Prevenient Grace (6)

Several errors of the Hyper Calvinists are behind their general rejection of any kind of prevenient grace or preparations for salvation.

First, their erroneous belief that regeneration is defined as the first act of God for effecting regeneration. Second, that regeneration is defined by the act of God or first cause of it to the exclusion of the effects. In my post titled "Regeneration - Devil in the Definition" (See here) I wrote about this in these words:

Hyper Calvinists who say "regeneration precedes faith" oftentimes, in explaining that proposition, will equate it with an act of God that produces faith and repentance, or evangelical conversion. What others call a pre-regeneration act of God, or "prevenient" grace and action, Hypers call "regeneration." This is their error. They have defined "regeneration" as

1) the first act that God does to bring about regeneration, by the cause alone, and

2) excluding any acts done by the one regenerated (or the effects)

By this definition, there are no preliminary acts of God prior to regeneration.

Another error of those who separate regeneration from conversion, faith, and repentance, is to define "regeneration" simply as respects the "cause," whereas biblical "regeneration" includes both causes and effects, and primarily focuses upon the effect.  On this point the great head of Princeton Seminary, Archibald Alexander, wrote:

"Evangelical repentance, conversion and regeneration, are substantially the same. They all signify a thorough change of views, affections, purposes and conduct; and this change is every where declared to be essential to salvation."

Alexander wrote:

"Curious inquiries respecting the way in which the word is instrumental in the production of this change are not for edification. Sometimes regeneration is considered distinctly from the acts and exercises of the mind which proceed from it, but in the Holy Scriptures the cause and effect are included; and we shall therefore treat the subject in this practical and popular form. The instrumentality of the word can never derogate from the efficient agency of the Spirit in this work. The Spirit operates by and through the word. The word derives all its power and penetrating energy from the Spirit. Without the omnipotence of God the word would be as inefficient as clay and spittle, to restore sight to the blind."

So, Hyper Calvinists shifted regeneration as far back in the experiences of believers as possible, and in doing this they denied that there were any preparations for it, or any prevenient grace. This led them to distinguish regeneration from evangelical conversion, something that many of the older Calvinists did not do, including John Calvin. In denying that conversion was regeneration they denied that regeneration included the effects, as Alexander said. Faith became an effect of regeneration rather than a means. Further, by this new scheme they had to believe that sinners who were experiencing being "awakened" to their lost condition and made "sensible" of their guilt was their regeneration rather than pre-regeneration or preparatory experiences thereto. So, conviction of sin became evidence of regeneration rather than a prelude to it. 

In the 1795 Circular Letter of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, a Calvinist association, on "The Gospel," Samuel Jones, D. D., wrote (See here) the following (emphasis mine):

"The applications of the Gospel under the influence of the divine Spirit, in the work of conviction and conversion, is absolutely necessary, in order to our receiving saving benefit from it. In this precious work of grace in our hearts, the Law and Gospel, considered as means, go hand in hand, and are often found in the same verse. By the one is the knowledge of sin, by the other the discovery of deliverance. The one worketh despair, the other faith and hope." 

In these words we see that Jones does speak of "the influence of the divine Spirit" as occurring "in the work of conviction and conversion" and says that these are "absolutely necessary in order to receiving saving benefit from" the Gospel. He also speaks of both law and gospel as "means" in preparatory works that precede regeneration. 

Jones wrote further:

"To this end means are appointed, chiefly the word and the ministration thereof; wherein the state of the sinner by nature, and the way of recovery through rich grace is unfolded; and it pleases God to enlighten the mind; move on the affections, and subdue the will. The sinner is awakened and convicted; he sees his danger; is filled with concern of mind; enquires what he must do to be saved; has repentance unto life given him; is led to see the fulness, freeness, suitableness, and glory of the way of life through a Redeemer; is enabled to lay hold by faith of this hope; is transformed by the renewing of his mind; has the constraining love of God shed abroad in his heart; is humbled and abased in himself, yet triumphs in the mercy and power of God; and thus being filled with holy zeal, he goes on his way rejoicing. He is sensible the Lord of his mere sovereign unconditional grace and mercy began the good work, is now carrying it on, and will complete it in glory, to whom, therefore, without reserve, he ascribes all the praise, and will to all eternity."

