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High-Calvinism: Fleshing It Out
First, at no time is a sinner duty-bound under both covenants simultaneously. Second, so long as the sinner remains unregenerate, he/she is held accountable under the terms and promises of the Covenant of Works (not the Covenant of Grace). Third, once the sinner has been born again, he/she is delivered/released from the Covenant of Works, being brought experientially under the terms and promises of the Covenant of Grace. Fourth, the non-elect have absolutely no part in the Covenant of Grace—it is not their duty to believe savingly on Christ, nor is it the duty of the preacher to offer Christ to them. Christ does not represent them, neither has He made provision for them through His Mediatorial work. Fifth, the regenerated sinner has absolutely no…
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Hyper-Calvinists: A Caricature
Wade Burleson wrote an article entitled, “The Problem of Calling People Hyper-Calvinists”.[1] Having attended the John 3:16 Conference in 2008, he described how Dr. David Allen, Professor of Preaching at Southwestern Theological Seminary, circulated a handout that listed a dozen names identified as “Hyper-Calvinists”. Following Dr. Allen in the pulpit, was Dr. Steve Lempke of New Orleans, who made the observation, “I am not sure that there is such a thing as a living hyper-calvinist. I find that those who call others hyper-calvinists have simply run into people more calvinistic than they are.” Yet, there is a listing for “Hyper-Calvinism” in the New Dictionary of Theology.[2] The definition is framed by Dr. Curt Daniel, who earned a doctorate studying “hyper” Calvinism: “It is that school…
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A Biography of John Hazelton, by William Styles (Complete), Jared Smith On Various Issues, William Styles, A Memoir Of John Hazelton (Complete)
John Hazelton: What He Can Teach Us
On Friday, 21st March 2014, Dr. Matthew Hyde delivered the annual lecture for the Strict Baptist Historical Society at Bethesda Chapel.[1] After the lecture, he and I shared a brief exchange on the subject of high-calvinism and nineteenth-century Strict Baptist pastors. Since one of these pastors, John Hazelton, had been connected with the church that I pastor,[2] his name naturally came up. Subsequent to our chat, Dr. Hyde graciously gave me one of his copies of William Styles’, “John Hazelton: A Memoir”. I believe Baptists should be familiar with the life and ministry of John Hazelton for three reasons: First, the life and ministry of John Hazelton is worth knowing because he was one of the leading Baptist ministers in the city of London during…
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High-Calvinism and the Strict Baptists
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2. Comfort For Spiritual Mourners
“Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.”—Matthew 5:4 Not all kinds of mourners are here intended; for there is the sorrow of the world, which worketh death and produces nothing but sin, misery, and rebellion against God. Some mourn because they cannot increase in riches, honours, and pleasures; but there is no Messing promised to them. The mourners which God has pronounced blessed are such as mourn over themselves and after God. 'The Lord's spiritual mourners mourn over their sinfulness and wretchedness, as sinners against a holy, righteous, good, and kind God. The filth and corruption of their fallen nature give them real grief and pain of heart. Its daily bubblings and risings up are a real plague to them. They are…
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3. Hungering And Thirsting After Righteousness
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled.”—Matthew 5:6 The righteousness intended here is not creature-righteousness, worth, or worthiness; for that is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away; nay, at best it is only filthy, and its fountain unclean. Eternal truth declares that all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field, which withereth and fadeth away when the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it.! But the righteousness the dear Lord has in view in this text is that blessed righteousness which is unto all and upon all them that believe, even the glorious Person and obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ; for “Christ…
