A Series of Letters In Defence of Divine Revelation by Hosea Ballou

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Again, your admonition suggests, that I did not, at either of the
funerals where you heard me perform, speak one word of the necessity
or nature of repentance. In this particular I believe you made a
mistake at both places, which mistake, I believe I can rectify to your
recollection. In the first place, I wish to observe that I as much
believe in those scriptures which speak of the necessity of repentance
as I do in any part of the sacred writings. But, after all, you and I
may entertain very different ideas respecting the _preaching_ of
repentance. The opinion that repentance is preached when a public
speaker tells his congregation that their eternal salvation depends on
their repentance, that eternal misery must inevitably be their doom
unless they repent is an opinion to which I have no reason to
subscribe.

_Preaching repentance_, I conceive _is teaching_ men and giving them
such divine instructions as bring their minds to discover more
glorious things than the sins and carnal vanities of this world; which
_teaching_ produces a returning of the mind to the things of God and
his ever blessed kingdom. The word _repent_ may or may not be used in
the giving of such instructions. I conceive a preacher of Jesus
Christ, warmed with the spirit of eternal love, breathing forth the
gracious words of truth, may successfully preach repentance as well
without the use of the word _repent_ as with it. At both those places
of sorrow, dear sir, I endeavoured to lead the mourners' minds to the
consideration _of eternal things_; I endeavoured to represent God our
Creator and Governor, as a friend to his creatures, and strove to the
utmost of my power to fix the love, regard and confidence of our
mourning friends on God our Creator. This you will recollect, and I
cannot suppose that you believe that a person can truly believe in the
divine goodness, and love his Creator as the greatest good, and put
confidence in him, so as to draw consolation, in the day of adversity,
from such confidence, and still be a stranger to true penitence.

The many scriptures which you have judiciously quoted to prove the
propriety of the doctrine of repentance are justly applied, as I
conceive; and I accord with you in their use and meaning as far as you
have explained them. I would wish to be understood that whenever
repentance is spoken of as a creature act, originating in creature
agency, it is represented directly contrary to the scripture sense as
expressed in Acts v. 31, "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to
be a _Prince_ and a _Saviour_, for to _give repentance_ to Israel and
forgiveness of sins."

From the above passage it is evident that repentance is no more
dependent on creature agency than the forgiveness of sins; and the
idea that repentance is a grant of divine favour is plainly expressed
in Acts xi. 18, "Then hath God also, to the Gentiles, _granted
repentance_ unto life." By the above testimonies the idea that
_repentance_ is a _creature condition_, on which the divine favour is
bestowed, is proved erroneous.

The next particular which your "friendly admonition" occupies, is the
subject of _Universal Salvation_ in the following words: "I could not
but observe with what _emphasis_ you, at the grave, mentioned those
selected texts of scripture which you supposed would confirm your
hearers in the doctrine of Universal Salvation. Would Christ or the
apostles preach Universal Salvation in one place of scripture, and in
another contradict it? I believe they would not." In the above
particular, sir, I agree with you in all which you express. I do not
believe that Christ or any of his apostles ever contradicted the
glorious doctrine, in which they all preached of Universal Salvation.
And until this contradiction can be shewn in their preaching, you and
I have full liberty to believe in God as "the Saviour of all men."
Christ gave himself a ransom for all men; tasted death for every man;
is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. He says he will
draw all men unto him, and he also says that "him that cometh after me
I will in no wise cast out." St. Paul says that God will have all men
to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. To which
testimony we might add an immense number of scriptures from the Old
and New Testaments; and as you agree that Christ and his apostles
would not preach Universal Salvation in one place, and contradict it
in another, so you must, of necessity subscribe to the _uniformity_ of
the scripture doctrine in the Salvation of all men.

You inform me, that you are an "_old man_;" this I was sensible of
before, in consequence of which, I have more particularly endeavoured
to cultivate an acquaintance with you, since I have been in this town;
for I conceive that the aged are not only entitled to the respects and
attention of the younger, but the younger are also entitled to the
advantages of their experience and wisdom.

