Two Seed Baptist Ideology (LVIII)

In the previous two chapters we began to look at what Elders S.F. Cayce and his son C.H. Cayce had to say about several tenets of Two Seedism. Let us begin this chapter by citing further from Elder C.H. Cayce and his editorial titled "Two-Seedism" from the April 30, 1912 issue of "The Primitive Baptist." Cayce wrote:

"The doctrine of eternal Two Seedism is that in the work which we call regeneration, an eternal child, or eternal spirit, comes down from God out of heaven and takes up its abode in the Adam man, and remains in the Adam man until the man dies; then that eternal child goes back to God where it came from, and the Adam man goes to the grave and remains there forever. Thus the Adam man is not a subject of salvation. It is also taught that there are two families in the flesh - that Cain was a child of the devil by ordinary generation, and that Seth was a child of God by ordinary generation - that there are two families existing in the flesh - the family of God and the family of the devil, and that these two families have continued to exist all along from then until now. This is their teaching, although we have not learned how the devil got his family across the flood. These are some of the teachings of the Two Seed system, which we think are enough to show that the system is false."

It is interesting to all historians of the "Primitive" or "Old School" Baptists to notice that in the early part of the twentieth century that several tenets of Two Seedism were still being debated among them. In several posts of former years I have cited the following words from Elder Sylvester Hassell, written near the end of the nineteenth century:

"...the heathenish perversions of Scriptural truth set forth by Eld. Daniel Parker, of Tennessee, about 1835, in his pamphlet called "My Views on the Two Seeds," have corrupted Primitive Baptist doctrine more, and rent off more members and churches from our fellowship, than any and all other causes combined. In the census of 1890, the Two-Seed Baptists claim to have 333 churches and 9,932 members in 33 States, the largest membership being 2,019 in Texas, 1,270 in Tennessee, 1,230 in Arkansas, 965 in Kentucky, 840 in Mississippi, 668 in Missouri, 641 in West Virginia, 538 in Alabama, 330 in Georgia, and from 10 to 194 in each of 14 other States. (The entire number of Primitive Baptists in the United States is probably about 100,000.) I am glad to have evidences that, at least in some sections, there is a strong tendency among the Two-Seed Baptists to renounce all the Parkerite corruptions of truth, and to return to the simple faith of the gospel. May it please the God of Israel soon to dispossess all their minds of the blighting Satanic delusions with which their churches have been cursed for nearly sixty years."" (The Two Seed Heresy The Gospel Messenger--March 1894) 

"It would be impossible to tell how many changes and forms, each one inconsistent with itself, with the others, and with the Scriptures, Two-Seedism has assumed during that period."

Cayce in the above words gives a limited description of Two Seed tenets. What he says about Two Seedism is true as regards that segment of Two Seeders known as Two Seed in the Flesh Predestinarian Baptists though not Two Seed in the Spirit Predestinarian Baptists. Daniel Parker held the latter view, not believing that it was by physical generation or procreation that children of God or children of the Devil were produced, but by a spiritual generation through sin. Also note how there were still many Two Seed churches, said Hassell, at the end of the 19th century. He does not mention the fact, however, that even among his own fellowship of "Primitive Baptist" churches that there still remained many remnants of Two Seed ideology: And, as we will see further from the early 20th century writings of Cayce, there were still battles going on over Two Seed ideas.

In chapter twenty eight of this series I cited from history professor John G. Crowley and his book "Primitive Baptists of the Wiregrass South" (1999), who is himself a "Primitive Baptist," who said on page 133 of that book that one could still find Two-Seed doctrines expounded by today's "Primitive Baptists," "if one knows where to go and what to listen for." (page 133) We can see that in several ways, as we have seen. In the first couple decades of the twentieth century Elder Cayce is still having to deal with remnants of Two Seedism still existing within the denomination.

In an editorial titled "The New Birth" for the December 12, 1916 issue of "The Primitive Baptist," he wrote:

"The following article was written by Elder F. A. Chick, and was first published in the Primitive Monitor of February 15, 1890, and was copied on the editorial page of THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST of September 13, 1894. Elder R. W. Thompson was editor of the Monitor when the article appeared in that paper, and is still the editor of that paper. This article shows what position our father occupied at that time, and what this paper stood for then."

Apparently there were still debates going on in 1916 about whether Cayce, like others, held to some tenets of Two Seedism. Cayce denied any change of views and cites what was published by his father in the "Primitive Baptist" periodical for September 13, 1894 to prove it. He cites from the article by Elder Chick on one of the Two Seed tenets dealing with what is meant by "old man" and "new man" in the writings of the apostle Paul. In previous chapters we have seen what the Two Seeders believed about the significance of these terms, and how it was a hotly debated point. 

Chick wrote (emphasis mine):

"First, you ask me what I understand by the terms old man and new man."

"First, I desire to call attention to this one consideration, viz.: that the “new man” is not addressed and told to put off the old man, neither is the “old man” addressed and told to put on the new man. But Paul is addressing his brethren...And he says to these believing men and women that they should do this, or that have done this, viz.: have put off the old man and have put on the new. Here, if I may so speak, are three men instead of two. But, indeed, the expression, old man and new man, are simply figurative expressions for the two opposing principles which every believer finds dwelling in his own heart and waging ceaseless warfare there. We are not to suppose for a moment that the apostle means that we are to understand by these terms two fully developed men, with soul, body and spirit in each, and both dwelling in us, you and I, who constitute a third distinct man or woman. It seems to me that anyone who has the slightest acquaintance with the use of figures of speech would see at a glance that the apostle had no such meaning as this." 

I believe Chick is right in his interpretation. The "new man" is not an eternal child of God who was begotten in Christ from eternity, nor does it denote a part of a man that has been regenerated, nor is it anything implanted within a man. The "old man" is the person who is lost in sin and who is guided by his own understanding and by the world, having the world's values and beliefs about God and morality. The "new man" is the person who has been converted to Christ and who is guided by the Spirit and word of God and has Christ as his example.

In another editorial titled "The Inner and Outer Man AN OLD EDITORIAL" for the February 6, 1917 issue of his paper Cayce wrote:

"It has been charged that we have changed - that we are not advocating now what we advocated a few years ago. We publish the article below to show that we have not changed - that we believe now just exactly what we did when the following article was written by our father, Elder S. F. Cayce, and published in THE PRIMITIVE BAPTIST of August 19, 1892. C. H. C. 

THE ARTICLE 

"The text which speaks of the children being partakers of flesh and blood will be found in (Hebrews 2:14)...The term, "partakers of flesh and blood," then, has no reference whatever to the work of regeneration nor to anything done at that time, but is only expressive of the kind of characters Jesus came to save - not eternal spirits, but sinners, "partakers of flesh and blood, those embraced in the covenant of grace and heirs according to promise..."

Recall what we observed about Hebrews 2: 14 and its interpretation by Elder Gilbert Beebe and how he thought that it taught that not only did Christ preexist before his incarnation, so too did the people of God preexist in Christ before their incarnation. Elder S.F. Cayce rightly rejects that view saying the text "is only expressive of the kind of characters Jesus came to save - not eternal spirits."

