Prevenient Grace (8)

In this chapter we will first complete our examination of what Jonathan Edwards wrote on the works of God on the hearts and minds of sinners through the gospel and which are intended to bring sinners to Christ and salvation, though it does not always result in salvation for many. We have been citing from the "Works of Jonathan Edwards," Vol.1 SECT. II., under "The manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great analogy." 

Edwards wrote further in that work:

"Conversion is a great and glorious work of God’s power, at once changing the heart, and infusing life into the dead soul; though the grace then implanted more gradually displays itself in some than in others. But as to fixing on the precise time when they put forth the very first act of grace, there is a great deal of difference in different persons; in some it seems to be very discernible when the very time was; but others are more at a loss. In this respect, there are very many who do not know, even when they have it, that it is the grace of conversion, and sometimes do not think it to be so till a long time after."

This is true and though many believers say they know the exact time when they were born of the Spirit, other believers cannot do so, but rather focus on several experiences that led them to the time when they received blessed assurance of salvation. That is my case. Still, most believers, except for the Hyper Calvinists, do not look upon their being awakened and convicted as evidence of regeneration.

Edwards wrote further:

"Those who, while under legal convictions, have had the greatest terrors, have not always obtained the greatest light and comfort; nor have they always light most suddenly communicated; but yet, I think, the time of conversion has generally been most sensible in such persons. Oftentimes, the first sensible change after the extremity of terrors, is a calmness, and then the light gradually comes in; small glimpses at first, after their midnight darkness, and a word or two of comfort, as it were softly spoken to them. They have a little taste of the sweetness of divine grace, and the love of a Saviour; when terror and distress of conscience begin to be turned into an humble, meek sense of their own unworthiness before God. There is felt, inwardly, sometimes a disposition to praise God; and after a little while the light comes in more clearly and powerfully. But yet, I think, more frequently, great terrors have been followed with more sudden and great light and comfort; when the sinner seems to be as it were subdued and brought to a calm, from a kind of tumult of mind, then God lets in an extraordinary sense of his great mercy through a Redeemer.”

Grace and common operations of the Spirit were at work in the minds of sinners prior to their coming to the point of being humbled, broken and of a contrite spirit, subdued, and prepared for being converted. These graces and workings of the Spirit are not evidences of regeneration but are what must come before regeneration and are instances of prevenient grace.

Common vs Prevenient Grace

"Got Questions" Web Page says (See here):

"Prevenient grace is a phrase used to describe the grace given by God that precedes the act of a sinner exercising saving faith in Jesus Christ...By definition, every theological system that affirms the necessity of God’s grace prior to a sinner’s conversion teaches a type of prevenient grace. The Reformed doctrine of irresistible grace is a type of prevenient grace, as is common grace."

But we must not say that the grace given prior to conversion or regeneration is regeneration and is always successful. If that were true, then everyone who was awakened and convicted of sin would be a saved man. But, that is simply not what we see in scripture. Further, Got Questions, like others, often tend to lump all believers in "Reformed" or Calvinistic doctrine together as respects both the ordo salutis and belief in prevenient grace.

Got Questions said further:

"Simply put, prevenient grace is the grace of God given to individuals that releases them from their bondage to sin and enables them to come to Christ in faith but does not guarantee that the sinner will actually do so. Thus, the efficacy of the enabling grace of God is determined not by God but by man."

This is not the Calvinistic understanding of prevenient grace. It is the Wesleyan or Arminian idea that prevenient grace releases a sinner from bondage to sin but is not the Calvinistic idea of it. When a sinner is awakened and convicted, or when God has gotten his attention, he is still totally depraved. The great Calvinists that I have cited in previous chapters taught this. Prevenient grace is like common grace in this respect in that it does not guarantee that the sinner will actually be saved. Prevenient grace is sufficient to awaken and convict sinners but whether it actually saves is dependent upon God's blessing or giving success or to his giving abundant grace. 

The conclusion that God Questions' writers make about prevenient grace is not correct when they say "the efficacy of the enabling grace of God is determined not by God but by man." This is not an either/or situation. God works in lost sinners "to will" (Phil. 2: 13) and so a sinner's willing in the matter of salvation is due to God's willing and doing. A sinner is not saved until he has been made willing and has acted on that willing. Further, there often is much preparatory work of God in providence that breaks a sinner's stubborn will and makes it a will submissive to God. But, more on that shortly. 

So, what makes the difference? If one awakened and convicted sinner is saved and another not, why? Is it owing to some greater ability in one sinner than in another? Or, is it owing to God giving greater or special grace to one than to another? Again, more on that question shortly. Let us first finish examining what Got Questions says. They say further:

"Historically, within the Arminian theological system, there have been three prominent positions concerning the doctrine of prevenient grace. Within classical Arminianism, there are two positions. Within Wesleyanism, there is one prominent position. Though all three positions have similarities, they are by no means identical. In fact, correctly defining prevenient grace has led to in-house debates within the Arminian tradition."

It is true that there is a variety of explanations within Arminianism regarding prevenient grace. But there is also such variety among Calvinists. Some deny any kind of prevenient grace or divine preparations for regeneration while others, like the ones I have previously cited, and like I am, accept their validity. I would ask the writers at Got Questions a few questions on what they say, such as 1) is conviction of sin or an awakening evidence of regeneration? and 2) if not evidence of regeneration itself, but are rather pre-regeneration experiences of sinners, are all who are thus awakened and convicted brought to receive Christ and be saved? and 3) is God's awakening and convicting of sinners gracious acts of God that he desires that they lead to salvation? and 4) is common grace, a generally accepted doctrine of Calvinists, intended by God to lead sinners to repentance and salvation?

