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 ^M 
 
 CALVINISM: 
 
 A SERMON PREACHED IN OAKES LINDLEY BAPTIST 6HAPEL, 
 
 BT 
 
 Rev. GEORGE DUNCAN. 
 
 " Prove all things, hold fast that whieh is good."— Thess. v. 21. 
 
 •' Take gpacial care, before you aim your shafts at Calvinism, 
 that you know what Calvinism is, and what it is not."— BisAo^ 
 HorsiUy* 
 
 iiVLSO A FEW GATHERED LEAVES IN ILLUSTRATION 
 
 OF THE SAME SUBJECT, 
 
 / 
 
 BT 
 
 Rev. J. M. CAMERON. 
 
 TORONTO: 
 
 JOHN IMRIB, PRINTER, 28 COLBORNE ST, 
 
 From whom Copies may he had. 
 
 1/ 
 
^ 
 
CALVINISM: 
 
 A SERMON rREAGIlED IN OAKES UNDLEY lUPTIST GHAPEL, 
 
 BY 
 
 Rev. GEORGE DUNCAN. 
 
 *♦ Prove all tliinf?s, hold fast that which is good." — Thess. v. 21. 
 
 *' Take special care, before you aim your shafts at Calvinism, 
 that you kuow what Calvinism is, and what it is not." — Bishop 
 Hone ley. 
 
 ALSO A FEW GATHERED LEAVES IN ILLUSTRATION 
 
 OF THE SAME SUBJECT, 
 
 ss 
 
 Rev. J. M. CAMERON. 
 
 TOKONTO: 
 
 JOHN IMRIE, PRINTER, 28 COLBORNE ST. 
 
 From whom Copies may be had* 
 
 .^JkM 
 
^o^G 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The following Sermon, by the Rev. George Duncan, 
 appeiircd some time ago in the ** Sword and Trowel," of 
 which Mr. Bpurgeon is editor. 
 
 Being struck with its succinct and clear statements of 
 truth, I ventured to ask permission to have it reprinted here 
 in pamphlet form. Mr. Spurgeon, with his usual magnani- 
 mity, at once replied : — 
 
 Norwood, 21st Nov., 1883. 
 Dear Sir, 
 
 I feel sure that Mr. Duncan will gladly agree to 
 your reprinting his article. By all means do so, and may 
 the Lord use the paper for the furtherance of His truth. 
 
 Yours very heartily, 
 
 C. H. Spurgeon. 
 
 I beg, therefore, to send it forth in the Master's name ; 
 associating with it a few gathered leaves, which may, per- 
 haps, speak as convincingly for the truth as even more 
 laboured arguments. 
 
 J. M. CAMERON. 
 Toronto, Aug., 1884» 
 
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 •■• t 
 
 Calbinism^ 
 
 
 T. 
 
 NOTES OF A SERMON PREACHED IN OAKES LINDLEY . 
 
 BAPTIST CHAPEL. BY PASTOR 
 
 GEORGE DUNCAN. 
 
 ! • 
 
 **Provo all things, bold fast that which is good.'* — 1 TheBsalouians v. 2i. 
 
 > I •! >J • 
 
 HE name of John Calvin is associated with a system 
 of theolopfy, and not with a religious sect ; no sect 
 calls itself "Calvinists" as its only name ; it is used 
 as an adjective by a body of Welsh Methodists. 
 They are, however, Methodists — Methodists with a Calvin- 
 is tic theology. ' *• ' « 
 
 John Wesley is not the founder of a system of theology ; 
 
 he accepted, for the most part, the system of James Armini- 
 
 us, and so all Methodists, with the single exception alluded to, 
 
 are called Arminians. Wesley was the founder of a religious 
 
 •sect called by his name. He founded a sect, not a theology. 
 
 • Calvin gave his name to a theology, but not to a sect. 
 