I find it interesting that Hopewell Primitive Baptist Church's web page is where this citation from the circular may be read. I find that odd since in the circular Dr. Jones says that the gospel is a means in saving the elect and "Primitive Baptist" of the Hardshell variety deny this truth. Jones identifies the pre-regeneration activity of God prior to regeneration, which includes enlightening the mind, awakening, convicting, moving on the affections, subduing the will, making "sensible," so as to cause the sinner thus affected to enquire about what he must do to be saved, and who then, after all these preparatory things, embraces Christ by faith and is given repentance unto life, is transformed and renewed, and has the love of God shed abroad in his heart.  Hardshells say that an awakened and sensible sinner has already been regenerated, but this is wrong, as Jones says.

Jones also wrote:

"From what we have said, various useful observations, by way of inference, might be made; but we shall only mention two: First, that according to the Gospel, the atonement of Christ did not extend to every individual of the human race; and, secondly, that the Gospel contains no conditional offers of salvation."

I include these words though they are somewhat off topic. I do this because it proves my previous statement that the Philadelphia Association and its confession of faith was Calvinistic. But, it also shows elements of Hyper Calvinism in saying that "the Gospel contains no conditional offers of salvation." How Jones could say this when he believed, and the confession affirms, that sinners must believe and repent to be saved. Many Particular or Predestinarian Baptists in the 18th and 19th century decried "conditional salvation" or "conditional offers of salvation." In J.H. Spencer's history, volume two, he writes the following about the Elkhorn Baptist Association of Kentucky in chapter one, published 1886 (See here):

"In answer to a query from Tates Creek, the churches were advised to use all tenderness to re-claim persons holding the error of conditional salvation, but if they could not be reclaimed, to exclude them."

Does this mean that they believed that a man could be saved without believing in Christ, or without repenting of his sins, or without abiding in Christ or persevering? No, rather, by denouncing "the error of conditional salvation" they meant the making of salvation dependent on the sinner's own doing alone, the making of gospel conditions into a kind of law. Spencer also records this information about the Elkhorn Association:

"1793. October 12. At South Elkhorn. Grassy Lick and Flat Lick Churches had been received, in May, and now Springfield Church was received. A union was formed with the four churches which had recently seceded from South Kentucky Association, on the following terms, proposed by the seceding churches:

"And that we do believe in the doctrines relative to the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the sacred authority of the Scriptures, the universal depravity of human nature, the total inability of men to help themselves without the aid of divine grace, the necessity of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the justification of our persons entirely by the righteousness of Christ imputed, believer's baptism by immersion only; and self-denial..."

Here we see what they meant by "conditional salvation." It is equated with the idea that sinners obey the commands to believe and repent by "themselves without the aid of divine grace." This does not mean that they deny that faith and repentance are necessary things for a sinner to do to be saved for they say they believe in "the necessity of repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ." 

In the Circular Letter Licking Association of Particular Baptists (KY) for 1823 (See here) we have this question and answer:

"Ques. We have heard you do not preach the gospel to sinners. Is it true? [p. 15]

