Christian | Husband| Father | Reformed or Particular Baptist | 1689 Confession | ๐ณ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ง "Sovereign grace over sin abounding!" - John Kent
London, England
Joined March 2024
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The distinction between "absolute certainty" and "moral certainty" is an important one to remember in conversations regarding the subjects of baptism.
'Moreover, man having brought himself under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace, wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life, his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.
Genesis 2:17; Psalm 110:3; Ezekiel 36:26,27; Mark 16:15,16; John 3:1 6; John 6:44,45; Romans 3:20,21; Romans 8:3; Galatians 3:10.'
- Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 7.2
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'Although the gospel be the only ๐ค๐ช๐ฉ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฃ๐จ of revealing Christ and saving grace, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ, ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ช๐๐, ๐๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ก๐ฎ ๐จ๐ช๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐จ ๐ข๐ค๐ง๐๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ง๐ฎ ๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ฌ๐ค๐ง๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ ๐ช๐ฅ๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐จ๐ค๐ช๐ก, ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐ช๐๐ก ๐ก๐๐๐; without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God.
Psalm 110:3; John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:4,6; Ephesians 1:19,20.'
- Second London Baptist Confession of Faith, 20.4
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Some Hypothetical Universalists spend so much time reading Hypothetical Universalists to the point that they can't recognise orthodox, standard, and common High Calvinist views, condemning them as Hyper Calvinist or as being so repulsive that they have a "hyperist" tinge.
A common orthodox Reformed view on God's objective regarding the external call in reference to the reprobate (Wilhemus ร Brakel, The Christian's Reasonable Service, 2.30, Pg. 207):
'Those who imagine that man, upon the proclamation of the gospel, has sufficient ability to repent and to believe in Christ (a matter which we shall discuss shortly), object to this. In their view nothing more is necessary than that the gospel be preached. They insist that by allowing the gospel to be preached God has as His objective and intent to save allโand if sinners do not come and believe, this is contrary to God's objective. God thus does not accomplish what He has purposed; this, however, we have just refuted. They support their proposition as follows:
Objection #1: God would act deceitfully if He were to call someone to salvation, and yet were not sincere in doing so.
Answer: ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐จ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ก ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐จ ๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐ฉ๐ง๐ช๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐. Faith and true repentance are, however, singular gifts of God's grace, which He gives to all whom He wills to save. Others, however, God leaves to themselves who, being unwillingโand due to their wickedness, blindness, and unwillingness, are unableโ do not fulfil this condition, and thus will not be saved. Since God has prior knowledge of this and has decreed not to give them the gifts of grace, and since He cannot be thwarted in the achievement of His purpose, ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ค ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ. God nevertheless does not deal deceitfully by making the way of salvation known to them, in obligating them by way of many arguments to enter upon this way, promising to save them upon repentance and faith in Christ. God sincerely and truly has all this in view. ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐จ ๐๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐โ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฆ๐ช๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ. The fact that man is not able to repent and believe is not God's fault, but man is to be blamed. ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐ ๐๐ก๐ก ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐ฃ๐จ ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐ฌ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ค๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก ๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข, ๐ก๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐ค๐ซ๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐จ, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐ข๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐๐๐ก๐ช๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐ง ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐จ๐จ; ๐๐ค๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐๐ง, ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐จ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข. One matter may relate to various purposes, and thus by purposing or not purposing one thing, one cannot conclude the purposing or not purposing of something else. Here the objective relates to the means and not to the ultimate end of salvation. The gospel is an able and sufficient way unto salvation.'
@OzMarquezz: "There are many lay Calvinists who claim that we preach the gospel indiscriminately simply because we do not know who the elect are, ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐ก๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ช๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐๐ช๐ง๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ฃ, ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ข, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐จ."
Turretin: "Although the intention of pastors who call ought to be conformed to the intention of God (by whom they are sent to call men) in this ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐ to invite all their hearers promiscuously to repentance and faith as the only way of salvation; and that they ought to intend nothing else than ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ or ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ (in bringing about which they are co-workers [synergoi] with God). [๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ - ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ง๐๐๐ง ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐ง๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐].
๐๐ฉ๐๐ก๐ก ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ ๐๐ก๐จ๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐๐งโ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐ข๐ฃ๐๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ฎ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฌ๐จ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ข๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ค๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ก ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ง๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฌ๐๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ง๐ค๐๐๐ฉ๐. The former alone he wills to save individually, not the latter. However, ministers (being destitute of such knowledge) do not know to whose salvation their ministry will contribute, not being able to distinguish between the elect and the reprobate, charitably hoping well for all, nor daring to decide concerning the reprobation of anyone. Thus they address all the called promiscuously and indiscriminately ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐โ๐จ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ฉ, still intending the salvation of no others than the elect (like God). Thus they do nothing in this ministry which does not answer both to ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐๐ฃ๐ and intention of God, although God (conscious of his decree) proceeds further than they and distinctly intends the conversion and salvation or the inexcusability of particular persons."
