David Bartley
David Bartley (1826-?) was an American Primitive Baptist preacher. He served the pastorate of several churches and became a popular itinerate preacher traveling to many parts of the United States. He was a frequent contributor to Gilbert Beebe’s the Signs of the Times and was the author of several books.
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Foreknowledge And Permission
Beloved Editors And Brethren:—A reverential and scriptural inquiry into the revealed attributes and purposes of the eternal God, who is at once infinitely holy and wise and almighty, is commendable, and should glorify him in our view. Unto this end, therefore, let me kindly ask a serious consideration of these solemn things, always remembering when we speak of God, that “reverend and holy is his name.” That there exists a failure of a right understanding of the eternal and unchangeable perfections of the Almighty, is painfully evident from published Baptist writings, which should call for deep heart-searching’s, humility and supplications before the Lord, that he will mercifully turn unto his erring people a pure language, heal their backslidings, give them the humble and contrite spirit…
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The Omniscience Of God
Omniscience – boundless knowledge. Omniscient – knowing all things. God only is omniscient, for he alone knoweth all things. All his intelligent creatures, whether men or angels, are greatly limited in knowledge, being finite in all their powers. Not so with God, who is unlimited in every perfection of his, for he is the infinite one. Infiniteness cannot be measured nor bounded, and therefore God is absolutely unlimited, both in his being and in all his faculties or powers. So, his knowledge is as unbounded as his eternity, and omnipresence, and omnipotence, for these, with all his other perfections, ascend upward and downward and outward forever and forever, all filling infinite eternity, having no bound or limit. And in all these majestic and awe-inspiring attributes,…
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God Is Omnipotent And Active
God reveals himself as both omnipresent and omnipotent, the almighty, who tills immensity and inhabits eternity. So there is no fleeing from his presence or going beyond his power. His dominion is unlimited and from everlasting to everlasting. God is the supreme One. No other power is supreme. Therefore, all powers, beings and things are subject to the Almighty. If not, then God is not the supreme ruler, and there is no sovereign power in the boundless universe. How terrible this would be! But we rejoice that our God “sits upon no precarious throne, nor borrows leave to be.” He declares that what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. His wisdom, knowledge and understanding are as all comprehensive and infinite as his purpose, dominion…
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The Supremacy Of God
Beloved Brethren:–A dear brother in Christ urges me to write for the SIGNS upon two statements of Paul, as follows: “Sirs, ye should have hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss.”–Acts 27:21 “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”—Ephesians 1:11 We believe that the apostle Paul was an inspired servant of God; that the ways of God are just and equal, and do not conflict; that there is, therefore, no contradiction between these two statements of Paul, nor between the other inspired oracles of God. But we may sadly fail to rightly understand the Scriptures,…
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“Ask For The Old Paths”
Beloved In The Lord: – It is well that we earnestly give heed to this command to Israel. First, let us be solemnly impressed that it is the Lord who thus speaks to his people, as their covenant and faithful God, and for their spiritual welfare, peace and rest. Next, let us well consider that our best interests, safety and well being, is in asking for the old paths, and walking therein. It was a divine command to Israel to remove not the ancient landmarks, which their fathers had set. “This is the way; walk ye in it.” “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” He says, “I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life.” Prophets of old…
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The Fraudulence Of The Fulton Confession
Dear Brethren In The Faith Of God:—As the plea has been made that the meaning of English words, though plain and clear when used, yet becomes dark and obscure in later times, so it is with the declaration of the religious belief of the Baptists of the seventeenth century, in the year of our Lord, 1651), and published in the London Confession. And as this doubtful meaning of this ancient declaration of what the holy Scriptures teach was made the plea for holding what was called a “National Convention “of “leading Baptists “of the United States, last November, at Fulton, Ky., for the purpose of adding a supplement to the London Confession, to make plain and clear the meaning of some of its obscure parts,…
