Sir:
Strictures against those who disagree with the Reformation Day Declaration outlined in Issue 7650 lose their force because the doctrine of forensic, declarative justification outlined therein is not that of our Reformers. It reflects the Humanism taught by Philip Melanchthon, often called Germany’s Erasmus. Unlike the bulk of Reformers including Bucer, Bullinger, Calvin and the English compilers of the 39 Articles and Homilies, the …
Posts Tagged Reformation Day Declaration
The March/April, 1999 number of Reformation Today features four articles on John Gill. The first, entitled John Gill – a Sketch of his Life, is a succinctly written biography of Gill’s faithful a nd productive life in the service of the gospel. Next, Editor Errol Hulse continues with John Gill – An Appreciation, presented as a review of The Life and Thought of John Gill (1697-1771), (ed. Michael Haykin …
Clifford’s New Reformation
Dec 11
Sir: Dr Allan Clifford (Issue 7780) wants a New Reformation, built on his own mixture of Amyraldism, legal, fictive justification and works-righteousness, arguing that the old Biblical Reformation was wrong. I am suspicious of Clifford’s lip-rejection of Rome and denounce his false Protestantism. Clifford’s atonement is not the Biblical-Reformed doctrine on which our reconciliation, redemption, justification and sanctification are built. …
The 2007 Protestant Reformation Conference: August 28-30
The PRS met once again at Regents Park College, Oxford for their annual conference. The college is situated centrally in what must be one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. The staff made all their guests most comfortable and the fellowship was deep and sweet indeed. As usual at such a conference, the conversations which took place quite equalled …
The March/April, 1999 number of Reformation Today features four articles on John Gill. The first, entitled John Gill – a Sketch of his Life, is a succinctly written biography of Gill’s faithful and productive life in the service of the gospel. Next, Editor Errol Hulse continues with John Gill – An Appreciation, presented as a review of The Life and Thought of John Gill (1697-1771), (ed. Michael Haykin). Here, Hulse …
Dear Brother: What is the difference between Gill’s ‘free declaration of peace and pardon, righteousness, life and salvation to poor sinners’ and the ‘free offer’ and ‘duty faith’ of those who deny outright that Gill appealed to all men everywhere to repent and believe the gospel? The difference is that Gill keeps to the gospel as fulfilling what the law could not do, namely provide ‘free grace’. Modern harsh critics of Gill such as …
… two comments. The doctrine of justification is expressed in modern Liberal terms of a mere legal declaration or verdict which was far from our Reformers’ hearts and minds when they spoke of justification by faith. Behind this Liberal doctrine is the modern idea that the atonement, justification, righteousness and imputation are mere metaphors and imagery which holders refuse to spell out in concrete terms.
Coloured histories of splitter-groups do not belong in a Declaration of …
Anglicans and Presbyterians
Aug 21
… Presbyterianism was the seat of Arminianism and it cannot be doubted that in 1619 the English Reformation was in better shape.
The Dutch told Carleton re Episcopacy:
“they did much honour and reverence the good order and discipline of the church of England; and, with all their hearts, would be glad to have it established among them; but that could not be hoped for, in their state. Their hope was, that, seeing they could not do what they desired, God would be merciful to …
… Gill’s vast teaching on the subject, Oliver concludes that Gill denies the main doctrine of the Reformation, i.e. justification by faith. He then looks to Thomas Goodwin’s ideas of God justifying in eternity and time for assistance, believing wrongly that, whatever the other differences with Gill, the Puritan teaches that God justifies already-believers only (p.24). Oliver is surely mistaking Arminian John Goodwin for his Calvinist uncle, Thomas Goodwin. The latter clearly states in the …
The Synod of Dort
Aug 17
The Synod of Dort (1618-9): Milestone of the Reformation
The background
The Dutch town of Dortrecht (Engl. Dort), may be unfamiliar to many an English-speaking Christian but it was the place where the churches of Holland, Britain, Germany and Switzerland held a great ecumenical conference which resulted in their unanimous agreement concerning the doctrines of grace reflected in the clear teaching of Scripture and the …
