Old School Predestinarian (Primitive) Baptists
The Reformed believe God and the Bible can only be believed by the gift of God and are contrary to human reason, but still attempt apologetics. PBs believe because they were “made to,” and “That Bible is wrote in parables.”
The Reformed sprinkle infants in place of baptism and regard this as a “Seal of Grace,” Primitive Baptists regard infant sprinkling as wrong in both subject and mode, and regard baptism and communion as symbols. Both agree baptism and church membership is not essential to salvation, although the Primitive Baptists are more outspoken on this.
Reformed churches order is hierarchical. PB churches are independent and congregational, sometimes associating for fellowship, but believing no entity under God has authority over the internal rights of a church.
Reformed ministers rule, Primitive Baptist ministers serve the churches. Both hold preachers should be called by God, but the Reformed expect ministers to have a seminary education, and their ministersexpect a salary. PBs are dubious of the value of education in regard to the ministry, and contribute to their ministers expenses but do not pay them a salary. Nor do they support Sunday Schools or religious societies. PB ministers are bi-vocational. Reformed ministers preach planned out expository sermons, Primitie Baptists speak as they feel moved by God, somewhat like the Quakers. Their prayers and sermons are sometimes delivered in a chanting, trance like state.
The Reformed believe that the church should influence public morality. Primitive Baptists believe the church is “a garden walled around” separate from the world. They maintain discipline within their own body, but leave “them out in the world” to God.
The Reform beg and wheedle converts. The Primitive Baptists are more likely to question their motives for sincerity.
Reformed and Primitive Baptists have a slight family resemblance in regard to doctrine, but there they also differ widely. The Reformed seem to believe that original sin involves actual guilt, so that a miscarried embryo might justly be damned. Primitive Baptists don’t get as excited over it, since God is completely in charge of it along with all things whatsoever. It is seen somewhat as a misfortune, and as a source of humility. Reformed believe people are under obligation to savingly repent and believe though unable to do so. Primitive Baptists believe people ought to behave in a civil manner, and should acknowledge the existence of God and repent of actual sin committed, but that this is not supernatural or saving.
The Reformed doctrine of election sees God choosing some to be saved out of the common mass of mankind. Predestinarians see the elect in seed substance in Christ before the foundation of the world and believe in eternal justification and the eternal vital union of Christ and the elect.
PBs believe Christ died for His chosen people. The Reformed believe the atonement is “sufficient for all, but efficient for the elect,”and that God both sincerely offers salvation to all, while not intending all to be saved.
The Reformed believe that the Holy Spirit calls the elect while they are yet dead in sin by the means of the gospel and the ordinances. The PB doctrine of regeneration is the imparting of a principle of life amounting to a new man, “bringing into manifestation” in a human vessel the holy seed which was in Christ from before the foundation of the world. This is without the instrumentality of the gospel or anything else, and may save in the last moment those who never heard the gospel. Being in the church is no guarantee of salvation, being out of it no evidence against it. They hope, but do not know they are saved.
The Reformed hold that the elect persevere in grace, and undergo “progressive sanctification.” Primiive Baptists believe the saints are preserved in grace, though they do not participate in the process and indeed their constant natural tendency is to backslide. Sanctification is reckoned to them, and if they grow in grace it is in growth of the knowledge of their own helplessness. Any “good works” they do are polluted by their natural corruptions and are predestined.
To sum up, the Reformed “run with the foxes and hunt with the hounds” on predestination, while the Primitive Baptists rest in “what is to be will be.”
