Joel Hume's Second Affirmative Speech
on His Second Proposition
HUME'S LAST SPEECH
ON THE SECOND AND LAST PROPOSITION.
Gentlemen Moderators, Ladies and Gentlemen: I am now before you for the purpose of closing the discussion, so far as I am concerned. In the first place, I shall progress with my scripture quotations, as I have a few more to make.
I now quote from Ephesians ii, 1-5, "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)" Is this the sovereign act of God, or is it an act of the creature? We understand to quicken is to give life. Here the language is that God hath done that thing. If any language can more forcibly convey the impression, I am not familiar with such language. He goes on to show what further God has down here. He "hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." There is one thing here which is as certain as that the sun shines: if this salvation is the gift of God, it is not an act of the creature, and the apostle says it is not of works, lest any man should boast.
Respecting Brother Stinson's passage, "he that believeth shall be saved," the question is, how does faith come? Upon what principles do men realize faith? I read in the first chapter of Ephesians, that they believed according to the working of the mighty power of God, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. What is the conclusion? It requires the same power to enable the sinner to believe in Jesus Christ that it requires to raise Christ from the dead.
Now, if it requires this, such exercise of faith is the gift of God, and not the act of the creature. Faith is irresistible. I ask you, when you were first enabled to believe, could you help it; when you were first enabled to embrace Christ, to rejoice in God? I know the Christian says, no; and I know you could not neither. You were glad to know that the thing was so, and you received it as the gift of God. This is the way we understand faith. Now turn to Titus iii, 5, 6: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior." If faith is an act of the creature, it is a righteous act. If we can not be saved without faith, and faith is a righteous act, and the act of the creature, does not this contradict the apostle, when he says, "Not by works of righteousness, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost?" Again, John i, 13: "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." I ask, if with the wisdom of God, man could possibly express language more powerful than that the salvation or birth of the sinner is by the will of God, and the will of man is not consulted? He was not born in that way; hence, the language, "Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." If this be true, then it is unconditional. Let him say what he may, if this birth is of God, and not according to the will of man, then I maintain my proposition is sustained beyond a possibility of contradiction.
Another important objection which I have to my brother's system, is, that it leaves the whole matter of the salvation of the sinner entirely suspended upon uncertainties; there is no certainty of a single sinner being saved. While if it is possible for men to be saved by complying with certain conditions, it is equally possible for them to fail to comply--the rule must work both ways. If it be possible for men to believe, it is equally possible for no man to come to Christ. Hence, the love of God, the atonement of Christ, the gift of the Bible, the preaching of the gospel, the labor of the church, the prayers of the saints, in the end, may all fail, and God in glory be without anybody to praise him; that is the true and legitimate consequence, and I challenge contradiction. Do not forget this position. I re-affirm that if it is possible for the sinner to be saved by conditions, it is equally possible for all men to be damned without those condition. The gentleman condescended to notice five of my quotations; I introduced thirty-five; and he says of that in Isaiah, "I was found of them that sought me not," that this refers to the gentiles. I want him to show us some evidence. With all my confidence in him, I am not willing to take his word for it.
He wants to know, forsooth, if I believed in regard to the text, Go compel them to come in, that it meant binding them hand and foot, manacling them, and forcing them in physically? I believe no such thing. We remark, in the first place, that the language of God to the servant presented the idea that "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." We do not believe that God saves any man against his will. We believe that when the man is renewed, he realizes that holy will. With that will, God brings the sinner. Every sinner who desires to come may come; hence, the language is addressed to that kind of character, and none other. We do not believe in physical force, but in the power of divine truth, to overwhelm the judgment of the sinner, and obtain the consent of his will. In that way he is brought into the kingdom of the blessed. But the gentleman inquires, was the supper for any that did not come?
I do not know that it matters much to me which I admit. I do not care how great a supper you have, nor how far you extended the invitation; there is one thing true, that is this; there is no man will come at the call or invitation, unless he has an appetite to eat; there is no good news to such a man, of the table being spread, when he don't want to eat. He must first have an appetite; when he has got the appetite, how heavenly is the news to him to come and eat! It was so with many here to-day, when you were hungering and starving, and about to go down, when the news of the gospel table being spread, and abundance to satisfy your cravings, how gladly you received the news, and ran to the feast; you feasted your soul, and was rejoiced in his love.
I will make a remark here about faith. I have a quotation, which my brother gave us: "he that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life." I will shake hands with him over that text: but does it read, if you will believe, you shall have everlasting life?"
[Stinson--I will find one that does.]
If you will show me a text of that kind, I will surrender. The point I make is, he that believeth hath everlasting life, being in possession of faith; hence the man that does believe in Christ Jesus, is already in possession of it, for he that believeth hath everlasting life. In the present tense, he has it already, and that is the reason he believes in it.
