Some interesting facts about "speaking in tongues"

I. Biblical Tongues = Known Human (Earthly) Languages
The Gift of tongues in Corinth (First Corinthians) was essentially the same as the gift described in Acts 2; both pertained to known human languages that were previously unknown to the speaker. However, the speaker through the Holy Spirit, was miraculously enabled to speak (with understanding) in those languages. Thus, the gift involved foreign languages, and not supposed "heavenly languages" or "ectstatic utterances."

The modern-day tongues movement is a new resurgence of the glossolalia phenomena found amongst many pagan religions, and found amongst four known heretical groups/individuals within Christendom (from the 100-200's, the 1100's, the 1300's, and the 1700's AD). I will go into more detail on these four groups/individuals below, but generally-speaking the "modern tongues movement" started in the late 1700's and has no connection to Christianity, or even to historic/mainstream Christendom. Moreover, it is primarily found amongst the Sacramentalist and Arminian/Semi-Pelagian religions within Christendom (although it has made significant inroads into reformed/calvinistic/ predestinarian circles in our day).

As we will see below, every commentary written before the mid-to-late 1700's recognized that tongues were human languages. In the 1700's the notion of tongues as "ecstatic utterances" (emotionally wrought mumbling brought about by the supposed working of the Holy Spirit) became popular. By the 1800's, 1900's, and in our day, tongues morphed into supposedly "heavenly languages" known to God (and angels), but unknown to men (unless given the "gift" of interpretation).

II. The earliest fragmented commentaries affirmed
According to the earliest extant comments on tongues in Corinth (from Irenaeus circa 185 A.D. and Clement of Alexandria circa 190 A.D.), the Corinthians tongues were clearly human (foreign) languages.

III. The earliest full commentary affirmed
The earliest known full commentary (Homily) regarding First Corinthians was written by John Chrysostom somewhere between 386 and 398 A.D. His view was the common view held throughout all of Christianity and Christendom (with only a few exceptions to be addressed below). Chrysostom wrote the following concerning the naure of the gift of tongues in First Corinthians:

".....as in the time of building the tower the one tongue was divided into many; so then the many tongues frequently met in one man, and the same person used to discourse both in the Persian, and the Roman, and the Indian, and many other tongues, the Spirit sounding within him: and the gift was called the gift of tongues because he could all at once speak various languages. See accordingly how he both depresses and elevates it. Thus, by saying, He that speaks with tongues, speaks not unto men, but unto God, for no man understands, he depressed it, implying that the profit of it was not great; but by adding, but in the Spirit he speaks mysteries he again elevated it, that it might not seem to be superfluous and useless and given in vain."

IV. The Early Church Fathers (so-called) affirmed
The following all understood the gift of tongues as being the miraculous, God-given ability to speak in foreign languages (known human languages) that the speaker himself previously did not know.

• Origen (185 to 254 AD);
• Eusebius (263 to 339 AD);
• Athanasius (293 to 373 AD);
• Gregory of Nazianzus (330 to 390 AD);
• Gregory of Nyssa (335 to 394+ AD);
• Hilary(300 - 367 AD);
• Jerome( 347 to 420 AD);
• Epiphanius(310/20 to 403);
• Augustine (354 to 430 AD);
• Theodoret( 393 to 457); and
• Gregory (540 to 604 AD).

V. Leaders and commentators within "Christendom" and Christianity affirmed
The following all understood the gift of tongues as being the miraculous, God-given ability to speak in foreign languages (known human languages) that the speaker himself previously did not know.

• Thomas Aquinas (famous Romanist Philosopher - 1225 to 1274 AD)
• Martin Luther (Protestant Reformation leader - 1483 to 1546)
• John Calvin (Protestant Reformation leader / Biblical commentator - 1509 to 1564)
• Matthew Henry (English non-conformist minister and Biblical commentator - 1662 to 1714)
• John Gill (English Particular Baptist minister and Biblical commentator - 1697 to 1771)
• Adam Clarke (British Arminian theologian and Biblical commentator - 1762 to 1832)
• Robert Jamieson (1802-1880); Andrew Robert Fausset; and David Brown (1803-1897): Authors of the famous "Jameison-Faussett-Brown commentary"
• John Nelson Darby (author of the Synopsis of the Books of the Bible and founder of the error of Dispensationalism - 1800 to 1882).
  

VI. Exceptions
As stated above, the modern-day tongues movement is a modern twist on an old heresy. Tongues as ecstatic utterances were unheard of through-out most of Christendom; however, there were a few notable exceptions:

1. Montanus: A heretic who lived circa AD 135 to AD 177,
founded a movement (along with his followers) that:

• Believed that God was not a Trinity but was a single God of three modes or manifestations;
• Believed that their prophecies superseded and fulfilled the doctrines proclaimed by the Apostles;
• Encouraged ecstatic prophesying (Montanus, along with the "prophetesses" Priscilla (or Prisca) and Maximilla exhibited frenzied religious experiences by enraptured seizures and utterances of strange languages that the disciples regarded as oracles of the Holy Spirit. Their behaviour mimicked the wicked prophetess of the famed (pagan) Oracle of Delphi;
• Believed that Christians could lose their salvation;
• Forbade remarriage after the death of a spouse; and
• Believed that Montanus, Priscilla and Maximilla proclaimed a "New Prophecy," which foretold that Christ would return to Pepuza, a small village of Phrygia, upon which the new Jerusalem was to come down.

