I've had a great day of walking around London with friends, seeing an excellent used bookstore, and, most importantly, establishing a friendship with Peter Masters, pastor since 1970 of London's Metropolitan Tabernacle.  For 2 1/2 hours this afternoon, Peter graciously entertained me in his study with conversation ranging widely over the history of the Tabernacle during Spurgeon's time, his own personal history (including his membership interview at Westminster Chapel with Dr. Lloyd-Jones!), and issues facing the church today.  One long section of the conversation was on conversion.  It was interesting to consider with him what Scripture teaches about the experience of conversion.  Of course, secularlists like William James, describe conversion as the breaking in on the conscious mind of connections long growing in the subconscious.  But as evangelicals we understand there to be a great change, a radical discontinuity introduced by God's Holy Spirit.  But what Peter wanted to point out was the use of means in producing this discontinuity.  He suggested that many of the Puritans had a better understanding of this than many evangelicals (including Reformed evangelicals) today.   

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