They say further:

The first of the two prominent positions on the doctrine of prevenient grace in classical Arminianism is that until the Gospel, the instrument by which God draws sinners to Himself, is presented to a sinner, the sinner is in complete bondage to sin. The Holy Spirit works with the presentation of the Gospel through teaching (John 6:45) and convicting (John 16:8) the sinner, enabling the sinner to respond in the exercising of saving faith in Christ. The Holy Spirit opens the heart (Acts 16:14) and mind (Luke 24:45) of the sinner, thus drawing the sinner to Christ (John 6:44, 12:32), and the sinner is then enabled to exercise his newly freed will in placing his faith in Christ for salvation. This falls in line with the biblical teaching that the natural man is unable to understand spiritual things (1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:7-8), which would include the message of the Gospel. However, Arminians teach that, although the sinner is now enabled to place his faith in Christ, this enablement by no means guarantees that the sinner will actually do so. This contradicts the proclamation by Jesus that all those the Father gives to Him will come to Him (John 6:37)."

There are several points in the above citation that need examination. Does the hearing of the gospel by lost sinners give them the ability to understand, believe and obey the gospel? I answer no. What makes the hearing of the gospel effectual to salvation is the Holy Spirit's use of the gospel. So Paul wrote:

"knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God. For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake." (I Thess. 1: 4-5 nnkjv)

The 1689 London Baptist Confession of Faith, a Calvinist document, says the following in chapter ten, paragraph four, on "Effectual Calling":

"Others not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet not being effectually drawn by the Father, they neither will nor can truly come to Christ, and therefore cannot be saved."

So, what makes the difference in why prevenient or common grace is effectual in saving a sinner is the will of God in election, in his exercising greater power or giving more abundant grace. But, on that point we will have more to say later. Notice however that this old confession speaks of sinners being "called by the ministry of the Word" and experiencing "some common operations of the Spirit" and who can deny that these things precede salvation and are acts of grace on the part of God?

In chapter twenty of the same confession, under "Of The Gospel and the Extent of Grace Thereof," paragraph four, we read:

"Although the gospel be the only outward means of revealing Christ and saving grace, and is, as such, abundantly sufficient thereunto; yet that men who are dead in trespasses may be born again, quickened or regenerated, there is moreover necessary an effectual insuperable work of the Holy Spirit upon the whole soul, for the producing in them a new spiritual life; without which no other means will effect their conversion unto God."

As I have stated in previous chapters, hearing the gospel is a necessary means for salvation, and any sinner who hears it by God's providence is being favored, for many live and die who never hear it. Is not it a gracious act of God that any sinner has the means of salvation? Notice also that the confession says that the gospel is "abundantly sufficient" for revealing Christ and saving grace. But, they also say that "there is moreover necessary" to have the Spirit to make that gospel "effectual" in saving a sinner. The success of any instrument or means depends upon the agent using those instruments and means. The Holy Spirit is that agent.

The commentary above by Got Questions mentions three things that precede being saved. They are divine teaching, convicting, and enabling. If these things precede actual regeneration, then are they not only means but instances of convenient grace or prior divine preparations? They also mention the Spirit opening the heart and drawing, which things precede salvation, and are instances of prevenient grace.

"Got Questions" said further:

"The second position is a bit more complicated than the first. In this position there is, essentially, a lesser and greater drawing via prevenient grace, which comes through the proclamation of the Gospel and the internal calling of God, sometimes referred to as the “full intensity” of prevenient grace. That is, God is drawing all men in a lesser sense and then drawing those who have the Gospel presented to them in another, greater sense. Some have called this latter drawing the dispensing of “particular prevenient grace.” In this position, God has given all men a prevenient grace that results in a universal healing of total depravity by the grace of God through the atoning work of Christ. This, in turn, has alleviated, though not fully, the corruption of inherited depravity. This position resembles what is sometimes called the “partial depravity” of Arminianism, since total depravity no longer describes what people are but rather what people were. That is, because of the atoning work of Christ, all people are no longer completely incapable of hearing and responding to the Gospel (John 6:44, 8:43); rather, all people have some ability. However, similar to the other position in classical Arminianism, people are not completely freed from their bondage of sin until the Gospel is presented to them and God calls them internally through its presentation. Arminius might have referred to this concept when he spoke of the “intermediate stage between being unregenerate and regenerate” while others have referred to people in this stage as “partially regenerated.” Since Arminians believe that regeneration logically comes after faith, when a person repents of his sin and exercises saving faith in Christ, then that person is “fully regenerated.”

Again, there are several things in the above commentary to analyze. Whether God draws all men who hear the gospel is a question we will address later in this series. Neither the atonement nor the preaching of the Gospel eradicates depravity nor gives power to believe, repent, or obey the gospel. In other postings through the years I have shown where many Calvinists of old taught that power to believe was not possessed by sinners prior to their actual believing. I cited from Obadiah Holmes (1606-1682), an associate of Dr. John Clarke (1609-1676), in this post (here) where he said "I believe none has power to choose salvation or to believe in Christ, for life is the gift only of God." 

