ROBERT SANDEMAN
In tribute of Robert Sandeman's birthday I thought it would be helpful to give a quick glance of his theology as stated in his book Letters on Theron and Aspasio. While he wrote a few other books, this is his magnum opus and the one that most clearly defines his thoughts on theological topics. Robert Sandeman (April 29, 1718-April 2, 1771) was a contemporary of such theologians as Jonathan Edwards, John Gill and John Wesley. Books giving a more thorough history of his biography are The Perfect Rule of the Christian Religion: A History of Sandemanianism in the Eighteenth Century by John Howard Smith, Michael Faraday: Sandemanian and Scientist by Geoffrey Cantor and see https://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/10142/0074170c.pdf?sequence=1 for a copy of the unpublished dissertation of J.T. Hornsby called John Glas (1695-1773).
My look at Sandeman will come from the 1803 Edinburgh publication of the fourth edition in two volumes. If you have or get a reprint today, it will probably be an reprint of the 1838 American publication of the fourth edition in one volume and so the paginations will be different.
Limited Atonement- Page 14 "The gospel proposes nothing to be believed by us, but what is infallibly true, whether we believe it or not. For shall our own unbelief make the faith or veracity of God of none effect? Far be it! Heaven and earth shall pass away, but none of his words shall fall to the ground. The gospel, which fortells the final perdition of so many of its hearers, so many and zealously exercised about it, can never warrant us to persuade every one who hears it, to believe that Christ died for him; unless we shall say that Christ died for every individual of mankind, and consequently that none of mankind owe their salvation wholly to his death.
Offers of Christ- On page 22 states that we are witnesses for God to men and never bargain for God with men. They either believe the witness of do not.
Perverted Gospel- Page 85 Sandeman writes in reference to the current state of Protestant preaching that "We have got a perverted gospel. We have got some insipid sentiment about the cross of Christ, that, like the law of works, can do us no good, till it be reduced to practice. As for the bare work finished on the cross, or the bare report about it, however true we think it, so far have we mistaken it, that, setting aside our active operations about it, we do not see what comfort or benefit can be derived from it; ...".
Duty Faith?- Page 88 "Every one then, who is born of the Spirit, lives merely by what he hears, without his performing any duty at all; ..."
Sovereign Grace- Page 111 "... but according to that sovereign grace, which, acting, not contrary to law, but beyond the law of it, and high above it, placed him, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God, under the law, as the substitute of the guilty, to redeem them by being made a curse for them, he receives power over all flesh, to bestow eternal life on as many as were given him to be redeemed by him.".
Creation events in succession- Page 116 "... in order to our knowing his character, it is necessary that one part of his works appear before the other; even as it was necessary, that the earth should be first created a dark confused mass, that he might appear, by his working, the God not of darkness and confusion, but of light and order."
Premillennial- Page 129 "This church will receive no establishment on the earth, till the resurrection of the just, when the whole redeemed company shall reign with Christ a thousand years on the earth, after which they shall inherit the new heavens and the new earth for ever."
Against Alcoholic Beverages- Page 134 "How long shall we hold forth strong drink unto men, and still bemoan their intemperance? How long shall we pray that the cause may flourish, and the natural effects decrease?".
Chosen in Christ- Page 151 "When the whole company of them who were redeemed from among men, and chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, shall fully experience what meaneth grace reigning through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.".
God Inspired Scripture- Page 154 "The apostle's argument, then must run thus: Whereas prophecy came not by the will of man, it is not to be understood according to the fancy or pleasure of men, but according to the interpretation given of it by God himself, from whom it came.".
Elect Angels- Page 216 "... but to their being chosen of sovereign grace to be servants in the kingdom of the Son of God, and therefore they are called the elect angels.".
Several Days to Create- Page 236 "Prov. 8:30 plainly referring to the several days wherein the world was made.".
