In the Mt. Carmel church trial this testimony and evidence was presented:
"Dr. Purifoy published in Zion’s Advocate in 1879 and here are his exact words taken from it. I can produce the original. Here are his exact words: “I firmly believe that it is the duty of every gospel minister to preach repentance and remission of sins, in the name of Jesus, to all the unregenerate with whom he comes in contact in his pulpit ministrations. As he does this in the name of Jesus, realizing the utter inability of the sinner to repent until the grace of repentance is given him from on high, he has an assurance from the scriptures, that God’s word will not return unto Him void, but will accomplish that whereunto he sends it, and prosper in the thing he pleases. Thus the gospel ministry is instrumental in God’s hands, through Jesus, in raising dead sinners to newness of life---spiritual life---just as the apostles were instruments in His hands in casting out devils, healing the sick, and raising the dead.”
There were four Hardshell periodicals in existence in the 1830s, the Signs of the Times, The Christian Doctrinal Advocate and Spiritual Monitor, The Primitive Baptist, and the Old Baptist Banner. Each of these taught the Gospel means position. Zion's Advocate was a leading periodical begun in 1852 and taught the Gospel means position until it was taken over by the anti means side in the 1890s, after the death of Elder John Clark. The above citation shows what the position of the paper was during the time of Elder Clark's editorship.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Tuesday, August 6, 2013
What The First Hardshells Believed IV
Here are some other citations from an old Hardshell periodical, from the "Christian doctrinal advocate and spiritual monitor," where the first Hardshells are shown to disagree with today's modern Hardshell body.
"From Brother Jacob Wickizer, Rome, Pa.
Dear Brother Jewett,—Not stopping to apologize, I send you a few thoughts on 2 Thes. ii. 13; where the Apostle breaks out in language like this—
"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, Brethren beloved in the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the Truth."
The TRUTH is that, which every heaven-born soul is made to believe by the operation of the Spirit of God in his experience.
Again, this in not the view of today's Hardshells! How can they claim to be "primitive" when they cannot find their views by any Baptist confession, church, or authorities, prior to the 19th century? And when they cannot even find their extreme view taught by their own "founding fathers" in the beginning of their seceder movement?
"The Lord that Spirit commences his work in the hearts of those, whom God hath from the beginning chosen unto salvation, first, by quickening them; and then he shows them their guilty, lost, helpless condition, by the revelation of his holiness, revealed in the law with the glory and majesty of God, as King. And thus the creature is made, not only to believe, but to realize, and to know, that he is a sinner all over defiled, that his whole head is sick and his whole heart faint. And he sees no way, that God could be just and justify such a polluted wretch, as he sees himself to be; and if he turn his mind to the world, he finds nothing there, that can ease his mind. The sound of the viol, instead of being music, is now grating to his ears. His merry companions are now no more the company, that he desires; no, he would rather be in some lonely place, where he might mourn over his lost and undone situation! And if he turns his thoughts to Heaven, he sees a God of justice, a being to whom all the hosts above delight to pay homage, and cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God,—who is and was and is to come." And feeling no desire, that God should change, even if il were possible,—he exclaims, no, I justly deserve to be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. He now feels to loathe himself, and to give up till hope; he feels himself to be entirely polluted."
Here is more proof that the first Hardshells believed that regeneration and new birth were not the same, that the one preceded the other. I have shown in other writings, especially in my ongoing book on the Hardshells, that the first generation of Hardshells believed that spiritual birth had stages just like physical birth. They believed that a man was first "regenerated," apart from means and gospel truth, then under conviction of sin, comparable to being in the womb, in darkness, without freedom, and then finally was "born" from the womb, the latter being by the means of gospel truth being believed by the "quickened soul." This is not, of course, the view of today's neo Hardshells.
"The teaching of the Spirit reveals to his mind the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; teaches him his own poverty and wretchedness. He feels so poor, that he cannot say, that he will wear his own apparel and rat his own bread; no, he looks for it to Him, from whom comes every good and perfect gift. Thus they who are chosen of God &, brought to the belief of the truth, are all taught of God, all drink of the same fountain, rejoice in the same truth and speak the same things, and in short, belong to tho same family." (Nov. 2, 1841. Jacob Wickizer. pg. 146)
"That there should be a New Birth by regeneration, the soul is begotten of God, quickened, by his Spirit brought into labor under the law and heavy laden with sin, enlightened by the Spirit of God to feel the justice of his condemnation; views the mighty contrast between a Holy God and such a hell-deserving sinner, whose every thought, word and deed, is now and ever has been black as the tents of Kedar, a fountain issuing nothing but the most filthy bitter water; finds utter inability to cleanse one drop, or change the spot on his Ethiopian skin, being entirely destitute of any cleansing power or substance. At length, at the end of the law, he ceases from his own works, as God did from his at the creation of the world, and cries, 'Lord, save, or I perish?' Jesus Christ he views as his atonement, and by faith views him as his Lord and his God, the cheifest amongst ten thousands, the one altogether lovely."
This is more evidence of how the first Hardshells held to the view that regeneration was distinct from the new birth, that they believed the new birth to be the same as conversion, and that all the regenerated would be converted by the gospel.
"I am well aware, that the birth is not the origin of the child, neither does it add any new member or physical power to the soul; yet the child by being born, comes to enjoy some new faculties, such as seeing, crying, tasting...all new. I suppose, that I have witnessed thousands of natural births, during the practice of my medical profession; yet in no case have I been ready to believe, that it was never a child until it was born. As before observed, the child is as perfect a child, before it was born, as afterwards, but the birth manifests it to all around; so the 'New Birth' manifests the new-born soul to Israel, and to Israel only."
