Cayce's Debate Strategy Against Mission Baptists

Elder C. H. Cayce, the great champion debater for the "Primitive Baptist Church," often pressed Missionary Baptists and all others who believed 1) that one must have faith in the one true God and in the Messiah to be eternally saved, and 2) that faith is produced by the Spirit's use of the word and gospel of God, about whether those who die without hearing the gospel or word of God, or who were incapable of understanding and believing it, could be saved. Cayce knew that this was an Achilles heel for those who believe that the gospel is a means in the salvation of sinners and that faith by it is a condition thereto. 

Many of them did not want to "shell down the corn" and say "yes, all who die without hearing or believing the gospel are lost." Cayce knew that most of those who hold this view are reluctant to say that all the heathen who die without hearing the gospel are lost, and so when asked about that troubling question, many occupied the proverbial hot seat, squirmed, and tried to evade the question. Some will even go so far as to say that the heathen may be saved without the gospel, if they live up to the light they have, affirming that God's revelation in creation is enough to bring them to saving faith. This is the place Cayce wanted to push those of the means view, and he often succeeded; And, when his opponents admitted that people could be saved without faith, without hearing the word of God, he won the debate and made Hardshells of them. 

I have made several posts over the years pointing out how many people who believe that evangelical faith is necessary for salvation, when pressed on the fairness of God in sending to hell those who never had a chance to be saved (because they had not the word of God), begin to evade, squirm, and end up failing to answer the question. I have shown where well known bible teacher John Lennox refused to say that heathen who die without ever hearing the gospel or believing in the one true God and in Jesus would be lost. (See this post here) Dr. Leighton Flowers, another well known bible teacher, also allowed that many heathens would be saved even if they never heard the gospel, arguing that natural revelation was enough to produce saving faith. See this post (here). Dr. C.S. Lewis, a well known theologian of the past, wrote the following on this question (as cited by me here; highlighting mine):

“Here is [a matter] that used to puzzle me. Is it not frightfully unfair that this new life [in Christ] should be confined to people who have heard of Christ and been able to believe in Him? But the truth is God has not told us what His arrangements about the other people are. We do know that no man can be saved except through Christ; we do not know that only those who know Him can be saved through Him.” (C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Touchstone, 1996), 65.

Billy Graham has also made similar remarks. So too have many Catholics. They say this on the one hand, but then say that people must believe, repent, etc. to be saved, on the other hand. 

Dr. R.B.C. Howell, the second president of the Southern Baptist Convention, fought with the Hardshells in his day, especially in the 1830s through the 1850s, through his paper "The Baptist." He contended that no one would be saved apart from having faith in Christ and that hearing the gospel was a necessary means thereunto. See my post (here) that gives citations from Howell. This was the historic belief of Baptists as we will see shortly.

Cayce, in his debate with Elder I.N. Penick, a Missionary Baptist, in his editorial "Do You Mean It?" for November 21, 1911 in "The Primitive Baptist" wrote:

"First. “Whatever is essential as a gospel condition to salvation must be absolute, universal, indispensable and without “exception.” - J. H. Grimes, in Baptist Standard of April 25, 1907. 

Second. “The condition of salvation is faith in Christ.'' - J. A. Scarboro in “Geology,'' page 32. 

Third. Therefore, faith in Christ as an essential to salvation is absolute, universal, indispensable and without exception."

The two men Cayce cites are prominent Missionary Baptists. Grimes was a Calvinist and Penick was a moderate Calvinist. After giving these premises Cayce wrote:

"If faith in Christ, according to their own logic, their own argument, is an absolute essential to salvation and is universal and without exception, as the infant is unable to exercise faith in Christ, it absolutely, universally and without exception excludes the infants and leaves them out of salvation. You cannot reach the case of the infant with your plan of salvation."

"What is the conclusion? That no one can be saved unless he first has faith in Christ. And the brother has used the word faith all through this discussion in the sense of belief. Therefore, no one can be saved unless he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ."

Cayce then says of Penick's response to these arguments in their debate: "Did Elder Penick ever make any reply to these arguments? NOT ONE WORD." 

From the above we want to focus on several points. First, Cayce is denying that faith in Christ is a necessity for being saved. Second, Cayce seems to deny the definition of faith, that it involves "belief." Third, Cayce says that since infants cannot believe therefore faith is not necessary for anyone's salvation. Fourth, Cayce denies that one must hear the gospel to have faith or to be eternally saved.

In an article titled "Takes Exception" for May 14, 1912, Cayce wrote the following in "The Primitive Baptist":  

"Friend Nelson labors rather hard to prove that one must hear and believe in order to be saved eternally, but makes no effort at all to prove our contention untrue -- that if the heathen are sent to hell for not believing the gospel when they have never heard it, and they have not heard it because of the failure of those who have the gospel, then the wrong party is sent to hell. Perhaps the gentleman can tell us upon what principle of justice God will send the heathen to hell for not believing the gospel when they never had the opportunity of believing it. And perhaps the gentleman can tell us upon what principle of justice God will damn the heathen on this account, and at the same time save the man who has the gospel, believes the heathen are going to hell without it, and has the means to send it to them; but instead of using his means that way, spends the money going on a pleasure trip!" 

Cayce thinks that God's making salvation contingent upon a person hearing the Gospel or word of God is unjust if he does not make that Gospel available to every person. Ironically, this is also what many Arminians say when pressed on the question of whether God is just to send to Hell the heathen who never had a chance to be saved because they had not the gospel. Further, Cayce is wrong to say that God damns the ignorant heathen to Hell for their failing to believe the gospel they know nothing about, for in their case he does not condemn them for this reason, but because they are sinners and guilty before God. He also is upholding the view of his father and other Hardshells of his day that says there are no conditions for being eternally saved, echoing the Two Seed view that says nothing a person does in life determines whether he goes to heaven or hell.

Cayce wrote further:

"We have been trying to get some of their strong preachers and debaters to explain this. They have all failed, up to the present time, to make any attempt to do so. But perhaps the above gentleman can come to the relief of his brethren now and remove the difficulty for them." 

Though Cayce is not alive now, I will explain this to those "Primitive Baptists" today who follow Cayce's logic. In what follows will be the way I would have argued in rebuttal to all Cayce stated in the above citaions. 

Observation Number One

1. Can we just stick with what the Bible says and not make doctrine based upon our own carnal reasonings or private interpretations? Cayce gives no scripture that says faith is not essential for salvation. He relies on logical reasonings and human understanding, upon deductions, and yet we are told to "lean not upon your own understanding." (Prov. 3: 5) The Bible plainly says that the "unbelieving" shall "have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev. 21: 8); And, "If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (I Cor. 16: 22 kjv)

Observation Number Two

Cayce himself, like others in his day, taught that all the elect would hear the gospel preached directly by Jesus and be regenerated thereby. Let me give the proof for this statement from some of the leading "Primitive Baptist" apologists of his day. 

Elder Sylvester Hassell (1842-1928)

Hassell was a leader of the Hardshells in Cayce's day, editing the "Gospel Messenger" periodical, and he wrote the following in answer to the question - "Will any persons be saved unless the gospel is preached to them?" (emphasis mine)

"While it is true that the ministry is to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, as the Spirit of God may direct them, and as the providence of God may open the way to them, and it is the duty of other members to help them on their way after a godly sort, and those to whom they minister in spiritual things should minister to them in carnal things, as the Scripture teach, it is at the same time true that all the elect and redeemed people of God, both infants and adults, will be saved. (Psalm 33:12; Isa. 35:10; 45:17; 53:11; Jer. 31-34; Matt. 1:21; 11:25-27; 16:16,17; John 5:25; 6:37-40; 10:27-30; 17:1-3, 24; Rom. 8:28-39; I Cor. 1:26-31; 12:3; Eph. 1:1-14; I Pet. 1-5; Rev. 5:9,10). Jesus is the Great Preacher, and, by His omnipresent Spirit, He preaches His gospel savingly to His people (Isa. 61:1-3,10,11; Luke 4:16-30; Heb. 2:11,12; Psalm 110:3)." (Questions and Answers-Part 11)

Hassell affirms that all the Lord's people will have the gospel preached to them by Jesus and by the Spirit. 

