The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-03-31

not interfere with the Freedom of the
Will. The Freedom of the Will once
surrendered, all is surrendered, for with
out this there is no responsibility, and no
moral government. Therefore, if the
heavens fall, we stand by the freedom of
the will
God toreknows what wars will occur
In Europe in the next ten years. God
foreknows the outcome from the present
agitation of Nihilism in Russia. He
knows all to the minutest details. He
could write it all down So from the be-
ginning the career and crucifxion of
Christ were foreknown in the counsels of
Heaven nay more, they a0ere toreor-
do"cd. You do not get out of the met
aphysical difficulty by substituting fore
knowledge for pre-ordination. In either
case the fact is ascertained and therefore
certain to happen Now if God knows
to-day that the Car of Russia shall die
by the hands of the assassin next year,
tie thlng must occur 1t will as certainly
happen as if he had foreordained it
The difficulty is to reconcile human free
agency with the Divine prescience or fore
ordlnation-the death of our Lord "by
wicked hands" with the lamb slain" in
the counsels of God, from the founda-
ton OF the world We cannot explain
this thing, and we must, therefore, with
Sir William Hamilton, Just accept both
facts, because each can be proved to be
true. The reconciliation is one of the
deep things Of God 1t rests on the in
innate connection, in some way, between
ultimate causation and the principle o.
human individuality
Men fall out with Calvinism because it
teaches the doctrine of Election. But it
teaches at the same time that "aOe must
make our calling and election sure"--a0e--
ne must move. 1t teaches that a0e "must
work out our own salvation with fear and
trembling, for it is God which worketh in
us both to will and to do of his good
pleasure. 1t teaches, that eff we sin
willtuliy after that we have received the
knowledge Of the truth, there remaineth
no more sacrifice for sins" 1t teaches.
that, like Paul, one "must keep under
his body, and bring it into subsection =
tile man m lst do this-"lest by any
means he be cast-away." And
yet Paul was assured of his salvation
the Spirit itself bearing witness with
our spirit that we are the children of
God"
Men fall out, we say, with the doctrine
OF election in spiritual matters; but it is
not peculiar to spiritual matters. Chris
topher Columbus was elected to do his
Network Caesar was appointed to his
We are told by Froude that, late in life
a mere accident threw him into the mil
ltary career On that little accident
hung the development of modern history
Abraham Lincoln was appointed to his
work. Luther was appointed to his.
Caivlnism teaches Generalization in
temporal matters precisely as it does in
spiritual matters. John Calvin or Sir
William Hamilton or John Stuart Mini
or Herbert Spencer teaches that the crops
OF TINS year are fixed quantity. Calvin
says that God has measured beforehand
the yield of the harvests; but he does not
say to the farmer, You need not plough.
lie bids him to plough, and tells him i'll
ne does not plough, he will make no corn.
Precisely the same metaphysical difficulty
arises here that arises in reference to the
doctrine Of election 1t is a wonderful
illustration Of the infallbility of the Bible
that no metaphysician has ever been able
to convict it Of error in this matter
Paul did not stop to reconcile his appa-
rently conflicting statements; he spoke
IN both cases with perfect confidence.
II any one insists that every human
being on the earth is entitled to an eoual
chance in the matter of salvation from
his sins, we deny it. All are sinners
We had an equal chance in Adam But
we are now ruined; now, God is not
bound to give the same opportunities of