Vol. 1, No. 15, August 5th, 1854 of Zion's Advocate
"Repentance (concluded)"
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47)
We have presented the undivided testimony of the scriptures upon the subject of repentance, the whole of which is one unbroken chain of evidence, without the possibility of dispute or successful refutation, going to sustain the following propositions: First. That repentance is the gift of God, that it belongs to the covenant of grace, and is the effect of the operation of the Spirit in man. Secondly. That John the Baptist preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, that it began, under the new dispensation, but that the new was ushered in by him according to the prophecies that went before concerning him, and the united testimony of Christ and his holy apostles of him. Thirdly. That his baptism, consequently, was the Christian baptism, that it was never set aside or nullified by Christ or any of his apostles that succeeded him: for had this been necessary in the case of any of the disciples, it would have been necessary in the case of all: nor could it have stopped with them, but Christ himself must have been re-baptised. Nor would it be proper for us to claim the example and pattern in either case--the administrator and the subject, and the mode--as binding upon us, or as worthy of our imitation. For what does it matter where or in what way Christ was baptised, if he who administered the ordinance was a minister under the legal dispensation, and, of course, was not a gospel preacher? It cannot be binding upon us as Christians, if performed under a former dispensation, and by a minister who who had only a commission to preach a national or legal repentance. As well might circumcision, and all the yokes of that dispensation, be brought up and placed upon our necks as this. But, thank God, his yoke--the yoke of Christ--is easy, and his burden light. Fourthly. Had his ministry been under the the old dispensation he could not have rejected the Jews that came to him and demanded baptism upon the ground that they were the legitimate offspring of Abraham; but he did reject them, and assured them that the axe was laid to the root of the trees, and that God was able of the stones to raise up children to Abraham. This shewed that the lineal descent was not to be traced beyond the old national lines, and that God had put away the first and was about to establish the second: that admission to the privileges of the new dispensation was not upon the score of natural relationship or pious parentage--every tree that did not bring forth good fruit was to be cut down and cast into the fire. Fifthly. That this minister of the gospel and harbinger of Jesus Christ, did preach repentance--repentance and remission of sins--did preach Christ, pointing to him as the Lamb of God, as he had come to prepare the way of the Lord, and make straight in the desert a highway for our God; that he did address men imperatively upon this subject, saying, Repent ye. Sixthly. That he who was greater than John, who was to increase while John was to decrease, and of whose kingdom there is to be no end, as a minister, commenced his ministry, after his baptism and temptation, with the same doctrine, saying, Repent: repent ye and believe the gospel. Seventhly. That his apostles also preached the same doctrine and in the same way. They preached that men should repent. They said, Repent ye--and be converted. They said to a man who had no part or lot in Christ--repent of this thy wickedness; and also called upon him to pray. They testified to Jews and Greeks, repentance towards God.--They showed to all, both Jews and Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God."
Comments and Observations
Clark affirmed that the preaching of John the Baptist was contrary to the Two Seed "ultraist" doctrinal innovation that affirmed
1) only the regenerated are commanded to repent and believe evangelically, and
2) the repentance and faith that are gifts of God, concomitants of the new birth, are not the same repentance and faith produced by gospel preaching.
Clark, like his non Two Seed fellow PBs, rejected these two novel and unbiblical ideas. Yet, these ideas took over the denomination after Clark's death, and those who adhered to the original view of means, and of a regeneration that involved evangelical conversion, or a drastic moral change, were forced out of the "Primitive Baptist" church and either became independent, joined other groups, such as the "Southern Baptists," or "Old Regular Baptists," "Landmark Anti-Board Baptists," etc. The "ultraists" Two Seeders forced out the believers in means, believers in perseverance, etc., and what do we have left today? People who would reject Clark and his brethren rather than calling him one of their own!
Clark continued:
"Now, brethren, beloved of the Lord, what shall we say to this array of scriptural testimony? Certain it is that we can do nothing against the truth. And we feel, moreover, assured that none who love that truth, and have a reverence for the revealed will of God, will attempt or desire to do anything against it. Our watchword has been, THUS SAITH THE LORD--THUS IT IS WRITTEN: and thus we have it here upon the doctrine of repentance, and the apostolic mode of preaching it. And of the things which we have spoken this is the sum--The doctrine of repentance shows conclusively that it is the gift of God, and yet the primitive ministers addressed men upon the subject, seemingly, as though they could repent, or possessed the power to appropriate this gift to themselves, yet never told them that they possessed any such power--never. No fine spun metaphysical theories about natural ability and moral inability were ever propagated by them. Their hope of success in the ministry, and their confidence, was in God. He had given commandment that this doctrine should be preached in the name of Christ, and also given assurance that his word should never return to him void, and that was enough. They did not hesitate to preach it everywhere, in any place, and to all people wherever God in his providence sent them, and leave the result in his hands."
