Puritan Hard Drive Critique

I am going to write a short review of my experiences with the Puritan Hard Drive from Still Waters Revival Books (SWRB) and included is a short review of several other sites who advertise it on their web sites.
First I want to state that I purchased the Puritan Hard Drive back in March of 2008. This is when it was being offered as a 90 CD collection. I set up a payment plan and began to pay on this until March 2010. As I paid on this collection I would receive weekly updates explaining to me about all the new additions to this set. Once I paid this collection off, I quit receiving any updates, despite my constant attempt to get my name put back on the list for the weekly updates. This sent up red flags and I began to worry that I had been scammed; but a week after SWRB began shipping the hard drive I contacted John Hendryx at Monergism.com and he informed me that they had begun shipping. I also contacted Sermonaudio.com and they contacted SWRB and let them know that I had inquired about the drive (since I had received no updates) and so my name was added to the next shipping list and I received it a few days later.(October 19).
My plans for this drive were to download it into my main desktop. I have a Windows XP desktop with 256 Ram and only 80 Gigs of hard drive space. I certainly was not going to use this because of the limited memory and not enough space. I have a Windows Vista Service Pack 2 laptop with 3 Gigs of memory and 160 Gigs of hard drive space. Again I had plenty of memory, but as you can see, not enough hard drive space. The computer I was going to use their hard drive on, by downloading it into the computer, was my Window Vista Service Pack 1 with 1 Gig of memory and 320 Gigs of hard drive space.
The problem I had was that the program they developed to search their material would run on the lap top and the old Windows XP, but on the Windows Vista Service Pack 1, it would not run. It kept telling me that the program was already open or damaged. So I contacted SWRB and for one day got some assistance from Wayne Elias the software engineer. Immediately red flags went up because I thought that it was peculiar that the main engineer would be assisting me. Most companies, corporations, businesses, who put out a large quantity of products, do not have the main software engineer contact you when something is wrong. Anyway, I was told that I must I have tried to open the wrong file since it did not work. The hard drive came with instructions that even a child could follow and I informed him of such and explained what I opened. He then proceeded to tell me that my computer was reading his program wrong by classifying it as a word perfect file instead of a Film Maker Pro Run Time File.
I received eight emails the same day with Wayne trying to assist me. After this I could get no answer. I contacted Sermonaudio.com because they advertise for them, but unfortunately they would not respond at all. I also contacted John Hendryx at Monergism.com because they also advertise for them and I was plainly told by John Hendryx that it was not his problem. He stated that he only advertises for them and has nothing to do with the software engineering and he could not figure out what I wanted him to do. It is very unfortunate that men or sites who claim to be Christian have not the same professional courtesy as a worldly business of which one might deal with. It is common practice, by all advertisers of any product, to contact the company of which they advertise for, if a consumer has a problem, but can’t get anything done by the manufacturer of the product. Those who advertise for them do not want a bad rap or bad name from a defective product. However, when one deals with individuals within the Christian world, many of them have not the same professional courtesy.
So my problem is still not fixed and here it is December 28; over two months after receiving the Puritan Hard drive.
My next critique of this drive is the fact that for months SWRB advertised that their instructional videos were going to be included in the hard drive itself. But when the final product came out, they instead have them on line. Because of this one fact, this product would be more difficult to use or to figure out by a missionary, who has no Internet connection in a foreign land. What I am saying is that this product was not designed for the missionary who is in a place that has no Internet connection. The instructional videos should have been included with the hard drive.
Secondly this product claims to include Reformed Baptist products. It is true that there are a few books or Mp3’s by Reformed Baptist on this hard drive, but there is nothing that is particularly Baptist on this hard drive. For instance, I have yet to find the 1689 London Baptist Confession. I have found no Mp3’s that argue from a Baptist position. I have listened to the Mp3’s that argue for infant baptism. These include men such as Brian Schwertly, Greg Price, and Matthew McMahon. Their arguments were weak and ridiculous to say the least, especially Matthew McMahon’s accusations against Baptist as being dispensationalist because we do not hold to infant baptism. I use to hold to Scofield’s dispensational theology and what Matthew McMahon describes as being dispensationalism is far from it. I will commend Brian Schwertly for accurately stating that Reformed Baptist came off the Puritan movement and not the Anabaptist movement.
This much stated, I think it to be false advertising to state that this hard drive contains Reformed Baptist materials. After purchasing this drive I had talked to some people on line and found out that Reg Barrow and his bunch were sectarians. In other words they are one sided in their views, so much so that they include no other views into their library.
I had, several years ago, purchased a library called “The Amazing Christian Library” and it contained much of the material that is on the Puritan Hard Drive. Also it contained an entire folder on Baptist materials. This is a balanced view of the Puritan movement. Therefore SWRB ought to change the name of the drive from the “Puritan Hard Drive” to the “Presbyterian Hard Drive” and then it will correctly describe the materials therein.
I want everyone to know that I highly recommend the “Amazing Christian Library” and think that the “Puritan Hard Drive” by SWRB is really a waste of money. I was told by John Hendryx that if I thought that this drive was not missionary friendly, then why not send it back. I answered by saying, “Are you kidding? I didn’t think I would see this drive to begin with. If I send it back, I may never see the money or the drive, seeing that they do not care to make sure it works for their customers.”
Finally I want to say that I tried to check for updates for my Puritan Hard Drive by opening their program file on my laptop and clicking the link that states ‘Software Updates’ and the program took me to a web page of SWRB’s that stated that the page had been removed, name changed, etc… They had a link at the top of that page that stated “PHD KB Software Updates”. In order to check for updates I had to click that link. I have never purchased any software, that has an update link inside the software, that took me to a page that was of no use. It seems to me that someone does not know what they are doing.
I will close this critique for now. I hope and pray that you have not experienced the same complications that I have with this product. If you have, then I feel for you because I know who you have to deal with to clear the complications up.
(I want to state that I know the difficulties of trying to find out information on the net because I have dealt with slow dial-up for years. How much more difficult would it be for the missionary with no Internet?)
Hershel Lee Harvell Jr