Ans. It is not true. We preach to them and pray for them too. No doubt by divine authority, we are to preach, publish, and proclaim the word of the Lord, both law and gospel, to every creature. We are to charge home on sinners the guilt of their sin in Adam, their head, and all their sins in heart, or action, the justice of the divine law in their condemnation forever, and to publish to them the only salvation, Christ Jesus. And we are to persuade men. This we believe every minister of the gospel is bound to do, as well as to comfort the feeble minded. And although it is the spirit that quickens, either before the preaching, or afterwards, it is clear that very often the first feelings of spiritual life, were under the preaching of the gospel, when it was made the power of God to salvation. The Bible, and confessions of faith too, will support these opinions. Let us not neglect to obey the divine commands, "Preach the gospel to every creature." "Preach the word." When God commands it is enough. He makes use of his word by the spirit, to feed those who have spiritual life, and in the same manner in first communicating that life. In either case the word will do nothing without the spirit. But in this question something more is intended; that is, that we should put the gospel out of its own shape, by accomodating it to the natural mind of man. It must have terms, offers, and invitations, it knows nothing of. A gospel of terms, would be a new book. That would be a law book, and not the gospel. The preaching of such a book would not be preaching the gospel to sinners at all. The gospel of Jesus Christ is quite different from a book of terms. If a poor sinner thinks of coming to Christ on terms, he cannot come that way. But if, agreeably to the gospel, he is drawn by love to Christ, he comes very willingly without terms. He comes bringing nothing with him but sin to be pardoned. The invitation of Christ Jesus to this sinner, proves as effectual as it will be when he shall be invited to Heaven. All whom the saviour makes welcome to himself here, he will make welcome to and with himself in Heaven." [p. 16]

Our chief reason for citing Jones was to show that he believed that a sinner's being "awakened" and "convicted" of his sin, guilt, and lost condition, were things that preceded salvation and were often a means to it. I think these old Baptists were confusing matters when they said that there were no conditions for salvation and then spoke of things the sinners must do to be saved. In the above citation they mention the sinner "coming" to Jesus for salvation, which is something the sinner does, and is therefore a condition for salvation. Though most of today's "Primitive Baptists" would not agree with Jones, nor with the view that there are things God does in sinner's prior to their salvation, yet many of their founders in the early 19th century agreed with Jones somewhat. Elder Wilson Thompson (1788-1866) in his book "Triumph of Truth" (1825) wrote the following:

"Now men do not feel their condemnation properly until they are quickened by the Spirit; but as soon as they are made alive they begin to feel and see, and so faith is one of the first fruits of the Spirit; it views the excellency of the divine character, and the beauty of holiness, and begins to pant for the living God. Although the awakened sinner now has faith; its eye is not directed to Christ, but he now sees the glory and justice of God, and the purity of the law, and by the law he has a knowledge of sin; and so he begins to abhor himself and repent; he looks at himself in his fallen state, in relation to the first Adam, and sees that he is a condemned criminal; he reads the law, it sentences him to death and condemnation, and as he is wedded to a covenant of works , and sees not his relation to Christ, he begins to try to reform and keep the law, and work for life; and however long he may work under this legal persuasion, he finds but a poor reward, and at length he finds that all his plans are thwarted, and he is like the woman in the gospel that had spent all she had with physicians, and had got nothing better, but rather grew worse. Now the quickened sinner sees what he is in himself, and in relation to the first Adam, and that in this relation he is condemned to death, and can never be justified by any work or sacrifice in his power; all his hopes of obtaining salvation by the deeds of the law, gives up the ghost, for sin now appears exceedingly sinful, and it takes an occasion by the commandment to slay the sinner , who is ready to say, the commandment is holy, just and good, but I am carnal, sold under sin. Sin works by that which is good, and the sinner dies to all hope of ever being justified by any works of his own, and as if cut off from every other refuge, he cries, "God be merciful to me a sinner. " His expectation being cut off from everything else, he looks to God only, and falls as a pensioner on his mercy and grace, filled with the deepest sense of his condemnation, and the impossibility of being justified by the works of the law. This is his state as he stands in himself, and in relation to the first Adam, and this he clearly sees; but here the gospel reveals to faith the righteousness of God, and by faith the soul views his justification complete in the blood and righteousness of Christ."