2. Hildegard of Bingen (1100's AD) a so-called "christian mystic" allegedly spoke and sang in tongues. Her spiritual songs were referred to by contemporaries as "concerts in the Spirit." She is admired even in the new age movement for her mysticism.

3. The Moravians (1300's AD) are referred to by detractors as having spoken in tongues. John Roche, a contemporary critic, claimed that the Moravians "commonly broke into some disconnected Jargon, which they often passed upon the vulgar, 'as the exuberant and resistless Evacuations of the Spirit.'" [Note: though this sounds like the modern-day tongues movement, I could not confirm from modern Moravian sources whether they did indeed speak in this garbled jargon].

4. Camisards/Cevennol Prophets/Prophets of the Cevennes (1700's A.D.): in the late seventeenth century, a radical group of Huguenots, mostly peasants, were reported to have spoken in tongues (most often, these uneducated peasants and young children were observed to "prophesy" in pure, elegant French). They were known for their "enthusiastic, demonstrative worship, and they claimed to be "seized by the Spirit." They believed themselves to be directly inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Between Montanus and his followers and the Camisards (about a 1500 year gap), there were only two alleged instances of what people in our day call "tongues." As can be seen, none of the above four groups/individuals practiced true Christianity. If there are others besides the four, one can rest comfortably knowing that they were not Christian either.

VII. Heavenly tongues? Multiple languages from Heaven?
Charismatics and Pentecostals will often speak of heavenly tongues (plural); tongues means languages... as far as we can gather from the Bible alone, there aren't multiple languages in Heaven because there is no sin in Heaven. We only have multiple languages as a punishment (at Babel) for our sins. So do angels and men from the "South-side" of "heaven" speak a different language than those from "downtown" "heaven?" Just as nothing indicates that Heaven has a "South-side" or "downtown," nothing indicates that Heaven has multiple languages.

However, Christians can be said to speak heavenly languages whenever they speak the blessed words of the Kingdom of God (election, predestination, regeneration, sanctification, righteousness, righteousness imputed, glorification, propitiation, redemption, atonement, justice, love, mercy, judgment, tribulation, damnation, persecution, etc.) in their own native, or learned, earthly/human languages.

VIII. Glossolalia in other Religions:
Glossolalia (ecstatic utterances) can be found today, and in the past, in the following religions that are distinct from both Christianity and Christendom. These forms of ecstatic utterances are very similar to those of found in Charismatic/Pentecostals circles:

• Apollo-worship (The Oracle of Delphi);
• Pseudo-christian Gnostics;
• Voodoo Practitioners (Haiti);
• Numerous Shaministic religions worldwide;
• Spiritists (channelers, etc.)
• Hindu Fakirs and Gurus; and interestingly,
• Those inside and outside of religion that ingest Psilocybe mushrooms

IX. Revelation 22:18 warns against modern-day tongues
Revelation 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:

Speaking in Tongues (foreign languages previously unknown to the speaker) was a true and blessed gift from God the Holy Spirit. However, when the Bible was finalized, the gift of tongues (and other such gifts) ceased. Those who claim that the Holy Spirit continues to bring additional prophecy are in violation of Revelation 22:18. They are adding to God's word by claiming that God is still bringing divine revelation/messages/prophecies/etc, and thus, that there is more to divine prophecy/revelation than the bible alone, and in its entirety.

X. Useful online resources
1. http://www.mountainretreatorg.net/articles/tongues.html
2. http://www.letgodbetrue.com/bible/heresies/tongues-have-ceased.htm

(Caveat: These sites are suggested for this issue only - this isn't a blanket recommendation of their website or theology overall)

Two Religions

The religion of men

With only one exception, every religion that has ever existed in this world maintains that the way to salvation is through good works. Their view of what constitutes salvation may differ (some may see it as a right relationship with God; or attaining to ones "higher self;" or a positive relationship with the universe; or access to heaven and bliss, etc.); however, the way they aim to reach these religious ends is always ultimately the same – through their own dead works.

These religions all maintain that the exercise of the will; the performance of good works; the abstention from evil deeds; the improvement of character, thought and conduct; and/or the performance of certain religious rituals, observances, and other duties are all necessary factors in initiating their salvation, and often, in preserving their salvation.

The specific works at issue will vary from religion to religion, as will their opinions on what constitutes necessary moral reform, religious observance and duty, etc. However, if you strip away the specifics of these things, the core foundation is always the will and work of man. Likewise, the books they deem holy will vary; as will the names of their religious "holy men;" and even the names of their god or gods. Nonetheless, the works they have in view; their "holy" books and men; and their false gods will always point them back to self – and what they must think, say, or do to get right with the divine.

