Believers today may easily become despondent as they look at the state of the world. Sin and corruption abound and there is little true preaching of the gospel in evidence. However, although the evidences of the abandoning of Scripture and apostasy in the church may change and even become more apparent, basically these problems have always existed. In 1755 a splitting conflict was being waged among the churches and ministers in England. One of the country’s most respected preachers of that day was William Romaine. Of that conflict he wrote:
‘Every minister of the gospel who has any zeal for his Master’s honour, or love for the souls of men, ought to exert himself in these days of reproach and blasphemy. We have departed from the doctrines of the Reformation; yet we keep up our subscriptions to the articles of faith and the creeds of our forefathers, which are founded on three things:
- The fall of mankind in Adam;
- The recovery of the elect in Christ Jesus;
- The necessity of the Holy Spirit’s work.
All scripture is built around these truths; and in my ministry I have and will insist on the total corruption of mankind by the fall of our father Adam, the freeness and fulness of redemption in our Lord Jesus, and the necessity of the Holy Spirit to renew, regenerate, and bring us to faith.
‘In our day these great doctrines are denied, and those who preach them are ridiculed and held up for
contempt I honour the reproach! I find myself in the best company by believing them. The whole
church of God in the Old Testament and in the New Testament believed these truths. The martyrs died
and sealed belief in these doctrines with their blood. Our primitive fathers with one voice preached these truths. I must preach them, for I dare not risk my eternal salvation for any present honour or comfort.’
William Romaine
