Reformed Rush
Puritan Board Freshman
In line with the recent threads regarding "New Calvinism" and "What is Calvinism" we offer these sound words regarding saving faith and practice:
"To be enabled to form a clear, consistent, and
comprehensive judgment of the truths revealed in the Scripture, is a
great privilege; but they who possess it are exposed to the temptation
of thinking too highly of themselves, and too meanly of others,
especially of those who not only refuse to adopt their sentiments, but
venture to oppose them. We see few controversial writings, however
excellent in other respects, but are tinctured with this spirit of
self-superiority; and they who are not called to this service (of
writing) if they are attentive to what passes in their hearts, may
feel it working within them, upon a thousand occasions; though so far
as it prevails, it brings forcibly home to ourselves the charge of
ignorance and inconsistence, which we are so ready to fix upon our
opponents. I know nothing as a means more likely to correct this evil,
than a serious consideration of the amazing difference between our
acquired judgment, and our actual experience; or, in other words, how
little influence our knowledge and judgment have upon our own conduct.
This may confirm to us the truth and propriety of the apostle’s
observation, "If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
nothing yet as he ought to know." Not that we are bound to be
insensible that the Lord has taught us what we were once ignorant of;
nor is it possible that we should be so; yet because, if we estimate
our knowledge by its effects, and value it no farther than it is
experimental and operative (which is the proper standard whereby to
try it), we shall find it so faint and feeble as hardly to deserve the
name. . .
May we not say with the Psalmist, "Lord, what is man!"
yea, what an enigma, what a poor inconsistent creature is a believer!
He knows the Lord; he knows himself. His understanding is enlightened
to apprehend and contemplate the great mysteries of the gospel. He has
just ideas of the evil of sin, the vanity of the world, the beauties
of holiness, and the nature of true happiness. He was once "darkness,
but now he is light in the Lord." He has access to God by Jesus
Christ; to whom he is united, and in whom he lives by faith. While the
principles he has received are enlivened by the agency of the Holy
Spirit, he can do all things. He is humble, gentle, patient, watchful,
faithful. He rejoices in afflictions, triumphs over temptations, lives
upon the foretastes of eternal glory, and counts not his life dear, so
he may glorify God his Saviour, and finish his course with joy. But
his strength is not his own; he is absolutely dependent, and is still
encompassed with infirmities. and burdened with a depraved nature. If
the Lord withdraws his power, he becomes weak as another man, and
drops, as a stone sinks to the earth by its own weight. His inherent
knowledge may be compared to the windows of a house, which can
transmit the light, but cannot retain it. Without renewed and
continual communications from the Spirit of grace, he is unable to
withstand the smallest temptation, to endure the slightest trial, to
perform the least service in a due manner, or even to think a good
thought. He knows this, and yet he too often forgets it. But the Lord
reminds him of it frequently, by suspending that assistance without
which he can do nothing. Then he feels what he is, and is easily
prevailed upon to act in contradiction to his better judgment. This
repeated experience of his own weakness teaches him by degrees where
his strength lies; that it is not in any thing he has already
attained, or can call his own, but the grace, power, and faithfulness
of his Saviour. He learns to cease from his own understanding, to be
ashamed of his best endeavours, to abhor himself in dust and ashes,
and to glory only in the Lord.
From hence we may observe, that believers who have most
knowledge, are not therefore necessarily the most spiritual. Some may
and do walk more honorably and more comfortably with two talents, than
others with five. He who experimentally knows his own weakness, and
depends simply upon the Lord, will surely thrive, though his acquired
attainments and abilities may be but small; and he who has the
greatest gifts, the clearest judgment, and the most extensive
knowledge, if he indulges high thoughts of his advantages, is in
imminent danger of mistaking, and falling at every step; for the Lord
will suffer none whom he loves to boast in themselves. He will guide
the meek with his eyes, and fill the hungry with good things; but the
rich he sendeth empty away. It is an invariable maxim in his kingdom,
that whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased; but he that humbleth
himself, shall be exalted."
