Jonathan Edwards’ Birthday

Today is Jonathan Edwards’ 305th birthday. Lyman Beecher wrote to his son in 1836,

Next after the Bible, read and study Edwards, whom to understand in theology…will be as high praise in theological science as to understand Newton’s works…of natural philosophy. (Iain Murray, Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography, 459)

I suppose, after the Bible, no theologian has a greater ongoing effect on me as Jonathan Edwards. There are few in the world who combine the sharpness of mind, the scope of thought, the allegiance to Scripture, the depth of insight, the intensity of affections, the height of imagination, and the power of expression that he brings to all his work. I thank God for him today.

Here is his deep conviction that the free will, understood as ultimate self-determination, is “almost inconceivably pernicious.” He would remind us, “It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy” (Romans 9:16). He wrote this seven months before he died in 1758.

By what I have heard, some…think, that if it be really true, that there is no self-determining power in the will…it is of a mischievous tendency to say any thing of it; and that it is best that the truth in this matter should not be known by any means….

I cannot but be of an extremely different mind. On the contrary, I think that the notion of liberty, consisting in a contingent self-determination of the will, as necessary to the morality of men’s dispositions and actions, is almost inconceivably pernicious….

The longer I live, and the more I have to do with the souls of men, in the work of the ministry, the more I see of this. Notions of this sort are one of the main hindrances of the success of the preaching of the word, and other means of grace, in the conversion of sinners….

And with respect to self-flattery and presumption, as to what is future, nothing can possibly be conceived more directly tending to it, than a notion of liberty, at all times possessed, consisting in a power to determine one’s own will to good or evil; which implies a power men have, at all times, to determine them to repent and turn to God.

And what can more effectually encourage the sinner, in present delays and neglects, and embolden him to go on in sin, in a presumption of having his own salvation at all times at his command? And this notion of self-determination and self-dependence, tends to prevent, or enervate, all prayer to God for converting grace; for why should men earnestly cry to God for his grace, to determine their hearts to that which they must be determined to of themselves.

And indeed it destroys the very notion of conversion itself. There can properly be no such thing, or any thing akin to what the Scripture speaks of conversion, renovation of the heart, regeneration, &c. if growing good, by a number of self-determined acts, are all that is required, or to be expected.

Excuse me, Sir, for troubling you with so much on this head. I speak from the fullness of my heart. What I have long seen of the dreadful consequences of these prevalent notions every where, and what I am convinced will still be their consequences so long as they continue to prevail, fills me with concern.

Bill Clinton Stars In New McCain Ad “Rein”

Bill Clinton stars in the newest McCain-Palin ad “Rein”:

Just last week Bill Clinton blamed Congressional Democrats for blocking reform of the mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, via Patriot Room:

Going very much against the media meme that the current financial crisis is all George W. Bush and the Republicans’ fault, Bill Clinton on Thursday told ABC’s Chris Cuomo that Democrats for years have been “resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac”

Meanwhile, Barack Obama advisor Franklin Raines is back in the news as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are facing a federal grand jury investigation into their accounting practices.

Bush Talks— Congress Balks— Paulson Stalks— Pelosi Gawks

With the country in crisis— It’s politics as usual.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary Paulson, and House Minority Leader John Boehner at a meeting in Washington. Yesterday, Paulson got down on one knee to beg Pelosi and the Democrats not to blow up the bailout legislation.

President George W. Bush gave this statement this morning on the ongoing talks on a rescue plan:

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. My administration continues to work with the Congress on a rescue plan. And we need a rescue plan. This is — it’s hard work. Our proposal is a big proposal. And the reason it’s big and substantial is because we got a big problem.

We also need to move quickly. Now, anytime you have a plan this big, that is moving this quickly, that requires legislative approval, it creates challenges. Members want to be heard. They want to be able to express their opinions, and they should be allowed to express their opinions.

There are disagreements over aspects of the rescue plan, but there is no disagreement that something substantial must be done. The legislative process is sometimes not very pretty, but we are going to get a package passed. We will rise to the occasion. Republicans and Democrats will come together and pass a substantial rescue plan.

Thank you very much.

The president did not take any questions.

