Daily Republican., 1888-12-11

| WpilChl question 10 evidently true
Aud while they prolessedly believe il,
they neither understand, nor can they
satisfactorily explain 1t to Themselves
or TO others. Why is this cot II Il be,
and il IS, Bible doctrine, lbon why
should II not, as part of the gospel.
commend itself to every man's con.
science in the sight OF God? WHY
should i,s advocates shrink from, or be
ashamed to longer declare itY Is Il
not as true to-day as when John
Calvin first enunoiatel it2 fit were
true then, how is 1t that Calvanials to-.
day preach, that the freedom Of tile
human will Is the only thing which
stands In the way Of mans salvation.
as they most decidedly do. Arc they
forced by popular clamOr To abandon
this biblical ttuth2 Or arc they In
doubt and uncertainty as to their
understanding of il property Ifso,
then their hesitancy 10 continue lis
proclamation is more prsiseworthy,
than bameable. II the march of mind,
ind the clearer developments of Bible
truth have shown this doctrine 10 be
biblicaily true and hsa set it forth In
its true biblical sense, and Ia perfect
| harmony with the predestinated pur-
pose OF God Ia his Son Jesus the
Amounted, then an advance in its
PRONUNCIATION Is far more preferable
than is retrogression. Truth Is al ways
true, whether we believe 1t or aban :
don It. The spirit OF the age In which
we live cannot aBnul any previous es-
tablished truth. The difficulty is not
with the truth itself, but with our
lack of the spirit Of truth. Whether
We understand the formulated doc
trine5 Of men or not, is the question.
But as the assumed teachers of Bible
Truth, do We understand the mind
and purpose of Golf This is the cues
ton which goes at once to tho root of
the matter. Arc we called Of God, as
was Aaron2 Or arc we taking this
honor upon ourselves, and conseuuent
ly, teaching for commandments the
doctrines OF men? There Is no more
important question confronts the evan.
gellCal ministry of to-day than this:
Are you the teachers of dogmatic
theology formulated by men, OF are
you the divine teachers of Christ in
truth and verityR Settle this before
the Judgment OF God will be COM
PEELED to settle It At the appearing and
kingdom OF our Lord Jesus Christ.
This appeal is to the teachers, the scr
wants, not to the laity. Their conlri-
buttons to your salary is for the
amount Of truth you furnish them. 1t
ia your place to SEQ that The goods re-
quired are faithfully delivered to them.
They do the paying, you do their
thinking. And if your gospel 10 o
salablc con modify, II ought TO be at
least worth the amount paid, and per-
hAps il is. This NC leave at present
What then is predestlnstionl We
mean in its Bible sense. Aud this We
must show from the Bible. And we
demand,as we have the right TO do, the
most serious and prayerlu consldera-
tion OF all predeslinarians, and free.
willers both. Predestinaiion was the
most important part Of the eternal pur-
pose of God which he purpOsed in
Christ Jesus before the world began.
1t commenced with Abel, leaving
out Cain, il included the patrIarChs
and prophets, and all the ancient
worthless down to the Apostles. All
these died IN faith, not having obtained
the things promised. God having two
creations in his purposes. First, that
which is natural ;aiterwards, that which
is spiritual The lullness of time had
come when that which Is spiritual
must come upon the scene OF action,
and must be developed according to
the eternal purpose Of God, which he
purposcd in Christ Jesus before the
world began. This purpose was the
making OF man in his image after his
likeness, with perfect dominion over
all hi7 created work. And this man
was Christ Jesus, who was after the
image OF him that created him, the
image Of tho invisible God aud the first
born Of the new creation The bright
ness of the Fathers glory and the e8
press image Of his person, the now man
which, after God, was created in
righteousness and true holiness, lie is
the image OF God, the image and glory
of God. This ignores and utterly ex-
cludes the fret Adam from any par.
ticipatiOn whatever In these spiritual
purposes, theologiRps to the contrary,
notwithstanding. This Is their blHuder,
not ours, Christ Jcsus being the image
of God. Gcd predeatnate6 certain
number to be confOrmed 10 the image
Of lIiS son, who verify, was foreOr-
dained before the foundation OF the
world, but was manirestsd-St his frat
advenL-ior them. These the Father
had given him; none othera could
come 10 him.
Now, predGstinarans and free will
ers, mark this, no man can come to me
except my Father which hath sent me
draw him. All that the Father givath
me shall come TO me. Within the
limits of this "lan" and "shall" lies
Gods pvcdestinaled purpose in Christ
| Jesus. Jesus was the predestina:ed
head Of a predcsiinsie1 body, who were
TO be and were coniormed 10 his i'm
age, changed into his image, fore
known, predestinatcd, called, justified
sanctltied and glorilod, which must
necessarily include their translation
And here, predcstiuarians and free
willers must pause aud review, if not
rC adjust their whole theological IS
symptoms. This predetermined head
and body, or bride of Jesus, are Gods
second Adam aud Eve OF the rCgcncra.
lion.
The first Adam and Eve could only
generate race Of mortals like them
selves, sol the earth, earthly" But
Gods eternal purpose being in Christ
Jesus and his body or bride, necessari-
~ involves the regeneration Of the race
OF Adam in the image ailer the like
ness Of God, rs the result of his eternal