 Calvin did not found a theology ; his system was a revival, 
 a perfecting, a defence of a system of truth largely formula- 
 ted by the great Augustine, and still called by theologians 
 "Augustinianism.*' Augustine was one of the ablest and best 
 of the Fathers, though his works were much neglected, and 
 his theology rejected in the days of Calvin. The name then, 
 as now, was venerated, but the teaching was displaced by the 
 
 • theological accretions of the centuries. Calvin read, studi'^'^, 
 and then published the views of the great Augustine in a 
 sciehtifio form, in his work entitled, **The Institutes of the 
 
 • Christian Beligion/' and from that day to this Augastiniaii- 
 ism ha;^ been called Calviiiism. Calvin reeast the mightfy 
 
CALVlNlHit. 
 
 thouglitH and interpretation of Augustine, and as issued by 
 him they were received by most of the Protestants of his day, 
 and even now the •* Thirty-nine Articles" of the State church 
 are Calvinistic. **The Oonfession of Faith" received by the 
 Free Churcii, United Presbyterian Church, and State Church 
 of Scothmd is Calvinistic. The Baptists and Congregation- 
 alists everywhere for the most part profess to bo Calvinistic. 
 Thus a great proportion of the Protestant bodies are Calvin- 
 istic, though there are many exceptions among their adherents 
 who are undoubtedly Armiuiau. The symbols of their faith 
 are sound, though some have wandered from them. 
 
 It is manifestly wrong, if not wicked, for men who are not* 
 themselves Calvinists, and who evidently know little about 
 the subject, to ' oldly allege that we receive the teaching of 
 Calvin instead of the doctrines taught by our Lord Jesus 
 Christ. Calvin was a man of colossal mind, who studied the 
 Word of God profoundly and prayerfully, and who put in a 
 systematic form the truths taught in Scripture. Ills work 
 was to place clearly before us what the Book really said and 
 meant ; and few men have -ever liv^ who couid do this work 
 better than he. He ta/kes the humble yet higli positio-u of an 
 interpreter of the Book, and in this he shine« as a bright and 
 beautiful light. 
 
 We believe nothing on the simple authority of Calvia ; w^ 
 believe no affirmation because he m«.ke8 it; w« accept no 
 dogma because he constructed it; no truth because he taught 
 it ; we accept all on the authority of the 13ook of God, and 
 are thankful to Calvin for aiding us in understanding it, just 
 as we are thankful to Drs. Morison, Lightfoot, Godet, and 
 others. All these are helping us to grasp the doctrines of the 
 Word ; but none of them takes the place of the Word. Many 
 Calvinists have never read a line written by Calvin ; they take 
 what is called their Calvinism ^ here Calvin found it, wlie^ro 
 Augustine found it, namely from the Book of God. 
 
 The position of Calviu among us is that of om in^ mo^ 
 fully than any other has ex|>laAned to us the trui^ Jopm^&g<S^ 
 the recogrd of revelatiou. Ci^i^t^ aloa^ is pur Mmt^^ 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 
 It is wrong to roproaont ns afl saying that tnith began with 
 Calvin, and ought to end with him. The truth is as old as 
 the liook; Calvin, like others before him, and like others af- 
 ter him, only helps us to a true explanation of the truths of 
 of the Book. 
 
 The circulation of the blood did not begin with Harvey ; 
 he merely indicated a fact that had subsiBted all along, and 
 will subsist while man is in tho tlosh. So with Calvin. Ho 
 indicated a fact in revelation v ic.h had been there all along, 
 and will be thorn till the end o{' time. Calvin and others 
 helped us to understand ihe fact ; lie did not create it any more 
 than Ilarvoy creu^ted the fact that the blood circulates. 
 
 If a physiologist were to commence a treatise by denying 
 the circulation of the blood, we would know at once what 
 value to attach to his writings ; but we would be amazed if 
 the man merely wrote the truism that truth did not begin 
 with Harvey, and will not end with him. The affirmation of 
 Harvey is true, irrespective of the person who made it. So 
 with Calvin. His affirmation is a true doctrine of Scripture, 
 and is no more to be disputed than the fact of the circulation 
 of the blood. Harvey and Calvin indicated and expounded 
 facts, the one in the sphere of nature, and the other in the 
 sphere of revelation ; but the facts were before and will be 
 long after those who affirmed and explained them. 
 
