I Read With Much Interest and Pleasure

A selection from a letter by the Scottish Presbyterian professor, Thomas Chalmers, to John Ryland, Baptist pastor in Northampton, England. Chalmers was writing to express thanks to Ryland for sending him a copy of the book he had written on the life of Andrew Fuller and for a copy of a pamphlet he had written on Antinomianism. Many Calvinists were attracted to Antinomianism and Ryland's refutation of this dangerous, insipient error was greatly appreciated by Chalmers. The letter was written from Glasgow, February 18, 1818.

I can assure you that I read the latter ["Antinomianism"] with much interest and pleasure. It revived all my recollections of the excellent Jonathan Edwards, to whose principles on the subject of Freewill I have long been a decided convert. You have given a very clear and judicious exposition indeed, of the perfect consistency which obtains between the absolute sovereignty of God on the one hand, and the fitness of bringing forward the urgency of Gospel calls and Gospel invitations on the other. I trust that your performance will do much good. It reminds me of your conversation when I had the pleasure of meeting you at Bristol, and which I shall not soon forget. I feel greatly indebted to you for the question you proposed to put to him who said, "I have come unto Christ,"—"What have you gotten from Him?"

Letters of Thomas Chalmers, edited by William Hanna, first published 1853, reprinted by The Banner of Truth, 2007, p. 320.