_entire_ sanctification take place at the time of regeneration.
Conversion, holiness, are nothing more than a decision of the will; and
since the will can never be _more than decided_, of course the decision
at regeneration is the _perfection of holiness_. On this ground,
therefore, though Christians are exhorted to "cleanse themselves from
all filthiness of flesh and spirit, _perfecting holiness_ in the fear of
the Lord;" though the saints are commanded to "grow in grace," to
"confess their sins," that they may be "cleansed from _all
unrighteousness_," though some of the Corinthian Christians were "carnal
and walked as men," and for that reason were, after years of experience,
only _babes_ in Christ--still, if we embrace this sentiment, we must
call the convert, at his first spiritual breath, as holy as he ever _can
be_ in any of the subsequent stages of his experience! Surely the
apostles taught not this! And yet so strongly are men impelled forward
by their systems, this doctrine of perfect holiness at conversion is the
very sentiment that many of the advocates of the New Divinity are now
propagating--a clear proof that it necessarily follows from their theory
of conversion. This of itself, it strikes me, ought to destroy the
doctrine.
3. Another bearing of this hypothesis, and one which I think must prove
fatal to it, is, that the Scriptures represent this change to be chiefly
in the affections, whereas this doctrine makes it exclusively in the
will. That the Scriptures place the change in the affections chiefly, I
suppose will not be denied. If it should be, without stopping here to
quote specific passages, or use many arguments, one consideration alone
will be sufficient to set the question at rest.--True evangelical
holiness consists in love to God and man; and sin is loving the creature
rather than the Creator. The apostle brings into view both the
regenerate and the unregenerate state in this passage--"Set your
affection on things above, and not on things on the earth." Numerous are
the passages which teach that love to God is the essence of the
Christian character. The affections, therefore, are the seat of this
change. But we are told by this new theory the change is in the will. It
is only to resolve to serve God, and we are converted.--Either this
theory, therefore, or the Bible account of this matter must be wrong.
To avoid this difficulty, it may be said, that a change of the will
implies a change of the affections. But this is changing the
position--which is, that a decision of the will is regeneration. If
however this new position be insisted upon, it can be reconciled with
the phraseology used only by making a change of the affections a mere
_subordinate_ part of regeneration, whereas the Scriptures make the
change consist essentially in this. But there is still a more serious
difficulty in this idea, that the change of the will implies a change in
the affections. It necessarily implies that the affections are at all
times under the control of the will. But this is as unphilosophical as
it is unscriptural. It is even directly contrary to the observation and
knowledge of men who have paid only common and casual attention to
mental phenomena. The will is oftener enthralled by the affections, than
the affections by the will. Even in common and worldly matters let a man
try by an effort of the will to beget love where it does not exist, or
to transfer the affections from one object to another, and how will he
succeed? Will love and hatred go or come at his bidding? You might as
well attempt, by an act of the will, to make sweet bitter, or bitter
sweet to the physical taste. How much less can a man, by an act of the
will, make all things new, and transfer the heart from the grossness of
creature love to the purity of supreme love to God. The Apostle Paul has
taught us his failure in this matter. When he "would do good, evil was
present with him." "For," says he, "the good that I would do, I do not;
but the evil which I would not, that I do." And this is the fact in most
cases of genuine awakening. Resolutions are formed, but the current of
the unsanctified affections sweeps them away. Over the untowardness of
the unregenerate heart the will has, in fact, but a feeble influence;
and this is the reason why the man, struggling with the corruptions of
his heart, is driven to despair, and exclaims, "O! wretched man that I
am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"
We shall see hereafter how the action of the will is indispensable in
regeneration; but not in this _direct_ way to change and control the
affections, by the power of its own decisions. When I find my will
capable of doing this, I must have an essentially different intellectual
character from the one I now have.