 So of the doctrine of ** gravitation." This force operated 
 thousands upon thousands of years before Sir Isaac Newton 
 indicated and explained it. He did not create the fact, nor 
 can any man destroy it, and it is just as foolish to ask, Did 
 tiirth begin with Newton, and why should it end with him? 
 as to ask the same question concerning Calvin. 
 
 So of the theory of the mechanism of the heavens, or any other 
 great affirmation established by and associated with some 
 great name. All these men but affirm a truth, a fact^ a sub- 
 sistanoe; they do not create it; but we owid deep gratitude 
 to all these men, and Calvin among the rest, for theii* great 
 affirmations. 
 
 Calvin establbiherhier affirmations by references ta the great 
 
6 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 \ 
 
 revelation, as these other men do by references to nature ; and 
 while nature confirms these, revelation equally confirms those, 
 and all assertions that we put Calvin in the place of the Bible 
 or of our blessed Lord and Saviour are about as true and as 
 wise as to say that we put Harvey in the place of blood, New- 
 ton in the place of gravitation, Copernicus in the place of the 
 mechanism of the universe, Lockyer in the place of the sun 
 These are all great men who have aided us conspicuously to 
 understand the facts of the forces with which they deal ; they, 
 do not take the place of the forces ; we go directly to the 
 forces, and see whether they confirm or otherwise the affirma- 
 tions made. 
 
 Calvin is singled out by the misthinkers, the restless, un- 
 settled whirling lovers of novelty, for the sake of novelty, of 
 this age, as the object of theii* bitterest hate and malicious 
 rage. His name seems to awaken, and arouse, and call forth 
 all that is evil in the hearts of the devotees of "vain deceit;" 
 but all this unthinking virulence only injures themselves ; it 
 , can neither hurt Calvin nor Calvinlsts. No doubt the reason 
 why heretics so hate Cavlin is that he has rigorously, logically, 
 and mercilessly exposed their poor whims, which by a sad fate 
 and irony they worship as truth. He smote and cast down 
 their vain idols, and he has never been forgiven. Those who 
 love God's truth, however, feel their deep indebtedness to Calvin 
 ;for casting to the moles and the bats the fibreless, nerveless, 
 . boneless fancies which some persons even now persist in 
 •. calling truth. .; • f 
 
 J It is also wrong to hold Calvinism alone responsible for 
 . whftt it holds in common with all other orthodox Christians. 
 Calvinism and Arminianism differ mainly in five points, and 
 •; the former must be held responsible for the exposition arid 
 defence of these only. It is true that these colour, in a 
 .measure, the whole of the creed; but it is only a colouring, 
 t only, a hue given to that which subsists indeperideutly of this 
 ..tincture.. -_■ ■. . ;■ ••:...:.....:...;.: .z:' "-?.""^'' 
 
 We both accept the existence of the supreme Heing, a Ood 
 : of f ower» wisdom, love, who cves^ted all things. The Doctrine 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 of the Holy Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, of the 
 fall of man, his inability to save himself, and of the fall and free 
 atonement made by Jesus Christ, and of the necessity of the 
 Spirit's work, of the salvation of believers everywhere, of the 
 eternal joy of the redeemed in heaven, and the everlasting 
 misery of the impenitent in hell. We bow to the authority 
 of the Holy Scriptures, as the revelation of God's will to man. 
 Whatever beauty there is in all these truths, and all the 
 blessed truths that are related to them, we share in common; 
 and it is because we are substantially agreed in all the vital 
 doctrines of Christianity that Baptists, Congregationalists, 
 Presbyterians, and all the sections of the Methodists can and 
 do and will co-operate by meeting on the one religious plat- 
 form , and exchanging pulpits as occasion offers. These truths 
 belong to all of us, and all of us alike, and therefore whatever 
 objections may be raised against them, whatever is offensive 
 to the carnal mind, whatever in them rouses the wrath of the 
 victims of fond delusions, belong not to Calvinism especially, 
 but to both Calvinism and Arminianism, and each systena 
 shares the blame and helps in the defence. 
 
