Dear Brethren, THE question, on which we are to address you this year, is somewhat novel, yet very interesting, particularly at the present time. Within a few years past, after a long wintry season, God has, in a wonderful manner, revived religion among us, and as we trust, copiously poured out his Holy Spirit upon the inhabitants of our highly favoured country: Pentecostal seasons have been experienced. The watchmen In Israel have been harmoniously united, unusually animated and active in their Heavenly Master's service; and both saints and sinners remarkably operated upon. Many of the most careless, insensible, and obdurate among mankind, who have attended public meetings for religious worship, some with the professed design of ridiculing every thing sacred, have become the happy subjects of renewing grace. Like Saul of Tarsus, they have fallen to the ground, and have been made to cry out, "Lord what wilt thou have us to do?" -- Or like the poor trembling Jailer, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" Thus, "Fools, who went to scoff, remained to pray." Yet so strangely have both the minds and bodies of many been affected since this revival has commenced, particularly at some extraordinary meetings, that it has been doubted, not only by the irreligious, but also by some very pious persons, whether these effects are produced by the spirit of God, or merely enthusiasm. -- This state of things, the doubts which have arisen, and the interesting nature of the inquiry at all times, have occasioned the following question to be made the subject of this letter, viz. "How may enthusiasm be distinguished from the influence of the spirit and grace of God on the heart?"
By enthusiasm, we understand a blind zeal, or heated imagination, whereby a person is persuaded he has direction from the Deity, or intercourse with him in his religious pursuits and exercises, when any deep impression is made on his mind; although there be in such cases no rational or sufficient evidence of Divine interposition.
According to this definition we shall find enthusiasm prevailing, in a greater or less degree, among persons in every state and condition of life. -- Mankind in a state of nature, unrenewed by the Holy Spirit, are apt to deviate from the plainest truths of the Gospel: -- The consequence frequently is, that they immediately erect a standard of their own, and anathematize all those who are not disposed to enlist themselves under it. Here we behold pride and arrogance triumphing over reason, and gaining possession of the heart of man -- Deplorable condition!
There are many who think themselves high in the favour of God, and who would wish to be thought so by others, who like the Pharisees, are awfully mistaken with respect to their true character.
A striking instance, of this nature, we have in the Publican and Pharisee, who went up into the temple to pray. The Pharisee stood and prayed, saying, "God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust," &c. whilst the poor Publican, standing at a distance dared not so much as lift up his eyes toward Heaven, but smote upon his breast crying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." What is the language of our Saviour, respecting these two persons, "I tell thee," saith he, "the one," meaning the Publican, "went down to his house, justified rather than the other." Where was there ever a greater enthusiast than the Apostle Paul, previous to his conversion? -- He himself declares that he was mad against the Christians, and thought he was doing God service when he was persecuting them, even unto strange cities.
To a blind zeal, and the pride of the human heart, as to their true origin, may be attributed the different sects which sprang up, in the Christian church, soon after the time of Christ and his Apostles. Enthusiasm in religion, or as the Apostle Paul terms it, "a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge," has been the cause of more confusion and bloodshed, than, perhaps, any thing else in the world. From this crater of religious fury, issued those crusades, or holy wars, in which many thousands of mankind lost their lives. To this principle may be traced many of the absurdities of the Romish Church. Forsaking the word of God and indulging a vain belief in supposed private revelation, they have proceeded to the worship of images and saints, and to the absurd veneration of relics, to pilgrimages, penance, and many foolish ceremonies, supposing that through the medium of these, they have communications with the Deity.
Here we behold a species of enthusiasm the most absurd and extravagant that possibly could possess the human mind. In what a degraded situation must those countries be, where the rational powers and faculties of men are thus subjected to the controul of pride, superstition, and a furious zeal! -- But we need not go into distant countries, or within the pale of the Romish Church, to find enthusiasm. Let us look into our own country, where religion is placed upon as proper a basis, and exists in as pure a state as in any part of the world; even here, we are often called to witness the baneful effects of this too predominant principle. From whence proceed those animosities which divide religious societies, and set them at variance with each other? -- Not from the gentle influence of the spirit and grace of God upon the heart, dictating love, peace and harmony with those who are the professed followers of the Lamb of God. No, they proceed generally from an enthusiastic attachment to parties, as well as from pride, and an unyielding and uncharitable disposition, the offspring of the old corrupt nature. It is to be lamented that many religious sects are so enthusiastically attached to their particular tenets, as not to give those of their opponents a serious and candid investigation. Our Saviour hath commanded us to "search the scriptures;" but, instead of doing as he hath bidden, too many build their faith upon merely human tradition, and not upon the word of God. Thus, then, we may account for the many errors which have been introduced into the christian church, and have become like a second nature; which renders it so very difficult a matter to overcome them. One says, I am of Paul, another I am of Apollos, and another I am of Cephas, whilst, too often, Christ is forgotten. May we not say unto such, as the Apostle did to the Galatians, "Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth?" We are almost ready to conclude that, were they really Christians, they would obey the truth.