"I have thus far endeavored to give you my ideas, as to what constitutes regeneration, or the New Birth,—and what is done to an individual experiencing that wonderful change, and in what respect 'the believer or man in Christ is a New Creature.' But to be a little more explicit, I would add, it is 'Christ formed in you the hope of glory'..." (Squier Littell Sr. (Jan. 1842. pg. 147)
This is clear. The first Hardshells believed that all the elect would believe and hear the gospel, that being "taught of God" involved being taught the gospel.
see here
"From Brother Jacob Wickizer, Rome, Pa.
Dear Brother Jewett,—Not stopping to apologize, I send you a few thoughts on 2 Thes. ii. 13; where the Apostle breaks out in language like this—
"But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, Brethren beloved in the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit, and the belief of the Truth."
The TRUTH is that, which every heaven-born soul is made to believe by the operation of the Spirit of God in his experience.
Again, this in not the view of today's Hardshells! How can they claim to be "primitive" when they cannot find their views by any Baptist confession, church, or authorities, prior to the 19th century? And when they cannot even find their extreme view taught by their own "founding fathers" in the beginning of their seceder movement?
"The Lord that Spirit commences his work in the hearts of those, whom God hath from the beginning chosen unto salvation, first, by quickening them; and then he shows them their guilty, lost, helpless condition, by the revelation of his holiness, revealed in the law with the glory and majesty of God, as King. And thus the creature is made, not only to believe, but to realize, and to know, that he is a sinner all over defiled, that his whole head is sick and his whole heart faint. And he sees no way, that God could be just and justify such a polluted wretch, as he sees himself to be; and if he turn his mind to the world, he finds nothing there, that can ease his mind. The sound of the viol, instead of being music, is now grating to his ears. His merry companions are now no more the company, that he desires; no, he would rather be in some lonely place, where he might mourn over his lost and undone situation! And if he turns his thoughts to Heaven, he sees a God of justice, a being to whom all the hosts above delight to pay homage, and cry, "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God,—who is and was and is to come." And feeling no desire, that God should change, even if il were possible,—he exclaims, no, I justly deserve to be banished from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. He now feels to loathe himself, and to give up till hope; he feels himself to be entirely polluted."
Here is more proof that the first Hardshells believed that regeneration and new birth were not the same, that the one preceded the other. I have shown in other writings, especially in my ongoing book on the Hardshells, that the first generation of Hardshells believed that spiritual birth had stages just like physical birth. They believed that a man was first "regenerated," apart from means and gospel truth, then under conviction of sin, comparable to being in the womb, in darkness, without freedom, and then finally was "born" from the womb, the latter being by the means of gospel truth being believed by the "quickened soul." This is not, of course, the view of today's neo Hardshells.
"The teaching of the Spirit reveals to his mind the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; teaches him his own poverty and wretchedness. He feels so poor, that he cannot say, that he will wear his own apparel and rat his own bread; no, he looks for it to Him, from whom comes every good and perfect gift. Thus they who are chosen of God &, brought to the belief of the truth, are all taught of God, all drink of the same fountain, rejoice in the same truth and speak the same things, and in short, belong to tho same family." (Nov. 2, 1841. Jacob Wickizer. pg. 146)
"That there should be a New Birth by regeneration, the soul is begotten of God, quickened, by his Spirit brought into labor under the law and heavy laden with sin, enlightened by the Spirit of God to feel the justice of his condemnation; views the mighty contrast between a Holy God and such a hell-deserving sinner, whose every thought, word and deed, is now and ever has been black as the tents of Kedar, a fountain issuing nothing but the most filthy bitter water; finds utter inability to cleanse one drop, or change the spot on his Ethiopian skin, being entirely destitute of any cleansing power or substance. At length, at the end of the law, he ceases from his own works, as God did from his at the creation of the world, and cries, 'Lord, save, or I perish?' Jesus Christ he views as his atonement, and by faith views him as his Lord and his God, the cheifest amongst ten thousands, the one altogether lovely."
This is more evidence of how the first Hardshells held to the view that regeneration was distinct from the new birth, that they believed the new birth to be the same as conversion, and that all the regenerated would be converted by the gospel.
"I am well aware, that the birth is not the origin of the child, neither does it add any new member or physical power to the soul; yet the child by being born, comes to enjoy some new faculties, such as seeing, crying, tasting...all new. I suppose, that I have witnessed thousands of natural births, during the practice of my medical profession; yet in no case have I been ready to believe, that it was never a child until it was born. As before observed, the child is as perfect a child, before it was born, as afterwards, but the birth manifests it to all around; so the 'New Birth' manifests the new-born soul to Israel, and to Israel only."
