IeTRODUETORY HESAY. 3 2 ‘THE DEATH OF DEATA, TRO s it itis tack is perhaps our most pressing stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say thatit is and practice bi is pea mont pressing too exclusively concerned to be “helpful” to man—to bring resent need. Ant point that Owen tele concerned to Fiemption can give u very well to talc ris defending When you speak of recovering the gospel, don't you mean that you just want summé down an depends for all good, both in reference was unambiguously id. cof rference is man. This ie just to say that the old gospel was religious in a way that the new gospels not. Whereas the chief aim tus all to become Calvinist doubt of the old was to teach men to worship God, th® concern of the new ‘These questions are wor seems limited to raking them feel better, ''The subject of the equ tomany, atthe mae Reha nae Cat ae ee ent oth ne ‘imited atonement "—as rag all that a Reformed theologian Teer peee St sang ‘the heart of the gospel could ever really want to do! differen. ie whale perapcetive and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed. ‘al to become Calvinists "—ap if Reformed ‘roan this change of interest has sprang a ehange of content, for ° é stor, i i ‘a gians ha no interest beyond recruiting for their party, an impor inte of" nas tnd ean at STheconing Cae wat tel stage of thle dpe, helpfulness.” ingly, the themes of election being the fing specifically for His sheep, are not pre sould be said, are not “helpful”; they would drive sinners to despair, by suggesting to not in their own power to be saved through Christ. ry that such despair might be salutary is not con- is taken for granted that it cannot be, because itis so shattering to our self-esteem.) However this mi say more about it la the biblical gos and had the early seventeeni V (known to history »s Armi principles: first, that di Ibiman. that ‘masquereding as the whole truth becomes Thus, we appeal to men as if they all had the receive Christ at any time; we speck of His redeeming work as if He had done no more by dying than make it possible for 2 speak of God's love as if it ‘were no more than a general willingness to receive any who ‘turn and trust; and we depict the Father and the Son, not as so active in drawing sinners to themselves, but 38 waiting spotence “at the door of our hearts ” for us to let them snd practioe among us urgent itis that we should review this matter. To recover the old, authentic, biblical gospel, and to bring our preaching Toreseeing that the nesiod of Dort was convened in 1618 to pronounce on this and the ints of Calvinism ” it LT Jacks all power to believe the that may be extended to him. , unconditional choice of they come to glory. ‘Those five points aze conveniently denoted by the mnemo: ‘Total depravity, Unconditional Limited aton istible grace, Preservation of man to save himself, Ono view presents the three great. Holy Trinity for the refovering of lost mankind—election by the ‘Rather redemption by the Son, calling by init—as directed towards the same persons, and as securing their salvstion infallibly. ‘The other view gives each act a diffrent reference (the objects of zédemption being all mankind, of calling, those who hear the gospel, and of flection, those hearers who respond), and denies that any ‘man’s selvation is secured by any of ‘The two theologies thus conesive the plan of salvation in salvation depend on the work by believing operated it, Plainly, these differonces are important, ‘and the permanent value of the “five points,” as a summary of "oni 9, INTRODUCTORY ESSAY. 5 Calvinism, is that they make ol certent to Which, these tro ¢ processes ‘no less, than the outworki arch, ing of His The icating that: Cal F divine mercy. But infact the isto safeguard the central Redeemer who really does ‘lection that is conditional and tended to safeguard the positive, The real negations are those of redemption and calling are gations in order to positive purpose of Anninianism, whic! seving acts of God. Cal assert the positive content of t L strengthening faith and building up the’