S.F. Cayce wrote further:

"Having shown that we understand this term, "partakers of flesh and blood," to be expressive of the kind of characters Jesus came to save, or of the condition His covenant people are in, or who they are, I will next give the three places in which Paul uses the expression "inner" or "inward" man, in one of which it will be observed that he also uses the term "outward" man, and of course the idea of such a term (outward or outer man) is conveyed in the other quotations also, as the inner or inward man is mentioned. "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." (2) (Romans 7:22). "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." (II Corinthians 4:16). "That He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man." (Ephesians 3:16). A careful reading and examination of these verses, and their connection, will certainly show that Paul was referring to two natures, or two principles, possessed by the child of God, one of which he calls the inner or inward man and the other the outward man. Not that there are two persons (or men) dwelling in the body, it (the body) being only a hull or dwelling place for the two; that is not it at all. But the child of God, having been born of the flesh first, born of Adam, has a nature or principle about him that is of the flesh or of Adam, and this Paul calls the outer man, and as he has been born of God, born again, he has also another principle, nature, or disposition about him, which Paul calls the inner or inward man. Especially does the apostle make it plain in (Romans 7) (entire chapter) that this is what he means by the expressions, inner, or inward, man and outward man. Having been born of Adam and afterwards born of God, Paul, like all others who have been born again, was a complex being had a principle or disposition that was common to his nature as a child of Adam and also another principle or disposition that was the result of "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which liveth and abideth forever, are "by nature children of wrath, even as others."

I don't think that the "inner man" and the "outer man" denote the same thing as Paul's "old man" vs "new man." We have addressed this issue in previous chapters. In other words the "inner man" is not simply another title for "new man" and "outer man" is not simply another title for "old man." The following text makes this clear:

"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day." (II Cor. 4: 16 nkjv)

Here it is clear that the "outward man" is the physical body that houses the soul and spirit. The "inward man" is the incorporeal part of man, denoting his soul and spirit. The term "old man" denotes the man who is unsaved, the man who was "shapen in iniquity" and "conceived in sin." (Psa. 51: 5) That old man is ruled by self, by Satan, by sin, and by the ungodly world. Paul described him as being "dead in tresspasses and sins" and who "walks according to the course of this world" and "according to the prince of the power of the air" and according to "the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience" and who "conducts himself by the lusts of the flesh" and is governed by "the desires of the flesh and of the mind" and who is "by nature a child of wrath." (Eph. 2: 1-3 nkjv)

On the other hand, the new man is the man who now has Christ living in him and governing him, and who is steadily being conformed to the image of Christ. We addressed how these terms, old man and new man, are used and defined in scripture in chapters fourteen and fifteen. The "new man" is the ideal man, or "the perfect man," as exhibited in the man Christ Jesus. So Paul wrote:

"till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." (Eph. 4: 13 nkjv)

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." (Phil. 3: 12 nkjv)

S. F. Cayce wrote further:

"All this shows that Paul not only calls that new principle or disposition which we receive in being born of God the new man, but he admonishes us to live after, or follow, its leadings or promptings and to keep in subjection the leadings or promptings of the old principle or disposition, the leadings of the outward man. And Peter also would teach the same lesson in his instruction to the sisters of the church, (Pet 3:3) (I Peter 3:3-4): Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price."

Two Seed Baptist Ideology (LVII)

Elder C.H. Cayce
Editorial Writings in the "Primitive Baptist"

The above is a picture of one of the bound volumes of "The Primitive Baptist" periodical and I bought my set many years ago. In the previous chapter we began to look at what Cayce wrote about Two Seedism and its tenets. We will continue to do so in this chapter. We will begin with Cayce's views on the parable of the wheat and tares, a key portion of scripture for Two Seeders, beginning with what he wrote in the following editorial for February 26, 1907. 

"Now, it seems to us that this parable has reference somewhat to the end or closing out of the old or law dispensation and the ushering in of the new, or rather to the end of the Jewish age or Jewish world. Jesus says the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels. The word angel, in Scripture, often means minister. “Unto the angel of the church,” as used several times in Revelation, certainly refers to the minister of the church. So the reapers or angels were the ministers of Christ, sent by Him. They were not sent by the church or by a board, but were sent by Him. They are sent the same way now as they were then-that is, Christ sends His ministers or His angels now. 

As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it was in the end of the Jewish age or Jewish world. Those wicked Jews were cast out; there was wailing and gnashing of teeth. The Lord's kingdom, or church, came forth from all the darkness of that age, her subjects shining as the sun. Though they suffered persecution and martyrdom, yet loyal subjects were there, and the kingdom of Christ was 'fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.”

These are a few of the thoughts we have had in connection with this parable. We do not know that this is the correct view of it, but it is the way we view it, and we offer these thoughts for our readers, and not as a standard at all. We know there is a difference among brethren on many of the parables, and we do not propose that our views are a standard."

From the above words of Cayce we see several remnants of Two Seed thinking. Notice that he says that the "angels" who gather the wheat and the tares at the end of the age are human beings, gospel ministers. Though it is true that occasionally "angel" does refer to human messengers, this is not its predominant usage. It is a rule of bible interpretation to take words in their common ordinary usage except where the context or common sense dictates otherwise. But there is nothing in the parable to lead one to think that the angels were human beings who were gospel preachers. 

Recall that we stated how Two Seeders were gross spiritualizers of the bible, a point that Elder John M. Watson stated in his work against Two Seedism in his book "The Old Baptist Test." In chapter forty seven  of this series I showed where he spoke of how they needed to give figurative interpretations of biblical texts in their denial of a physical resurrection. He also spoke of this tendency in the context of Two Seedism and what he called "ultraisms." Elder Sylvester Hassell agreed with Watson and I wrote about this in this post (here), writing:

In "Interpreting the Scriptures-The Spiritual Interpretation of Scripture," written by Elder Sylvester Hassell and published in The Gospel Messenger for April 1893 (See here), Hassell made these interesting comments (emphasis mine):

"Nearly thirty years ago “the beloved physician,” Eld. John M. Watson, professor of obstetrics in the medical department of the University of Nashville, Tenn, wrote in the "Old Baptist Test,' these wise and warning words: "We have become too ultra in most things...Above all things, avoid those prevailing ultraisms which are now eating on the Old Baptist Church as doth a canker--dividing churches and Associations, and disturbing the order and peace of the Baptists generally. Rebuke the ultraist whenever you meet with him--reclaim or reject him--let him be regarded constantly as the worst enemy of the Baptists of the present day!"

"It is especially in what claims to be the spiritual interpretation of the Scriptures that these ultra, wild, chilling, deadening, bewitching, confusing, dividing, and ruinous errors prevail among us. We have been so inattentive and dormant that the Lord righteously permits us to be afflicted, deceived, and desolated by false spirits, "transformed as the ministers of righteousness," (2 Cor. xi. 14, 15). Hyper, or Pseudo-Spiritualism, denying the truth or the importance of the literal meaning of the Scriptures, and thus sapping the very foundation of Christianity, now threatens, above every other danger, to be our ruin." 

The idea that the parable of the wheat and tares was intended to teach the casting away of the Jews and the bringing into the gospel church the Gentiles is certainly not what is self evidently the teaching of the parable. In the Lord's interpretation of the parable he does not give such an interpretation. The preachers in the time of Christ who Cayce says are the angels, and the "end of the age" which he connects with the time of the institution of the church, did not burn the wicked at that time. Nor did they gather the wheat into God's storehouse (kingdom). The plain fact is, there are still wheat and tares, saved and lost, living together in the world, and even in many churches. There has not yet been a total separation between the two nor a complete removal from the world of all wicked souls. 

Cayce is one who Hassell condemns in his words of denunciation about spiritualizing literal biblical truth. Elder Sylvester Hassell, a leader among the Hardshells in the time of Cayce, took the traditional view of the parable. In his "Questions and Answers" (See here) he wrote:

 

"Q. What is meant by the parable of the wheat and tares (Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43)?

A. Jesus clearly explains that the wheat is the children of the kingdom, who will at last shine forth in the kingdom of their Father; and that the tares are the children of the wicked one; who will, at the end of the world, be cast into a furnace of fire, where shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."

