The Force of Truth by Thomas Scott
with an Introduction by John E. Marshall. Banner of Truth Paperback. Price £1.50.
The Banner of Truth are to be congratulated on their republishing of this excellent book, which was first published in 1799.
The author, who is principally known for his Commentary on the whole Bible, was ordained to the office of the holy ministry in 1772, although he was then in an unconverted state. The Force of Truth, his spiritual autobiography, embraces the first five years of his ministerial life. It was during these years that gradually but irresistibly he was brought out of darkness into God’s “marvellous light.” From beginning to end the autobiography bears witness to the gracious, sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, whose office the Saviour Himself describes in these words: “He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (John 16: 14).
In Part One Scott relates how for nine years from the age of fifteen he experienced periodic alarms of conscience, which he sought to pacify, aided and abetted by Satan. It was during this period that he read a Socinian comment on the Scriptures; Scott “greedily drank the poison” and lapsed into a false sense of security. This experience is mentioned as a warning, to young people particularly, against the servants of Satan who, in Scott’s own words, “invent and propagate those pestilential errors, whether in speculation or practice, that have in all ages corrupted and enervated the pure and powerful doctrine of the gospel.”
It was this “pure and powerful doctrine of the gospel” in the hand of the Holy Spirit that was made effectual in the experience of Thomas Scott. In Part Two he describes in gripping detail the history of his spiritual enlightenment while he was a curate in Buckinghamshire. Coincident with this period were his meeting and correspondence with Rev. John Newton, then minister at Olney. Reference must be made to the gracious wisdom and caution exercised by John Newton, who, in the words of John E. Marshall, “recognised the power of the truth and was content to let Scott’s spiritual development proceed unimpeded by human meddling.” How refreshingly different from the meddling of modern would-be evangelizers, who profess to be able to “talk people into faith”! As Scott was led by the Holy Spirit, ignorance, pride, prejudices, carnal rationalism, unsound and unwholesome views were all gradually overcome by the force of truth, until he was eventually brought to the broad sunny uplands of “the truth as it is in Jesus.”
In Part Three Scott makes several observations on the preceding narrative and ends with a heartfelt plea to his readers, beginning with the words: “And now, beloved reader, let me conclude with leaving it upon thy conscience to search for the truth of the gospel in the study of God’s word, accompanied by prayer, as thou wouldst search for hid treasure.” On this note we wholeheartedly recommend this “literary treasure” to readers old and young. May it enjoy a wide circulation and leave a blessing in its wake.
A. G.
Sermons by Rev. James Battersby
edited by J. C. Forshaw, with a foreword by Francis Coxon. Price £4.95.
Rev. James Battersby died in 1899, having completed fifty years in the ministry, forty-three years of which were spent in Sheffield, where he finished his course. He clearly belonged to the old school of evangelicals in the Church of England: his avowed and prayerful aim was to proclaim the gospel in its purity in consistent conformity with the doctrinal articles of his Church.
The sermons in this publication have been selected from monthly sermons preached in London during the period 1876-1887. They are nine in number and cover a wide range of subjects within the spectrum of Divine revelation. A biographer who wrote during Mr Battersby’s lifetime described his preaching thus: “With an attractive lucidity of expression and arrangement he develops the successive points of his argument in the most logical manner, advancing text after text of Scripture in support of each position, and giving from memory both chapter and verse with wonderful exactness. Now and again he interrupts the course of his argument to make a powerful and direct appeal to the hearts of his audience, and then, indeed, the visible earnestness and sincerity of the preacher transfigure his language into more than eloquence.”
There are, however, instances of idiosyncratic exposition which readers may find disconcerting and confusing. In the sermon on 2nd Corinthians 5: 17 there is a complex exposition of the following statement: “I look upon the Lord’s commands as either legal or evangelical, as either general or particular.” In the course of his exposition he states, “Now the Gospel has its commands, counsels, exhortations and directions, but then they are addressed to life and to spiritual men.” Further, in his sermon on Romans 3: 24 he indulges in hair-splitting with regard to pardon of sin and justification. While it is patently obvious, as the preacher declares, that “pardon is not justification; neither is justification pardon,” the Westminster divines are quite unequivocal in their definition of justification in the Confession of Faith and in the Larger and Shorter Catechisms. In their eyes pardon of sin is an integral part of the act of justification.
These reservations notwithstanding, this publication can be warmly recommended, so savoury and full of Christ are the sermons. Each one is an edifice, every stone in which is underpinned by Scripture proofs.
The book, which contains over 150 pages of clear print, is case-bound
and may be obtained from The Christian Bookshop, 21 Queen Street, Ossett, West Yorkshire, WF8 8AS or Mr J C Forshaw, 3 Hawkins Drive, Ambergate, Derbyshire, DE5 2JN.