Those Calvinists who teach that God must give power to believe via regeneration before a sinner can believe, repent, or obey the gospel, would not agree with Holmes and Clark, who were both Calvinists. Nor would they agree with what Calvinist John Owen similarly said. In John Owen's work on "Regeneration" (read here), from which I have cited much in this post (here), and in this series, Owen wrote: 

"First, The work of conversion itself, and in especial the act of believing, or faith itself, is expressly said to be of God, to be wrought in us by him, to be given unto us from him. The Scripture says not that God gives us ability or power to believe only,—namely, such a power as we may make use of if we will, or do otherwise; but faith, repentance, and conversion themselves are said to be the work and effect of God. Indeed, there is nothing mentioned in the Scriptures concerning the communicating of power, remote or next unto the mind of man, to enable him to believe antecedently unto actual believing. A “remote power,” if it may be so called, in the capacities of the faculties of the soul, the reason of the mind, and liberty of the will, we have given an account concerning; but for that which some call a “next power,” or an ability to believe in order of nature antecedent unto believing itself, wrought in us by the grace of God, the Scripture is silent." 

"Notwithstanding, therefore, all these preparatory works of the Spirit of God which we allow in this matter, there is not by them wrought in the minds and wills of men such a next power, as they call it, as should enable them to believe without farther actual grace working faith itself. Wherefore, with respect to believing, the first act of God is to work in us “to will:” Phil. ii. 13, “He worketh in us to will.” Now, to will to believe is to believe." 

The power that makes convicted and awakened sinners believe in Christ for salvation is not given to them by such conviction and awakening, nor is deposited in them, nor residing in them, prior to believing, but rather the power resides in the Holy Spirit who at a time of his choosing makes the means of grace effectual. That is what the above citations affirm and I agree. "The gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation," said the apostle Paul. (Rom. 1: 16) So, the power to believe or repent comes from the gospel and the Spirit and not from the dead alien sinner. Further, it is not correct to say that God must give a depraved sinner power to believe before he can believe. Rather, the bible says that the power exerted to bring a sinner to faith goes forth with the word and Spirit. So the text I cited previously says that the word Paul preached came not in word only but in power and in the Holy Spirit. 

Another text from the same apostle also affirms the same truth, where he asked "and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe"? He then answers his own question by saying that people are made to believe "according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places." (Eph. 1: 19-20 nkjv) Again, the power to believe did not exist in the Ephesians prior to their believing, neither by a prior regeneration as some Calvinists and Hyper Calvinists affirm, nor by Wesleyan prevenient grace. 

People who say that God must give power to believe prior to believing fail to understand that faith is itself power. In giving power he gives faith. In giving faith he gives power. We can say the same about grace. Faith is a grace, a divine gift, and yet it is the means for obtaining saving grace. That is probably what is meant by the apostle John saying - "And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace." (John 1: 16 nkjv) Prevenient grace and common grace do often lead to saving grace. Upon this we will have more to say in upcoming chapters.

The citation by Got Questions also falsely says - "since Arminians believe that regeneration logically comes after faith." It is false because many Calvinists, including John Calvin himself, also believe that regeneration comes after faith. The same citation said further of the Arminian view: "when a person repents of his sin and exercises saving faith in Christ, then that person is “fully regenerated.” Yet, some Calvinists, especially among "Hyper Calvinists," also spoke of two definitions of "regeneration," one that is restricted to what occurs prior to evangelical conversion, and one that is defined broadly and includes faith and repentance. I have many posts showing how Calvinists spoke of both definitions. In this post here I cite from Calvinist Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) who wrote:

"Hence God's work of grace runs through these three successive stages:

1st. Regeneration in its first stage, when the Lord plants the new life in the dead heart.
2d. Regeneration in its second stage, when the new-born man comes to conversion.
3d. Regeneration in its third stage, when conversion merges into sanctification."

"Describing it still more closely, we say that in the first stage of regeneration, that of quickening, God works without means; in the second stage, that of conversion, He employs means, viz., the preaching of the Word; and in the third stage, that of sanctification, He uses means in addition to ourselves, whom He uses as means."

In this post (here) I cited from Calvinist W. G. T. Shedd's Systematic Theology to show another authority  who said the same thing. Shedd wrote the following in "Various Uses of the Term Regeneration"  (See here):

"The term regeneration has been used in a wide and in a restricted sense. It may signify the whole process of salvation, including the preparatory work of conviction and the concluding work of sanctification. Or it may denote only the imparting of spiritual life in the new birth, excluding the preparatory and concluding processes. The Romish church regards regeneration as comprehending everything in the transition from a state of condemnation on earth to a state of salvation in heaven and confounds justification with sanctification. The Lutheran doctrine, stated in the apology for the Augsburg Confession and in the Formula of Concord, employs regeneration in the wide meaning, but distinguishes carefully between justification and sanctification. In the Reformed church, the term regeneration was also employed in the wide signification. Like the Lutheran, while carefully distinguishing between justification and sanctification, the Reformed theologian brought under the term regeneration everything that pertains to the development as well as to the origination of the new spiritual life. Regeneration thus included not only the new birth, but all that issues from it. It comprised the converting acts of faith and repentance and also the whole struggle with indwelling sin in progressive sanctification." 

So, Got Questions is wrong to say that it is Arminians alone who speak of being "fully regenerated" as opposed to being partially regenerated. I could give more examples from Calvinists writers, and have done so in other writings, but this is sufficient to show that what Got Questions says about Arminians is also true with some Calvinists.