 The Calvinist is responsible for his five points, and the 
 Arminian is responsible for the five dogmas which in hia 
 system take the place of these five points ; this is the measure 
 of our several responsiblities ; on all these points substantially 
 we are unitedly responsible. 
 
 Let us now consider the five points for which Calvinism is 
 more especially responsible. They are, ,. 
 
 ;; I.— a?HE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION. *'■ 
 
 1. This doctiine as it affects the elect. We read about ^* God's 
 elect," "the faith of God's elect," ** elect according to the 
 foreknowledge of God,"**chosen in Him before the foundation 
 of the world," **fore- ordained according to the purpose of Him 
 who wprketh ail things after the counsel of His own will,':' 
 ^nd many other texts to the same purport. 
 
 We • aifl&rrii' that these tind ^her Scriptures teach iihatj €rod 
 has ail **eleetir'*4bal they w^re **chosen:ia:Him^^tha.tisi<Ihrisi) 
 
8 
 
 CALVINlSftf. 
 
 before the foundation of the world," that they were chosen 
 not because of foreseen good in them, for God saw no good in 
 them that He did not design to give them ; they were chosen 
 * 'according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things af- 
 ter the counsel of His own will," The fact, the form, and 
 the basis of all this are in God. 
 
 The Arminians follow us here a little way; they believe in 
 election, and can, with us, speak joyfully of the elect, only 
 they find the basis of the election in the foreseen repentance 
 and faith of the sinner; we find it in the will of God. Our 
 affirmation embraces all the passages of Scripture which they 
 quote on the subject, beside other clear passages which cannot 
 be explained, as we think, by their theory, and is in itself a 
 nobler thought. 
 
 It has been said that this dogma leads to carelessness and 
 carnal security. This objection presses both theories alike; 
 for it little matters, as far as practical life is concerned, 
 whether God elected me according to His purpose of grace, or 
 elected me because at some period in my life I would repent 
 and balieve. In both cases I am elected. The objection 
 however, cannot obtain, because we are told to what we are 
 elected. "Predestinated to be conformed to the image of His 
 Son," '*that we should w: Ik before Him in love." "Pat on 
 as the elect of God bowels of mercy." "Having predestinated 
 us to the adoption of sons." 
 
 The doctrine cannot lead to sin ; for we are told with solemn 
 emphasis and touching appeals that we are to be holy, "sons 
 of God without reproof." "Be perfect, as your Father in 
 heaven is perfect." In a word, we are to be like Christ. 
 Election is not an end in itself it is only one link in the great 
 chain of forces co-operating for our supreme good, which is 
 our complete restoration to the image of God. It is a means 
 to an end, the end being holiness. Being elected, we are 
 not to sin as much as we like, but live according to the will 
 of Him who has called us by His grace. The elect shall be 
 saved; but the God who called them directs all the operations 
 ^luch secure ibe blessed result. We use all iibe mewm of our 
 
CALVINISMr 
 
 9 
 
 going md growing, smd thus grow, and on* growth in graoo^ 
 is the standing evidence of our being elect of God. 
 
 2. This doctrine as it affects the unsaved. We do not speak 
 of the **non-elect, *' because neither the word nor the idea 
 occurs in God's Book. The word is laid at our door by our 
 opponents, but we reject it. If the book used it as freely as 
 it uses the word "elect," then we would have to explain it; 
 but as it is it conveys a false impression. 
 