As a result, we see:

· Talmudists (modern-day followers of the Jewish religion) attempting to keep the Old testament law to get saved;

· Arminians, Romanists, and other so-called "free-will" Christians going about "making a decision for Christ;" "accepting Jesus into their heart," "saying the sinners prayer," and otherwise working and "exercising the will" to get saved;

· Muslims keeping the Islamic/Sharia law, performing the Hajj, praying towards Mecca, etc to get saved;

· Hindus/Buddhist/Taoist etc., performing various rituals, observances, acts of self-denial, and acts of obedience to their moral codes to reach their desired religious ends; and

· Every other religion, or "spiritual way," implementing their own rules, belief systems, acts of obedience, "free-will" exercises, etc. necessary to reach their desired religious end.

The Religion of God

As stated above, there is one exception and that exception is Christianity. True, biblical, Christianity is the only religion that states that your best efforts at moral reform and religious observance, if aimed at forming the basis of your salvation, serves only to further distance you from God. God's word declares that exercises of the will and moral and religious activity (collectively known as works of the law) only serve to bring you closer to the pit of hell if you believe that these things can do anything to initiate, preserve, or improve upon salvation. The true Gospel (as opposed to the free-will counterfeits that abound in our day) declares that the Lord Jesus Christ completed all that was necessary for the salvation of His people. He performed all the work required to satisfy the divine law, justice, and wrath of God. He left nothing undone, no aspect of a sinner's salvation depends on something that they must do (as if to make up for something that the Lord Jesus Christ could not, would not, or otherwise did not do to obtain full pardon for His people).

True Christianity is not an "Ivory Soap" religion; it isn't 99.44% God's work, and .56% percent our own. Salvation is either all of God, as in one-hundred percent, or it is a damnable lie that cannot save anyone. Thus, any attempt to add ones own works into God's plan of salvation (whether the works be mental, verbal, or physical), is tantamount to attempting to steal the glory due to Christ and Him alone. It is tantamount to declaring Christ's blood common, impotent, and insufficient for the cause. Finally, it is tantamount to declaring the Lord Jesus Christ a liar, and declaring that the work wasn't really finished when Jesus declared "It is Finished."

G. Beebe on Experimental Religion

Experimental Religion

by Gilbert Beebe (1800 - 1881)

Founder, Editor: Signs of The Times (1832-1881)

(Note: The use of the term Protestant in this article should not be interpreted as applying to everyone who is identified as Protestant. It clearly does not apply to those men and women who consider themselves reformed, presbyterian, etc., and who hold unwaiveringly, without compromise, to the doctrines of free and sovereign grace as revealed to their hearts by God the Holy Spirit in light of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, those Protestants (Calvinist or otherwise), who have a "fear" and "faith" that derives exclusively from schooling (i.e. being taught of men), and not from a true faith in, and godly fear and love of God, derived from the effectual working of the Holy Spirit, are in view.

There are many kinds of religion in the world. The apostle Paul speaks of having been brought up after the manner of the Jews' religion and the Jews' religion, although it acknowledges a God, and the authenticity of the scriptures of the Old Testament, differed as widely from the Christian religion as enjoyed by the regenerated sons of God as spiritual worship differs from carnal ordinances. The religion of the Jews could never fit its possessors for the enjoyment of spiritual things here, nor for the songs of the redeemed in the ultimate state of their glory.

The Pagans, also, were a religious people; extremely devotional and zealous, but knew not the author of their existence as God. They worshipped and still do worship a variety of gods. Mahometans are religious, and their alcoran (Al Quran) is by them regarded as an infallible and sacred oracle. Catholics and Protestants of numerous sects claim to be Christians, profess the Christian religion, and some of them are remarkably zealous in making converts to their religion; compassing sea and land, employing thousands of agents, and expending millions of money in spreading their religion; but all these are essentially different from the primitive disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ. And although the Catholics and the Protestants will not like to be classed with Jews, Pagans, and Mahometans, a careful investigation of their several claims will show them to be equally distant front the kingdom of Christ. The religion of the, Jews was taught as a science; the religion of the Pagans was taught as a science; the religion of Mahomet was taught as a science; so is that of the Catholics and Protestants, as also the preparation of their priests and ministers, together with the religious instruction of their children.