Comments and Observations
What was that "apostolic mode of preaching" and addressing alien sinners? Was it not in regard to their need to repent and believe in order to be saved from the wrath to come? Watson and Fain talked much about how the ultraist PBs of their day had abandoned the old way of preaching to sinners, wrongly thinking that such was "Arminianism" (today's Hardshells want to call it "Calvinism" to believe in means! Go figure!) when it was not. Clark and Watson both wrote about how one of the tactics of the "no means" wing, full of Two Seeders, was to charge those like Clark as being "heretics." Clark refers to this fact in his writings (which I read while at Duke U.), saying that some think he is heretic for believing what he does about preaching repentance for salvation.
Clark continued:
"But, says one, does it not appear inconsistent for the minister to say, Repent, repent ye and believe the gospel, and yet to admit that those who are thus addressed could as soon create a world as to do that in their own strength, or unless God should give them or bring them to repentance? With men it might appear so, but upon the gospel plan it is not, nor is it with God in any way. In that glorious plan of grace God has made a revelation of what he will do, and of what his people shall do. His sovereign word is, I will, and they shall; and the power therefore is with him: Thine is the kingdom, the POWER, and the glory. Was it inconsistent, think you, for the prophet to say, O ye dry bones, hear ye the word of the Lord? This he did, and at the command of God, too; though the sequel showed that he did not call or prophesy in vain. But the power was not with the preacher, nor in the bones, of course, but with God; and so it is now. Strictly speaking, the same objection might be brought to bear against every department of Christian duty and experience, for what is it that the Christian does under the head of works of faith and labors of love, that is not by a power derived? There is nothing, absolutely nothing, that we can do without him. The same objection would lie against our being addressed upon any subject, or told to do anything whatever. Paul in his own case admitted the existence of the will, but a lack of power; and though the Christian may be called upon to repent, believe, hope or love, yet, unless the Lord shall work in him both to will and to do in these matters, he can no more perform these works than a man dead in sins; and when he is enabled to do any of these things he cannot go beyond the heavenly influence and operation. And as to national repentance, men cannot exercise themselves even in that way unless God inclines their hearts to it, which is his prerogative to do, or harden them, at his pleasure."
Comments and Observations
What a mighty rebuttal against the thinking of the ultraist Hardshells, which make up the bulk of the denomination today! The Valley of Dry Bones! Oh how that story destroys all the logical type arguments the Hardshells bring against the means view! And, we could fill pages of later PB writings (after Clark) where the ultraist no means Two Seeders tried to deal with the raising of the bones to life by the preaching of the prophet! As an example, many asserted that the "dry dead bones" represent living regenerated children of God! But, more on that some other time, the Lord willing.
Clark continued:
"When Peter called upon the multitude on the day of pentecost to repent, it may be said that those he particularly addressed had been quickened; (the newly spun view of Beebe and his Two Seed brothers - SG); but it does not appear that Peter singled out those that were pricked in their hearts from the rest, in his speech; but supposing it to be that way, it remains to be proven that quickened souls have any more power of themselves to repent than others.
But it is enough for us to know that Christ gives both repentance and remission of sins, and yet these are to be preached in his name, and that men were called upon by the Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles, in their public ministrations of the word, to do this very thing. When the prophets called the Jews to repentance as a nation, there was nothing said about believing the gospel, nor promise of remission of sins. We should not be driven from the plain scriptural ground upon this doctrine from the fear of getting into Arminianism, nor because wild enthusiasts and fanatics pervert the gospel of Christ upon this point. There is no danger of our getting into that ism as long as we stick to the Bible; and if we get away from that there is little to choose between the isms."
Comments and Observations
Is that not what happened to the PB denomination by the end of the 19th century? Were the Hardshells not "driven from the plain scriptural ground" and all out of "fear of getting into Arminianism"? Yes indeed. That group of "ultraists," and "innovators," as Watson called these anti means brethren, were called "wild enthusiasts" and "fanatics" by Clark! Well, amen to that!
Clark continued:
"It seems to be difficult to find a word in our language that will convey the correct idea of the words of scripture revealing the apostolic mode of preaching this doctrine. They used in many places the imperative mood, but whether we should call it a command (it certainly is not such in a law sense), or an exhortation, or a demand, or requisition made of men, as if they owed something in a gospel sense (they are debtors in a law sense); but God's grace cannot be made the creature's duty, nor can we conceive that there is anything in the rule of obligation, the divine law, that requires the sinner to be better than he was originally, but only to be as he was. But the grace of God, in Christ Jesus, raises him higher, makes him better, and has
"--made his standing more secure
Than 'twas before he fell"
Comments and Observations
Though Clark appears to have difficulty with faith and repentance being duties, yet he knows that God does command all to repent and believe, and this makes these things duties.