"I have thus far endeavored to give you my ideas, as to what constitutes regeneration, or the New Birth,—and what is done to an individual experiencing that wonderful change, and in what respect 'the believer or man in Christ is a New Creature.' But to be a little more explicit, I would add, it is 'Christ formed in you the hope of glory'..." (Squier Littell Sr. (Jan. 1842. pg. 147)
This is clear. The first Hardshells believed that all the elect would believe and hear the gospel, that being "taught of God" involved being taught the gospel.
see here
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Hindsight From A Former Hardshell III
Part Three - The Primitive Baptist Grid
It's impossible to share my experience in the Primitive Baptist Church without granting the reader some insight into the mind of the Conditionalist. Since Primitives are relatively small in number and generally separate themselves from the larger Christian community their peculiar views are largely unknown to outsiders. Their general agreement with the doctrines of grace as taught in Calvinism is somewhat deceptive, for Hardshellism is actually an attempt to navigate away from Arminianism, but land in a different spot than the system developed by John Calvin and his followers. Nevertheless, there is a strong similarity between the two which none can deny. In his book The Lost History of Calvinism Harold Hunt correctly admits that "No one can deny there is a close resemblance between those five doctrines of grace and Calvinism’s five points. But a closer examination shows that, in many ways, the resemblance is only apparent. There are some serious differences, and those differences lead to unacceptable conclusions (The Lost History of Calvinism).
One must look deeper than the TULIP scheme itself, though, to see where all the differences lie between Hardshellism and Calvinism, for both believe in the five points. The purpose of this chapter is to look at the reasoning which guides the typical Conditionalist in his approach to God’s Word. We will then be able to see why, in his mind, Calvinism yields "unacceptable conclusions”.
No Grid?
In his treatise "Temporal Salvation: A Bogus or Biblical Concept?” Elder Michael Gowens tries to refute the idea that he and those of his faction impose their views upon the biblical texts, but insists “…that this practice of making such fine distinctions is not a grid for interpretation imposed on the text from without, but a grid that arises from the text itself”. He is aware that those who, like myself, have renounced this heresy, make the charge that the conditional time salvation paradigm is the product of a preconceived grid imposed upon the Bible, and so dedicates an early section in his treatise to refute the claim. What he fails to realize, or hopes that no one will notice, is that he himself uses a “grid” to uphold his entire apology. At the beginning of his work Gowens makes an appeal to the reader’s logic:
”Stretch your mental muscles for a moment. Is there a difference between reality and a person’s perceptive of that reality? If I fail to perceive the reality, does my subjective failure to understand what is real affect whether or not it is real?”
Introducing this appeal to human reason into the field of soteriology, he asks more specifically:
"Does the objective fact of redemption by Christ depend on man’s subjective perception of understanding of that fact?”
These two logical appeals are meant to persuade the reader of the Hardshell tenet that a sinner may be saved but not know it. Feeling that salvation does not in any way depend upon man's understanding, the author feels that the perception of salvation will not exist in many of those who are regenerated. Thus his approach to scripture is the idea that one may interpret it by separating the subjective experience of salvation in the lives of men from the objective fact of their salvation. The one who reads the Bible can essentially create a rule in his mind from the outset. If he comes across some passage in scripture which speaks of what God or Christ did for the elect and no mention is made of some motion on the part of the sinner for his salvation, then that text is to be put in the category of necessary eternal salvation. If, on the other hand, he comes across one which shows the sinner moving consciously Godward (e.g. looking, seeing, coming, believing, hearing, drinking, repenting, enduring, persevering, overcoming) then that text is to be placed in the category of an unnecessary temporal salvation.
Gowens's treatise is the best effort the Conditionalists have produced attempting to defend their hallmark doctrine. The apology is greatly undermined however, for no sooner than the work is begun does the author do the very thing he says that his faction does not do! While trying to deny the charge that time salvation is the result of an imposed grid on the Bible, he reveals to the reader the very one he himself is going to use to defend the teaching! And which one is that? The one which says we must separate the objective from the subjective if we want to understand salvation correctly. His conclusions “arise from the text” only because this rule is being applied when they are being interpreted. Having created this distinction in his mind as a legitimate rule of exegesis he is able to separate the scriptures into neat little categories as dictated by his premise! And so the very one who seeks to refute the claim of a preconceived grid is guilty at the outset of building one himself!
Where did the author get this rule of interpretation? Certainly an appeal to human reason ("Stretch your mental muscles for a moment”) is no authority! If no scripture or bible principle is presented which says that we are to so partition the Word of God then that rule necessarily becomes a premise created by human reason which is imposed upon the Bible. Elder Thomas Mann accurately described this system in his 2002 sermon "Re-thinking Conditional Time Salvation", a catalyst for the so-called liberal movement. He correctly remarked:
"Conditional Time Salvation has bearing on many biblical doctrines. What I think happens is we develop this grid..."
And again:
"If you have this grid that no conditional verse can have anything to do with eternity, it does affect how you view some other things.”
The use of this grid to chop up the Bible is one of the most blatant cases of eisegesis of which I’m aware. The claim that this method of Bible interpretation "arises from the text itself" is simply not true. No interpretation simply arises from the Bible. There must be some rule(s) which we incorporate to help decipher its meaning. Unless a sound hermeneutical rule is guiding our thoughts, then we have invented a rule of our own and are forcing the Bible to conform to our preconceptions.
Applying the Grid
It is important to understand that the eisegetical grid employed by the Conditionalist is a collection of premises against some of the finer points of Calvinism, most significantly the doctrines of gospel regeneration and the perseverance of the saints. If a verse of scripture is confronted which seems to suggest of these teachings, one of these premises is immediately brought forth and the text is forced to conform to the accepted paradigm. Most of the time the intention is to make the passage have "nothing to do with being saved eternally.
