truth. As:—
_Isaiah_, vi. 5.—“Mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.”
_John_, xii. 41.—“These things said Esias, when he saw his (Christ’s)
glory, and spake of him.”
“Therefore Jesus is the Lord of Hosts.”—_Isaiah_, xliii. 11.
* * * * *
_Isaiah_, xliii. 11.—“I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no
Saviour.”
2 _Peter_, iii. 18.—“Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.”
_Then Jesus Christ is Jehovah_, _the Saviour_.
* * * * *
_Rev._ xxii. 6.—“The Lord God of the Holy Prophets sent his angel to shew
unto his servants things which must shortly be done.”
_Rev._ v. 16.—“I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify these things
unto the churches.”
Therefore Jesus is the Lord God of the Prophets.
* * * * *
_Isaiah_, xliv. 6.—“Thus saith the Lord, the King of Israel, and his
Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, I am the first, and I am the last, and
besides me there is no God.”
_Rev._ xxii. 13.—“I (Jesus) am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the
end, the first and the last.”
This is too plain to be denied. Christ is the King of Israel, the
Redeemer, the Lord of Hosts, the first and the last.
* * * * *
_Psalm_ lxxviii. 56.—“They tempted and provoked the Most High God.”
1 Cor. x. 9.—“Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted.”
Christ must be, therefore, the Most High God.
* * * * *
_Isaiah_, xxxvii. 5.—“For thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is
his name.”
_John_, iii. 29.—“He that hath the bride is the bridegroom.”
_Psalm_ xxiii.—“The Lord Jehovah, is my shepherd.”
_John_, x. 16.—“There shall be one fold and one shepherd.”
Christ must be the Lord of Hosts.
* * * * *
_Psalm_ c. 3.—“Know ye that the Lord he is God, we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture.”
_John_, x. 3.—“He calleth his own sheep.”
Therefore, Christ he is the Lord God and shepherd.
* * * * *
_John_, xx. 28.—“And Thomas answered and said, my Lord and my God.”
_Romans_, ix. 5.—“Of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came; who is
over all, God, blessed for ever.”
Christ is, therefore, Lord and God.
* * * * *
_Isaiah_, ix. 6.—“And his name shall be called, The Mighty God.”
_Rev._ i. 8.—“I am the Almighty.”
* * * * *
I might here fill a volume of immense size, to prove the same fact; but
when God gives a man up to satanic delusion, he generally mounts the
scorner’s chair; sets his tongue against the heavens, and endeavours to
bring down the Almighty to his proud carnal reasonings.
“Thus fools rush in, where angels fear to tread.”
But, whilst so many are endeavouring to dethrone the glorious persons in
the Trinity, or to degrade them, other fools have set up _many_; one in
particular, whom I once wrote against, in “Zion’s Controversy:” this poor
creature insists upon it that every separate perfection in Jehovah is a
god. There was also a sect of people in the beginning of the sixteenth
century, called Familists, who held the notion that every believer was an
_Emanuel_—was really God; that Christians, were _Christed_ into _Christ_,
and _Godded_ into _God_. Such stupid ideas have neither scripture reason
nor common sense in them; but I suppose by the bye, this doctrine was
advanced to degrade the essential and eternal Godhead of Christ, as
modern Sabellians do, though very high Calvinists in some other
points—yet maintain the idea that the Father communicates his Godhead to
Christ; and why not to his people? Why not, indeed? Both are
Christ-degrading errors. May the Lord deliver his people from them;
while conceited, empty-talking, _all-knowing_ professors fall into those
ditches, out of which nothing short of superabounding mercy, in a
miraculous way, can deliver them. “Fear, and the pit, and the snare are
upon thee, O inhabitant of the earth; and it shalt come to pass, that he
who flieth from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit; and whoso
cometh up out of the pit shall fall into the snare; for the windows from
on high are opened, and the foundations of the earth do shake.”—_Isaiah_
xxiii.
Being delivered from this awful snare, satan harrassed my mind,
concerning the personality and Godhead of the ever-blessed Holy Spirit.
Here I was much troubled, but the Lord has promised to be the profitable
teacher of his people.—“I am the Lord thy God, which teacheth thee to
profit, and leadeth thee in the way thou shouldest go.” I bless his name
for all his teachings, although it has been under some very painful
experiences; above all, that he has led me to the acknowledgement (_not
comprehension_) of the mystery of God—the Holy Ghost—and of the Father,
and of Christ.—_Colossians_ ii.
