-
Letter 2: To Elimelech—On Divine Sovereignty
My dear Elimelech, A clear apprehension of the sovereignty of God, and an habitual submission to it, will lay a firm foundation for your peace of mind, and afford you satisfactory solutions of the most mysterious things. I am aware that an aversion to this important doctrine is deeply rooted in our nature, and the very essence of the first transgression was a quarrel with Jehovah’s sovereignty; “ye shall be as Gods,” was the bait with which the tempter ruined mankind. This disposition to usurp Jehovah’s prerogative, discovers itself in every direction, and produces much of the distress, confusion, and guilt, which disgrace human nature, and agitate the whole creation of God: errors, doctrinal and practical, may be traced to this source, and even the…
-
A Declaration Of Faith
The church of God should continually "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 3), and in these darkening and disastrous days, our testimony should not be like muffled bells, but clear and distinct. "The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle" (Ps 78:9). Was it cowardice, or expediency, or a fatal love of ease? We cannot but remember the words, "Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men" (Ps12:1). "Faithful," that is, men of truth; "Amen men," as Luther called them. Openness, as opposed to reticency, straightforwardness, thoroughness and steadfastness are qualities absolutely needed now; courage is required to call things by their…
-
Article 28 – Churches Should Conserve And Circulate The Truth
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 XXVIII. Churches should Conserve and Circulate the Truth. We believe that it is incumbent on every Church as such, and upon each of its members individually, to maintain, contend for, aud disseminate the truth of God,[] both as it concerns all men as sinners,[2] and the children of God as His peculiar and privileged people,[3] and we consider ourselves bound to promote and engage in the circulation of the Scriptures, the moral and religious instruction of children, and the preaching of the Gospel to every creature, in the prayerful hope that…
-
Letter 1: To Silas—On The Trinity
My dear Silas, I take up my pen to invite your attention to a subject the most exalted and sublime in its nature, and the most important in its relation to the whole scheme of Redemption. The doctrine of a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead is so closely interwoven with every part of the sacred volume, and feature of Christian experience, that every new creature in Christ Jesus might be expected to admit, although he cannot comprehend it. Indeed if we determine to admit no more than we can comprehend we shall soon find ourselves on the high road to Atheism, but allowing Jehovah’s testimony of himself to be true, and attending to its influence in every Christian’s heart, we shall flee firom the…
-
Article 15 – The Resurrection And The Final Condition Of The Godly And The Ungodly
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 XIII. Final Perseverance. We believe that all those who were chosen by the Father, and redeemed by the Son, and who have been sanctified by the Holy Ghost, shall certainly and finally persevere so that not one of them shall ever perish, but all shall attain to everlasting life hereafter. ------------------------------- Job 17:9; Ps 84:5,7; Prov 4:18; Matt 18:14; Jn 10:28; Rom 8:30; 11:29; 1 Cor 15:58; Eph 4:30; Phil 1:6; 2 Thess 2:13,14; Heb 10:38,39; 1 Pet 1:2-5; 1 Jn 5:18 Annotations: As our convictions on this Doctrine do not…
-
Article 14 – The Intermediate State Of The Dead In Christ
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 XIII. Final Perseverance. We believe that all those who were chosen by the Father, and redeemed by the Son, and who have been sanctified by the Holy Ghost, shall certainly and finally persevere so that not one of them shall ever perish, but all shall attain to everlasting life hereafter. ------------------------------- Job 17:9; Ps 84:5,7; Prov 4:18; Matt 18:14; Jn 10:28; Rom 8:30; 11:29; 1 Cor 15:58; Eph 4:30; Phil 1:6; 2 Thess 2:13,14; Heb 10:38,39; 1 Pet 1:2-5; 1 Jn 5:18 Annotations: As our convictions on this Doctrine do not…
