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 o> 
 
 CALVINISM 
 
 IN 
 
 Relation to othey- Theistic SysL 
 
 ems : 
 
 A LECTURE 
 
 DELIVERED AT THE OPENING OF THE SESSION OF KNOX COLLEGF 
 TORONTO, ON 3RD OCTOBER. 1883, 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLIAM MACLAREN, 
 
 Professor of Systematic Theology in Knox College. 
 
 PUBLISHED BY A COMMITTEE OF THE PRESBYTERY OF T 
 
 O RON TO. 
 
 WITH ADDITIONAL NOTES. 
 
 TORONTO: 
 P-RESBYTERIAN PRINTING HQ^cc. . ,p„^ 
 
 1884. . 
 
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 '00924419 
 
PREFATORY NOTE. 
 
 The followifig lecture was very cordially received by the audience to 
 which it was originally addressed. It was reported in the daily papers, 
 and appears to have excited a larger measure of public attention than 
 is usually accorded to academic discussions. Letters have reached me 
 from many quarters giving very hearty approval of the line of thought 
 pursued. Friends in whose judgment I have confidence, have asked 
 me to give it to the public in a more permanent form, and have 
 intimated that they regard it as a specially seasonable presentation of 
 the truth, fitted to meet the wants of thoughtful minds. 
 
 It was not, however, to be supposed that all who read my lecture 
 would give to it equal approval. It has called forth, on both sides of 
 the Atlantic, adverse criticisms from writers of Arminian tendencies. 
 But. so far as these criticisms have fallen under my notice, they have 
 •scarcely touched the main position of my lecture, viz.: — that Calvinism 
 embraces all the positive elements in the other theistic systems with 
 which I compared it. and differs from them only in their negations. 
 This position is so important in its bearings that, if well-founded, a 
 large portion of the ordinary arguments agair.t Calvinism must be 
 abandoned, or entirely recast. Yet my critics have scarcely attempted 
 to grapple with it seriously, but have judf ' U more expedient to confine 
 themselves to the usual denunciations of Ci ^vinism, and the ordinary 
 defences of Arminianism, with which the public are already quite 
 familiar. In theise circumstances, I did not feel it necessary to leave 
 more pressing duties to engage in a newspaper controversy with 
 writers who. while overlooking the main position in my lecture, spent 
 their strength on issues which, if raised at all. were only incidental to 
 my discussion. In preparing my lecture for the press I have, however, 
 at the suggestion of friends, added a few notes which, I hope, deal 
 sufficiently vfith the more important criticisms which have fallen under 
 my observation. 
 
 Toronto. 26th Jany., 1884. Wm. McL. 
 
K-^i^ 
 
CALVINISM 
 
 IN RELATION TO OTHER THEISTIC SYSTEMS. 
 
 The Presbyterian Church has ever been distinguished for 
 its loyal attachment to that system of doctrine which is 
 popularly known as Calvinism. And those who are best 
 acquainted with its numerous branches throughout the 
 world, will be most ready to admit that wherever it has en- 
 joyed an untrammelled Presbyterian government, it has 
 shown no sign of any general departure from its ancient 
 moorings. Dr. SchafT, indeed, ascribes to Calvinism in 
 modern times a greater liberality than characterized it in 
 the seventeenth century. But he cannot be said to have 
 established the existence of any variation which has theo- 
 logical import. And the examples he specifies can scarcely 
 be said to rest on historical data. 
 
 The impression which many cherish, that Calvinism has 
 been m'^ ^'fied in modern times, is probably due to two 
 things, li^.: (i) In seasons of religious controversy, like the 
 seventeenth century, men naturally lay more stress on the 
 points which sef)arate them from their antagonists than on 
 those which they hold in common. In peaceful times, like 
 those in which we live, other aspects of truth receive pro- 
 portionate regard, and no five points, however vital, are 
 allowed to engross the mental energies of the Church ; and 
 (2) in happier periods, when the din of controversy has 
 been largely exchanged for the activities of Christian work, 
 the strong language which seems appropriate in the heat 
 of debate is laid aside, and more temperate words are 
 chosen to express the same convictions. 
 
wJ^V*^n^he":eh^^^^ John 
 
 speaks in a style whTch Ts pa^L^^ "^^'"^^ Calvinism? 
 Phemous. Richard Watson .?c ^. "^^'" *« ^^e bias 
 
 St? r^V"^°^^fi^^*he doctrine a^^'h' ^""«"^^«' ^"^ ^e 
 stands the theoWy of Calvin n "^"^ no one who under- 
 "modification of it^^ fhe pa^"; ^j" ^'^^^^e^ any substantial 
 Thornwell, but he mav K °^9"""'ngham. Hod-e and 
 
 carefully chosen i:ngu?ge'"Ve'd'o"n ?""' ^^ times? mo e 
 have been introduced in cerH in "«* question that there 
 regarded as real modifications of T^'T^''' ^^^^^ '"^y bl 
 not properly modern in anvfMn ^^^v'"»sm, but they are 
 
 add^h'''°^'"^>°--^"ntar'theo%''o7th^"LP'^^^ 
 
 add the speculations of Cameron ^a ^^^ Atonement, we 
 
 Baxter, we shall not find m^rh?'/!?i^'^^^' La Place and 
 »h»m thou m";e.Tde,oIr ?" S°'' "''J' P=" '"o" about .nvfon-r'/";"" 
 
 «WidirectIv due fn^K '*^^^^'■"'P"«•nff of GodWrart? ''^*"°° '° them- 
 
 c./ .n... ^^;;urrence, then to 
 
sts. John 
 -alvinism, 
 the blas- 
 ge, but he ' 
 ho under- 
 Jbstantial 
 odge and 
 nes, more 
 hat there 
 may be 
 they are 
 iseology. • 
 nent, we 
 lace and 
 or those 
 1, while 
 
 : language 
 'hou fool, 
 louls is as 
 Sod hath 
 ore effec- 
 o assault 
 and soul 
 lousands 
 Jto ever- 
 •■ for we 
 seeking 
 vouring 
 
 V repre- 
 of God 
 tvhat is 
 cusable 
 Calvin - 
 ain the 
 sin, as 
 his no 
 7 hold 
 i fore- 
 tually 
 pass 
 them, 
 some 
 ngto 
 en to 
 
 01>jects seen by night frequently present a distorted 
 appearance to the eye. And it need occasion no surprise, 
 it Calvinism is often assailed with a bitterness in the in- 
 verse ratio of the intelligence of its opponents. It is some- 
 times held up to scorn, as an extinct system on which all 
 advanced thinkers look back with a kind of lofty pity, and, 
 at other times, it is denounced with a measure of savage 
 invective which seems sadiy misplaced in reference either 
 to an extinct error, or a system already in articido mortis. 
 It is perhaps not uncharitable to assume that, while these 
 writers do not understand the system they denounce, they 
 have an instinctive conviction that it is neither dead nor 
 dying. Be this as it may, it is too deeply grounded on the 
 teachings of Scripture, and too fully in harmony with 
 human experience ever to disappear from tl.c world, while 
 earnest men study the word of God, and weigh -dispassion- 
 ately the stern lessons of fact. Calvinism is still a living 
 power in the world. And while there are other types of doc- 
 trine which have their attached adherents, it will always be 
 
 limit and bound their evil influence, and finally to overrule them for good. 
 The crucifixion of Christ, and the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, were 
 equally included in God's purpose, but while the former was accomplished 
 by human wickedness, the latter was effected by the grace of God. 
 
 The Westminster Confess!, n, Chap. III., sec. I., in full harmony with 
 teaching of standard Calvinistic authors, makes this distinction perfectly 
 plain. It says : '* God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy 
 council of His will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to 
 pass : Vet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence 
 offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second 
 causes taken away, but rather established." 
 