Since the Scriptures make the new birth a change of affections, and this
theory makes it a change of volitions; and especially since the
affections cannot be transferred from _earth_ to _heaven_ by a _mere act
of the will_, therefore the doctrine which teaches and implies these
views must be false.
4. This idea of the character of sin and of the new birth makes man
sinless, at particular times, even _without_ regeneration. I do not mean
by this that he is not obnoxious to punishment for past unholy
volitions. But if sin consists only in voluntary exercise, whenever the
mind does not act; or whenever its action is not under the control of
the will, there is nothing of sin personally appertaining to the
man.--When the action of the will is suspended by an all-absorbing
emotion of wonder or surprise--in sound sleep when the mental states, if
there are any, are not under the control of the will--in cases of
suspended animation, by drowning, fainting, or otherwise--in short,
whenever the mind is necessarily wholly engrossed, as is often the case,
by some scientific investigation, or matter of worldly business, not of
a moral character, then, and in every such case, whatever may be the
guilt for past transgressions, there is no personal unholiness. And by
the same reasoning we may show that the regenerate pass a great portion
of their time without any personal holiness!
5. According to the theory we are opposing, regeneration, strictly
speaking, means nothing. The work of grace, by which a sinner is made
meet for heaven, embraces two essential points, _pardon_ and _renewal_.
The former is not a positive change of character, but a relative change,
from a state of condemnation to a state of acquittal. But as
regeneration, if it have any appropriate meaning, cannot mean a mere
change of relation, any construction or system that forces such a
meaning upon it does, in fact, do it away. Hence, being _born again,
being renewed, being created anew, being sanctified, being translated
from darkness to light, being raised from the dead_, and numerous other
scripture expressions, are figurative forms of speech, so foreign from
the idea they are used to express, that they are worse than
unmeaning--they lead to error. But if these expressions mean any thing
more than pardon, what is that meaning? This doctrine makes the
principal change take place in the _neighbourhood_ of the will; not in
the will itself, meaning by that, the mental power by which we put forth
volitions. This _faculty_ of the mind is sound, and needs no change--all
the other mental susceptibilities are sound, the essence of the mind and
the susceptibilities of the mind are perfectly free from any moral
perversion. It is the mental _action_ that is bad.--What is there then
in the man that is to be changed? Do you say his volitions? But these he
changes every hour. Do you say, he must leave off wrong volitions, and
have right ones? This too he often does. "But he must do it with right
motives," you say, "this acting from _right motives_ is the regenerate
state." Indeed! Suppose then that he has resolved to serve God, from
right motives, what if he should afterward resolve, from false shame or
fear, to neglect a duty, is he now unregenerate? This is changing from
regenerate to unregenerate, from _entire_ holiness to _entire_
unholiness with a breath. Truly such a regeneration is _nothing_. But
you say, after he has once submitted, he now has a "governing purpose"
to serve God, and this constitutes him regenerate; aye, a _governing_
purpose that _does not govern_ him. Let it be understood, you cannot
divide a volition; it has an entire character in itself; and if it be
unholy, no preceding holy volition can sanctify it. Hence every change
of volition from wrong to right, and from right to wrong, is a change of
state, so that regeneracy and unregeneracy play in and out of the human
bosom in the alternation of every criminal thought or every pious
aspiration. Is this the Bible doctrine of the new birth? And yet this is
all you can make of it, if you resolve it into the mere action of the
will.
6. This doctrine of self-conversion, by an act of the will, is directly
contrary to Scripture. It would be tedious to me and my readers to quote
all those passages that attribute this work directly to the Holy Spirit,
and that speak of it as a work which _God himself_ accomplishes for, and
in us. There is one passage which is much in point, however, and is
sufficient of itself to settle this question. "But as many as received
him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name. Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the
flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God," John i, 12, 13. This is a
two-edged sword--it cuts off, as we have remarked before, passive and
unconditional regeneration on the one hand; and also, as we may now see,
self conversion by an act of the will, on the other. I know not how
words can be put together, in so small a compass, better to answer the
true objects of destroying these two opposite theories of regeneration,
and asserting the true theory. Here is, first--the _receiving of
Christ,_ the _believing on his name_--this is the condition. Second,
Christ gives the "power," viz. strength and privilege, to become the
sons of God. This is the regeneration. Third--This becoming "the sons of
God," or being "born," is not in a _physical way_, by flesh and blood,
nor yet by _human will_, but of or by God. Can any thing be clearer or
more decisive?