Elder P. T. Oliphant (1848 - 1931)

Elder P. T. Oliphant, who also lived in the time of Cayce and Hassell, was a medical doctor and wrote the following under the title "Jesus Preaches To Souls Immediately By His Prophetic Office And Spirit" as quoted by David Pyles at his web page (here), 

"He does His own preaching to our souls, and He applies there our preaching...“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me preach the Gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted; to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18,19). Jesus is both preacher and physician jointly in office. Anointed and sent of the Lord God to preach and heal souls, of His prophetic office and power.

One says, Jesus is the great Preacher, and by His omnipotent Spirit, He preaches His Gospel savingly to His people. (Isa. 61:1 and Heb. 2:11,12 and Ps. 100:3). He preaches to souls internally when saving them. Then He makes His Gospel come to them not in words only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance...In the work of His office of Prophet of God, He teaches, intercedes and enlightens sinners with new life and wisdom of His Spirit. So He teaches them to know the Lord; opens their hearts like Lydia’s of old, so as to understand the Gospel and spiritual things. “Thy children shall all be taught of God.” “And they shall all know Me from the least to the greatest,” as teaching God effects by His Supreme Prophet, Jesus. Such teaching is not done by any other man. (125)

“He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself.” (Jno. 5:10). Hath the Prophet’s Spirit in His own heart to cause His belief. He does not and cannot believe without the witness in His own soul. “The Spirit itself (of our Prophet) beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the children of God.” (Rom. 8:16). This informs us that our heavenly Prophet assures and teaches us to know we are His sons, by His Spirit in our spirits. “Christ was put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, by which He went and preached to the spirits in prison when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah.” (Peter). He preached to spirits or souls. His Spirit in Noah preached 120 years as He does now both ways yet. Sinners were “captives” then of sin, satan and law, as sinners are now. By His Spirit He preached then to souls as He does now. He preaches to them “Deliverance, recovery of sight, and their year of Jubilee.”

Oliphant wrote more on this point but the above is sufficient to show that he agreed with what Hassell stated and in fact he seems to allude to what Hassell said (or vice versa) when he said "One says, Jesus is the great Preacher, and by His omnipotent Spirit, He preaches His Gospel savingly to His people." I suppose that the "one" he alludes to is Hassell. 

Elder C.H. Cayce (1871-1945)

"So, then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."--Verse 17.

"The word here is the speech of God. God speaks to the sinner who is dead in sins, and by the power of that speech the sinner is made alive in Christ, made alive from the dead..." (Cayce's Editorials, Volume 5, pages 123, 124)

In another editorial on 1 Peter 3:18-21 for October 23, 1906, Cayce wrote:

"By the same Spirit by which His body was quickened He went and preached unto the spirits in prison. This shows very clearly that there is a work upon spirit which is performed by the direct work of the Spirit. “And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.” - (Ephesians 2:17-18). There is a preaching, or a work, which Jesus does by His Spirit, or by the Holy Spirit. This work is what is also called regeneration. Through the work of Jesus, His offering, both Jews and Gentiles have access to the Father by one Spirit in the work of regeneration. The Holy Spirit makes the application of the blood of Christ in the work of regeneration."

If I were Penick I would --

use these citations against Cayce. Cayce says one does not have to hear the gospel to be saved or to have saving faith, but then contradicts that by saying that Christ preaches the gospel himself in his work of regenerating his elect. Further, if what Cayce, Hassell, and Oliphant said is true, then the gospel is preached to the dying infant, for he has said that Jesus preaches the gospel and word of God in every case of regeneration. It seems that what Cayce is fighting is the view that Jesus or the Spirit is able to do this preaching through preachers like Paul. Yet, in the citation above from Oliphant, Oliphant says that Jesus "preached to spirits or souls" and "His Spirit in Noah preached 120 years as He does now both ways yet." Further, in the text Cayce cited from Ephesians 2: 17-18 where Paul says that Christ "came and preached peace to you who were afar off," Cayce thinks that Paul meant that Jesus personally came and preached the gospel to the Gentiles in Ephesus and by that preaching regenerated them, and yet it is clear that Jesus came and preached through the preachers he sent, as Oliphant stated. 

Cayce called into question the justice of God, as do some Arminians, in his not making it possible for every person to hear the gospel. But, what about his own problem in this regard? Since he says that Jesus preaches the gospel to every heathen he intends to regenerate, then why does he not say that God is unjust in not preaching the gospel to everyone? 

Further, Cayce is arguing against the proposition that men must hear the gospel and believe it in order to be eternally saved and yet he believes that they must hear it to be saved! Also, his argument about how the gospel cannot be a means of salvation because infants cannot hear and believe, contradicts his own view! Is God not able to make the infant hear and believe, I would ask Cayce. Did he not make John the Baptist hear the good news of the conception of the Messiah, while in his mother's womb, and leap for joy? In the citation above from Hassell, he in fact mentions "both infants and adults" as being saved by the personal preaching of Jesus.

Another point I would have made against what Cayce was arguing about how sinners are saved, and about the case of the heathen who die without hearing the gospel, is to show that Cayce goes against the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith which he and his brethren endorsed in the Fulton Convention of Primitive Baptists in the year 1900 and against what men such as John Gill believed, a man who they uphold as believing as they do. Cayce was one of the fifty one elders who attended that convention.

Here is what the London and Philadelphia Confessions say about the state of the heathen.

Chapter 20: Of the Gospel, and of the Extent of the Grace Thereof 1._The covenant of works being broken by sin, and made unprofitable unto life, God was pleased to give forth the promise of Christ, the seed of the woman, as the means of calling the elect, and begetting in them faith and repentance; in this promise the gospel, as to the substance of it, was revealed, and [is] therein effectual for the conversion and salvation of sinners. ( Genesis 3:15; Revelation 13:8 )

2. _This promise of Christ, and salvation by him, is revealed only by the Word of God; neither do the works of creation or providence, with the light of nature, make discovery of Christ, or of grace by him, so much as in a general or obscure way; much less that men destitute of the revelation of Him by the promise or gospel, should be enabled thereby to attain saving faith or repentance. ( Romans 1:17; Romans 10:14,15,17; Proverbs 29:18; Isaiah 25:7; Isaiah 60:2, 3 )

3. _The revelation of the gospel unto sinners, made in divers times and by sundry parts, with the addition of promises and precepts for the obedience required therein, as to the nations and persons to whom it is granted, is merely of the sovereign will and good pleasure of God; not being annexed by virtue of any promise to the due improvement of men's natural abilities, by virtue of common light received without it, which none ever did make, or can do so; and therefore in all ages, the preaching of the gospel has been granted unto persons and nations, as to the extent or straitening of it, in great variety, according to the counsel of the will of God. ( Psalms 147:20; Acts 16:7; Romans 1:18-32 )

4. _Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life; without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God. ( Psalms 110:3; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 1:19, 20; John 6:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4, 6 )

Dr. John Gill in his writing titled "Of the State and Case of the Heathens" (Read here) wrote:

"We also know of no such covenant made with, nor of any tender of it, nor of any publication of it to the heathen world; but rather, that all that are destitute of revelation, are strangers to the covenant of promise (Eph. 2:12), which passage likewise acquaints us, that such as are without the knowledge of Christ, and God in Christ, are without hope; and that such who live and die so, have no good ground of hope of eternal life and salvation; which plainly points out the state and case of the heathens, and leaves us at no great uncertainty about it..."

"...and from the words themselves, that believing is absolutely requisite to coming to him; not only that he exists, but that he is, in Christ, a God gracious and merciful, and a rewarder, in a way of grace, of all them that diligently seek him in his Son, in whom only he is to be so found. And since heathens are without any knowledge of him or faith in him, as such; for, how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? (Rom. 10:14). It follows, that this passage of Scripture proves the reverse of what it is brought for; namely, that it is impossible for heathens to come to God aright, to serve him acceptably; or to do what is well-pleasing to him, because they are destitute of faith; and whatsoever, is not of faith, is sin (Rom. 14:23)."