 Arminians, when they refer to this passage, usually give only a garbled 
 extract. One recently, in criticising my lecture, quotes the passage as far 
 as the words "comes to pass," after which he places a full period, and then 
 omits all the words which I have placed in Italics, words which were in- 
 serted by the compilers of the Confession, to show that the decree of God 
 does not sustain the same relation to all events. This style of controversy 
 is not worthy of honourable men. The same distinction is brought out by 
 the Confession with great clearness in Chap. V., sec. 2, where it is said: 
 "Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first 
 cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly ; yet by the same pro- 
 vidence, he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second 
 causes, either necessarily, freely or contingently.''^ The indignation, there- 
 fore, of John Wesley, and his modem defender, is based on a pure misrepre- 
 sentation. There is nothing in the decree of God, beyond what there is in 
 the foreknowledge of God, to force men to sin. Both show that the event 
 is certain, but neither exerts any influence to make the wicked sin. 
 
8 
 
 to '^"^l^^^^^f CaH„,„ sustain. 
 
 desire to bring out the exten? n? ^ ^' exposition. We 
 njeasure of our disa^eem^tf Zi?,'''^^^^'^^^^, and the 
 other theisti.system£usS ^^^ere to 
 
 logical sense, as descriptive of th3 ^\^''*^^ ^" '^^ ^^y^o- 
 nize a personal God th^ 'r,^ .® ^/^^^'"s which recoff- 
 the Universe. whX acceptfnfor r"^ ?^°^^^ Govtrno' ff 
 revelation. «*ccepting, or rejecting a supernatural 
 
 We shall leave out of vjpw tu^ 
 mentarianism. which canToex^st ^tT"' ^^^''' °^ «-<=ra- 
 tnne. Augustine, though reckon J I ""^^l ^^'P^^ °*' ^oc- 
 Churcn was in ancientfimes the mlf '"^ ^V^« ^^"^ish 
 of the doctrinal system whirl, • °®t Powerful exponent 
 been associated ith t^^ Tarn" Jr 1 *^^ Reformation hL 
 the main, just AugustinianSm f^^J'?' Calvinism is. in 
 eaven of sacramenf a?S "^b^'^^.m^^I '^' ""heal hy 
 the g^eat Latin father have A^vl. k"^^'^^ *^^ teachings of 
 . ^°"J«5 Church, and the pr^^^^^^^^^ b/the 
 
 mended to the faithful fhfwr tinTs 5f rf'^^^^^ 
 one of Augustine's disciples Thlr^? of Th^^^^ Aquinas, 
 sacramentarianism ta^es moVe fcfnH^^^ ^^ "° ^"««t^°n tha 
 which is now the Drevailin^ • "^i^" *° ^®"^i-Pelagianism 
 and Ritualists. P^g"^ T^^.t^t.^'^''^^ ^°-S 
 of fungus growth which mav ann?n? • "^"'^'"' ^^ ^ kind 
 various types of doctrine. weLkT^f .•" ^°""^^tion with 
 which some of the leaden J^LTir!^"?°" *° ^'^^ ''eiations 
 vinism. *"'"« tfteistic systems sustain to Cal- 
 
 repTu"iu;|rv?n1s/hatt'^' ^hat is Calvinism P the 
 
 what are kn^oL\"s\hX'*C"r%L" """'" ^'«-» °" 
 respect correct, and in anofhfr ; ^® answer is in one 
 
 desires to learA what dXem a^^^^^^^^ I^. the questioner 
 Christians who approach mncfr p^^^^n^sts from those 
 answer is accura?rbu?, iThe wfsht .'" *^^^^ ^^«^^' ^^e 
 Calvmists actually believe th^ . i • *° ascertain what 
 Ifl m order to distTngu rCh^lti^^^^^^^ f ''^S^"^ ^^^^^^ive 
 allel question were put, What tr^^^ the par- 
 
 practically sufficient to re^.^^l ^^s Chnstiamty ? it mi^ht h. 
 
 re^l, . A uchei mat God, the Creator" 
 
tn sustains 
 5m. This 
 ■e. What 
 tion. We 
 ty and the 
 adhere to 
 its etymo- 
 ic^ recog- 
 'vernor of 
 ernatural 
 
 of sacra- 
 s of doc- 
 ■ Romish 
 exponent 
 tion has 
 sm is, in 
 ihealthy 
 hings of 
 i by the 
 ^recom- 
 quinas, 
 ion that 
 ianism, 
 tnanists 
 a kind 
 >n with 
 Nations 
 to Cal- 
 
 I? the 
 iws on 
 in one 
 itioner 
 
 those 
 ^s, the 
 
 what 
 ictive. 
 2par- 
 ht he 
 iator, 
 
 has made a supernatural revelatioh of himself to mankind, 
 of which we have a reliable record in the Bible. But were 
 the object to learn what Christians actually bel'eve, every 
 one sees that it would be necessary to give a very mucn 
 fuller statement of the fundamental tenets which the Chris- 
 tian community has deduced from the teachings of the Old 
 and New Testaments. 
 
 Religion, as distinguished from theology, involves the 
 intercourse of a personal God with man, and the voluntary 
 intercourse of man with God. And this intercourse which 
 is implied in all personal religion postulates freedom in God 
 and freedom in man. Freedom, self-consciousness, per- 
 sonality and moral character are, so far as we know, in- 
 separable, and there is no intelligible basis for religion, 
 unless we cf predicate these both of God and man. 
 
 The eternal necessary substance, which the Pantheist 
 calls God, has neither freedom, personality, self-conscious- 
 ness, nor moral character. It evolves itself necessarily, 
 according to certain fixed laws, in all the phenomena of the 
 universe, and man himself, and all the workings of his 
 nature, are its necessary manifestations. Religion under 
 such a conception of the universe has no intelligible basis. 
 It is true that where this view is entertained, religious 
 feeling may, to a certain extent, survive, because even Pan- 
 theism cannot obliterate man's religious nature, which 
 it fails to explain, but it has no rational ground unless 
 there is a personal God towards whom it can go forth. And 
 it is not less evident that a real freedom in man is equally 
 essential as a basis for religion. If man comes under the 
 same law of necessity which governs the material universe, 
 he is as little fitted to be the subject of religion, as the tan- 
 gible framework of nature. 
 
 There is, indeed, a very intimate connection between the 
 divine and the human freedom, which religion postulates. 
 Man was made in the image of God, and man's freedom, 
 with the limitations, which attach to us as finite and as 
 fallen beings, removed, is perhaps the most accurate repre- 
 sentation we can form to ourselves of the divine freedom, or 
 sovereignty, which are only two names for the same thing. 
 
 decision. Both in God and in man, volition is linked with 
 
i^te '•"'' ^' ''■■--O Wds an end viewed i„ .self 
 woi.w k ^ "°^ on^y ncorrert oo ^ ^^^ numan free- 
 
 'InpMSiiTSr^: _1J::::;;;^^=^^£ous truth. Nega. 
 
 conversion and JlvSuo^oTlh '^''''" ^''^^ Christian pffl w S, r"!?!' *»^« 
 «s somethinff which rJ,T ^''".^ *fO"nd him. the nStt? S *^*^ ^°' the 
 
 sufficient grace uDon »i. A?"-°\!«»'*ns tell us. all th2f!3 i° '^'•*«='» ^e has 
 He has alfeaSy bSoweH Tk*"'^ ^''''y must mprive S^f^"^' 'f ^° »»«stow 
 left to ask? Wh^shouM ^'^'*^ °° «» men ake Mh!?'*^''*''. «<* if 
 bestowed. Dl7hf l^^.r^ "?«« Pray? Let hi™ n''^t!^°'°«' "there 
 
 nianil^ rSpral^sTkll^^rJ^'- g«^»^- ZT ^^^^^^^ 
 
 msts preach. tWp^ach fft''*-. ^' '>»" been reSrted S.?f k " ^'■•°*" 
 'etort did not CaiSm riioL^"'?''''*"'' «"d theS wSuld SlT^"° P*^^' 
 But its principles a eeTuaflvT'h' '" ™*" » ''"bordTnaTe but^i*!'? '^ '5 ^'^^ 
 
 ™-ithe??o'c'S^:;t^^^^ ^'" °^ -n^"h tL*^^^^^^^^^ 
 
IZ 
 
 'd in itself 
 
 itroversy, 
 man free- 
 ict, but it 
 il to their 
 Pelagian 
 
 * agency, 
 religion, 
 in their 
 
 e illumi- 
 ly reach 
 that any 
 lal force 
 the ex- 
 Nega- 
 
 ountable 
 he under 
 might as 
 
 t He has 
 >ld what 
 ner asks 
 i for the 
 at there 
 1 he has 
 bestow 
 
 • and if 
 is there 
 already 
 grace? 
 i' given 
 shaped 
 Armi- 
 Calvi- 
 in the 
 edom. 
 
