Pastor's Corner — Providence Presbyterian Church

The Morning Devotional for August 16, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 24.3

III. It is lawful for all sorts of people to marry who are able with judgment to give their consent.a Yet it is the duty of Christians to marry only in the Lord.b And therefore, such as profess the true reformed religion should not marry with infidels, Papists, or other idolaters: neither should such as are godly be unequally yoked, by marrying with such as are notoriously wicked in their life, or maintain damnable heresies.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 24.2

The Morning Devotional for August 15, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 24.2

II. Marriage was ordained for the mutual help of husband and wife;a for the increase of mankind with a legitimate issue, and of the Church with an holy seed;b and for preventing of uncleanness.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 24.1

The Morning Devotional for August 14, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 24.1

I. Marriage is to be between one man and one woman: neither is it lawful for any man to have more than one wife, nor for any woman to have more than one husband at the same time.a

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillAugust 14, 2023marriage, divorce, monogamy, Genesis 2, Matthew 19

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.4

IV. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates,a to honor their persons,b to pay them tribute and other dues,c to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience’ sake.d Infidelity or difference in religion doth not make void the magistrate’s just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to him:e from which ecclesiastical persons are not exempted;f much less hath the Pope any power or jurisdiction over them in their dominions, or over any of their people; and least of all to deprive them of their dominions or lives, if he shall judge them to be heretics, or upon any other pretense whatsoever.g

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.3 (Part Two)

The Morning Devotional for August 10, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 23.3 (Part Two)

III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.3 (Part One)

The Morning Devotional for August 9, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 23.3 (Part One)

III. Civil magistrates may not assume to themselves the administration of the Word and sacraments; or the power of the keys of the kingdom of heaven; or, in the least, interfere in matters of faith. Yet, as nursing fathers, it is the duty of civil magistrates to protect the church of our common Lord, without giving the preference to any denomination of Christians above the rest, in such a manner that all ecclesiastical persons whatever shall enjoy the full, free, and unquestioned liberty of discharging every part of their sacred functions, without violence or danger.

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.2

The Morning Devotional for August 8, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 23.2

II. It is lawful for Christians to accept and execute the office of a magistrate when called thereunto;a in the managing whereof, as they ought especially to maintain piety, justice, and peace, according to the wholesome laws of each commonwealth,b so, for that end, they may lawfully, now under the New Testament, wage war upon just and necessary occasion.c

The Morning Devotional: WCF 23.1

The Morning Devotional for August 7, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 23.1

I. God, the Supreme Lord and King of all the world, hath ordained civil magistrates to be under him, over the people, for his own glory and the public good, and to this end hath armed them with the power of the sword, for the defense and encouragement of them that are good, and for the punishment of evil-doers.a

The Morning Devotional: WCF 22.7

The Morning Devotional for August 1, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 22.7

VII. No man may vow to do anything forbidden in the Word of God, or what would hinder any duty therein commanded, or which is not in his own power, and for the performance whereof he hath no promise or ability from God.a In which respect, Popish monastical vows of perpetual single life, professed poverty, and regular obedience, are so far from being degrees of higher perfection, that they are superstitious and sinful snares, in which no Christian may entangle himself.b

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillAugust 1, 2023vows, oaths, Acts 23, Hebrews 13

The Morning Devotional: WCF 22.6

The Morning Devotional for July 31, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 22.6

VI. It is not to be made to any creature, but to God alone:a and that it may be accepted, it is to be made voluntarily, out of faith and conscience of duty, in way of thankfulness for mercy received, or for the obtaining of what we want; whereby we more strictly bind ourselves to necessary duties, or to other things, so far and so long as they may fitly conduce thereunto.b

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillJuly 31, 2023oaths, vows, Psalm 116, Deuteronomy 23

The Morning Devotional: WCF 22.5

The Morning Devotional for July 28, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 22.5

V. A vow is of the like nature with a promissory oath, and ought to be made with the like religious care, and to be performed with the like faithfulness.a

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillJuly 28, 2023vows, oaths, Numbers 30

The Morning Devotional: WCF 22.4

The Morning Devotional for July 27, 2023
The Westminster Confession of Faith 22.4

IV. An oath is to be taken in the plain and common sense of the words, without equivocation or mental reservation.a It cannot oblige to sin; but in anything not sinful, being taken, it binds to performance, although to a man’s own hurt:b nor is it to be violated, although made to heretics or infidels.c

devotional, confessions, Westminster ConfessionWilliam HillJuly 27, 2023oaths, vows, Jeremiah 4, Psalm 24, Psalm 15, Joshua 9

The Pastor’s Corner

The blog of Pastor William F. Hill, Jr.