"To ELD. JOHN CLARK, DEAR BRO--I see in the 12th No. of the present Vol. of the Advocate an extract taken from "True Union," containing the following query "Does God, in quickening men 'dead in tresspasses and sins,' employ any instrumentality, or does he perform this work directly by the influence of his spirit, upon their hearts," I would answer, he does it by the direct influence of his spirit upon their hearts. But, that he does not use instrumentality in quickening the dead, I dare not say, and I will tell why I dare not. I take it for granted, that no man has power to give life to the dead. But God has used men in giving natural life to the dead--Proof:--Read the case of the widow's son restored to life by Elijah (I Kings iv. chap.) Read the case of Tabatha, brought to life by Peter (Acts 7th chap. and last paragraph) Also, read the case of Eutychus restored to life by Paul, (Acts 20th chap 9th to the 12th verses inclusive). We here see, that agencies and instrumentalities have been employed in ministering to the dead, whether we can tell how or not, it is God's truth. I believe that the Baptist generally understand the dry bones in Ezekiel's vision, to represent God's elect, dead in tresspasses and sins. What effect the preaching of Ezekiel had upon the dry bones, I am unable to tell, but it looks to me very much as though God did employ the preaching of the Prophet to bring the dry bones to life. God did not command the prophet to preach to them because they had life, and were free moral agents, and therefore were able to arise, and stand up an army of living men; nay, verily; but I think that was God's way of giving them life; it was God that done the work, and not Ezekiel. If we come on down to the day of Pentecost, it looks very much as though God did preach through Peter to the convincing of those wicked Jews of their rebellion against the Messiah. "Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts." Nothing said about their being pricked in their hearts until they heard. Now let us turn to the 26th chapter of Acts and 16th, 17th and 18th verses. The 18th verse reads--"To open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive the forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Could Paul do the wonderful work described in the foregoing verse? I answer no. But God done the work through or by Paul. God healed the man that was lame from his mother's womb, by Peter, and Peter let the people know that it was not by his power that the man was healed. (Acts 111:12) Jesus told his disciple when they were brought before kings and earthly rulers, to take no thought to what they should say, then added--"For it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." (John 10th chap. and 20th verse). That God has spoken through men to men, and to men dead in sin, is clearly taught in the scriptures, to my mind at least. If Jehovah speaks through me to the dead sinner, the dead sinner will hear: but if it is me that speaketh, the dead will not hear my voice and live."
Comments and Observations
This was the position of the Primitive Baptists for the first few decades of their existence.
The writer continued:
"Believing that God has sometimes spoken through me to the dead, I exhort the dead sinner to repent of his wickedness; not because I think he has power to repent but hoping that God may speak through me to him, and cause him to believe what I say, and give him repentance. But some one may say, is it the duty of the Lord's ministers, to call upon the ungodly to repent?--To the law and to the testimony. Paul at Athens, (a city wholly given to idolatry) said--"But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent." Peter to Simon the sorcerer said--"Repent, therefore, of thy wickedness." Paul and Barnabas at Lystra, where the people were so ignorant they did not know a worm of the dust from a God, said to those people, "We are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from those vanities unto the living God." John the Baptist said unto men whom he termed a generation of vipers--"Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance." He also said, "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."--"And they went out and preached that men should repent" (Mark vi. 12) Again, to the wicked Jews at Jerusalem Peter preached, "Repent ye therefore and be ye converted." That the Apostles did tell the unconverted to repent, I think I have abundantly proved; and that is authority enough for me to preach to the same kind of men to repent. Let repent mean what it will, it appears to be the duty of the minister of the Lord, to say to the ungodly, repent; which I understand to be, sorrow for sin, and a turning from it. If I knew a sinner does repent, I say, Jesus gave that sinner repentance; for it is written--"Him hath God exalted with his own right hand to be a Prince and Savior, for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins." I have heard preachers in their preaching, tell what is not preaching repentance; well, whether it is, or not, the Apostles did tell them to repent. If you, brother Clark, or any of the readers of the Advocate, see anything wrong in the letter, point it our; I want to get right, if I am wrong."
Samuel Williams, Lebanon, Ohio July 9, 1858
Amen!
Note: Lebanon Ohio is where Wilson Thompson preached for many years! Father took me to the old Hardshell church building in Lebanon years ago.
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