 The 
 Faith, 
 hat it 
 lod or 
 mini- 
 fs, in 
 in its 
 gion. 
 
 tions cannot feed the soul. Non-belief cannot sustain 
 spiritual life. 
 
 One of the most important tests which can be applied to 
 the various theistic systems in relation to Calvinism is 
 suggested by this fact. Viewed from this standpoint, it 
 will be found that they differ from it, not in their affirma- 
 tions, but in their negations. Calvinism embraces all the 
 positive elements they contain, and much more. If you 
 examine, in succession, Deism, Socinianism or Unitarian- 
 ism, Arianism, Pelagianism, Arminianism and Calvinism, 
 you will discover that you have been following an ascend- 
 ing scale, at each stage of which the positive element grows, 
 and the negations become less. 
 
 A view of these systems in relation to Calvinism will 
 make this apparent. 
 
 I. Deism asserts the existence of a personal God, the 
 Creator and moral Governor of the universe. But in so 
 doing, it affirms nothing peculiar to itself. It enunciates a 
 truth which all Calvinists, and all Christians hold. It asserts 
 also that the Creator has endowed His creatures with cer- 
 tain properties, or powers which exert a true efficiency of 
 their own, and that He has impressed upon the universe 
 certain laws for its government ; but in this there is nothing 
 peculiar to deists. What they assert is the common creed 
 of Christendom. It is by their negations, *hat they are 
 differentiated from Christians. It is when they deny that 
 God has, at any time, interposed to make a supernatural 
 revelation of Himself to mankind, or that He has since 
 the beginning, put forth His power, save through natural 
 law, to work out His purpose, that they separate themselves 
 from other theists. We are quite willing to accept all they 
 have to say of the perfection of God's works, and of the 
 laws of nature. We readily admit that God's works need 
 no amendment, but when they assume that God, having 
 created the system so perfectly, has left it to run on itself, 
 and work out all His purposes, without any further inter- 
 position of His power, we demur. We admit that the laws 
 of nature are perfect for the ends they were intended to 
 serve, and that they are neither violated nor superseded ; but 
 unle55s it can be, shown that God has committed the out- 
 working of every portion of His purpose to natural law. 
 
xa 
 
 »• SoSi/:«-« evidence. '"''""^'"^ P"*-. for 
 diversifv ^ ^ . ^^ entering intn fj,!- ^ ^n'tarians. 
 
 '■■ueliumanitvofri,;- . ' "'e unity ol the C^l' *^^ P'e- 
 favour of virt,?: u,*' *nd the moral infl! *^°'^''ead ; the 
 
 Christ. Mo " U„?/ ^''^ ''fe. d?a°h aSd IT ^"^''^ '» 
 °f the dS L • '^•"*"'> ''n addit on tn ,r'"2ection of 
 
 -?^rt notSg wWch H "'^'^ P^-'s^'Jut*" * o f ■ '""^r »• 
 
 nTarit^^^^«°"thr^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 separwes tW, /'^"' ''^''e™. but what thf^w'^"™" I' « 
 acceptance ofl/r? °«'««'°'' ChristiLf%f^"y- 'vhich 
 
 human rarp „t • , °* *^® totaJ. innaf^ A ^"® evil 
 
 believers i; f,""/;.^^.^ ^''ff^rentiates them "^f^'^^^^y of the 
 ^ulf between thl^'' "^S^^t'ons which dS,/'°"^. ^^^^^^ox 
 Unity, aTd tru ?!;rth'"^ i-^°^^ ^^o ^orshfn" V"^P^.«^^*We 
 
 -n for deliver^- trttnt^^^ 
 
 "'n sm has wrought. Their 
 
the direct 
 »e deisticaJ 
 position of 
 lust cordi- 
 power, for 
 
 advance, 
 'h are not 
 e positive 
 nitarians, 
 
 For the 
 Gm is so 
 -rse, that 
 er is pre- 
 rmation. 
 ' may be 
 lements, 
 hich the 
 the pre- 
 id; the 
 srted in 
 tion of 
 nations* 
 g, they 
 )f Cal- 
 It is 
 which 
 t their 
 super- 
 iinary 
 otthe 
 inity; 
 rejec- 
 e evil 
 f the 
 odox 
 sible 
 y in 
 jod- 
 heir 
 
 13 
 
 positive creed is a mere segment of divine truth, and their 
 negations cover the remaining portion of the circle. 
 
 Unitarians, indeed, claim that the doctrine of the Trinity 
 contradicts the Unity of the Godhead. But to affirm that 
 God is one in substance, and three in personality, cannot be 
 construed into a contradiction. The affirmations are dis- 
 tinct, and each rests on its own evidence, but no one can 
 pretend that in making them, we say and unsay the same 
 thing. 
 
 It is true that among men, for each person there is a dis- 
 tinct substance, but for aught we know this may arise from 
 the limitations which belong to a finite and created nature. 
 And to affirm that it must be with God, as it is with man, 
 not only bases assertion upon ignorance, rather than know- 
 ledge, but it makes the creature the measure of the Creator. 
 
 Indeed we might go farther, and assert that the doctrine 
 of the Trinity is essential to the intelligent acceptance 
 of the personality of God which Unitarians maintain. Nearly 
 all philosophers hold that self-consciousness, which is in- 
 separable from personality, implies a knowledge of something 
 distinct from self. Dr. Bain says," The beginning of know- 
 ledge or ideas is the discrimination of one thing from 
 another." The consciousness or knowledge of self involves 
 a knowledge of that which is distinct from self. The Ego im- 
 plies a non-ego, or in other words, I cannot use the personal 
 pronoun I, without distinguishing myself mentally from some- 
 thing which is not myself. If this is a correct view of what 
 is involved in self-consciousness, it is manifest that prior to 
 creation, a unipersonal God is inconceivable. For there 
 is no possibility of self-consciousness when there is nothing 
 from which this self-existent Beifig can distinguish him- 
 self. We must either admit the eternity of the universe, 
 or a plurality of persons in the Godhead, if we desire 
 to hold the divine personality intelligently. It is not a 
 little significant to find a Unitarian writer, so able as Dr. 
 James Martineau, recognizing this alternative, and dis- 
 tinctly admitting the eternity of matter, in order to conserve 
 the personality of God. " There is," he writes, " only one 
 resource left for completing the needful objectivety for God, 
 namely, to admit the co-eval existence of matter, as the 
 condition or medium of the divine agency and manifes- 
 
nature demaids n. TT}}^ ''^''owship •„' i, ^' '* «<="«s 
 head, then before ?„"v o.^''"^ ^« "'feTperso„s1„%r^°'«" 
 very oonstitutio^ofThe r^H^"!? ^'"^'ed there wl/- ^i"" 
 ousness. If f herp ic podhead, provision ff ^?* '" "le 
 then each perso^'^= *" '; ^ ^hou'.P nd a He^" ^e]f.co„sci- 
 from the otLr j- . "'", from eternitv 7i- .• " *"e Deitv 
 