You further tell me, that you have studied the scriptures twenty or
thirty years. On this account, sir, I covet earnestly your assistance;
for although I have studied the scriptures almost constantly twenty
years out of less than forty, yet I find but a few who are notable to
assist me in this agreeable employment. The happy method which you
recommend, I have for many years endeavoured to observe, for I am sure
that most of the vulgar errors, in respect to the scriptures, are for
the want of a careful examination of all which is said on the same
subjects.

Wherein you recommend the pious example of the prophet David, I fully
accord in it, and would humbly hope and strive to be a partaker of the
benefits arising from such an example.

What you say of men's explaining scripture in their own Strength and
wisdom, and of their making _havoc_ of, and _mangling_ them by
explaining them in a mystical or literal sense, I find myself rather
embarrassed about. You begin your epistle under the character of a
"friendly admonition," but what you mean by accusing me of the folly
of mangling and making havoc of the scriptures when you do not attempt
to show wherein I ever explained a passage wrong, I must leave for you
to explain when it is convenient. Nor is it easy for me to understand
you when you represent both the _mystical_ and _literal_ explanation of
scripture equally erroneous. You immediately conclude those
observations with the following quotation: "The natural man receiveth
not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto
him." Did you mean that the natural man, supposing the things of the
spirit of God to be foolishness, would say that the spirit _mangled_
and made _havoc_ of the scriptures? This could not be your meaning.

Your concluding query is the following; "My friend, is there the least
room for us to believe from this scripture (meaning 2 Cor. v. 10, 11)
and many others, that the wicked who have lived impenitent and in a
disbelief of the gospel, or without the true knowledge of God, and of
Jesus Christ whom God hath sent, have eternal life in the fruition and
enjoyment of God?" This query I will endeavour to answer as plainly as
possible.

1st. Unless we grant that a man has eternal life in Jesus Christ,
given him before the foundation of the world, we cannot justly call
him an _unbeliever_ because he does not believe he has this eternal
life in Christ. Nor can we say, with the least propriety, that he does
not _know_ the _truth_, because he does not know that which is not.

2d. If we allow that a man has eternal life in Christ, we must allow
him to be an unbeliever if he do not believe it; and that he does not
know the truth as it is in Jesus, if he be ignorant of this gift of
eternal life.

3d. While a man is in a state of unbelief he is not in the _enjoyment_
of the truth.

I conceive, sir, these observations must appear reasonable to any
reasonable man; and therefore I suppose they will appear reasonable to
you.

The passage in Corinthians alluded to, fully refutes the notion of
_endless_ rewards and punishments; for there it is stated, that
"_every one_ may receive the things done in his body, according to
that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." Now as this same
apostle tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of
God, if he mean that all who have sinned must be endlessly punished,
he cannot mean that any of the human race will be eternally blessed
according to their own works, nor yet according to the grace of God.
And you, sir, cannot but see if one sinner can be rewarded according
to his works and yet be saved by grace through faith, and that not of
himself, but by the gift of God, all the sinners of Adam's race may be
thus rewarded according to what they have done either _good_ or _bad_,
and yet be saved by grace as above.

Your suggestions respecting the resurrection require no other answer
than that I profess to believe in the doctrine of the resurrection as
taught by the scriptures, though I cannot flatter myself that that
opinion agrees with the opinion of what you call _sound authors_. For
myself, I call the writers of the holy scriptures _sound authors_, and
those who differ from them I am willing to call orthodox according to
our common schools of divinity. I join with you in a humble desire
that the holy breathings of the true children of God may be yours and
mine; and I am sensible if they be we shall not judge one another, nor
condemn one another; but strive for the unity of the spirit in the
bonds of divine peace. Yes, sir, I am confident that the true temper
and spirit of the gospel, if possessed and practiced by the public
ministers in this town, would lead them to open their doors to each
other, to meet together and pray, preach, sing and exhort, in love and
fellowship; but Antichrist's spirit is directly the reverse.