Enthusiasm is not applicable only to particular sects and parties, but individuals in all connections, are often influenced by it. Thus, many who have been only partially awakened, who have had conviction for sin, without experiencing converting grace, are often very zealously engaged in performing the outward duties of religion, and indulge a fond delusive hope that they are highly interested in the Divine favour.
This appears to have been the case with the five foolish virgins, in the parable; they had lamps of profession, as well as the wise, but were destitute of the oil of grace -- They are represented as having gone forth, with the wise, to meet the bridegroom. No doubt they adhered to the outward forms of religion; and, perhaps in these they might in many respects have outgone the wise. But they were, ultimately denied admission into the kingdom of heaven, being found wanting. This will be the awful doom of many in the great day of final retribution.
In addition to what has been stated respecting the influence of enthusiasm on persons who profess false religion, and on hypocritical, formal professors of the true; it becomes us in justice to our subject to observe, that enthusiasm may exist also, to a certain degree, in minds actually pious: and through the weakness of the understanding, warmth of the affections, or melancholy habits of the mind, gain such an ascendency over the temper and conduct of a person as to produce errors in sentiment and extravagance in conduct, highly injurious to men and displeasing to God. Weakness of the understanding not only makes a person liable to many mistakes of his own, but subjects him frequently to the influence and errors of other enthusiasts. Under the influence of this affection the ardent mind fondly hopes that it is directed to all the objects of its religious pursuits by a Divine impulse; and that its joys, pleasures, and even extravagances, are the effects of a supernatural influence; while on the otherhand, one of a melancholy habit, interprets all its gloomy apprehensions to be the manifestations of Divine displeasure against itself or others.
Of its common effects, even on persons of piety, we may observe, that, it often reduces the state of the mind to a childish disposition of attending to trifles with great earnestness, to the neglect of the most important truths and duties; and that it produces a pusillanimous subjection to the opinions of those in whom it confides as its spiritual guides s. At one time an irrational obstinacy, in opinions and resolutions once formed, is the effect; at another, fickleness of temper, & an unaccountable change in sentiment and pursuit; and, frequently, violent dislikes and opposition, toward those who do not accord with the enthusiast in his extravagant ideas and conduct. Its joys are often rapturous, and its depressions peculiarly gloomy, so as to produce bodily, as well as mental affections; and these frequently arise from mechanical, or accidental causes; such as loud and earnest speaking, extravagant gestures, the particular tone of voice used by a public speaker; a dream, an unexpected occurrence of a scriptural text, an appearance in the heavens, or some event of Providence arbitrarily interpreted. It frequently prompts men to enter on stations, and attempt performances, for which they are utterly unqualified; to neglect the means, while they seek to attain their desired end; and, too often, to transgress all the rules of decency and order, not only as established by right reason, but even by the Word of God.
We shall now attend to the influence which the spirit and grace of God have upon the heart.
By the influence of spirit and grace of God, we are not, on this occasion, to understand those extraordinary operations which come under the character of inspiration; including prophecy, infallible direction, and the power of working miracles. These have ceased. But we are to consider that influence which is more common, and essential to the salvation of a soul, according to the economy of grace. By the Spirit, we understand the heavenly agent -- The third person of the sacred Trinity: And by Grace, the divine principle, or life, implanted, or infused by him into the soul of man. On this subject we shall treat with all the brevity it will admit. According to the scriptures the office of the Holy Spirit is to renew and sanctify the Redeemed of Christ, that they may be fitted for the service of God on earth, and for the perfect enjoyment of him in heaven. In performing this great and gracious work, "he convinces of sin," by enlightening the understanding, by awakening the conscience, and by bringing the sinner to a just sense of the majesty, wisdom, holiness and justice of God; and of his own vileness, guilt and unworthiness; so as to produce in him deep humiliation, self loathing, and sorrow for sin, attended with an unfeigned reformation. Another important work of the Spirit is to bring the penitent, by faith, to Christ, as the only Saviour; to accept of his free unmerited Grace, with gratitude and joy; to rely on his all-sufficient merit and intercession, for pardon, justification and acceptance with God, renouncing every other hope and trust; to surrender himself to the government and service of the Redeemer, by a voluntary and joyful consecration of all his powers to him.