 Arminians and Calvinists mcot at this point ; we both make 
 the same affirmation ; the unsaved equally affect both systems. 
 We both recognize the fact that many are still impenitent, 
 unsaved, aliens; we both explain it in the same way. It is 
 the waywardness, wilfulness, wickedness of man ; he will not 
 come unto Christ; he rejects mercy and salvation. 
 
 Calvinism merely shares with other systems the responsi- 
 bility of admitting and explaining the fact that many are yet 
 in their sins. This general indifference and impenitence of 
 man is a great mystery, considered metaphysically ; but it is 
 no mystery practically ; we see with our own eyes that m«n 
 prefer darkness to light. 
 
 Calvinism affirms thwt God has chosen some men in Christ 
 from before the foundation of the world, and all the stages of 
 their moral course shall be reached by the operations of God 
 on our behalf, and our continued use of the means of grace ; 
 and to all men generally the Gospel is to be freely offered, and 
 if they believe they shall be certainly saved. 
 
 II.— THE DOCTRIl^E OF HUMAN DEPKAVITY. 
 
 1. This doctrine as it is supposed to affect man in his human 
 relationships. It is a fact that somehow man at a very early 
 stage of his career shows sad and sorrowful signs of a weak 
 moral nature ; that it requires constant and severe training 
 to put him right, and to keep him right, and that he needs 
 but little training to go wrong, to show temper, self-will, 
 vindictiveness, even when only a few months old, and his 
 whole career is a source of care and anxiety to all who are 
 i:ele|ted to* bii^r l$id moral nature seem« ^isoned ^ its- 
 
10! 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 springs, no vparfc of it is untainted; and this is true of 
 mankfnd everywhere and always. .-. • ; • ■ 
 
 This moral problem, however, has nothing to do with Cal- 
 vinism.; we may take the pessimist or the optimist view of 
 man's moral nature. The child may be as imseltish and gener- 
 ous as some imagine ; the boy may be truthful and obedient ; 
 the, man may be upright and pure in all his earthly relation- 
 ships; father, son, merchant, citizen, ruler. He may bo 
 held in the highest esteem by all who know him. The world 
 has left a record not only of wrong, and crime, and cruelty, 
 it, has also chronicled deeds of nobility and moral grandeur, 
 showing the sublime possibilities of our nature, though it is 
 mournful. to confess that as a matter of fact tLe record of 
 evil is unspeakably more voluminous than the tales of heroism, 
 love, and goodness. . •: . ' ' •. - '• 
 
 , This questic n afifects the moral philosophers, philanthrop- 
 ists, and civil authorities, and the several religious bodies 
 have; their varied opinions concerning it ; but Calvinism makes 
 no authoritative affirmation on the subject; and to say that 
 we allege that man is in every sense . depraved arid vile, is 
 simply to either misunderstand or to misrepresent us. 
 
 2. This ioctrine as it really affects man in his Oodtvard 
 relatifmships. If there were no God, and no future life, no 
 Qalvinist would affirm the total depravity of man. Man 
 WO*>ld not then be totally depraved ; he would still be imperfect 
 and wayward, butaijoble being, with glorious possibilities of 
 expansion within his reach. But as there is a God, and man 
 persistsln being in a state of alienation from Him, treats Him 
 as if He werenotrand had no claim on m^n's love and service ; 
 breaks His laws, and tramples caieiesslyonHis precepts, lives 
 as if this were the only life, and feels annoyed when brought 
 face to face with eternity through the appeals and arguments 
 of ; tlie thoughtful, j)reacher. He is surely **dead in sin." 
 "Sold under sin." He is * 'carnally-minded, which is death. . 
 He has a mind **which is enmity against God." 
 
 Godysra,rd.the heart of man is fro?en, is in a state of winter, 
 flmkji^ssy deatb. In tjiis, the higher side of his relati.9nshi|)s, 
 
: CALVIN I H;ar. 
 
