, 1881-11-20

FOREkNO OWLEDGE.
4 METHODIST .TlIEnIOGIaN DENIES THE
rlESCILNEi. uF Cob
Two weeks ago there appeared in THE
SUNDAY TluErS1. cu,ious extracts from a
work by the Rev Dr. McCa'e. entitled The
Foreknowlel.e Of God anu CoEna.e Themes, -
i'll which the writer undertook to I,.oye that
the betrayal oi Christ by Judas 1svariut was
not forcordaincu, and that the Sayiors
knowledge of tine impending aciDn ef the
trailorous disciple was Of that character
which coMes within tie meaning and scope
OF ''lnint!-.eauiny.a
Dr.. McCaee, being unable to reconcile the
ltco1npatihlilty between .bsoI:r Divine
IoreknowlelSe and human freedom, has ar
rived at tie conclusion that the time has
- come when il is attccss:lrl. fur the Methodist
Church :ir:l III! WHO believe III All.lini:,lislu
to 10 longer at1slnpt ID :n:.:lc iilc iwu pyo,o-
sit:ons run in parallel =rooyrS but
accept one horn OF the tiicsna, and per-
severe il IL. labor Vi saving souls to Christ.
The horn lie has chosen 10 lcceht is human
1:ct.tun,. Ill: drilis.S tho al'~,u.n- fnrr-
Enow edge VI God. ami says that after The
lilnSt hnit>i. patient inUnllE, reading. think
lI:G. aif cu1vtr=n.. l!s' has l,u; beun ;tsr 10
discover any its'HT:ablc piuot ot lis validity.
A1 k14| N11+tu4Cl III HIS ItOA I}[4
lLt at'.: quotes largely from ether r.leolog~
ic&i w.itrrS. VIA HIi:c s:v:n. expression 10
si:ciE .o'f;:: are: in such Theological maze
that they e;.Ena arrive at :. t:it:i!.ln;t;e con,
clnsiun. BISHOP TIulnps,.ll sali lie knew
noi how tn rtcun,lIc Gntt's sovereignty with
MANS Freedom or tiud*S huIlnt>, with tie
Introduction OF nluTal evil intu tie universe
Dr. johnson WIS of tr opinion that, wl.iie
all theory MAS :gain5: the 1re.rtom of the
will. experience: favored i. The Dean OF
Canterbury said 4 n>deratiun OF the claims
ut t1utt wo;llh lead ili!r into the snaZes OF the
controversy how ,l;,n's fire. Will can CT
eNiss. with t'od's nill::iscientc. The moral
freedom Of man Is certainty Incompatible
WITH mans Driyri Entl"l.s Of tinu's fnre-
knowledge. \ profound Methodist tleu-
loEian has declared: ''Thc denial of ahso-
lutte 1oTekiio"ie:iEe is Tie asscnii:: ct;tl.'Ie-
lnent Of the Methodist theology, without
which its philosophical completeness is tit-
fenseless against the Iosirti consistency of
Calyinis1n." DR.. Curry said that theology
liad very mach to unltarl, :''toie it would be
either reasonable "r Scril'tnral. DR. An
drews, at the Deuison University {l,apti>;),
positively declared t!lat tlle absolute fore
.know!edge of the future choices OF free uc-
inss acting under the law Of liberty is an ale
surdity. DR.. Albert Barnes, i'll considering
the question OF sit, and suffering. wfetc: II |
canno. see one ray OF light to disclose to Inc
why sin came into the world, Why the earti /
is strewn with the dying anu the dead. arI !
why men must suffer To all eternity. / have |
these SUBJECTS. nor have / Il shuuwI,r 1n |
suggest which would Lc :, relief 10 INV 0,l,.::
JOHN Wesley, on helm. askrI how Cod can |
foreknow tie future choices nj 4 free a-t.nt.
frankly confessed that he could offer no tx.
rlanation. *.Think,'. sail james Mil. |
think of being who would make a he'll. !
who would create tic lace with an iutalI,bl,.
foreknowledgc thai the majority t,f them
were to be consigned to horrible anu ever
lasting toT1Eent-' |
Dr. McCabe, after reviewing at some length |
the opinions just cited. says that lis book is
an endeavor to divest a solemn subject of
fundamental truths Of the Christian religion
and ali the teachings Of the Scriptures. Tile
doctrine of absolute iort.klluwlcdst mas
given to inflieli1y stronger ra.1l,,arts On
which to plant its 1icrce nat1;4ri,.s against
Divine revelation than That willy foe |
has been able 10 lind anywhere else.
II las nut fct1ers on 1|,uusa,Is retarded, tt,e
tsosrel, taken puwer from, tie Church and
set her down amiI shn,invs il, The. n,irsuif |
Of uneutlinr and nrotit;rss i.onfrnynrsIes
The ninth chaffrr ~ 1},,a yt,I,,n,. il liza
voted to consiIrra,ion If ,.{;o,t:s rstima:c
Of probabilities ;: Th, author. viii. lu:,i,1-
taining thai II is im,nssibl,. tor Deity Ia fnrt-
see the cloiyr, OF fr,t. agents. believes shat
in 4 multitude Of eases. uerla,ts i'll most
tiod can very ACCURATELY Judge as n what is |
most likely Ia TAKE. 1,lnc,, in given cuntr1u-
plated circumstances. A,,n,.5 invu. he wllu
best understands human ,l;,l,,,4. ca1, best tell
what nc,, will uu under certain rircl1u1-
Stances Men act from their naturr, their
habits and their suyrou,t!l;l!., and nc WIN
klows thee. nr nthars cnu s..si iii rhat ths,%-
will do. And VT rs II rule. i: ca1no, D,, |
ir,, |