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198 SECOND PART without a waver, “Hallelujah?” And he immediately breathed out his soul at a quarter past seven p.m.

“Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace.”

JOHN WARBURTON.

Southill, Beds, April 23rd, 1857.

FOOTNOTES: {12} Julian’s Dictionary of Hymnology attributes these verses to Keen, but true authorship seems uncertain. {13} He preached at Abingdon to two large and overflowing congregations on one Lord’s day in June, 1856; and many were very much blessed in hearing him. And although he did not think he could preach the second time, yet he was enabled to speak about an hour, and loudly too, and enjoyed much in his own soul of the glorious Gospel, which was heard with much savour and dew by many of the Lord’s people; and such a blessed time in hearing will not soon be forgotten. W. T. {14} The Dove House was a little cottage in Lancashire.

THE ORIGIN AND WITNESS OF THE CHURCHES

with which John Warburton was in communion

Not only was John Warburton in association with the denomination of Strict Baptists called “Gospel Standard”, he was, to all intents and purposes one of the founders of this body which came into being through William Gadsby, John Kershaw and the author of the present Autobiography. It is not easy to describe in precise and happy terms all the distinguishing features which originally bound together, in strong spiritual fellowship, these remarkable men and which issued in a definite and distinctive witness; but from a careful study of the situation (and especially the state of the churches at the time) these facts emerge:

The teaching of the Puritans with their insistence on the need of a solemn, deep and powerful work of grace in the experience of their hearers, their concern that a profound conviction of sin should be made known by the Spirit’s indwelling, and their earnest desire that this should be followed by a manifestation of God’s love to the soul all these weighty matters had largely lost their influence. The zeal for a heartfelt knowledge of Election and the holy fervour for divine teaching made known under the Spirit’s power by George Whitefield and his fellow labourers were subjects no longer having the serious and widespread influence they once had. Apathy, lightness and

199 frivolity was rapidly replacing that manifest separation from the world which is so needful a fruit of true godliness, and one cannot help feeling that the Holy Spirit raised up and prompted William Gadsby, John Kershaw and John Warburton to declaim against the lack of spiritual exercise in the ministry and to warn the people in clarion tones of the terrible danger of professing the Name of God without clear evidence of the new birth.

They were men of like passions with ourselves, and those who were satisfied with the “status quo” not only sought to magnify any weaknesses they thought they perceived, but did not scruple in an endeavor to identify them with gross evils of which they were wholly innocent. The charge of Antinomianism, by which these critics understood libertinism, was hurled at them, yet it would be difficult to find men of more consistent walk or more irreproachable conduct.

They and the Gospel Standard denomination they represented were characterized as Hyper Calvinists antagonistic to all efforts to have the Gospel proclaimed with missionary zeal. True they were witnesses of the gross abuse of much missionary effort, and of missionaries who spread liberal views, and true they rebelled against these things; but the chief Gospel Standard leaders gave glowing tribute to George Whitefield and to those who were identified with him in the mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit in which these missionaries were instrumentally prominent. They gave wide publicity to the tributes of John Newton and others to the work under Whitefield; they sought to have their periodical packed with reformed teaching (and the magazine enjoyed phenomenal success with a wide circulation). They also ensured that accounts of Whitefield’s experience were circulated both at home and abroad.

As with every other body of Christians there were found amongst them men who deviated from Scriptural doctrine and practice, but these were publicly castigated by their great leaders. No it was not the outpouring of the Holy Spirit they were unconcerned with, but they were mortally afraid of zeal without knowledge.

These three men pioneered a witness for deep spiritual and vital godliness which helped to stem the tide of modernism and false profession at a critical period in the history of the Church. When the inspiration of Scripture and the cardinal the vital points of the faith of our forefathers and for which the martyrs gave their life blood, were assailed, this body of men, and, in England almost they alone, stood firm for the truth of the Everlasting Gospel.