Denying The Balance of Truth
At its broadest level, the time salvation grid results from a failure to recognize that the responsibility of man and the sovereignty of God co-exist in the outworking of salvation. This great question of how and where these two meet together has engaged the best of minds in the past. Some have earnestly strove to solve this great difficulty, while others have claimed that the reconciliation is a mystery beyond our current comprehension. The conditional time salvation paradigm responds by claiming there is no balance of truth, and thus no tension, at least within an eternal context. It provides a cheap, irreverential explanation to this great mystery by saying that human responsibility has no function in the salvation of sinners, eliciting only temporal blessings and judgments from God. Disdaining the idea of one great salvation in Christ in which the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of men work together in harmony, they create a paradigm of "two salvations" where sovereign grace accomplishes one; free-will the other.
Gowens verifies this by claiming the solution to unravel the balance-of-truth mystery is by employing the temporal framework of the Primitive Baptist Grid:
"...this penchant for framing every Bible reference in an eternal context (that is, as something that affects or determines final destiny) leads to logical absurdities like the assumption, “The Bible teaches that both God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are involved in man’s salvation.” I recently heard a popular Bible teacher say, “Don’t even try to understand it; just accept it.” Again, I must admit that my brain cannot compute such a notion, and since I do not believe that the Eternal Logos is illogical, I cannot simply “accept it”.
I agree that the Bible teaches both Divine sovereignty and human responsibility, but deny that both are involved in man’s eternal salvation. The challenge facing the Biblical interpreter, I say again, is to reconcile the two contrary concepts by “rightly dividing the word of truth.” Understanding the difference between “sonship” and “discipleship” provides the grid for consistency in Biblical interpretation."
What disrespect to the theological giants of the past does this demonstrate! Imagine telling those who really wrestled with this issue they were pursuing a "logical absurdity” by trying to maintain the balance of truth, when the solution all along was in fact very simple. All you have to do is just put the text in the time salvation category if you see responsibility enforced. Problem solved!
Well did Spurgeon say:
“That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not. It is just the fault of our weak judgment.”
How true!
In his book Rightly Dividing The Word of Truth, Tom Hagler Jr. says as well that the key to solve the apparent dilemma of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility is to make use of the conditional time salvation grid. He writes:
"... the doctrinal paradox recognized by many respected theologians regarding the sovereignty of God in eternal salvation...versus...the exercise of man’s “free will” so as to make eternal salvation effective, must be solved. This solution is based on an ancient Bible doctrine, but to be successful, this doctrine must be fully supported by scripture throughout the Bible."
Failing to see that God's workings and the actions of the human will are compatible, the Conditionalists completely divorce the concepts and make each of them the efficient cause of their own respective salvation. If a verse of scripture is confronted which places emphasis on our responsibility towards God as his creatures, then it must be said that it has nothing to do with our eternal salvation. It is only for our temporal well-being, our optional "timely salvation", "while we live here below", as the current cliches run. Most deceitful too is the subtle claim the author sneaks in that this is an "ancient" way of handling the scriptures, when it is not ancient at all, being traced back no earlier than the late 19th century.
Overthrowing this false exegetical method is very simple. All that one must do is locate those passages of scripture where some blessing or judgment is guaranteed where the responsibility of man is enforced with eternal consequence. Recognizing that such passages exist in the Bible is the key to proving this particular Hardshell premise false and an invention of men. Elder Thomas Mann correctly stated, in the sermon already referred to, that there are some passages in the Bible which "seem to put a lot of responsibility on us as God's creatures", and that they carried a much "bigger punch" than some mere temporal blessing or judgment.
“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” (Is. 55:1)
“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;” (Col. 1:20-23)
“…he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 10:22)
“And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31)
“But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Heb.3:6)
“Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.” (2 John:9)
“…These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:14)
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” (Rev. 22:17)
Many other verses could be supplied which show the emphasis the Bible places on both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of men. The reason why I list these is because they contain no easy buzzwords upon which to place the conditional time salvation spin. In each case the context is eternal salvation and man's responsibility to God is very real.
In the next chapter, we will continue looking at some of the premises which make up the Primitive Baptist grid.
What Saith The Hardshell Founding Fathers?
It has been shown that most of the founding fathers of the Hardshell or "Primitive Baptist" denomination taught that the elect were born again by the preaching of the Gospel, and that the "faith" that is necessary to being eternally saved was faith in Christ that comes by hearing the Gospel. Some did later begin to alter their views and taught that regeneration was a separate and prerequisite experience to that of being born again, but not one of them is on record as affirming that any of the elect would die without being brought to a knowledge of the Gospel and faith in Christ.
