6 Testament as a whole, consider all its parts, and the circumstances under which they were written, and we declare our conviction, that it is entirely opposed to it. Let us take a few texts, and try them by this doctrine. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways, for why will ye die.' But agreeably to the doctrine we are considering, it might be answered, 'We cannot turn, we cannot turn, thou must turn us by a supernatural operation of thy spirit.' But does God deal thus with us? Does he plead with us merely to mock our weakness, to aggravate our misery? John came preaching repentance. 'Repent, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' But how shall we repent? What can we do? God has not wrought a change in us, and we can do nothing. We must wait till he touch our hearts, and then we will repent. Christ said, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy soul, and mind, and strength.' But we cannot begin. to do this until by an act of special grace, we are converted. Christ said, · And ye will not come to me, that ye may have life.' What would have been his language, if it had been answered, 'We have not been converted, we have not had a special visitation of the Holy Spirit, and we cannot come to thee and have life, until this has been done.' multiply quotations to this effect. merous as the pages of the bible. considered and treated in the scriptures, as possessed of every facility for our spiritual improvement. They abound in the most earnest exhortations to righteousness and holiness. They urge us to forsake our sins. They warn us of the danger of continuance in them. But we need not They are as nu- could be done in What a weight Our sins we cannot And in doing thus, they remind us of our power to hear or to forbear. And if we are not regenerated, the fault is entirely our own. We cannot say that God would not aid us; that God did not see fit to arrest us and convince us of our sins, and convert us to himself, for God has done all that consistency with our moral freedom. of responsibility rests upon us! charge to the account of a corrupt nature, nor our inattention to religion, to the withholding of the holy spirit. With what singular pertinency, then, are we urged 'to seek the Lord while he may be found, to call upon him while he is near.' With what solicitude should we listen to the declaration, now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.' With what diligence should we seek to know the will of God, that in every particular we may conform to it. 6 We cannot, therefore, with the scriptures in our hands, we cannot 'prophecy smooth things.' We cannot encourage indifference or unconcern. We dare not tell any, that they have nothing to do in the work of regeneration. But we can call upon all to turn from their iniquities, and we can promise them, with the authority of God's word, 'that when the wicked man turneth away from his wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.' We have now stated the principal objections that occur to us, to the popular doctrine of 'regeneration by the special agency of the Holy Spirit.' We have a few observations to subjoin, on some topics connected with the subject we have discussed. Our readers will remark, that we do not deny that the power of God has been especially exerted, that supernatural influences have been communicated; for that would be to deny all miracles. We believe, that in the earliest days of Christianity, many were supernaturally converted to it. Farther than this, we do not go; for we believe that with the apostles, miracles ceased. The advocates of the doctrine of special conversions, refer to the case of Saul of Tarsus, as proof of its truth. We all believe that Saul was miraculously converted; but is it just or rational to infer that every man must pass through the same process to become a Christian? If so, how many Christians could be found on the earth? Not one. We do not doubt that at the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was shed down upon the apostles in a miraculous manner, when they received the gift of tongues.' But have we a right therefore to expect that we must experience the same; that we must have communicated to us instantaneously a knowledge of different languages, and ability to speak in them, before we can be Christians? If this were required, how many Christians could we find on the earth? Not one. We do not doubt that Peter commanded the man lame from his birth, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, to rise up and walk,' and that he obeyed him. But must we be able to do the same, before we can be Christians? If so, how many Christians could be found among men? Not one. The conversion of the 'three thousand, on the day of Pentecost,' is quoted as authority by those who believe in the 'special agency of the Spirit, in regenera tion. But for our part, we confess we can see nothing supernatural in that event. It was the force of truth sent home to their understandings and consciences, that led them to cry out, Men and brethren, what shall we do?' It was the power of Peter's preaching, that aroused their attention. It was his declaration, that 'God had made that same Jesus whom they had crucified both Lord and Christ,' that 'pricked them to the heart.' They were convinced of it; they felt it; and they felt the necessity of doing something to atone for their guilt. Before, they had not been convinced of the Messiahship of Jesus. They had not listened to such plain proofs of it. They had not felt their need of such a Saviour. But the fervid, impressive eloquence of Peter, shook their incredulity to the very foundation. It produced an effect which resulted in their new birth,' in their christian salvation. But we should remark how different was their situation from that of men at the present day in christian lands. are educated in the belief of the Saviour. From our childhood, we are instructed in the doctrines, in the hopes, and in the promises of his religion. Our opinions, therefore, so far as they are correct, are not to be changed, as were those of the Jews. It is only our feelings and conduct that are to be changed. It is only for us to allow the opinions and principles we have embraced, to exert their legitimate influence upon our lives. The Jews had all their old prejudices, their traditions, the pompous ceremonies of their religion, to renounce. How much greater, therefore, was the 'change' in them, than it can be in us, who are speculatively, at least, Christians. We But we repeat our belief, that there was nothing supernatural in the conversion of the three thousand.' It was the natural consequence of Peter's preaching. And we might as well say, that on every occasion, in which the feelings of men are excited, or their understandings enlightened and convinced, the special agency of the Spirit is manifest, as on that at Pentecost. The Athenian orator, by his impressive eloquence, by the force of his talents could, in a single hour, change the opinions and draw with him the combined strength of a nation. His feelings flowed with his words, and the multitude were carried in the current. We know the power of argument. We have felt the persuasive force of eloquence, especially when employed in the cause of truth. Before its subduing power in the orators of our own land, how often has the haughty spirit been humbled! How often has the stern purpose been broken! How often have the sympathies been awaked and engaged! Precisely so it was at the feast of Pentecost, when Peter preached and preached most eloquently-Christ, the Son of David, Christ crucified, and Christ exalted!' It is further maintained by those who believe in the special agency of the Spirit in regeneration,' that ever since the days of the apostles, there have been throughout Christendom occasional showers of divine grace, special outpourings of the Holy Spirit.' Without going into the question as to the character or utility of what are denominated 'revivals of religion,' we would simply remark, that excitement is not religion; zeal is not religion; mere feeling is not religion; though these may all help to produce it. Im |
