November 2007 - Protestant Reformed Churches in America

Protestant Reformed Theological Journal
a man’s faith and sanctification, it springs from that first error of his
humiliation; if a man’s humiliation be false, and weak, and little, his
faith is light, and his sanctification counterfeit. 55
IV. Other Theologians
Wilhelmus à Brakel (1635-1711) reveals a belief in
preparationism. He speaks of “preparatory convictions” 56 and
urges the unconverted to entertain hope because God “grants
[them] conviction and a desire for repentance and salvation.” 57
His advice is to attend diligently on the means. “You have reason
to hope … Wait, therefore, for the least movement of the Spirit,
respond to it, and be careful you do not resist it.” 58 However,
such a desire, granted to some of the unconverted who use the
means of grace, does not guarantee salvation. It is not a sign of
regeneration, but may lead to it.
Presbyterian theologian William G. T. Shedd (1820-1894) ascribes
regeneration itself to the Holy Spirit but allows man to have
some “agency … in the work of conviction which is preparatory
or antecedent” to the new birth. 59 Shedd wants to be careful in
distinguishing the Augustinian/Calvinistic idea of preparation from
the Semi-Pelagian/Arminian/Synergistic version. The Calvinist,
writes Shedd, means by it “conviction of sin, guilt and helplessness.”
The Arminian “denotes some faint desires and beginnings
of holiness in the natural man.” 60 This preparation, then, is not a
“part of regeneration, but something prior and antecedent to it.” 61
Shedd next appeals to “common or prevenient grace.” The sinner,
writes Shedd, “moved and assisted” by this grace is able to
perform certain duties. Shedd lists some of these common grace-
55. Shepard, Parable, p. 482.
56. Wilhelmus à Brakel, The Christian’s Reasonable Service, vol. 2
(Soli Deo Gloria Publications: Ligonier, PA, 1993), p. 249.
57. à Brakel, Reasonable, vol. 2, p. 258.
58. à Brakel, Reasonable, vol. 2, p. 259.
59. William G. T. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, vol. 2 (Charles
Scribner’s Sons: New York, 1891), p. 512.
60. Shedd, Theology, vol. 2, p. 512.
61. Shedd, Theology, vol. 2, p. 512.
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Vol. 41, No. 1