Cayce does recognize that many of his brethren disagree on the meaning of the parable and so he says that he does not know if his view is correct. I suspect that even in the day he wrote this there were still those of his brethren who took the Two Seed view. Further, as we will shortly see, Cayce admits that he sees all the parables as teaching the same thing as he believes is taught in the parable of the wheat and tares. 

Later, in "The Primitive Baptist" for December 6, 1910 Cayce again writes on the parable and says:

"The parable of the wheat and the tares refers to the closing out of the law dispensation and the ushering in of the gospel dispensation. The wheat was gathered together in the gospel kingdom in gospel worship and service. The tares were not admitted in the gospel worship and service. The law service and worship was then done away. It was destroyed."

That is obviously not what the parable teaches and Hassell would agree. Though many Hardshells boast of the greatness of Claud Cayce as a theologian, he certainly was not. He was a good debating Sophist, however. According to Cayce's view the separating work of the angels has been going on for the past two thousand years! However, it is clear that the "reaping" of "the harvest" does not take two thousand years to effect. 

Later, in The Primitive Baptist, Feb. 21, 1911, he writes again on the parable as follows:

"On another page of this paper appears a letter from Brother John G. Rousseau, of Paint Rock, Ala., in which he takes issue with us concerning the wheat and the tares. We gave a short statement of our views on this in our issue of December 6, 1910. We do not propose to set up our views as standard, but we certainly think Brother Rousseau is wrong in his application of the subject.

It is a fact that most, if not all, the parables the Saviour used had primary reference to the closing out of the law dispensation, or the Jewish age, and the ushering in of the gospel dispensation, or gospel age. The original meaning of the term “end of the world,” as used in the parables in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, is the “end of the age;” the end of the dispensation. The word “world” in the original has no reference to this material universe. For this very reason Brother Rousseau’s position cannot possibly be correct.

The passages quoted by Brother Rousseau showing that grievous wolves shall enter the church, and so on, does not, at all, disprove our statement that the parable has reference to the closing out of that Jewish age or dispensation.

An angel is a messenger. The Lord’s angels were His apostles and ministers, and by their ministry and preaching they gathered the good out from among the bad. The good were gathered together in bundles into gospel worship and service. 

If Brother Rousseau makes the proper application of the parable, it would be wrong to ever exclude anyone from the church, no matter what crime he might commit, for we understand his application to be that the tares are in the church, and must not be rooted up, or taken out, for fear of rooting up the wheat; and if this be a correct application it would destroy all church discipline. Not only so, but the Saviour does not say the field is the church, but the field is the world."

If Cayce's view is correct, then there should never be any failure in gathering the wheat nor in gathering the tares. Every plant, whether wheat or tares, will be harvested and there will be no successful resisting being harvested, all being effectually and irresistibly harvested. But, Cayce believed that many children of God (wheat) are never gathered into the church, and many of the tares are never gathered out of the church nor out of the world. Consider these words of the apostle Paul:

"I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world." (I Cor. 5: 9-10 nkjv) 

Paul indicates that though it is possible for Christians to not associate with brethren who have been excluded from their fellowship and shunned it is not the case that they exit this world by being burned as weeds, and Paul also says that outside of the Christian community there are yet wicked people (weeds) and the only way to be separated from them is to "go out of the world." Taught the Lord Jesus: “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. Let them alone." (Matt. 15: 13-14 nkjv) Jesus said that every plant not planted by the Lord, but planted by the Devil, will be rooted up and separated from the plants of the Lord and then burned in the fire. Until then, the admonition of the Lord to his disciples, to his ministers, was to "let them alone." But, if Cayce's view is correct, how can his human angels let the tares alone and yet gather them together to be burned? Cayce's view makes it the duty of ministers not only to gather the wheat but to also gather the tares for burning!

In another editorial titled "WHEAT AND TARES AGAIN" Cayce wrote the following in "The Primitive Baptist" for August 8, 1911.

"To make the separation of the wheat and tares to mean the final wind up of time, at the resurrection, is to make the resurrection of all and separation of the sheep from the goats, a work done through instrumentality. We would as soon believe and teach that God regenerates sinners through the instrumentality of ministers (angels) as to teach that He will resurrect them and separate them from the goats that way at the final wind up of all time.

Now, brethren, no matter how much you quibble, nor how much you quarrel about the matter, our statement remains true, whether you believe it or not, that the word world in the expression, “so shall it be in the end of the world,” is translated from a word which means age, and never was used to denote mankind, neither part nor all the race. Now, this is a fact, and all your grumbling at our position will not change this fact."

It is agreed that the words "end of the world" (kjv) means "end of the age." But admitting that does not lead to the view of Cayce that the "end of the age" means the end of the Jewish or old covenant age. In Matthew chapter twenty four Jesus speaks about the "end of the age" and it is clear that he means the time when the church age ends and the millennial age begins. Cayce, however, was a Preterist, and believed that the "end of the age" Jesus talked about in that chapter occurred in A.D. 70 when the temple was destroyed by the Roman army under Titus. Jesus, however, connected the "end of the age" with his second coming and it seems that Cayce, due to his Preterist view, must say that the second coming occurred in A.D. 70. That chapter begins with this question: "what shall be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?" (vs. 3) Christ then says these words in that wonderful discourse:

"For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be...And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other." (vs. 27, 30-31 kjv)

Of course, Cayce, like the Two Seeders, often thought that "angels" denoted preachers of the gospel. Just as he said that the reapers in the end of the age harvest were preachers, he would no doubt say that this gathering of the elect from the four winds by the angels, at the time when there is "a great sound of a trumpet," is what began to occur prior to A.D. 70 or immediately after. Such an interpretation is of course ridiculous. In the Primitive Baptist for June 26, 1906, Cayce writes on Matthew 24 and says:

"We will offer only a few words. In the thirty-fourth verse the Saviour says, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” All those famines, pestilences, wars, rumors of wars, desolations, earthquakes, and other distresses mentioned— these were all to be fulfilled before the passing away of that generation. So this prophecy could not be of something that is yet in the future. Those things have all been fulfilled...So, taking it all together, we think this chapter is foretelling the destruction of Jerusalem and the overthrow of the temple. In verse 2 it is said, “There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.” This was said with reference to the temple. Then the Saviour tells of some things that were to come to pass before the destruction of the temple, and says these shall all be fulfilled before that generation passes away. For these reasons we think the chapter is foretelling, mainly, of the overthrow of the temple and the destruction of Jerusalem. We offer these thoughts simply as our own views. We are not infallible, and may be wrong; but if what we have given can be any benefit to anyone, we shall have nothing to regret."  

I have read most of Elder Cayce's writings and I have not been able to find where he wrote much about angels, the angels of heaven. Elder Potter in his writings against Two Seedism did not talk about angels, as did Watson. As we saw in previous chapters many Two Seeders denied the existence of angels and always interpreted angels in the bible as human messengers. Cayce in the parable of the wheat and tares said the angels who harvest the wheat and tares at the end of the age are preachers. I am sure that in the above discourse of Christ (called the "Olivet Discourse") about the second coming of Christ, that Cayce would say that the gathering of the elect from the four winds was the gathering that God's ministers do in preaching the gospel.

Further, the complete separation of the saved from the unsaved does not occur until Christ comes, and this is taught by Christ in Matthew chapter twenty five about the separation of the sheep from the goats.

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left." (Matt. 25: 31-33 nkjv)

Just as the parable of the harvest of the wheat and tares effected a separation of the two, so the above prophecy speaks of that same separation which shall occur "when the Son of Man comes in his glory." In an article on "The Sheep and the Goats" for August 15th, 1935 in his paper he agrees that this separation occurs when Christ returns. However, he does not say who the angels are.