 »tercha„~ of ?r"\P""°"«. and midf '!!'«"'''• '"'"seTf 
 go back lfl,°M*°"S''t, feelfn; and »ff f"" ^<=0Pe for the 
 
 things'lind see ?-„T!:°^°f G^e^tr,;""- ^^^'^ «^e 
 
 ""approachable Sl>'='' °^ 'hat, dwellin ' r«'".°f ^'' 
 Being, we can . "/='ery and maiestv ^f J? ^'°"e '" the 
 
 nor vl i«on"?e Z^^^^^"^ 'hat neTth^erl^f" ^elf-existent 
 that " inX k ^"'■^'S" to His natnr. ^^"^•'^0"«ciousness 
 earth."" *" "^e'^-'ng God crea?e"'he"h "" '^^ helievi 
 
 ^ 3- Arianism, though ■ " ""'^ 'he 
 
 doctrine than w ?" " ^ome respect. = i,- ,. 
 P^^itive elemenfs whf"^'" °^ U„fS^i,^>her type of 
 other forms of pI'P" "« "ot found in^' .Presents no 
 -nion of tTo nafur "f ',?' Christian^l^ '" Calvmism and 
 Pre-existence of he VW. 5%P"''^°" of Christ .1?°^"'^-"= *he ' 
 
 ofthelttrj^^iec/'llr''-^^^^^^^^ 
 
 holding''tiS,hiS?s1^Afr<''" orthoteL^^^^^^^^ 
 created nature ht " Christ a superhuman .u' '^"ans 
 
 'oadoptasomewfe'^'""'^^™ times Th"'*''""^'' ^W' a 
 prevails amonroM-'"^^"' "ew of t"e worK^u*^."'lency 
 
 te^nSi'"^^si^^rp%dS¥^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 .nd,SE^«^;=^VWr^^^ Arians. 
 
 /» oy Kev. Wqj, 
 
. 4 
 
 l^ers x.\iQ sejf. 
 ■e, it secures 
 s a personal 
 in the God- 
 ' was in the 
 seJf-consci- 
 .the Deity, 
 »sh himself 
 ^Pe for ih^ 
 When we 
 'gm of alJ 
 jne in the 
 "■existent 
 'Ciousness 
 i^e believe 
 and t\i^ 
 
 type of 
 sents no 
 ism and 
 lizes the 
 fnits ih^ 
 fnate in 
 ing dis- 
 -ternity 
 signing 
 -s, that 
 Arians 
 still a 
 dency 
 tthan 
 egard 
 tnoral 
 t and 
 "ians> 
 
 yable 
 
 resses 
 iment 
 lew is 
 Wm. 
 
 15 
 
 recognize that the work of Christ does, in a certain vacua 
 sense termmate on God They regard Him as interposing 
 with God for sinners. The general idea which they appear 
 
 ^rfil • .k" '" u^^* ^^'^. ^^^^^^^ ^^'"&' taking a deep^^in- 
 terest in the welfare of sinners, endured humiliation, suflfer- 
 ing and death not to atone for their sins, but still on their 
 account, and thus He obtained for Himself such a position 
 and standing with God, that God is willing, at His request, 
 to forgive sinners and restore them to favour. The sinned 
 is taken back into favour, not because Divine justice 
 has been satisfied by the atoning sacrifice of Christ, but 
 very much as a man who by his misconduct has lost caste in 
 society, while unable of himself to regain by repentance his 
 
 u^ri^ J'^'.Tl^^ ^-^^^^ ^^^k ^^''^^^h the interposition of 
 a triend of distinguished character and virtues, for whose 
 sake his past bad conduct is overlooked. It is almost self- 
 evident that there is no positive element here, which is not 
 involved in the Catholic doctrine of the atonement. This 
 view supplies no adequate reason why Christ endured 
 humiliation, suffering and death, but the ordinary doctrine 
 ioes— and a reason which enhances the significance and 
 value of his entire work, and which explains why that work 
 was ntted to secure Him a position and standing with God, 
 which clothed His intercession and His work with power 
 when presented for sinners. It is only its negations which 
 differentiate Ananism from orthodoxy. 
 
 4. Pelagianism. In examining the theistic systems as 
 they ascend from the negative to the positive, the next 
 which comes under review is Pelagianism. Earlier in time 
 It iS also in some respects higher in structure than Socinian- 
 ism. It embraces all the positive elements in the So- 
 cinian system, and recognizes, moreover, the Trinity, and 
 cognate doctrines. But while admitting the truth of these 
 doctrines it cannot be said to have shown any special 
 pnse of their importance, and, in its practical teaching, it 
 Las generally ignored them. It is, indeed, scarcely possible 
 that anyone cherishing Pelagian views of man's natural 
 state and powers, could feel an urgent need for such aid as 
 is involved m the direct interposition of God the Son, and 
 God the Holy Ghost, for man's salvafmn " m^^^..^ c- 
 cinians and Rationalists are the only consistent Pelagians." 
 
J-A- 
 
 i6 
 
 The questions with which Pelagianism deals specially, 
 are sin and grace ; but the views which a thoughtful man 
 entertains on these central topics, must necessarily mould 
 his beliefs on many of the leading doctrines of the Chris- 
 tian system — in fact, upon all which bear upon man's 
 natural state and the method of his personal restoration to 
 the image of God. 
 
 The positive elements of Scripture teaching, as under- 
 stood by Calvinists, and substantially by EvangeHcal 
 Christians, in reference to the two questions handled di- 
 rectly by Pelagianism are, (i) That all mankind, by the fall 
 of Adam, lost communion with God, are involved in the 
 penal consequences of his first disobedience, and have lost 
 the image of God, and become dead in sins, so that 
 they cannot, without the special aid of God's Spirit, repent, 
 believe on Christ, or do works acceptable to God. Salva- 
 tion, therefore, cannot originate with man. 
 
 (2.) That it is by a special subjective work of the Holy 
 Spirit, imparting spiritual life to the soul, that men are led to 
 understand the truth revealed in the Word in its real 
 import, and are determined to yield a willing obedience to 
 all its requirements. Each Christian, therefore, can say 
 with the apostle, " By the grace of God I am what I am." 
 The distinctive teaching of Pelagianism is sharply antago- 
 nistic to these views. It may be summed up in two nega- 
 tions, viz. : (i) That man's moral character received no 
 injury from the fall, man having now the same ability to 
 do the will of God as had Adam ; and {2) That man needs, 
 and receives, no subjective aid from the Holy Spirit to 
 enable him to repent, believe on Christ, and do the will of 
 God. The second of these negations flows necessarily 
 from the first ; for, if men need no help, God certainly will 
 not interpose to give it. And both these negations flow, 
 not from any alleged teaching of Scripture, which it can 
 scarcely be pretended harmonizes with them, but from two 
 philosophical axioms which Pelagians lay down with as 
 much confidence as if they were revealed in the Word of 
 God. These are, (i) That moral quality can be predi- 
 cated only of volitions and their consequences which are 
 directly under the control oi tiie will. \^onsequeRtly, it is 
 an absurdity to speak of hereditary sins or innate depravity. 
 
specially, 
 itful man 
 ily mould 
 he Chris- 
 3n man's 
 oration to 
 
 as under- 
 i^angelical 
 indled di- 
 )y the fall 
 ed in the 
 have lost 
 , so that 
 :it, repent, 
 I. Saiva- 
 
 the Holy 
 
 are led to 
 
 1 its real 
 
 sdience to 
 
 ;, can say 
 
 lat I am." 
 
 ily antago- 
 
 two nega- 
 
 ceived no 
 
 ability to 
 
 aan needs, 
 
 Spirit to 
 
 the will of 
 
 lecessarily 
 
 tainly will 
 
 tions flow, 
 
 lich it can 
 
 it from two 
 
 ti with as 
 
 Word of 
 
 be predi- 
 
 which are 
 
 depravity. 
 
