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Jan 31, 2013

Acts 16:30-31 - John Gill

"...ministers, in exhorting men to believe in Christ, do not, and cannot consider them as elect or non elect, but as sinners, standing in need of Christ, and salvation by him; and that either as sensible, or as insensible of their state and condition; not as insensible of it; for I do not find that any such are exhorted to believe in Christ for salvation; but as sensible of it, as the jailer was, who trembling said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? When the apostle exhorted him, saying, Believe in the lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:30, 31)." John Gill, The Cause of God and Truth, pg. 574.

Jan 22, 2013

The Baxterians launch out into the ocean of general invitations - Daniel Whitaker

The second sort of Inviters, are the Baxterians, who profess the doctrines of election and particular redemption in, a certain sense; namely, that Christ died intentionally for the elect only; but sufficiently for the rest. And therefore they conclude the certainty of the conversion and salvation of the former, from the decree of God in election; and the possible and probable conversion and salvation of the latter from the sufficiency of the death of Christ; maintaining also that it is the duty of all men, where the word is preached, to believe with that faith which hath salvation connected with it at the same time admitting, that no man can or will, have this faith, save God's elect; and yet they launch out into the ocean of general invitations of a spiritual nature, to dead sinners.

Never divide or confound His intrinsic and meritorious worth - John Stevens

It is no dishonor to Christ to say, that his atonement is insufficient to save those whom he never knew, never loved, never intended to save. The design of our Lord in his sufferings limited their saving effects: the intrinsic worth of his person, and the meritorious worth of his acts, ought neither to be divided nor confounded. There could be no saving sufficiency in the atonement itself, which divine justice would fail to own and duly reward. If Christ has atoned for the sins of all men, punitive justice cannot smite any of them; if he has only atoned for the sins of many of them, justice cannot spare the rest of them. Our blessed Lord has never benefited any of his sinful creatures unintentionally; nor can they be bound to love and thank him for what he never intended to be for their spiritual advantage.

Joseph Hussey Books (1660–1726)

God’s Operations of Grace But No Offers of Grace [Abridged Edition] by Joseph Hussey (140 pages)

JOSEPH HUSSEY, who is best known by his works, entitled "God's Operations of Grace, But No Offers of Grace," and his "Glory of Christ Unveiled," was, in the latter part of his life, a most zealous opponent of Arminianism in all its branches. In his dying moments, though in extreme pain, he was honored to bear some precious testimonies to the truths of discriminating grace, of which the following are a few. "One of the church asking him how his faith was exercised with regard to those doctrines he used to preach, he answered, “I am in the firm and full persuasion of all those truths I have preached, and die in the firm belief of them all.” Many of the church being in his chamber, he often dropped some spiritual observations that expressed the feelings of his mind on the occasion. A person asking him how he did, “I am,” said he, “waiting for my happy change, to be dissolved, and to be with Christ.” 'What do you take, sir? “ “I have no palate for any thing here, but my spiritual one is as good as ever to relish the doctrines of the gospel.” Being asked how he found it in his soul as to those doctrines he had delivered, he answered, '0 bravely! They are my main supports under my trials and pains. I find now the truth of what I have preached. They are not my notions or fancy, but the power of Christ to my soul.'

"Dozing at times, when he awaked, he would drop such words as follow. 'I have often sung the praises of God in the low lands, but oh! how long will it be before I come to the height of Zion, to sing to God and the Lamb upon the throne? Oh blessed death! it is a sweet thing to die, for Christ will then be all in all. 0 Lord, gather thine elect out of this sinful world unto Thyself.' He would occasionally break forth with many short sentences, such as these: 'Blessing, glory, honor, and praise be to God and the Lamb, for ever and ever. Sin is dreadful, but grace triumphs through Jesus Christ. Lord, be with me in my last conflicts, and leave me not. 0 let me have an abundant entrance into glory, to sing Thy praise.' Thus he continued testifying of Jesus Christ, and praising Him, until Tuesday, November 15, 1726, when he slept in the Lord, in the 67th year of his age."

(From Defense of Particular Redemption by William Rushton)

Jan 11, 2013

Whom the Father elects, the Son redeems, and the Holy Ghost sanctifies - Christopher Ness

God the Father's election, God the Son's redemption, and God the Holy Ghost's sanctification, must all be of equal extent and latitude; but universal redemption, in the Arminian sense of it, makes these unequal. This is clear; for as the Father, Word, and Spirit are One in essence, so are they One in willing, working, and witnessing the redemption of sinners. As there are Three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood; so there are Three which bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; "and these Three agree in one" (1Jo 5:6,8). Whom the Father elects, the Son redeems, and the Holy Ghost sanctifies. If then there be a universal redemption there must be a universal election, and a universal sanctification also, and so, by consequence, a universal salvation. That the Son redeems no more than the Father elects is evident from two scriptures. The first is John 5:23, which declares the Son must be honoured as equal with the Father; but, to say that the Son redeemed all, and the Father elected but few, is to give greater honour to the One than to the Other, and to make an inequality in Their operations. The second scripture is John 17:9,10: "All Thine are Mine and all Mine are Thine," etc. They were the Father's by electing love, and they became the Son's by gift and redemption: "Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me" (John 17:6). Christ redeems only those whom the Father gave unto Him. Hence God's "book of life" wherein the number of the elect is recorded, is called also the "Lamb's book of life;" intimating that the number of those elected by the Father is commensurate with those redeemed by the Son. That Christ redeems no greater number than the Spirit sanctifies is evident from 1Jo 5:6,7; there must be water to sanctify where there is blood to redeem. Christ's oblation is not of larger extent than the Spirit's operation. Thus it is most apparent that all the three Persons in the Trinity have one object and one design of love. They are equal in essence, equal in honour, and equal in operation.

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