Now let me address Cayce's reasoning that led him to take the views he did on the parable of the wheat and tares. He said: "To make the separation of the wheat and tares to mean the final wind up of time, at the resurrection, is to make the resurrection of all and separation of the sheep from the goats, a work done through instrumentality."

I find this reasoning quite stunning. He says that his interpretation is the result of his belief that God does not use his word or gospel by the preachers of it as an instrument in salvation. He thinks that to believe that the harvest of the wheat and tares is what takes place at the end of time would overthrow his anti-means view. Quite frankly, I just don't see how that is so. How does God's use of angels in the end time harvesting overthrow his no means view? If this is his reasoning, then he surely will not believe that the words of Jesus in Matthew twenty four about the angels gathering together the elect from the four winds is what occurs at Christ's second coming, but will want to twist it to make the angels to once again be preachers and the gathering to be what is going on now in the church age and not what will occur at the second coming.

It seems to me that Cayce's view was an invention that was produced because he 1) made "angels" in the parable to be preachers, and 2) denied that God used preachers of his word in the saving of sinners, and 3) because he had no compunction in giving wing to fanciful interpretation, taking many literal truths and giving them a figurative non-literal meaning. Many "Primitive Baptists" believe that the parable teaches what nearly all bible teachers say, as Hassell, that it is talking about the separation of the righteous from the wicked at the return of Christ and yet they do not think that such a view goes against their no-means view of salvation.

Cayce said -- "The Lord’s angels were His apostles and ministers, and by their ministry and preaching they gathered the good out from among the bad. The good were gathered together in bundles into gospel worship and service." Why does he find fault with the holy angels of heaven being instruments in the end time harvesting of the wheat and in the separating of the wheat (saved people) from the tares? He mentions that the traditional interpretation of the parable leads to believing that the angels are employed in the resurrection. However, none of the texts say that the angels are instruments in the resurrection (though they may be) but that they are means for gathering, and he thinks that this gathering implies resurrecting. Perhaps he thinks that if one admits that angels can be instruments in the final resurrection of all, good and bad, then the Hardshell view that human beings cannot be instruments in spiritual resurrection is overthrown. If that is so, then why does he not have a problem with the fact that holy men of the bible raised the dead? Elijah and Elisha raised the dead in the old testament. Peter and Paul did so in the new testament. Why does he not see the same problem for his Hardshell Two Seed no means view in God's using the prophesying of Ezekiel to bring to life a large number of dry dead bones? (Ezekiel 37) 

Two Seed Baptist Ideology (LVI)

Elder C.H. Cayce

1871-1945

In this chapter we will give some of the things that the above elder wrote in his paper "The Primitive Baptist" about Two Seedism. It is therefore necessary for me to give some background information on him. He was the son of Elder S.F. Cayce who began the "The Primitive Baptist" periodical in 1886. According to the book "Biographical History of Primitive or Old School Baptist Ministers in the United States..." (You can read here) he was born in 1850 and died in 1905. You can also see a picture of him in that book. Though he was born in Kentucky, he became a resident of Martin, Tennessee and died in McMinville, Tennessee while preaching at an association there. 

He joined the "Primitive Baptist Church" in 1866 and was ordained an elder in 1878. It also mentions that he was engaged in many debates with others. The "Primitive Baptist Library" has a web page that lists many of S.F. Cayce's debates (here). I find it interesting that one of those debates was with Dr. W.P. Throgmorton in 1896. Throgmorton held several debates with the Hardshell Baptists. In 1878 he held his first debate with Elder Lemuel Potter, of whom we have already been citing. Potter and Throgmorton actually held another debate in 1887. Throgmorton would also have a debate with Elder John R. Daily, and perhaps more than one, and perhaps with other Hardshells. 

In S.F. Cayce's first debate with Throgmorton Cayce affirmed that eternal salvation was unconditional, that a person did not have to do anything to be saved, which echoes the Two Seed proposition that says that nothing a person does in his life determines whether he goes to heaven or hell. 

Elder S. F. Cayce met Elder Lee Jackson (a Campbellite) in a public debate at Lafayette Springs, Mississippi, in November 1895. The first proposition was: "The eternal salvation of sinners, as set forth in the Scriptures, is the work of God, independent of any conditions to be performed by man." In support of this proposition Elder S. F. Cayce gave thirty-six affirmative arguments. I give these thirty six arguments in this blog post (here) and give my rebuttal to them. 

I find it quite interesting that Elder S.F. Cayce named his periodical "The Primitive Baptist." The first paper by that name, as we have seen in previous chapters, was begun in January 1836 and ceased in 1879. It was at first edited by Elder Mark Bennett and supported by Elder Joshua Lawrence and the Kehukee Association. Those who supported it were believers in God's use of the means of gospel preaching to give birth to children of God. Bennett later left the "Primitive Baptists" and became a Missionary Baptist. He even held debates with Elder Grigg Thompson, who we have cited much from in previous chapters, after he left the Hardshells, about supporting missionaries. See these posts about that (here, here). Elder Lawrence believed in means and wrote against Two Seedism, as we saw in previous chapters. You can find articles about Lawrence and his views on means (here, here, here). In the first of these I cited from the 1838 issue of "The Primitive Baptist" where Lawrence wrote the following about the parable of the soils: 

"The first parable showeth the effect of the gospel preached by the Son of man with its effect on different persons, compared to the way side, stony ground, thorn, and good ground hearers; which showeth that three-fourths of his gospel preaching is lost, as only the good ground hearers bro't fruit. And this is true under the preaching of all his ministers, as well as his. So then the field in the first parable is the world, in which the gospel or word is preached; the field, in the second parable, is the world, in which the effects of the preaching of that gospel on good ground hearers produces the children of his kingdom. Hence it is said, born not of flesh, blood, or will of men; but of the word of God, that liveth and abideth forever. And again: I have beggotten you through the gospel..." (pg. 306)

"Although Christians are sons and daughters of God, yet they are not begotten of a woman; but through the gospel by the same Spirit that begot the body of Christ by Mary; therefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren." (pg. 310)

In my series "What The First Hardshells Believed" I cited much from this periodical to show that the first "Primitive Baptist" periodical believed in means and in the perseverance of the saints, two doctrines that would be denied by S.F. Cayce and his son C.H. Cayce and such denial was one of the foundational beliefs of the latter "Primitive Baptist" periodical. This post will give you links to many of the posts in that series (here).

So, what can we deduce by Elder S.F. Cayce naming his paper "The Primitive Baptist"? The first periodical by that name ended in 1879 and Cayce's periodical began in 1886. Surely he wanted to give the impression that he was carrying on the principles of the first periodical. However, that was a farce, for in his denial that people had to do anything to be saved, and his denial that God uses the means of his word or gospel in begetting children, and in his denial of the perseverance of the saints, and his denial of the predestination of all things, he was not continuing the views of the former periodical. This was deceitful and what Elder Watson called "serpentine." 

I also find that the year 1879 was an important date in the history of the Hardshell Baptists. Not only did the first "Primitive Baptist" publication cease, but so too did the "Primitive Baptist" publication "The Baptist Watchman" cease about that time. Elder R.W. Fain was an associate of Elder John M. Watson of whom we have cited much in previous chapters. We have also mentioned Elder Fain and his opposition to Two Seedism. Elder Fain, says the Primitive Baptist Library (here), began the periodical "Herald of Truth" in 1858, and was the paper Elder Watson recommended as the place to debate the issues involved in Two Seedism in his book "The Old Baptist Test." 