All are ready on every occasion when opportunity serves them to establish their religion by law, and to enforce it with the edge of the sword. The regenerating power of the Holy Ghost is by none of them considered an indispensable prerequisite to their religion. Jews, Pagans and Mahometans -pretend to no such qualification; Catholics and Protestants profess to believe regeneration to be necessary, but hold it to be, a work which can be performed through the instrumentality of men and means. The Pope is considered competent to forgive sins and the Episcopalian priest or bishop to absolve and confirm sinners; Paedo-Baptists generally, as well as Campbellites, hold what they administer for baptism to be equivalent to regeneration or a rite by which unregenerated children are put into the covenant of grace; that all who are in the covenant are saved, and all out of it are lost. Arminian Baptists, or more properly, baptized Arminians, differ in no very essential points from their Protestant and Catholic brethren, except in name and spirit of competition. Like all other false religionists, they can teach their religion as a science, and make converts by the power of what they call moral suasion; the same kind of instruments used by the others in the propagation of their religion is also used by them. And all, Jew, Pagan, Mahomentan, Catholic, Protestant, and Baptized Arminian, hate and despise, and dispute the doctrine of salvation by sovereign discriminating grace alone.

All false religion must agree in the particulars noticed above, for if regeneration were a prerequisite to knowledge of false religion, as it is to a knowledge of experimental religion, false religion could not be propagated, for the Holy Spirit will not qualify men for the reception or practice of false religion. But experimental religion cannot be taught or learned as the sciences, or as every description of religion can. "Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned."

The religion of Jesus is not a science; but purely a revelation. Flesh and blood did not reveal it to Peter. Paul knew nothing of it but by revelation. "When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood." God has hidden these things effectually from the wise and prudent, and revealed them unto babes. It is indeed a distinguishing provision for the New Testament saints that they shall no more teach every man his neighbor and every man his brother to know the Lord. The knowledge of Lord is eternal life. " For this is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Men may with quite as much propriety undertake to give eternal life to dead sinners, as to give them a knowledge of the true God, and of Jesus Christ; for the one equivalent to the other.

But experimental religion is not only radically dissimilar to all other kinds of religion, but there is also a wide difference between the practice dictated by pure religion, and the experience of that pure religion. Men may have the form of godliness while they know not the experience of its vital power in their hearts; but no man can possess the experience of godliness in his heart without its producing an effect upon his deportment. The difference between true and false religion is known by their respective fruits. Those who possess the experimental power of religion in their hearts, work from life already possessed, while all others work in anticipation of life expected. Such as are born of God desire and pray that they may be reconciled to God; all others desire and pray that God may be reconciled to them. God's people are exercised by faith; all others profess to exercise faith. Experimental Christians love God, love his truth, love his service, and desire with their whole hearts to live in obedience to all the precepts of their spiritual King; but others sometimes have been heard to say, if they believed that their eternal destiny was unalterably settled in the purpose and decree of God, they would take a fill of sin.

On the whole, a religious education, a constrained, or even voluntary form of godliness may exist where there is no vital relationship to God; where the power and experience of the religion of God is unknown; and what an awful state must that be, where the form of godliness is possessed and the power thereof is denied.

Before we close these remarks, we will observe for the encouragement of some of the trembling lambs of the Redeemer's flock, that the experience of vital religion in the heart is not always attended with an unfaltering and clear evidence of such is the case. We have thought there are no people on earth so exceedingly jealous of the evidences, of their own personal interest in the religion of Jesus, as the children of God are. The reason is obvious; they both see and feel the corruptions of their own natures. Grace has made them sensitive and that which would occasion no pain to a hypocrite, is felt and mourned by an heir of heaven. None can know the experience of vital religion, who do not feel the opposing corruptions of their fleshly nature.

This number of the Signs [of the Times Magazine] may reach the eye of some one of those tried, afflicted, tempted, doubting, and tempest-tossed children of God, who feels almost ready to conclude all former exercises are but delusion. Such a tried, sighing soul may reason thus: If a child of God, why so dull, so stupid so barren and unfruitful? Why so tempted, perplexed, and doubtful? Or why so little of the spirit of grace and of supplication? Why hungering and thirsting for righteousness, never able to see myself as I would wish to be? Poor soul all this is Christian experience. No Christian escapes these trials of their faith. No graceless hypocrite ever experienced these trials. Therefore, "Count it not strange, as though some strange thing had happened unto you." The trial of your faith is more precious than the trial of gold which perisheth. Therefore count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations for:

Your God shall make the tempter flee,

For as thy days thy strength shall be."

Excerpt from "The Fiery Trial"

The following is an excerpt from John Rusk’s (1771 - 1834) work, titled “The Fiery Trial;” the full work can be found here: http://truegospel.net/Rusk/103.htm If true, heartfelt, experimental religion, founded and grounded solely on God’s word is what you seek, you will do well to read Mr. Rusk’s works.

The Fiery Trial

“And now for the uses of this fire.

I. That we may be well taught our fallen state in Adam the first:

What is the reason that the Arminians talk about perfection in the flesh, and living ten, twenty, thirty, or forty years without sin? As I heard a good man once relate, that he heard one of them stand up in a public room, (an old man,) and declare that he had not sinned for I think twenty years, and if be had he wished his arm to drop off. The cause of all this arises from insensibility, and never having light and life in the soul, never getting into this furnace to know the mystery of iniquity in the human heart. And such are surge to boast; and if we get in their company we can see of what great use the furnace of affliction has been to us to discover our lost and ruined state; hence the prophet' Isaiah, who was well instructed to know his own heart, says, "As when the melting fire causeth the waters to boil," which plainly shows this fire discovers to us our wretched polluted state; and if you read on in the same chapter, he says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like the wind have taken us away and there is none that calleth upon Thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of Thee; for Thou hast hid Thy face. from us, and hast consumed us (there comes the fire) because of our iniquities."