 17 
 
 m^ra^f^**^ °' ^impositions can be either good or bad 
 TZf\?f r°^'*'°"' ^^°"^ have moral quality. (2) 
 That ability limits responsibility-every man must have 
 
 f^TZV^u^'y '5 ^° ^^^* G°d ^"J°i"«- Moral inabimy 
 mil i f n ^' ^^st^^cjive of obligation as natural. If a 
 
 hi ,. n. 1: '° *5^* \^ ^^""°* ^^^P "»« commandments, 
 
 hWnH w'n^°""l*'' "^^ '^ ^h^" *° ope" the eyes of the 
 fn H^' u ."^.^ *.h^* e^e^y "^a" is able, at any moment, 
 hL}i ^i^tever God commands, without any special divine 
 hfm ;,f?^ ."^^"^n "°,"o^y Spirit to aid him, or to work in 
 
 v7J n ^"^ "^'^^ ^' ?°* "^ im ^m ^b^e to obey as Adam in 
 liden. Grace, in the ordinary sense of the term, is 
 unnecessary. icnu, is 
 
 Pelagians, indeed, speak freely of grace, but they do not 
 mean by it what is meant by Evangelical Christians. God 
 !.L K, ^°°^"es? has been pleased to make us free agents, 
 capable of obeying his commands perfectly. He has given 
 us the example of Christ, and a supernatural revelation for 
 our guidauce, and He pardons sins committed before con- 
 version. The truth revealed and the circumstances with 
 which we are surrounded, exert an influence in the right 
 
 .v4^m°"A T^'\i' ^'^^^.' ^"^ ^^^ *he grace of which this 
 system admits. Man needs no Holy Ghost now to enlighten 
 the ^yes of his understanding, and he receives no such aid. 
 It goes almost without saying, that this system has no 
 positive element which is not embraced in Calvinism. Its 
 negations plone distinguish it from orthodox Christianity. 
 It has the merit, such as it is, of self-consistency, but is the 
 selt-consistency of a system which undertakes to solve the 
 problem of man's destiny by leaving out of view human 
 depravity, the most important element in the problem to 
 be solved. 
 
 5. Arminianism is allied more closely to Calvinism than 
 any of the theistic systems we have reviewed. Arminius 
 brought up among the Calvinists of Holland, studied 
 theology m Geneva under Beza, and the system which he 
 afterwards developed, shows that he owed not a little to 
 his early training. The positive elements in his teaching 
 are all found m the theology of his youth. These, however, 
 he combined with nee^ations. drawn <-hi«fl" <"»-o»*' ^-l-'-'ar- 
 sources, which have gene to make the system what we now 
 2 
 
i8 
 
 limitc d strictly to these bit thU^ "^ differences can be 
 reaching that^ the oth;r var^atfon'.' '° '"'i?^'*""* ^"^ ^^r- 
 from them. This controversTtnrnt ^^ ^t '^^^ *° ^^^ 
 in reference to the {aulffill^ "^ "P°" ^^^ views held 
 redemption and th^p^rst'e'anS fAh' ' ^^'•^*'°"' P^^^-"^r 
 all these topics wherrArmfnfam.r^ ^ ^^ '^r"*'' ^"^ "P°" 
 't IS in the way of negai,™ '"''"^ ^'^"^^ ^^°^ Calvinism, 
 
 iais'ivo^t'e^^VA^^^^^^^^^ ^-c. -;^./a//, Armin- 
 
 harmonywith Calvinism Tif iT^i'""^ ^^'^^ is in thorough 
 U. S., hL adop eTth^'fJiS^^ 
 
 theCalvinisticLtTclesofS^^e'S^^^ '^"^1 ^^°"^ 
 
 these terms, '« the condifmn ^f r ^"g^and. It is in 
 
 is such that he cannot tnrn ^"'^"' ^^*^'" *^« ^a» of Adam 
 
 natural strengthTnTworTs'to faUrand^'T^^' '^ ^'^ °^" 
 wherefore we have nrpower i h^^"^ ^^^"^"^^"^^^ God ; 
 and acceptable to God wkTont t h. ^"""^ 7^'^^' P^^^^^n* 
 preventing, us, that we may W^^^ ° pod by Christ 
 
 with us wSen we have that^good wifl •' ' ""^'^'"^ 
 
 • ^ '^ce!Ye?^^^^^^ fall upon 
 
 But Arminian philosophy soon ntl°..''^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^^^• 
 •'thmgs are not what thev seem "a 'V^PP^rent that 
 such an inability as they ^asserT w.. "''"•^!;' ^^^^^ ^^^t 
 fall is inconsistent with man's fr J . ""P^""duced by the 
 countability. It is not e^o^.h li . ^1^'"''^ ^"^ moral ac- 
 
 whole, including a Uts tendf c cs hi'h^'^"^^^ "^^" ^' ^ 
 dispositions, should be endowed tfh ' Judgments and 
 decision, for then, howeve? freX t hT*^ ^ P°^?^ of ^elf- 
 'night, if influenced by evH^dtn.^'f " "'^^^^ ^^"' ^^ 
 will what is wrong. In order Vnf^''*'°"'' invariably 
 that the faculty of vohtion mu^? h ^'^ ^^"""y* ^^ ^^ held 
 termination, ''irrespective of ^n ^ ^^ ^ P'^'^^^ "f self-de- 
 stand^ngandtheaSo^rJf^^^^^^^^^^^ '^f. ""der- 
 
 ofthesoulatthetime.'-Thewill%ttaret'Cirj^^^^^^^^ 
 
ugustinian 
 ascendant. 
 Dort, to 
 s and Gal- 
 es can be 
 It and far- 
 d to flow 
 iews held 
 particular 
 '^nd upon 
 alvinism, 
 
 I, Armin- 
 thorough 
 [Church, 
 'ed from 
 It is in 
 )f Adam, 
 his own 
 >n God : 
 pleasant 
 y Christ 
 working 
 
 dl upon 
 / grace, 
 nt that 
 ch that 
 by the 
 )ral ac- 
 m as a 
 ts and 
 f self. 
 vill, he 
 iriably 
 s held 
 elf-de- 
 mder- 
 ; state 
 either 
 
 19 
 
 side. It must, in fact, be in a state of equilibrium.'''' And 
 as this is, confessedly, not the condition of mankind when 
 they are born into the world, Arminians hold that it would 
 have been harsh and unjust of God to have treated them 
 as responsible for their conduct, had He not by the intro- 
 duction of a remedial system, through Jesus Christ, secured 
 to them sufficient grace to restore them to the platform of 
 free agency, where Adam stood prior to the fall. 
 
 What is called grace is, in fact, a compensation for a 
 hardship, or injustice inflicted on the descendants of Adam, 
 in connection with the manner in which they were intro- 
 duced into the world, and as soon as sufficient grace, or 
 rather sufficient compensation, has been bestowed upon 
 men, they are brought back to that state of moral freedom 
 which Adam had in Eden ; and thus the scriptural doc- 
 trine of the fall, acknowledged in words, is practically 
 blotted out at the behest of Pelagian philosophy. In refer- 
 ence, therefore, to the /a/;, Arminians differ from Calvinists 
 in the direction of negation. For as soon as justice has 
 been done to men, the effects of the fall are practically 
 annulled to them, and they stand substantially where Adam 
 stood before sin entered our world. 
 
 (2.) Arminians diffier from Calvinists upon efficacious 
 grace. They agree in holding that fallen man cannot 
 repent, believe on Christ and lead a holy life, apart from 
 a subjective work of the Holy Spirit in the soul. Both 
 
 • Some modern Arminians, like Whedon, have, under the pressure of 
 Edwards' logic, abandoned this mode of stating the matter, but, while 
 modifying the phraseology, they retain subtantially the same notion. They 
 admit that there may be a preference in the mind prior to volition, but, as 
 the will is not determined in its volitions, by what seems to the mind most 
 desirable at the time, and may, as a matter of fact, choose what seems least 
 desirable, at the instant of choice, the preferences which exist prior to 
 volition, exert no influence in determining how the will shall act. The 
 will is in fact isolated from the understanding, and the other powers of the 
 mind, and is in no way determined by them. The volitional faculty becomes, 
 according to this view, a kind of isolated agent, within an agent, which, in 
 acting, either may, or may not take into account what commends itself to 
 the understanding. In reply to the question. What determines the will ? 
 Whedon replies, "Nothing, whatever." If the will is thus equipoised in 
 reference to volition, and equally free to turn to either side, notwithstanding 
 the decided preference of the soul to the opposite, then, of course, we have 
 the old equilibrium under a new guise. 
 