That the Holy Spirit is God, one of the Divine _Three_ in the unity of
the Godhead, is evident, by comparing Scripture with Scripture. I am
very sensible that his work upon the heart is infinitely of greater
importance than a thousand bare notions of the subject, however clear;
but it is a mercy to have our loins girt with truth, the armour of
righteousness on the right hand, and on the left; and while the enemies
of God are attempting to degrade his Sacred Majesty, his Adorable Person,
and some weak Christians stagger at the subject, it is our duty (being
delivered from such God-dishonouring conduct), to contend earnestly for
the faith, once delivered to the saints.
I am not writing a body of divinity. I have not abilities for that; but
only stating those truths which are dear to my heart, and producing a few
out of the many Scriptures, to prove the Godhead of the Saviour and the
ever-blessed Holy Spirit. A few must suffice here.
_John_, iii. 6.—“That which is born of the Spirit.”
1 _John_, v. 4.—“Whatsoever is born of God.”
Here the spiritual birth is attributed to the _Spirit_—to _God_.
Therefore the Holy Spirit is God.
* * * * *
_Acts_, xiii. 2.—“The Holy Ghost said,—separate _me_ Barnabas and Saul,
for the work whereunto _I_ have called them.”
_Heb._ v. 4.—“No man taketh this honour to himself, but he that is called
of _God_.”
Therefore the Spirit is God.
* * * * *
_Matt._ ix. 38.—“Pray ye, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that _he_
will send forth labourers into _his_ harvest.”
_Acts_, xiii. 4.—“So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost.”
This proves the Holy Ghost is the Lord of his harvest.
* * * * *
_Luke_, ii. 16.—“And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he
should not see death before he had seen the Lord Christ.”
Verse 28.—“And he blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, according to _thy Word_.”
This Word was the Word of the Holy Ghost, and is _God_ and _Lord_, to be
blessed and praised.
* * * * *
_John_, xiv. 17.—“_He_, the Spirit of Truth, dwelleth in you, and shall
be in you.”
1 _Cor._ xiv. 25.—“_God_ is in you, of a truth.”
2 _Tim._ iii. 14.—“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God.”
2 _Peter_, xxi.—“Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy
Ghost.”
_John_, iv. 41.—“It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all
taught of _God_.”
1 _Cor._ ii. 13.—“Not in the word, which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which
the Holy Ghost teacheth.”
_Acts_, v. 3.—“Why hath satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy
Ghost?”
Verse 4.—“Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto _God_.”
1 _Cor._ iii. 16.—“The temple of _God_ is holy, which temple are ye.”
1 _Cor._ vi. 19.—“Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the
Holy Ghost?”
_Deut._ vi. 14.—“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
_Acts_, v. 9.—“How is it, that ye have agreed to tempt the spirit of the
Lord?”
_Matt._ xix. 17.—“There is none good but one, that is God.”
_Psalm_ clxxiii. 10.—“Thy Spirit is good; lead me.”
* * * * *
I might mention many more, with a vast many proofs of this sublime
doctrine, but I trust you will be led to read them in the Scriptures,
with a grace-taught eye, and rejoice in the truth, as you discover and
feel it. I must close this long letter with this verse—
“God is a name my soul adores,
Th’ Almighty Three, th’ Eternal One:
Nature and grace, with all their powers,
Confess the Infinite Unknown.”
I wish you were in possession of the excellent Jones on the “Catholic
Doctrine of the Trinity.”
Yours, J. C.
LETTER X.
“The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies.”
“Love the truth and peace.”
To—
What a mercy for us that all divine teaching is the gracious work of God
the Holy Spirit; and when we view, in his own light, what _He_ is, as
_He_ has condescended to set himself forth in his own word, we are amazed
at his condescension. _He_ is called the Eternal Spirit; _He_ is
Omnipresent, Omniscient, Omnipotent; _He_ is a person—and what is a
person but a living, thinking, acting, intelligent agent? And what we
have professed at church, when, perhaps, we did not understand what we
said, is a most noble and glorious testimony—“I believe in God, the Holy
Ghost, the Lord and giver of life, who proceedeth from the Father and the
Son; and who, with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and
glorified, who spake by the prophets”—this gracious, divine, and glorious
person has engaged to lead all his people into all _necessary_ truth, and
_He_ will be faithful to his covenant promises; nor do I esteem it a
small mercy to be established in the glorious doctrine of the Trinity, as
it is set forth in God’s Word, after my mind had been so perplexed with
errors and temptations.