Indeed the very terms, _regeneration, born, birth_, &c, imply of
themselves another and an efficient agent; and then to connect these
with the Divine agency, as the Scriptures have done some half dozen
times in the phrase, "born of God," and several other times in the
phrase, "of the Spirit:" to have this called being "begotten again," and
the like, is enough, one would think, if words have any meaning, to show
that man does not change his own heart. The same may be said of the
terms _resurrection, translation, creation, renewal_, and various other
terms the Scriptures use to express this change. Jesus Christ claimed
that he had "power to lay down his life, and _to take it again;_" but
this is the only instance of self-resurrection power that we read of;
and even this was by his Divine nature; for he was "quickened by the
Spirit," and raised "by the power of God." But these theorists teach
that man has power to lay down his life, and then, after he is "dead in
trespasses and sins," he has power to take his life again. Truly this is
giving man a power that approaches very near to one of the Divine
attributes. To Christ alone does it belong "to quicken whom he will." To
change the heart of the sinner is one of the Divine prerogatives, and he
that attempts to convert himself; and trusts to this, will find in the
end that he is _carnal_ still. For "whatsoever is born of the flesh is
flesh, but whatsoever is born of the Spirit is spirit."
Let me not here be misunderstood. I shall endeavour to show, in its
proper place, the conditional agency of man in this work. I have only
time to add, in this number, that I consider those scriptures which
press duties upon the sinner as applying to this conditional agency. And
even those strong expressions which sometimes occur in the Bible,
requiring the sinner to "make himself a new heart"--"to cleanse his
hands and purify his heart," &c, will find an easy solution and a
pertinent application in this view of the subject. For if there are
certain pending conditions, without which the work will not be
accomplished, then there would be a propriety, while pressing this duty,
to use expressions showing that this work was conditionally, though not
_efficiently_, resting upon the agency of the sinner.
In my next I shall endeavour to show that there is no intermediate
_Calvinistic_ ground between the two theories examined in this number.
If that attempt prove successful, and if in this it has been found that
the two theories examined are encumbered with too many embarrassments to
be admitted, then we shall be the better prepared to listen to the
teachings of the Scriptures on this important and leading doctrine of
the Christian faith.
NUMBER XIV.
REGENERATION, CONTINUED.
An inconsistency in any received theory is constantly driving its
supporters to some modification of their system. This is a redeeming
principle in the human mind, and greatly encourages the hope that truth
will finally triumph.
It has already been noticed that the doctrine of entire passivity, in
regeneration, is so pressed with difficulties that it has sought relief
in the opposite notion of self-conversion. But this latter hypothesis
is, in turn, encumbered, if possible, with still greater embarrassments.
The presumption therefore is, that the truth lies between them; and it
will doubtless be found, by a fair and thorough investigation, that this
is the fact. But here the question arises, Can _Calvinists_ consistently
occupy any such middle ground? In other words, retaining the other
peculiarities of Calvinism, can our Calvinistic brethren assume any
position between these two extremes which will avoid the difficulties of
both? A brief examination, it is hoped, will decide this question.