In renovating the soul, he subdues the will, sanctifies the affections, and enlightens the understanding with divine knowledge; disposing the mind to make the best use of its rational faculties, in acquiring the knowledge, and in doing the will of God. As a heavenly teacher he instructs in "the wisdom that is from above, which is peaceable, pure, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." Faith in God the Redeemer, love to him, charity to men, humility, joy in the Lord, zeal for his honour, patience and resignation under trials and sufferings, with fortitude and constancy in the face of danger, and a delight in holiness, are his fruits.
The divine Spirit is spoken of as a teacher and comforter to the saints: in the execution of these condescending and gracious offices, he uses his own revealed truth, and the rational means he has established in the economy of Providence and Grace; applying them with divine power to the soul: Taking the things which are Christ's and spewing them unto us, and witnessing to our spirits, as a holy filial temper is produced in us, that we are the children of God. As the spirit of grace and supplication also, he makes the children of God sensible of their wants; enlarges their hearts with holy desires toward God, and thus disposes and enables them, as humble supplicants, to approach the Throne of Grace. In a similar manner does he quicken and direct those who are called to act in the public office of Gospel ministers, while faithfully engaged to discharge the duty incumbent on them: and both the public minister, and private christian, are directed, under his influence, to perform all things decently and in order: "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace."
Hence therefore we conclude, that the influence of the spirit and grace of God is to be distinguished from enthusiasm, by its operating according to the word of God revealed unto us, and by its disposing the mind to act according to that golden rule; by its disposing it also to act in a rational, orderly and dignified manner in its religious pursuits and exercises; by producing an abiding principle of holiness in the heart, which manifests itself in a regular exercise of all the christian graces and virtues; by disposing a person to have a holy jealousy over himself, to guard carefully against delusion, to use the means of grace with diligence, and to keep the glory of God in view as his grand object in every pursuit.
Whatever means an Almighty Sovereign may be pleased to use for carrying on his great work of grace, whether ordinary, or extraordinary; whether by impressions made only on the mind, or by bodily affections joined with them; if the effects here described are ultimately produced, we must consider the change so wrought, and the life so directed, as produced & governed by his gracious influence.
But whatever impressions may be made on the mind, or body; whatever persuasion, and confidence, a person may have of being divinely directed; whatever distress and terror he may feel on the one hand, or whatever joy and even rapture en the other -- if these do not accord with the word of God, in its sublime doctrines and precepts, are not attended with a sanctifying, abiding influence on the heart and life, and do not direct us into a wise, prudent, and orderly manner of acting for the glory of God, we have reason to believe the whole is the effect of enthusiasm or delusion.
Thus, dear brethren, we have endeavoured in as few words as the nature of the subject would well admit, to set this important difference between the influence of the divine spirit and grace, and that of enthusiasm, before you, in such a manner as to assist your judgment in forming a right conclusion, and to guard your minds against those delusions which have often been attended with effects highly unfavourable to the cause of God and the peace of his children.
We trust that your souls will be abundantly enriched with the grace of the Holy Spirit: that he will guide you by his unerring counsels into the knowledge of all important truths which respect the glory of our Redeemer, and the salvation of your own souls, and that he will bring you at last to his heavenly kingdom and glory.
The blessings of grace conferred on us, during the present year, which are manifested in the increase of our churches, and the present happy state of many of them, call for returns of the most lively gratitude and love. Our meeting has been attended with peace, harmony, and the pleasing interchange of brotherly affection. We request your prayers, and remain, Dear Brethren,
Your's, affectionately, &c. ================= [From the Charleston Baptist Association Minutes, 1803, via Wood Furman A. M., A History of the Charleston Association of Baptist Churches, pp. 104-109. Scanned and formatted by Jim Duvall.]
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