But now another very keen temptation beset me, respecting the doctrine of
eternal _election_, and its attendant _reprobation_. This was painted to
me, in the most horrible terms, as the most cruel and unjust act, such as
could never be attributed to a merciful God. Erroneous books, preachers,
professors, carnal reason, and the devil, all combined to oppose it. A
very plain reason that _the doctrine is of God_—or else such would never
oppose it; if the doctrine was of the world, the world would love its
own—but, because it is of God, therefore they hate it. Thousands of
tongues and pens have been raised up against it, but these two mountains
of brass still stand as firm as ever. The manner in which the wicked
would, though varnished with seeming piety, represent the doctrine, is
thus:—that to hold the doctrine of election is saying, that the elect
will be saved, do whatever they may—and the reprobate will be damned, let
them do all the good they can. This is the manner in which they
_carnally_ state the matter; and, as they are but carnal, and the carnal
mind is enmity with God, what can we expect from such thorns and
thistles, surely _not_ the figs and grapes of truth? Others admit that
election may be true, but then we are elected upon condition of our good
behaviour; and others profess to believe that election is certainly a
truth, but then all others may be saved, if they will, as they have a
good chance for it, being in a salveable state (and so they wrap it up).
Amidst this _pro_ and _con._ my mind was not a little distressed, till
the Lord led me into the truth, as it is in Jesus, and gave me to see he
had blest me with the Bible evidences of my eternal election of God. I
saw from the Word that election was a _sovereign_, _holy_, _wise_,
_gracious_ act of Jehovah, before all worlds; that Christ’s election was
first, as head, and the church was chosen in him, that the head and the
body were alike chosen, loved, and viewed as one—and this choice was for
the glory of God, for the glory of Christ, and for the holiness and
eternal happiness of the church. God chose his people that they _might_
be holy, not because they were so, but that they might be so; and he
predestinated the same people to enjoy his presence, love, and glory, to
all eternity. They are set apart _for himself_, predestinated _to
himself_. “This people have I _formed for myself_.” And must not that
man be a fool and a madman that does not _desire_ to know that he was
chosen to _be_ holy, and predestinated to the enjoyment of God for ever?
Let such oppose this precious doctrine: but—
“O, may this Bible truth inspire
My soul with sacred bliss;
And lane me safe in mansions where
My chosen Saviour is.”
_Lyndal’s Hymns_.
Would not professors be better employed in attending to God’s Word, which
so dearly states this matter, and praying for the enjoyment of the
evidences of it in their own souls, than cavilling against it, seeing
they never can overthrow this ancient mountain, this eternal hill? The
Lord not only opened my eyes to see it, humbled my heart to receive it,
but gave my soul the Bible evidences of it. For—
“Though God’s election is a truth,
Small comfort there I see;
Till I’m assur’d, by God’s own mouth,
That he has chosen me.”
And every chosen vessel has the _witness_, the _evidences_ of his
election in his own heart, when truly converted to God. And these are
clearly laid down in God’s Word. There it is said that “Mary hath chosen
that good part which should never be taken from her.” But then that good
part must first have chosen her. Ye have not chosen me, but I have
chosen you, and ordained you. The blessed effect, the _evidence_ of this
choice made known, is a being made willing to be saved in _God’s own
way_—in the day of God’s own power. This choice, or willingness, is
God’s work on the souls of his _own_ people—for them, and these only, are
thus made willing to be saved by grace alone. The power of the Word in
the heart is an evidence of our election. “Knowing, brethren, beloved of
God, your election for our gospel, came not to you in word only, but in
power, in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” These were persons who
had received the Word with power, which evidenced their election of God,
and which evidences ours also. The effectual working of truth upon the
mind, producing light, life, love, power, contrition, turning to God,
humility, joy, liberty. _These_, any of these blessed effects of the
Word in the heart, is an evidence of our election.
Faith is said to be the “faith of God’s elect.” Therefore, faith wrought
in the heart is an evidence of election. A seeing _that_ in Christ which
exactly suits our state and condition, attended with a renouncing all in
ourselves, and a coming to him for all we need. Trusting in him, hoping
in him, delighting in him—these are precious evidences of our eternal
election of God. Prayer is an evidence also. Shall not God avenge _his
own elect_, which cry day and night to him? The soul-breathing,
desiring, thirsting after the favor and friendship of God. These desires
going up to Him, as created by the Holy Spirit, in the day of prosperity
or the night of adversity, are the precious evidences of electing love.
