Jonathan Dickinson
Jonathan
Dickinson’s Familiar Letters counts
as his most widely circulated publication. In the eighteenth century alone, it
went through nine editions. The format is in the form of nineteen letters that
address a variety of theological concerns. In his eighth letter, Dickinson
presented two types of faith: an authentic saving kind and a false one. After
witnessing the waning of religion in the wake of the Great Awakening, with its
excessive itinerant preachers and ephemeral zeal for Christianity, Dickinson
sought to explain the marks of true faith from those who falsely professed
devotion to God at the time of the revivals. Dickinson argued that only a
person enlightened by the power of the Holy Spirit could experience the heartfelt
change necessary for conversion. While some people could learn knowledge about
salvation through Christ, only a true believer not only knows the gospel, but
also acts on it. Authentic Christians repent of their sins and earnestly strive to replace a sinful lifestyle with a godly one.
Familiar Letters To a Gentleman upon a Variety of seasonable and
important Subjects in Religion (1745)
Letter VIII: Wherein
the Difference between a true saving Faith, and a dead temporary Faith, is
distinctly considered
I do indeed
insist upon it, that men may notionally and doctrinally believe the truth of
the gospel, without a saving faith in Christ, and without an interest in him,
or a claim to the benefits of his redemption. This is a truth clearly taught in
the scriptures; and abundantly evident from the reason and nature of things. If
any therefore should expect salvation, from a mere doctrinal and historical
faith in Christ, they will in the conclusion find themselves disappointed, and
ashamed of their hope.
We read
(John xii. 42, 43) of many of the chief rulers who believed in Christ, but
dared not confess him; for they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of
God. And will any man imagine, that such believers who dare not confess Christ
before men, shall be confessed by him before his heavenly Father and his holy
Angels, in the great day of retribution? Will any man imagine, that our blessed
Lord will own such for his sincere disciples and followers, who love the praise
of men, more than the praise of God? Here then is a clear instance of a
doctrinal and historical faith, which was not saving; and could give no claim
to the promise made to true believers. We have this matter further illustrated
and confirmed by the Apostle James, in the second chapter of his epistle; where
we are shown, that such a Faith is dead, being alone; that it is but a carcass
with breath. As the body without the
Spirit is dead, so faith without works, is dead also. Of such a faith we
may therefore say with the same apostle, What
doth it profit, though a man say that he has faith? Can faith save him?
But I need
not multiply scripture quotations in this case. It is what is continually confirmed
to us by our own observation. How many do we see every day, who acknowledge the
truth of the gospel, and yet live worldly, sensual and vicious lives; who profess they know Christ, but in works
deny him; who call themselves by his name, and yet value their lusts and
idols above all the hopes of his salvation; and even run the venture of eternal
perdition, rather than deny themselves,
take up their cross, and follow him?
Now there can be nothing more certain, than that these men are utterly
unqualified for the kingdom of God; and that they can have no special interest
in him who gave himself for us, that he
might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works.
As, on the
one hand, there is a gracious promise of final salvation, to all who believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ. He that believeth,
and is baptized, shall be saved: He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting
life: So, on the other hand, there is a sort of believers, who can have no
claim to this promise, nor any interest in the salvation by Christ. It must
therefore be of infinite consequence, that we have indeed the faith of God’s elect, that we
may become the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ; and therefore that
our faith be distinct, in its nature and operations, from such an empty,
lifeless and fruitless belief, with which the formal, worldly and sensual
professor may deceive and destroy his own soul. From whence it appears, that
your question is most important; and deserves a most careful and distinct
answer: which I shall endeavor in the following particulars.
