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sume, Heylin's,) annexed; This is the shortest, ' and withal the most favourable summary, which 'I have hitherto met with, of the conclusions of 'this Synod.' He had also, he tells us, ' met with 'the same abstract of the Articles of the Synod, in other publications more favourable to Cal'vinism.' Hence he had no suspicion that those 'adduced by his Lordship were not the real Arti'cles of the Synod, but an abbreviation, yet with 'several clauses also added, by avowed opponents.' He therefore 'made remarks on them, as genuine, which he afterwards found to be wholly inappropriate, and such as led him unjustly to censure 'the venerable theologians who constituted that 'Synod-for such (he says,) no doubt they were, "though not infallible.'-On obtaining a correct copy of the Articles, he discovered them to be 'immensely more discordant with the abbrevia'tion than he could have previously imagined."— Having been thus 'misled by writers on whom he 'depended, in many instances unintentionally to 'bear false witness against the Synod,' he felt it 'incumbent upon him to make what reparation he 'could.'-To this end, in the revised edition of this work, he substituted, for what he had previously written upon the subject, a literal translation of the Articles of the Synod, contrasted with Tilenus's abbreviation of them; at the same time intimating an intention of shortly publishing separately a translation of the Articles of the Synod,' with the rejection of errors' subjoined to them; 'the preface and conclusions; with remarks, and ' references to the scriptures, and to our Articles.' This publication, he expressed a hope, might

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serve to check Antinomian Calvinism, by shewing how guarded the doctrines of these most ' reprobated Calvinists were; as well as to put to 'silence those who ignorantly and heedlessly, or wilfully and maliciously, bear false testimony ' against them.'

The proposed work he accordingly did publish in the ensuing year; and, as it here stands reprinted in the same volume with this latter part of the answer to the Refutation of Calvinism, it is judged unnecessary to insert in this place a translation of the Articles, which, with the help of the table of contents at the beginning of the volume, the reader may find more to advantage, accompanied with remarks and illustrations, by only turning a few pages forward.-J. S.]

6 Such is Calvinism; and it is in its nature so 'inconsistent with the attributes of God, so contrary to the express declarations of scripture, ' and so repugnant to the feelings of the human 'mind, that it seems only necessary to state the 'system simply and fully in all its parts and consequences, to ensure its rejection by every un'prejudiced person.' 1

If the word such has any antecedent, or relates to any thing preceding, it must refer to the [pretended] Articles of the synod of Dort: but such ' is not Calvinism,' as contained even in Calvin's writings [but such is an utter distortion and most gross misrepresentation of it.] ..... Even, if the quotations from Calvin, as well as the Lambeth Articles, be added, Such is not Calvinism :' for, this must not be judged of from quotations, de

'Ref. 568.

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tached from the context; but either from the argument, as stated at large by Calvin himself; or from a fair and impartial compendium of it, in all its bearings and relations, of the arguments by which it is supported, the manner in which objections are answered, and the practical deductions made by him from his principles. It is no difficult task to collect detached passages from the writings of almost any author, which appear very different from the real doctrine of that author; and to address the passions and to excite the indignation of the readers, by exclaiming, Such is, &c;'-If indeed, the quotations referred to be inconsistent 'with the attributes of God, contrary to the express declarations of scripture,..... this is a sufficient reason why these tenets should be rejected; but not that all tenets, however scriptural, to which they bear even a remote relation, should be rejected along with them.-But the circumstance of their being 'so repugnant to the feelings ' of the human mind,' is no objection to them. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." "The "preaching of the cross is to them that perish "foolishness." "After that, in the wisdom of "God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it

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pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to "save them that believe." "The natural man "receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, "for they are foolishness unto him; neither can "he know them, because they are spiritually dis"cerned." 1 “Because I tell you the truth, ye "believe me not." 2 As reasonably might the feelings of a malefactor be appealed to, in respect

'Rom. viii. 7. 1 Cor. i. 18-21. ü, 14. 2 John viii. 45.

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of the decision of the impartial jury and the venerable judge, as the feelings of guilty man, against the decrees and decisions of the just and holy God. The account of the awful result of the last decisive day, as stated in the words of the loving Saviour himself, is repugnant to the feelings of 'the human mind:' but will that prove the sentence unjust?-Argument addresses the understanding; oratory the passions: but to which ought the appeal to be made by those who would distinguish truth from error?-If, however, a mere statement of Calvinistic principles, or rather if a full and impartial statement of them, 'in all their parts and consequences, were sufficient to ensure ' its rejection by every unprejudiced person;' not only addresses to the passions, but even argument might be spared; and Calvinism might be re'futed' in a very small volume, provided patience, diligence, meekness, and impartiality met in him who should attempt it. Yet no one seems disposed to put the result on so simple an expedient.

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The modern advocates of this system are ' indeed so aware of its forbidding aspect, that they never bring it into open view by a plain 'statement of the doctrines which they really 'support; and rarely venture to quote from the

writings, or appeal to the authority of their mas'ter; they shrink from the articles of the Cal'vinistic creed, and virtually allowing them to be 'indefensible, are driven to the necessity of as'serting, that their system of Calvinism is not to 'be judged of by the doctrines of Calvin himself; 'that they profess a sort of moderate Calvinism;

tached from the context; but either from the argument, as stated at large by Calvin himself; or from a fair and impartial compendium of it, in all its bearings and relations, of the arguments by which it is supported, the manner in which objections are answered, and the practical deductions made by him from his principles. It is no difficult task to collect detached passages from the writings of almost any author, which appear very different from the real doctrine of that author; and to address the passions and to excite the indignation of the readers, by exclaiming, 'Such is, &c;'-If indeed, the quotations referred to be inconsistent 'with the attributes of God, contrary to the express declarations of scripture,. . . . . .... this is a sufficient reason why these tenets should be rejected; but not that all tenets, however scriptural, to which they bear even a remote relation, should be rejected along with them.-But the circumstance of their being 'so repugnant to the feelings ' of the human mind,' is no objection to them. "The carnal mind is enmity against God." "The "preaching of the cross is to them that perish "foolishness." "After that, in the wisdom of "God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it

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pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to "save them that believe." "The natural man "receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, "for they are foolishness unto him; neither can " he know them, because they are spiritually dis"cerned." 1 "Because I tell you the truth, ye "believe me not." 2 As reasonably might the feelings of a malefactor be appealed to, in respect

'Rom. viii. 7. 1 Cor. i. 18-21, ü, 14. 2 John viii. 45.

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