So, this is how Penick should have responded. 

I have written on the question of whether God was just and fair in his not making the gospel or word of God available to every person in this post (here). In it I wrote:

If God gives faith, or any other gift, to a person, then obviously he chose to give it before he actually gave it. If a person has faith, God purposed to give it to that person before that person ever existed, yea, even before the foundation of the world. Did God first choose Jacob as a person and then, based upon that choice, chose to give him all the means of salvation? As we have before stated, many millions of people since the beginning of the world have never had the means of salvation, which is the gospel or word of God. Paul said that people cannot believe in the one true God or in Jesus unless they first hear about God and his Son Jesus, concluding that "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God." (Rom. 10: 17) Anyone therefore who has been chosen to salvation by God before he or she was born would certainly be, by God's will and working, brought to hear the gospel and given all the necessary means of salvation. And, it is certain that God has the power to make it possible for everyone to hear the gospel. He could appear to everyone and personally teach it. He could send an angel to every human being. In fact this is what will actually happen in the time of the world's last generation before the second coming of Christ. John writes:

"Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people." (Rev. 14: 6 nkjv)

So, if God wanted to insure that every person heard the word and gospel of God and had opportunity thereby to become God's chosen and to be saved, he surely could make it happen. But, he has not made it happen and so many people have died without ever knowing about the one true God or in Jesus Christ.

If Cayce, Hassell, and Oliphant are correct, then no Hardshell today should say that hearing and believing the gospel are not necessary for being regenerated or eternally saved. What they need to do, however, is to see that Christ does preach through his ministers. In fact, though Cayce says that the hearing of the gospel in Romans chapter ten was the direct preaching of Jesus himself, what he called "the speech of God," Paul had a different view for he identifies the ones doing the preaching as "preachers" in the plural. Wrote Paul: 

"8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 14 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."

The preaching that saves is the preaching done by the preachers God sends. What they preach is the word and gospel of God. 

Cayce also argued, from the passage in Ezekiel about God's judgment on those watchmen who fail to warn the wicked to save them, that Penick and his brethren who do not support missionaries as much as they should, ought to be the ones who God sends to hell. Well, they certainly did more than Cayce and the Hardshells! So, maybe, instead of criticizing those who were supporting preachers in their missionary journeys he should have looked at his own case and that of his Hardshell brothers. 

Further, if Jesus is now appearing in person to the elect in heathen lands and preaching to them the gospel, then there is no need for any preacher to go to the heathen. After all, who can preach better than Jesus? Also, if Christ preaches the gospel himself in the work of regeneration, why does he not continue to preach to the elect after regeneration?

Cayce also wrote:

"A saving knowledge and faith in Christ does not come through the gospel; but one must have that before he can be reached through the gospel. God does not reach them in the work of regeneration though preaching. If He does, then that involves the idea that their eternal salvation is conditional."   (Cayce's Editoria Writings, Volume 6, page 176)

Sylvester Hassell, however, wrote a contrary view:

"All the unconditional spiritual promises of God, from the beginning to the end of the Scriptures, engage to work in His people all the conditions of the conditional promises, and thus ensure their salvation (Gen. iii. 15; xii. 3; 2 Sam. xxiii. 5; Psalm cx. 3; Isa. xxvii. 13; xxxv. 10; xlii. 16; xlv. 17; liii.-lv.; Jer. xxxi. 33-37; Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27; xxxvii. 1-14; Zech. xii. 10-14; xiii. 1, 7-9; Matt. i. 21; xxv. 34; John vi. 37-40; x. 15, 27-30; xvii. 2, 3, 24; Acts xiii. 48; Rom. v. 19-21; viii. 28-39; Eph. i.-iii.; 2 Thess. 13, 14; 2 Tim. i. 9, 10; 1 Pet. i., ii.; 1 John v. 11, 12; Rev. i. 5, 6; xxi. 27)."  ("Interpreting the Scriptures-The Error of Conditionalism" by Sylvester Hassell, The Gospel Messenger—September, 1894 - See here)

How could Cayce deny that salvation is conditional upon hearing and believing the gospel when he contends for the same truth when he says that Jesus preaches the gospel to all the elect as a means in their regeneration?

Two Seed Baptist Ideology (LVI)

Elder C.H. Cayce

1871-1945

In this chapter we will give some of the things that the above elder wrote in his paper "The Primitive Baptist" about Two Seedism. It is therefore necessary for me to give some background information on him. He was the son of Elder S.F. Cayce who began the "The Primitive Baptist" periodical in 1886. According to the book "Biographical History of Primitive or Old School Baptist Ministers in the United States..." (You can read here) he was born in 1850 and died in 1905. You can also see a picture of him in that book. Though he was born in Kentucky, he became a resident of Martin, Tennessee and died in McMinville, Tennessee while preaching at an association there. 

He joined the "Primitive Baptist Church" in 1866 and was ordained an elder in 1878. It also mentions that he was engaged in many debates with others. The "Primitive Baptist Library" has a web page that lists many of S.F. Cayce's debates (here). I find it interesting that one of those debates was with Dr. W.P. Throgmorton in 1896. Throgmorton held several debates with the Hardshell Baptists. In 1878 he held his first debate with Elder Lemuel Potter, of whom we have already been citing. Potter and Throgmorton actually held another debate in 1887. Throgmorton would also have a debate with Elder John R. Daily, and perhaps more than one, and perhaps with other Hardshells. 

In S.F. Cayce's first debate with Throgmorton Cayce affirmed that eternal salvation was unconditional, that a person did not have to do anything to be saved, which echoes the Two Seed proposition that says that nothing a person does in his life determines whether he goes to heaven or hell. 

Elder S. F. Cayce met Elder Lee Jackson (a Campbellite) in a public debate at Lafayette Springs, Mississippi, in November 1895. The first proposition was: "The eternal salvation of sinners, as set forth in the Scriptures, is the work of God, independent of any conditions to be performed by man." In support of this proposition Elder S. F. Cayce gave thirty-six affirmative arguments. I give these thirty six arguments in this blog post (here) and give my rebuttal to them. 

I find it quite interesting that Elder S.F. Cayce named his periodical "The Primitive Baptist." The first paper by that name, as we have seen in previous chapters, was begun in January 1836 and ceased in 1879. It was at first edited by Elder Mark Bennett and supported by Elder Joshua Lawrence and the Kehukee Association. Those who supported it were believers in God's use of the means of gospel preaching to give birth to children of God. Bennett later left the "Primitive Baptists" and became a Missionary Baptist. He even held debates with Elder Grigg Thompson, who we have cited much from in previous chapters, after he left the Hardshells, about supporting missionaries. See these posts about that (here, here). Elder Lawrence believed in means and wrote against Two Seedism, as we saw in previous chapters. You can find articles about Lawrence and his views on means (here, here, here). In the first of these I cited from the 1838 issue of "The Primitive Baptist" where Lawrence wrote the following about the parable of the soils: 

"The first parable showeth the effect of the gospel preached by the Son of man with its effect on different persons, compared to the way side, stony ground, thorn, and good ground hearers; which showeth that three-fourths of his gospel preaching is lost, as only the good ground hearers bro't fruit. And this is true under the preaching of all his ministers, as well as his. So then the field in the first parable is the world, in which the gospel or word is preached; the field, in the second parable, is the world, in which the effects of the preaching of that gospel on good ground hearers produces the children of his kingdom. Hence it is said, born not of flesh, blood, or will of men; but of the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever. And again: I have beggotten you through the gospel..." (pg. 306)

"Although Christians are sons and daughters of God, yet they are not begotten of a woman; but through the gospel by the same Spirit that begot the body of Christ by Mary; therefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren." (pg. 310)

In my series "What The First Hardshells Believed" I cited much from this periodical to show that the first "Primitive Baptist" periodical believed in means and in the perseverance of the saints, two doctrines that would be denied by S.F. Cayce and his son C.H. Cayce and such denial was one of the foundational beliefs of the latter "Primitive Baptist" periodical. This post will give you links to many of the posts in that series (here).