Elder Fain was also a physician as Dr. Watson in middle Tennessee. Another Elder and physician who was an editor of the Baptist Watchman was Elder J.B. Stephens. The older "Primitive Baptist" periodical generally supported means, so did elders Watson, Fain, and Stephens, and the Baptist Watchman. So, by the end of the 1870s we have the older periodicals that supported the means view going out of existence and being replaced by periodicals that embraced a denial of means, denied that a person had to do anything to be saved, all Two Seed ideas. Recall also how in former chapters I cited from the 1879 minutes of the Powell Valley Association of Primitive Baptists which said: 

"We as an association advise our sister churches to have no fellowship with what is generally known as the two-Seed Heresy or those who teach the doctrine of an Eternally damned or Eternally Justified outside of the preaching of the gospel of the Kingdom of God and teach that the unbeliever is no subject of gospel address. We believe that God makes use of the Gospel as a means of calling his Elect and this means is the work of the Spirit in the church."  (See my post here)

Also, Elder John Clark, a first generation leader of the newly formed "Primitive Baptist" church and an opposer of Beebe and his Two Seed views, and who started his paper "Zion's Advocate" in 1854 out of Luray, Virginia, was a believer in means, and he died in 1882. After his death Hardshell elders who denied means took over the editorship. (See these posts about what Clark said about means -- here, here)

Two leading elders of the "Primitive Baptist Church" who lived in the time when that denomination was created were elders John M. Watson and Hosea Preslar. In previous chapters I have cited from both of them as they were opponents of Two Seedism and both stated what were the tenets of Two Seedism. In my post titled "Elder Hosea Preslar & Watson" (See here) I cited from Preslar's book "Thoughts on Divine Providence" where he wrote the following about the beliefs of Two Seeders:

"And as to their views of the use and design of the gospel being for nothing but for the edification of the Church, and believers being the only subjects of gospel address, I believe it not." (Page 186)

Preslar however believed what had been the historic teaching of his Baptist forefathers, that the gospel "is moreover to be for a witness unto all nations; Matt. 24: 14; and for the awakening of sinners, who are dead in trespasses and in sin." (page 187)

He goes further (same page), saying this about Two Seed beliefs:

"But some object to these ideas and say all this is the work of the spirit of God; and the gospel has nothing to do with it. Ah, a gospel without a spirit! Well, God save me from a gospel that has not His spirit. God says His word is quick and powerful, and He says by Peter, This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you; I Peter 1: 25. And as to the subjects of Gospel address, it is to every creature the disciples were commanded to preach the gospel; and Paul said, Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, etc.; Col. 1: 28. So we see that their idea on that point is false as the balance, and we will now give their last, but not least error a passing notice."

In another post titled "Elder Preslar on Two Seedism" (See here) he gave a list of the erroneous beliefs of Two Seeders, and one of them was given as follows:

"Sixthly: That the gospel never was designed for anything else, but for the edification of the body of Christ, and that believers are the only subjects of gospel address."  (Page 184)

"And as to their views of the use and design of the gospel being for nothing but for the edification of the Church, and believers being the only subjects of gospel address, I believe it not." (Page 186)

"But some object to these ideas and say all this is the work of the spirit of God; and the gospel has nothing to do with it. Ah, a gospel without a spirit! Well, God save me from a gospel that has not His spirit. God says His word is quick and powerful, and He says by Peter, This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you; I Peter 1: 25. And as to the subjects of Gospel address, it is to every creature the disciples were commanded to preach the gospel; and Paul said, Whom we preach warning every man, and teaching every man, in all wisdom, etc.; Col. 1: 28. So we see that their idea on that point is false as the balance, and we will now give their last, but not least error a passing notice."  (pg. 187)

Watson in his book "Old Baptist Test," of which we have cited from much already, also identified the no means view with Two Seeders, and the view that says that the gospel is only to be preached to the elect or those already regenerated. He certainly did not believe, as S.F. Cayce, that there were no conditions for being saved, which was a Two Seed tenet. He wrote (as cited by me here) the following from the above book, first published in 1858:

"The reader should be reminded that there is a difference between the conditions of the first covenant under the law, and those of the Gospel under the second, or new covenant, Heb. 8: 9, 19...The condition, do and live was performed by Christ, and the benefits of it are enjoyed by faith, and by our compliance with it; for by nature we are morally unable to do so." (page 355)

Next Watson cites Perkins:

"William Perkins writes equally as clear on this subject as follows: "In the covenant of grace, two things must be considered, the substance thereof, and the condition. The substance of the covenant is, that righteousness and life everlasting is given to God's people by Christ. The condition is, that we for our part are by faith to receive the aforesaid benefits; and this condition is by grace as well as the substance." And no less in point is the following: "He freely provideth and offereth to sinners a Mediator and life and salvation by Him, and requiring faith as the condition to interest them in Him, nourisheth and giveth his Holy Spirit to all his elect to work in them that faith with all other saving graces, and to enable them to all holy obedience of the truth of their faith."

"So that the subject of the conditions of the Gospel, which have been confounded by many with those of the law and have given rise to so many Arminian errors, admits of a very satisfactory exposition. The Lord did not under the first covenant, promise to give grace to the fallen sinner to enable him to keep the whole law, that being the condition of justification and life; but under the new covenant it was both promised and given." (page 356)

"Means admit of a similar exposition. The Lord has gone out before us also in them. He not only gave us His Gospel, but ordained means by which it would become savingly efficacious to all His chosen. Isa. 55: 11...So we may say of Gospel means, without the power of God they never prevail over the hearts of sinners; but means in His power, whether great or small, in our estimation, are always efficacious. He derives no strength or advantage from them as adjuncts to His work. He employs them because it is His will to do so. Eph. 1: 11." (page 357)

"Paul, however, does not affirm, like some of our modern innovators, that means or instrumentalities are not employed by the Lord in the divine plan of salvation; for he asks: "How shall they hear without a preacher?" (pages 399-400)

So, here are three witnesses that show that the belief that 1) there are no conditions for being eternally saved and that 2) the gospel or word of God is no means in saving sinners from eternal condemnation, are tenets of Two Seedism. Watson called these two tenets "innovations" and their proponents "ultraists," "modern innovators," and "antinomians." He wrote the following in "The Old Baptist Test" about the Two Seeders:

"Some of our ultraists are occasionally heard to say, in our pulpits, that they have no authority to preach to sinners, and they seem to glory in their fancied exemption. Nothing appears to give them greater offence, or savors more of Arminianism with them, than for sinners to be exhorted to repent!" ("Old Baptist Test," pages 327, 328)

"The Antinomian will not regard any thing in the light of means, and in his doctrine will not allow even the Lord to employ them, says that the Lord is not dependent on means, and can do all His work without them. Now, the truth is, had it been the will or the way of the Lord, He could have breathed upon the dry bones as well without the prophesying of the prophet as with it, and could have given repentance to John's converts, or to Paul's, without their preaching; but their preaching to such, even to those dead in trespasses and sins, had been included in the divine plan, and it needs must be done, let it be termed means, the will or way of the Lord, as you please." (pages 327-28)

"Paul, however, does not affirm, like some of our modern innovators, that means or instrumentalities are not employed by the Lord in the divine plan of salvation; for he asks: "How shall they hear without a preacher?" Rom. 10: 14. Paul, it is true, preached the Gospel in word only, while the election of God was manifested in the power and assurance of the Holy Spirit imparted to his words; when received by the elect which apart from that power and assurance would have been received in word only, as it really was by others not embraced in the divine election. I Thess. 1: 4." ("Old Baptist Test," pages 399, 400)

Elder C.H. Cayce on Two Seedism

Prior to the death of the senior Cayce, Elder Claud Cayce began to have his first debates, and before his death in 1945 had engaged in more debates than all other Hardshells combined. I have read somewhere that he had over three hundred debates. He also took over the editorship of the "Primitive Baptist" after the death of his father, a death that Claud said brought him great grief. By Claud's influence he made his periodical one of the most, if not the most, influential and widely read periodical of his day. Claud also was born in Kentucky as his father, but joined the "Primitive Baptist" church in Martin, Tennessee in 1889. He also traveled extensively through many states. He later moved to Thorton, Arkansas.