_Third Theory_.--Dr. Tyler is a highly respectable clergyman of the
Calvinistic faith, and is now at the head of the theological school in
East Windsor, Conn., which was got up with the avowed purpose of
counteracting the New-Haven theology. We should not therefore suspect
him of leaning too much toward the New Divinity. He tells us that the
only depravity is to be unwilling to serve God--that there is "no other
obstacle in the way of the sinner's salvation except what lies in his
own will"--that "to be born again is simply to be made willing to do
what God requires." What is this but the New Divinity? The will is here
made, most explicitly, the sole seat of depravity; and regeneration is
an act of the will. But every act of the will is the sinner's _own act_,
and therefore the agent, by that act of the will which constitutes
regeneration, converts himself.--Perhaps Dr. Tyler will say, the sinner
in this case does not convert himself, because he is "_made willing_."
God makes him willing "in the day of his power." It is remarkable what a
favourite phrase this is with the Calvinists. It is borrowed from the
third verse of the hundred and tenth Psalm, "Thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power." Now although the word "made" is not in the
text; although there is not the _slightest_ evidence that the text
speaks of regeneration at all, but on the contrary, it is most evidently
intended to describe the character and conduct of God's people, viz. the
regenerate; and although every scholar, at least, among the Calvinists,
knows this as well as he knows his right hand from the left, yet we hear
it repeated by the learned and the ignorant, at all times and
places--"God's people are made willing in the day of his power." It is
not only a gross perversion of a Scripture phrase, but its repetition,
in this perverted sense, renders it wearisome and sickening. But,
waiving this, it becomes us to ask whether there is any more rational or
Scriptural ground for the idea itself than there is for this use of the
text. What is meant by making the soul willing? I confess I cannot
understand it. Is it meant that God _forces_ the soul to be willing?
This is a contradiction in terms. To say that God acts directly on the
will, and thus changes its determination by superior force, is to
destroy its freedom--is to produce a volition without motive or
reason--which would, at any rate, be an anomalous action of the will.
And what is still more fatal to the theory, it implies _no act_ of the
sinner whatever, but an irresistible act of the Divine power, which
therefore necessarily throws the theory back upon the doctrine of
passive conversion. There is no avoiding this conclusion, I think, on
the ground that God changes the action of the will, by an exertion of
power upon the will itself. If, to avoid this, it should be said that
the will is not changed by a direct act of power, but influenced to a
holy determination indirectly, through the medium of motives, presented
by the Holy Spirit--then and in that case we should be thrown forward on
to the self-conversion system. The sinner's voluntary act, by which he
regenerated himself, would be as truly and entirely _his own_ as any
other act of the will; therefore he would be self-regenerated. This
also would be regeneration, not by the Holy Spirit, but _by the truth;_
which is another feature of the New Divinity. This also would make all
depravity consist in the will, or rather in its _acts;_ which has been
shown in the preceding number to be unscriptural as well as
unphilosophical. This objection is valid, whether the depravity is
supposed to be in the _power_ of willing, or in the _acts_ of the will.
But since, in Dr. Tyler's view, to will in one direction is depravity,
and to will in another direction is regeneration, and since all that
motives _can_ do is, not to change the will itself, but only prompt it
to new voluntary states, it follows conclusively that Dr. T. makes all
holiness and all unholiness consist in volitions; and therefore the
_moral-exercise_ system is true; which is another feature of the New
Divinity. Truly I may repeat, we do not need another theological
seminary in Connecticut to teach this doctrine.
Finally, according to this theory of Dr. T., he and all those who reason
like him, are chargeable, I think, with a palpable paralogism--they
reason in a circle. They say, in the express language of Dr. Tyler, "All
men may be saved if they will"--"No man is hindered from coming to
Christ who is willing to come"--that is, since to will and to be willing
is to be regenerated, this language gravely teaches us, "All men may be
saved, if they _are regenerated_"--"No man is hindered from coming to
Christ (to be regenerated) who _is regenerated!_" And indeed this view
of regeneration not only makes learned divines talk nonsense, but the
Scriptures also. The invitation, "Whosoever will, let him come," &c,
must mean, "Whosoever _is regenerate_, let him come," and so of other
passages. Thus this theory of Dr. Tyler, and of the many who hold with
him, is so closely hemmed in on both sides, that it must throw itself
for support, either upon the doctrine of passivity, or self-conversion;
at the same time that in other respects it involves itself in
inconsistent and anti-scriptural dogmas.