Clark continued:
"Leland, we think it was, that asked the questions, "Does guilt ever exist in the sinner merely for having no grace? or rather does it not sting him for what he has done?" Certainly the sinner is not condemned because God has not done something for him--has not regenerated him, given him faith and repentance, &c. But he is condemned already; condemned for having sinned against God; and his rejecting Christ, and refusing to repent and believe, but makes manifest his condemnation--is the evidence of it. The idea of condemnation emanating from the gospel is preposterous. The gospel is the light that makes manifest and exposes the evil deed, and the corruption of the heart from whence it proceeds. Faith in Christ, or a belief of the gospel, embraces Christ as he is, and all that he has done for us, which the apostle expressed when he said, He loved me and gave himself for me. But suppose the case of one not thus loved, and for whom Christ did not give himself; to require of such an one, as duty, to believe as Paul stated it, would be to require him to believe what was in itself false; and no law coming from God could ever make such a requisition as that of his creatures. Surely faith in Christ is not a belief of what is not in existence! Watts draws the distinction clearly in the following verse:
"The law condemns and makes us know,
What duties to our God we owe;
But 'tis the gospel must reveal,
Where lies our strength to do his will."
In regard to repentance, however, we may say in a broad sense that it is perfectly right, and according to the fitness of things, that he who has committed an offence, or sinned against either God or men, should be sorry for it, repent of it, and ask for forgiveness of the one against whom the offence has been committed. So in regard to our standing before God, and our relation to him as his creatures; and this grows out of the obligations imposed in the divine law. For the law requires no more or less than it did at first, and no inability of any kind to comply with its just demands can ever discharge us from the obligation to obey. But the gospel address:--Repent: repent ye and believe the gospel, &c., was not designed to teach us what we could do, or ought to do, but to show what God will do, and what we must experience if ever we enter heaven. It shows the method of salvation, and the necessity of such faith and repentance as the gospel reveals; as it is written, "Without faith it is impossible to please God," and "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." And said the master to the wicked Jews, "If ye die in your sins, where I am, thither ye cannot come."
Comments and Observations
Evangelical faith and repentance are necessary for salvation. That was Clark's view. It was the view of his brethren ("Clark Baptists" vs. "Beebe Baptists") and of his forefathers.
Clark continued:
"We will now, in conclusion, submit a few reflections upon repentance in an experimental point of view. Enough has been said to show that there is no such thing as repentance, such as we speak of, in the ignorance and enmity of human nature. It follows, then, that wherever this habit is discovered, such are alive from the dead, are sensible of their lost and ruined condition as sinners before God, and feel the exceeding sinfulness of sin, on account of which they mourn and repent, and also the need of an omnipotent arm to save. When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died, said Paul, and so the poor sin sick soul finds it. Burdened with sin, a heavy load, the cry of the soul is, God be merciful to me a sinner--Lord save, or I perish.
The secret of the Lord is this, or the cause why any sinner is found a penitent before God, is forcibly expressed by the prophet of the Lord (who, like John the Baptist, was sanctified in the womb) in the following verses: "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus: Thou has chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth." (Jer. 31: 18,19) This is the "Godly sorrow that worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of." (II Cor. 7:10) It is a repentance to salvation; that ends in salvation; a repentance unto life. It is from life, and leads to, and ends in eternal life. Salvation is begun--has come to the poor sinner that is found repenting in dust and ashes before God."
Comments and Observations
There is no mention of a "time salvation" by Clark. He does not appear to be a promoter of it. It was probably being invented in the 50s as Clark was writing this series in Zion's Advocate. The repentance that comes by obeying the command to repent is the same repentance that God gives and is that repentance which is necessary for eternal salvation.
Clark continued:
"It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance, and when the Lord has humbled him under a sense of his guilt, has brought him in a way which he knew not, and in paths he had not known; has made darkness light before him, &c.,--he, at a time and in a way unexpected, rolls from his heart the load of sin, which has pressed him down for many days, and brings him to the cross, gives him a view of Calvary, and the unspeakable goodness of God displayed in the gift and sacrifice offered there. This breaks his heart into tenderness, and the tears of ingenuous repentance flow for the first time aright. Then is it, as one has expressed it, easy to repent and a pleasure to believe. It requires no labor, no mechanical effort, to do either. The thunder and lightning, the thick cloud and sound of a trumpet, of the mount that could not be touched, may make the poor soul quake with fear; but when delivered from that, and brought in sight of Calvary, to Mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, he falls in adoring adoration before the Lord, and repents, whilst rejoicing in redeeming grace, and the dying love of Jesus. "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee: Wherefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes." (Job 42: 6,7)
"The more thy glory strikes mine eyes,
The humbler I shall lie:
Thus while I sink my joys shall rise
Unmeasurably high."
Do you see how a sinner is not saved till he has come to Mt. Zion from Mt. Sinai? Till he has gone from conviction (by the law) to salvation (by the gospel)?
What say ye, my PB brothers, do you still claim Clark after reading these words? In our next posting we will give the third article that Clark wrote on this subject, the latter article being not originally planned, but which he wrote to respond to the comments by some of his ultraist brethren.
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