So according to Turretin we preach the Gospel indiscriminately because God has commanded ministers to do so. That would mean that even if the knowledge of the elect and reprobate was given to a minister, he will be bound to preach the Gospel indiscriminately because God has commanded him so to do.
Can you see that Turretin only mentions the minister's lack of knowledge of the elect and reprobate, in relation to his ministry, in order to highlight the point in which the difference in intention between God and the ministers of the Gospel lie (not a difference of contradiction but where God's intention goes further and is more exact - "charitably hoping well for all, nor daring to decide concerning the reprobation of anyone")?
Turretin goes on to mention once again for the people at the back like @OzMarquezz, that they preach indiscriminately "by Godโs appointment" and in keeping with the "command" of God. Not once does Turretin say that the reason why ministers preach indiscriminately is because we don't know who the elect and reprobate are. Ministers preach indiscriminately because we are commanded to do so.
@OzMarquezz - where does Turretin say that ministers preach indiscriminately simply because they lack the knowledge of the elect or non-elect?
xitter.twitterapi.xyz/ParticularBapt/status/โฆ
There are many lay Calvinists who claim that we preach the gospel indiscriminately simply because we do not know who the elect are, echoing the nonsense of men like Spurgeon, Turretin, Spanheim, and others. The implication of their reasoning is that, if we knew who the elect were, we would have no reason to preach the gospel to anyone else. This is a repugnant and silly view (hence the clown emoji; Iโm not angry) that undermines the very nature and sincerity of the well-meant offer of the gospel.
It also runs contrary to the example Christ Himself gave us. Christ knew perfectly well who the elect were, yet He indiscriminately called sinners to repentance and faith, including those whom He knew would never believe. Moreover, it contradicts what Scripture teaches concerning the nature of the gospel call which expresses Godโs unwillingness that sinners perish and His desire that they repent and live. As Christians, we are therefore called not merely to invite all sinners indiscriminately because we are ignorant of Godโs election, but to sincerely implore all men, on Godโs behalf, to turn to Christ and be reconciled to Him.
'While attended with bodily disorders, and making use of means and medicines to obtain, if it shall please God, a little relief, if not a cure, may we think on that great and good Physician, whose wisdom is infinite, and whose success is certain in curing the diseased soul! His healing hand can, and doubtless in due time will, remove all our maladies at once.
In the meantime, may we know and submit to the will of Him that healeth us. For so far as our wills correspond with the will of God, so far we are advanced in sanctification. To be resigned to Him, to live by faith in Him, and to walk with Him, is our duty, our privilege, our highest honour and happiness while here; and will doubtless be succeeded by the full and felicitous enjoyment of Him hereafter.'
- from Particular Baptist minister, John Parker's letter to fellow Particular Baptist minister, James Hartley (15th November 1774)
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'A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: But the simple pass on, and are punished.'
Proverbs 22:3 KJV
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It was a blessing to fellowship this morning with the church of Christ meeting at Ebenezer Chapel, Biddenden. The first Particular Baptist autobiography I read was of their first minister, John Kemp.
Faithful brethren labouring in the much forgotten about, English countryside. May the Lord bless the ministry of church there to the salvation of many and the increase of their number.
(A Particular Baptist Church and Chapel)
'The Sieur Codure, formerly Pastor and Professor of Divinity in the Church and University of Nismes, having sent letters with a diatribe of his, dedicated unto this Assembly, in which he pretends to reconcile the differences between the Protestants and the Church of Rome concerning justification, and demanded audience of it: according to his request, he was admitted to propound the reasons and motives of his design. Which having done, there was a most serious remonstrance made him of the great wrong he had done; first, unto the truth of God, in taking upon him to reconcile contradictory opinions, and utterly inconsistent one with the other. ๐ผ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฃ, ๐จ๐๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ฎ, ๐๐ค๐ฌ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐๐ ๐ฌ๐๐จ ๐ช๐ฃ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐จ, ๐๐ฃ ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ค๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐จ ๐๐ง๐ง๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ช๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐๐ค๐ข๐ข๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ค๐ฃ, ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐ค ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ง ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ข๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ข๐๐จ๐ ๐พ๐๐ช๐ง๐๐, ๐ฌ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฉ๐ ๐ฃ๐ค๐ฉ๐ค๐ง๐๐ค๐ช๐จ๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐ค๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ช๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ฌ๐ค ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐๐จ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ค๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ง๐ค๐ข ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฉ๐๐๐ง, ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ฎ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ก๐ฌ๐๐ฎ๐จ ๐๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐จ๐๐ก๐ซ๐๐จ; ๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐ผ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฝ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฝ๐๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฟ, ๐๐๐๐ ๐ผ๐พ๐พ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐
๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฝ๐๐ฟ๐๐๐๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฟ ๐๐ ๐๐๐, ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ฌ๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐ฉ ๐ค๐ ๐ข๐๐ฃ ๐๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ก๐ฎ ๐๐๐ค๐จ๐ฉ. And lastly, how much an enemy he was unto himself, in forsaking his ministry and the cure of souls, to become an advocate of such a vile and ungodly cause as is this of the Papacy, which is altogether unreasonable in him, for that he undertakes things impossible.