Back in the mid 1970s I went to Thorton, Arkansas with my father and with Elder Harold Hunt and visited with Claud's son Hartsel. I was amazed by the large library that was located in the printing office. Hartsel became editor of the "Primitive Baptist" after the death of Claud, and Hartsel passed away in 2015. Father (Elder Eddie K. Garrett, Sr.) and I got to preach in some of the churches where Claud Cayce preached. We spent time in the home of Hartsel Cayce and he was a good humble man. 

As we will see, though S.F. and Claud Cayce opposed Two Seedism, yet they promoted several of the leading tenets of Two Seedism, as do most "Primitive Baptists" today, with some exceptions. They denied God used the means of his word in the regeneration or eternal salvation of sinners, and affirmed that nothing a person did in life determined whether he went to heaven or hell (or unconditional salvation), another Two Seed tenet, as we have previously shown, and from these views he, like his brethren, had to throw away any belief in the perseverance of the saints. 

In my post titled "Effects Arising From Denying Means" (here) I cited from Cayce's Editorials for October 10th, 1905 where Elder C.H. Cayce wrote the following under the article titled "Our Works Endorsed" wherein he wrote:

"The Forked Deer Association met with the church at Flowers Chapel, near Rutherford, Gibson county, Tenn., on Friday before the second Sunday in September, 1905. Elder John Grist, of Friendship, Tenn., was moderator, and L. J. Law, Trenton, Tenn., was clerk. The following appears in their minutes as the third and fourth items of their business on Saturday:

By motion and second, agreed that we adopt as the sense of this association the action of five of our churches as expressed in their letters, that we declare non-fellowship for the idea of a federal form of government, that the commission was given to the church and not to the apostles or ministry, that it is the duty of the ministry to admonish the alien sinner to repent and believe the gospel, and against affiliation in and with secret institutions."

These views were Two Seed tenets and are the views of most of those today who call themselves "Primitive Baptists" and yet they want others to believe that they no longer have fellowship with Two Seedism.

In the next chapter we will continue to look at what Elder C.H. Cayce had to say about the beliefs of the Two Seed Primitive Baptists.

 

Two Seed Baptist Ideology (LV)

In the previous chapter we continued examining what Elder Lemuel Potter wrote about biblical "regeneration" in his work titled "A Treatise on Regeneration and Christian Warfare," which he wrote primarily to combat the errors of the Two Seed Primitive Baptists on that subject. In that examination we noticed that Potter himself embraced unbiblical views on that subject, his views being the same as today's "Primitive Baptists." The focus was on what changes occur to a person who is born again or regenerated and on what are the causes of regeneration. Potter believed that the "no change" or "hollow log" view of regeneration as taught by his Two Seed brethren was unbiblical, and on that point he is correct. However, when he or today's "Primitive Baptists" assert that a person can remain a pagan and impenitent unbeliever after experiencing regeneration, and remain ungodly in his conduct, and remain in darkness about the one true and living God and about his way of salvation through the work of his Messiah, he and they are ironically themselves embracing a Two Seed view of it.

We have already seen where today's "Primitive Baptists" believe that a person may be regenerated and not even know it, regeneration occurring, according to Hardshell apologist R.V. Sarrels, on the subconscious level. Sarrels also taught that regeneration changed the substance or essence of the soul, though it changed not the thinking, beliefs, likes and dislikes, of the one being regenerated, nor involved any divine teaching or revelation of truth. The orthodox view, the traditional Baptist view, rather taught that the change occurring in regeneration, rebirth, conversion, etc., was a moral and spiritual change and not a change in the physics or metaphysics of the soul, mind, heart, or spirit; And, that the salvation to which the elect were chosen before the world began was "through" both a "sanctification of the Spirit" and a "belief of the truth." (II Thess. 2: 13) Hardshell regeneration imparts no saving knowledge and they teach that divine knowledge is unnecessary for being regenerated. 

We also focused on the debate in Potter's day about what part of a person experienced regeneration and whether that part could be a source for doing what was sinful. We showed that this was not the way to look at the subject, for in regeneration the mind, heart, soul, and spirit are all positively affected and made good, though not immutably or perfectly so. The presence of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit within a believer's heart, soul, mind, and spirit, and of the divine nature, and of the word of God, all act as leaven in its ability to permeate those parts of his constitution. Regeneration is a process that begins when the believer receives Christ into his heart, and like renewing, progressive sanctification, and transformation into the image of Christ, is continuous. 

In earlier chapters when reviewing the writings of Elder T.P. Dudley we saw where he, and the Two Seeders he spoke for, ridiculed the idea that "regeneration" was a restoration of what man lost by sin. In the last chapter, however, we showed how the view of Dudley was quite contrary to scripture, which taught that it is what was dead that is made alive in Christ, what was degenerate is what was regenerated, what was destroyed by sin was made new in regeneration. Potter agreed to a large degree with my analysis of the biblical teaching in this regard. Where Potter erred and still held to Two Seed views was in his denial that God uses the means of his word in regeneration or rebirth, or in eternal salvation, and in his thinking that whatever part of a man experiences regeneration becomes incapable of sinning.

In physical regeneration there is a renewal or restoration of a bodily part, or biological system (such as a forest) after injury or as a normal process. Physical regeneration involves remaking something that had been cut off or died. Regeneration means "create again," which is what salamanders do when they lose their tails. Even humans experience regeneration when they produce new skin cells to heal wounds and burns. This is where regeneration is a renewing, or a making new.

In chapter nine of the above work, under the title "Is the Resurrection a Birth?", Potter wrote:

"In all that I have ever heard, seen or read, I have never known any person to deny that the resurrection is a birth, until very recently. I have always thought that all people who believed the Bible agreed that to be raised from the dead, was to be born from the dead. I have often argued in the presence of my congregations that the work of the regeneration of the soul, and the raising of the dead, was of precisely the same nature, and that in both cases the dead were made alive. I had never heard any objection to that view, and I thought it was universally accepted, until, in correspondence with a No Souler, some months ago, he emphatically denied that they were works of the same nature, and I was surprised."

Here we see another error of Potter. He is rebutting the Two Seed view that says that the change of the body in the resurrection is not the same as the change of the soul, mind, heart, and spirit, and he rather affirms that the same kind of change occurs in spiritual resurrection as in physical resurrection. In taking this view Potter is seeming to take the view of Sarrels (though Sarrels came later) that there is a change in the physics of the soul (or whatever experiences regeneration) much like there will be a change in the physics of the body when it is resurrected and conformed to the glorified body of Christ.

Though there is indeed similarity between a resurrection out of a spiritual dead state into a spiritual state of life and a physical resurrection out of a state of physical death into an immortal living state, there are also dissimilarities.

Though I can agree with the Two Seeder who says that physical and spiritual resurrection are not of the same nature, I cannot agree with him on why they are not the same. His view of spiritual resurrection or regeneration of the spirit says that an eternal spiritual child of God as spiritual life or seed comes down from heaven and enters into the body of a human being, and this without changing either the spirit child nor the human being. Further, the Two Seeder does not believe that any part of the "Adam man" is risen from death nor that the eternal child is risen. So, his spiritual resurrection (regeneration) is really no resurrection at all for nothing that was dead comes to life.