Notice that Thompson, like most of the first generation of "Primitive Baptists," thought that a sinner's awakening to see his lost state followed his being "quickened," or being made spiritually alive, but he did not believe that this was his new birth. That would come later after the awakened sinner had first gone to Mt. Sinai and tried to save himself by self reformation or law keeping, and then after failing in that effort, finally coming to Mt. Zion, and then believing in Christ and his saving work, and then being born again. So, Thompson did not agree with the Puritans or Jones that the sinner's awakening and conviction was a pre-regeneration grace or preparation, but affirmed that his awakening was an effect of his actual regeneration or quickening, but oddly, this was not his rebirth. As we saw in the previous chapter, Thompson and other 19th century "Primitive Baptists" believed that regeneration and rebirth were not the same, and that awakening and conviction took place after regeneration (or quickening) but before rebirth. 

He also wrote:

"Christian reader, is it not according to thy own experience? The awakened sinner has faith in God, and in Christ as being righteous, but sees not his own relation to that righteousness, and therefore he is not comforted, but hungers and thirsts after righteousness, and although the promise is positive, " He shall be comforted, " yet the soul cannot see how this can be; but when by faith the soul receives an evidence that it is related to Christ as its righteousness, it is then that it is filled and can rejoice in hope of the glory of God, and puts no confidence in the flesh; and so says Paul, "The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. "

I wrote more about this in this post (here). This view would deny any pre-regeneration work of the Spirit and any prevenient grace. They would see awakening and conviction of sin and guilt as evidence of having been previously regenerated or made alive.

In chapter fifty of my online work titled "The Hardshell Baptist Cult" I write about Thompson's view under the title "Law To Grace?" (See here) In that chapter I cited much from Thompson's autobiography showing how he believed the whole process of being born of God involved going from law to grace. I cited these words from Thompson:

"I BELIEVE my mind was more or less impressed with the importance of religion from my first recollection. I had a dread of death and fears of future misery, that betimes would harrass me very much; but, I am now convinced that these early exercises were the effect of education. My father’s house was a home for the preachers, and was called a “Baptist Tavern”...So I heard much about religious subjects, and, perhaps, this will account for the early impressions of my mind. I am very sure, from a retrospect of those early impressions, that they were just of that character which a carnal heart and a defiled conscience might be expected to have, under such circumstances as I have related."

These words seem to contradict what he said in the previous citation, because in the above citation he says that he was awakened and convicted of sin but did not believe that awakening evidenced a saved state.

He wrote further:

"I began to desire greatly to know what was meant by law and gospel, and what it was, in Christian experience, that was called passing from law to gospel. All these things oppressed me sorely. My mind was in a tumult, like a troubled sea, tossed with contending emotions, doubts, fears, hope, assurance, and despair."

"But still I could not understand their system. This something they called law and gospel was with them the great matter. The beautiful and satisfying evidence of Christian experience consisted, as they said, in a thorough and correct passing from law to gospel. This was all new matter to me. I could not understand what they meant by the phrase, “passing from law to gospel”." (Chapter Two - "Early Religious Impressions")

"When meeting closed, a company started with Father, some on horseback and others on foot. As they walked, I was all attention and felt impatient to hear them speak of the reception of these wicked children. They had not walked far until an old man from north of the Ohio River, by the name of Davies, introduced the subject by saying: “How beautifully them young people passed from law to gospel.” 

Obviously Thompson was experiencing pre-regeneration experiences that were instances of God's working on his heart and mind, or of prevenient grace. The Baptists that Thompson was associated with spoke of "Christian experience" involving "passing from law to gospel" and this shows that they believed that before a sinner is saved he would first come under conviction, then would try to save himself by reformation or by his own works, what Paul called "going about to establish their own righteousness"  (Rom. 10: 3), and that endeavor would invariably fail, and such failure would often finally cause the guilty sinner to come to Christ as a whipped supplicant to be saved by Christ and his righteousness, crying "God be merciful to me a sinner." 