But he still protesting that he never intended to, and never would, depart from the orthodox creed professed in our churches, and offered to purge and acquit himself from all suspicions that might be had of him by his voluntary subscribing the principal articles of the doctrine of truth, from which he was supposed to have swerved and declined, they were thereupon offered to him; which, when he had as freely and in general signed and subscribed as he had offered to do, yet it being done with hesitation for some time, and this also attended with ambiguous expressions, the Assembly was constrained to doubt of his sincerity; and it was the rather feared, for that after the subscription required, he resolutely refused to follow his vocation and the counsel of his brethren, discovering an unworthy disdain and scorn of that holy and honourable employment in the ministry of the Gospel, whereunto in his younger days he was called by God.
All which considered, the Synod interdicted him from all the offices of the sacred ministry and of the profession of theology, and enjoined both the Province and that particular church where he constantly resided to watch over his deportment, and to give an account of him and his conversation unto the next National Synod, which may, according to what testimonials they shall receive of him and his future carriage, proceed unto his restoration.'
- Third Synod of Charenton, 1645 (Reformed Churches of France)
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Some wisdom from "A Copy of a Letter from the Pastors and Professors of Geneva, Sent to the National Synod of Alenรงon, Concerning the Doctrine and Books of the Sieurs Amyraut and Testard." (26th April 1637, signed by Diodati, Tronchin, Chabray, Prรฉvost, and Pauleint):
'A puissant neighbour commonwealth did very happily steer this course, when divers years ago they were troubled with such alterations, and scruples raised on the like points, which were degenerating into profaneness, and would have raised factions and confusions in the state, and schism in the church. This evil was nipped in the bud, and the wound healed as soon as given, by the sole interdiction of any farther disputes; and to prevent such dangers in time to come, we conceive it very needful, that you establish, if you have not done it already, an ordinary superintendent over your universities; for it is in those schools of learning, where leisure, and the pleasures of speculation, variety of reading, and curious inquiries into matters out of the common road, and the bait of singularity, do transport great wits with too much easiness after these novelties; which how tolerable soever they may seem to be in discourse and conference with learned and accomplished men, yet ought not at any time to be published, nor thrown into the minds of young students, who are to be dealt with all after another way; to wit, by a more careful instilling into them the choicest and soundest truths of the sacred oracles; lest by the weakness of their judgments, and the fervour and instability of their age, which enamours them of curiosities, they should be entangled in debates and controversies, and embrace factions and partialities.
And indeed, the butt and mark of well-educated students in divinity should not be to be the first authors and forgers of novel and subtle opinions, as in the Papacy, where they be plunged into a gulf of endless errors; and bastardised by a world of fruitless, useless, and endless inquiries; nor is it that they should be wrangling and worthless disputants, nor speculative doctors without any savour or power; but the true end and design of these our theological students ought to be this, That they may be a holy seed-plot of able and godly pastors, sound in the faith, mighty in word and doctrine, wise unto sobriety, keeping the great mystery of godliness in a pure conscience, delivering and dividing the word of truth aright. And in fine, to be men of God, perfect and prepared for every good work of their calling; to which holy and noble ends, all sorts of subtleties are utterly unserviceable, and have ever marred the divine doctrine by wicked errors; or the broachers of them by ambition, contention, curiosity, conceitedness; or the church by a disgust of Scripture purity and simplicity; or by factions and divisions, which never happen when the common sentiments of the church are taught, though by ministers of meaner parts and talents; whereas these have always happened by means of affected singularities, which is the true and genuine food of the Romish ambition, which ever laboureth to subdue the common sentiments, because they be its greatest obstacles and most obstructing its growth and progress.
The Lord grant that the sparkles of this fire in the midst of you may not spring from the same source! Poor Germany hath sadly felt the direful effects of the flames kindled by it in its frequent and bitter schisms. Every prince would have his university, and every university admired and exalted its own doctor, as the most eminent professor of them all; every doctor had conceived, and must needs broach and vend, his new notions and singular opinions, and these new opinions are brought upon the public stage of the world, where they have met with fierce antagonists, and between these doughty champions, the poor Church of God hath been torn all to pieces.
