31. George Whitefield, Journals (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960), 323 – 24.
Appendix 2
George Whitefield, the great preacher and defender of the faith in Britain and colonial America, wrote in his journal of August 6, 1739:
Had a conference aft er sermon with one, who I fear with some others, maintained antinomian principles. From such, may all that know them turn away; for though, (to use the words of our Church Article) good works, which are the fruits of faith, cannot put away our sins, or endure the severity of God's judgment (that is, cannot justify us), yet they follow aft er justifi cation, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known as a tree discerned by the fruit.31
Jonathan Edwards, possibly the finest preacher and clearest theological thinker of the 1700s, wrote:
Th at religion which God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indiff erence. God, in his word, greatly insists upon it, that we be in good earnest, fervent in spirit, and our hearts vigorously engaged in religion. . . .
Those who thus insist on persons' living by faith, when they have no experience, and are in very bad frames, are also very absurd in their notions of faith. What they mean by faith is, believing that they are in a good estate. Hence they count it a dreadful sin for them to doubt of their state, whatever frames they are in, and whatever wicked things they do, because it is the great and heinous sin of unbelief; and he is the best man, and puts most honour upon God, that maintains his hope of his good estate the most confidently and immovably, when he has the least light or experience; that is to say, when he is in the worst frame and way; because forsooth, that it is a sign that he is strong in faith, giving glory to God, and against hope believes in hope. But from what Bible do they learn this notion of faith, that it is a man's confidently believing that he is in a good estate? If this be faith, the Pharisees had faith in an eminent degree; some of whom Christ teaches, committed the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost. . . .
. . . It may be from unbelief, or because they have so little faith, that they have so little evidence of their good estate. If they have more experience of the actings of faith, and so more experience of the exercise of grace, they would have clearer evidence that their state was good; and so their doubts would be removed. . . .
31. George Whitefi eld, Journals (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1960), 323 – 24.