In my book "The Hardshell Baptist Cult," and in this blog and my baptistgadfly blog, I have cited from the writings of the founding fathers of the Hardshell denomination to substantiate this fact. I have shown that these men taught these truths: John Watson, R.W. Fain, John Clark, Gilbert Beebe, Samuel Trott, Daniel Jewett, Mark Bennett, Wilson, Thompson, William Conrad, John Leland, John Taylor, Burwell Temple, James Osbourn, Hosea Preslar, C. B. Hassell, etc. I wish now to add the testimony of Joshua Lawrence, a leader in the Kehukee Association and in the anti mission movement from its inception. Writing in the third volume of "The Primitive Baptist" periodical (1838), Lawrence wrote: (empahsis mine)
Joshua Lawrence
"The first parable showeth the effect of the gospel preached by the Son of man with its effect on different persons, compared to the way side, stony ground, thorn, and good ground hearers; which showeth that three-fourths of his gospel preaching is lost, as only the good ground hearers bro't fruit. And this is true under the preaching of all his ministers, as well as his. So then the field in the first parable is the world, in which the gospel or word is preached; the field, in the second parable, is the world, in which the effects of the preaching of that gospel on good ground hearers produces the children of his kingdom. Hence it is said, born not of flesh, blood, or will of men; but of the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever. And again: I have beggotten you through the gospel, etc...Well then, this is the true meaning of the kingdom of heaven in this text: the church of Christ in the field of this world, or Christians by the agency of the Spirit of God and gospel preaching sowed among mankind..." (pg. 306)
Today's Hardshells generally teach that each of the four different kinds of soil/hearers of the word were born again children of God. The first Hardshells did not, but believed that only the good soil represented the children of God. Also, Lawrence is clear in his interpretation of "the word of God" by which the elect are born again. He equates being born by the word of God with being "begotten by the gospel." No Hardshell today interprets being begotten by the gospel (I Cor. 4: 15) with being born again by the word (I Peter 1: 23)
Lawrence wrote:
"Although Christians are sons and daughters of God, yet they are not begotten of a woman; but through the gospel by the same Spirit that begot the body of Christ by Mary; therefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren." (pg. 310)
How clear! "Begotten through the gospel!"
Saturday, August 3, 2013
First Hardshells on Rom. 8: 28
While back I cited from one of the three or four Hardshell periodicals of the 1830s, The "Christian Doctrinal Advocate and Spiritual Monitor," which showed that the first Hardshells believed that the "all things" of Romans 8: 28 was unlimited, as today's Absoluter faction of Hardshells believe, but with which the largest faction of Conditionalist Hardshells deny. Here is a citation from "The Primitive Baptist" which shows that they believed the "all things" was unlimited. This was the view that was constantly affirmed in all the first leading Hardshell periodicals.
Vol. 3 (1838)
"Yes, brethren, he knoweth them as the object of his eternal and electing love and as the purchased of the blood of Jesus Christ, ans as the heirs of eternal glory, and has so ordered the economy of grace that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans the 8 and 28 v. All things (not some things) but all things, even our trials and afflictions painful as they are, among the all things, and the time will come when they will be regarded as among the greatest providential blessings ever conferred upon us." (pg. 279)
Vol. 7 (1849)
"They see his work and his providence wherever they turn and they eventually see that "All things work together, for good to them that love God." That all their losses, crosses, disappointments, and even sin itself, through his overruling providence "works for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," that whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or life, or death, all are theirs, and they are Christ's,. And Christ is God's." (pg. 172)
This was the view of John Gill (see here) and of those who wrote the 1689 London Confession.
Vol. 3 (1838)
"Yes, brethren, he knoweth them as the object of his eternal and electing love and as the purchased of the blood of Jesus Christ, ans as the heirs of eternal glory, and has so ordered the economy of grace that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans the 8 and 28 v. All things (not some things) but all things, even our trials and afflictions painful as they are, among the all things, and the time will come when they will be regarded as among the greatest providential blessings ever conferred upon us." (pg. 279)
Vol. 7 (1849)
"They see his work and his providence wherever they turn and they eventually see that "All things work together, for good to them that love God." That all their losses, crosses, disappointments, and even sin itself, through his overruling providence "works for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," that whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or life, or death, all are theirs, and they are Christ's,. And Christ is God's." (pg. 172)
This was the view of John Gill (see here) and of those who wrote the 1689 London Confession.
Friday, August 2, 2013
Then And Now
The latest series started by my fellow contributor inspired me to combine his recent findings with some of my own.
Let this serve as an example as how different the beliefs were then compared to what they are now. I tried to do the right thing when I was among those who claim to be Primitive Baptists by sharing some of this historical info, but was promptly ostracized for doing so.
THEN:
From Vol. 1 (1836) of "The Primitive Baptist"
(published out of Tarboro, N.C.)
Q. Why then is vengeance pronounced against them that obey not the gospel?
A. Because there is no way of escape from the vengeance due to breach of law, but by the gospel, or being born again, which embraces obedience to the gospel.
NOW:
"...God has redeemed a people out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. Perhaps many may even be laboring under a false religious system, and may never experience gospel conversion. (www.paradisepbc.org)
THEN:
"We are informed by the apostle, in 2 Thes. 2: 13, that a sanctification of the spirit is necessarily connected with a belief of the truth" (John Watson, The Primitive Baptist, 1838)
NOW:
"Primitive Baptist believe that heaven will be populated with thousands of millions from among mankind, (Genesis 24:60, Hebrews 11:12 & Mark 10:45) we know that only a few will find the church and the truth of God in this life..." (www.paradisepbc.org)
THEN:
"God has inseparably connected His word and the gospel with the ingathering of His own chosen and redeemed people, and that as all these, both Jew and Gentile, must be brought, He has so connected His purpose, power, providence, and grace, that wherever He has a people in this world, His word will go, and His gospel will be proclaimed, in spite of all opposing power, and will not return unto Him void, or fall stillborn on the ears and hearts of men, but will accomplish the thing which He pleases, and prosper in the thing whereunto He sends it." (The Gospel: Its Purpose And Effect, Towaliga Primitive Baptist Association, 1896)
NOW:
"We believe that there will be millions of the "elect" saved in heaven who have never, nor will they ever, hear the gospel of the Son of God." (S.T. Tolley)
What The First Hardshells Believed III
The following are citations from Vol. 3 of "The Primitive Baptist" paper (1838).
