Reprint of the original, first published in 1881.

England in the mid-seventeenth-century saw the emergence of numerous religious sects, one of which were the Calvinistic Baptists. During this revolutionary era this group was often accused of heresy by their Reformed contemporaries. At that time Hanserd Knollys, one of the key spokesmen for this body, was personally charged with holding heterodox beliefs, in particular, Antinomianism, Anabaptism and Fifth Monarchism. In addition, subsequent historians have been compelled to defend Knollys against the charge of hyper-Calvinism. All of these charges are serious, and consequently bring into question Knollys' basic orthodoxy. This book systematically examines each of these charges against Knollys by looking at them in their broader historical context, and then comprehensively examining them from Knollys' writings to determine if they are indeed valid. Along the way Knollys' soteriology, ecclesiology and eschatology receive vital and needed elucidation.

Hanserd Knollys (1609–91) was a godly pastor/leader and prolific writer among the early Calvinistic Baptists of the seventeenth century. His life and ministry demonstrated a heart for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Despite imprisonment and persecution, he preached the gospel continuously and asked nonbelievers to “open the door” of their hearts to Christ. As for believers, he exhorted them to worship God “in spirit and truth,” live holy lives in both “the form and power of godliness,” and prepare and watch for the imminent second coming of Christ. As his friend Thomas Harrison said, “He was a Preacher out of the Pulpit as well as in it.” It is hoped that this summary of his life and timeless message will spur believers to reach the world with the gospel.

Studies In Baptist History And ThoughtThe seventeenth century was a significant period in English history during which the people of England experienced unprecedented change and tumult in all spheres of life. At the same time, the importance of order and the traditional institutions of society were being reinforced. Hanserd Knollys, born during this pivotal period, personified in his life the ambiguity, tension, and paradox of it, openly seeking change while at the same time cautiously embracing order. As a founder and leader of the Particular Baptists in London, despite persecution and personal hardship, he played a pivotal role in helping shape their identity externally in society and internally, as they moved toward becoming more formalized by the close of the country.

Hanserd Knollys was an important and leading figure of the early Calvinistic Baptist movement in Great Britain in the seventeenth century. His spiritual and pastoral journey began with the Church of England, followed by a brief time in Congregationalism, and finally landing with the Particular Baptists. Knollys was an educated Baptist clergyman, having graduated from Cambridge University, who published over twenty-five works in his lifetime. Zealous for the Lord, previously published by Barry Howson and Dennis Bustin, allows the reader to get a glimpse of the man and his thought. This book, Christ Exalted, allows the reader to penetrate deeper into his thought by reading some of his more pastoral works. In addition, Knollys was taken up with the signs of the times and eschatology. Consequently, the final chapter of this book includes a chapter on his eschatological thought taken from six of his works that address this subject.