A. G.
Jonathan Edwards on Revival.
Banner of Truth Trust. £2.45.
This soft back volume of one hundred and sixty pages by Jonathan Edwards — an eminent American divine of the eighteenth century — contains three of his articles.
1. A Narrative of Surprising Conversions.
This is an account of a spiritual awakening in Northampton, New England in 1734-1735 under the ministry of Jonathan Edwards himself. Northampton was then a town of some two hundred families and he believes that more than three hundred souls were savingly brought home to Christ in that period. The revival spread to other parts of New England. Edwards gives an extended account of the experiences his people had in their conversion, and this is interesting and valuable reading. One is brought to realise the onerous and solemn responsibilities of a pastor in such a situation in guiding and teaching souls under concern regarding their state before God and for eternity. A true revival requires a spiritually taught ministry — it must begin in the pulpit.
It is interesting to note that “there was no book so delightful as the Bible; especially the book of Psalms, the Prophecy of Isaiah, and the New Testament.” He follows this account by relating in some detail the conversion of one adult, and of a child who was still alive at the time of his writing in 1736.
He freely admits that there were some who later proved that they were not savingly dealt with at that time but it appears the majority were so. Such was the effect on his congregation that “Both old and young have shown a forwardness to hearken not only to my counsels, but even to my reproofs, from the pulpit.”
This section of the book is valuable in setting out the various ways in which the Holy Spirit deals with sinners under concern and could be of help when some are at times questioning the reality of their own change. One last quotation from this part will suffice — “Converting influences very commonly bring an extraordinary conviction of the REALITY and certainty of the great things of religion.”
2. The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God.
This was a sermon preached in 1741 and later published, the text being 1 John 4: 1. It was preached to guard against extravagances likely to occur in movements described above. In the first section he gives nine negative signs or “— What are no signs by which we are to judge of a work —”. Of these No. 2 is especially relevant today in the light of Pentecostalism. “A work is not to judged of by any effects on the bodies of men —. We cannot conclude that persons are under the influence of the true Spirit because we see such effects on their bodies —”. In the light of the next article the above negative sign merits careful study. Again No. 9 merits singling out for attention — “It is no argument that a work is not from the Spirit of God that it seems to be promoted by ministers insisting very much on the terrors of God’s holy law and that with a great deal of pathos and earnestness.”
This is followed in the next section with five positive distinguishing evidences of a work of the Spirit of God. He concludes with practical inferences and from this we would take two quotations to illustrate Edward’s discrimination:— “God communicates His own nature to the soul in saving grace in the heart, more than in all miraculous gifts,” and again “The ordinary sanctifying influences of the Spirit of God are the end of all extraordinary gifts, as the apostle shows in Ephesians 4: 11, 12, 13.”
3. An Account of the Revival of Religion in Northampton in 1740-1742.
This is a brief account of a further revival in the above years, described in a letter to a minister in Boston. On this occasion there was a great deal of what one could call hysteria and his account of this episode leaves one with a strong suspicion that this revival was not scripturally based. He describes “a house full of outcries, faintings, convulsions” as being very frequent, and again “and there were some instances of persons lying in a sort of trance, remaining perhaps for a whole twenty-four hours motionless, and with their senses locked up.” These events took place before the movement was affected by outside influences. Altogether this event sounds all too similar to what goes on in Pentecostalism and to what occurred in pseudo-evangelistic campaigns of more recent times.
We would say there is a contradiction in the opening sentence of the first paragraph on page ninety, but it does not affect the writer’s argument.
The second article is in our opinion the most valuable in the book. The third article shows the necessity of maintaining discipline when revival comes.
R. K. M.
England’s Memorial by Joseph Irons
Founder and for 33 years Minister of Grove Chapel, Camberwell, London. Focus Publications, 6 Orchard Road, Lewes, East Sussex.
This small booklet is a sermon preached by Joseph Irons on the anniversary of the Gun-powder plot — the exact date is not given — and the text is Exodus 12: 14.
He exposes the spirit of Romanism, the corruption of the Church in doctrine and practice, and how even in his time Romish practices had entered Protestant Churches. He urges that the rising generation be taught the mercy of deliverance from this evil system, that we value our privileges of civil and religious liberty, and that we be up and doing in defence of the Cause of Christ. He certainly left his congregation in no doubt of his own position and of their duty.
The sermon is well set out, the headings are clear, and the address can be easily read.
In the present state of the affairs in our land, when Church leaders set such store on developing friendly with the Church of Rome, the publication of this sermon is timely.
R. K. M.