 11 
 
 he is totally depraved ; he ie a wreck, a ruin, a failure. This 
 he will remain forever unless he is changed through the grace 
 of God. . r . ' - -: . - :: »;• . « 'i 
 
 This state of enmity, alienation, darknes^i deatli, can bje 
 described as total depravity, and Calvinists do not hesitate 
 so to describe it. Arminians come near to this very view, of 
 man's state before God, and his attitude towards God> \ye 
 do not shrink from telling man the worst of it, and appQal ^ 
 him to have repentance towards God ; for God alone can turn 
 our winter into summer, our darkness to light, our death to 
 
 life. • ••- - . •. .. • . . '.; ^ .. 1 ;'.. ; '■: ' ■ * -.■ ) 
 
 r • 
 
 »•» 
 
 
 tS 
 
 III.— THE DOCTRINE OF PARTICULAR REDEMPTION; i 
 
 :A 
 
 t Ir This doctrine as it affects the sa,ved. We. affirm rth^t 
 Jesus died in a special manner for the sins of the elect, ,ff3^' 
 the sins of the believer. In some unique sense He atonedi^for 
 thesins of His people. He says, **I lay niy life down for n^y 
 .sheep," *'Thine they were, and thou gavest tjiem Me.'*., *'-I 
 pray notior the world, but for those which thou hast, given 
 Me out of the world." .:\ • • • . : •'-•> ;< • n 
 
 . Paul expresses the same fact when he says of Chrlstj "Hp 
 loved the Churchy and gave himself for it^ that he might sanc- 
 tify and cleanse," etc. **He died for all men," says Pau^. 
 Yes ; but he adds, ^'especially for the-m that believe.'*; ..yr 
 
 The terms descriptive- of his substitutionary work se^ra tp 
 point to a special people ; He was a surety, shepherd, ranrson^, 
 -husband, redeemer;* in an unique isense He; died for a peopie 
 given Him of God out of the worlds and who were: chosen |py 
 Him before the foundation of the wjdirld;, and whose. saJyitig^ 
 is certain, i. ■. :: . •:.. . . . 1. .-.y^ ,y,, ^ ;•. [.-■ vN-rr-t;"!*^ 
 
 We teach that there is no contingency, that Je^ui shall see 
 His seed ;^ the pleasure of the Lord s/ta^f prosper in.Hia hand : 
 but all other systems leave the matter in doufct ; they cannot 
 warrant that one shall.be saved, that . one* ahall ever 'Jbeli^e. 
 When -the atonement is made they.sbail gvsA PQ ^vkai:ant^ 
 that one, soul shall hfi. saved ; thKyjcoiiifJ vli(5pe;ib§A>vaa^,9ftjj 
 
12 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 Bso now that many do believe and are saved, but with them 
 the atonement secures th« cevtain salvation of none ; it indeed 
 saves none, but puts all in a salvable state. We affirm, on 
 the otli^v hand, thM tkeve i« room for no doubt; God cannot 
 be baffled in tlie realization of His purpose, and the sheep 
 for whom the good Shepherd la/id down His life shall be saved 
 with an everlastmg salvation. Surely this is a noble affirma- 
 tion. 
 
 2. This doctrine as it affects mankind gcneralhi. Calvinism 
 kas no distinctive affirmation here. We maintain that though 
 the Gospel is efficient only to the believer, it is sufficient for 
 all, it is required by all, and we are commanded to press it on 
 all, and it is at their own peril tlwt they refuse it. The lost 
 are lost, not because there is no salvation for them, but be- 
 cause they refuse the one salvatio i freely offered them in tlie 
 Gospel. 
 
 In a great sense Christ died for all men, and all men even 
 now reap great benefit from liis mediatorial work. We were 
 all ruined by the Fali^ and death passed on all men, for all 
 had sinned. Christ opened up the way of access to God to 
 all men, and has secured for us all an opportunity of being 
 saved in a representative, as in a representative we all fell. 
 He keeps the door of mercy still open for us, and all that we 
 receive of good on this side of hell is through Him; 
 
 He died for all men ; fbr we read that **He is the propitia- 
 tion for our sins" more especially, "and for the sins of the 
 whole world." We join, therefore, with the Arminians, and 
 seek with equal fervour, fulness, and freeness to^ press the 
 Gospel on all. /e oflfer the unsaved precisely what they ofifer 
 them — no- more and no less, so that we here stand at no dis^- 
 p.dvaijta^'0, ^vlicrcas we can offer far more to the saved. 
 