Christmas Pause

I want to say thank you for following my quotes and posts. I also want to say have a blessed Merry Christmas. We will pause to spend time with our families and to remember the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the reason for this season.
God bless,
Hershel Lee Harvell Jr.

Concerning the Devil’s Logic

“To argue from mercy to sin is the devil’s logic.”
James Janeway

A Display of Arminianism Pt 39

Of The Providence Of God In Governing The World Diversely, Thrust From This Pre-Eminence By The Arminian Idol Of Free-Will.

Secondly, For God’s concurring with inferior causes in all their acts and working, they affirm it to be only a general influence, alike upon all and every one, which they may use or not use at their pleasure, and in the use determine it to this or that effect, be it good or bad (so Corvinus), as it seems best unto them. In a word, to the will of man it is nothing but what suffers it to play its own part freely, according to its inclination; as they jointly speak in their Confession. Observe, also, that they account this influence of his providence not to be into the agent, the will of man, whereby that should be helped or enabled to do any thing (no, that would seem to grant a self-sufficiency), but only into the act itself for its production: as if I should help a man to lift a log, it becomes perhaps unto him so much the lighter, but he is not made one jot the stronger; which takes off the proper work of providence, consisting in an internal assistance. 

An Antidote Against Arminianism by Christopher Ness Pt 52

Of Conditional Predestination
Having stated the doctrine of Divine predestination, as revealed in the Scriptures, and having, from the same source, proved that it is possessed of various distinguishing properties, such as eternal, unchangeable, absolute, free, discriminating, and extensive; I come now, secondly, to consider the Arminians’ view of it, viz.: “That it is conditional, upon the foresight of faith, works, perseverance,” etc.

Objection 3. It is objected against the absolute decree, that it makes God guilty of dissimulation in calling upon such as are under the negative part of it to repent, etc., just as if God bid men, whose eyes He had closed, to judge of colours; or those whose feet He had bound, to rise up and walk.

Answer 2. Man had a power in Adam. God gave him knowledge in his understanding, rectitude. in his will, and purity in his affections: these are all lost by the Fall. God must not lose His authority to command because man by reason of sin hath lost his ability to obey.