"So then, he hath chosen us that we might be holy, etc. consequently will give us the means of salvation, which are faith and holiness. And God is omniscient, or every where present, and therefore none of his elect shall miss the end designed; that is, eternal life: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, etc. Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, etc. So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And even in the same way that the Lord sent his gospel to all the world once, even so now will he send it where he pleaseth; for he is of one mind and one way, and hath not said to the church, send ye my gospel any where." (pg. 109-10)
Again, this citation is similar to ones already cited in previous postings. Faith is a means of salvation and "faith comes by hearing the word of God." The first Hardshells did not promote the idea of "time salvation" in regard to those texts that make faith and hearing the Gospel as means for salvation.
"I find the will of God is to believe the record that God has given us of his Son for salvation, which would include all the fundamental principles of the gospel, and a good deal more; and the doctrine of election and predestination, and final perseverance of the saints, all of which I believe in." (pg. 115)
God's "will" or predestination concerned the elect coming to "believe the record that God has given of his Son" and that "for salvation." Also, they believed in the "perseverance of the saints," and not mere preservation. This is unlike most Hardshells today.
"...as I do believe God has chosen his people in Christ before the world was, and that according to his own purpose. And as he has made the choice of the characters that shall inherit his kingdom above, he has also ordained the means by which they shall be prepared and qualified for that eternal world. He has not chosen his people in Christ and left the means to be used necessary to bring them there in the hands of men. No, sir, he has ordained the preaching of the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, as his own method of saving his elect."
Notice how clearly the first Hardshells preached the means position. All the elect will believe the Gospel unto salvation, which is God's "own method of saving his elect."
"But perhaps the effort party may conclude there is still something for them to do, preachers must be prepared and sent to preach; but I want you also to remember, that God has not left this work in the hands of men, to say who shall preach his gospel, or who shall be instrumental in his hands in bringing his elect to a saving knowledge of his truth and glorious inheritance above. No, sir, he has reserved this work also to himself, he calls and qualifies his ministers to preach Jesus." (pg. 145)
Again, a very clear statement teaching the Gospel means position. Which of today's Hardshells will say "amen" to these words?
"Therefore we need no other means now than were needed eighteen hundred years ago; it then required the power of God to quicken a dead sinner and make him alive, it requires the same now and nothing short of that will effect the salvation of the soul. God saved his chosen people before missionary societies were introduced, by the ministers he chose, by the means he ordained, and not by plans devised by mortals; consequently they were indebted to him alone for that salvation, he was entitled to all praise and glory: Not unto us, but unto thy name give glory." (pg. 146)
Again, the power of God to quicken a dead sinner, to save his chosen people, was by "means" of the preaching of ministers that God chooses and sends.
Vol. 10 (1845)
"Because the Old School Baptists hold that there is an elect people according to the foreknowledge of God (i Pet. i, 2.) whom God hath, from the beginning, chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth (II Thess. 2:13) and who will be effectually called.; that is, who will be convinced of their sin and misery, enlightened in the knowledge of Christ and persuaded and enabled by the divine spirit to embrace Jesus Christ, revealed as the free gift of God to them, in the gospel; we say, because we hold this doctrine, natural and unrenewed men will say, Then we may all sit down and give ourselves no uneasiness or concern about our future state, nor attend, to any of the means or duties of religion, as the end will come out just the same whether we do, or not. Nay, they will accuse us of holding, and pretend themselves for a time to hold, this very principle, viz: that wicked men may just as well give themselves no concern about religion." (Circular Letter of the South Carolina Primitive Baptist Association, 1844)
Notice how the first Hardshells defined the experience of being "effectually called." It included being "enlightened in the knowledge of Christ" and being "persuaded" as wells as embracing Christ.
"But, I will, say, stop, O man, before you go too far; for I would suppose that Paul might have said the same...when the Lord said to him, speak, Paul, for I have much people in this city. But Paul was so well taught of God, as to know that the preaching of the gospel was the means in God's own hand by which he intended to save many; and these many here spoken of, must have been God's chosen people, and that God was able to make and would make that gospel which he had committed a dispensation to him, the great power of God to the salvation of them very, people." (pg.. 23, by Laban Massey, 1845)
How clear! "...the preaching of the gospel was the means in God's own hand by which he intended to save many." There is no mention of "time salvation," for they believed that it was eternal salvation that God had ordained to be accomplished by means of the preaching of the Gospel.
"Hence it is, if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed, Then faith, says Paul, is the gift of God; yet faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Thus, we hear the scriptures and we acknowledge our condemnation to be just; this is belief, we believe there is a God and that he is just. Thus faith comes by hearing; then after the legitimacy of his claims admitted, the Lord works in us to believe in his Son and thus we work the works of God by believing on him whom he hath sent. Thus we get the righteousness of Christ, that came by faith, called the faith of God's elect." (pg. 253)
Notice that the "faith" which saves is that faith which "comes by hearing the word of God," and not some kind of "faith" that does not believe anything. It involves a believing in his Son.
"So then, he hath chosen us that we might be holy, etc. consequently will give us the means of salvation, which are faith and holiness. And God is omniscient, or every where present, and therefore none of his elect shall miss the end designed; that is, eternal life: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God, etc. Chosen in him before the foundation of the world, etc. So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. And even in the same way that the Lord sent his gospel to all the world once, even so now will he send it where he pleaseth; for he is of one mind and one way, and hath not said to the church, send ye my gospel any where." (pg. 109-10)
Again, this citation is similar to ones already cited in previous postings. Faith is a means of salvation and "faith comes by hearing the word of God." The first Hardshells did not promote the idea of "time salvation" in regard to those texts that make faith and hearing the Gospel as means for salvation.