 W.—TUE DOGTRINB OF EFFECTUAL CALLmG-. 
 
 11.- TM& doetime as it aifffectsi tJve elect » We^ have no contin- 
 gonoy here either; fD» we read,, *^Moreover those whom Ho 
 lolU: f(^^0¥d«m S& oteO' c^ill^i mA those^^ whom He cx^lieth 
 
 ■■ 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 18 
 
 He also jnstifi^th; And those whom He justifioth He also 
 glorifietli." **Who called you to His kingdom and glory." 
 '*It pleased God who called me by His grace." **That has 
 called us to glory and virtue." ''Who called you into the 
 everlasting glory in Christ." There is thus a divine, irresisti- 
 ble, irrevocable call addressed to the heart by the grace of God. 
 
 The foreordained are as surely called as the called are justi- 
 fied and the justified glorified; these are the steps of the 
 heavenly ladder — tiie stages of the celestial road, the notes of 
 the glorious symphony. We affirm these with emphasis and 
 with great joy. 
 
 2. This doctnne as it affects the. rest of mankind. With the 
 Amiinian we address what is designated the **outward call** 
 to every sinner, and for much the same reason. **God calls 
 on all men everywhere to repent." His complaint is that 
 though He call we refuse, He stretches forth His hand and no 
 one regardeth. Jesus calls : He came not to call theTighteons 
 but sinners to repentance. 
 
 The Spirit calls: *'to as many as the Lord otir God sbaJll 
 call," that is, by His Spirit. The Triune Jehovah calls on 
 all men to repent and believe the Gospel. It is the immediate, 
 pressing, blessed duty of all to believe and come to the know- 
 ledge of the truth. *'This is the commandment that we have 
 received of Him, that we should believe in Jesus Christ, whom 
 He hath sent." 
 
 We are as fervent in our appeals to the unsaved as the 
 Arminians, just as George Whitefield was as fervent in his 
 sermons to the unconverted as John Wesley ; but over and 
 above this we have tlie assurance that **God shall call His elect 
 from the four winds of heaven." This is another noble affir- 
 mation of Calvinism. 
 
 1. This doctrine as it affects the believer^ We affirm thart isf 
 a jxtaii !be oaaiHy (oansiFeaaked to God — boBcn again— ^tsaJted by 
 grace divine, he is saved with an cvci lasting salvation; that 
 
14' 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 i 
 
 God '* will nov6r leave him nor forsake him;" that nothing 
 \Vill ever be able to separate him from the love of God in 
 Christ Jesus; that God will perfect that which concerneth 
 him, and will carry on the good work begun till the day of 
 our Lord ; that as surely as he is justified he will be glorified. 
 
 "I will give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never 
 perish, and none shall be able to pluck them from my hand." 
 
 The whole of Bomans viii. is a demonstration of the glori- 
 dns security of the ])cliever. 
 
 This doctrine does not mean that being saved, no matter^ 
 how evil our life may be, heaven shall be ours at last. No I 
 it is that being saved we shall also be ^'sanctified," "saints," 
 "sons of God without reproof," and our salvation will be de- 
 monstrated to others and ourselves by our sanctification. It 
 is a perseverance in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus. In 
 calm and, holy confidence we believe that as He lives we shall, 
 live also, and that He will come again and receive us unte- 
 Himself. This doctrine has uplifted many a drooping head^J 
 ifisplred many a sorrow- laden heart, healed many a wound, 
 and wiped the tears from many eyes. It is a noble, inspiring: 
 affirmation. . .^ ., ,, ,? 
 
