The most applauded Tenets of our modern Anabaptists, are the self-same with what the old Anabaptists did invent The errors of the Anabaptists and their divisions amongst themselves are so many, that to set them down distinctly in any good order, is . . . Continue reading →
History of Reformed Theology
Turretin Contra The Limbus Patrum
This question lies between us and the papists who (the more easily to defend their hypothesis concerning the imperfection of the Old Testament) maintain that the fathers who lived under it were not immediately admitted into heaven, but were detained in limbo . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (4): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
For all this so strong was the delusion, the blinded people did not open their eyes. Becold and Knipperdolling did daily preach new visions, Becold lying in a trance three days. When he awakened he appeared to be mute, but by writing . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (3): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
This great execution upon them together with the diligence of Luther and other Divines to inform their minds did for some time much compesce [to restrain] that evil spirit and so much fright him out of all the bounds of upper Germany, . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (2): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
When the light of the Gospel from the Lamp of Luther did begin to shine in all the corners of Germany high and low, the aforementioned unhappy men Stock and Müntzer, did begin also to breath out a pestiferous vapor for to . . . Continue reading →
Baillie Versus Tombes (1): How The Particular Baptists Appeared To Early Presbyterians
The late patrons of Anabaptism among us would make the world believe that this Sect had for its Author the famous Berengarius, and for its fomenters four hundred years ago, the old predecessors of Protestants, commonly called Albigenses: but who will be . . . Continue reading →
Regensburg And Regensburg II: Trying To Reconcile Irreconcilable Differences On Justification
Introduction When in 1618 the Reformed theologian J. H. Alsted (1588–1638) declared that the Protestant doctrine of justification is that “article of faith by which the church stands or falls” (articulus stantis et candentis ecclesiae), he was only repeating what all Protestants . . . Continue reading →
Luther On Bound Choice: Celebrating The Recovery Of The Doctrine Of Sola Gratia (Part 1)
In 1580, when the Lutherans and the Reformed met at Montbeilard, when the topic turned to predestination, Theodore Beza (1519–1605) rose, lifted his copy of Luther’s Concerning Bound Choice (De servo arbitrio), and said, “We stand with Luther.”1 The Lutheran representatives suggested . . . Continue reading →
Review Roundup: Covenant Theology (Part 2)
The covenant theology roundup continues with part 2. Continue reading →
The Polish Reformed (1570) Rebuke The Anabaptists For Denying Infant Baptism
We also rebuke and reject all Anabaptists, who repeat their baptism and do not allow little children among God’s people to be baptized. James T. Dennison Jr. ed., Reformed Confessions of the 16th and 17th Centuries in English Translation: 1523–1693, vol. 3 . . . Continue reading →
Hungarian Synod (1567) Lumps The Anabaptists With Servetus And The Socinians For Denying Infant Baptism
We have decided, in accordance with the Word of God, that despite the howls of Servetus and the new Anabaptists, infants must be baptized together with adults, for the following reasons: 1. The matter of the sacrament, the covenant itself, righteousness, life, . . . Continue reading →
Antwerp Confession (1566): “I Reject The Error Of The Anabaptists” Who Detest The Baptism Of The Children Of Believers
I believe that baptism is the sign of the covenant of God with the seed of Abraham, ought to be given to those who belong to the covenant of grace, and, as a consequence, to the infants of believers. Thus I reject . . . Continue reading →
Second Helvetic Confession (1566): We Condemn The Anabaptists Who Deny Baptism To The Children Of Believers
We teach that baptism should not be ministered in the church by women or midwives. For Paul excludes women from ecclesiastical callings: but baptism belongs to ecclesiastical offices. We condemn the Anabaptists, who deny that young infants, born of faithful parents, are . . . Continue reading →
Beza (1561) At Poissy: “The Anabaptists Have No Stronger Enemies” Than The Reformed On Infant Baptism
I will not consider what concerns the administration of holy baptism, for I believe that none of us, sirs, wants to position ourselves among the Anabaptists, who have no stronger enemies than we. And concerning several other specific questions on this matter, . . . Continue reading →
Scots Confession (1560): “We Damn The Error Of The Anabaptists” For Refusing To Baptize The Children Of Believers
We confess and acknowledge that baptism appertains as well to the infants of the faithful as unto those that be of age and discretion. And so we damn the error of Anabaptists who deny baptism to appertain to children before they have . . . Continue reading →
Geneva Seminary Students (1551) Reject The “Ravings” Of The Anabaptists Against Infant Baptism
Moreover, although the sacraments are (given) to us for a pledge (arrabon), through which we are reassured of the promises of God, nevertheless I acknowledge that they will be useless to us unless the Holy Spirit should render them efficacious in us, . . . Continue reading →
Zwingli Against The “War Engines Of The Anabaptists” In 1530
Hence I believe that there is one Church of those who have the same Spirit, through whom they are made certain that they are the true children of the family of God; and this is the first fruits of the Church. I . . . Continue reading →
Reformed Church Of Basel (1534): The Denial Of Infant Baptism A “Damnable And Depraved Opinion”
We clearly protest those strange and erroneous doctrines, which turbulent spirits have invented [so as] to reject and condemn, among other damnable and depraved opinions, as when they say infants are too small to be baptized (whom we baptize according to the . . . Continue reading →
Review Roundup: Covenant Theology (Part 1)
Antonio Coppola’s Faithful God: An Introduction to Covenant Theology Faithful God is a pastoral treatment of covenant theology meant to equip ordinary Christians to see the categories of law and gospel and to understand how Christ is at the center of redemptive history. Continue reading →
Which Covenant Theology?
Covenant theology seems to be all the rage these days. According to E. P. Sanders, the “pattern of religion” known as Second Temple Judaism can be described as “covenantal nomism.” Continue reading →