"But," say you, "in what part of God's word are the corruptions of the human heart called waters? because the prophet says," "As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil." I answer, by the same prophet are the corruptions of the heart called waters; hence he says,” But the wicked are like the troubled sea, whose waters cast up mire and dirt." But though God's children can see these foul waters in the wicked, the wicked can never see them in themselves; and God's children, having light and life in their souls, see and feel a thousand times more in themselves, than they can see in the worst characters living, which this fire discovers. And it is the same as when you put a piece of meat in a pot; at first, the water on the top appears clear, but as the fire increaseth powerfully, the scum riseth to the top of the pot. You and I are apt to think we get worse and worse, but the truth is this: we see and feel it more and more than ever we did before.

Now, then, it is that all the lusts of the flesh arise, and a love to them, wishing to gratify them to the utmost extent on every suitable object that the devil sets before us; and we fret at times, because we cannot do as our corrupt hearts and the devil would have us, in all lasciviousness, uncleanness, pride, ambition, murder, malice, enmity, revenge, covetousness, selfishness, unbelief, hardness of heart, &c. I am at a loss to describe the aboundings of iniquity that we see and feel working in us from day to day. And I am sure that if a child of God were discovered to another as he is to himself, he would be shut up, and you would never see him in a place of worship, or amongst the saints, from year's end to year's end. Now, here the fire tries the man's work of what sort it is, for all legal hopes, self-righteousness, human confidence, human wisdom, and strength, which the man could boast of before, is now burnt up, and the man appears in his proper fallen state; wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This was the case with the prophet, and therefore he says,” From the soul of the foot to the crown of the head, we are full of wounds, bruises, and putrefying sores." Job also: "Behold, I am vile! David: “Born in sin, and shapen in iniquity.” Paul also, who before thought that touching the righteousness of the law he was blameless, now cries out, "0 wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of sin and death?” You see the “melting fire” burning causeth these waters to boil, and was of use to destroy all these fleshly hopes and confidence, and certainly tried the work in these men, as well as it does in all the elect of God, of what sort it is. And when tried it is proved to be of the base sort, and such as God will never own nor honour, for self is at the bottom of it all.

II. The second use of this fire is to discover others to us:

I say to discover others to us, for in this fire we learn to read men. And here we are in time brought to a point respecting preachers and professors. If they know their own hearts as we do, they can describe and dissect it; they can tell us of the path of tribulation, and what an evil and bitter thing sin is; how hard they find it to stand from day to day the sore attacks of Satan, the world, and their own hearts; and that they fear that, after all sin has and will have dominion over them. At times they will tell us of a hope arising in their hearts and of a little faith, peace, and quietness; of love to God, His truth, and His family but shortly this is gone, and iniquity abounds stronger and stronger in them; and their feet are almost gone, their steps well nigh slipped. Then again hope arises, corruption appears gone, and they feel all right, all straight; but, alas! corruption makes head again, and they seem in a worse plight than ever. Do you feel these things, you that call yourselves preachers, teachers, guides? If you do not, we that have had this furnace work can see through you and those that follow you, and are at a point that you are destitute of that good work which will stand the fire; for we know that Satan is not divided against himself. He lets you alone, but fights against God's work. And as neither he, nor the corruptions of your heart, nor the world, oppose you, we know it is not the genuine work of God. You are made manifest to us as Ahitophel was to David; hence he says, “They have no changes, they fear not God.” These are the changes I have been writing about; and if you never see and feel yourself in such straits, it is for want of light and life, which is God's work, for all men's hearts are alike. Hence Solomon tells us, that “as face answereth to face in water, so does the heart of man to man.” Here it is that all Arminians, Antinomians, Pharisees, Letter Preachers, Bastard Calvinists, as well as all other erroneous men, are clearly discovered. And here it is we are led to discover truth from error in reading of authors; for if they deny the anointing within, or if they cannot describe the fight of faith, we know they are not in the secret, that they never had this fire to try the work of what sort it is. So that it is of use to us:

1. To make us to know our own true state; and
2. To discover others, in which discovery we find that they are not and never were in the path of tribulation, which all the elect of God are in more or less. Mr. Brooks, of Brighton, used to say that Satan would dispute God's children every inch of the way. I believe it, and the Scriptures abundantly testify the same. See David's Psalms, as well as many other parts of Holy Writ.

