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William Gadsby’s Sentiments On The Eternal Sonship
My dear Friend,—It is not a little which surprises me now-a-days; but I certainly was surprised to hear from you, on my return from Egypt, that persons were going about circulating the report that my late dear father did not believe in the Eternal Sonship of the Second Person in the Trinity; and, had I not known something of the pride and doggedness of the parties making the remark, that surprise would have been greatly increased upon hearing, as I did a few days ago, that at an assembly of "divines" at Hitchin it was asserted that "Mr. Gadsby had more sense than to believe such nonsense." Now, there was no doctrine in the whole Bible about which my father was more tenacious than that…
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36 A Historical Backdrop To Gill’s Goat Yard Declaration Of Faith (1729)
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. In our previous study, I introduced you to the ministry and writings of an 18th century Baptist theologian named John Gill. Aside from his pastoral duties in London, he was a prolific writer, the author of more than twenty-five works, many of which were large and exhaustive volumes. Of these works, there are four which I recommended you should have and of which you should make frequent use: 1. “The Cause of God and Truth” (1735-38) 2. “An Exposition of the Old and New Testaments” (1746-48; 1763-66) 3. “Goat Yard Declaration of Faith” (1729) 4. “A Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity” (1769-70) Having already given an overview and samples of the…
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35 Bible Doctrine – The Significance Of JOHN GILL And His Writings
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. In our previous six studies, I have given a historic and theological overview of 17th and 18th century Hyper-Calvinism. I began with a definition—Hyper-Calvinism is any teaching which goes beyond that of Calvin himself. Accordingly, Hyper-Calvinism emerged in two waves. The first began with the publication of Calvin’s Institutes in 1536, culminating in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith. This may be regarded as 17th century Hyper-Calvinism. The second began with the publication of two sermons preached by Benjamin Keach in the year 1692, culminating in John Gill’s Body of Divinity in the year 1770. This may be regarded as 18th century Hyper-Calvinism. Both groups were driven by a covenant…
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34 Bible Doctrine – The Believer’s Rule Of Conduct
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. In our previous two studies, I have been looking at the three controversial issues which separate 17th century Hyper-Calvinism from 18th century Hyper-Calvinism—the doctrines of duty faith, the free offer and the ten commandments as the believer’s rule of conduct. For this study, we are looking at the ten commandments as the rule of conduct which governs the believer’s life. Those who subscribe to this doctrine assert, that while the unregenerate sinner cannot be justified with God by keeping the ten commandments, yet the regenerate sinner is sanctified by God through his/her obedience to the ten commandments. They believe God has given a law, which they identify as the moral law, which…
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33 Bible Doctrine – The Doctrine Of The Free Offer
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. In our previous study, I began to tackle the three controversial issues which separate 17th century Hyper-Calvinism from 18th century Hyper-Calvinism—the doctrines of duty faith, the free offer and the ten commandments as the believer’s rule of conduct. For this study, I would like to look at the subject of the free offer. The free offer is the belief that the preacher has the biblical mandate to offer the gift of God unto salvation to unregenerate sinners. There is reference to it in the three major confessional statements of the 17th century—(1) The 1646 Westminster Confession—“He freely offers unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ”; (2) The 1658 Savor Declaration—“he freely…
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32 Bible Doctrine – The Doctrine Of Duty Faith
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. In our previous study, I laid out for you the covenantal framework for 18th century Hyper-Calvinism. There is a covenant of works God made with Adam on behalf of the human race, requiring perfect obedience to the law inscribed upon the heart; and there is a covenant of redemption, otherwise known as the covenant of grace, God made with Himself on behalf of the elect. The conditions of this covenant are the electing love of the Father, the redeeming grace of the Son and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit. I pointed out that this framework was not only a refinement of the covenantal scheme of 17th century Hyper-Calvinism, but also…