If in analysing their outlook good men think they see weaknesses, let them not forget or overlook the priceless benefits which resulted from their unflinching stand for truth. Rather may we one and all ply the Throne of

200 THE ORIGIN AND WITNESS OF THE CHURCHES Grace that an outpouring of the Holy Spirit may descend and so revive the Churches that numbers may be brought to the foot of the Cross!

Let us, as dear Warburton and his fellow labourers did in their day, express our desires for true religion and a revival of it in our prayers and praises, begging God to

Collect Thy scattered flock once more,

And open wide the Gospel door.

(285 Gadsby’s Collection) And with John Berridge at the death of George Whitefield, may we cry:

O Lord, stir up thy power, To make the gospel spread; And thrust out preachers more, With voice to raise the dead; With feet to run where thou dost call; With faith to fight and conquer all. The flocks that long have dwelt Around fair Zion’s hill, And thy sweet grace have felt, Uphold and feed them still; But fresh folds build up everywhere And plenteously thy truth declare. (274 Gadsby’s Collection)

Comments on Antinomianism and Hyper Calvinism

As there is much confusion of thought respecting these two epithets, both of which have been levelled at John Warburton and his fellow minister of the Gospel, William Gadsby, it is to be hoped that some able Reformed scholar, deeply taught and spiritually minded, with a pen free from prejudice and pre conceived notions, will be raised up to define these subjects and to defend those godly men who are falsely charged with these names. Meantime it is hoped that a few comments may help to “clear the air.”

Dr. Robert Hawker (1753 to 1827), an eminent divine of irreproachable life and conduct to whom the very thought of licentiousness was abhorrent, states:

“The word antinomianism is well known to be formed from a Greek compound, antinonios; the nearest translation of which is against law. And the meaning when applied to any person in relation to religion is, that he who is antinomian is looking for justification before God solely on the footing of

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Christ’s person, blood, and righteousness, without an eye to the deeds of the law; yes, even against them.” (Robert Hawker’s Works Vol. 9, page 542.) But Dr. Hawker is quick to explain that this does not give any license to evil conduct and adds “Some affirm (saith Paul) that we say ‘Let us do evil that good may come.’ But saith the Apostle of such ‘whose damnation is just.’”

While several ideas are generated by the words Antinomianism and Hyper Calvinism, the most serious thought is that which connects the lives of godly men with professed Christians whose lives and conduct are evil in other words, libertines. Why this suitable word is not generally used to describe such characters is strange. To come to the point as it affects John Warburton of Trowbridge and William Gadsby, we are at once faced with the fact that both men lived blameless lives. Certainly neither could be justly charged with flouting the moral law in their conduct. On the contrary, the testimony of J. C. Philpot concerning John Warburton and (believe it or not) that of the Wesleyan Conference as to William Gadsby’s character is that they were men of outstanding uprightness. It would then seem that the situation is brought about by loose terminology on the one hand, and by prejudice on the other, and not infrequently by a combination of both!

By far the most helpful work that I have come across is the excellent treatise by Robert Traill (16421716). The extent to which misunderstanding can lead to unjust charges is perhaps nowhere better illustrated than in this eminent author’s work “A Vindication of the Protestant Doctrine Concerning Justification And of Its Preachers and Professors from the Unjust Charge of Antinomianism.” (Select Practical Writings, Free Church of Scotland E’boro 1845.) This work may be borrowed from The Evangelical Library, 78a Chiltern St., London W 1, England; or from The Gospel Standard Library, Mr. S. F. Paul, 91 Buckingham Road, Brighton 1, Sussex, England.

Readers who are interested in this subject are strongly urged to read Robert Traill. It will help to disabuse the mind of much of the nonsense concerning Antinomianism and Hyper Calvinism. It is significant that more time and effort has been expended in an attempt to drag men of known upright walk under the obliquy of a charge of Antinomianism (meaning here libertinism) than has been used to expose those who say “Let us do evil that good may come,” of whom the Apostle says “whose damnation is just.” Notes and Biographical Sketches

Following are notes and biographical sketches of ministers and hymn writers mentioned by John Warburton

Acknowledgment must be made to the help received in compiling the biographical notes. They are hut brief comments intended to arouse a desire