Meanwhile… Details were released on the meeting yesterday at the Capital.
The Politico reported on political breakdown:

At the White House, in fact, House Minority Leader John Boehner had bluntly warned about the lack of Republican support for the massive government intervention: “I can’t invent votes,” Boehner said. But House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) angrily accused the minority of trying to undercut Paulson by crafting a late-breaking alternative proposal—with the tacit support, Frank said, of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Both McCain and his Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama, would leave the White House without comment, and the meeting was described as among the wildest in memory. A beleaguered President Bush had to struggle to maintain order and reassert himself. And when Democrats left to caucus in the Roosevelt Room, Paulson pursued them, begging that they not “blow up” the legislation.

The former Goldman Sachs CEO even went down on one knee as if genuflecting, to which Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cal.) is said to have joked, “I didn’t know you were Catholic.”

It was McCain who had urged Bush to call the White House meeting but Democrats made sure Obama had a prominent part. And much as they complained later of being blindsided, the whole event turned out to be something of an ambush on their part—aimed at McCain and House Republicans.

It figures.
With the country about to slide into economic freefall caused by democratic policies, the Dems plot a political ambush.

Oh, and should Nancy Pelosi really be cracking Catholic jokes?

**Financial Crisis Timeline** Dems Scoffed at Warnings— Schumer Singled Out (Video)

Democrats Were Warned & Consistently Blocked Reform—

Way back in 2001 The Bush Administration raised red flags.
In 2008, Bush warned the Democratic majority 17 times that there was a looming crisis and that mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needed reform.

In 2003, former Treasury Secretary John Snow testified before the House Financial Services Committee and said this:

SNOW: We need a strong world-class regulatory agency to oversee the prudential operations of the GSEs and the safety and the soundness of their financial activities.

In 2005- Senator John McCain partnered with three other Senate Republicans to reform the government’s involvement in lending.

Sadly, in every instance since 2001, Democrats either ignored or blocked any attempts at reform.
Even Bill Clinton admits it.

Yesterday, FOX News put together a timeline on the crisis and attempts at reform.
Senator Charles Schumer from New York was singled out for his defense of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:

No wonder we’re not seeing the liberal media squawk about who’s to blame.

More… Terry Jones at Investor’s Business Daily reported “How A Clinton-Era Rule Rewrite Made Subprime Crisis Inevitable.”

Bill Clinton Defends John McCain’s Debate Decision— Blames Dems For Meltdown! (Video)

Bill Clinton comes to the rescue… John McCain’s rescue:

PascoGOP video.

The Political Radar reported:

ABC News’ Nitya Venkataraman Reports: Former President Bill Clinton defended Sen. John McCain’s request to delay the first presidential debate, saying McCain did it in “good faith” and pushed organizers to reserve time for economy talk during the debate if the Friday plans move forward.

Appearing on Good Morning America Thursday, Clinton told ABC News’ Chris Cuomo that McCain’s push to postpone the debate would only be a good political move if both candidates agreed. McCain announced on Wednesday that he would “suspend” his presidential campaign to come to Washington to help negotiate a financial bailout bill.

“We know he didn’t do it because he’s afraid because Sen. McCain wanted more debates,” Clinton said, adding that he was “encouraged” by the joint statement from McCain and Sen. Barack Obama.

“You can put it off a few days the problem is it’s hard to reschedule those things,” Clinton said, “I presume he did that in good faith since I know he wanted — I remember he asked for more debates to go all around the country and so I don’t think we ought to overly parse that.”

Also… During the interview Bill Clinton blamed the Democrats for blocking reform of the mortgage giants, via Patriot Room:

Going very much against the media meme that the current financial crisis is all George W. Bush and the Republicans’ fault, Bill Clinton on Thursday told ABC’s Chris Cuomo that Democrats for years have been “resisting any efforts by Republicans in the Congress or by me when I was President to put some standards and tighten up a little on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac”

True.
President Bush warned about reforming Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae 17 times this year alone.
John McCain’s reform bill was blocked by dems in 2005.
Thank you, Bill Clinton!

Joshua adds this in the comments:

LOL… trolls come bash Clinton now for telling the truth. The only “cut and run” candidate is 0bama who ran from the debates. McCain wanted 10 Townhall meetings, but the Zero ran away.

On the other hand there’s Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) who said that McCain’s actions were just a photo op.