The assurance you give me in your postscript, that what you wrote to
me was not written in an envious spirit is duly appreciated; nor do I
much wonder that you do not envy me the numbers who attend my public
ministry, while you suppose that they with innumerable multitudes of
others are reprobated to endless sin and misery. Envy, in such a case,
would be truly unaccountable! I will not say that I fully comprehend
your meaning in calling the "great numbers" who attend my meeting,
"_precious souls_." Why are they precious? To whom are they precious?
If you view them the objects of divine love, of course you must
suppose them to be precious in God's sight; but if not, why do you
call them precious?

Your flattering acknowledgements of civilities received from me and
the acceptableness of my person to you, is very gratefully considered,
for it is an object with me to deserve the approbation of the pious
who have treasured up much valuable knowledge by experience; and I
wish to give you the fullest assurance possible that I consider my
acquaintance with yourself highly worthy of further cultivation and
improvement, which I shall always endeavour to promote, as opportunity
may present, and it shall please you to favour.

Having noted the most important sections of your "friendly admonition"
in as concise a manner as was convenient, permit me, dear sir, to make
a few observations on the doctrine of Universal Salvation, that being
a subject to which you allude in your epistle, though you did not see
fit to plant any particular arguments against it. This doctrine I
openly profess, and preach as a doctrine which I conceive is plainly
taught in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments; a doctrine
which all good men in the world desire the truth of; a doctrine the
most worthy of God of any ever published; a doctrine the best
calculated to fill the soul of the believer with love to God and to
our fellow creatures; a doctrine which harmonizes the divine
attributes, the scriptures and every principle of reason and good
sense, in a surprising and an astonishing manner; a doctrine, more
than any other, calculated to destroy the hurtful animosities existing
in the religious world; and to produce general fellowship and
brotherly love; and in a word, I believe it to be the only doctrine
which can be supported by reason or scripture, to a mind not
improperly biased by tradition. Though I am sensible of your greater
experience, yet I am willing to say to a man of your piety and
Christian candor, that any arguments which you should see cause to lay
before me, on the above subject, shall, by the blessing of God,
receive an early attention and a judicious discussion.

In the spirit of the New Testament and not in the letter; in the
spirit of life, and not in the death of the letter, in the spirit of
salvation, and not of condemnation, I pray God, I may ever live and
act according to your friendly desire; and feeling the same fervent
desire for my highly esteemed and venerable friend, I acknowledge
myself your most obliged and very humble servant, for Christ's sake.

HOSEA BALLOU.

Rev. Joseph Walton.

P.S. I have reserved three particulars in your "friendly admonition"
for the subject of another communication.

* * * * *

LETTER. III.

From the Same to the Same.

Portsmouth, Jan. 5, 1811.

_Rev. Sir_,--Having notified you in a postscript of my letter of Dec.
11th, that I had reserved three particulars in your "friendly
admonition" for the subject of another communication, I am disposed to
embrace this opportunity to fulfil my engagement. The three
particulars reserved are expressed, in your letter, in the following
words:

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having
itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and
shall be turned unto fables. You, my friend, once professed the true
faith of the gospel--have you kept it? I think not. I fear you have
fallen from it. You are now preaching a doctrine which pleases the
world, but it makes against you according to scripture. The apostle
John says in his 1st epistle 4th chapter 5th and 6th verses, They are
of the world; therefore the world heareth them; we are of God; he that
knoweth God, heareth us, he that is not of God, heareth not us; hereby
know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error." I would not,
dear sir, knowingly misapply your words, nor make a use of the above
quotation contrary to their most plain and evident sense which I
conceive is as follows:

1st. The doctrine which I believed before I believed as I do now, is
the true gospel according to the testimony of the apostle John, in his
1st epistle, 4th chapter 5th and 6th verses.

2d. That in believing as I now do, I have fallen from that faith, and
turned unto fables.

3d. My now preaching a doctrine which pleases the world is good proof
that my doctrine is not of God, and that those who hear me are justly
described by the apostle as heaping to themselves teachers having
itching ears.