So, what can we deduce by Elder S.F. Cayce naming his paper "The Primitive Baptist"? The first periodical by that name ended in 1879 and Cayce's periodical began in 1886. Surely he wanted to give the impression that he was carrying on the principles of the first periodical. However, that was a farce, for in his denial that people had to do anything to be saved, and his denial that God uses the means of his word or gospel in begetting children, and in his denial of the perseverance of the saints, and his denial of the predestination of all things, he was not continuing the views of the former periodical. This was deceitful and what Elder Watson called "serpentine." 

I also find that the year 1879 was an important date in the history of the Hardshell Baptists. Not only did the first "Primitive Baptist" publication cease, but so too did the "Primitive Baptist" publication "The Baptist Watchman" cease about that time. Elder R.W. Fain was an associate of Elder John M. Watson of whom we have cited much in previous chapters. We have also mentioned Elder Fain and his opposition to Two Seedism. Elder Fain, says the Primitive Baptist Library (here), began the periodical "Herald of Truth" in 1858, and was the paper Elder Watson recommended as the place to debate the issues involved in Two Seedism in his book "The Old Baptist Test." 

Elder Fain was also a physician as Dr. Watson in middle Tennessee. Another Elder and physician who was an editor of the Baptist Watchman was Elder J.B. Stephens. The older "Primitive Baptist" periodical generally supported means, so did elders Watson, Fain, and Stephens, and the Baptist Watchman. So, by the end of the 1870s we have the older periodicals that supported the means view going out of existence and being replaced by periodicals that embraced a denial of means, denied that a person had to do anything to be saved, all Two Seed ideas. Recall also how in former chapters I cited from the 1879 minutes of the Powell Valley Association of Primitive Baptists which said: 

"We as an association advise our sister churches to have no fellowship with what is generally known as the two-Seed Heresy or those who teach the doctrine of an Eternally damned or Eternally Justified outside of the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God and teach that the unbeliever is no subject of gospel address. We believe that God makes use of the Gospel as a means of calling his Elect and this means is the work of the Spirit in the church."  (See my post here)

Also, Elder John Clark, a first generation leader of the newly formed "Primitive Baptist" church and an opposer of Beebe and his Two Seed views, and who started his paper "Zion's Advocate" in 1854 out of Luray, Virginia, was a believer in means, and he died in 1882. After his death Hardshell elders who denied means took over the editorship. (See these posts about what Clark said about means -- here, here)

Two leading elders of the "Primitive Baptist Church" who lived in the time when that denomination was created were elders John M. Watson and Hosea Preslar. In previous chapters I have cited from both of them as they were opponents of Two Seedism and both stated what were the tenets of Two Seedism. In my post titled "Elder Hosea Preslar & Watson" (See here) I cited from Preslar's book "Thoughts on Divine Providence" where he wrote the following about the beliefs of Two Seeders:

"And as to their views of the use and design of the gospel being for nothing but for the edification of the Church, and believers being the only subjects of gospel address, I believe it not." (Page 186)

Preslar however believed what had been the historic teaching of his Baptist forefathers, that the gospel "is moreover to be for a witness unto all nations; Matt. 24: 14; and for the awakening of sinners, who are dead in trespasses and in sin." (page 187)

He goes further (same page), saying this about Two Seed beliefs:

"But some object to these ideas and say all this is the work of the spirit of God; and the gospel has nothing to do with it. Ah, a gospel without a spirit! Well, God save me from a gospel that has not His spirit. God says His word is quick and powerful, and He says by Peter, This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you; I Peter 1: 25. And as to the subjects of Gospel address, it is to every creature the disciples were commanded to preach the gospel; and Paul said, Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, etc.; Col. 1: 28. So we see that their idea on that point is false as the balance, and we will now give their last, but not least error a passing notice."

In another post titled "Elder Preslar on Two Seedism" (See here) he gave a list of the erroneous beliefs of Two Seeders, and one of them was given as follows:

"Sixthly: That the gospel never was designed for anything else, but for the edification of the body of Christ, and that believers are the only subjects of gospel address."  (Page 184)

"And as to their views of the use and design of the gospel being for nothing but for the edification of the Church, and believers being the only subjects of gospel address, I believe it not." (Page 186)

"But some object to these ideas and say all this is the work of the spirit of God; and the gospel has nothing to do with it. Ah, a gospel without a spirit! Well, God save me from a gospel that has not His spirit. God says His word is quick and powerful, and He says by Peter, This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you; I Peter 1: 25. And as to the subjects of Gospel address, it is to every creature the disciples were commanded to preach the gospel; and Paul said, Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, etc.; Col. 1: 28. So we see that their idea on that point is false as the balance, and we will now give their last, but not least error a passing notice."  (pg. 187)

Watson in his book "Old Baptist Test," of which we have cited from much already, also identified the no means view with Two Seeders, and the view that says that the gospel is only to be preached to the elect or those already regenerated. He certainly did not believe, as S.F. Cayce, that there were no conditions for being saved, which was a Two Seed tenet. He wrote (as cited by me here) the following from the above book, first published in 1858:

"The reader should be reminded that there is a difference between the conditions of the first covenant under the law, and those of the Gospel under the second, or new covenant, Heb. 8: 9, 19...The condition, do and live was performed by Christ, and the benefits of it are enjoyed by faith, and by our compliance with it; for by nature we are morally unable to do so." (page 355)

Next Watson cites Perkins:

"William Perkins writes equally as clear on this subject as follows: "In the covenant of grace, two things must be considered, the substance thereof, and the condition. The substance of the covenant is, that righteousness and life everlasting is given to God's people by Christ. The condition is, that we for our part are by faith to receive the aforesaid benefits; and this condition is by grace as well as the substance." And no less in point is the following: "He freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator and life and salvation by Him, and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in Him, nourisheth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect to work in them that faith with all other saving graces, and to enable them to all holy obedience of the truth of their faith."

"So that the subject of the conditions of the Gospel, which have been confounded by many with those of the law and have given rise to so many Arminian errors, admits of a very satisfactory exposition. The Lord did not under the first covenant, promise to give grace to the fallen sinner to enable him to keep the whole law, that being the condition of justification and life; but under the new covenant it was both promised and given." (page 356)

"Means admit of a similar exposition. The Lord has gone out before us also in them. He not only gave us His Gospel, but ordained means by which it would become savingly efficacious to all His chosen. Isa. 55: 11...So we may say of Gospel means, without the power of God they never prevail over the hearts of sinners; but means in His power, whether great or small, in our estimation, are always efficacious. He derives no strength or advantage from them as adjuncts to His work. He employs them because it is His will to do so. Eph. 1: 11." (page 357)

"Paul, however, does not affirm, like some of our modern innovators, that means or instrumentalities are not employed by the Lord in the divine plan of salvation; for he asks: "How shall they hear without a preacher?" (pages 399-400)

So, here are three witnesses that show that the belief that 1) there are no conditions for being eternally saved and that 2) the gospel or word of God is no means in saving sinners from eternal condemnation, are tenets of Two Seedism. Watson called these two tenets "innovations" and their proponents "ultraists," "modern innovators," and "antinomians." He wrote the following in "The Old Baptist Test" about the Two Seeders:

"Some of our ultraists are occasionally heard to say, in our pulpits, that they have no authority to preach to sinners, and they seem to glory in their fancied exemption. Nothing appears to give them greater offence, or savors more of Arminianism with them, than for sinners to be exhorted to repent!" ("Old Baptist Test," pages 327, 328)

"The Antinomian will not regard any thing in the light of means, and in his doctrine will not allow even the Lord to employ them, says that the Lord is not dependent on means, and can do all His work without them. Now, the truth is, had it been the will or the way of the Lord, He could have breathed upon the dry bones as well without the prophesying of the prophet as with it, and could have given repentance to John's converts, or to Paul's, without their preaching; but their preaching to such, even to those dead in trespasses and sins, had been included in the divine plan, and it needs must be done, let it be termed means, the will or way of the Lord, as you please." (pages 327-28)

"Paul, however, does not affirm, like some of our modern innovators, that means or instrumentalities are not employed by the Lord in the divine plan of salvation; for he asks: "How shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom. 10: 14. Paul, it is true, preached the Gospel in word only, while the election of God was manifested in the power and assurance of the Holy Spirit imparted to his words; when received by the elect which apart from that power and assurance would have been received in word only, as it really was by others not embraced in the divine election. I Thess. 1: 4." ("Old Baptist Test," pages 399, 400)

Elder C.H. Cayce on Two Seedism

Prior to the death of the senior Cayce, Elder Claud Cayce began to have his first debates, and before his death in 1945 had engaged in more debates than all other Hardshells combined. I have read somewhere that he had over three hundred debates. He also took over the editorship of the "Primitive Baptist" after the death of his father, a death that Claud said brought him great grief. By Claud's influence he made his periodical one of the most, if not the most, influential and widely read periodical of his day. Claud also was born in Kentucky as his father, but joined the "Primitive Baptist" church in Martin, Tennessee in 1889. He also traveled extensively through many states. He later moved to Thorton, Arkansas. 