' ao 
 
 salvation of the , itidnl^l .iP ?'" '"''"=™' ">at the 
 God victoriously ;ons^aLnnr„'//'''"M''!? "''' «"<=<= "' 
 
 wliat I am." We have seen thL u F.f"'' .°' ^"^ ' "-n 
 
 gjace is, in rea^y, ac^rd ^g't hfs' hoVr't" "^^"^ 
 It IS m no sense due to fh^ ,?,,,« " j^"^°^°^y' "o grace. 
 
 find some meaning for the word? wt^ ^ f ^l,*"'* "" Christian/must 
 inconsistent with t1.e beMef th°a klvSi^n^^'et "'. ^'*' Armini^nism fj 
 God or /<, grace in the Proper sen» of fhnt v* ""™e"'«d favour of 
 Arminianism. in its avowe/pSp7es 80!^,^. ''^''•- ^'»* *^'^"« that 
 
 In a volume of Doctrinal Ki^nKi-u'^i'' fSJ^*' " *oo abundant. 
 Je^alf^r V^ ^''^ Sris^S^AS? "^St;^ General 
 
 answers: " Are%ou sure ke mLt? WK *"'"!"• *ho i« John wi"/ 
 il n the Word of God "'Vhere7o?e j rej^,'';«JVhoM ' ^ """«' ""d 
 utterly unsupported by Holy Swipt^re ' " ^n» ^/ * ?'''^."""*'' *'««'»'on. 
 replies. 'You know.inVurconscSw^^^^ r^" the Calvinistic objector 
 by you. " '• I deny it." John Weley "^wer?^ - ^ ' '"'"/ ''*^* P '»«ed 
 for my unfaithfulness to 11., grace Uve^lv;, 1 ^ ''" "''^ ™'K''t ' '^t'3 . 
 but th.s concession supposes mf To have had'gr , - '*' " "' •^°' ^ ^-t J 
 peri?h in tte^l^^sftheTr'sa^^ Wesley and all men to 
 
 fcave left them to perish wod/h we bee„ to fnfi'ir'';^'^"^ *° J"'"'^"- To 
 was therefore, bound bv iuxtlr/tl ^ -a .^ **" *hem a wrong. God 
 ascribe such a work to g,iS ff to^Cl*' '*'''''''°° f°' ""^nkind. ^o 
 *»4 iuslJce. ^ " " '° **»"»« language, and to confound grace 
 
 ^^-Cmporal. , .^ftual aJ3 JSnanH iLl^^'.^L^da". involved in 
 ca^rge of iniustic*. !n »K-"r;i.r:_7:.^° -"u.caie i^'s pro. 
 
 v.-vCi 
 
 : , -r-;-! ' !u«i ana eternal : hi. ,— u- ?» -:_j! .' J:"'"'^" •« 
 
 c jrom tne Cii^rge of iniustice in th-"f;.ii "' '''""'caie uod's pro- 
 
 ($ ui injustice, in the following manner : «« In all this 
 
at 
 
 sation ceases, when sufficient has heen accomplished to 
 undo the wrong, and bring men back to the Adamic 
 condition of free agency. They are placed on tlie platform 
 of free agency, and left to make what use they please of 
 the privilege. Were it to incline them even ii the faintest 
 degree to embrace the gospel, it would destroy the equili- 
 brium, and subvert their free agency. 
 
 It is true tiie work Arminianism assigns to grace is 
 quite superfluous. Man never lost his freedom, which is 
 inseparable from his personality, and therefore cannot 
 require to have it restored. Had the sin of Adam des- 
 troyed the free agency of his posterity, hey could have 
 had no moral nature, and no sin, and would have stood as 
 little in need of salvation as the lower animals. But while 
 this is evident, there is no doubt that what ;\rminians attri- 
 bute to grace is a subjective work, the samr in its general 
 
 it U impossible to impesrh the equity of the divine proce ure, since no man 
 suffcM any loss or itijuiy ultimately by the sin of Adam but by his own 
 wilful obstinacy - the • abounding of grace ' by Christ, having placed before 
 all men upon believing, not merely compensation for the loss and injury 
 sustamed by Adam, but infinitely higher blessings, both in kind and degree 
 than were forfeited in him." It is surely only by a Strang - abuse of Tan- 
 guage that, what can be spoken of as a " compensation for the loss and 
 mjury sustained by Adam," can be regarded as of grace. Hat, according 
 to this Arminian divine, it is only because compensation has been made in 
 Chnst, for the injury and loss sustained in Adam, that God's Justice can be 
 cleared in his dealings with mankind. This is salvation by ji tice, and not 
 by grace. 
 
 I J' ^^ '*'* atonement," says Dr. Whedon in his work on the Will, p. 336, 
 Man IS re-elevated to the level of responsibility, beneath w licb he had 
 sunk by the fall. ' If men have sunk beneath the level of resp nsibility by 
 the fall. It would clearly be unjust to punish them for their sin, or to allow 
 them to perish. If God is to treat men as rational and account; ole agents, 
 he IS bound to bestow on them grace, and thus restore them to le level of 
 responsibility. This is not salvation by grace. 
 
 Dr. Whedon attempts, very unsuccessfully, to evade the cnarge that 
 Arminianism involves a rejection of salvation by grace. He says that "an 
 itens of justice in a system of grace, which is an item requisite to»the ex- 
 istence of the system, is itself a grace." p. 337. We reply that this depends 
 entirely > the nature of the item, and wAgre it occurs. We acmit that 
 "grace reigns through righteousness (or justice) unto eternal life by Jesus 
 Christ our Lord." Rom. 5, 24, and an item of justice occurring ,in this 
 system may very fairly be said to be itself a grace, but this is bec2.use the 
 
 If It was a compen<!ation for a hardship previously inflicted, no one who 
 knows the njeaning of language, would think of ascribing it to grace. 
 
22 
 effectually to^embrace Christ ' ThrA*'" '"•'*' "'^'''""«' 
 
 S accent ZT"?''^ ^'■*° '"'"'^ '^at the sinner shall 
 
 Nothing could bring this out better than rjr wk-j > 7, 
 
 when fairly stated : "If a m llinnL; J„ P'- Whedon's own illustration, 
 
 viously involved in ruin. int"h servL -^^^^^^^^^ ^*" °-P-'"" ^^' P'*' 
 his commissioned agent, for the ?nten?!n„«f ^"""^c u " "^'^^ ^*P»t*l *« be 
 results, in form of a m unseen t for tunirL*"!''^^" °" hi°» the 
 
 necessary capital (requisi?Mhough t be' for'^ eaufrSl 0?'°*'"^ *?^ ''^^ 
 results, and so an act of justice in vi^» nf fk '*3"'"nK o' any service or 
 of grace. " p. 317 In ordA f" -^^ ♦^^ " '■^"":«"»«nO '^ouW be an act 
 ArSiinian ^Sei^o'i GcS's iea ings whh ^^^ P"*"«' ■" the 
 
 we must add an element and a mnlf «« /• f *f'°"2^ A^*™ and Christ, 
 Dr. Whedon has convenienUy ornXd wTi ''f *"""* '" ^^ ^^' ^''''^^ 
 boy had "been previoSTinvol^ed fn rZ^T'' '"PP^^f »•}*» theorphan 
 but entirely through thri^eScy o? arL Jlm^n L T^^ "°,?"^' .°f '''^ ^^n. 
 then, becomes of the grafe of the S?fn^ ' °[ '''^ ""IRonaire. What, 
 method described by Dr wSedon to mT ?' J^° '*^'^' *^*' roundaboul 
 and ruin he had previously inflfcted In t?f tardy compensation for injury 
 
