expose

We now bring this of "the Difficulties of Arminian Methodism" to a close. Not because the theme is exhausted, but because under the fourteen distinct heads already stated, enough has been said, if we are not greatly mistaken, to satisfy every impartial mind of the true character of that system. Is it possible that the God of truth has adopted such a scheme of doctrine and discipline as this to spread Scripture holiness through the world! Is it probable that He who prayed, "Sanctify them by thy truth," is the author and patron of Arminian Methodism? We speak of course of the system as distinguished by its peculiarities from the doctrine and government revealed in the Scriptures. We have not questioned the fact, that so far as Methodism teaches certain great truths common to all Christians, she has done good-neither is it denied that Unitarianism and even Popery, embrace many valuable truths, but marred and enfeebled by hateful corruptions. To a certain extent, the same is true of Arminian Methodism. And the blind spirit of violence and misrepresentation which her leading writers exhibit toward Presbyterians and other Calvinistic bodies, is only a bitter fruit of her delusions. "There are many truly excellent men in the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal church, and thousands of truly pious persons in her communion"*-but it is also true that the improprieties and excesses which have come under review, are not commonly approved nor countenanced by that class of Methodists.

If the Scriptures were designed to be our pattern in all things pertaining to truth and godliness-if the decisions of reason founded upon the word of God, demand our respect, next to the Inspired Oracles themselves, we are compelled to believe that much remains to be done to fashion Arminian Methodism agreeably to "the pattern shewed in the mount." And whatever else may have been done or left undone, one thing, we think, has been fully established, viz. that there are vulnerable points connected with the Arminian scheme,

* Dr. Musgrave.

which are far from justifying the air of arrogance and tone of denunciation so common with its modern advocates.

Much more might be said of the strange methods they often adopt to advance their sectarian projects-their garbled quotations, their unscrupulous denunciations, their unmitigated exclusiveness, their spurious zeal in pressing their ministra tions upon localities abundantly supplied with evangelical preaching, (only not Methodism!) their great joy, not so much "over the conversion of the ninety and nine" impenitent, as "over the conversion of one Presbyterian sinner," their gladness when they succeed in making a raid upon Calvinistic, and even upon other Arminian churches. "How frequently," to use the language of "the pastoral letter" of the Presbytery of Lexington, Va. "in the midst of their charitable professions, have even their pulpits resounded with severe denunciations against us, representing us as a set of hypocritical formalists—as holding doctrines which came from hell and lead to hell. Have they not times innumerable reviled our ministers as avaricious hirelings," &c. But to enlarge upon such topics as these, would swell our work beyond all reasonable bounds.

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APPENDIX I.

FALSE QUOTATIONS EXPOSED.

In this Appendix we propose to examine certain references, which appear in a popular Methodist tract, entitled, "A Dialogue between a Predestinarian and his Friend." This tract, a favorite instrument of sectarian zeal, was written by Mr. Wesley, and it is cited by Drs. Bangs, Fisk, and others, with such frequency, and its blunders are copied and circulated with so much confidence and industry, as to justify an investigation of its merits. Blindly following the authority of this publication, these learned gentlemen have quoted the chapters of the Assembly's Catechism, and thus exposed themselves to the correction of any well-instructed Sabbath scholar.

This publication we suppose to be one of those methods by which the father of Methodism purposed "to stop the mouths of Calvinists." (Works, vol. iii. p. 405.) It is graced with the following line: "Out of thine own mouth!" The truth of the motto will appear as we pass along. We will first notice the references to the Assembly's Confession, or Catechism, as they call it.

FRIEND. "Sir, I have heard that you make God the author of all sin, and the destroyer of the greater part of mankind without mercy." PREDESTINARIAN. "I deny it; I only say, 'God did from all eternity unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.'" (Assembly's Catechism, chap. 3.)

Here it is supposed that we are convicted “out of our own mouth,” of making "God the author of all sin." But besides that the very next words in the Confession are "yet so as neither is God the author of sin,"- -we refer to the Confession itself, and to the uniform testimony of Calvinistic writers, to prove that they maintain the distinction between the efficient and the permissive decrees of God. And as to our holding that "the greater part of mankind are destroyed without mercy," the quotation from the Confession says nothing upon that subject; and until the proof is adduced, it must be considered as a groundless assertion.

F. "Does sin necessarily come to pass?"

P. " Undoubtedly. For the almighty power of God extends itself to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and men.'" (Assem. Cat. chap. 5.)

