared to be re-created in ‘the image of God.’ Regeneration is the restoration of human nature to its pristine condition, not a transmutation of that nature into a new form. The likeness to God which was lost by the fall must therefore be the same to which we are restored in the new birth. But the latter is said to consist in ‘knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness'” (A. A. Hodge, Confession of Faith, 88).

“God’s purpose in the gift of Christ cannot be in any respect in vain” (A. A. Hodge, Confession of Faith, 74).

“Throughout the unfolding of the covenant of grace, has been preparing the hearts of His people for the new Jerusalem. When Adam and Eve had stood barred from the garden of Eden, separated from the God whose presence had marked every moment of their lives, turned over to the death that God had said would come upon their disobedience, clothed in the skins of slain animals, they could not have fathomed the iridescent glory of the new Jerusalem (Gen. 3:21–24). But gradually, over generations and generations, God prepared His people for it. God had His purpose, He pursued it by His covenant of grace, and in a city bulging with radiant light and jubilant praise, He achieves it. God has a people and they are dwelling with Him in eternal glory.”

STEPHEN G. MYERS, GOD TO US: COVENANT THEOLOGY IN SCRIPTURE, 400.

“The Biblical principle is to bring the sacrifice God designates. Psalm 50:23 reads, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me.” The Old Testament saints gave honor to God by obeying Him and offering the sacrifice that He commanded. To honor God in the church of the New Testament, believers also bring the sacrifice of thanksgiving, the fruit of lips, that God commands. This is an expression of the regulative principle. God, therefore, provides the substance and content of this praise. David confesses, “From You comes my praise in the great assembly” (Ps. 22:25). Calvin translates this text, “My praise shall proceed from thee,” and goes on to say, “I do not reject the other translation; but in my opinion, the Hebrew manner of expression here requires this sense — that David will take the matter of his song of praise from God.” That is, the substance and content of David’s praise is from God. The Hebrew does use the preposition from. Psalm 22:25 is an expression of the regulative principle.”

Dennis J. Prutow, Public Worship 101, 233-234.

“Regardless of how old your children are or how mature they appear to be, you must model for them a life of deep convictions. If our children see that we take biblical truths lightly, that will influence them to take our teaching lightly. You can’t teach your children what you yourself don’t value.”

Joel R. Beeke, How Do We Plant Godly Convictions in Our Children, 24.

“We need to warn our children of the danger of living to please themselves and failing to discipline themselves. We must teach them the deeper pleasures of hard work and service to others. Work is not just something that we have to do, although the principle still holds “that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thess. 3:10). Rather, we should teach them that work is a calling from God and a delight for those created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26–28).”

Joel R. Beeke, How Do We Plant Godly Convictions in Our Children, 22.