It is true that the bible seems to speak of the resurrection of Christ from the dead as a begetting. (Rev. 1: 5; Col. 1: 18; etc.) However, those texts could simply mean that he who was God's "first begotten" was put to death and then resurrected. I don't know of any bible verse that equates the physical resurrection of believers with being begotten. The apostle Peter does speak of "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (I Peter 1: 3 nkjv) Here, however, the word "begotten" is used in a metaphorical sense, in the same way we use it in every day language. We use the words "gave birth to" in order to express causation, to produce. Christ's resurrection and victory over death is what brought about the rebirth of believers.

Metaphorically speaking, being buried in the earth following death can be called returning to the womb. So said Job: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there." (Job 1: 21 nkjv) In the creation story God says to the earth "bring forth" or give birth to plant life. The Psalmist David also speaks of his time in the womb of his mother as a time when he was in the earth. He said: "My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth." (Psa. 139: 15 nkjv) Since man's physical constitution was made of the dust of the earth, we may call the earth the mother or womb from which man was brought forth. 

So, it is possible to see resurrection as a kind of birth, but doing so does not mean that resurrection and birth are in every way exactly alike. Therefore I must take issue with Potter saying "in both cases the dead were made alive." How is being born a bringing to life what was dead? If we look at birth in the sense of conception or in the sense of coming forth from the womb, there is no resurrection of the dead. The baby that comes forth from the womb was already alive when in the womb. Further, in conception, when the male sperm fertilizes the female egg there is no dead thing coming to life. It is a basic law of biogenesis that life must come from life. The sperm and the egg were not dead things.

Potter wrote:

"So, why is being raised from the dead called a being "begotten" from the dead? First, it is because being raised to life and being begotten begins a new life. Second, being buried in the ground is like returning to the womb."

That is true and is in agreement with my commentary above. However, he fails to see how physical resurrection at the last day changes the physiology of the body whereas the resurrection of the spirit in conversion does not change the physics or metaphysics of the soul or spirit. Bodily resurrection is a change of substance or essence, but spiritual resurrection from spiritual death is a moral or spiritual change. 

In chapter ten under the title "The Body Dead, the Spirit Life" Potter wrote:

"A writer said very recently, "Now, the Old Baptists, so far as my acquaintance extends, either believe that all or some part of the earthly or Adamic man, is the subject of the new birth. Those, however, who believe that only a part is born again, differ as regards the part. One says it is his mortal soul part; another it is his immortal soul part; another it is his mind part; another it is his heart part; and so on to the end of the chapter; while some hold that the man who is composed of parts, is born again in time, and will be changed in the resurrection."

What a debate! In the preceding chapter we addressed these questions. The entrance into the heart, mind, soul, or spirit of 1) the word of God, and 2) the presence of the Father, Son, and Spirit, and 3) the divine nature, and 4) the divine seed, and 5) the love of God, affects all the above parts of man's non-physical constitution. In the previous chapter we used leaven (or yeast) as a metaphor for how the entrance of the above things into man's internal constitution begins to permeate all parts of that constitution. We could also use the idea of "seed" as a metaphor. We have already taken notice of the words of John who said "whoever is born of God cannot sin for God's seed remains in him." (I John 3: 9) Peter also speaks of this divine seed when he wrote: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed, by the word of God..." (I Peter 1: 23) This divine seed begins to grow within the believer and to permeate his soul, mind, heart, and spirit, and to choke out the remnants of moral corruption still resident within him. 

Some bible teachers think that the "incorruptible seed" is the word of God, but this is a mistake. It is true that the word of God is compared to a seed and as such is instrumental in producing children of God, but in the text the seed is distinguished from the word. This is made clear by the prepositions. Believers are born "of" God's seed but "by" the word of God. 

If Potter is correct in saying that whatever part of man is regenerated incapable of sinning, then what is it that is renewed day by day, that is continuously transformed, that is not yet fully perfected? Recall the words of Paul who said: 

"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." (Phil. 3: 12 nkjv)

Here Paul says that he is not yet perfected, but is pressing towards the goal of complete perfection. In the previous chapter I called attention to Paul's words in the first chapter of Philippians where he said that God would continue his work within the believer until it is finished at the day of Christ. Potter's idea is that regeneration, perfection, renewal, transformation, is instantly realized and completed when a sinner is born of God.

Potter also seems to take issue with the idea that at the time of the resurrection and glorification of the bodies of believers that the souls, minds, spirits, or hearts of believer will also be improved or perfected. Yet, the passage cited above in Philippians 1: 6 refers to God's work "in" the believer (meaning in his internal self) and it says that work will be completed "in the day of Jesus Christ," which must refer to the day when Christ returns and resurrects the bodies of the people. The biblical truth is that a believer is in the process of being perfected in his soul, mind, heart, and spirit and when he dies and his spirit and soul enter heaven his spirit and soul will be further perfected, and complete perfection of spirit and soul will occur in the day when the glorified body is joined to the perfected spirit.

Potter wrote:

"So far as his mortal soul, or immortal soul, or his mind, or his heart being born of God, the writer of the above, it seems to us, tries harder to make those who believe in the regeneration of the soul of man, look ridiculous, than to arrive at the truth of the matter. We are always willing to inquire after truth, and feel perfectly willing to investigate a point for all that is in it, but we wish to deal in a sublime manner with a sublime subject. So far as a difference as to what part of the man is born again, allowing us to use the word of No Soulers, we do not know of any material difference among those who believe that the soul lives after the body dies. We have never seen an Old Baptist yet that we know of, that believes that the soul possesses spirituality, or divinity, until after regeneration, but when they say immortal, they simply mean immortality in the sense that it survives the body, and either goes to heaven or hell when the body dies. But those who fall out with this idea do not differ so much on the immortality of the soul, but they deny the existence of the soul as the subject of salvation. They know of no soul, except in the sense that man is soul, while we claim that the Bible makes a distinction of soul and body, and that the soul leaves the body at death. But this writer says, "while some hold that it is the man who is composed of parts, is born again in time, and will be changed in the resurrection." We do not know whether the writer takes this last position or not; but if he does not then we do not know what his position is. Where in all the Bible do we find that anything is changed in the resurrection but the body? Where in the sacred word do we read that the body is born of God in time? Are the parts mentioned above - the soul, heart, mind and body - all born of God in time? Will the soul, mind, heart and body be changed in the resurrection? The writer quoted above seems to think that some Baptists believe that. Another idea in the above quotation is, that they are born of God in time but they are not changed in time."

The bible teaches that regeneration begins when a person is born of God and this occurs in the core or center of man's being, which is what the word "heart" often means in scripture. The heart of the apple is the core or center of the apple. In the biblical picture of man's inner constitution it is the spirit that is at the core of his being. Of that inner spirit Paul wrote: "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?" (I Cor. 2" 11 nkjv) What Paul said of the "spirit" of man is also what other scriptures say of the "heart" of man. Paul says that "God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." (II Cor. 4: 6) People often say "in my innermost being" or "in the core of my soul." They also say "from the bottom of my heart" by which they mean from my innermost being. The Greek word for "heart" is "kardia" and means the physical heart, but also means the center or seat where "self" or "ego" sits. This is where thought originates as Paul said. It is the place where purposes are formed, and includes the place where the will resides, where choices are made, and is the place of emotions. So Jesus said:

"The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6: 45)

Notice that a heart may produce good as well as evil. It is not correct to say that a believer has two hearts, one that produces good and one that produces evil, but that he has one heart that sometimes produces what is bad and sometimes what is good. Jesus said "blessed are the pure in heart" (Matt. 5: 8). This pureness of heart or spirit is a result of continuous purification throughout the life of the believer. In the previous chapter I cited the words of the apostle John who said that "everyone who has this hope purifies himself even as he is pure." (I John 3: 3) A popular Christian hymn says "purer in heart help me to be."  

