The Reign of Grace: From Its Rise to Its Consummation

The doctrine of sovereign grace is here maintained and handled in a practical manner. It has been my endeavor, in the following pages, not only to state and defend the capital truths of the gospel, in a doctrinal way; but also to point out their peculiar importance, as happily adapted to awaken the conscience, and comfort the heart; to elevate the affections, and influence the whole conduct in the way of holiness. However the doctrine of Reigning Grace may be decried as licentious, it is that very truth which God in all ages has delighted to honor; which the Divine Spirit has owned for the information and comfort, for the holiness and happiness of sinful men. Were I not fully persuaded of this, rather than appear as an advocate for it, I would condemn my tongue to everlasting silence, and my pen to perpetual rest.

Abraham Booth (1734-1806) was born at Blackwell in Derbyshire. On reaching his 24th year, he married Elizabeth Bowmar, a farmer’s daughter, and soon afterwards opened a school at Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. The preaching of some Baptists drew him to a sense of religion and in 1755 he was baptised by immersion. In 1760 Booth became superintendent of the Kirby Woodhouse congregation. Up to this time he had been a convinced Arminian. But now he changed his views for the doctrines held by Particular Baptists. He composed his work The Reign of Grace (here in abridged form) in 1768. Soon after its appearance, the Particular Baptist Church in Little Prescot Street, London, invited Booth to be their pastor. He was ordained there in 1769. He died in January 1806, having been a pastor for some 35 years. During his pastorate, an academy was founded, which is now in Oxford, known as the Regents Park College for ministerial training.