Holiness is another evidence. We were chosen to be holy, and that we
should walk in good works. In _whose_ good works am I to walk, but in
the whole glorious work of salvation effected by the adorable Trinity,
producing in us the love of God? This is divine charity, that rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. And, to walk in Christ, to
walk in good works, to walk in wisdom, peace, truth, and holiness, is to
walk in love to God, to truth, to saints. This love will produce all its
happy consequences in the road to heaven. Christ is the way, holiness is
the walk, and walking in this most excellent way is an evidence of
election. For we are chosen to this holiness on earth and in heaven; and
without _his_ holiness, “no man shall see the Lord.” Hence the
exhortation, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness; do not boast ye
have it, _but_ follow after it, and your labour of love will not be in
vain in the Lord.”
Having these evidences in my mind of my election, and viewing it as an
immutable truth, my spirit rejoices not merely in what success I have had
in the ministry, but that my name is written in heaven;—but while I have
thus, at times, been rejoicing in it, a dark season has succeeded, and
satan and his emissaries have troubled my mind about the doctrine of
reprobation.
I beg leave to send you a few remarks on this subject, which, I trust,
will relieve your mind, as they have mine. The term _reprobation_, or
_reprobated_, is no where to be found in the Bible. The word _reprobate_
occurs once in the Old Testament, and six times in the New, and not once
in reference to pre-damnation. But, though the term does not, yet the
thing itself is clearly revealled. The awful characters of God, as a
sovereign and a judge, is set almost entirely out of the view of man, by
preachers and writers; and when they occur to the mind, it stirs up all
the hatred and infernal enmity of the human heart. Here the most meek,
innocent, and holy people (in their own estimation) boil with fury and
rage; yet it is a truth, that God, as a sovereign, having no other
counsellor but his most holy will, has chosen some, and left others. If
he found them holy, he left them so; if he found them sinful, he left
them so; he did them no injury, it was an act of his own will, who has a
right to do what he pleases, and it is impious to ask _why_; for so it
seemed good in his sight. But the damnation of sinners is in consequence
of sin, and, as a righteous judge, he decreed to punish sin; nor _does_
he, nor _will_ he, nor _can_ he damn or consign any one to hell, but the
violators of his own laws. Is not this just? His decree to punish sin
does not force men to sin, they sin naturally, and freely, and wilfully;
and living and dying, enemies to God, they receive the reward of their
crimes. You may ask, cannot God save them? He can; but that he _does_
not, is evident—and that he _will_ not, is equally as clear. For he that
made them will _not_ have mercy upon them, and he that formed them will
shew them _no_ favor. Here I must refer you to Sacred Scripture; to
Huntington’s “Free Thoughts in Captivity;” Dr. Gill, on “Election and
Reprobation;” Toplady’s “Letter to John Wesley;” Coles, on “God’s
Sovereignty;” and a little pamphlet lately published, by Mr. Hargreaves,
Baptist Minister of Little Wild-street, London, on “Reprobation.” The
subject itself is a profound depth.
But here let us bow to his sovereign will, and rejoice that he has given
us any evidence that he has chosen us in Christ Jesus.
“For, O, my soul, if truth so bright
Should dazzle and confound my sight,
Yet still his written Word obey,
And wait the great decisive day.”
This is true humility.
Yours, J. C.
LETTER XI.
“Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth
not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.”
