The Distinctiveness of Baptist Covenant Theology: Revised Edition

by Pascal Denault

Overview

"Pascal Denault deserves many thanks for his labor in researching and describing the nuances of English covenant theology in the Seventeenth Century. He has uncovered significant factors contibuting to the differences between Presbyterian and Particular Baptist thought and practice, describing theological categories in easily accessible terms." - James M. Renihan, Ph.D., Institute of Reformed Baptist Studies

"I pray that this work will contribute to the raising up of more reformed covenantal baptist churches which avoid the errors of dispensationalism, theonomy, the Federal Vision, and law/gospel errors. It is worthy to be read by all concerned." - Fred A. Malone, Ph.D., author of 'Baptism of Disciplies Alone'

"Not only do I think that this is an excellent and valuable resource. I believe it is one of the best upon this suibject. This is such an informative and helpful book that I pray that our covenant Lord provodentially places this book into the hands of every student of covenant theology." - Jeffrey D. Johnson, author of 'The Fatal Flaw of the Theology Behind Infant Baptism'

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781599253664
Publisher:	Solid Ground Christian Books
Publication date:	01/31/2017
Edition description:	Revised ed.
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

SUMMARY ......................................................11
TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................13
PREFACE & ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.............15
FOREWORD TO THE REVISED EDITION ....19
INTRODUCTION..............................................21
1. Hypothesis....................................................21
2. Methodology and Original Sources...............23
2.1. Confessions of faith and catechisms..........24
2.2. Paedobaptist and Baptist theologians........26
2.2.1.The Paedobaptists...........................26
2.2.2.The Baptists.....................................29
2.3. John Owen the Baptist ......................32
3. Brief historical overview of covenant theology................36
CHAPTER 1: THE COVENANT OF WORKS ....................41
1. Description and Function of the Covenant of Works ......41
2. The Relationship Between the Covenant of Works and the Old Covenant.........44
CHAPTER 2: THE COVENANT OF GRACE .................47
1. The Covenant of Grace in the Seventeenth Century...47
1.1. Socinianism and the Covenant of Grace......48
2. The Covenant of Grace as seen by the Paedobaptists:
One Covenant Under Two Administrations ......50
2.1. A fundamental distinction between the substance and the administration .........50
2.2. From the "one covenant under two administrations" model to the principle of succession ....54
2.3. One Covenant under two administrations: a generalized model......57
3. The Covenant of Grace as Seen by the Baptists: A Covenant
Revealed Progressively and Formally Concluded ..........63
3.1. Unity above all...............63
3.2. Rejection of the Presbyterian model......66
3.3. The affirmation of the Baptist model......69
3.3.1. The covenant of grace revealed progressively ....69
3.3.2.The covenant of grace fully revealed in the new covenant.....71
3.3.3.The covenant of grace and the old covenant ....75
4. Summary......80
5. A Few Comparisons Between These Two Models....84
5.1. The hermeneutical comparisons ....84
5.2. The theological comparisons .........88
5.2.1.The way to enter into the covenant of grace .......88
5.2.2.The range and effectiveness of grace in the covenant of grace......93
5.2.3.The unconditional nature of the covenant of grace ....99
6. CONCLUSION............................100
CHAPTER 3: THE OLD COVENANT............................103
1. What Does the Expression "Old Covenant" Mean? .....103
1.1. The cumulative aspect of the old covenant................103
1.2. A difficulty for the paedobaptists ...............................105
1.2.1.Solution 1: The Mosaic covenant was unconditional......106
1.2.2.Solution 2: the Mosaic covenant was distinct from the covenant of grace concluded with Abraham ......113
2. The Abrahamic Covenant ............................................116
2.1. The duality of the Abrahamic covenant......................118
2.1.1.Two posterities and two covenants in Abraham ......120
2.1.2.The intertwining of the two posterities under the old covenant....126
3. The Mosaic Covenant ..........................................129
3.1. The goal of the old covenant..............................130
3.2. The nature of the old covenant...........................134
4. Conclusion and Summary......................................140
CHAPTER 4: THE NEW COVENANT.......................143
1. The Newness of the New Covenant......................143
1.1. The unconditional nature of the new covenant...145
1.2. The substance of the new covenant .....150
CONCLUSION ........................................154
BIBLIOGRAPHY......................................157
Primary Sources .....................................157
Secondary Sources ................................161

Editorial Reviews

Denault's careful work on the seventeenth-century documents has yielded a strong, Bible-centered, covenantal defense of believers' baptism and is worthy of a dominant place in the contemporary discussions of both covenantalism and baptism." - Thomas J. Nettles, Ph.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary "This new study by Pascal Denault is most helpful in providing an accurate summary of the historic discussion between the Baptists and their fellow Puritans, and then showing the way this discussion bears on the contemporary treatment of a vital issue." - Michael A.G. Haykin, Th.D., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary "Whether one agrees or disagrees with Pascal's arguments and conclusion, nobody can read this book without admitting the seriousness and the soundness of the facts that are reported and that make it a most commendable book on the subject." - Raymond Perron, Ph.D., Quebec City, Qc

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