Robert Sandeman is one of the most neglected theologians in history. Although his work never fruited into a denomination, his influence was felt all over the world. In his day he started one of the most profound discussions on the Gospel resonating to this day. His work The Letters on Theron and Aspasio angered hyper Calvinist Baptists like John Brine, Revivalist Baptists like Isaac Backus, Arminians like John Wesley, Calvinistic Methodists like James Hervey, Presbyterians like David Wilson and was even “Refuted by an Old Woman” in Anne Dutton (a Particular Baptist) and yet he manages only a few lines of recognition in books on Scottish history such as The History of Scottish Theology Volume II by Ferguson & Elliot. Organizations like Banner of Truth publish a variety of books on and about a variety of theologians including Arminians like John Wesley and yet Robert Sandeman is ignored unless it is something critical. I hope these posts are in some small way able to rectify this loss.
On The Divinity of Christ- Page 225 "I mean Dr. Isaac Watts and Dr. Philip Doddridge. The former not content with yielding up the apostolic account of Christ as a Divine person, has conspired with the latter to overthrow the gospel-doctrine of faith, and the imputed righteousness, in a treatise called The Rise and Progress of Religion in the Soul..."
On Popular (Errant) Preachers view of Faith- Page 227 "Mr. Guthrie, in his Trial of a Saving Interest in Christ part 1, chap. 7. Of faith, after having told us in some respects what faith is not, proceeds thus: 'I say, true justifying faith is not any of the aforesaid things; NEITHER IS IT SIMPLY THE BELIEVING OF ANY SENTENCE THAT IS WRITTEN, OR THAT CAN BE THOUGHT UPON.' "
Page 242 "Accordingly, we find they seldom or never incline to tell us what they mean by faith, but by some labored circumlocutions."
Page 244 "If they venture to tell us, that we are justified by a righteousness imputed to us, they must add, upon the terms of the gospel."
On Apostolic Faith- Page 257 "The apostles use the word faith or belief in the same sense we do to this day in common discourse. We are properly said to believe what any man says, when we are persuaded that what he says is true. There is no difference betwixt our believing any common testimony and our believing that of the gospel..."
On Passions and Affections- Page 257 "The question about faith must be set aside, when the inquiry turns upon how a man is affected by a testimony which he believes? His passions and affections are set in motion, according to the nature of the thing testified, or according as the testimony brings him matter of joy or grief, hope or fear."
On Insufficient Faith- Page 258 "Every one who believes the same truth which the apostles believed, has equally precious faith with them. He has unfeigned faith, and shall assuredly be saved. If any man's faith be found insufficient to save him, it is owing to this, that what he believed for truth, was not the very same thing that the apostles believed, but some lie connected with, or dressed up in the form of truth."
On Paedobaptism- Page 265 "By the like reasonings do some of our devoutest dissenters forbid little children to be brought to Christ, to be blessed of him in partaking of the one baptism, which the Scripture plainly shows to be the common privilege of the one body of the one Lord, or of that heavenly kingdom to which the infants of believing parents are declared to belong."
Popular Preachers on Love- Page 281 " They so confound the distinction betwixt faith and love, that it is difficult to say what fixed uniform notion they have of either. In words they agree with the apostles, in maintaining, that men are justified by faith, and not by love; but, then, when they come to explain themselves, they hold it necessary that love first perform its office before faith is at liberty to make its conclusion."
Human Will Not Involved- Page 284 "... the Scripture plainly shows, that all who are relieved by the gospel, so are born of God, are born not of the will of man in any shape wherein that will can be considered."
On Assent- Page 284 "The popular preachers do, indeed, admit something like the Scriptural notion of believing, into a corner of their account of faith, under the title of the assent of faith. But, then, it lies in so remote and so dark a corner, as scarcely to be seen."
On Covenantal Distinctions- Page 303 " I have no concern with the distinction betwixt the covenant of works and the covenant of grace, on which our systems are formed; as it serves to set aside, obscure, and confound the capital distinction set before us in the apostolic writings, betwixt the old and new covenant, or betwixt the covenant ratified by the blood of bulls and goats, and the new covenant in Christ's blood... It may suffice at present to say, that in the New Testament, the obedience of Christ, with its effects is contrasted with the sin of Adam and its effects, and that the new covenant is contrasted only with the old one made with Israel.
Two Covenants Not One With Different Dispensations- Page 303 "As a proof how much the Scriptural distinctions are set aside to give place to those framed by the wisdom of the scribe, it may be observed, that these covenants, which Paul expressly calls two, and in many respects opposes to each other, are boldly affirmed to be but two dispensations of one and the same covenant, by many Christian teachers who are very fond of the abovementioned systematical distinction."
On Repentance- Page 349 " Repentance, then, is the change of a man's mind to love the truth, which always carries in it a sense of shame and regret at his former opposition to it."
On Assurance- Page 356 " When Abraham believed God, and that which he believed was imputed to him for righteousness, he had the assurance of faith, before it was put to the great trial of offering up his son."
On Perseverance- Page 359 " This fear dwelling in their hearts, checks and recalls them when ready to be utterly led away by their former evil inclinations. They are preserved from falling away, by the fear of falling away."
On Obedience- Page 366 " The simple belief of the truth, is the only spring of all true holiness, of all love and obedience to God."
