less liable to abuse from the natural infirmity of human nature than the general terms employed by the inspired writers, but they have been prompted by pious motives. The effect of their departure from the written Word has invariably been, that while they have guarded one doctrine they have exposed another, and in attempting to escape from one error they have embraced another, and thus it may be said that Calvinism and Arminianism have reciprocally produced each other. On so mysterious a subject we must be careful how we push to extremes the consequences of the views of those who hold opinions different to our own-how we impute as necessary, consequences which seem so to us from our point of view. Let us remember that advantages and blessings accrue from either view, when properly put forth by godly men. The Author cannot lay claim to perfect impartiality. He has no doubt that, however desirous of being impartial, he has probably not given due effect to the position of those in opposition to his views-partly no doubt from the impracticability of entering thoroughly into their schemes and of giving sufficient weight to details to which they attribute importance. He however most sincerely trusts that he may have been kept by the power of God from the errors sadly too prevalent on both sides, and may have been guided to state in all humility what seemed to him to be the truth of Holy Scripture on the important subjects herein treated. There is always a danger of outstepping the bounds of true Christian inquiry and attempting to search too minutely into the deep things of God-to peer into that which in our present condition is no doubt wisely hidden from us; and he trusts that no words may appear in the ensuing treatise which do not, while being in accord with the Scripture of God and in harmony with His revealed purpose, tend towards the honour and glory of His Holy Name. THE PRIORY, MANCHESTER, 9th September, 1889. W. A. COPINGER. THE PRACTICAL EFFECT ON THE HEART OF THE DOCTRINE OF Historical Introduction. THE subject of Predestination has in past ages much exercised the minds of Christian men. Various schemes have from time to time been put forth, mostly said to be deducible from Holy Scripture. On careful examination the majority of these schemes will be found to have been based on isolated and detached portions of Scripture, and to be unsupported by the clearer parts of the Word of God. Some writers have taken one set of texts, and deduced therefrom conclusions of their own, attempting to explain away the force of those texts which do not appear to harmonize with these conclusions; while others have taken another set of texts, and deduced conclusions from these diametrically opposed to the conclusions of the first, in like manner with their opponents attempting to explain away the force of all other texts which do not appear to be consistent with these conclusions. Thus the systematic Calvinist will prove most logically that man is entirely passive in the work of salvation, that he is a mere machine in the hands of the Almighty, who imparts His grace, which is irresistible, only to those He has purposed to save; while the systematic Arminian will prove equally conclusively that man is a free agent, and able by his own strength to perform the commandments of God. Both these conclusions may be easily supported by insulated texts, and maintained with great show of reason. The former selects texts such as these: No man can come to Me except the Father which hath sent Me draw him.' "You hath He quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins"; and the latter, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."3 'Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart and a new spirit, for why will ye die, O house of Israel?"4 [יי 2 There is something true and something false in either system, and what is true and what false can only be ascertained by taking the Scriptures as a whole; for it is evident that no scheme can be admitted as setting forth the true doctrine of the Church which is at variance with the revelation which God has been pleased to make of Himself, nor which is inconsistent with any part of His Blessed Word. 1 1 John vi. 44. 2Eph. ii. 1. Philip. ii. 12. Ezek. xviii. 30. |