 spiritual and eter^naTrw^ch Watson telkSh" ^^ If death, temporal. 
 Adam, cannot be juX jSt2;*Ll°"i^A'' H« '^« '^c« are 1^^^^ 
 
 ascribe th,ir deliverance IVo„;i^rsd";omrG«^ '" "'"'" of languagelo 
 
 
23 
 
 extends to all events, and may therefore exert an influence 
 favourable to the sinner's salvation, and that He gives 
 sufficient grace to all to restore to them free agency, they 
 deny that He does effectually determine any sinner to turn 
 to Christ. They cannot therefore imagine God's purpose 
 to include a work which he does not do. The Calvinist, 
 on the other hand, believes that God not only makes his 
 universal Providence subsidiary to the salvation of indi- 
 vidual men, but that He exerts a gracious, victorious 
 power in the hearts of men by which they are made willing 
 to embrace Christ, and pursue a new life. God's purpose, 
 therefore, must include the bestowal of this grace. This 
 is the decree of personal election. Arminians admit of an 
 election of persons to special services, and of nations and 
 bodies of men to eminent privileges and advantages, and 
 that God has a purpose to save all who repent and believe 
 on Christ, or, as others put it, a purpose to save all who 
 He foresees will repent and accept Christ. In this there 
 is nothing which the Calvinist will not accept as contain- 
 ing an element of truth. It is when the Arminian denies 
 that the election spoken of in the Word of God is a per- 
 sonal choice of men " before the foundation of the world 
 that they should be holy," that we reach the negation 
 which distinguishes them from those who hold the reformed 
 faith. 
 
 (4.) In reference to the nature 6/ Christ's redeeming work, 
 there is substantial oneness between Arminians and 
 Calvinists. Both embrace cordially the catholic doctrine 
 of the nature of the atonement. They regard the suffer- 
 ings of Christ as strictly propitiatory. They view them as 
 intended to satisfy divine justice, and render it consistent 
 with the glorious character and perfections of God to 
 pardon sin, and save sinners. Arminians reject the notion 
 that the atonement is a mere governmental expedient 
 designed to leave an impression on the moral universe 
 that God is determined to uphold law, and punish sin, 
 while, in point of fact, he does not punish it. They regard 
 the work of Christ as terminating directly on God, and not 
 on the moral universe. In examining the governmental 
 
 theorv of Grotins. T^imhnrrh r»roc<intc irot-v r'^r»-«''*'!v ♦■^'> 
 

 as like the payment of pecuniary liabilities wI,pi-<. fi. „" 
 ment liberates ;;».o/a.(„rand the Loun pai'dTs rel'ated^^^ 
 
 CO an. iMo man, therefore, need perish for want of an 
 
 but secured by His atoning sacrifice. Pos.ible, 
 
 Here it may seem there is a positive element in fl.o 
 
 Armmian system which Calvinism rejects. Thfs is onW^ 
 
 LaT^T""^' Fr ^^^" Arminiani assert that Chrisf 
 
 h^ HiH^'^'l/^' f "^^S.'J" ^y^"^' ^hat the Calvhiist be leve^ 
 
 to i? f^ ^^r*- -^^^y ^° "°t ^"^^gine that he desS 
 to secure the salvation of all men Thp Arm.vTfo ^u 
 
 present to his mind one idea of^he* design imS " ^u^ 
 words ..died for,-' when he asserts ChrTsfSidtll/men' 
 and the Calvmist has before him a different and rirhir S ' 
 when he affirms that Christ died forThe elect The IV^^^^ 
 lan does not believe that Christ died for all men oX 
 any nianin the sense in which the Calvinist bdfe^es th°J 
 Christ laid down His life for the sheep AcLrH nlf A 
 Arminian view, he died for all in th^e same sens" Is He 
 died for those who He foresaw would reject his salvation and 
 perish, and even as He died for those who were bevond fS^ 
 reach of mercy, when He suffered on tl^e c^oss IZ^nilt 
 
 byVrdt^hTch'^^^?' "^r- -^i;-rm-l^tra 
 
 K,-^^} ^^ Christ, a foundation has been laiH nr,^,. 
 
 s"aWio''nl?h" "^.''^°"^^y "^?^^ ^ ^"" and sincer'e offTo" 
 s_alvation to the entire race^jgjiichj^j ^^ ac cepts shah 
 
 ^Whether Christ by his death ha, eflFectcd anything Godwa"^? 
 
25 
 
 habitually^'w'hen^r prea^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^'.-^ -ts upon it 
 to mankind indiscriminafphf -? ^°^P^V °^ ^^^^^^ Christ 
 manner of log"STt ^sonYv u^° «^^*^ *he matter in the 
 for " a smalkr cZprhe.Z^ tUl^'l^^ *° '^" '''"^^ " ^^^^ 
 greater extension. '' *^^* ^^^^ ^"^P^^-t to them a 
 
 /.^il^;"it"L^':.>S'"g"i^'^^'°is^-^ ^--^ ^f the 
 
 are truly in Christ sha not^.l^'"''*' ^^ f ^^ ^^^^ ^^^ who 
 a state of grace but sLTr^rT^*^*^"^' °^ ^"^"y from 
 be eternall^ sav;d They Case t"hf /n'r^T^'^^^^^"' ^"^ 
 and numerous Scripture tP.H^I ^^'f ^' °" ^'^^inct 
 
 vealedthat God has an , nl "'^' ' ^^^ °" ^^e fact re- 
 chosen people (,) on the n^^r^"'^,P"'P°'^ '^ ^^^^ his 
 Christ their ^epieLntad^^^^^ '"^^^'T *^">^ ^"^^^^^ '<> 
 
 them ; and Tztf on fV.o " "^^'"^ ^"^ interceding for 
 
 Spirit throu^°w"h m^ ^ZZ^LT^Z f the i„dwe!li„°g 
 quickened. spiritual life is sustained and 
 
 Christ sustains an^such tela? on tn h"'" *^7 ^^"^ «hat 
 their salvation ; and becausi th^, "is Peope as secures 
 
 Holy Spirit can, w^^t de:trowLZl'„''f "^T *"' "'^ 
 any such power in thp h^=rf^,^^ human freedom, exert 
 mine him to embrace the ^if'^f ' "^/'".fffectually ideter- 
 they deny then" severance f?tr ^""^ follow Christ; that 
 the testilny oTthe Worf.'wh ch^'sTertt't W fh "'"" T^^ 
 'in'^u'JT'^ °fG°d 'brought thS\dtat?o? "' '^P' 
 Ca'l"vi:^rsmr™\°i*r roSe^Ve"/ '''^''-^--^hlirieature of 
 shyness. We have seen t^f ^^ " ^'' '' "^ «'»/>«/«»• 
 
26 
 
 confirmed by the facts of man s experience, in a state of 
 nature and of grace. This induction gives/as the funda- 
 
 MvTn 't'i?<?'-^' as'nanifested in an eternal personal election of men tol^. 
 
 tr]ife«1,iV^f'r '//'"' *°^ (^) Man's freedom and acco^ntabUi^ for 
 his life and conduct. If any system is to be truly Biblical it must be suft 
 
 Eof^i *:°SP'«'?«""r5 t° include both these iaci Tet Tyl^'e^d 
 viii. 25-30; Kom. XI. 5-6 I. Peter 1-2; Acts xii''. 4,8 • Acts xxif ja .c 
 Johnx 15-16 ; John XV. 16. and John W2-3 and his miTmustb<: 
 very s rangely constituted indeed, if he does not see in them JheTtinct 
 recogmtion of an eternal personal election, and efficacious gra° or. is nof 
 at least, conscious that a painful effort is necessary to elimnate these 
 doctrines from the words. That these texts, in thLobvSs meaning 
 appear o teach these doctrines, scarcely admits of den al/aid wHemlS 
 to assert that a careful examination of the context will, in almost Tvery ?lse 
 deepen the first impression made by the words. ^ ' 
 