"I find the will of God is to believe the record that God has given us of his Son for salvation, which would include all the fundamental principles of the gospel, and a good deal more; and the doctrine of election and predestination, and final perseverance of the saints, all of which I believe in." (pg. 115)
God's "will" or predestination concerned the elect coming to "believe the record that God has given of his Son" and that "for salvation." Also, they believed in the "perseverance of the saints," and not mere preservation. This is unlike most Hardshells today.
"...as I do believe God has chosen his people in Christ before the world was, and that according to his own purpose. And as he has made the choice of the characters that shall inherit his kingdom above, he has also ordained the means by which they shall be prepared and qualified for that eternal world. He has not chosen his people in Christ and left the means to be used necessary to bring them there in the hands of men. No, sir, he has ordained the preaching of the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, as his own method of saving his elect."
Notice how clearly the first Hardshells preached the means position. All the elect will believe the Gospel unto salvation, which is God's "own method of saving his elect."
"But perhaps the effort party may conclude there is still something for them to do, preachers must be prepared and sent to preach; but I want you also to remember, that God has not left this work in the hands of men, to say who shall preach his gospel, or who shall be instrumental in his hands in bringing his elect to a saving knowledge of his truth and glorious inheritance above. No, sir, he has reserved this work also to himself, he calls and qualifies his ministers to preach Jesus." (pg. 145)
Again, a very clear statement teaching the Gospel means position. Which of today's Hardshells will say "amen" to these words?
"Therefore we need no other means now than were needed eighteen hundred years ago; it then required the power of God to quicken a dead sinner and make him alive, it requires the same now and nothing short of that will effect the salvation of the soul. God saved his chosen people before missionary societies were introduced, by the ministers he chose, by the means he ordained, and not by plans devised by mortals; consequently they were indebted to him alone for that salvation, he was entitled to all praise and glory: Not unto us, but unto thy name give glory." (pg. 146)
Again, the power of God to quicken a dead sinner, to save his chosen people, was by "means" of the preaching of ministers that God chooses and sends.
Vol. 10 (1845)
"Because the Old School Baptists hold that there is an elect people according to the foreknowledge of God (i Pet. i, 2.) whom God hath, from the beginning, chosen to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth (II Thess. 2:13) and who will be effectually called.; that is, who will be convinced of their sin and misery, enlightened in the knowledge of Christ and persuaded and enabled by the divine spirit to embrace Jesus Christ, revealed as the free gift of God to them, in the gospel; we say, because we hold this doctrine, natural and unrenewed men will say, Then we may all sit down and give ourselves no uneasiness or concern about our future state, nor attend, to any of the means or duties of religion, as the end will come out just the same whether we do, or not. Nay, they will accuse us of holding, and pretend themselves for a time to hold, this very principle, viz: that wicked men may just as well give themselves no concern about religion." (Circular Letter of the South Carolina Primitive Baptist Association, 1844)
Notice how the first Hardshells defined the experience of being "effectually called." It included being "enlightened in the knowledge of Christ" and being "persuaded" as wells as embracing Christ.
"But, I will, say, stop, O man, before you go too far; for I would suppose that Paul might have said the same...when the Lord said to him, speak, Paul, for I have much people in this city. But Paul was so well taught of God, as to know that the preaching of the gospel was the means in God's own hand by which he intended to save many; and these many here spoken of, must have been God's chosen people, and that God was able to make and would make that gospel which he had committed a dispensation to him, the great power of God to the salvation of them very, people." (pg.. 23, by Laban Massey, 1845)
How clear! "...the preaching of the gospel was the means in God's own hand by which he intended to save many." There is no mention of "time salvation," for they believed that it was eternal salvation that God had ordained to be accomplished by means of the preaching of the Gospel.
"Hence it is, if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed, Then faith, says Paul, is the gift of God; yet faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Thus, we hear the scriptures and we acknowledge our condemnation to be just; this is belief, we believe there is a God and that he is just. Thus faith comes by hearing; then after the legitimacy of his claims admitted, the Lord works in us to believe in his Son and thus we work the works of God by believing on him whom he hath sent. Thus we get the righteousness of Christ, that came by faith, called the faith of God's elect." (pg. 253)
Notice that the "faith" which saves is that faith which "comes by hearing the word of God," and not some kind of "faith" that does not believe anything. It involves a believing in his Son.
What The First Hardshells Believed II
From Vol. 1 (1836) of "The Primitive Baptist":
"...how sadly they will be mistaken, when they have to share their portion with hypocrites, (and all unbelievers in God's plan of salvation by grace) in the lake that will burn like fire and brimstone." (pg. 312)
Notice how clear this is! No one who does not believe the Gospel, or "God's plan of salvation by grace," will be saved!
