A Debate on the Means Question.
Zion's Advocate, June 1898, Vol. 37, No. 6.
Says my Arminian friend,
"Regenerates poor sinners
And saves them in the end.
The message when delivered
Will reach the hardened heart,
And will, to poor, dead sinners,
Eternal life impart."
"My friends, will you inform me
How any one can hear
And understand the gospel
Without a hearing ear.
Is life conveyed by proxy
To mortals dead in sin,
And can you by your preaching
Begin the work within?"
"Oh, no; I'm not contending
That I can life impart,
But God, by means of preaching,
Can reach the sinner's heart.
This is the way he saves them
From unbelief and sin,
And brings them to the Saviour,
Who puts his love within."
"I cannot understand you.
Do you pretend to teach
That God without the preacher
Cannot the sinner reach?
That none enjoy salvation
But such as hear the voice
Of frail and finite preachers,
And of the Lord make choice?"
"Now this is my position,
I hope you'll understand:
No one but a believer
Can in his favor stand;
And none can be believers
But such as hear the sound
Of gospel news proclaiming
TO sinners all around."
"If this be true, the infant,
And all in heathen land,
And all weakminded creatures
Who cannot understand,
Will ne'er enjoy salvation
Nor with the Saviour dwell;
But all such will forever
Be banished into hell."
"O no; they're saved by mercy;
Belief is not required;
In Jesus' worthy merits
Their souls will be attired:
But those who are enlightened
By knowing wrong from right,
Without belief can ne'er be
Accepted in his sight."
"Then you believe salvation
To be a two fold plan;
That what will save the infant
Will not the adult man:
And that belief will purchase
The favor of the Lord,
And this will come by hearing
The preaching of the word."
"Exactly so; I'm happy
To know that you can see
The way to future glory
As it appears to me.
The preaching makes the sinner
To see how bad he is,
And makes him a believer,
Then life divine is his."
"Though I see your position
I know it isn't true,
And if you'll only listen
I'll prove this fact to you.
The Saviour plainly teaches
Beyond successful strife,
That every true believer
Has everlasting life.
"Believing never causes
The dead in sin to live,
For while in that condition
They never can believe.
But when the blessed Saviour
Reveals his lovely face,
They then believe upon him,
And trust him for his grace.
"The fruits borne by the Spirit
Are faith, and hope, and love,
And no one can possess them
Till born of God above.
A tree, corrupt and sinful,
Good fruits can never bear:
It must be made a good tree
The Spirit's fruits to share.
"The preaching of the gospel
Was foolishness to me,
Until it pleased the Saviour
To give me eyes to see:
It then became a power
TO comfort and console,
Revealing how the Saviour
Had made the wounded whole.
"I often went to preaching,
And heard the preacher tell
How Jesus saves a sinner
From sin, and death, and hell.
I could not understand him;
"Twas dark as night to me:
My needy situation
While dead, I could not see.
"At length I was arrested
And made to see my state;
My sins became a burden,
A very heavy weight.
And when my heart was sinking
In dark and dire distress
It pleased my dear Redeemer
My fainting soul to bless.
"I saw my Lord and Master
For me was crucified:
That my divine Redeemer
My substitute had died.
I then believed upon him
As my own Saviour true,
My friend, this is the reason
I can't agree with you.
"Now if it does seem evil
For you to serve him still,
The gods of earth are many,
Just choose you whom you will;
But as for me and others
We want to serve the Lord,
And give him all the glory
Obedient to his word."
Copyright c. 2005. All rights reserved. The Primitive Baptist Library.