In the first place I shall agree with you in the supposition that when
I first made a profession of religion, I believed the true gospel.

In the second place I shall endeavour to show that I have not fallen
from that faith.

In the third place I will attempt to show that the evidence, which you
think makes against me, is by no means sufficient to prove that the
doctrine I now believe and preach is consistent with the _lusts_ of
the _world_ or contrary to the true faith of the gospel.

1st. The true faith of the gospel as expressed in 1 John, 4th, &c. is
as follows--see verse 2, 3, "Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that
confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God."
The apostle here states in the most simple terms the true Christian
faith, and brings it into such a short compass that none can mistake
him. The belief that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is the true
faith, and a denial of that fact is a false faith.

When I first professed religion I professed to believe that "Jesus
Christ is come in the flesh;" and this I am willing to say now is the
true faith of the gospel, and the only article of faith which
constituted a Christian believer in the opinion of the apostles;
restricting this belief, at the same time, to Jesus of Nazareth, that
he was the Christ.

2d. I as much believe now as I ever did that Jesus Christ is come in
the flesh. I have as clear evidences now as I ever had that Jesus of
Nazareth is the Christ. These things being facts, the conclusion is
that I have not _fallen_ from the true christian faith.

3d. The above faith I preach, believing and testifying that God sent
his Son to be the _Saviour_ of the _world_; and I have reason to bless
God that such feeble means are at all prospered, and that as you
observe, "Great numbers of precious souls" adhere to the word, which I
conceive is no evidence that the faith I preach is not of God, or that
it is consistent with the lusts of the world. We are informed in the
word of God, that the _common people heard Christ gladly_. Who did not
hear him gladly? Answer, the Scribes and Pharisees. Do you think, sir,
that the common people's hearing Christ gladly was a justifiable
evidence to the Pharisees that he was not the true Messiah? When many
thousands of men, women, and children flocked from their cities into
desert places to hear the gracious words which proceeded from the lips
of him who spake as never man spake, was it a justifiable evidence
that he and his doctrine were not of God? To bring this matter, if
possible, nearer home, should you find your meeting house crowded with
hearers who expressed in their countenances an approbation of the
doctrine which you preach, would it be sufficient evidence to convince
you that your doctrine was not of God?

That the testimony that God sent his Son to be the Saviour of the
_world_ is not consistent with the _lusts_ of the _world_, is shown by
St. Paul to Titus; "For the grace of God which bringeth salvation to
_all men_, hath appeared, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and
_worldly lusts_, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this
present world."

I have not the least doubt in my mind, that if you and I preached more
like our blessed master than we do, people in general, would be more
engaged to hear us, and our meeting houses would be more thronged than
they are now.

Should you hear a shepherd complaining that the increase of his flock
was small, or that it rather diminished, you would think _that_
evidence made against _him_.

I suppose the particular idea which you had in view, which
constitutes, in your mind, an _Apostasy_, is, that Jesus Christ, who
was manifested in the flesh, will, pursuant to power given to him of
his father, save all men from their sins, and reconcile all things
unto himself. This idea, I acknowledge, I did not see clearly in, when
I first made a profession of a belief in Christ; but now am fully
persuaded in it. However, I cannot see why the adopting of this
particular idea should be called an _Apostasy_.

I will, sir, mention some similar cases, not wishing however, to be
considered an equal subject to the personage whom I shall introduce.
The apostle Peter was a believer in the true faith of the gospel, that
is, he believed that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God:
and Jesus says to him, on that confession, that flesh and blood had
not revealed it to him, but his Father. This belief Peter had before
he believed that Christ should suffer on the cross and rise from the
dead. After many trials and dreadful temptations in which this poor,
dependent brother of ours experienced the fallibility of all human
strength, he was privileged with positive evidence of the resurrection
of Christ from the dead.--Here I ask, was this new acquisition in
Peter's faith an apostasy? Was it not an advancement? You will agree
with me in this.