"Got Questions" wrote further:

"The last position on the doctrine of prevenient grace is that of the Wesleyans (also known as Wesleyan-Arminians). In this position, because of the first coming and atoning work of Christ, God has dispensed a universal prevenient grace that fully negates the depravity of man. Thus, man is now in a neutral state. Those who adhere to this position assert that because of Christ’s promises that speak of “all men” being drawn (John 12:32) and the “world” being convicted (John 16:8) after His sacrifice, it means that the prevenient grace we experience today was something purchased by Christ’s work on the cross. Since Wesleyans believe in unlimited atonement as opposed to limited atonement, Wesleyans then further state that when Paul speaks of God giving those whom Christ died for “all things” (Romans 8:32), this universal prevenient grace is one of those “all things.”

The Wesleyan idea about prevenient grace is not acceptable to Calvinists, even to those Calvinists who believe in their own idea of prevenient grace. The bible, even after the death of Christ and his making atonement, still describes sinners as being totally depraved and unable to believe, repent, or obey the gospel. It is still true of every lost sinner that he cannot come to Christ unless drawn by divine power. (John 6: 44) The story of Ezekiel's preaching to the dry dead bones gives us valuable information on the matter we are addressing. The coming to life by the dead bones was not due to any power in the bones but was effected by the power of God accompanying the prophesying of Ezekiel to the bones. 

I find it interesting that Wesley and Arminians believe that the prevenient grace described above, and which results from the atoning work of Christ, actually and unconditionally eliminates man's depravity. Yet, they denounce the Calvinist for believing that the atonement actually saves all for whom it was made, even though they affirm the same in respects of removing inability and depravity in every sinner.

It is also odd that Wesleyans would use Romans 8: 32 to prove their point. That text says that all to whom Christ is given will be given all things, and yet Wesley and the Arminians would have to say that those who are given Christ (who they say are all men) will be given salvation and not merely gracious acts leading to salvation. But, in awakening and convicting sinners Christ is not given and received, for that does not happen until the awakened sinner believes in Christ and receives him by choice. So Romans 8: 32 is not applicable to awakened sinners who remain unbelievers.

"Got Questions" said further:

"Calvinists argue that the Arminian doctrine of prevenient grace should be rejected on biblical grounds, and they use Philippians 1:6 to prove their point: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ.” The Greek term used for “completion” here means “accomplishment” or “perfection,” similar to how the writer of Hebrews says Jesus is the “author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). The doctrine of prevenient grace affirms that a work is done in the sinner, but it denies that the efficacy of the grace is guaranteed. This is problematic, since we are assured in Philippians 1:6 that God will perfect what He starts in a person." 

We have already addressed this argument on Philippians 1: 6. The "good work" is initial salvation. It is not identifying awakening and convicting, nor any other pre-salvation experience, as the good work. Further, most Calvinists believe that "regeneration" is an instantaneous act of God, but the above text says that the "good work" will not be completed until the day of Christ. John Calvin, and I too, believe however that regeneration, like renewal, though begun when one is born of the Spirit and converted, will not be complete until the day of Christ. Most Calvinists however do not believe this about regeneration. The fault with the argumentation of some Calvinists against the doctrine of prevenient grace is that it denies that there is any prior grace or work of the Spirit leading to salvation. Thus, by this reasoning, they are forced to say that a sinner being awakened and convicted of sin is an evidence of regeneration, which position makes Hardshells out of them.

"Got Questions" said further:

"Also, Calvinists point out that there is no grammatical or contextual reason to believe that the two hims in John 6:44 are different groups of people. The verse seems to clearly state that the one who is drawn by the Father is the same one who is raised up on the last day. There is nothing that would support the idea that some who are “drawn” will fail to be “raised up” on the last day. We find a similar promise in Romans 8:30, where all whom God calls will be justified and later glorified."

On this text we will have more to say in an upcoming chapter. However, I will argue that even if it is true that all who are drawn by the Father will be saved, such a view does not negate that there are things that God does in the lives of sinners prior to their salvation which serve as preparations for salvation. Further, the teaching and drawing of the Father precedes the sinner's "coming" to Christ for life and salvation. If the coming to Christ (which is equated with believing and receiving Christ) is the point when a sinner is reborn or regenerated, then the teaching and the drawing come before regeneration and are therefore instances of prevenient grace or preparations for salvation.

"Got Questions" said further:

"Lastly, Calvinists refute the idea of prevenient grace with 1 John 5:1, which states that the cause of a person’s believing in Jesus Christ is that he was born again (i.e., regenerated), which John had already said is “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13) and is necessary in order to perceive the kingdom of God (John 3:3). Calvinism emphasizes the natural man’s deadness in sin (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13) and his need of a new heart (Ezekiel 11:19; 36:26), and concludes that man does not need to be made “better” or “partially alive”; rather, he needs to be resurrected!"

Again, like others, Got Questions utters a falsehood when it says "Calvinists" all believe that I John 5: 1 teaches that one must be born again before he believes in Christ. Many Calvinists, including John Calvin himself, taught that sinners are born again by faith. In my series titled "Regeneration Before Faith Proof Texts" (see the archives for the years 2020 and 2021) I show where the texts used by Calvinists to prove that regeneration precedes faith do not prove that proposition and I give texts which show that sinners are indeed born again by faith and that many Calvinists believe it. On I John 5: 1 see my post (here).

