And what is the heresy of
Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the
Redeemer? Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will
discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there
is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless
we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism.
It is a nickname to
call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I
do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach
justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the
sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we
exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering
love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless
we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His
elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross;
nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after
they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in
the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such
a gospel I abhor.
- C. H. Spurgeon,
taken from sermon entitled, A Defense of Calvinism
