GPS-00.1-Preface and Contents

THE

GOSPEL PLAN OF

SALVATION BY

T. W. BRENTS.

“Men and brethren, what shall we do?”—Acts 2:37.

“Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”—Acts 9:6.

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”—Acts 16:30.

PREFACE

A wise man has said, “Of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” Why, then, should we and another to the “many books” already before the public? It has now been all of fifteen years since we conceived the plan, and began the preparation of this work, only bestowing upon it, however, such fragments of time as we could spare from other labors. Sometimes we rested a month, sometimes a year, feeling by no means sure that we would ever finish the work, but intending to do so if permitted to live until our head become sufficiently gray. Some portions were occasionally given to the public as contributions to the Gos­pel Advocate and in tracts, in the hope that they might accomplish some good, if the entire work should never be published. A very general de­mand for the completion and publication of the book soon came from those who read the portions published; but we have deemed it prudent to “has­ten leisurely” lest we might prematurely publish something of which we would be ashamed in maturer years. When we passed our fiftieth year we engaged the services of the publisher, and now, on our fifty-first anniver­sary birthday, we are writing a preface, and yet we are not quite sure that we are old enough to publish a book on a theme so transcendently impor­tant as the “Gospel Plan of Salvation.” Our highest ambition is to honor the name of our Master, and direct sinners to the way of life; hence we would not, for any earthly consideration, publish a sentence known to be untrue. We wish our book to live when we shall be sleeping the years away. Yes, and live it will. This is the frightful thought. LIVE IT WILL. A mistake from the pulpit may soon be forgotten—should we make a mis­take in an article furnished a paper or periodical, it may be lost or worn out, and soon pass away; but a book will live on, when he who wrote it lives only in the work left behind him. How important it is, then, that every thought penned concerning THE GOSPEL PLAN OF SALVATION should be tried “as by fire” that not a single error should escape the refining cruci­ble of Holy Writ, and make its way into the permanent literature of the age Had this responsibility been rightly appreciated, surely many of the books now on the market would never have met the public eye. But there is another side to the picture. While it is unquestionably true that much mischief has been done by the publication of error, it is equally true that much good has been done, and may yet be done, by pub­lishing the truth. Ceasing to publish truth will never arrest the publication of error It will continue to be published as long as man lives in a tene­ment of clay; hence the best that may be done is the publication of truth with which, in some degree, to counteract its influence. But for this the world would have been to-day overwhelmed in the stygian waters of infi­delity and idolatry; hence we would not erase a single impression made by any truth ever given to man by any who has written before us. It is no part of our object to supersede any work that has appeared among us; rather would we be an humble co-worker with all lovers of truth in point­ing sinners to the “Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world.” Every writer has a taste and a style as peculiarly his own as are his features or his temperament; hence no two are likely to select exactly the same field of labor, or adopt the same method of arranging the material used by each respectively. While others have written upon some, perhaps all, the subjects treated in this work, we are not aware of any single book filling the place which this is designed to occupy. While it is directly ad­dressed to the alien, we hope it will aid the young disciple in obtaining a more extensive knowledge of the “form of doctrine” by which he was made free from sin: especially will young preachers find it a valuable compendia of argument and critical authority in elucidation of many subjects which they will find it necessary to examine. They will here find an amount of author­ity which would cost them much labor and money were they compelled to get it from the original authors quoted by us. Many of the works are out of print, so that only second-hand copies can be had at all, and these only by importation at fabulous cost. We found it necessary to pay ten, fif­teen, and even as high as twenty-five dollars for works from which to ob­tain the author’s definition of a single word, which will be found in this work. Many of these authors define in Latin which could not be read by the common English scholar if he had them; here he will find only the English translation of the author’s Latin, which all can read and easily understand. We have made no effort at elegance of style, seeking rather to clearly and forcibly express as much truth as possible in the space occupied. We dare not hope that every thought is expressed in the best possible manner; but he who reads to be benefited will likely understand us, and for such readers only were our labors intended. If we have not spoken as the ora­cles of God speak, then prove all things, and hold fast that which is good. By the word of God we are ever willing that our teaching may be tried. It alone can build us up and give us an inheritance among them who are sanctified; hence to it we commend our readers in the fear of Him who will judge us all according to our works. T. W. BRENTS. RICHMOND, TENN.,
February 10, 1874.

CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Predestination CHAPTER II. Election and Reprobation CHAPTER III. Calvinistic Proofs Examined CHAPTER IV. Foreknowledge of God CHAPTER V. Hereditary Depravity CHAPTER VI. The Establishment of the Church CHAPTER VII. The Identity of the Church CHAPTER VIII. The New Birth CHAPTER IX. Faith CHAPTER X. Repentance CHAPTER XI. The Confession CHAPTER XII. Baptism, what is it?

CHAPTER XIII. Who should be baptized?

CHAPTER XIV. The Design of Baptism CHAPTER XV. The Holy Spirit