Having “no law higher than the constitution,” and this wholly ignoring the law of God, the demands of liberalism have prevailed so that we are fast losing all Christian morality, the Christian Sabbath, Christian marriage, Christian education, and belief in Jesus as the “king of kings and the governor among the nations.” Here is our danger, but there are signs of promise in the political horizon. In providence, and as a direct result of gospel power, moral questions are pressed to the front, and the value of Christian character in our rulers is being emphasized in the present political campaign; and though Christians are only half-hearted and allow expediency and partisan bias too much influence, yet the madness of the wicked whom God will destroy, forces them to go forward. A fresh baptism of the Spirit is the crying need, that his regenerating grace may break the bonds of the arch-deceiver, and that Christians may be revived by a pentecostal refreshing and power. With his presence will come back to our Samson all the wealth of his locks, the sight of his eyes, the glory of his strength, the opportunity to grasp the pillars of the dragon’s temple, and the power with one effort to cast them down forever without injury to himself. Let prayer be unceasing, and with united supplication let us seek the Spirit to go forth with the gospel, and then soon our land and the world shall be enfranchised with the liberty of Christ.

“The Devil Abroad” in Christian Nation, Vol. I, 5. (October 1, 1884), 68.

The question is often asked, “Do rulers in a nation need any other qualification for filling positions of honor and trust than their mental ability and fitness?” . . . Civil government had its birth and origin in God. He is the creator of nations as well of individuals. He is the source of all power and authority; Jesus Christ has been appointed by him as the King of kings and Lord of lords; and the Bible is the foundation of all law, civil and ecclesiastical, and it is the standard by which the conduct of men is to be governed. When we admit these facts, as every Christian must, we see that other qualifications than that of mental ability are necessary in the aspirant for office. “He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of the Lord [2 Sam. 23:3].”

“Necessary Qualifications of Civil Rulers” by J. A. Burnett in Christian Nation, Vol. I, 2. (September 10, 1884), 25.

English Annotations (1645) on Isaiah 49:22-23

The Puritans can help us link doctrine to application. Most of their published works consist of edited series of sermons. Puritan sermons usually followed a pattern containing the announcement of the text, introduction to the context, exposition of the text, systematic development and defense of some doctrines taught by the text, and, finally, the improvement, or uses, to be made of those doctrines. Puritan preachers drew a line from the Bible to doctrine to application.

Joel R. Beeke and Terry D. Slachter, Encouragement for Today’s Pastors: Help from the Puritans, 94.

English Annotations (1645)

2 Timothy 3:15, 16

English Annotations (1645)

Luke 16:29, 31

English Annotations (1645)

Romans 11:36

English Annotations (1645)

John 17:21, 22

But when we speak of the dominion of the Mediator as spiritual, it is necessary to guard against supposing that it can have no sort of connection with the world, or with things that are secular. Such an idea it is not at all our intention to convey . . . Because the dominion of Christ is spiritual in its nature, to conclude that everything connected with his kingdom must be spiritual also, and that nothing earthly or secular can have any relation to it, is an inference alike illogical in reasoning and unsupported by fact.

William Symington, Messiah the Prince, 42.

No government, however good in itself, can be expected to be successful, which is administered by a known profligate. It is wisely required that he that ruleth over men must be “just, ruling in the fear of the Lord.” It were unreasonable to expect principles to be acted upon, and laws to be obeyed, which are inculcated by persons who are themselves violating them every day.

William Symington, Messiah the Prince, 26.