Friday, February 22, 2008

A Free Will to Go to Hell

Welcome to the first weekend post at The Prostrate Calvinist. We, that is, the editorial "we," have decided to dedicate weekend posts to extended quotes from the noteworthy preachers and theologians of yesteryear.

So, what would be more fitting than to begin with George Whitefield himself, who quite possibly typifies the purpose of this blog more than any other:
The doctrines of our election, and free justification in Christ Jesus are daily more and more pressed upon my heart. They fill my soul with a holy fire and afford me great confidence in God my Saviour.

I hope we shall catch fire from each other, and that there will be a holy emulation amongst us, who shall most debase man and exalt the Lord Jesus. Nothing but the doctrines of the Reformation can do this. All others leave freewill in man and make him, in part at least, a Saviour to himself. My soul, come not thou near the secret of those who teach such things... I know Christ is all in all. Man is nothing: he hath a free will to go to hell, but non to go to heaven, till God worketh in him to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Oh, the excellency of the doctrine of election and of the saints' final perseverance! I am persuaded, til a man comes to believe and feel these important truths, he cannot come out of himself, but when convinced of these, and assured of their application to his own heart, he then walks by faith indeed!... Love, not fear, constrains him to obedience.
- George Whitefield, Vol 1

No comments:

Post a Comment