The Third Part brought through the Fire

The following is an excerpt from the book, "Mercies of a Covenant God; The life of John Warburton." John Warburton (1776-1857) was a Gospel Standard Strict Baptist preacher; he pastored the Zion Chapel in Trowbridge (U.K.) for 42 years. His works are truly faithful in doctrine, and experimental in application. The passage below (from his autobiography) exemplifies true, experiential religion as distinguished from the religion of formalists (often called dead-Calvinists in our day).

"I had for some time a tolerably even path; but it was a strange thing for me to be long out of the furnace, and I think never a poor worm tried harder to keep out of it than I did, nor dreaded more to be in it. But I have ever found that the purpose of God shall stand, let the devil and my heart plan, do, or say what they will; for "He will bring the third part through the fire, and purify them as silver is purified, and try them as gold is tried; they shall call on His name, and He will hear them; He will say, It is my people, and they shall say, The Lord is my God."

Those professors, then, of religion who are not brought through the fire, whatever their sentiments may be, are not of the third part, and never know the bitterness of having all their fleshly religion burned up and consumed in the furnace, nor the sweetness of hearing a Father's voice, "It is my people," nor what it is to answer, "The Lord is my God." "I will leave in the midst of Thee a poor and afflicted people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord;" "Many are the troubles of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all;" "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world;" "Through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of God." And God gives his own account of those who are landed safe in glory: "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

I am confident the word of God is true, and will stand for ever. Then woe be to those professors of religion who are all joy, and never know any sorrow; with whom there is all day, but who never know any night; all faith, but never any doubts; always full of peace, but never groaning under guilt; always strong, but never fainting; with plenty of salvation at their tongues' end, but who never felt what damnation is in their souls; who are always extolling the form, but pouring contempt upon the power; always speaking in the highest terms of the letter of the word, but casting a sneer of contempt at the Spirit's application of the word to the soul; wonderfully zealous for attendance in ordinances, but never knowing what it is to groan to God that He will meet with their poor cast down souls as their Comforter in the ordinances.

Some of them will talk wonderfully about the doctrines of grace, but have never known what it is to water the throne of grace with their tears, that God the Holy Ghost would cause His doctrines to drop as the rain, and His still small voice to distil in their souls as the dew. Poor things! they know nothing about these things by soul experience, for they are hid from these wise and prudent professors, and only revealed unto babes; and the dear Saviour thanked His Father that this was the case: "I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight."

And why, O my soul, art thou not amongst them? Is it because thou hast merited His favour more than they? O no; it is because it pleased the God and Father of all mercies and all comfort that it should be so. Blessings and honours be unto Thee, O holy God the Father, that ever Thy love and choice was fixed upon such a brat of hell as I. Honours, blessings, majesty, praises, and glories for ever crown Thy head, O Holy God the Son, equal with the Father, and one with Him, that ever thou didst condescend to take my nature into union with Thy divine Person, didst obey and righteously fulfil all the demands of the holy law, and didst satisfy divine Justice for all my cursed sins; didst conquer death, and him that hath the power of death, even the devil; and hast ascended up on high, and taken possession of the inheritance, and ever liveth to make intercession for my poor soul. And O thou Holy God, thou blessed Spirit, one with the Father and the Son, blessings, honours, majesty, and glories for ever be unto Thee, that ever Thou didst pick up my poor soul out of the ruins of the fall; didst kill me to all works of righteousness which I could do; didst reveal justifying righteousness and pardoning blood to my heart, and didst bear Thy solemn witness to my spirit that I am an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ. O Thou that hast preserved me from falling a prey to the world, the flesh, and the devil all these years up to this moment; that hast lifted up a standard in my soul again and again when the floods of horrid, awful, and unspeakable blasphemies have plunged my poor trembling soul into such despair that I have many times given it all up as a lost matter. O holy, blessed, Trinity of Persons, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, One God, whom reason cannot fathom, but faith believes, love embraces, and praise adores, bless Thy holy Name.

It is in Thy light that I see light; it is Thy smiles that make my smiles; it is Thy strength and power made manifest in me that holds me up and makes me strong; it is Thy Spirit of grace and supplications poured into my heart that brings my soul to poor it out unto Thee; it is Thy precious gift of faith, and Thy precious power, that draws it into exercise, which enables my soul to come with confidence, and say, "My Lord and My God;" it is Thy precious presence as my Father, my Friend, and my eternal All, that changes a dungeon into a palace. Without Thee, I am more and more confident I can do nothing. O ever keep me, ever teach me, ever uphold me. O never leave me to myself, my dear Lord, for two are better than one."

The Charity of God - Part One

The following is an excerpt from the book, "Mercies of a Covenant God; The life of John Warburton." John Warburton (1776-1857) was a Gospel Standard Strict Baptist preacher; he pastored the Zion Chapel in Trowbridge (U.K.) for 42 years. His works are truly faithful in doctrine, and experimental in application. The passage below (from his autobiography) speaks volumes to my heart.

