Saturday, August 3, 2013

First Hardshells on Rom. 8: 28

While back I cited from one of the three or four Hardshell periodicals of the 1830s, The "Christian Doctrinal Advocate and Spiritual Monitor," which showed that the first Hardshells believed that the "all things" of Romans 8: 28 was unlimited, as today's Absoluter faction of Hardshells believe, but with which the largest faction of Conditionalist Hardshells deny. Here is a citation from "The Primitive Baptist" which shows that they believed the "all things" was unlimited. This was the view that was constantly affirmed in all the first leading Hardshell periodicals.

Vol. 3 (1838)

"Yes, brethren, he knoweth them as the object of his eternal and electing love and as the purchased of the blood of Jesus Christ, ans as the heirs of eternal glory, and has so ordered the economy of grace that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans the 8 and 28 v. All things (not some things) but all things, even our trials and afflictions painful as they are, among the all things, and the time will come when they will be regarded as among the greatest providential blessings ever conferred upon us." (pg. 279)

Vol. 7 (1849)

"They see his work and his providence wherever they turn and they eventually see that "All things work together, for good to them that love God."  That all their losses, crosses, disappointments, and even sin itself, through his overruling providence "works for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," that whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or life, or death, all are theirs, and they are Christ's,. And Christ is God's."  (pg. 172)

This was the view of John Gill (see here)  and of those who wrote the 1689 London Confession.

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