Eternal Vital Union

The belief in what is called "eternal vital union" was a key integral belief by those known as "Two Seed" Baptists, the forerunners of today's "Primitive Baptist" or "Hardshell" church, along with those known as either "Two Seed in the Flesh" or "Two Seed in the Spirit," "Predestinarian Baptists." Following the previous entries on union with Christ, I thought it would be good to have information on this heresy of those known as "Two Seed" Baptists, which was a large faction of those who began to go by the name of "Primitive Baptist." 

For my previous writings on Two Seedism's belief in "eternal vital union" see (here) and (here). I also have numerous articles showing how "Two Seedism" was a leading view of many of Parker's followers among the anti mission Baptists, who called themselves "Primitive" or "Old School," or sometimes simply "Regular." 

It was Parker who was the first and foremost to expound his view of "two seeds," but a great many others took up its defense and much debate and strife concerning it occurred between the time of Parker's first promotion of it via his books on the subject, until near the close of the nineteenth century, over the leading ideas in that system of belief. Elder Daniel Parker promulgated that system at the time of the debates and divisions over mission societies, theological schools, Sunday Schools, revival methods, church autonomy, etc. Many historians see him as the one who may be well considered the head of the anti mission movement, though men like Alexander Campbell, John Taylor, etc., were leaders in that movement (that gave birth to two twins, the Hardshells and the Campbellites, and contributed to the birth of other cults or schisms). Parker wrote two books of which we will speak shortly. 

In 1845, shortly after Parker's death, the Two Seed Primitive Baptists cult experienced its first major schism. Central Kentucky's Elder Thomas P. Dudley, a member of a church of the Licking Creek Association (Bryan's Station, oldest in the state), produced a work on "Two Souls" to supplement Parker's on the two seeds. But, it was also promoted by others, Gilbert Beebe, editor of "The Signs of the Times" periodical, defended that doctrine's main idea of "eternal vital union." 

Elder William Conrad of Kentucky,  fought against the Two Seed views of Dudley. I will cite from him shortly. Anyone studying the "Primitive" or "Old School" Baptists from the 1830s till the 1880s will find out how big a civil war there was over that issue, and other important issues which it generated. The following are some citations from the Hardshells themselves taken from my previous writings.

Testifies Elder Lemuel Potter

I am at a loss to understand why Potter would name his paper after the leader of Two Seedism while supposedly opposing it. Well, if one reads Potter's book "Life And Travels Of A Poor Sinner" (here) he will find Potter saying this:

"When I first joined the church and began to preach, there was a great deal said about the Two Seed doctrine, and the most of our preachers of southern Illinois believed it. It was nothing uncommon to hear a minister speak out in favor of that doctrine in his sermons. It seemed that in our immediate connection, it had the ascendency (sic). Some of the Associations in our correspondence passed resolutions that the belief or disbelief of that doctrine should not be a bar to fellowship. For several years after I commenced preaching, I rather favored it, enough to accept it at least, and without any investigation of the matter, I did not know but what it was the doctrine of our people generally. I finally began to study the matter for myself, and I soon became satisfied that if it was the Baptist doctrine I did not believe it. After trying to discourage the agitation of it for a few years, I studied the matter so much that I finally concluded to write on that subject, which I did, and put out a small work, giving my objections to it, in the year 1880." (pg. 262) (See here)

In the debate that Potter had with W.P. Throgmorton, Dr. Throgmorton said (See here )

Is Brother Potter responsible for the two-seeders among his people? or is Dr. Watson? He admits that they have a considerable party of two-seeders among them, in their denomination; and so does Dr. Watson. I will read some about them. This will not be so funny to the old brethren. O, no! They will not like to hear this. What do those two-seeders among the Hardshells believe? Dr. Watson's Old Baptist Test, page 292:

2. They believe there is an uncreated-self existent, eternal evil spirit, or devil, intelligent, wicked, cunning and antagonistic to God.

3. They say that the soul of Christ is uncreated and eternal.

4. They fancy that the souls of the children of God, or the elect, are uncreated and eternal and were always in actual union with God."

Now, Brother Potter talks pretty hard against that doctrine in his book. But I think they have quite a respectable portion who believe it.

8. "They deny the resurrection of the bodies of the just and unjust."