Excerpts; John Newton, "More Than A Calvinist"
(Underlined emphasis, ours.)
J&R
"To be enabled to form a clear, consistent, and
comprehensive judgment of the truths revealed in the Scripture, is a
great privilege; but they who possess it are exposed to the temptation
of thinking too highly of themselves, and too meanly of others,
especially of those who not only refuse to adopt their sentiments, but
venture to oppose them. We see few controversial writings, however
excellent in other respects, but are tinctured with this spirit of
self-superiority; and they who are not called to this service (of
writing) if they are attentive to what passes in their hearts, may
feel it working within them, upon a thousand occasions; though so far
as it prevails, it brings forcibly home to ourselves the charge of
ignorance and inconsistence, which we are so ready to fix upon our
opponents. I know nothing as a means more likely to correct this evil,
than a serious consideration of the amazing difference between our
acquired judgment, and our actual experience; or, in other words, how
little influence our knowledge and judgment have upon our own conduct.
This may confirm to us the truth and propriety of the apostle’s
observation, "If any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth
nothing yet as he ought to know." Not that we are bound to be
insensible that the Lord has taught us what we were once ignorant of;
nor is it possible that we should be so; yet because, if we estimate
our knowledge by its effects, and value it no farther than it is
experimental and operative (which is the proper standard whereby to
try it), we shall find it so faint and feeble as hardly to deserve the
name. . .
May we not say with the Psalmist, "Lord, what is man!"
yea, what an enigma, what a poor inconsistent creature is a believer!
He knows the Lord; he knows himself. His understanding is enlightened
to apprehend and contemplate the great mysteries of the gospel. He has
just ideas of the evil of sin, the vanity of the world, the beauties
of holiness, and the nature of true happiness. He was once "darkness,
but now he is light in the Lord." He has access to God by Jesus
Christ; to whom he is united, and in whom he lives by faith. While the
principles he has received are enlivened by the agency of the Holy
Spirit, he can do all things. He is humble, gentle, patient, watchful,
faithful. He rejoices in afflictions, triumphs over temptations, lives
upon the foretastes of eternal glory, and counts not his life dear, so
he may glorify God his Saviour, and finish his course with joy. But
his strength is not his own; he is absolutely dependent, and is still
encompassed with infirmities. and burdened with a depraved nature. If
the Lord withdraws his power, he becomes weak as another man, and
drops, as a stone sinks to the earth by its own weight. His inherent
knowledge may be compared to the windows of a house, which can
transmit the light, but cannot retain it. Without renewed and
continual communications from the Spirit of grace, he is unable to
withstand the smallest temptation, to endure the slightest trial, to
perform the least service in a due manner, or even to think a good
thought. He knows this, and yet he too often forgets it. But the Lord
reminds him of it frequently, by suspending that assistance without
which he can do nothing. Then he feels what he is, and is easily
prevailed upon to act in contradiction to his better judgment. This
repeated experience of his own weakness teaches him by degrees where
his strength lies; that it is not in any thing he has already
attained, or can call his own, but the grace, power, and faithfulness
of his Saviour. He learns to cease from his own understanding, to be
ashamed of his best endeavours, to abhor himself in dust and ashes,
and to glory only in the Lord.
From hence we may observe, that believers who have most
knowledge, are not therefore necessarily the most spiritual. Some may
and do walk more honorably and more comfortably with two talents, than
others with five. He who experimentally knows his own weakness, and
depends simply upon the Lord, will surely thrive, though his acquired
attainments and abilities may be but small; and he who has the
greatest gifts, the clearest judgment, and the most extensive
knowledge, if he indulges high thoughts of his advantages, is in
imminent danger of mistaking, and falling at every step; for the Lord
will suffer none whom he loves to boast in themselves. He will guide
the meek with his eyes, and fill the hungry with good things; but the
rich he sendeth empty away. It is an invariable maxim in his kingdom,
that whosoever exalteth himself, shall be abased; but he that humbleth
himself, shall be exalted."
Excerpts; John Newton, "More Than A Calvinist"
(Underlined emphasis, ours.)
J&R