Back in the mid 1970s I went to Thorton, Arkansas with my father and with Elder Harold Hunt and visited with Claud's son Hartsel. I was amazed by the large library that was located in the printing office. Hartsel became editor of the "Primitive Baptist" after the death of Claud, and Hartsel passed away in 2015. Father (Elder Eddie K. Garrett, Sr.) and I got to preach in some of the churches where Claud Cayce preached. We spent time in the home of Hartsel Cayce and he was a good humble man. 

As we will see, though S.F. and Claud Cayce opposed Two Seedism, yet they promoted several of the leading tenets of Two Seedism, as do most "Primitive Baptists" today, with some exceptions. They denied God used the means of his word in the regeneration or eternal salvation of sinners, and affirmed that nothing a person did in life determined whether he went to heaven or hell (or unconditional salvation), another Two Seed tenet, as we have previously shown, and from these views he, like his brethren, had to throw away any belief in the perseverance of the saints. 

In my post titled "Effects Arising From Denying Means" (here) I cited from Cayce's Editorials for October 10th, 1905 where Elder C.H. Cayce wrote the following under the article titled "Our Works Endorsed" wherein he wrote:

"The Forked Deer Association met with the church at Flowers Chapel, near Rutherford, Gibson county, Tenn., on Friday before the second Sunday in September, 1905. Elder John Grist, of Friendship, Tenn., was moderator, and L. J. Law, Trenton, Tenn., was clerk. The following appears in their minutes as the third and fourth items of their business on Saturday:

By motion and second, agreed that we adopt as the sense of this association the action of five of our churches as expressed in their letters, that we declare non-fellowship for the idea of a federal form of government, that the commission was given to the church and not to the apostles or ministry, that it is the duty of the ministry to admonish the alien sinner to repent and believe the gospel, and against affiliation in and with secret institutions."

These views were Two Seed tenets and are the views of most of those today who call themselves "Primitive Baptists" and yet they want others to believe that they no longer have fellowship with Two Seedism.

In the next chapter we will continue to look at what Elder C.H. Cayce had to say about the beliefs of the Two Seed Primitive Baptists.

Prevenient Grace (4)

Common operations of the Spirit, for Puritans, refer to the Holy Spirit's temporary or superficial work on the hearts of unregenerate people. Unlike special saving grace, these operations restrain sin, convict conscience, enlighten the mind, and enable superficial obedience. They are often preparatory, bringing sinners to fear punishment or experience emotional, non-saving convictions. These common operations may easily be called common or prevenient grace. Puritans emphasized that these operations do not regenerate nor save. A person might experience them, such as fearing hell or conviction of sin, and feeling deep guilt, and yet remain unregenerate. 

The Spirit may enlighten the mind of an unbeliever to understand many truths of Scripture and even produce "pangs of conscience" and yet he remains aloof from Christ. Puritan preachers often described these as "beginnings of compunction" or a "ministry of the law," which can lead a person to seek God, even if they do not lead to actual salvation.

God’s Word teaches the doctrine of irresistible grace, but it also teaches that there is resistible grace, as we have previously stated. It teaches that there is common grace and special grace that is always effectual. It teaches that there are degrees of grace (Eph. 4: 7; etc.), and that some effects require abundance of grace. (Rom. 5: 17) Regarding these things we will have more to say, but first let us return to reviewing things the Puritan Calvinist John Owen wrote on this subject.

In "Conviction of Sin Before Conversion" by John Owen under "Several Practical Cases of Conscience Resolved" (Available here), Discourse One, page four, wrote (emphasis mine):

"QUESTION. To what extent should I be convicted of my sin and guilt before I may turn to Jesus Christ to find salvation?"

For, seeing conviction is so indispensably necessary, some may say, "It hath not been thus and thus with me,—according as hath been declared." Therefore, I would only show what I judge to be so necessary, as that without it a soul cannot be supposed sincerely to have closed with Christ. And we having all made our profession of choosing and closing with Christ, as I would be loath to say any thing that might discourage any, lest they should have failed in the very necessary work of conviction; so I would not betray the truth of God, nor the souls of any."

By the words "closed with Christ" he means the result of all these preparatory works of God which is the salvation of the soul. Many of the authors of the 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith spoke of sinners "closing with Christ." It denotes the time when the sinner and Christ covenant with each other, as in a marriage union, and when they become one. It is when the convicted sinner is fully drawn to Christ and surrenders all to him. Notice also how Owen speaks of the "very necessary work of conviction." This is of course an example of prevenient grace. We need to be careful, however, of going to extremes in regard to this. 

Very young children may truly come to Christ and be saved even though they have not felt severe pangs of conscience over sin as have adults who have spent years in sin. We must also keep in mind that even in conviction there is some degree of faith, for there is belief that one is a sinner before God. But, this faith is not yet saving faith for it has not yet fixed itself on Christ and his atoning blood, there being not yet "faith in his blood" for "propitiation." (Rom. 3:25) Remember that "even the demons believe and tremble" and yet are not saved. (James 2: 19) One said to Jesus "I know who you are--the Holy One of God." (Mark 1: 24) There are those shallow superficial believers described in the parable of the soils who "believed for awhile and then fell away" when trials and persecution come because they "have no root in themselves." (Luke 8: 13) Their faith is not sincere nor genuine. 

Owen wrote further:

"Therefore, I shall place it upon this: What Jesus Christ doth indispensably call men unto, in order to believing in him, that is indispensably required of them. And this I shall manifest out of two or three places of Scripture:—Mark 2:17, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." Now, this calling them unto repentance, is a calling them unto it by the faith which is in him...What is the conclusion? "Lost sinners," saith Christ, "this is that I require of you." So that this is what I assert to be indispensably necessary,—namely, that they are so far convinced that they are sinners as to state and course, that they are not righteous in themselves, and can have no righteousness in themselves. I say, therefore, when a person is not really convinced that he is not righteous, he is not under the call of Jesus Christ; and if he doth believe this, he is under a sovereign dispensation, and let not such despond."

On this point we have already spoken in the previous chapter. This conviction that a person is a justly condemned sinner is the result of the working of both the Father and the Spirit. It is the result of the Father's teaching and drawing, as Jesus said: "everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me" (John 6: 45); And of the Holy Spirit he said, "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." (John 16: 8-11 nkjv) Whether all are drawn by the Father, or only the elect, is a question we will address later, along with the question as to when a person is born again, whether it was when drawn and taught, or afterward when he comes to Christ. The point now is to show that there are things that God does in the hearts and minds of lost sinners before they are given spiritual life out of spiritual death. 

Owen continued:

"Another direction of Christ is, “They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick,” Matt. ix. 12...Now, these things I do account indispensably necessary, antecedently to believing, as to the substance of them. And this, I hope, hath been found in all our souls. And if we have obtained so far, we need not then question whether our closing with Christ be sincere or not. This is all that I dare assert to be absolutely and indispensably necessary. Many pretend to believe, though they never were convinced thoroughly that they were not righteous, — never were sick in their lives, — never had fears that they should die. These are contrary to the express rule Christ hath given, “I came not to call the righteous, but sinners;” — not those that say, “There is hope,” but those that say, “There is no hope.""