These two-seeders do, and there is a considerable party of them, among Mr. Potter's people, mark you. And what does Potter say about those that deny the resurrection? He says that they virtually deny the whole Gospel of Christ; they do not only say that Christ did not rise, but that we are yet in our sins." (166)

Testifies Elder and Historian Sylvester Hassell

"...the heathenish perversions of Scriptural truth set forth by Eld. Daniel Parker, of Tennessee, about 1835, in his pamphlet called "My Views on the Two Seeds," have corrupted Primitive Baptist doctrine more, and rent off more members and churches from our fellowship, than any and all other causes combined." (See here)

Testifies Elder (Dr.) J. M. Watson

"In expressing our tenet of the eternal union between God and the Church, we proved that this expression should only be used in a qualified sense, as we then pointed out; but our opponents (Two Seeders - SG) use it in its most unqualified signification, and affirm that the souls of the elect existed eternally with God, and were infused into Adam at the time of his formation, and have always under all circumstances, whether "dead in trespasses and sins" or not, whether defiled with sin or not, before or after the new birth, have been in actual union with God! Moreover: we showed that all the human family, elect and non-elect, were by the fall involved in one common actual union with Satan, and that union only began actually at the fall, and exists on the part of all until "born again," as we fully explained; but they say that there is a different union between Satan and the non-elect; that they did not fall in Adam; that they, contrary to the elect, have a Satanic seed inborn, with which Satan has been eternally and actually united, just as God has been with the souls of the elect." ("Old Baptist Test" page 232 - here)

Testifies Elder Grigg Thompson

From "The Measuring Rod" by Elder Grigg Thompson, who was one of the leading founders, along with his father Wilson, of the "Primitive Baptist" church, we have these important words (published 1860 - see here):

"But there is, at this time, three large and distinct organizations claiming to be Baptists, and also claiming to be the apostolic church, to wit: the Missionary (or more correctly the machinery) Baptists, which is the largest division, and the Two Seed, or Arian Baptists, which in numbers, perhaps, stand next, and the Primitive Baptists, which are, perhaps, in the United States numerically the weakest of the three."  (pg. 20-21) (See here)

Testifies Elder Hosea Preslar

"From that time forth I was persecuted by some of those people, but I thought, perhaps that Divine Providence had sent me to Tennessee to defend the truths of the gospel, with others of like calling; and that we should suffer together for His sake.  To speak of all the distress this doctrine caused, within my knowledge, would be too tedious.  But for the satisfaction of those that are not acquainted with it, I will endeavor to give the reader a short, but plain sketch of their doctrine, though they, among themselves, seem at times to have it almost every way, any way, and as it were, no way at last.  Some call them the "Sadducees," some "Non-Resurrectionists," but mostly the "Two-Seeders."  Now if there is any system to their doctrine, or if they preach any system, I understand it to be about as follows:

First:  they hold that the foreknowledge of God amounts to a decree, because (say they) it could not be any other way, and therefore denounce the idea that Adam was able to stand, but liable to fall. 

Secondly:  They hold that the Church of God was in eternal union with Him, (not in purpose, but actually so); and that the church is composed of a family of eternal children, that was in eternal union with God. 

Thirdly: That when Adam transgressed the law of his Creator, and fell under its curse, that those eternal children fell in him; but not in the same like sense that the children of the devil fell. 

Fourthly: That the devil is a self-existent devil, or wicked spirit, and that, after Adam had transgressed the law of his Creator, the devil and his children, through Eve, began to make their appearance; and from them came another set of children that they call the children of the devil, or the seed of the serpent.  And that those wicked children are a wicked spiritual family that dwell in mortal bodies; and are therefore called children of the flesh, and that this wicked generation of children constitute the non-elect; and that those eternal children that were in eternal union with God, constitute the elect of God or the church. 

Fifthly: And as they had fallen under the law in Adam, that Christ came and redeemed them back again, and that the Holy Ghost makes manifest this to them in time, and that they are now renewed in the spirit of their mind, that is in the enjoyment of that eternal union they had with God; for (say they), there is nothing the soul receives in time, but a manifestation of what did before exist, not in purpose, for purpose (say they) amounts to nothing, but actually so.

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.

Seventhly: That everything must return back again to its origin, and hence, these mortal bodies of ours must return to the dust, and never will be resurrected any more.  They contend for (what they call) a spiritual resurrection, and a spiritual body, that was eternally prepared of God for them; and that this was the kind of body that Jesus ascended into heaven with, and not in the one that was born of the Virgin Mary, crucified upon the Roman cross, and laid in the sepulcher; adding that it is none of our business what became of that body.

Eighthly, and lastly: They say that all other doctrine outside, or differing from this, is unsound, is Arminianism, etc.

