The Yazoo City Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1843-03-17


God was sspaTtiai," because that when they |
were all deserving only of his wrath, and un. |
deserving Of his mercy, he executed his
wrath upon only part, and most graciously
pardons and admits 10 his favor the rest of
guilty rebels9 Had he punished the whole,
all ground of complaint would have been re.
moved there would be no injustice or ca
price but, since he has seen proper to pun
ish only part, be is charged with Partially
"In matters of grace" says Watson, "no
axiom can be more clear, than that he who
gratuitousy bestows has The right TO do what
he will with his own" "Friend, do thee
no wrong. Is thine eye evil; because am
good :" These plain principles OF common
sense are so universally admitted. as to have
been recognised in the practical admnistra-
ton OF all good governments; and, indeed,
are universally acknowledged in all the ordi-
nary walks of life.
Who then maketh the Christian to differ
from his former self, and from his impenitent
neighbors? And what has he that he did not
receive? The answer is 1--WE are his WORK
MANsHIP created in Christ Jesus unto good
works." ''You hath he quickened, (OT made
spiritually GLiUe,) who were DEAD in tres
passes and sim" "It is GoD that I0oTteth in
YOU both TO WILL and TO DO of his good
pleasure ''Thy people shall be willing in
the day of THY POWER"
But was there not something good found
in the creature something of the nature OF
holiness, or moral excellence, 10 move or in
duce GoD TO perform the work of spiritual
quickening, or restoration TO spiritual life
The answer is "He hath chosen Tor eected)
us in him (Christ) before the foundation ofthe
aOorid, mot because he foresaw any Thing
good or holy in US hut that zoe JkouId be
4 l.. l.. -, lOrto
"In whom also we have Obtained an inher-
lance, being PREDEsTINATED according to the
PURPOSE of Him who workeih all things after
the COUNSEL oil his own will" "Who hath
saUed and called US with an holy calling; moi
according TO our t0orks, but according to his
own PURPOSE and grace, which was given
us in Christ Jesus before the t0orLd began"
To these very individuals did the blessed Sa-
viour refer when he said Allthat the Father
GIvETH me shall come uRlo me-" "Thou hath
given him power over all flesh that he
should give eternal life 20 as many as thou
hast given him." Again:-''I pray :or them:
pray not for the world but for them thou
hast GIVEN me-" ''No man can come unto
me except it were GIVEN unto him of my
Father" "My sheep hear my voice they
shall never perish neither shall any pluck
them out of my hands. My Father which
GAVE them me is greater than all; and none
can pluck them out of my Fathers hands"
And TO the same covenant transaction does
the apostle alude when he speaks of "eterRGt
life promised before the i0orId began:" pro-
missed not TO men, but 10 ChTst-tor as man
as the Father chad given him"
Butin the arrangement OF that covenant,
were not faith, repentance, and good works
| foreseen, as the grounds or reasons why his
sheep were given to the Saviour! The
answer is "By grace are are ye saved lhrO'
faith and that not Of yourselves; it is the
IGIFT of God" Christ is ''exated 10 be a
prince and savior TO GIVE repentance TO Is
| rael and remission of SINS" These, there
lore, which are the fruits of his Spirit, and
of his Covenant love and mercy, cannot be
supposed 10 be the grounds reasons of that
of which they are the fruits or results. Christ
himselfis ''lhe AUTHOR and inisher OF faith. !"
And the very question TO be settled is-W hat
are the grounds or reasons why these and
other gifts are bestowed upon ChrlsL's sheep,
and not upon others? To say with the Ar
menian shat it is because of ioreseen faith,
| IS 10 make faith the cause of ITSELF is to say
that Christ gives faith and repentance to GER
tain persons, because he finds them already
possessing faith and repentance! Besides,
''God hath from the beginning CHOSEN them
unto salvation, through specification of the
Spirit and belief Of the truth :" when faith
and holiness are declared TO be the means /;
not the naoUiRg causes, of their election
! Will il bs said that sufficient grace is common
to all, and that the reason why any one be-
lieves and is saved is, because he makes a
good improvement of the Grace given him !!
We inquire, Is this ''mproUemeHt' a work
of righteousness If so, the apostle declares
repeatedly, ".Not by I0orks Of Righteousness
which. we have done but according 10 his
merey he saUed us;' when he places in
strong contrast the TWO schemes of salvation
by works, and salvation by mercy or grace.
Not of works; lest any man should boast"
"To him that worketh; is the rev ard no.
reckoned OF grace; but Of debt" EBut if it
be OF works; then it is no more grace; other
wise work is no more work. In such en-
phatic terms does he teach the impossibiny
OF mingling with salvation by grace the mis-
cradle efforts OF man. but it election be
| founded on mans Improvement then to all
intenIs and purposes, man makes himself TO
differ . or, elects himself; SO. that when the
/ apostle gaze thanks 10 lsod for his brethren
and for himself, because ''Ged had from The
beginning CHOSEN them UHtO sut0GfioR !" sup
posing hun 70 have been a sound Arminian,
we must understand him as follows God
| thank thee, that from eternity thou didst
| tOTeSee that ana my ofethren would make
1 a much better Improvement OF thy grace than
many of our neighbors, and that we would
4 choose thee; and therefore thou hast chOsen
us unto salvation; so that with our good
leaves" our consent 10 do our part OF the
work, and to make choice of thee in prefer
ence to the world, thou hast chosen us in
view Of which great mercies, we render
thanks to ourselves in the first place, for our
iaithfulness, and The great improvement we
have made; by which we have fui nished
reason or ground upon which God hath cho-
sen us unr0 salvation.
We freely admit that no piOus person, how
-er Arminian his creed, will ever be found
bold enough to utter such sentiments upon
his knees-in the immediate presence Of
Cop. ALPHA.