Smyrna times., 1890-07-23
Supralapsarianism-Infralap-
Sarianism.

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THESE are to terms long in use among
Calvinistic theOlogians, but they have
been brought into new prominence of
late by the discussions over the revis-
ion of the Westminster confession.
They describe two views of the doc
trine of election to salvation or damna-
ton supralapsarianism meaning, as
the bloomfield Citizen explains, that in
Gods mind the choice of "the elect or
the passing by of those not elected
came before the thought of the fall of
Adam, and infralapsarianism, or subla-
psarianism, that they came after"
1t is a fine point, like many of the
points of theology, but there has been
great controversy over it, and our con-
temporary thinks that the revision of
the Confession will resolve itself into
the mere Interpretation of the doc
trine of election according to the one
or the other theory, probably the sub
lapsarian, as seeming to be somewhat
more agreeable to modern sentiment.
The instructions to the Committee of
Revision of the Presbyterian General
Assembly are to return Calvinism in its
integrity, and consequently they must
keep the doctrine which lies at its
foundation, though they may take
either of these views of it, for both are
held to be permissible. But even if
they compromise on the infralapsarian
Interpretation, the terrible decree will
remain the same. The question be-
tween the parties is not whether the
damnation of some and the salvation
OF others was determined upOn nm
changeably in the counsels of eternity.
but whether the decree permitting the
introduction of evil. came in order be-
fore or after the decree to eternal sal
walton or damnation. They agree en-.
tlrely as to election having taken place
and as to what it was. Both sublaD- |
sarans and supralapsarians say that
some are saved by grace and some are
damned, though all deserve damna.
ton equally. The saved, or the elect.
are no better, and those doomed to
hell are no worse. The fate of each
was determined before all time, simply
because it was Gods will, and "for
the Glory of his Glorious justice" only.
For his own purposes God chose to Gre
ate man, and he did with him what
he pleased without regard to what
the creature himself might do. He
decreed to save those whom He wished
to save, and to damn those whom he
thought best to damn; and neither can
escape their fate. That is what Cal
Vinlsm teaches and what Protestant
orthodoxy generally believes. 1t is
implied in the doctrine of Gods SOW
ereignty, which is He did what He did
simply because it was his pleasure as
the Ruler of the universe so to do.
1t is also useless to argue as to what
was the order of Gods DEGREES in time
for with Him there is no time. He
lives in eternity, and with Him there
Is neither past nor present. Measure. ,
bic time is nothing beside measureless !
eternity. What was to happen and I
what had happened were the same I
with Him, and equally present to His S
intelligence. If some men were to be =
saved and some were to be damned ,
they and the exact number of them. q
the exact individuals, were known to r
Him from the beginning. 1t is sacri- Y
egious limitation of the omnipotence +
and Omniscience of the personal God q
70 say otherwise. Knowing all things. Il
de knew what was to become of His h
.
Therefore neither upralapsarianism 81
Tor sublapsarianism will help out the
on Revision. If they keep b
they must keep the doc o
rlne of election. If they keep belief
Il the personality of God, they must
Ieep predestination. Either there is >,
10 God, or God determined and deter n
mines whatever takes place and is to n
axe place in all time and with every c,
Individual creature of His hands. On ir
nei side is agnosticism and on the A
ther is faith, and they are absolutely n
rreconcilable. Human reason must A
e the ruler, or it must be a powerless h,
ubject. =,
But there is this harmony between ot
eason and Calvinism they both pro- ri
lain that mankind is under the iron
lw of destiny; that mans fate is W
ealed as firmly as the laws of nature ii,
re certain and infallible in their oper- a
ton. He is and he is to be what he II,
'as made to become, a creature whose Sc
lte was determined from all eternity. ar
The Committee of Revision have an so
wtul problem to study over, an insol- co
ble problem and the more they try
bring it within the comprehension
human reason, and to make it salts 60,
-ctory to human sentiment, the more s1
ley will contribute to the spread of on
gnostioism, the modern euphemism bo
II atheism.-M Y. Sun.
--Sss
Marriage.
but the stepping-stone to those di- p
ne institutions, the family and the -.