Again, this same apostle, even after he was endowed with power from on
high, and preached and healed in the name of Jesus, did not know that
the Gentiles were fellow heirs and of the same body, and partakers of
the promises of God, in Christ, by the gospel. It was not until the
angel of the Lord appeared unto Cornelius and directed him to send for
Peter, that God gave to that apostle the knowledge of the fact which
he acknowledged to Cornelius, that God had shewed him that he should
call _no man common_ or _unclean_. It is very evident that the apostle
Peter had more extensive knowledge of the gospel of the grace of God
in consequence of the vision of the sheet by the sea of Joppa than he
had before; but would any real Christian, knowing all the
circumstances, suppose that Peter had _apostatised_ from the true
faith, because he believed that millions would be benefited by Christ
more than were comprehended in his former belief? While they who were
of the circumcision remained ignorant of the revelation given to
Peter, we find they "_contended_ with him, saying, thou wentest in to
men uncircumcised, and didst eat with them." But when Peter had
"rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order
unto them, they held their peace and glorified God, saying, then hath
God also to the Gentiles, _granted repentance_ unto life." Thus we see
that the church in Jerusalem, who were of the circumcision, though
believers in Christ were, until Peter's defence further enlightened
them, ignorant of the extension of divine grace to the Gentiles
through the gospel. But surely no real Christian would suppose that
this enlargement of their faith in the great salvation was an
_apostasy_ from the true faith!

With profound deference, sir, permit me to suggest, that should the
foregoing observations present yourself, to your own mind, in a
similar situation with those of the circumcision, yet they acknowledge
you a believer in Christ, a minister of his word and a candidate for
greater manifestation of that grace of God by which Jesus tasted death
for every man.

I believe I may venture to say that unless the belief that _God is not
the Saviour of all men_ can be maintained by positive scripture as an
essential article of apostolic faith, I cannot be justly _admonished
for falling_ from the true faith. May I not, with great propriety,
call on my Rev. friend to show, if he can, that such an article of
faith was ever required by Christ or his apostles as a term of
christian fellowship and charity?

Let us look into the written word of God and see what is there
required of us to believe. See Rom. x. 9, "If thou shalt confess with
thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." Acts viii. 37,
"And Philip said if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest.
And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of
God." Matt. x. 32. "Whosoever, therefore, shall confess me before men,
him will I confess also before my father which is in heaven." Luke
xii. 8, "Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men,
him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God." Not
to multiply quotations, permit me to query whether there be in those
passages, or in any other scripture on the same point any intimations
given that the candidate must believe that this precious Saviour will
not, through the peace made by the blood of his cross, reconcile all
things to God? Are you fully satisfied, dear sir, that you are
authorised to _admonish_ as an _apostate_, one who confesses with his
mouth the Lord Jesus, and who believes in his heart that God hath
raised him from the dead? Why did not Philip demand of the Eunuch a
particular confession of a belief in _limited grace_ and _salvation_?
Was there not the same authority to require this article of faith
then, as there is now? If Jesus hath promised, in his word, that he
will confess before his Father in Heaven, whosoever confesseth him
before men are you satisfied with the authority by which you denounce,
disfellowship, and deny those little ones? The thought is truly
solemn! I feel a _chill_ in every vein of my body, when I consider the
vain traditions of a corrupted church, in which it has long been a
religious habit to anathematise those who confess Christ before men,
because they _cannot_ believe in certain tenets never required by
Christ or his apostles!

Rev. Sir, I can say in the sincerity of my soul, that I believe that
Jesus of Nazareth is the true Christ, I believe him to be the Son of
the living God, who was delivered for our offences and was raised
again for our justification. And though I feel myself the most
unworthy of the subjects of salvation, yet I should be ungrateful not
to acknowledge the goodness of God my Saviour. Whatever men may think
or say of me, I know that my soul experiences joys unspeakable in
sweet meditations on the glories and inexpressible beauties of my
Redeemer; and the thought that I am owned as his child before the
angels of God, is infinitely better than to receive the approbation of
men who are disposed to judge without knowing the heart.

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