Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1889-12-01
PRESBYTERIAN TENETS.
rne westminster Confession and
Its ExpOundcrs.
mo. 4-By John Shirley ward.l

FAlbu, Dy hof. Dis a. a. " ais, AASD -
our table. 1t is wonderful production
of human genius. Acute, analytical and
incisive, 1t presents the moss profound,
and at the aaple time the fairast, exposi.
ton OF the Westminster Confession yet
offered to the church. II does not deny
the logical or literal meaning OF many
hard doctrines, believed to be taught by
the Confession, but admits them, and
then brings his Respondent powers OF
metaphysical analysis to explain away
their harshnes.
If his premises were only correct, ms
reasoning would be irresistible. The
trouble is with bis premises.
In expounding Chapter Ill, Section
vi. page los ct seq, he gays: "None but
che elect are redeemed by Christ, or
effectuallv called, or justified, or adopted,
or sanctiGed," and on the same page he
uses the following language: ''The Con-
fession affirms, first, that Christ was
eternallv appointed to make atonement,
as a means of executing the purpose to
save the elect and second, that he made
atouement for none Others"
On page 1O7 the same idea is repeated,
az follows: None but the elect are
redeemed by Christ"
Section VII of the third chapter of the
Confession reads as follows "The rest
of mankind God was pleased according
to the unsearchable counsel Of his own
will whereby he extendeth or with
holdsth mercy IS he pleRseth for the
glory of his sovereign power over his
creatures to pass by and to ordain them
to dishonor and wrath for their sins, to
the praise of his glorious Justice"
DR.. Hodge cons.rues this section, page
10Y, to teach that "God has sovereignty
deetinated certain persons called the
elect through grace to salvation" and
that he has sovereignty decreed to with
hold his grace from the rest.
On page 10s he says this reprobation
'involves determination to treat them
Oh the principles of strict justice, pre-
cisely as they Deserve" and in the same
paragraph the learned commentator says !:
'iThose passed over are no worse than
those rejected"
If this be true, then in the mind Of
God moral qualities play no part in the
great game of eternal life or eternal
death.
On page 312, DIR. Hodge says: "Christ
died for the purpose OF saving no others
than the elect"
If from all eternity God decreed the
salvation OF certain persons, and the
damnation OF certain other persons, it il
in perfect keeping with that plan that
Christ should die alone for the elect and
that he should withhold his Holy Spirit
from all others.
The question forces itself on every
thinking mind, why did God decree the
election of certain persons? The Con-
fession tells US that it was not on account
OF any moral qualities he saw in them,
and that those who we're reprobated or
passed by were just as good and just as
worthy as those who were elected.
What are the reasons given for this
act of God by our Confession They are.
first, to show his sovereignty, and, sec
ond, ''To the praise of his glorious JUS
tics."
Is it necessary in order to magnify the
sovereignty of God that We must admit
that he has shown his sovereignty by
,electing certain persons to eternal life
and his shutting of certain other persons
in the prison.hous OF the damned?
Is it necessary in order to praise his
"Glorious Justice" that we must assert
that he has elected some of his children
to everlasting life and consigned others
to everlasting despair?
God has not thus acted in his admin
istration of the world. Moses and
Joshua and David were elected, or Sc
lected, by God because of their ability to
effect certain ends. Christ selected John
as one of bis disciples because he knew
him to be veritable son of Thunder /;
Peter, because of his moral intrepidity !;
Paul, because Of his great learning, his
moral enthusiasm and skill in forensic
debate. 1t was what God saw in each Of
these persons that made their fitness for
the special nilsson for which they were
called. These elections or selections
were not made to prove his sovereignty
nor to exhibit his power over his crea-
lures. The Emperor of Russia is sover-
eign in the highest human significance
Of that term. He holds the life. liberty
and property of his subjects in his own
hands. Without giving reasons why, he
DEGREES the death of certain subjects and
the life of others, without regard to their
guilt or innocence. This is a conclusive
proof Of his sovereignty, yet the civilized
world stands aghsst at his cruelty.
God sent his Son on earth to die for
Sinners, not to show his sovereignty or
his Justice. John lille: "For God 30
loved the world that he gave his only
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have ever
lasting life." "Come unto me all ye
that are heavy laden and will give you
rest" eff any man thirst, let him come
and drink" ''And the spirit and the
bride say come and let him that hear
eth, say come, and whatsoever will let
him come and drink of the waters of life
freely"
The invitations Of the gospel: from
Genesis to Revelations, are addressed to
beings who are endowed with power OF
choice.
1t would be the refinement of cruelty
to offer water to man dying of thirst,
and at the same time to keep the water
just out OF his reach.
After DIR. Hodge tells us that Gcd de-
creed to save only the elect-that Christ
died only for the elect-that the Holy
Spirit strives only with the elect, he, in
"Yet, so as thereby" kind Of argument
tries to harmonize this doctrine with free
agency and q mans moral responsibility
Profound theologians may understand
such labyrinthine augmentation, but
the great mass of sinners will not be able
to take it in. These doctrines are all in
our Confession. They are hoar with an
tiquity, but they are not the essence Of
Presbyterianism. "But," SAY some of our
good brethren, who have trodden with
measured step for half a century the