To —
It was about the year 1791, that Mr. John Wesley died. I was about 11
years of age; much talk was about him at that time, which often arrested
my attention—but, as I had never heard the gospel preached, of course I
could know nothing of doctrines; but after I had been led into truth, in
some degree, some men that worked for my master, where I was an
apprentice, lent me some of his books, but finding them so remarkably
dull and dry, there was neither pleasure nor profit to me in reading
them.—Hearing much also from the same persons, of the controversy between
Arminians and Calvinists, I was certainly anxious to understand the great
difference between them. Reading what each advanced, I knew _both_ could
not be right. Warmly attached to the doctrines and doctrinal articles of
the Church of England, I soon discovered that the system of Arminianism
was in direct opposition to those doctrines. This led on to enquiry and
diligent search. Acquaintances lent me books of the controversy that had
been carried on by the Wesleys, Fletchers, and others, and the answers
that had been given by the magnanimous Toplady, Dr. Gill, Mason, and the
(at that time) faithful and bold _Hills_. Mr. Fletcher’s works have been
since re-published, but our dastardly cowardly Calvinists do not
re-publish what was then so ably written in defence of truth; shame to
them, to let truth lie bleeding in the streets, and very few dare to
plead her cause. The old Gospel Magazine, like the present one, was the
excellent means of spreading and maintaining truth, and which I believe
is the only one of all our periodical publications, that dare advance the
_whole_ truth.—These books came into my hands, with some of Sir Richard
Hill’s works, which I now bless God for, as they have been of especial
service to me, in establishing my mind in the truth, as it is in Jesus.
Since I have been in the ministry, the question has been frequently asked
me—“What is your opinion of Mr. John Wesley?” I do not like such
questions.—He has been many years in the presence of his Judge, and
whether saved or lost, is not for man to decide: but, by an attention to
works, some of them which I shall quote in this letter to you, and the
opinions which good men had of them. I leave you to draw an inference.
You and I well know, from the Word of God, and the teaching of the
Eternal Spirit, that the Sacred Scriptures are the Word of God; and that,
adding to, or diminishing from, or perverting it, is threatened with
damnation.—_Rev._ xxi. I do not say that the rev. John Wesley has done
either, _wilfully_, but I beg you to read for yourself, some of his notes
on the New Testament, and if you never did before, I think you will blush
at some parts of his _explanations_, as they are called. I would quote
some of them, but it would fill this letter, in which I want to point out
some of the many errors which he held, and which is still maintained by
his followers, quite forgetting that “he who loveth and maketh a lie,
dying so, shall have his part in the lake which burneth with fire and
brimstone”.—_Rev._ xxi.
One of the principal doctrines of the glorious gospel of the blessed God,
on which the salvation of the church rests, and which can only entitle us
to, and prepare us for death, judgment, and eternity, is the meritorious
obedience of Christ to the holy law of God. This, by an act of grace, is
_imputed_ and placed to the account of the elect church of God, by the
adorable Father, and received into the enlightened minds, affections, and
consciences of those who are taught by the Holy Spirit. This, and this
only, justifies us before God. On this holy thirty-three years’
obedience of Christ, to the law is the sole matter of our justification
in the sight of a holy God. And can you believe it? But I beg you will
read Mr. Hervey’s “Eleven Letters to J. Wesley,” wherein you will find
that the latter has ridiculed this glorious foundation of the church as
_imputed nonsense_. Is not this an awful proof that himself, and all
such, must be totally destitute of this righteousness.
I will, however, give you a quotation from a pamphlet written many years
ago, by the rev. R. H. entitled “Calumny Refuted, and the Dead
Vindicated,” p. 9. The rev. writer remarks:—
“Once upon a time we find him, J. Wesley, sitting in the Norwich
stage-coach, wrapped in a most profound meditation; the first thing
that occurred to his consideration was, whether a person might not be
a sincere Christian, and deny the _phrase_—imputed
righteousness?—This he did not doubt. He then advances farther (as
the wheels roll on) and asks—if a man may not be a Christian, and
deny the _thing_? He directly determines that a person _certainly_
may. Thus, at two strides, he completely gets rid of the
righteousness of Christ.”
The following horrid propositions, which are here transcribed, verbatim,
from Mr. Wesley’s “Minutes of the Year 1770,” fully and incontestibly
demonstrate the more than popish pelagianism of the man. He says—
“Every believer, till he comes to glory, works _for_, as well as
_from_ life. We have received it as a maxim, that a man is to do
nothing in order to justification. Nothing can be more false. As to
_merit_ itself, of which we have been so dreadfully afraid, we are
rewarded according to our works, _i.e._ as our works deserve. All
that are convinced of sin _under-value_ themselves in every respect.
We are every hour and every moment pleasing or displeasing to God,
according to our works, according to the whole of our inward tempers
and outward behaviour.”
If this is not high popery, what is? Mr. John was a professed churchman;
but how the above doctrine stands, with what the doctrinal articles of
that church maintains, I leave you to judge. As they declare, that he
must believe that _no good_ works _can_ be done, in order to
justification, but that we are accounted righteous only for the sake of
our Lord Jesus Christ.