"The above is a correct and concise account of the items or tenets of doctrine, I understand them to hold forth.  And as I consider their system to be heresy, and having suffered much, as well as many others on account of it, I here give my reasons in a brief way, hoping that Divine Providence may make it a blessing to His church and people hereafter, for of all the systems of heresy that ever I have encountered with yet, I abhor it the most."  (pages 179-80) (See here)

Testifies Elder William Conrad

"Now, the different sentiments on this point may be classed thus, and we stand on one or the other:

1st. There is a vital, actual eternal union; not virtual, treasured, or purposed in Christ before the world began, but a real, actual eternal union, and of course those who are thus united are in actual eternal existence, and are as old as eternity, and a transplantation is substituted in the state of regeneration, and that-the infusion of a new eternal creature does not change the person in soul or spirit; does not illuminate, make rejoice, make hope, make believe in Christ to the saving of the soul; does not produce faith, hope, nor charity, but its production is a war between itself and the old man, soul and spirit; and that Jesus Christ died and arose again for the purpose of resurrecting this body and soul, which has never been renewed in the spirit of the mind nor tasted of the grace of God, a vital or actual eternal union, and a new eternal creature are collateral or equal terms; they both stand or fall together. This position is outside of the bible, and therefore cannot be admitted." (from my second article mentioned above)

"Now, to us it is made manifest from what we, ourselves know that the recent or late heresy in its original shape, as first published in 1849, by Elder Thomas P. Dudley, in his circular on the origin, nature, and effects of the Christian Warfare, will not again appear. When it was first published, Elder Dudley sent me three or four copies of his circular. I soon parted with all the copies but one, wishing all to read and see for themselves; that the worst of all heresies to me it was plain."

"...I am quite confident I know more about the introduction of above heresy as embraced in the circular on the warfare-so often named in this history, than any other now living except its author. And, besides my own personal knowledge I have in possession the printed minutes, circulars, and other printed documents, mostly from 1808, before Licking was organized."

"While as yet not separated from Elkhorn Association, and feeling a conviction that unless I made some record-history of said heresy as above named, it might not be known, certainly fifty years hence, how introduced and by whom.

And hence, the historians that may be writing up church history and showing of the strange doctrines and heresies that troubled the Zion of our God near the middle of the nineteenth century, (as Brother Ross and myself?) and still continues to be a matter or subject preached and taught in some of the many forms hitherto presented to the hearers."

"We will venture to remark that there is not a Christian in all the universe but was shown by the spirit of grace in due time that he was in league with Satan, and that his soul and body was sunk under the destruction of sin, and so far from being actually united to Christ... the people of God are not only united to him as their representative from eternity but to him as their shepherd, husband, prophet, priest, king, redeemer, Emanuel, everlasting father and Jehovah, our righteousness; on this stand and plead your union not only by decree or purpose, but vitally or actually by the grace of faith in his name and for the merit and worth of thy divine surety." (See here)

Testifies Elder Gilbert Beebe

"Perhaps the means renders will try to make some capital of the words “with the word of his power,” construing the word of his power to imply instrumentality. One of two things must be intended by these words: “With the word,” they were begotten by the Father of lights, spoken of in the context. Christ is the only begotten of the Father; but as a begotten emanation from the Godhead, he is the life of his people, head of his body, the church, mediator, &c.; as God he is self-existent, equally with the Father; but as the life and immortality of his spiritual body, he is the beginning of the creation of God, and the first born of every creature; and in this sense he only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, [not even by the magic Power of means,] whom no man hath seen nor can see; to whom be honor and power everlasting’. Amen. Now the one production of spiritual life was what we understand to be the begetting of both the head and the body, so that if Christ as the Word is intended by James, the saints have a common origin with Christ their head, and both be that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." 

Gilbert Beebe and Samuel Trott, the two leading writers for the "Signs of the Times," here promote their own version of Daniel Parker's "Two Seedism." Who would have ever interpreted James 1: 18 in the absurd fashion of these Two Seed Hardshells? (See here)

A library source citing Albert W. Wardin Jr. (professor emeritus of Belmont University, Nashville, Tenn., where he taught history from 1967 to 1993) says this (see here):

"Parker was known for his opposition to innovations, which put him in the camp with other Primitive Baptists, and for his distinctive doctrine of the Two Seeds. In 1826, he began to propound this view in a pamphlet, Views on the Two Seeds, which was soon followed in the same year by A Supplement or Explanation of My Views on the Two Seeds and The Second Dose of Doctrine on the Two Seeds. He claimed that the elect were born with the good seed, implanted by God in Adam and Eve, and the nonelect were born of the evil seed which came from Satan. He felt such a view absolved God from predestinating the non elect to hell since at birth one's destiny was already determined. He claimed that he gained this view from an old fellow Baptist in Tennessee around 1811 and that at first he had rejected it as heresy."