1. A true
and saving faith, is a realizing and sensible impression of the truth of the
gospel: whereas a dead faith is but a mere notional and speculative belief of
it. Faith is by the apostle described, the
substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen: That
which brings eternal things into a near view; and represents them unto the soul
as undoubted realities. Whence it is, that the true believer, when he has
experienced the defect of his own purposes and endeavors, when he is wearied
out of all his false refuges, emptied of all hope in himself, and is brought to
see and feel the danger and misery of his state by nature, he is then brought
in earnest to look to Jesus, as the only refuge and safety of his soul. He then
sees the incomparable excellency of a precious Savior, breathes with ardent
desire after him, repairs to him as the only foundation of his hope; and
proportionably to the evidence of his interest in him, rejoices in Christ Jesus, having no confidence in the flesh. Now,
the blessed Savior and his glorious salvation is the subject of his serious,
frequent and delightful contemplation. Now, an interest in Christ is valued by
him above all the world; and he is in earnest to obtain and maintain good
evidence, that his hope in Christ is well founded. Now, the favor of God, and
the concerns of the unseen and eternal world, appear of greater importance than
every thing else. He now mourns under a sense of his former sins; he groans
under the burden of his remaining corruptions and imperfections; and with
earnest diligence follows after holiness, endeavoring to work out his own
salvation with fear and trembling. And in a word, he has such an impression of these
invisible realities, that whatever temptations, desertions, or prevailing
corruptions he may conflict with, nothing can so banish the great concern from
his breast, as to make him habitually slothful and indifferent about it:
Nothing can quiet him, short of having his heart and affections engaged in the
things of God and godliness; and his appetites and passions under the restraint
and governing influence of the Law of the
Spirit of Life.
But now, on
the other hand, if we take a view of the influence which a dead faith has upon
the soul, it is visible, that this usually leaves the subjects of it secure and
careless, trifling and indifferent, in the concerns of the eternal world. These
appear to such a person but distinct futurities, which don’t engage his solemn
attention, and make him in earnest solicitous about the event; nor give any
effectual check to his inordinate appetites and passions. Or if (as it
sometimes happens) any awakening dispensation alarms the conscience of such a
person, to a distressing apprehension of his guilt and danger, drives him to
duties and external reformations, and makes him more careful and watchful in
his conduct, he has yet no sensible impressive view of the way of salvation by
Jesus Christ. He either endeavors to pacify the justice of God, and his own
conscience, by his duties and religious performances; and so lulls himself
asleep again in his former security: or else continues to agonize under most
dark, dreadful and unworthy apprehensions of the glorious God, as if he were
implacable and irreconcilable to such sinners as he. Such a person would
readily acknowledge, but he cannot feel this blessed truth, that Christ Jesus
is a sufficient Savior. He allows it to be truth; but it is to him such a
truth, as has no effectual influence upon his heart and life. Though he owns
this to be true: Yet he can never comfortably venture his soul and his eternal
interests upon it, unless a ray of divine light shine into his soul, and give
him a lively and sensible view of what he could before have but a slight and
superficial apprehension of.
Here then
you see an apparent difference between a true difference between a true and a
false faith. The one realizes the great truths of the gospel, by a lively and
feeling discovery of them; giving the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The other
gives but a lifeless and unactive assent to these important truths. The one
influences the heart and affections, and by beholding
with open face, as in a glass, the glory of the Lord, changes the soul into the
same image, from glory to glory: The other only swims in the head, and
leaves the heart in a state either of security or despondency. The one is an
abiding principle of divine life, from which there flows rivers of living
water: The other is transient and unsteady, and leaves the soul short of any
spiritual principle of life and activity.