We have already shown what is the cause of sinners coming to Christ and believing in him, which is the power of the Spirit attending the power of the gospel. If, however, sinners are born again before they are able to believe the gospel, then the gospel can be no means in sinners being born of God. Yet, the Bible teaches that sinners are born again through the means of the Gospel. Wrote the apostle Peter:

"having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever." (I Peter 1: 23 nkjv)

James, the Lord's brother, also wrote:

"Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1: 18 kjv)

The apostle Paul also wrote:

"For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." (I Cor. 4: 15 nkjv)

So, if sinners are born again (or regenerated) before faith, then the word of God can be no means in effecting it. Well did Calvinist Abraham Booth (1734-1806) write:

"But it is impossible for us to conceive of the mind being enlightened, of the conscience being relieved, of the will being regulated, and of the affections being purified by the word of truth, any further than it is believed. It may therefore be concluded, that regeneration is not, in order of time, prior to faith in Christ, and justification by him." 

"Regeneration must precede faith. This, though assumed as a certain fact:, may be justly doubted: for the page of inspiration does not warrant our supposing, that any one is born of God, before he believes in Jesus Christ; or, that regeneration is effected by the Holy Spirit, without the word of grace." ("Glad Tidings to Perishing Sinners," page 122) 

Charles Spurgeon said that he endorsed what Booth wrote. They were both five point Calvinists. The learned W.G.T. Shedd, in his Systematic Theology, wrote the following because he believed that sinners must be given the ability to believe by immediate regeneration:

"That the influence of the Holy Spirit is directly upon the human spirit and is independent even of the word itself is further proved by the fact that it is exerted in the case of infants without any employment of the truth. John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15)."  ("Various Uses of the Term Regeneration"; See here) 

"Seventh, regeneration is not effected by the use of means, in the strict signification of the term means. The Holy Spirit employs means in conviction, in conversion, and in sanctification, but not in regeneration." 

"The appointed means of grace are the word, the sacraments, and prayer. None of these means are used in the instant of regeneration; first, because regeneration is instantaneous and there is not time to use them; second, because regeneration is a direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the human spirit. It is the action of Spirit upon spirit, of a divine person upon a human person, whereby spiritual life is imparted. Nothing, therefore, of the nature of means or instruments can come between the Holy Spirit and the soul that is to be made alive. God did not employ an instrument or means when he infused physical life into the body of Adam." 

"In like manner, the word and truth of God, the most important of all the means of grace, is not a means of regeneration, as distinct from conviction, conversion, and sanctification. This is evident when it is remembered that it is the office of a means or instrument to excite or stimulate an already existing principle of life. Physical food is a means of physical growth; but it supposes physical vitality. If the body is dead, bread cannot be a means or instrument. Intellectual truth is a means of intellectual growth; but it supposes intellectual vitality. If the mind be idiotic, secular knowledge cannot be a means or instrument. Spiritual truth is a means of spiritual growth, in case there be spiritual vitality. But if the mind be dead to righteousness, spiritual truth cannot be a means or instrument. Truth certainly cannot be a means unless it is apprehended. But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God, neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)."

I give these citations of Shedd and comment upon them in this post (here).

If sinners are born again by the gospel, then they are born again by believing it. Therefore "enabling grace" that is given to make it possible for sinners to believe, repent, and be converted, cannot be regeneration but an instance of pre-regeneration prevenient grace. However, rather than saying "enabling grace" I prefer to say "attending grace" because the grace and power to believe comes in conjunction with the word and Spirit of God. 

In the above citations from Got Questions they said: "The Reformed doctrine of irresistible grace is a type of prevenient grace, as is common grace." Is "common grace" irresistible? Is prevenient grace always irresistible? As we have seen in previous chapters, prevenient grace is not always successful in bringing sinners to Christ for life and salvation. Certainly "common grace," of which all men are recipients, does not effectually save all. 

In the above citations from Got Questions they also said:

"...a lesser and greater drawing via prevenient grace, which comes through the proclamation of the Gospel and the internal calling of God, sometimes referred to as the “full intensity” of prevenient grace. That is, God is drawing all men in a lesser sense and then drawing those who have the Gospel presented to them in another, greater sense..."

As we will begin to see in the next chapter, there is indeed a lesser degree of power and grace given to those who fail to come to Christ even though they have been awakened and convicted. The reason why some are effectually called is due to greater power exerted upon them and more grace given. This is what makes the ultimate difference in why some are saved and others not.

Prevenient Grace (7)

Many people say things about what Calvinists believe that are untrue, and even when some of those things are true, they are only true in regard to some Calvinists, but not to all. This is true when people say -- "Calvinists believe that a person must be regenerated or born again before he can believe or have faith." It is also true when they say "Only Arminians believe in prevenient grace." Many Calvinists, like John Calvin himself, believe that sinners are born again by faith. Many Calvinists also believe in some form of prevenient grace or in pre-regeneration acts of providence that are prerequisites to regeneration, to some common operations of the Spirit. The great "prince of preachers," Charles H. Spurgeon, a Calvinist, in his sermon "Rain and Grace — A Parallel" (April 5th 1883) said:

"If you have nothing with which to entertain the grace, grace will bring its own company with it. It will come into your empty heart, and make you one of the “people prepared for the Lord.” Grace waits not for men, neither tarries for the sins of men. We call it prevenient grace, because it comes before it is sought, and God bestows it on a people who are utterly undeserving of it."