"Missionary Baptists, of course, rejected this doctrine as well as most Primitive Baptists. Two-Seedism evolved into a gnostic sect, taking even more extreme positions never advocated by Parker himself. It started opposing all means in salvation, denying the non elect had souls, and rejecting a bodily resurrection and a literal hell, spiritualizing both. In 1847, John M. Watson, a leading Primitive Baptist in Tennessee, wrote a pamphlet condemning Parkerism. Later in his book, The Old Baptist Test, which appeared in 1855, Watson included a section, "A Refutation of the Manichaeo Parkerite Heresy."

So, it is a fact that I have pointed out (as have other historians such as Crowley), and as the above testimonials confess, that there were several issues involved in the theological system known as "Two Seedism." The Hyper Calvinism of the Two Seed Baptists, with its rejection of the means of the gospel for the eternal salvation of the elect, is still evident in many of those who call themselves "Primitive Baptists," though they have cast off the idea of "eternal vital union" and some other tenets of that system. 

Elder Gilbert Beebe wrote: 

 

"We now speak of his spiritual or mystical body. If it be admitted that they are one with Christ, even as is Christ one with God the Father, we can no more deny the eternal vital union of Christ and his members than we can deny the eternal identity of the Father and the Son in the Godhead." (As cited by me previously here)

Some of the names of men who espoused the doctrine of "eternal vital union," or the preexistence of the souls or spirits of the elect, or children of God, are Gilbert Beebe, and his son William Beebe, Thomas P. Dudley, Samuel Trott, and many others. In our day, we see that teaching continued in a book titled "Eternal Vital Union Of Christ and His Body: the Church" by Stanley C. Phillips (2012), recently deceased, and those few remaining believers in it. Wrote Phillips and his brethren at their web page (See here) as an introduction to a sermon by Gilbert Beebe on the subject from 1858:

[The union of Christ with His people is a theme which covers the whole of the New Testament, yet it is neglected almost entirely today among modern Christians — even including our own people. This union is effectual and essential in regeneration, sanctification, justification, pardon, and the resurrection from the dead. It joins together in one both Christ and all His members— the general assembly and church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven. All of our eternal and timely blessings, in one way or another, are related to this blessed union. We offer this selection from the new reprint of the Editorials of Gilbert Beebe Volume 4, page 149 in hope that it will give each of our readers many pleasant thoughts to contemplate through the days to come. — Ed.]

"ROMANS 8: 38.39 Eternal Vital Union and Its Blessings" By Gilbert Beebe (emphasis mine)

"Consequently if there ever was a period in time or eternity when any of the members of His church were NOT IN HIM, then there has been a period when His body was not full. But to imagine the existence of a Head without a body, or a body without a Head, or a perfect and complete Head, and an imperfect and deficient body, does not suit our understanding of the declaration that it pleased the Father that in Him all fulness should dwell. (Col. 1:19)" 

"All the members of Christ are IN HIM, even as the eternal Father is in Him. He is the dwelling place (not of one-third part of the Godhead, as some seem to understand it,) but of ALL the fullness of the Godhead. “That they all may be one, as thou Father art in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one IN US.” “I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect IN ONE,’ &c. (John 17:21-23)."

"If the church is in Christ as the eternal Father is in Him, must they not have been in Him from everlasting?"

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He [Christ] also Himself likewise [or in like manner I took part of the same.” (Heb. 2:14) His children partaking of flesh and blood, shows that their relationship to God as children was perfect before they partook of flesh and blood; and that participation of flesh and blood no more constituted them children, than Christ’s coming into the world, and “also Himself likewise partaking of the same,” constituted Him the Son of God, or the Head of Immortality to His body, the church."

Beebe believed that "Christ" was eternally begotten by the Father (and this is not to say that he is God by this begetting), or produced (created) in the manner believed by the Arians. The term "Son of God" does not denote Christ's divinity, but his composite nature, as part divine, part human, and a third part, a hybrid mixture of the two (thus three natures). Many held to the belief that this created Christ involved the preexistence of the human soul and body of Christ, and that all the elect were created in Christ when he was created before the world began. So, not only did Christ preexist before his incarnation (being made flesh) but so too did the elect preexist in Christ, and had a vital or seminal union with him.

In "ETERNAL VITAL UNION," Beebe wrote the following things on the subject. [Republished by request of brother Isaac N. Moon in The 1880 volume of The Signs of The Times, page 81-82] (See here)

"But the question still may arise, how, or in what sense, we the saints in Christ Jesus before the world began?"