2. A saving
faith is a hearty consent to the terms of the gospel: while a dead faith is but
a cold assent to the truth of it. Accordingly a true faith is in the gospel
described to be a receiving of the Lord
Jesus Christ. To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the
children of God. Our blessed Redeemer is freely offering himself and his
saving benefits to poor perishing sinners, in the gospel. Our compliance with
and acceptance of the gospel offer, are the terms of our interest in him, and
constitute the faith of God’s elect. They therefore, and they only, are true
believers in Christ, who heartily acquiesce in the glorious method of a
sinner’s recovery from ruin by Jesus Christ; and heartily accept an offered
Savior, in all his offices and benefits. A true believer, convinced of his
natural blindness and ignorance, repairs to the Lord Jesus Christ to enlighten
his mind, to make his way plain before him, and to give him a clear sensible
and spiritual acquaintance with the great things of his eternal peace. The true
believer has found by experience his utter incapacity to procure the divine
favor by the best of his duties, reformations, or moral performances, and that
he has cause to be ashamed and confounded in his own sight, for the great
defects of his highest attainments in religion: and therefore welcomes the Lord
Jesus Christ to his soul, as the Lord his Righteousness, repairs to him, and to
him only, for wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; and builds
all his hope of acceptance with God, upon what Christ has done and suffered for
him. The true believer labors and is heavy-laden with the sinfulness of his
nature; and longs for a further victory over his corrupt affections, appetites
and passions, for more spirituality in his duties, and for a further progress
in piety and holiness; and therefore heartily desires and accepts the Lord
Jesus Christ as his Sanctifier, as well as Savior; and earnestly seeks after
the renewing, strengthening, and quickening influences of his blessed Spirit.
The true believer feels the necessity of this blessed Savior in all his
offices, relations, and characters. He sees him to be just such a Savior as his
soul wants; and therefore cheerfully accepts a whole Christ, with his whole
heart, without any reserve, without any desire of other terms of acceptance
with God. He may entertain dark apprehensions of himself, and complain heavily
of the great defects of his faith and holiness; but he can never entertain hard
thoughts of the gospel-scheme; nor complain of the terms of salvation therein
proposed. These appear to him the wisdom
of God, and the power of God; and every way answer the exigencies of his
state, and the desires of his soul.
But if, on
the contrary, we consider the character of a dead faith, it is what never
brings the soul to a full consent to the terms of the gospel, without some
exception and reserve. The unsound believer may imagine, that he accepts of the
Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior: But what is the foundation and encouraging
motive of his imaginary compliance with the gospel offer? Upon an impartial
inquiry, it will always be found to be something in himself: His good
affections, duties, moralities, reformations, promises, or purposes. He
endeavors by these to recommend himself to God; and on the account of these, he
hopes to find acceptance through Christ. Or if he feels ever so strong a desire
of salvation by Christ, yet he is driven to it only by fear and self-love; and
will renew his affection to his other lords, as soon as his awakening
apprehensions are worn off. He doesn’t feel his want of Christ’s enlightening
and enlivening influences. For he knows not what they mean. He submits not to
the righteousness of Christ. For he is still endeavoring to procure acceptance
with God from some good qualifications of his own, some duties which he
performs, or some progress which he makes or designs to make in his religious
course. He cannot submit to Christ as his Lord. For there is some slothful
indulgence, which he cannot forego, some darling lust which he cannot part
with, some worldly idol which his heart is set upon, or some difficult duty
which he must excuse himself from.
There is
nothing more apparent, than the distinction between these two sorts of
believers. The one comes to Christ destitute of all hope and help in himself;
but sees enough in Christ to answer all his wants. The other is full in himself.
The one looks to Christ to be his light. The other leans to his own
understanding. The one makes mention of Christ’s righteousness, and that only.
The other hopes for an interest in Christ and his salvation, on account of his
own attainments; and in effect, expects justification by his own righteousness,
for Christ’s sake. The one brings a guilty, polluted, unworthy soul to the
blessed Redeemer, without any qualification to recommend it: expecting from him
alone all the supplies he wants, repairing to him for gold tried in the fire, that he may be rich; for eye-salve, that he may
see; and for white raiment, that he may be clothed. The other ordinarily
raises his expectations from Christ, in proportion to his own imaginary
qualifications and good disposition. The one as well desires salvation by
Christ from pollution, as from guilt. The other has a reserve of some deceitful
lust; and hugs some Delilah in his bosom, which he can’t be willing to part
with. In fine, the one is willing to accept of the Lord Jesus Christ upon any
terms. The other will not come to Christ, but upon terms of his own
stating.
Jonathan Dickinson, Familiar
Letters To a Gentleman, upon A Variety of seasonable and important Subjects in
Religion (Boston: Printed and Sold by Rogers and Fowle, 1745), 109-17.
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