I cited Spurgeon in the first chapter of this series and showed where he advocated for prevenient grace or pre-regeneration operations of the word and Spirit that are intended to lead to regeneration. That is not to say that these Calvinists believed in prevenient grace in the same way as John Wesley. Rather, they believed in prevenient grace in the manner explained in previous chapters, by theologians like Spurgeon, Charles Hodge, John Owen, Stephen Charnock, and even Augustine (who believed in "Calvinism" centuries before Calvin). In this chapter we will add another Calvinist to the list of theologians who believed in prevenient grace and in preparations and some common operations of the Spirit in the hearts and minds of sinners prior to salvation. His name is Jonathan Edwards. In the "Works of Jonathan Edwards," Vol.1 SECT. II., under "The manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great analogy" (See here) Edwards wrote (highligting mine):

"I therefore proceed to give an account of the manner of persons being wrought upon; and here there is a vast variety, perhaps as manifold as the subjects of the operation; but yet in many things there is a great analogy in all.—Persons are first awakened with a sense of their miserable condition by nature, the danger they are in of perishing eternally, and that it is of great importance to them that they speedily escape and get into a better state. Those who before were secure and senseless, are made sensible how much they were in the way to ruin, in their former courses. Some are more suddenly seized with convictions—it may be, by the news of others’ conversion, or something they hear in public, or in private conference—their consciences are smitten, as if their hearts were pierced through with a dart. Others are awakened more gradually, they begin at first to be something more thoughtful and considerate, so as to come to a conclusion in their minds, that it is their best and wisest way to delay no longer, but to improve the present opportunity. They have accordingly set themselves seriously to meditate on those things that have the most awakening tendency, on purpose to obtain convictions; and so their awakenings have increased, till a sense of their misery, by God’s Holy Spirit setting in therewith, has had fast hold of them. Others who before had been somewhat religious, and concerned for their salvation, have been awakened in a new manner; and made sensible that their slack and dull way of seeking, was never like to attain that purpose."

The Great Awakening was a series of intense religious revivals that first swept through the American colonies in the 1730s–1740s and which was led by preachers like George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, both Calvinists. We have been speaking about what the Puritans called a sinner's "awakening" and how it was an experience of many lost sinners who have come under some conviction or sin and a realization that they were lost and hell bound. Britannica says the following about the "great awakening."

(You can read here; emphasis mine)

"The Puritan fervour waned toward the end of the 17th century, but the Great Awakening (c. 1720–50), America’s first great revival, under the leadership of Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, and others, revitalized religion in the North American colonies."  

"The revival preachers emphasized the “terrors of the law” to sinners, the unmerited grace of God, and the “new birth” in Jesus Christ. They frequently sought to inspire in their listeners a fear of the consequences of their sinful lives and a respect for the omnipotence of God. This sense of the ferocity of God was often tempered by the implied promise that a rejection of worldliness and a return to faith would result in a return to grace and an avoidance of the horrible punishments of an angry God. There was a certain contradictory quality about Great Awakening theology, however. Predestination, one of the principal tenets of the Calvinist theology of most of the ministers of the Great Awakening, was ultimately incompatible with the promise that humans could, by a voluntary act of faith, achieve salvation by their own efforts."

The same article mentions both George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards as two leading ministers who took the lead in the great awakening. Of the latter Britannica says:

"Jonathan Edwards was the great academician and apologist of the Great Awakening. A Congregational pastor at Northampton, Massachusetts, he preached justification by faith alone with remarkable effectiveness. He also attempted to redefine the psychology of religious experience and to help those involved in the revival to discern what were true works of the Holy Spirit."

In the above opening citation from Edwards we note particularly his statement that "persons are first awakened with a sense of their miserable condition by nature, the danger they are in of perishing eternally" and how he said that those awakenings were by the Holy Spirit. It is obvious that Edwards, like John Owen, did not believe that such awakenings were evidence of regeneration but were often steps towards salvation.

Benjamin Franklin went out to hear Whitefield preach and made these observations (emphasis mine):

"In 1739 arriv’d among us from England the Rev. Mr. Whitefield, who had made himself remarkable there as an itinerant Preacher. He was at first permitted to preach in some of our Churches; but the Clergy taking a Dislike to him, soon refus’d him their Pulpits and he was oblig’d to preach in the Fields. The Multitudes of all Sects and Denominations that attended his Sermons were enormous and it was [a] matter of Speculation to me who was one of the Number, to observe the extraordinary Influence of his Oratory on his Hearers, and how much they admir’d and respected him, notwithstanding his common Abuse of them, by assuring them they were naturally half Beasts and half Devils. It was wonderful to see the Change soon made in the Manners [behavior] of our Inhabitants; from being thoughtless or indifferent about Religion, it seem’d as if all the World were growing Religious; so that one could not walk thro’ the Town in an Evening without Hearing Psalms sung in different Families of every Street." (See here for citation) 

What is meant by "awakening" in the "great awakening" is an increased interest in religion and in the Christian message and an awareness of God and the need of salvation. It was just what we have stated in previous chapters, that being "awakened" was an experience of sinners coming under conviction of sin and discovering that they were lost and on their way to hell. I find it ironic, however, that the Hyper Calvinists during both the first and second great awakenings often viewed the conversions that occurred during those times of revival as not genuine and yet argued that such awakening of sinners was a result of a prior regeneration or quickening. 