 1o-« Iohn°r.o .'■1't"^?-'''° ''*"* such passages as Is. Iv. 5 ; Ezek. xviii. 
 30-32. .John V. 40; II. Cor. v. 20; Heb. iv. 7, and Rev. xxii. 17 without 
 perceiving that the Scriptures, with equal clea ness, VecogSie m^n eve?v 
 where as a f.ee, accountable, moral agent. recognize man every- 
 
 But this is not all : we find Christ Himself distinctly recoenizin? these 
 wo facts side by side, in the same passage. In John vllrHrdeclares 
 All that the Father giveth me shall coSie to me ; and Sfhat cometh 
 
 of "uth Tn MaV°xr'2Vr8 ""^V; „T,f. ««><* P--'V the same cSuocaTon 
 FatW. in^ n 27-28. "All things are delivered unto me of my 
 
 Father; and no man knoweth the Son. but the Father; neither knoweth 
 ^e^eaJ^Him^' ?'^" T' the Son. and he to whomso'ever the S^n w 
 
 wTg v^Tou res?"' Our LorS^L^n' J • '' '*''°"'' ?"^ "■' ^'^^^ ^^^'^ '^^^ ^ 
 win give you rest. uur L,ord can discover no inconsistency betwppn that 
 
 HTm"aStS-°'-rl;J''^ «*!f *° ^'^"■^^ * peop^X shall airfomet^ 
 r"Sns?ble ^^n^' h'°"' '"** assurances which address man as a freHnd 
 [JS pS.!!j^ "^ u-\ Pf'"'^^ "° contradiction between a belief in 
 
 that efficacious grace, which alone can reveal the Father savinelv tn mpn 
 
 Kavikd'en »Tc "lf'*'°"'- :'C°"^-to me all yftLTbo'ur Sd": e' 
 neavy laden, etc. If we wish to embrace a theoloev which U »« o««,^t/ 
 hensive as the teaching of Christ, we must find fpTace fir bo5hXs; 
 elements m our creed. It will not do for us to set the onein opposUiin to 
 the other, and assume that if human freedom is a fact, eternal ele?t?on mus? 
 be deemed inconsistent with it. It may surely be aLumed that W 
 
 SS, a"„H*"^' u' '°"^'*'°1' °'^"°»"» fr«dom better Than ArmSn 
 divines. And we have seen already that the comprehensiveness whch 
 
 « ai in?e?liS\?J/ ""^''^ 'j '""^ Biblical'^^s equaUy"; mrndS 
 
 l?vfn„ rt •^.- •. '*^'%'f/ P"y" and preaching, which are as universal as 
 living Christianity. We pray, because all rhrUHanc I^ fiT • 1 
 
 instinctively embrace the c'alvfnistic aeed "n? b v^^^^ 
 His sovereign good pleasure, do for men what He has not ye^ done' for 
 iien/ K i^^'-Pr^^'^h- because man is an intelligent an5 Responsible free 
 :SJ'J^::r^T:]^:r^.}^^^yJt\: l- - ^«^".^. ^e contra</i^ 
 
27 
 
 mental conditions of the central problem of human salva- 
 tion, three facts which must always be taken into account : 
 (i) man's innate depravity ; (2) the personality and freedom, 
 or sovereignty of God ; and (3) the subordinate personality 
 and freedom of man. These three facts lie upon the sur- 
 face of Scripture,, and are involved in any fair account of 
 human nature ; and they are recognized in the Calvinistic 
 systenAhroughout. 
 
 Nearly all the difficulties which are urged against the 
 peculiarities of Calvinism, arise from no lack of evidence 
 for these three independent facts, but from the inability of the 
 speculative reason to comprehend how, if man is fallen and 
 depraved, and God is sovereign, and man free, the two 
 freedoms, the supreme and the subordinate, can each have 
 a place, in working out man's deliverance from sin. If we 
 deny, or ignore these facts, it is easy ty conjure up a theory 
 of things which will eliminate these difficulties. It we deny 
 personality and freedom to God, and imagine that human 
 freedom is a mere mental delusion, we can fall back on a 
 Pantheistic system of evolution, and, if the problem is not 
 solved, it is obliterated. If with Socinians and Pelagians, 
 we deny human depravity, and practically shut out all pre- 
 sent agency of the Most High in human salvation, a self- 
 determining power in the human will may seem adequate 
 to accomplish the work. The radical objection to these 
 systems is that they solve the problem by denying its ex- 
 istence. Calvinism finds the recognition of these facts 
 demanded both by Scripture, and by human -nature, and, 
 therefore, it cannot adopt these short-hand methods ot 
 solving the problem. It accepts the facts, and assigns to 
 each its proper place in the system of revealed truth. 
 This is what gives to Calvinism its distinctive character. 
 
 This characteristic explains why the Calvinistic type 
 of doctrine has, in all ages, attracted towards it so many 
 devout master minds. The system which could satisfy 
 such men as Augustine, Aquinas, Anselm, Luther, Calvin. 
 Cranmer, Jewell, Knox, Bacon, Owen, Howe, Pascal, 
 Edwards, Cunningham, Hodge and Thornwell, and a 
 multitude of others, who have stood in the front rank of 
 tiiinkers, must have in it an affinity for minds oi the wiucst 
 ran^e. 
 
^8 
 
 to ""ct S'Sl; t :Lt t ^S^if.? r" '^ -- ^^^ely 
 o grapple intelligently StU^rfil """"' ^^° ^^^^^^ 
 religion, and supplies the rea.nn ^u ^ questions raised by 
 generally embraced? it has tended ^ ''^"'"r^ ^* ^^^ been 
 fully the mental energies L!?. 1 to stimulate so power- 
 of the community ^^'' ^"^ '° ^^'^^^°Pe the moral fibre 
 
 ^ ^oma&ni'lL^t -tipathy" which 
 
 Pions scarcely notice other tjj^t^^^^^^ Their cham- 
 
 cap ains of the host of Svria who systems. Like the 
 
 neither with small nor Seat t° '^^'^^°^ to fight 
 
 Israel, they single out cf Ivf ' ^^ °,"^y ^'th the Kin/of 
 bittered a Jsaultt The trutH t^^^^ 'H'n ^' ^^eir Im 
 evangelical religion in any form and f^^^' '^">^ ^''^'^^ ^^ 
 Calvinism, because it is the fuTlS't h.l ^^ 'P^^^^">' ^'^^^ke 
 symmetrical presentation of tS,--l^°"^P^^ted and most 
 
 Christianity, which, in eve^vW.nH T ^^^"'^"'^ °^ P"^^ 
 to Sacramentariani^m and LbeiTef ^^'^^' '' obnoxious 
 
f^^mMsmm 
 
 msm 
 
J^Hi: Publication CnnuuUcc nf r.,c PrcshyUry of Toronto 
 . ^''"^"''' '" '^^"^' /'■""' l'n>e to tunc a scries of Tracts on 
 ^opn-s councctol ^,citl, Prcshytcrian ^ioctrinc, \orcrnnu:' 
 'i'scplnu, nn.fcs of , cork a,ul kin^lrc.J suhiccts : iuor./cr that 
 '""■tcoplc, especially the roan<r, ,„, /,, /,,,,,, ^,/^j^. ^^^ ^^^ ^^.^^^^ 
 fl'c principles of Preshyterianisn^^ as :.cllas to ,./;. . reason 
 coueernini^ (he hope that is in fhein. 
 
 The Connniltee rcspcctfnlly rojncsf the hearty co-operation 
 of the Church at lar.c, in or^ler to n.ake the undertakin^r 
 >'»der the blessing of Go<L henejicial and a success. As the 
 oli/ert ..s- not wnney.n,nkin^, hut the :ci>le circulation of 
 n'holeson,e literature at the lo:cest ji.urc. all transactions 
 -^i'lll he eonducted on a strictly cash basis. 
 
 J. M. CAMPROX, 
 
 Cunrnnr.