When Christ enters into the inner sanctum of the heart or spirit, to the seat where the self or ego sits, he dethrones the ego and rules there. That phenomenon is what begins the regeneration, renewal, and transformation of the whole inner man. So, the question as to what part of man is regenerated is not even the right question. Christ sitting in the center of man's psychical being and ruling from there is what Paul has in mind when he says to believers:

"Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self ('man' kjv) with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." (Col. 3: 9-10 esv)

The new self is the one that is ruled over by Christ and the old self is the one ruled over by the ego, by the "I," and is what is called being "self-willed," (See Titus 1: 7; II Peter 2: 10) and "self pleasing." A maturing believer is one who seeks more and more for the Lord Jesus to rule over him. Notice also how this renewing, having begun when the believer experiences the washing of regeneration, is a renewing "in knowledge," meaning that a change of beliefs and an increase in the knowledge of God is part and parcel of what it means to be renewed. Today's "Primitive Baptists" believe that there is no knowledge that is necessary to be regenerated, saved, justified, sanctified, or renewed. Such a view is mighty close to the Two Seed "no change" view of regeneration that Potter is opposing.

Seeing "heart" and "spirit" as virtual synonyms representing the core of man's inner being is apparent in several ways. Sometimes we hear someone say of another - "he is rotten to the core." We also speak of "core values" and a "core curriculum" in education dealing with core knowledge. Core values are deeply ingrained principles. When one receives Christ into his innermost being there is a renewal of knowledge and change of core beliefs. It is in the core of man's incorporeal being where the self, or ego, resides. It may be compared to what we call the "driver's seat," or the "pilot's seat" of the cockpit. Christians even sing a hymn called "Jesus Savior Pilot Me." I have seen bumper stickers that read "Jesus is my co-pilot." However, ideally Jesus is the pilot and the believer is the co-pilot.  In unregenerate or unrenewed sinners the self, or ego, or "I" sits in that driver's seat. This truth is seen in this testimony of the apostle Paul:

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." (Gal. 2: 20 nkjv)

In the words "it is no longer I who live" we have the Greek word "ego" for the pronoun "I." This is rare, for in Greek the word "I" is often included in a compound word, being implied. So, for instance, the words "I go" are from the singular Greek word "erchomai." On other occasions, however, the "I" is not part of the compound word and the above text is one example. Another would be where Christ said "I am" or "ego eimi" (John 8: 58; etc.). Paul says that his "I" or ego has been crucified with Christ and that Christ now occupies the place where the "I", self, or ego sat. So Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matt. 16: 24 nkjv)

In conversion to Christ the self is crucified or dethroned. In the driver's seat of the spirit and soul sat sin, ruling and reigning. Also, though sin and self, and the old nature and old habits take a back seat when a person is converted and Christ enters his spirit, yet sometimes sin and self can take the wheel of the soul and this is perhaps what Paul means when he writes:

"But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me...Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me." (Rom. 7: 17, 20 nkjv)

We see where Potter and the Two Seeders both had difficulty defining "soul," as well as spirit, mind, heart, etc. I like to think of it after the image of the tabernacle. There were three sections to it. There was the outer court, the inner court (called the holy place), and the innermost court (called the most holy place or sanctuary). The apostle Peter referred to his body as a tabernacle. (II Peter 1: 13) The physical body would correspond to the outer court, the soul to the holy place, and the spirit to the most holy place. In the ancient Hebrew tabernacle or temple it was in the most holy place where God's presence was more fully experienced by the priest and where communication with God occurred. It is in man's innermost being, in his heart or spirit, where God dwells and where he communicates with believers, where the Spirit bears witness with the human spirit. (Rom. 8: 16) This view was held by the great theologian Martin Luther.

The soul and spirit are distinct yet connected parts of a human's immaterial being. The soul, from the Greek word psuche (psyche) has to do with personality and psychology, and with man's animal life. The spirit is considered the higher part that connects directly with God or the spiritual realm. In fact the Bible indicates that animals possess a "nephesh" (Hebrew for soul, life, or breathing creature), acknowledging them as living beings with a life force, particularly in Genesis 1:20-24. Anyone who has had pet animals knows that they can experience emotion and process information. Of course, the soul of humans exceeds the souls of animals, for the soul of humans was made in the image and likeness of God. That the soul and spirit are not the same is evident from these verses:

"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Heb. 4: 12 nkjv)

"Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thess. 5: 23 nkjv)

Though there is a lot of disagreement among bible teachers on what is meant by the dividing of soul and spirit by the living word of God, I will offer my understanding of it. I once held to the dichotomy view of man's immaterial being, seeing soul and spirit as basically synonyms. This was my father's view. However, after years of studying this question I rejected the dichotomy view in favor of the trichotomy view. Just as "joints and marrow" are not the same so "soul and spirit" are not the same. From that same text we learn that soul and spirit are joined together and that they stay joined together until they are separated by the word of God. So, what is meant by separating them? Why is it a good thing for them to be divided by the word of God in conversion? 

The word "discerner" in the above text is the only time it is used in the bible and it means to judge, distinguish, criticize or give critical analysis, and the word of God is a discerner of "the thoughts and intents of the heart." The use of the word "heart" adds another variable to the text, for now we have soul, spirit, and heart. The heart is the core and in this core we have both spirit and soul. In both the soul and spirit thoughts and purposes are conceived. In unregenerate people the spirit is dead to God and is ruled over by the animalistic soul. In regenerated people the spirit is alive to God and rules over the soul, at least it begins to do so, though at times even the regenerated believer allows his animal soul to rule over his spirit. We may say that the soul is man's lower self and the spirit is man's higher self. So, to divide the soul from the spirit denotes the work of freeing the spirit from the tyranny of the soul.

What about the conscience as it relates to the views of Potter and the Two Seeders? We have spoken of the heart, mind, soul, and spirit. What about the conscience? From a review of the biblical texts we see that the conscience denotes that faculty of soul and spirit whereby one is able to discern what is morally right and wrong. This is because it is in the conscience that God has written his law so that a man may feel guilt when doing morally wrong and feel righteous and morally clean when doing right. (Rom. 2: 15) We know that the conscience also needs cleansing. (Heb. 9: 14) Would Potter say that this cleansing occurs in regeneration and then never needs to ever be cleansed again? The text above says that this cleansing removes the believer from "dead works" so that he may serve God. Surely this is a continuous cleansing. Hebrews also speaks of the believer's heart being sprinkled from an evil conscience. (10: 22) This first occurs in conversion but it also continues throughout the life of the believer. 

Potter wrote:

"Paul says, "We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed." In this he is arguing the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. The change of the body spoken of is that it will be made spiritual or immortal. It will be made alive from the dead, and fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ. All such expressions as these refer to the body exclusively. If man is composed of parts, as soul, mind, heart and body, then the body is all that is changed in the resurrection. Where is the other part? We are told that some Old Baptists hold that the man who is composed of parts, is born of God in time, and changed in the resurrection. Are we to understand that to be born of God is not to be changed? Or that in the new birth no part of the man is changed? That is the way we understand the writer."

The new birth does change a man but that change is not necessarily all the change he needs, for as we have before shown, the change occurring when born again is but the beginning of change. So, the Two Seeders erred in denying that there is any change to the begotten child for he believes it was begotten in Christ before the world began and it is born in a person when that child comes down from heaven and enters into him. The only change to this eternal child is a change of location and there is no change to the body, soul, mind, or spirit of the "Adam man."