Robert Hall On Means, Perseverance

The following citations from the writings of Robert Hall show what the Old Baptists believed at the end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century about salvation. His circular letters were to the Northamptonshire Association.

On Perseverance 

Wrote Robert Hall on the work of the Holy Spirit (circular letter - see here).

"It belongs to him to seal us to the day of redemption; to put that mark and character upon us, which distinguishes the children of God, as well as to afford a foretaste and an earnest of the future inheritance. And hereby, saith an apostle, we know that we are of God, by the Spirit which he hath given us. It is his office to subdue the corruption of our nature, not by leaving us inactive spectators of the combat, but by engaging us to a determined resistance to every sinful propensity, by teaching our hands to war, and our fingers to fight, so that the victory shall be ours, and the praise his. To help the infirmities of saints, who know not what to pray for as they ought, by making intercession for them with groanings which cannot be uttered, is an important branch of his office." (pg. 438)

Salvation is by grace, but salvation involves winning the battle with personal sin. Today's Hardshells in denying perseverance and the necessity of progressive growth and sanctification for final salvation have departed from the Old Baptist faith and are not entitled to be called "primitive."

Conviction Is Not Evidence Of Regeneration

Wrote Hall:

"Wherever the Spirit of God is in reality, he will convince of sin; but conviction is produced in thousands who still remain destitute of saving grace.—That influence of the Spirit by which a change of heart is effected, is essentially different from the distress and alarm which may be resolved into the exercise of mere natural conscience. For a man to be convinced that he is a sinner, and to tremble at the apprehension of wrath to come, is certainly something very distinct from becoming a new creature. Real Christians have not only perceived their danger, but have fled for refuge; have not only been less or more troubled with a sense of guilt, but, in consequence of coming to Christ, have found rest for their souls. On a review of your past life, you perceive innumerable transgressions, it may be, and are perfectly convinced that you have been “walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” So far it is well : your apprehensions are just, and well founded; and your situation more replete with danger than you have ever conceived it to be. Do not however rest here. Let the views you entertain excite you the more earnestly to press into the kingdom of God. Let them engage you to a more diligent use of the means of grace, and, above all, let them lead you to fix your hope and trust on the Redeemer, whose blood alone can cleanse you from all sin, and whose intercession is able to save “to the uttermost all that come unto God by him.” Heb. vii. 25. Apply to him with humble faith and ardent prayer, and though you may be tempted to cherish doubts of the extent of his power and grace, say with him of old, “Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.” (pg. 455-56)

That is real "Old Baptist" doctrine! Today's Hardshells are not what they claim to be, but ironically, are the real "new schoolers" or as R.B.C. Howell styled them, "new test men."

Unbelievers Lost

Wrote Hall to the brethren:

"If you ask how you may know whether you are partakers of the special grace of God we reply, This will be best ascertained by its fruits. When you feel a fixed hatred of sin, an intense thirst after holiness and perfection, and a delight in the word and ways of God, when you are habitually disposed to dwell on the thoughts of Christ and heaven, when the Saviour appears unspeakably precious, as the pearl of great price, and you are habitually ready to part with every thing for his sake, you may be certain that you are born of God. These are the fruits of the Spirit, which sufficiently demonstrate the influence and presence of that blessed Agent. Till you have experienced effects of this kind, you are in a wretched state, though surrounded with all the brightest earthly prospects, because you are estranged from God, and exposed to his eternal wrath and displeasure." (456)

Notice that Hall affirms that sinners, though under some conviction of sin, and somewhat "awakened" to their lost state, are still in a wretched unregenerate state until they have experienced a genuine union with Christ by faith.

Gospel The Means Of Regeneration

In the circular "ON HEARING THE WORD," addressed to the Northamptonshire Association (1813), Hall wrote:

"Though the Spirit bloweth where it listeth, where the gospel is not preached the effects of his operation are rarely to be discerned, and we witness few or no indications of a renewed character out of the bounds of Christendom. From the history of religion, in all ages, it appears that the Spirit is accustomed to follow in the footsteps of his revealed Word; and that, wherever his work lies, he prepares his way by first communicating the Oracles of God. When he proposed to take out a people for his name from among the Gentiles, the first step he took was to commission the apostles to preach the gospel to every creature. To this St. Paul most solemnly directs our attention, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, as the grand instrument of human salvation:- When, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased him, by the foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe. So intimate by divine appointment, is the connexion betwixt the salvation of man and the ministry of the Word, that the method of salvation, under the gospel, derives from the latter its distinguishing appellation, being denominated the hearing of faith. St. James, in like manner, asserts it to be the instrumental cause of our regeneration. Of his own will begat he us, by the Word of Truth. And to the same purpose St. Peter reminds the Christians, whom he was addressing, that they were born not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God; which word, he adds, is by the gospel preached unto you. The written Word, we are told, indeed, from the highest authority, is able to make us wise unto salvation, and many pleasing instances of its saving efficacy might be produced to confirm this position; but, as the gospel was preached before it was penned, it is certain that most of the passages which speak on this subject are to be referred to its public ministry, and that, in subsequent ages, God has put a distinguishing honour upon it, by employing it as the principal means of accomplishing his saving purposes. There is every reason to suppose that the far greater part of those who have been truly sanctified and enlightened, will ascribe the change they have experienced principally to the hearing of faith." (461-64)

Is that clear? Where are the writings of the Hardshells from that period of time that taught contrary to this? We have called upon today's Hardshells to give us the writings of men in the 18th century who taught the no means view of regeneration and they have remained silent as the grave. We all know the reason. There is no such writings because Hardshell no means view is a new and novel view among Baptists, not being propounded till the rise of the Hardshells in the mid 19th century.

In addition to the above words of Hall, he also wrote these words:

"When we see men attentive under the ministry of the Word, and evidently anxious to comprehend its truths, we cannot but entertain hopes of their salvation; for “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (465)

"Establish in your minds the highest reverence and esteem of the glorious gospel...Recollect that on its acceptance or rejection, on the effects which it produces on the heart and life, depends our state for eternity..." (467)

"It is not merely the incorruptible seed of regeneration; it is also the mould in which our souls must be cast, agreeable to the apostle's beautiful metaphor: "You have obeyed from the heart that form (or mould) of doctrine into which ye were delivered." (468)

"To tremble at God's Word is also mentioned as one of the most essential features in the character of him to whom God will look with approbation." (468)

There used to be a TV show called "To Tell The Truth" and the famous line was "will the real (name inserted) please stand up." In a similar way we ask the question "will the real Old Baptists please stand up." Today's Hardshells who do not believe what Hall wrote are not the real Old Baptists but are imposters.