As we have said, being awakened nearly always precedes being saved or born again. Further, as we will see, some enlightenment is also experienced in this awakening.

In "The Spirit’s Work of Conviction through the Conscience of a Sinner" (See here) Owen wrote:

"The work of conviction of sin on those who expected it not, who desired it not, and who would avoid it if by any means possible they could. The world is filled with instances of this nature. While men have been full of love to their sins, at peace in them, enjoying benefit and advantage by them, the word coming upon them in its power has awed, disquieted, and terrified them, taken away their peace, destroyed their hopes, and made them, as it were, whether they would or not—that is, contrary to their desires, inclinations, and carnal affections—to conclude that if they comply not with what is proposed unto them in that word, which before they took no notice of nor had any regard unto, they must be presently or eternally miserable."

As a Calvinist I have, in my discussions with Arminians and Pelagians about "free will" and "irresistible grace," mentioned that God convicts sinners of their sinful and condemned state without the sinner's permission or choice. I have pointed this out because of the objection that says "God does not force or compel anyone to believe or convert." I ask them -- "does God force or compel people when convincing them of sin?" Of course, God does not force in one sense, meaning he does not compel a sinner apart from making the sinner willing. Owen, in the above words, mentions the fact that God convicts sinners of sin even when they did not expect it nor desired it. This happened in the case of the apostle Paul on the Damascus road. He was forced to acknowledge that Christ was indeed the Messiah and Son of God. Further, in the day of judgment "every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord" and this is because they are forced or compelled to do so. (Rom. 14: 11; Phil. 2: 10-11)

That people may experience conviction of sin and yet remain degenerate is seen in several cases in the bible. However, let us notice a couple of them.

The case of Felix

"And after certain days, when Felix came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul, and heard him concerning the faith in Christ. And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." (Acts 24: 24-25 kjv)

Felix was a very wicked man and never became a Christian. Yet, under the powerful preaching of the apostle Paul about the "judgment to come" this king was made to fear and tremble. We see how the gospel is "the power of God unto salvation." By this power Felix was made to fear being judged for his lack of righteousness. Felix, for a moment, experienced an awakening, and the thought that what Paul was saying may be true. However, as Jesus taught in the parable of the soils and seed, the seed of truth fell on wayside ground so that the birds of the air (symbolizing Satan) came and devoured the seed. ("Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved"; Luke 8: 12 nkjv) This is what happened to Felix. Still, it was a fact that God was gracious to Felix in having the seed of the gospel broadcast to his heart and mind and given an opportunity to be saved. 

Felix trembling from fear of divine judgment was no evidence of salvation as many of the Hardshell Baptists teach. The demons believe in God's existence and tremble with fear. (James 2: 19) Wrote Isaiah: "The sinners in Zion are afraid; Fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: “Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?” (Isa. 33: 14 nkjv) Even lost sinners when under conviction of sin may realize that "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." (He. 10: 31) Sadly, however, these thoughts are quickly pushed out of the mind and never lead to repentance. 

Some preachers, especially some Calvinists, believe that it is wrong to "hell scare" sinners into a decision for Christ. However, that is unbiblical. In fact, I wish more lost and hardened sinners were even more afraid of coming judgment. So too did the apostle Paul who wrote:

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men..." (II Cor. 5: 10-11 nkjv)

On this text Spurgeon said the following in his sermon (See here) on the text "persuading them concerning Jesus" (Acts 28: 23):

"But are we right trying to persuade men? Are not human hearts too hard to be broken by so feeble a hammer as our persuasion? Yes, I most solemnly believe they are: but that is not the question. “What is the use of persuading them, if you know that they will not be won by your persuasion in and of itself?” Well, brethren, I feel safe in doing what Paul did. I will not stop to solve difficulties, but merely say, Paul persuaded, and so will I. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.” “Oh,” says one, “we may persuade awakened sinners, but not dead sinners!” But I reply that Paul persuaded these chief men of the Jews, some of whom never believed in Jesus, for their hearts were gross, and their eyes were blinded. Paul persuaded them, though they were judicially blinded. He knew that they were living men, and that they were possessed of reason, even though they had no grace; and so he appealed to what remained in them, and he persuaded them. Again I say, I will do what Paul did. But I know, as Paul also knew, that all the human persuasion in the world will fall short of the mark without divine power. I never dreamed that my persuasion was of the slightest avail without the Holy Ghost." (emphasis mine)

Dr. Barnes in his commentary wrote:

"We persuade men - We endeavor to persuade them to flee from the wrath to come; to be prepared to stand before the judgment-seat, and to be suited to enter into heaven. Observe here the uniqueness of the statement. It is not, we drive people; or we endeavor to alarm people; or we frighten people; or we appeal merely to their fears, but it is, we persuade people, we endeavor to induce them by all the arts of persuasion and argument to flee from the wrath to come. The future judgment, and the scenes of future woe, are not proper topics for mere declamation. To declaim constantly on hell-fire and perdition; to appeal merely to the fears of people, is not the way in which Paul and the Saviour preached the gospel. The knowledge that there would be a judgment, and that the wicked would be sent to hell, was a powerful motive for Paul to endeavor to "persuade" people to escape from wrath, and was a motive for the Saviour to weep over Jerusalem, and to lament its folly, and its doom; Luke 19:41. But they who fill their sermons with the denunciations of wrath; who dwell on the words "hell" and "damnation," for the purpose of rhetoric or declamation, to round a period, or merely to excite alarm; and who "deal damnation around the land" as if they rejoiced that people were to be condemned, and in a tone and manner as if they would be pleased to execute it, have yet to learn the true nature of the way to win people to God, and the proper effect of those awful truths on the mind."

I can agree with what Barnes here says but would call attention to his frequent use of the word "mere" or "merely." I also agree that there is a way to provoke or teach people to fear the Lord (Psalm 34: 11), which is a good thing, yea "the beginning of wisdom" (Prov. 9: 10), but that it may be done in the wrong way and in a wrong spirit. However, that does not mean that it is always wrong for preachers to put people in fear of coming judgment. I am sure that this is what the apostle Paul means in the above text. Further, what is wrong with sounding the alarm to sinners in view of coming judgment? So we read such verses as this:

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, And sound an alarm in My holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming, For it is at hand." (Joel 2: 1 nkjv)

Noah, when being warned about the coming judgment of God upon the world, was "moved with fear" and acted to build the ark as God commanded. (Heb. 11: 7) So sinners should be moved with fear of coming judgment and turn to God and "flee from the wrath to come." (Matt. 3: 7)

Spurgeon in a sermon on Felix (1858) said:

"But I take it that conscience of itself is so thoroughly corrupt, together with all the other powers of manhood, that it would never even make a man go so far as trembling, if there were not something at work upon the conscience, besides being left to its own natural force. My brethren, I believe that what some people call natural conviction is, after all, the work of the Spirit. Some very profound divines are so fond of the doctrine that the Holy Spirit always works efficaciously, that they think that the Spirit never can work a transitory emotion in a man’s soul; they impute such things to conscience. And if they see a man like Felix trembling, they say ’tis all natural conscience! Now, do they not see that they are in this touching on another doctrine equally dear to them—the doctrine of total depravity?—for if men be totally depraved by nature, then as trembling is a good thing, they are not capable even of that without some influence of the Holy Spirit. The fact is, my hearers, the Holy Spirit works in two ways. In some men’s hearts he works with restraining Grace only, and the restraining Grace, though it will not save them, is enough to keep them from breaking out into the open and corrupt vices in which some men indulge who are totally left by the restraints of the Spirit. Now, there was in Felix some little portion of this restraining Grace; and when the Apostle laid the Gospel open to him, this restraining Grace quickened the conscience, and compelled Felix to tremble. Mark you, this Grace man may resist and does resist; for albeit that the Holy Spirit is Omnipotent and never can be resisted when he works Omnipotently, yet as a strong man may sometimes not put out all his strength, but work with his finger, for instance, so that he may permit even a gnat or an ant to overcome him, even so the Holy Spirit sometimes works but temporarily and but for good and excellent purposes, which he always accomplishes; but he allows men to quench and resist his influences, so that salvation is not so much as approached thereby. God the Holy Spirit may work in men some good desires and feelings, and yet have no design of saving them. But mark, none of these feelings are things that accompany sure salvation, for if so, they would be continued. But he does not work Omnipotently to save, except in the persons of his own elect, whom he assuredly bringeth to himself. I believe, then, that the trembling of Felix is to be accounted for by the restraining grace of the Spirit quickening his conscience and making him tremble." (See here)

These are excellent observations of Spurgeon and I agree with them completely. They are examples of how prevenient grace is at work in the hearts of both elect and non-elect and that in the case of the former it will always bring salvation, but in the latter will not. 