The Charity of God

All the vile names that ever could be heaped up, poor Warburton had them all laid upon his back. Some said I was a bigot, others that I was an enemy to all holiness, a vile Antinomian, a presumptuous, ungodly wretch, entirely destitute of one grain of charity. And yet from week to week, and from month to month, I was vindicating and speaking well of charity, for I was confident that never a poor wretch in this world had so much need to speak well of charity as I. For I was testifying from Lord's day to Lord's day, that it was nothing but pure charity in God the Father that ever he should make choice from everlasting of his sheep, and give his beloved Son, that "whosoever believeth in him might not perish, but have everlasting life;" and I was confident that we poor sheep had gone astray from the womb, speaking lies; and that nothing but pure charity could lay upon him the iniquities of us all.

And I was costantly maintaining that charity in God the Son had freely provided a spotless robe to cover the naked, a rich fountain to wash and cleanse the filthy, a glorious salvation for the lost, fast at both ends from everlasting to everlasting, bread for the hungry, wine for the feint, strength for the weak, eyes for the blind, and pardon for the guilty. Nay, I was constantly maintaining that there was not one thing that ever the poor and needy soul stood in need of, however vile he was and unworthy, but charity had provided it all in Christ. Every thing, I declared, was ready: "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money ; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)

I was also constantly maintaining that charity in God the Holy Ghost is the fountain of blessedness to poor beggars and paupers that are obliged to hang upon him. For what could it be but charity that ever he stopped us in our mad career of sin, and opened our poor blind eyes, unasked for, unsought for? We are living witnesses that he was found of them that sought him not. And what could it be but the kind act of charity that would not suffer us to go about to establish a righteousness of our own? Of this I am confident, that there never was a poor creature who worked, togged, and toiled harder to get some righteousness of his own, that I might claim the mercy of God, than I did. But God has fixed and settled it that we shall not receive his mercies and blessings for works of righteousness that we have done, or can do. No; charity relieves the miserable, clothes the naked, feeds the hungry, heals the wounded, and completely saves the lost; and this I have ever found, as soon as I had nought to pay, charity frankly forgave me all. I was, therefore, constantly affirming that all the dear children of God, who are called according to his purpose, were paupers upon charity for all things, both for body and soul, for time and eternity.

I was confident of it, and so is every one that is taught of God, "that every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights," the Fountain of charity, "with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning;" and I was constantly maintaining that those professors of religion that were destitute of charity, were dead in sin, and enemies to God and truth. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding-brass, or a tinkling cymbal; and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing; and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." I could not help, therefore, maintaining from Sunday to Sunday, that when charity was shed abroad in the heart by the Holy Ghost, it led us to love God, to love his people, to love his ways, to honour him in body, soul, and spirit, to hate sin with a perfect hatred, and to long and desire to be as holy as God is holy.

O when this charity is graciously felt in my soul, how I admire and adore the electing love and choice of God the Father! How my poor soul melts and breaks forth into raptures of holy wonder: "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Sons of God; therefore, the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know when He shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; and every one that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he is pure." O the blessed wonder, love, and admiration that I have felt to God the Son for working out a righteousness for me, such a black monster as I, to make me fair as the curtains of Solomon, and to stand before a holy God without fault, "perfect through my comeliness which I have put upon thee, saith the Lord God." "I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one." "For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One" (O blessed One! how my soul has at times adored him!) "shall many be made righteous." "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

And how my poor soul has been melted with unspeakable wonder and adoration when by faith I have seen him in Gethsemane's garden, in an agony, sweating great drops of blood, falling down to the ground. O what grief, what sorrow, and anguish of soul and body did he endure, when bearing and suffering the wrath due to divine Justice for the cursed sins of his people! What must he have felt when he cried out, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death;" and when on the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"

O to have a faith's view of these sufferings for us, and feel the sweet virtue of them in our souls, it is this that will bring us to hate sin, and everything that is contrary to the honour and glory of our glorious Redeemer. I know, and have felt it in my very soul what God has declared by the prophet Zechariah (12:10): "And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born."

O what godly repentance flows from the heart from such a feeling sight as this, repentance that needs not to be repented of! And could my soul and tongue help extolling and exalting such love and charity that was stronger than death, that many waters could not quench, nor the floods drown? Nay, the more I felt of it the more liberty did it bring into my soul, and the more boldly and fearlessly did I lift up my voice, that "by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." "We have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." "Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth! it is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." So that I could not help exclaiming with Paul, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." And I cannot, and, God helping me, I will not, while the Lord gives me strength to open my poor mouth, but speak well of charity in God the Holy Ghost, for it was he that laid hold of me in my mad career of sin, put a cry into my heart to cry unto God, and stopped me from going about to establish a righteousness of my own.

The Charity of God - Part Two

The following is a continuation of the excerpt from the book, "Mercies of a Covenant God; The life of John Warburton." John Warburton (1776-1857) was a Gospel Standard Strict Baptist preacher; he pastored the Zion Chapel in Trowbridge (U.K.) for 42 years. His works are truly faithful in doctrine, and experimental in application. The passage below (from his autobiography) speaks volumes to my heart, as it pertains to the unspeakable grace and mercies of God, our own frailties, and the need to abstain from false ecumenism.

