Questions on Chapter 22.

scheme discards any difference in the moral character of men as influencing election; and the Scriptures everywhere show that God, in his dealings with men in reference to eternity, can be swayed by no other consideration. We arrive at the conclusion, therefore, that however different the teachings of Calvinism, if one man is elected to everlasting life and another consigned to perdition, it is not the result of an arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable partiality, but accords with reason, equity, and justice, and is a glorious display of the harmonious perfections of God. It is because the one is good and the other bad; the one is righteous and the other unrighteous; the one is a believer and the other an unbeliever; or the one is obedient and the other rebellious. These are the distinctions which reason, justice, and Scripture recognize; and we may rest assured they are the only distinctions which God regards in electing his people to glory, and sentencing the wicked to perdition.

5. The last thing, requisite to constitute election is, that there be a time at which the act of choosing takes place. As has already been shown, the election of individuals to eternal life may be considered as existing only in the foreknowledge or purpose of God, or it may be viewed as actual. There is no possible middle ground between these positions. If we adopt the former, and say that election is only “from all eternity” when viewed as the divine purpose to elect, we renounce one of the favorite dogmas of Calvinism, which holds that election is absolute from all eternity, and in no sense dependent on, or resulting from, foreknowledge. If we adopt the latter, we are involved in the absurdity of saying that an actual choice has been made, and yet that there was no time in which the act took place. And more than this, we also contradict the Scripture, which plainly teaches that men are actually chosen to eternal life when they accede to the conditions of the gospel; their election is “through faith” — “sanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth.” From what has been said, we think it evident that neither the election of individuals to a particular office or work, nor the election of nations, or bodies of people, to peculiar privileges, nor that of individuals to eternal life, gives the least sanction to the Calvinistic scheme.

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER 22.

QUESTION 1. From what subjects do Calvinists argue, to sustain their system?

2. Are election, predestination, etc., Scripture doctrines?

3. How are they understood by the Arminian?

4. How by the Calvinist?

5. What summaries of Calvinism are quoted?

6. From what is the term election derived?

7. What five particulars are presented, as essential to constitute election?

8. What is the first election mentioned?

9. What instances of it are given?

10. Why does it give no support to Calvinism?

11. What is the second species of election specified?

12. What is the first instance given of this?

13. What scriptures contain it?

14. How does it appear that it gives no support to Calvinism?

15. What is the next instance given?

16. In what scriptures is it contained?

17. How does it appear that it gives no support to Calvinism?

18. What is the third species of election?

19. In what scriptures is it contained?

20. Does it afford any support to Calvinism?

21. Do the five requisites of election apply to it?

22. Do they in the Calvinistic sense?

23. How may this be shown?