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31 Bible Doctrine – The Emergence Of 18th Century Hyper-Calvinism
I would like to welcome you back to another study in Bible Doctrine. Having looked at the emergence of 17th century Hyper-Calvinism, I now turn to that of the 18th century. By way of review, we left off in the previous study with the emergence of 17th century Hyper-Calvinism, culminating in the doctrinal statements of the 1646, the 1658 and the 1689 confessions of faith. These documents set forth a threefold covenantal framework—a covenant of redemption, drawn up by the TriUne Jehovah from eternity, which is relegated to the backdrop of history; a covenant of works, made by God with Adam before he sinned, requiring of him perfect obedience to the law inscribed upon his heart; and a covenant of grace, made by God with…
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The Work Of The Holy Spirit
After exposing and explaining anti-Christ, with some account of his devotees who separate themselves from a profession of the truth, being "sensual, having not the Spirit" (Jude 19), the apostle describes and distinguishes the true saints in the language of our text:— I.—The saints anointed. II.—Their saving knowledge. "But ye," "little children,'' conscious of their weak, feeble, and helpless condition, who feel they must be washed, cleansed, clothed, comforted, fed, and educated, as all God's people are by Himself; "ye," as distinct from all others, "have an unction”—the anointing oil, Divine influence, and experimental tuition of the eternal Spirit, without which all is sham and ''strong delusion." The allusion is to the "holy anointing oil for Aaron and his sons, and the vessels of the…
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The Life And Ministry Of John Bunyan McCure
We are requested to give the following review and notice of the 35th anniversary of Mr. J. B. McCure’s ministry:— Of those who have labored in the gospel, few have had such a lengthened and uninterrupted course as our pastor; few have been made more useful, not only in holding forth the Word of Life, but in erecting places of worship where Christ is preached. Before Mr. McCure left this country for the colonies (a quarter of a century ago), he had some experience in enlarging the houses of God. After he was settled at Geelong, he was the means of erecting a substantial place for the worship of the Lord God of Israel, and left the place a patrimony to the people and their…
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Article 11 – The Gospel: Its Nature And Invitations
Articles Of The Faith And Order Of A Primitive Or Strict And Particular Baptist Church Of The Lord Jesus Christ, Based On The Declaration Of Faith And Practice Of John Gill, D. D., 1720 XI. The Gospel—Its Nature and Invitations. We believe that the Gospel, or the glad tidings of the sovereign, free, and enriching grace of God to lost sinners, through Jesus Christ, by the Holy Ghost[1] is of the nature of a declaration or proclamation, and that to proffer mercy, or tender salvation, or offer Christ to the unregenerate, (as is often done, as if men had it in their own power to accept or reject the grace of God, and will augment their damnation if they refuse it,) is unscriptural, and wholly…
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Happy New Year
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I hope you are not discouraged. I hope you are facing this new year with peace and faith in Christ. Our Saviour tells us, “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me”. Whatever it is that weighs upon on your mind or tries your spirit, may the Lord God give you grace to trust in Christ and strength to carry you through your trial. In his message to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul pictures the Lord’s people as a building made up of individual believers, like you and me, fitted together, located by design, and gathered to serve a high and holy purpose. Perhaps to mitigate the discouragement the apostle knew would affect the…
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Preachers Today
Throughout last year, there was a rather one-sided debate in the internet concerning the alleged difference between preachers in pan-Biblical times and those of today. These were mostly carried out by para-church groups who had words such as ‘spiritual’ in their titles and were obviously against a settled ministry in a local church, some even arguing that the office of a preacher was only used of a peripatetic, itinerant servant of God. On most of these sites one found that the writers denigrated all modern preaching, presenting themselves, of course, as ‘spiritual’ preachers who were the exception to the sad rule. The result of this campaign was that a number of brethren copied quotes from these sites and sent them to various brethren, often without…
