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Andrew Fuller: A Liberal Theologian
Andrew Fuller (1754-1815) was a Moderate-Calvinist Particular Baptist preacher. He served as pastor for the churches meeting at Soham (1775-1782) and Kettering (1782-1815). He became a prolific writer whose teachings not only revived the moderate Calvinism of the 17th century, but also introduced a number of modifications to orthodox Christianity. His influence spearheaded the division of the Particular Baptist churches into two distinguishable denominations. Fuller labelled these denominations “Hyper-Calvinists” and “Strict-Calvinists”.
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Justified By His Grace
In Titus chapter 3 the Apostle Paul reminds his young friend to ‘affirm constantly’ the doctrine of justification by God’s grace. The free gift of God’s righteousness imputed to sinners is to be faithfully declared and frequently repeated. It is the message we as needy sinners should demand from our preachers, and which we who are preachers should be determined to declare. Being ‘justified by his grace’ is at the very heart of the gospel message. If we are ‘justified by his grace’ there can be no element of our own works involved.
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Justified By The Faith Of Christ
‘We therefore make this definition of a Christian, that he is not one who is without sin, but one to whom God imputeth not his sin, through faith in Christ. Here we must be nothing at all, but only receive the treasure, which is Christ, and apprehend him in our hearts by faith, though we feel ourselves to be never so full of sin. Thus God will glorify his Son, and be glorified in us through him.’ Thus speaks Luther. Having the same spirit of faith, we thus speak, make the same confession, rejoice in the same hope, are justified by the same Jesus, comforted by the same truth, sanctified by the same Spirit, are heirs of the same promises, and entitled to the same…
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Escaping Condemnation
Dost thou believe on the Son of God, is the most important question in the world. Faith in Jesus is the one thing needful. Without this the day of life is a state of sin and condemnation; the night of death full of terror, and the day of judgment most dreadful. It cannot be otherwise. As we are all malefactors, under the sentence of the law, the thoughts of execution must be most alarming. But ‘what the eye doth not see, the heart doth not rue.’ Sin naturally blinds men’s eyes, hardens their hearts; and vain self-righteous hopes deceive their souls into an insensibility of their undone state.
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Book 3: Chapter 18, The Righteousness Of Works Improperly Inferred From Rewards
Let us now proceed to those passages which affirm that God will render to every one according to his deeds. Of this description are the following: “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad;” “Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life;” but “tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does evil;” “They that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation;” “Come, ye blessed of my Father;” “For…
Further Study
Book 3: Chapter 13, Two Things To Be Observed In Gratuitous Justification
Book 3: Chapter 15, The Boasted Merit Of Works Subversive Both Of The Glory Of God, In Bestowing Righteousness, And Of The Certainty Of Salvation
Book 3: Chapter 23, Refutation Of The Calumnies By Which This Doctrine Is Always Unjustly Assailed
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Book 3: Chapter 16, Refutation Of The Calumnies By Which It Is Attempted To Throw Odium On This Doctrine
Our last sentence may refute the impudent calumny of certain ungodly men, who charge us, first, with destroying good works and leading men away from the study of them, when we say, that men are not justified, and do not merit salvation by works; and, secondly, with making the means of justification too easy, when we say that it consists in the free remission of sins, and thus alluring men to sin to which they are already too much inclined. These calumnies, I say, are sufficiently refuted by that one sentence; however, I will briefly reply to both. The allegation is that justification by faith destroys good works. I will not describe what kind of zealots for good works the persons are who thus charge…