Edwards wrote further:

"These awakenings when they have first seized on persons, have had two effects; one was, that they have brought them immediately to quit their sinful practices; and the looser sort have been brought to forsake and dread their former vices and extravagancies. When once the Spirit of God began to be so wonderfully poured out in a general way through the town, people had soon done with their old quarrels, backbitings, and intermeddling with other men’s matters. The tavern was soon left empty, and persons kept very much at home; none went abroad unless on necessary business, or on some religious account, and every day seemed in many respects like a Sabbath-day. The other effect was, that it put them on earnest application to the means of salvation, reading, prayer, meditation, the ordinances of God’s house, and private conference; their cry was, What shall we do to be saved? The place of resort was now altered, it was no longer the tavern, but the minister’s house that was thronged far more than ever the tavern had been wont to be."

Here we see where Edwards sees these awakenings as preliminary experiences that may lead to salvation through the divinely appointed means of salvation.

Edwards wrote further:

"There is a very great variety, as to the degree of fear and trouble that persons are exercised with, before they attain any comfortable evidences of pardon and acceptance with God. Some are from the beginning carried on with abundantly more encouragement and hope than others. Some have had ten times less trouble of mind than others, in whom yet the issue seems to be the same. Some have had such a sense of the displeasure of God, and the great danger they were in of damnation, that they could not sleep at nights; and many have said that when they have laid down, the thoughts of sleeping in such a condition have been frightful to them; they have scarcely been free from terror while asleep, and they have awakened with fear, heaviness, and distress, still abiding on their spirits. It has been very common, that the deep and fixed concern on persons’ minds, has had a painful influence on their bodies, and given disturbance to animal nature."

Again, we see where Edwards sees a sinner's awakening not as an evidence of salvation but as an instance of prevenient grace and pre-regeneration workings of the word and Spirit of God upon the consciences of lost sinners.

Edwards wrote further:

"Persons are sometimes brought to the borders of despair, and it looks as black as midnight to them a little before the day dawns in their souls. Some few instances there have been, of persons who have had such a sense of God’s wrath for sin, that they have been overborne; and made to cry out under an astonishing sense of their guilt, wondering that God suffers such guilty wretches to live upon earth, and that he doth not immediately send them to hell. Sometimes their guilt doth so stare them in the face, that they are in exceeding terror for fear that God will instantly do it; but more commonly their distresses under legal awakenings have not been to such a degree. In some, these terrors do not seem to be so sharp, when near comfort, as before; their convictions have not seemed to work so much that way, but to be led further down into their own hearts, to a further sense of their own universal depravity and deadness in sin."

Again, Edwards does not view "legal awakenings" as evidence of a saved state, but as what is a necessary preparation for salvation, and these type preparations are instances of God's grace and activities of the Spirit upon sinners as a means to bring them to Christ.

Edwards wrote further:

"But in some other instances, where persons have been much terrified at the sight of such wickedness in their hearts, God has brought good to them out of evil; and made it a means of convincing them of their own desperate sinfulness, and bringing them off from all self-confidence."

Edwards does not believe that everyone who is awakened or experiences prevenient grace actually comes to be saved by those means. Does that mean that he believed that grace will not always be efficacious or irresistible? That not all preparations of the Spirit succeed in saving sinners? About those questions we will have more to say later.

Edwards wrote further:

"The drift of the Spirit of God in his legal strivings with persons, have seemed most evidently to be, to bring to a conviction of their absolute dependence on his sovereign power and grace, and an universal necessity of a mediator. This has been effected by leading them more and more to a sense of their exceeding wickedness and guiltiness in his sight; their pollution, and the insufficiency of their own righteousness; that they can in no wise help themselves, and that God would be wholly just and righteous in rejecting them and all that they do, and in casting them off for ever. There is however, a vast variety, as to the manner and distinctness of such convictions."

This process is what Wilson Thompson spoke about, how sinners go from Mt. Sinai to Mt. Zion, of going from law to gospel, how they go from efforts to try to save themselves by their efforts at reformation to Christ as mere beggars and asking Christ to do what they have been unable to do.

Edwards wrote further:

"Under the sense which the Spirit of God gives them of their sinfulness, they often think that they differ from all others; their hearts are ready to sink with the thought, that they are the worst of all, and that none ever obtained mercy who were so wicked as they."

Notice that Edwards rightly affirms that sinners becoming sensible of their sinfulness is a work of the Holy Spirit and one that precedes salvation in some but not in others. Surely this work of the Spirit is gracious and so is an example of prevenient grace.

Edwards wrote further:

"When awakenings first begin, their consciences are commonly most exercised about their outward vicious course, or other acts of sin; but afterwards, are much more burdened with a sense of heart-sins, the dreadful corruption of their nature, their enmity against God, the pride of their hearts, their unbelief, their rejection of Christ, the stubbornness and obstinacy of their wills; and the like. In many, God makes much use of their own experience, in the course of their awakenings and endeavours after saving good, to convince them of their own vile emptiness and universal depravity."

As I have stated before in this series, I had several awakenings while I was lost in sin and before I received Christ by faith. Notice that Edwards sees awakenings as involving a process and often a period of time. 