What Thompson and the Baptists of his day meant by going from law to grace, or from Mt. Sinai (the place where the law was given and a label for the law) to Mt. Zion (a label for grace via the gospel), was what the Puritans taught when they spoke of how the law was a means of enlightening sinners about sin, guilt, condemnation, and the need for atonement. Once the law has done its work in conviction the gospel of Christ would then be seen as the remedy. So they cited the words of Paul who said that "the law" is a "schoolmaster" to "bring us to Christ" and be "justified by faith." (Gal. 3: 24) They also saw the law as God's means of preparing the soil of the sinner's heart for the planting of the gospel seed, which seed when received in a "good and honest heart" saves the sinner and makes it possible for him to bring forth good and lasting fruit. Charles Spurgeon in his sermon "The Plowman" said (emphasis mine):

"Jesus says to all of us, "You must be born-again." Unless God the Holy Spirit breaks up the heart with the plow 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!" (Read his sermon here)

Luther viewed the law as a "hammer" or "thunderbolt" that breaks the impenitent heart and a "mirror" that shows us our true spiritual condition. Recall what happened on Mt. Sinai when God came down and met with the people on that mountain. The record says: 

"Now all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then they said to Moses, “You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.” (Exo. 20: 18-19 nkjv)

Well said one writer of Luther on the law as a means in conviction unto salvation (See here):

"Luther is very clear that we cannot offer the comfort of the gospel without first leading people to despair of their sin through the law. The law wounds, and the gospel heals. Luther did not want gospel presentations to be so focused on the wrath of God that people would be fleeing his wrath out of fear; rather, he wanted them to flee God’s wrath because they knew they were sinners and they despaired of their sin. This despair of sin only comes through the conviction of the law."

In chapter three of this series I cited from the words of Stephen Charnock who said: "The soul must be beaten down by conviction before it be raised up by regeneration." 

Getting back to Elder Thompson, he wrote further:

"At once I inferred that God had shown me my guilty and condemned condition, and had brought me solemnly on my knees, to confess that His judgment was just in my banishment, and that I had no just cause of complaint...Yet I never once thought of this being conversion, but my trouble now was that my former trouble was gone!"

When God showed Thompson his guilty and condemned condition, surely God was not showing him what was not true. This showing, or revelation of truth, therefore was a preparation for his salvation and an instance of prevenient grace, and not evidence of salvation. Thompson even says that he did not think that in this state of being convicted of sin was his conversion. So, was this work of God in awakening him to his lost condition and bringing conviction a gracious act? If yes, then is it not an instance of prevenient grace?

He wrote further:

"For several days I continued in this way; sometimes all my mind seemed shrouded in impenetrable darkness, but frequently an inward dart of light in the mind would reveal the way in which God could be just as a Saviour, through the mediation of His Son."

Again, these experiences were the workings of the Spirit and grace of God leading to his salvation and not the effects of salvation. There was some revelation and enlightenment prior to his coming to Christ. Those Hyper Calvinists who go overboard on the doctrine of "total depravity" will say that the dead sinner cannot feel guilt for sin, cannot receive any enlightenment, cannot understand anything about the bible. However, as the older Calvinists and Puritans taught, light is first given before life is given, and light of truth is the means for producing life. Wrote J.C. Philpot (emphasis mine):

"Nor shall we, as we wish to avoid controversial topics, enter at any length into the question whether light or life first enters into the heart—”The entrance of your words gives light.” (Psalm 119:130.) There it would seem that light came first. And so the passage—”To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light.” (Acts 26:18.) So Saul at Damascus’ gate saw and was struck down by the light before the quickening words came—”Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4.) In grace, if not in nature, it would seem evident that we see before we feel; and thus the disciples “beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the Father,” before they received the Son of God into their hearts and believed on his name. It will be seen from these hints that without entering into the controversy, or pronouncing any dogmatical opinion, our own view inclines to the point held by Mr. Huntington, that light precedes life." (From his sermon "The Authority and Power of the Word upon the Heart" and cited by me in this post here)

So sinners, when they are first awakened to see their lost condition, as Thompson described, it is by the means of some light, some enlightenment, some realization, some epiphany, some moment of realization, that sinners come to Christ confessing their sins, and repenting and seeking forgiveness. 

