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John Gill: Preserver and Reformer of the Particular Baptists
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On Preaching the Gospel
By William GadsbyWe maintain that it is the right for a minister of Jesus Christ to preach the gospel in the hearing of all that hear him; and what we find fault with is not preaching the gospel to all that hear but men pretending that they are authorised to offer the gospel to all that hear them. We consider that to preach the gospel is one thing, and to offer the gospel is quite another thing. Hence when a man gets up into a pulpit, and says, “In God’s name I offer Christ, and pardon, and salvation, to every soul of you present; if you reject this offer, you may never have another; therefore come now and take Christ and salvation, while you have…
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One of the Highest Insults
About sixteen years ago, I heard a young man from Hoxton (Association Baptist) Academy make the following remarks: “I now offer you Christ, and Christ stands with open arms ready to receive you. Yea, he begs, and prays, and beseeches you all to come unto him and have life; and yet some of you will not come. Nay, it is as if God the Father came and fell upon his knees before you, begging and beseeching you to receive Christ, and come and be reconciled to him; and yet you will not come.” In this way he proceeded for a considerable length of time; and this he called “preaching the gospel to every creature.” From a professed Arminian such remarks might be expected; but for…
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Gadsby’s Catechism
Q. 1. Who is the only self-existent Being? A. God is the only self-existent Being. (Ex 3:14; Ps 90:2; Is 45:5, 22; Jn 8:58) Q. 2. Ought everyone to believe that there is a God? A. Everyone ought to believe that there is a God, and it is their great sin and folly who do not. (Ps 9:17; Ecc 12:13; Mk 16:16; Jn 8:24 & 16:8-9; 2 Thess 2:11-12) Q. 3. How may we know that there is a God? A. The works of creation and providence plainly declare that there is a God, but His Word and Spirit only do it effectually to the salvation of His people. (Job 38 & 39; Ps 19; Jn 16:8-14 & 17:8; 1 Cor 2:10) Q. 4. What…
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Chapter 7: The Baptists
"For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.''—1 Corinthians 12:13 In sketching some of God's witnesses among the Baptists in the nineteenth century, Samuel Eyles Pierce (1746-1829) should be first mentioned, because in his earlier years he sat under the ministry of Toplady, Romaine, and Hawker, with the latter of whom he was on terms of close friendship till the end of the life of the Vicar of Charles. Romaine's ministry was especially useful to him. He writes: "In a subsequent sermon, Mr. Romaine said, 'Believers, you that are believers, God looks upon you as He doth on Christ; and loves you with the love He doth Him.' 'I looked up,' says Mr. Pierce, 'with amazement! Oh, thought I, if I can…
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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…