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This extract is erroneous and unfair in two respects: 1. It is given as a continuous quotation, whereas two whole lines are omitted, which are essential to the sense. 2. The Confession does not say, "the almighty power of God extends itself to the first fall," &c. There is no such sentiment in the passage, which is as follows: "The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that IT (his providence) extendeth itself," &c. We greatly fear that this method of stopping the mouths of Calvinists will not redound to the honor of its author and advocates.

We next examine the references to Calvin's Institutes:

I. (Book 1, chap. 16, sec. 8.) " Nothing is more absurd than to think any thing at all is done but by the ordination of God." Allen, whose translation is used by Watson, renders it as follows: "Nothing could be more absurd than for any thing to happen independently of the ordination of God, because it would happen at random, or by chance." The object of Wesley was to convict Calvin of teaching that sin was so ordained as that God was its author. But besides the mistranslation, "by the ordination of God," as though that were the efficient cause of all things, instead of "independently of the ordination of God;" just six lines farther down, Calvin quotes Augustine with approbation, as proving that "God is the supreme and first (or highest) cause of all things, because nothing happens but by his command or permission. He does not suppose God," continues Calvin, "to remain an idle spectator, determining to permit any thing" (and every thing), that is, to look listlessly on and resign the helm of the universe to be controlled by contingence or chance. "There is an intervention of actual volition (that is, a will to permit,) which otherwise could never be considered as a cause." The reader can now judge whether Calvin meant to teach that God is the author or efficient cause of sin, and whether the above quotation is consistent with truth.

II. (Book 1, chap. 15 (16), sec. 3.) "Every action and motion of every creature is so governed by the hidden counsel of God, that nothing can come to pass but what was ordained by him." The following is the translation of Allen: "In the creatures there is no erratic power, or action, or motion; but they are so governed by the secret counsel of God that nothing can happen but what is subject to his knowledge and decreed by his will," that is, as explained above, nothing can happen but by his command or permission. Calvin is speaking of "the stars, and comets, and signs of heaven," and rebukes "immoderate and superstitious fears," as though these "creatures had of themselves power to hurt us, or could fortuitously injure us." And though his language

admits of being extended to intelligent moral agents, yet as explained above by himself, it is obviously perverted from its original and true meaning.

What

III. (Book 1, chap. 15 (16), sec. 8.) "The wills of men are so governed by the will of God, that they are carried on straight to the mark which he has foreordained." This is designed to show that Calvin taught that God works on the wills of men, so as to work wickedness in the wicked, and so must be the author of sin. But look a moment at the language of Calvin in its connection: "Not only the heavens and the earth, but also the deliberations and volitions of men are so governed by his providence, as to be directed to the end appointed by it. then? You will say, does nothing happen fortuitously or contingently?" He had set himself to prove that there could be no such thing as fortuitous contingence," or chance (sec. 4); and in the passage referred to by the author of the tract, he was showing that not even the minds, thoughts and volitions of men are exerted "independently of God, whilst they cannot even speak a word but what he chooses." (Sec. 6.) But what has this to do with the author of sin, or the cause of wickedness in heart and life? How does God's holding the hearts of men in his hand, and turning them as rivers of water are turned (that is, overrruling, restraining, and limiting their exercises, and especially their wickedness); how does this prove, as the tract affirms, that "all must do just what they do,"so that they are deprived of liberty of will and free agency? The passage is shamefully misrepresented and perverted from its plain and obvious meaning, to teach what Calvin never taught, as will yet more fully appear. The scope of the passage is to overthrow the atheistical notion of fortune or chance. Not a sparrow falls, nor a thought or volition of the mind arises, but what is under the superintendence of the Divine Providence. God has his own appointed ends in his all-wise plan, to promote, even by the wickedness of the wicked, and therefore it does not occur by chance, but by his permission, purposing so to control and "restrain" it, as to make it subserve his own wise and holy purposes. This is the meaning of Calvin. Augustine," says Calvin, "makes the following correct distinction that they sin, proceeds from themselves; that in sinning they perform this or that particular action, is from the power of God, who divideth the darkness according to his pleasure.'" Book 2, chap. 4, sec. 4. Is this the same as saying, "their sins proceed from God?” IV. (Book 3, chap. 24, sec. 8.) "I will not scruple to own that the will of God lays a necessity on all things, and that every thing he wills necessarily comes to pass."

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