The case of Agrippa

"Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, “Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you mad!” But he said, “I am not mad, most noble Festus, but speak the words of truth and reason. For the king, before whom I also speak freely, knows these things; for I am convinced that none of these things escapes his attention, since this thing was not done in a corner. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know that you do believe.” Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.” (Acts 26: 24-28 nkjv)

Agrippa was experiencing some working of God upon his heart and mind, some aspect of prevenient grace, when he was almost persuaded. It was an act of grace that Agrippa was sent a messenger by God and that he was being persuaded by such a messenger. It was also a good thing that he had in some measure a willingness to give Paul a fair hearing. It is also good that he was positively affected to some degree. 

Prevenient Grace (3)

Is being convicted of sin and guilt evidence of a saved state, or a step towards it? The Hardshell Baptists teach that it is evidence of a prior regeneration, as do some other Hyper Calvinists. If it precedes being saved, then is it not an example of prevenient grace? If it follows regeneration, then this would make the Holy Spirit a liar if he is the one who is bringing the sinner to believe he is lost when he in actuality is not lost. Further, there are many sinners who know they are guilty and going to Hell and who do not believe in Jesus, and to affirm that they are saved is an absurdity, biblically speaking. I have heard many hardened criminals tell other criminals "see you in hell my friend." Is the knowledge that they are going to Hell evidence of salvation?

Conviction of Sin and Guilt

In the Christian hymn "Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy" there is a line that says "Let not conscience make you linger, nor of fitness fondly dream; all the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him." This statement is based upon the teaching of Jesus as given in this instance.

"And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, "Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus answered and said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Luke 5: 30-32 nkjv)

Of course, there is no one who does not need repentance, but Jesus alludes to the Pharisees "who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others" (Luke 18: 9). Paul, before his conversion, was "blameless as to the righteousness of the law." (Phil. iii. 6) They believed that they were not spiritually sick nor unrighteous. No one is effectually "called," brought to repentance, and healed of sin by the great physician who does not first call for Dr. Jesus, and no one will call upon him who has not first come to see that he needs such a physician to remedy his unrighteously sick and condemned condition. So, the only fitness or preceding grace needed for salvation is to feel your need for Christ and his salvation.

In the hymn "Paradox" by Joseph Hart (1712-1768), this fact is affirmed in the second line which says of lost sinners -- "Nor can he be expected to be perfectly saved till he finds himself utterly lost."

1 How strange is the course that a Christian must steer! How perplexed is the path he must tread! The hope of his happiness rises from fear, And his life he receives from the dead.

2 His fairest pretensions must wholly be waived, And his best resolutions be crossed; Nor can he expect to be perfectly saved, Till he finds himself utterly lost.

3 When all this is done, and his heart is assured Of the total remission of sins, When his pardon is signed and his peace is procured, From that moment his conflict begins.

In another hymn the same truth stated in these lines:

1 Come all ye mourning pilgrims,
Who feel your need of Christ,
Surrounded by temptation,
And by the world despis'd ;
Attend to what I tell you,
My exercise I'll show,
And then you may inform me
If it's been so with you.

2 Long time I liv'd in darkness,
Nor saw my dismal state,
And when I was awaken'd
I thought it was too late
A lost and helpless sinner
Myself I plainly saw,
Expos'd to God's displeasure,
Condemned by the law.

3 I thought the brute creation
Were better off than me
I spent my days in anguish,
No pleasure could I see,
Through deep distress and sorrow
My Saviour led me on,
Then show'd his love unto me
When all my hope was gone.

4 But when I was deliver'd,
I scarcely can believe
To think so vile a sinner
A pardon could receive.
And when the solemn praises
Were flowing from my tongue,
Yet fears were often rising,
That I might still be wrong.

5 But when these fears were banish'd,
My tears began to flow,
To think so vile a sinner
Should be beloved so.
I thought my trials over,
And all my troubles gone,
That peace and joy and pleasure
Would be my lot alone.

In the second stanza the state of conviction is well described and is the state of the sinner before he was delivered. He was in darkness and in a dismal state, but did not realize it, until he was "awakened." He at that point thought it was too late and saw further that he was a "lost and helpless sinner exposed to God's displeasure and condemned by his law." If however, this state of conviction was the result of the Holy Spirit opening his eyes to see himself as he really was, and was an evidence of his previous regeneration, then of course the Holy Spirit convicted him of a falsehood. So, it is evident that this conviction was an example of prevenient grace and was a pre-regeneration work of the Spirit. His awakening and sense of guilt and condemnation brought gloom and a sense of doom, but when he was delivered he was freed from this burden and found joy and began to praise God. This experience of going from sinking in despair to rejoicing in salvation is described by the Psalmist when he wrote:

"He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God..." (Psa. 40: 2-3 nasb 1995)

Sinking in the quicksand of despair is a figure of the sinner when he is under the conviction of the law and word of God and by the Holy Spirit and being pulled up and finding footing on a rock and putting a new song of praise in the mouth of the sinking one is a figure of being saved and converted. Conviction of sin brings deep sorrow, but salvation brings joy. So Paul described it when he wrote: "For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death." (II Cor. 7: 10 nkjv)

In John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress" the antagonist "Christian" first experiences an Awakening (Conviction of Sin) before he is saved by entering the "Wicket Gate" (a figure of Christ the door) and comes to the cross by faith. Christian starts in the "City of Destruction" with a "heavy sack" (his burden of sin) and a deep awareness of impending judgment. This represents the Holy Spirit's conviction, breaking his apathy towards sin.

As we will see, the Puritans, like Owen, saw how God prepares the hearts of sinners prior to their being converted to Christ and saved. Theologians call this preparationism and some call it prevenient grace. They also spoke of how God uses the law to bring sinners to the knowledge that they are evil and condemned, and was like the plowing or breaking up of the soil of the heart, prior to the planting of the seed that brings a person to salvation. So Spurgeon, in preaching upon “Doth the plowman plow all day to sow?” (Isaiah 28:24) said:

"Jesus says to all of us, “Ye must be born again.” Unless God the Holy Spirit breaks up the heart with the plough of the law, and sows it with the seed of the gospel, not a single ear of holiness will any of us produce, even though we may be children of godly parents, and may be regarded as excellent moral people by those with whom we live...You cannot destroy weeds by exhortations, nor can you tear out the roots of sin from the soul by moral suasion; something sharper and more effectual must be brought to bear upon them. God must put his own right hand to the plough, or the hemlock of sin will never give place to the corn of holiness. Good is never spontaneous in unrenewed humanity, and evil is never cut up till the ploughshare of almighty grace is driven through it."

"So doth God plough the heart of man, and herein is his patience. The team was in the field in the case of some of us very early in the morning, for our first recollections have to do with conscience and the furrows of pain which it made in our youthful mind. When we were little children, we woke in the night under a sense of sin; our father’s teaching and our mother’s prayers made deep and painful impressions upon us, and though we did not then yield our hearts to God, we were greatly stirred, and all indifference to religion was made impossible. When we were boys at school, the reading of a chapter in the Word of God, or the death of a playmate, or an address at a Bible-class, or a solemn sermon, so affected us that we were uneasy for weeks. The strivings of the Spirit of God within urged us to think of higher and better things. Though we quenched ‘the Spirit, though we stifled conviction, yet we bore the marks of the ploughshare; furrows were made in the soul, and certain foul weeds of evil were cut up by the roots, although no seed of grace was as yet sown in our hearts." 