"As the seed of Abraham existed in him before any of them we born; and being thus in him, unto them God gave the land of Canaan, before any of them were manifested by generation. God made Abraham the father of many nations, long before any of these nations were developed. Adam called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living; and that too, before any of her children were born. But the life of all the posterity of which Abraham was the father was in him, and though not manifested to men, they were personally identified by God; for Levi paid tithes unto Melchisedec, when he was yet in the loins of his great-grandfather Abraham. If the life of all the human family had not been in Adam, how could their development by generation and birth been regarded as a multiplication of Adam? God blessed Adam and bade him be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth. And in this, Adam is the “figure of Him that was to come,” which is Christ. And in covenant with Abraham, God said, “Surely blessing I will bless thee; and multiplying I will multiply thee.”"

"Our being born into the natural world did not make us the sons and daughters of Adam; but our original creation in him as his posterity, is that which constitutes the relationship, and our birth is but the manifestation of it. Our generation is the manifestation of that life which was given us in Christ, and makes us manifest as the children of God."

"Thus to be IN Jesus Christ seminally, as the spiritual embodiment and progenitor of “a seed that shall serve Him, and be counted to the Lord for a generation,” according to Psalms 22:30; Isaiah 53:10-12; I Peter 2:9, involves the Bible doctrine of eternal Union. A union of life, love and immortality. One with Christ even as Christ is one with the Father." 

"A birth is not the creation or origination of life, but the manifestation of life by what is called procreation. Our earthly nature which in Christians is called the old, or outward man, was created in Adam, but pro-created by natural generation. But that immortality which is in the Christian, and which is denominated the new, or the inward man, was given us in Jesus Christ, and is manifested by spiritual generation when born of God."

That is interesting about the view of Watts. It shows that others, non Hardshells, believed some of the leading ideas involved in Two Seedism. Many held to this view because Christ said that he came down from heaven, and they apply this to his human soul or spirit, or perhaps even to his flesh and blood. 

Of course, as the opponents of eternal vital union showed, no one has an existence prior to his creation and birth in the womb. Yes, they were foreknown, loved, and chosen, but only because God foresaw them before they existed. Yes, all men were "in" Adam not only by representation, but seminally (physically), as containing or contributing the seed of later generations. That all souls or spirits were created in Adam is not an indisputable fact. Were the souls or spirits of the elect created in Adam or in Christ before the world began? It seems the Two Seeders cannot logically have it both ways. 

But, it is not appropriate to say that the elect were "in" Christ seminally when he was begotten (either in eternity past or in the womb of the virgin). The way one is joined to Christ vitally, according to the new testament, is to be born again by faith. So Jesus taught that one must eat his flesh and drink his blood to have him to enter into the heart, mind, and spirit. (John 6: 53-57) This partaking of Christ is done in the mind when it receives the message of the gospel of Christ. 

Also, the begetting of the Son of God was not a creation of Christ. Christ, as man, did not exist till he was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. One of the oft cited scriptures of the Two Seeders was those which speak of Christ as being the "beginning of the creation of God." (Rev. 3: 14; Col. 1: 15). They interpret such verses in an Arian fashion, except that they say it involves him being a mediator, having both a God nature and a human from the time he was created or begotten. The doctrine of eternal vital union, and the preexistence of souls, is interwoven with serious errors on the doctrine of the Trinity.

One of the verses that has been cited to disprove that the elect preexisted with Christ in eternity past, or were "in him" before the world began, is the one from Paul who said of two named Christians that "they were in Christ before me" (Rom. 16: 7). If all the elect were literally in Christ from eternity, then how can one be in Christ before another? 

Further, there is much misunderstanding of what is involved in being "chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world." Several inferences by the Two Seeders and those who believe in eternal vital union are not warranted.

1) the choice was made in eternity from those who existed in eternity in Christ

2) the existence of the elect was not merely virtual or in the mind of God

3) the choice was of those who were already in Christ, and not to bring them into Christ

I believe that Paul's use of the prepositional phrase "in Christ" in the words "chosen you in Christ" carries the same meaning as in the words "in love having predestinated." Christ was foreknown by the Father (I Peter 1: 20). His existence as a man, in his incarnation, began with his conception in the womb of the virgin mother. Christ, as God foresaw him, was the context for God's choice and predestination. In fact, we may say that "all things" are "by him" and "for him." (Col. 1: 16)

Beebe's idea that each of the elect come down from heaven in an incarnation, as the Son of God, is ridiculous and is why it has been rejected by all except a very small cult. 

So, in conclusion I say that though there is a union between Christ and the church in eternity past, it is not an actual union of persons then existing but an ordained union to be effected in time. It is a representative union and not a vital union. Vital union with Christ occurs by being joined to Christ by faith and being born again.