But that we may leave no position unexamined, let us take another view
of the subject. Suppose, instead of saying regeneration is simply a
change of the will, it should be argued that a change of the will
implies a change of the affections, and this therefore is included in
regeneration. Then I would ask, whether this change of the affections is
in the order of cause and effect, or in the order of time, _prior_ or
_subsequent_ to the act of the will. If this change is prior to any
action of the will in the case, then the sinner has no voluntary
co-operation in the work; and this brings us up once more upon the
doctrine of passive regeneration. The heart is changed before the
subject of the change acts. If the action of the will precedes the
change of the heart, then this change will be effected in one of two
ways. Either this anterior volition does itself change the heart; or it
is a mere preparatory condition, on _occasion of which_ God changes the
heart. In the former case the man himself would change his own heart,
and this is self-conversion; and in the latter alternative we have a
conditional regeneration wrought by the Holy Ghost, and this is the very
doctrine for which _we contend_, in opposition to Calvinism. If it
should be said, this change of the will and this change of the heart
take place independent of each other, that would not help the matter,
since in this view the change of _heart_ would be passive and
unconditional. Thus whichever way this system turns, its difficulties
press upon it still, and it finds no relief. Indeed there can, as I
conceive, be no intermediate Calvinistic theory of regeneration, and
there _can be_ but two other alternatives--either God must renew the
heart, independent of all co-operation on the part of the subject of
this change--and this is the old doctrine of unconditional Divine
efficiency--or the first acceptable act of the will must be
regeneration; and this is the new doctrine of _self-conversion_. Let the
reader, let any one reflect closely on this subject, and I cannot doubt
but he will say with me, _There is no third alternative_. The nature of
the case will admit of none. The former theory may not contradict many
of those scriptures that speak of _Divine efficiency_ in the work of
grace upon the heart, but it is utterly incompatible with those that
urge the sinner to duty.--The latter theory corresponds well with the
urgent injunctions to duty, so abundant in the Scriptures, but is wholly
irreconcilable with those that speak of Divine efficiency. The true
theory must answer to both; and must also correspond with all the other
parts of the Christian system. Is there such a theory? Every honest
inquirer after truth will embrace it doubtless, if it can be
presented--for truth, wherever, and whenever, and by whomsoever
discovered, is infinitely to be preferred to error, however long and
fondly it may have been cherished. Such a theory I will now try to
present--and although I may fail in making it very explicit, and in
bringing forward all its defences, yet if the general outlines can be
seen and be defended, it will, I trust, commend itself to the favourable
notice of the reader.
_Scripture Doctrine of Regeneration_.--I approach this subject by laying
down the two following fundamental principles:--
1. The work of regeneration is performed by the direct and efficient
operations of the Holy Spirit upon the heart.
2. The Holy Spirit exerts this regenerating power only on conditions, to
be first complied with by the subject of the change.
The first principle I deem it unnecessary to defend farther than it has
been defended in the foregoing remarks. It is not objected to by any
orthodox Christians that I know of, only so far as the new views of
self-conversion, and of conversion by moral suasion, may be thought an
exception. And this we have reason to hope will be an exception of
limited extent and short duration. The sentiment conflicts so directly
with such a numerous class of scriptures, and with the most approved
principles of mental philosophy; and has, at the same time, such a
direct tendency to annihilate all the essential features of
regeneration, it cannot long find encouragement in a spiritual Church.
It may however make many converts for a time, for men are fond of taking
the work of salvation into their own hands; but if it should, between
such converts and the true Church there will ultimately be a separation
as wide as that which now separates orthodoxy and Socinianism.