Concerning Buying the Truth

“Solomon bids us (Prov 23:23) to buy the truth, but doth not tell us what it must cost, because we must get it though it be never so dear. We must love it both shining and scorching. Every parcel of truth is precious as the filings of gold; we must either live with it, or die for it.”
Thomas Brooks

A Display of Arminianism Pt 38

Of The Providence Of God In Governing The World Diversely, Thrust From This Pre-Eminence By The Arminian Idol Of Free-Will.

First, For his conservation or sustaining of all things, they affirm it to be very likely that this is nothing but a negative act of his will, whereby he willeth or determineth not to destroy the things by him created; and when  we produce places of Scripture which affirm that it is an act of his power, they say they are foolishly cited. So that, truly, let the Scripture say what it will, (in their conceit,) God doth no more sustain and uphold all his creatures than I do a house when I do not set it on fire, or a worm when I do not tread upon it.

An Antidote Against Arminianism by Christopher Ness Pt 51

Of Conditional Predestination
Having stated the doctrine of Divine predestination, as revealed in the Scriptures, and having, from the same source, proved that it is possessed of various distinguishing properties, such as eternal, unchangeable, absolute, free, discriminating, and extensive; I come now, secondly, to consider the Arminians’ view of it, viz.: “That it is conditional, upon the foresight of faith, works, perseverance,” etc.

Objection 3. It is objected against the absolute decree, that it makes God guilty of dissimulation in calling upon such as are under the negative part of it to repent, etc., just as if God bid men, whose eyes He had closed, to judge of colours; or those whose feet He had bound, to rise up and walk.

Answer 1. The non-elect’s not repenting is not only from want of power [“No man can come to Me, except the Father . . . draw him” (John 6:44)]; but also from want of will, “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40). None are damned because they can do no better, but because they will do no better. If there were no will there would be no hell: and this will be the very hell of hells, that men have been, felo de se, self destroyers.

Concerning Your Sins

“Oh, better were it for you to die in a jail, in a ditch, in a dungeon, than to die in your sins. If death, as it will take away all your comforts, would take away all your sins too, it were some mitigation; but your sins will follow you when your friends leave you, and all your worldly enjoyments shake hands with you. Your sins will not die with you as a prisoner’s other debts will; but they will go to judgement with you there to be your accusers; and they will go to hell with you there to be your tormentors.”
Joseph Alleine (1633-1668)

A Display of Arminianism Pt 37

Of The Providence Of God In Governing The World Diversely, Thrust From This Pre-Eminence By The Arminian Idol Of Free-Will.

Hence Corvinus will grant that the killing of a man by the slipping of an axe’s head from the helve, although contingent, may be said to happen according to God’s counsel and determinate will; but on no terms will he yield that this may be applied to actions wherein the counsel and freedom of man’s will do take place, as though that they also should have dependence on any such overruling power; — whereby he absolutely excludeth the providence of God from having any sovereignty within the territory of human actions, which is plainly to shake off the yoke of his dominion, and to make men lords paramount within themselves: so that they may well ascribe unto God (as they do ) only a deceivable expectation of those contingent things that are yet for to come, there being no act of his own in the producing of such effects on which he can ground any certainty; only, he may take a conjecture, according to his guess at men’s inclinations. And, indeed, this is the Helen for whose enjoyment, these thrice ten years, they have maintained warfare with the hosts of the living God; their whole endeavor being to prove, that, notwithstanding the performance of all things, on the part of God, required for the production of any action, yet the will of man remains absolutely free, yea, in respect of the event, as well as its manner of operation, to do it or not to do it. That is, notwithstanding God’s decree that such an action shall be performed, and his foreknowledge that it will so come to pass; notwithstanding his cooperating with the will of man (as far as they will allow him) for the doing of it, and though he hath determined by that act of man to execute some of his own judgments; yet there is no kind of necessity but that he may as well omit as do it: which is all one as if they should say, “Our tongues are our own; we ought to speak: who is lord over us? We will vindicate ourselves into a liberty of doing what and how we will, though for it we cast God out of his throne.” And, indeed, if we mark it, we shall find them undermining and pulling down the actual providence of God, at the root and several branches thereof; for, —