Edwards wrote further:

"Very often under first awakenings, when they are brought to reflect on the sin of their past lives, and have something of a terrifying sense of God’s anger, they set themselves to walk more strictly, and confess their sins, and perform many religious duties, with a secret hope of appeasing God’s anger, and making up for the sins they have committed. And oftentimes, at first setting out, their affections are so moved, that they are full of tears, in their confessions and prayers; which they are ready to make very much of, as though they were some atonement, and had power to move correspondent affections in God too. Hence they are for a while big with expectation of what God will do for them; and conceive they grow better apace, and shall soon be thoroughly converted. But these affections are but short-lived; they quickly find that they fail, and then they think themselves to be grown worse again."

Again, notice his reference to "first awakenings." Oftentimes sinners are awakened by the word and Spirit of God but go back to sleep, into a stupor. Then, they are awakened again, and again, until they either become hardened with a seared dead conscience or are saved and risen from spiritual death never to die or go back to sleep again.

Edwards wrote further:

"And then it may be they set themselves upon a new course of fruitless endeavours, in their own strength, to make themselves better; and still meet with new disappointments. They are earnest to inquire, what they shall do? They do not know but there is something else to be done, in order to their obtaining converting grace, that they have never done yet. It may be they hope, that they are something better than they were; but then the pleasing dream all vanishes again. If they are told, that they trust too much to their own strength and righteousness, they cannot unlearn this practice all at once, and find not yet the appearance of any good, but all looks as dark as midnight to them. Thus they wander about from mountain to hill, seeking rest, and finding none. When they are beat out of one refuge, they fly to another; till they are as it were debilitated, broken, and subdued with legal humblings; in which God gives them a conviction of their own utter helplessness and insufficiency, and discovers the true remedy in a clearer knowledge of Christ and his gospel."

Again, this is what we have spoken about in preceding chapters, how many awakened and alarmed sinners will begin to find peace and salvation by "going about to establish their own righteousness" rather than receiving by faith the righteousness of God by imputation. They will often try to save themselves by law keeping and by their own power and self willing and self determinations, and they will always fail. This failure often brings desperation and realization and leads the sinner at last to fall at the feet of Jesus and plead for mercy, forgiveness, and a new life.

Edwards wrote further:

"God has of late abundantly shown, that he does not need to wait to have men convinced by long and often repeated fruitless trials; for in multitudes of instances he has made a shorter work of it. He has so awakened and convinced persons’ consciences, and made them so sensible of their exceeding great vileness, and given them such a sense of his wrath against sin, as has quickly overcome all their vain self-confidence, and borne them down into the dust before a holy and righteous God."

Edwards wrote further:

"There have been some who have not had great terrors, but have had a very quick work. Some of those who have not had so deep a conviction of these things before their conversion, have much more of it afterwards. God has appeared far from limiting himself to any certain method in his proceedings with sinners under legal convictions. In some instances, it seems easy for our reasoning powers to discern the methods of divine wisdom, in his dealings with the soul under awakenings; in others, his footsteps cannot be traced, and his ways are past finding put. Some who are less distinctly wrought upon, in what is preparatory to grace, appear no less eminent in gracious experiences afterwards."

I think it is particularly true with young children who believe in Jesus that they experience "much more" deep conviction of sins after they have believed and been saved. Not only that, but in many cases it is not the preaching of the law that reveals to a sinner his depravity and guilt, but it is seeing the cruelty of Calvary, and understanding the beauty and greatness of Christ and his salvation. When a person sees the beauty of Christ and God's righteousness, he will at the same time see his own moral and spiritual ugliness. Sinners are often first slain by the law before they are brought to life by the gospel. 

Notice also that Edwards speaks of "what is preparatory to grace," meaning what is preparatory to saving grace, for he does not exclude what is preparatory as also being instances of prevenient grace.

Edwards wrote further:

"There is in nothing a greater difference, in different persons, than with respect to the time of their being under trouble; some but a few days, and others for months or years. There were many in this town, who had been, before this effusion of the Spirit upon us, for years, and some for many years, concerned about their salvation. Though probably they were not thoroughly awakened, yet they were concerned to such a degree as to be very uneasy, so as to live an uncomfortable disquieted life. They continued in a way of taking considerable pains about their salvation; but had never obtained any comfortable evidence of a good state."

Notice that Edwards sees the great awakening as a time when there was an "effusion of the Spirit" upon the people which awakened them and made them sensible and attentive to the message of the gospel, and which effusion came before sinners were saved and thus were acts of grace preceding their salvation. He also says that many who are awakened are not "thoroughly awakened" and "never obtained evidence of a good state" of salvation.

Edwards wrote further:

"As to those in whom awakenings seem to have a saving issue, commonly the first thing that appears after their legal troubles, is a conviction of the justice of God in their condemnation, appearing in a sense of their own exceeding sinfulness, and the vileness of all their performances."

Awakenings do not always end with a sinner's salvation, though God intends that they do. They do cause sinners to begin to seek peace and salvation.

Edwards wrote further:

"That calm of spirit that some persons have found after their legal distresses, continues some time before any special and delightful manifestation is made to the soul of the grace of God as revealed in the gospel. But very often some comfortable and sweet view of a merciful God, of a sufficient Redeemer, or of some great and joyful things of the gospel, immediately follows, or in a very little time: and in some, the first sight of their just desert of hell, and God’s sovereignty with respect to their salvation, and a discovery of all-sufficient grace, are so near, that they seem to go as it were together."

In the next chapter we will continue to look at what Edwards said further on this subject.

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.