The Charity of God (Part Two)

His invisible hand kept me from being my own murderer; he revealed in my heart pardoning blood and imputed righteousness; and some scores of times, when the enemy has come into my poor soul with such a tremendous flood of awful blasphemies against the Holy Trinity, especially against the Holy Ghost, that I have been sunk so low that at times I could see no more hope that God would ever appear in love and mercy for me than he would appear for devils, He has, bless His dear name, lifted up again a glorious standard, and brought me up again out of the horrible pit, and set my feet again upon the Rock of Ages.

I have been hundreds of times where, according to my feelings, I have had no more faith, hope, love, patience, prayer, zeal, or even a desire for a desire in exercise in my heart than there is in the beasts of the earth; and I am confident of this, that I could as soon empty the fathomless ocean with a bucket as I can raise up one spiritual desire Godwards. But, bless His dear Name, He has come again in His own time, and blown a soft gale of His life-giving, unctuous operations, so that my soul has been like a well-watered garden in a moment, and I have exclaimed, with wonder, pleasure, and delight, "Let my Beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits." Love, joy, peace, humility, praise, and holy zeal for the honour and glory of my God have gone forth from my heart and tongue to the dear Comforter for his unmerited kindness in reviving my poor soul again with his sweet visitations; for I am a living witness that it is his blessed visits that revive my spirits. I have been many, very many times so confused, so dark, and so completely blind, that I could not see nor find, to my comfort and consolation, whether ever I had any real grace or work of God begun in my soul.

And here I have been shut up in the prison house, robbed, and spoiled, and ensnared, in such holes that I could look for nothing but becoming a prey to the devil, as an awful presumptuous apostate, whom God was about to make manifest as nothing but a vile hypocrite; one who had a lamp of profession, but no oil in his vessel; having the form of godliness, but knowing nothing of the real power; one who could talk about the letter, but was a stranger to the spirit; who had begun with religion, but real religion had never begun with him. Here I have been numbers of times, and could no more look back, and see, and believe that God had begun and carried on his good work of grace in my heart than I could believe I could raise the dead; and here I have been shut up with nothing but lamentations, miseries, sighs, groans, and tears, till the dear Lord has come again with, " Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee;" and then I could shout and sing, "The Lord is my light and my salvation; I will not fear what man can do unto me." I could then look back and see all the way the Lord had led me, and was confident it was the right way to a city of habitation; so that I am a pauper upon charity for everything temporal or spiritual, for time and for eternity.

And I do, and am constantly maintaining, both privately and publicly, as far as ever the Lord has enabled me, the wonders, the glories, the beauties, and preciousness of charity; and yet I must be branded as being a man that is an enemy to charity. But, if by charity these people mean that I ought to unite with Arians and Socinians, who deny the Deity of my God and Saviour, whom I have proved again and again in my very soul that he is the mighty God, the everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace; if by charity they mean that I ought to meet and unite occasionally with people that can testify and say without a blush that election is a damnable doctrine, and they hate it in their hearts; that imputed righteousness is "imputed nonsense," and a doctrine that ought to be abhorred and spurned by all, which is the very garment and covering that hides all my shame, the very robe that adorns my naked soul, and so very many times has been the joy and rejoicing of my heart, and which I have found to be so many times the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; if they mean by charity that I ought to unite with people that can say and testify that we may be a child of God one day, and a child of the devil another; that Christ died and atoned for the sins of Esau as well as of Jacob, for Cain as well as for Abel, for Judas as well as for Peter, and that there are thousands in hell for whom Christ died; if they mean by charity that I ought to unite and call those brethren who profess to believe in the doctrines of grace, and call themselves Calvinists, but can declare at times that those blessed doctrines which are so precious and glorious to my soul are non-essential things; that is, if I understand their meaning right, they view them as useless things, and that it is of no consequence whatever whether we receive or believe these doctrines or not, provided we do but unite with all sorts, and pray for all, and be candid, and mild, and esteem all as partakers of grace; I confess from my heart, if all this be charity, I am destitute of it, and instead of being grieved for my want of it, I glory in it.

I do not indeed feel the least ill-will against any of their persons, as the creatures of God, nor do I desire to do them the least injury, but those principles that debase free and sovereign grace, and exalt the creature, I hate and abhor. For how can two walk together except they be agreed? My soul has bought truth too dearly to part with it for such empty baubles as the praises and smiles of men; and those professors that love the smiles of men more than the truth of God, they are heartily welcome to them. I do not begrudge them. But notwithstanding all that ever these reporters could report, God stood by me, a poor worm, and gave such testimony to the word of grace, that neither men nor devils could overthrow it. I believe they tried with all their might to do so; but God hath said it, and I know it will stand, for I have proved it again and again: "My word shall go forth; it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I have sent it; it shall not return unto me void."