To this consideration let us subjoin another; for God's sake, keep philosophy within its due and proper bounds, closely and strictly watched and restrained, that it may only, if we may so express it, break up the fallow ground of the spirits of our youth; but not in the least to take upon her by her maxims and assertions, to bring in seed and food for the Church and House of God, which must be fed with the pure manna of the Divine Word, whose majesty and liberty was so happily asserted and recovered by our godly fathers from that bondage and captivity whereinto the school-divines of the Romish Church had enslaved it, and into which it is very likely it will be again insensibly reduced, either by a too great fear of their false weapons, or by a perverse emulation of them.
And yet in the meanwhile, the sacred Scriptures will be best understood by a diligent reading of them, by comparing one text with another, and by invocation of the Holy Ghost to enlighten our dark minds in the knowledge of them; and they will be thus more easily digested, and brought home with a greater force and efficacy upon conscience, in a sober sensing of them according to the simplicity of faith and demonstration of the Spirit, than by the most audacious and curious applications of these false lights, new notions, and vain discourses of philosophy.
Pelagianism in the Low Countries was the plant of the Spanish metaphysics, producing not pious, painful, and profitable, but subtle pastors and preachings, an infinite brood of disputants, void of understanding, and corrupt in points of faith. Subtleties bring forth thorns, which never leave the churches nor consciences at rest, but scratch and tear them to pieces. And we exhort you to be jealous and suspicious of new methods, and imaginary hypotheses, and an affected singular way of teaching, and to avoid them. Arminius took his walks at first in these by-paths, till such time as he had gotten a stock of credit and reputation, and had formed for himself a party; then he pulled off his vizor, and canvassed all points of doctrine, even those which were but accessory, with no little vehemence in his disputations, and was uneasy till the roots had been searched, and the most fundamental points had been assaulted and shaken.'
From Synodicon in Gallia reformata : or the Acts, decisions, decrees and canons of the seven last national councils of the reformed churches in France,... The whole collected and composed out the original manuscript acts of the renowned synods. A work never before extant in any language. In two volumes. By John Quick,..., John Quick. Pg. 397-404
play.google.com/store/books/โฆ
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โWhoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.โ
Proverbs 21:23 KJV
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Is this really a thing in Reformed Baptist?
"I left questioning my salvation, therefore it must have been a good sermon."
I'm not buying it.
How many people believe that hearing a sermon and leaving questioning their salvation means that they heard a great sermon? The over emphasis on fruit as a sign of being born again and using that as how one gaines assurance hurts many people, especially as it misuses scripture.
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I wonder whether the question of whether Particular Baptists are within the Reformed tradition, broadly speaking, is more contentious when in dialogue with the Continental Reformed churches and those churches in the English speaking world which descend from the Continent (URCNA, CRC, NRC, FRCNA, etc), than when speaking to Reformed Anglicans, Presbyterians, and Congregationalists which are British in origin.
Louder for the people at the back.
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'It was very important to me ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฎ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ฎ ๐๐ โ๐ง๐๐๐ค๐ง๐ข๐๐โ and that the โBaptistโ part was just a variation within the overall reformed tradition.'
I would like to posit that this thinking developed as a result of the increased interest in Reformed theology in the 1960s, which eventually gave rise to the descriptor of "Reformed Baptist". Whereas, historically, I believe our tradition developed to particularly view ourselves as "Particular Baptists" (UK centric) within the broader shared Reformed/Calvinistic stream.
The loss of "Particular Baptist" or similar historic descriptors as a real identifier of a concrete denomination of Christians in many of our churches (not just a title adopted by those interested in church history), combined with the placement of being "Reformed" at the forefront of our identity and the added emphasis placed on Reformed and Presbyterian divines, to the neglect of our own history and divines has given rise to this default inclination and mindset.
This bill is dark on so many levels.
Brilliant questioning here from @NazShahBfd of Professor Ilias Trispiotis: she forces him to concede that - yes, ordinary parental conversations with their children will fall under the scope of this Bill and they will be criminalised
She is a wolf seeking to ravage the Church of God. O how this nation has so turned it's back on the Lord that such things can even be suggested.
Lord, in judgment, remember mercy. Revive thy people, so that the Church would be a bold and prophetic voice in the nation once again.
Imagine working in the CPS & police and being told you now have to decide **which prayers** should be part of a criminal chargeโฆ
Jayne Ozanne is so blithely full of certainty itโs frightening. I think it shocked Danny Beales MP
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