What Spurgeon describes in these words are what the Puritans and older Calvinists called being "awakened" and which is not to be confused with regeneration. That is what we saw described by the above writer of the hymn when he says he was "awakened" to see his lost condition. Many lost sinners have one or more such experiences, and with some it leads them to seek salvation, but with others they go back to sleep. Many young children when they first realize that they will die one day become aware of God and of their need for salvation. We will have more to say about this shortly. Spurgeon continued:

"Some have continued in this state for many years, ploughed, but not sown; but, blessed be God, it was not so with others of us; for we had not left boyhood before the good seed of the gospel fell upon our heart. Alas! there are many who do not thus yield to grace, and with them the ploughman ploughs all day to sow. I have seen the young man coming to London in his youth, yielding to its temptations, drinking in its poisoned sweets, violating his conscience, and yet continuing unhappy in it all, fearful, unrestful, stirred about even as the soil is agitated by the plough. In how many cases has this kind of work gone on for years, and all to no avail Ah! and I have known the man come to middle life, and still he has not received the good seed, neither has the ground of his hard heart bean thoroughly broken up. He has gone on in business without God: day after day he has risen and gone to bed again with no more religion than his horses, and yet all this while there have been ringing in his ears warnings of judgment to come, and chidings of conscience, so that he has not been at peace. After a powerful sermon he has not enjoyed his meals, or been able to sleep, for he has asked himself, “What shall I do in the end thereof?” The ploughman has ploughed all day, till the evening shadows have lengthened and the day has faded to a close. What a mercy it is when the furrows are at last made ready, and the good seed is cast in, to be received, nurtured, and multiplied a hundredfold."

Notice that Spurgeon calls this being awakened and convicted as an instance of prevenient grace and mercy. He also does not see conviction of sin and being awakened as regeneration but as a step towards it.

We see conviction or sin preceding salvation in the case of the converts made on the day of Pentecost by the preaching of Peter.

"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." (Acts 2: 37-42 nkjv)

This being "cut to the heart" or "pricked" (kjv) is the very conviction of sin we are talking about and is what precedes coming to repentance and receiving forgiveness of sins and receiving the Holy Spirit and spiritual life thereby. The sermon by Peter made them aware of their guilt in crucifying their own Messiah and they believed him and that knowledge led them to despair. That is why they asked - "what shall we do?" 

The Process of Conviction 

In Puritan Calvinism we have these preparations prior to being converted:

Awakening: The sinner is made aware of their danger. 

Examination: A close scrutiny of the heart, uncovering hidden "idolatry" and self-worship. 

Contrition: A deep sorrow, or "gift of tears," for sins committed. 

Repentance: A turning away from self-reliance to trust in Christ.

Salvation

Stephen Charnock (1628-1680) wrote the following in "Efficient of Regeneration" (read here):

"The soul must be beaten down by conviction before it be raised up by regeneration; There must be some apprehensions of the necessity of it. Yet sometimes the work of regeneration follows so close upon the heels of these precious preparations, that both must be acknowledged to be the work of one and the same hand. Paul on the sudden was struck down. and in a moment there is both an acknowledgement of the authority of Christ, and a submission to his will, when he said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' Acts ix. 6. The preparation of the subject is necessary, but this preparation may be at the same time with the conveyance of the divine nature: as a warm seal may both prepare the hard wax, and convey the image to it, by one and the same touch."

Charnock also wrote:

"What has any man that he has not received? 1 Cor. iv. 7. The apostle excludes everything in us from the name of a donation to God. If there be no one thing but is received from God, then no preparation to grace but is received from him. The obligation then lies upon the receiver, not upon the donor. But may we not oblige God by the improvement of such a gift? The apostle includes everything, challenges him to name any one thing which was not received, which will contain improvements as well as preparations."

Awakening Before Quickening

I wrote a short series on "Awakened Sinners" (See here, here, here) which elaborates on how this experience precedes salvation and is a preceding grace and work of God. Here are some excerpts from those chapters. We have already cited Charnock on this point. 

In an Internet article titled "AWAKENING – BEFORE CONVERSION," by Dr. R. L. Hymers, Jr.

"Awakening is not conversion. Awakening prepares the heart for conversion. It comes before conversion.

Awakening is when you begin to think very seriously about the salvation of your soul. Here is what great Spurgeon said about awakening:

"Great numbers of persons have no concern about eternal things. They care more about their cats and dogs than about their souls. It is a great mercy to be made to think about ourselves, and how we stand before God and the eternal world. This is [very] often a sign that salvation is coming to us. By nature we do not like the anxiety which spiritual concern causes us, and we try, like sluggards, to sleep again. This is great foolishness; for it is at our great peril that we trifle when death is so near, and judgment is so sure… If we are sensible, we shall pray that our anxiety about our souls may never come to an end till we are really and truly saved…It would be an awful thing to go on dreaming down to hell, and there to lift up our eyes with a great gulf fixed between us and heaven. It will be equally terrible to be aroused to escape from the wrath to come, and then to shake off the warning influence, and go back to our insensibility. I notice that those who overcome their convictions and continue in their sins are not so easily moved the next time: every awakening which is thrown away leaves the soul more drowsy than before, and less likely to be again stirred to holy feeling. Therefore our heart should be greatly troubled at the thought of getting rid of its trouble in any other than the right way. One who had the gout was cured of it by a quack medicine, which drove the disease within, and the patient died. To be cured of a distress of mind by a false hope, would be a terrible business: the remedy would be worse than the disease. Better far that [your] tenderness of conscience should cause [you] long years of anguish than that we should lose it, and perish in the hardness of our hearts."  (C. H. Spurgeon Around the Wicket Gate)

These are the essentials of true awakening: you see that you are a lost sinner. You see that you deserve to be punished for your sins. You see that you are in great danger. You see that your sins must be punished – or God is not just. Those are the essentials of true awakening. Until a person feels these things, he is not going to be converted.

These examples show that it is not the length of the awakening that matters. Spurgeon said:

Awakening is not a thing to rest in, or to desire to have lengthened out month after month. If I [wake] up in a fright, and find my house on fire, I do not sit down at the edge of the bed, and say to myself, “I hope I am truly awakened!”… No, I want to escape from threatened death, so I [hurry] to the door or to the window, that I may get out, and…not perish where I am. It would be [no good] to be [awakened], and yet not escape from the danger. Remember, awakening is not salvation."

Said George Whitefield:

"Conviction will always precede spiritual conversion. You may be convicted without being converted, but you cannot be converted without being convicted." ("Repentance and Conversion" - SEE HERE)

Wrote Thomas Boston  (emphasis mine): (here)

"A person may have sharp soul-exercises and pangs, and yet die in the birth. Many "have been in pain," that have but, "as it were, brought forth wind." There may be sore pangs of conscience, which turn to nothing at last. Pharaoh and Simon Magus had such convictions, as made them to desire the prayers of others for them. Judas repented: and, under terrors of conscience, gave back his ill-gotten pieces of silver. All is not gold that glitters. Trees may blossom fairly in the spring, on which no fruit is to be found in the harvest: and some have sharp soul-exercises, which are nothing but foretastes of hell."

"Some have sharp convictions for a while: but these go off, and they become as careless about their salvation, and as profane as ever, and usually worse than ever; "their last state is worse than their first," Matt. 12:45. They get awakening grace—but not converting grace; and that goes off by degrees, as the light of the declining day, until it issues in midnight darkness."

He also wrote:

"There may be a wonderful moving of the affections in souls that are not at all touched with regenerating grace. When there is no grace, there may, notwithstanding, be a flood of tears, as in Esau, who "found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears," Heb. 12:17. There may be great flashes of joy; as in the hearers of the word, represented in the parable of the stony ground, who "with joy receive it," Matt. 13:20. There may be also great desires after good things, and great delight in them too; as in those hypocrites described in Isa. 58:2, "Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways – they take delight in approaching to God."

So, anyone, Calvinist or Arminian, who believes that conviction of sin and times when sinners are awakened by the word and Spirit of God are experiences that precede regeneration, and which often become means towards it, believe in prevenient grace.