I have replied now to my brother's positions. We are now about to close this discussion, so far as I am concerned. There is one thing true: God knows the hearts of men; he knows that I did not court this discussion; he knows that I have had no desire to obtain a mastery, that I have no desire to be called victor; but let the matter turn as it will, one thing is certain--when I retire from here, I shall carry with me a clear conscience. I have advocated those principles which I believe to be true. I appeal to the regenerate sons and daughters of my Savior, of every denomination, of every class and order, and I ask you, dear friends, when you first became concerned about your salvation, was it not at a time when you were not looking for it, when you had no thought of your Savior, that you became enlisted, you became exercised? I would ask, why were you not exercised before that time? I know what you say is true--you had no thought of it. Why did you not turn to God sooner; was it because you did not know you were a sinner? No. Was it not because you did not know that you had to be changed or born of another will? What was the cause; why did you not turn to Christ sooner? You answer thus--never till this time, did I feel so deeply interested in my condition as a sinner. My father and mother both taught it to me, and the Bible reveals the fact; but never till now, did I feel deeply interested in my salvation.
My dear friends, I will spend the last ten minutes in contrasting the two systems that are in dispute.
What is the difference between the two systems, the views I have been advocating, and those which our brother has presented to you? Upon the views I have been advocating, every single human being who listens to the invitation is saved, every single idiot on God's earth is saved upon this plan; every single penitent sinner is saved, every true mourner is saved upon this plan; all--the last man, the last woman that is not seeking sin, but desiring heaven, will be saved, and when we get them all together, they form an innumerable company, which no man can number. That the salvation of this number is settled and certain beyond a doubt. While we take the ground, that our God has never declared that any sinner shall be saved, I would remark, in view of a quotation made yesterday, sinners have rebelled against God, and reprobation is an act of the sinner not of Jehovah; hence, my friends, you see the system I have attempted to establish, and I will just say, in winding up, whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. I don't care who he is, nor what his name or condition may be, our gospel says, he must have the will first to come to Christ; and when he has it, he will come.
How is it on the other side? We say everybody may come, if they will, but nobody HAS to come. We say that there is a possibility of the race being saved, and an equal possibility of the race being damned; if he does not use the language itself, it is my interpretation of his doctrine. I ask, is there a lady or gentlemen here that can deny it? if there is a possibility of one, there is of the other. Hence you see, our system, hard as you say it is, unreasonable as you say it is, it reaches the condition, and secures the salvation of a great portion of the race. While the other system reaches the condition, and secures the salvation of NONE; only upon certain conditions, which may be complied with or may not. Hence you see the reason why I feel so sure our doctrine is true, because God is honored, and Jesus Christ is exalted, and sinners are saved. This is the plan by which the sinner is saved, the plan which God has revealed, which God has originated in his own mind in eternity, which is revealed here; and in which he says, my word shall go out, and shall not return unto me void; it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it. God knows this, and he is not going to be disappointed, nor have his power resisted, to go begging, mourning and weeping; no! He goes to accomplish everything necessary to the salvation of the sinner. O my soul, I know experimentally that nothing but such a system can reach such a case as old Joel Hume. I know I was a sinner of the deepest dye, and nothing but the grace of God, bestowed upon me unconditionally, will ever save me, for I was not seeking Christ, till I was arrested in my course, and shown my condition. So, sinner, will be your condition when God Almighty gives you the knowledge of your condition, and not till then will you repent of your sins. My dear friends, if you can, will you please tell me which of the two systems is the most applicable to man, and which gives God the most glory, and which will result in the most good to the greater number of the sons and daughters of earth? O may the Lord help you and me, may he inspire us to investigate these sublime truths impartially. O may God give us an understanding of the revelation of his Divine economy. O may he help us to live in accordance with the doctrine of our Lord and Savior, and in all things live soberly and righteously, looking forward for that blessed hope, in our Lord and Savior. O it fills my soul with joy unspeakable, and makes me rejoice in God, my redeemer, to think that such a wretch, such a vile rebel as I should indulge a little hope, unworthy as I am to-day, that my name is engraven in the glorious record of the future, as one that Jesus died for. I feel that I could take you all to the throne of grace, for this is not a system of hate. I have thus labored here, because my soul is enlisted for you; I thus labor, because I love you, and because I love my Savior. My head is now whitened with the frost of many winters; no doubt, in a short time I shall go down to the tomb. How sweet will be the divine voice that says, you have done your duty, you have been faithful. O may we live so that when we come to die, we may die in peace and faith, and be enabled to adopt the language of the apostle: "I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of glory, and not for me only, but for all them that believe his appearing." Amen.
(Time expired.)
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