From Vol. 2 (1837)
"The predestinarian believes in the foreknowledge of God, and that all men by nature deserve condemnation. The predestinarian believes in the atonement of the Lord Jesus, and that his righteousness is made over and imputed to all his spiritual children by and through the means or instrumentality of faith, as the law of righteousness that it might be of grace. The predestinarian believes that the means and the end are inseparably connected, and that works and faith are as much united as soul and body; and that God knoweth them that are his...And this is eternal life, that they believe on the only true God, and in Jesus Christ whom he has sent." (pg. 126)
By "the predestinarian" the Hardshells meant themselves. Notice how they speak of receiving the righteousness of Christ "by and through the means or instrumentality of faith." They also affirm that the means have been predestinated as well as the end, and that one of the means is believing in Christ via the Gospel.
"Bro. Bennett: Being well pleased with the doctrine contained in the Primitive Baptist, edited by yourself, and believe the doctrine to be in accordance with the word of God, and that it is therefore calculated to disseminate life, light, and immortality to those who are dead in trespasses and sins, and is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; comforting, confirming, and establishing them in the faith.." (pg. 142)
Notice how the first Hardshells believed that "life" was disseminated via the printed word in the Hardshell periodical! I find it grossly inconsistent, however, for the Hardshells to decry Bible tracts as means of converting sinners, but allow their own papers to be such means!
From Vol 3 (1838)
Elder John Watson wrote:
"We are informed by the apostle, in 2 Thes. 2: 13, that a sanctification of the spirit is necessarily connected with a belief of the truth; and those who cannot bear sound doctrine, would not at all be benefited, by our softening down gospel truths. We are directed in 2 Tim. 2: 23, to instruct those who oppose the truth, in meekness, hoping that the Lord may grant them "repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." Neither will it answer any good purpose, to attempt to conceal any doctrinal truths; for all scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Pg. 83 1836)
"So we understand that sanctification and faith are the means of that salvation to which God had chosen these Thessalonians. In short, we should take no man's opinion in such cases, nor have an opinion of our own, without a thus saith the Lord for it; for opinion must always be founded upon evidence." (pg. 95)
We already knew the views of Elder Watson from his book "The Old Baptist Test," published in 1866. But, this is from 1838. Notice that Watson says that being sanctified by the Spirit, as a result of God's election, one possesses a belief of Gospel truth. Belief of the truth is "necessarily connected" with regeneration.
Again, all this is more evidence that the first Hardshells believed that salvation was by faith and that faith was produced by the preaching of the Gospel. They did not believe that any of the elect would die without being converted to Christ by the Gospel. Thus, today's Hardshells not only have departed from the faith of the Baptists of the 17th century, who wrote the 1689 Confession of Faith, but also from the views of their own founding fathers of the early 19th century.
"...how sadly they will be mistaken, when they have to share their portion with hypocrites, (and all unbelievers in God's plan of salvation by grace) in the lake that will burn like fire and brimstone." (pg. 312)
Notice how clear this is! No one who does not believe the Gospel, or "God's plan of salvation by grace," will be saved!
From Vol. 2 (1837)
"The predestinarian believes in the foreknowledge of God, and that all men by nature deserve condemnation. The predestinarian believes in the atonement of the Lord Jesus, and that his righteousness is made over and imputed to all his spiritual children by and through the means or instrumentality of faith, as the law of righteousness that it might be of grace. The predestinarian believes that the means and the end are inseparably connected, and that works and faith are as much united as soul and body; and that God knoweth them that are his...And this is eternal life, that they believe on the only true God, and in Jesus Christ whom he has sent." (pg. 126)
By "the predestinarian" the Hardshells meant themselves. Notice how they speak of receiving the righteousness of Christ "by and through the means or instrumentality of faith." They also affirm that the means have been predestinated as well as the end, and that one of the means is believing in Christ via the Gospel.
"Bro. Bennett: Being well pleased with the doctrine contained in the Primitive Baptist, edited by yourself, and believe the doctrine to be in accordance with the word of God, and that it is therefore calculated to disseminate life, light, and immortality to those who are dead in trespasses and sins, and is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; comforting, confirming, and establishing them in the faith.." (pg. 142)
Notice how the first Hardshells believed that "life" was disseminated via the printed word in the Hardshell periodical! I find it grossly inconsistent, however, for the Hardshells to decry Bible tracts as means of converting sinners, but allow their own papers to be such means!
From Vol 3 (1838)
Elder John Watson wrote:
"We are informed by the apostle, in 2 Thes. 2: 13, that a sanctification of the spirit is necessarily connected with a belief of the truth; and those who cannot bear sound doctrine, would not at all be benefited, by our softening down gospel truths. We are directed in 2 Tim. 2: 23, to instruct those who oppose the truth, in meekness, hoping that the Lord may grant them "repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." Neither will it answer any good purpose, to attempt to conceal any doctrinal truths; for all scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Pg. 83 1836)
"So we understand that sanctification and faith are the means of that salvation to which God had chosen these Thessalonians. In short, we should take no man's opinion in such cases, nor have an opinion of our own, without a thus saith the Lord for it; for opinion must always be founded upon evidence." (pg. 95)
We already knew the views of Elder Watson from his book "The Old Baptist Test," published in 1866. But, this is from 1838. Notice that Watson says that being sanctified by the Spirit, as a result of God's election, one possesses a belief of Gospel truth. Belief of the truth is "necessarily connected" with regeneration.
Again, all this is more evidence that the first Hardshells believed that salvation was by faith and that faith was produced by the preaching of the Gospel. They did not believe that any of the elect would die without being converted to Christ by the Gospel. Thus, today's Hardshells not only have departed from the faith of the Baptists of the 17th century, who wrote the 1689 Confession of Faith, but also from the views of their own founding fathers of the early 19th century.
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