Thompson wrote further:

"...Elder Riggs resumed his sermon...“We are told,” said he, “that Christ will come to judge the world in flaming fire, and with the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. Now, if He should appear in this cloud, amid the streaming lightning and bellowing thunder, who is ready to meet Him? "At that instant the light that had so often flashed and darted before my inward eyes, now suddenly shone in me, and continued to shine in its splendor, revealing the fullness of the glory of the Person of Christ, and the mediatorial work He had performed for His people, through the redemption that was in Him, and obtained by Him for His people. God was revealed glorious in all His perfections, His law honored, and His truth and justice fully vindicated, while His grace was richly exercised in the free and full justification of poor, ungodly sinners who believed in His Son. This, to me, was the most transporting joy I had ever beheld. I knew it was the same blessed plan that, during several of the preceding days had been flashing across my mind. Christ was now All! He was truly the way, the truth, and the life, the end of the law, the fullness of the gospel." 

Several things are important to notice from the above words of Thompson. First, the preaching of the word of God was an instrument in Thompson's awakening. Second, it was the minister's question - "who is ready to meet him?" - that was a means in his conviction. Third, there was light that enlightened his darkness and this before Christ and the way of salvation was revealed to him. All this was an instance of prevenient grace and works of the Spirit and word of God upon him prior to his conversion.

In "Conviction of Sin Before Conversion" by John Owen under "Several Practical Cases of Conscience Resolved" (Available here), being Discourse One, from which we have previously cited, that Puritan wrote:

"The church owed no obligation to her free will and her own predispositions. There is not a smoke in the heart to heaven without a spark first from heaven; not a step till God enlarges the heart. Velleities are from common grace, under the preaching, of the word, fervent and saving desires are from special grace, by the hand of the Spirit. So that there are no preparations from nature to this, since both our apprehensions of it and desires of it spring not out of that stock."

What Owen describes is what Thompson describes as his experience. It was common or prevenient grace, under preaching, that led to receiving special grace.

Wrote Owen:

"The will willing would then be the cause of God's working, not God's working the cause of the will's willing and choice. God's working would be consequent upon the will, and so the effect of the will's free motion...To conclude; God must either be precedent in his operation to the act of the will, or follow it. If precedent, we have what we would, if subsequent, then God is a mere attendant upon the motions of the creature, and a servant to wait upon man."

Elder John M. Watson in his "Old Baptist Test," when speaking of the effectiveness of "means," i.e. the preaching of the word of God, said:

"This doctrine does not stop here, but includes all ordinances, conditions, means, and modes of divine "workmanship." None of these are accidental or fortuitous as we may suppose, Reader, "Is not the Lord gone out before thee" in all these?" (pg. 354)

"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)

For more of these citations from Watson see my post (here). By "the Lord going out before" the means we can see common and prevenient grace at work in preparations for genuine conversion. We see this in the case of the conversion of Cornelius the centurian. So we read:

"1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, 2 a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” 4 And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. 5 Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. 6 He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do.” (Acrs 10: 1-6 nkjv)

By the words "he will tell you what you must do" the angel means "he will tell you what you must do to be saved." That is clear from these words of Peter in the next chapter when rehearsing the events of Cornelius' conversion, where he said:

"And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ " (Acts 11: 13-14 nkjv)

The description of Cornelius prior to his salvation by faith in the message Peter delivered and in Christ, evidence that Cornelius had been prepared for salvation by God the Spirit's preparatory work. He had been brought to fear the God of the Jews. However, that in itself is no proof of salvation, for even the demons believe in one God. He was devout in his religious activities, but these too are not in themselves proof of salvation. His salvation did not occur until he believed in Christ and his way of salvation.