 .2. This doctrine as it afects the lOarnings and exhortations of 
 the book of God, Our affirmation allows these their full 
 fprce, and yet explains graciously and hopefully all the passages 
 proving that the saints will persevere unto the end. How do 
 w« persevere instrumentally but by the use of means ? God 
 naes these exhortations and warnings to keep us in the way,' 
 and we nse them for the same purpose. 
 C' We do not persevere in spite of means, but by the use of 
 means, by the use of these very exhortations. .i -. 
 
 The warnings show us where we would get to but for the^ 
 grace of God, show the natural tendencies of our wills, 
 and they -mnke our mpral/im|igmatianw terror j. and we 
 cling closer to that God who is ail our salvation and all our 
 lielji*: .' ;™ •' y-^ .-•••• -vv;; -.^^ - .•,^•■' ,. -.j-.-^}- -^{^ ^.v 
 
 \We- thank God for all His appeals, exhortations r and warn-" 
 
 ^ 
 
 f 
 
 :ry 
 
 f> r „^.,- 
 
 je 
 
 i5 c: c. 
 
OALTINISlf. 
 
 IS 
 
 ^ 
 
 . 
 
 ings, and by the help of His Spirit wo use them all as meani 
 of <i;raco. 
 
 The Gospel we offer saves, keeps, and at last presents us 
 faultless before the throne of God in heaven. 
 
 I ask, in conclusion, how can people bo so far ignorant of 
 all this as to speak of '*the dark teachings of Calvinism," when 
 in point of fact there is nothing good, or true, or noble in any 
 of tiie otiier systems of theology that is not embraced in this, 
 which has the live points of gracious and glorious certainty 
 wanting in them all. 
 
 This system has inspii'ed the hearts and directed the will 
 of the noblest of the sons of men, and the brightest passMge 
 in our national record was written by Calvinists, the creed of 
 the Crusaders, Huguenots, Puritans, and Ironsides, and of 
 the great bulk of the excellent ot the earth, and if not 
 a few waver in their allegiance to this truth, it is but a tcm- 
 • orary insurrection and revolt — 
 
 ** Truth cruahetl to earth shall rise again, ■; 
 
 The eternal years of God are hers, 
 While error, wounded, writhes in pain, 
 And dies amid her worshippers," 
 
 ' \ I ' ' • ' .vr 
 
 ,^*^j D^jCfuaij. 
 
le 
 
 OALVIKISIC. 
 
 I.— THE DOCTKINE OF ELECTION. 
 
 Objections to Election. 
 
 An eminent miiiister ^'iive, in one of his sermons, the fol- 
 lowing^ illustration of the divine dealing's with sinners : -A 
 clergyman sitting; in his study saw sonic hoys in his garden 
 stealing inc^lono. He (inictly arose, and walking into his 
 garden called thciii. '* Boys, boys." They immediately Hed 
 with the utmost preci})itatioii, tearing through the shrubbery 
 and (.ambling over the fences. ** l>oys," cried out the gentle- 
 man, " stop, do not be afraid. You may have as many 
 melons as you want. I have more than 1 know what to do 
 with." The boys, urged by the consciousness of guilt, tied 
 with increasing speed. They did not like to trust themselves 
 in the gentleman's hands, neither did they exactly relish the 
 idea of receiving favours from one whose garden they were 
 robbing. The clergyman continued to entreat them to stop, 
 assuring them that they should not be hurt, and that they 
 might have as many melons as they wished for. But the 
 very sound of his voice added wings to their speed. They 
 scampered on in every direction, with as determined an 
 avoidance as though the gentleman was pursuing them 
 with a horsewhip. He determined, however, that they should 
 be convinced that he was sincere in his offers, and therefore 
 pursued them. Two little fellows who could not climb over 
 the fence were taken. He led them back, telling them that 
 they were welcome to melons whenever they wanted any ; 
 and, giving to each of them a couple, allowed them to go 
 home. He sent by them a message to the other boys, that 
 whenever they wanted any melons they were welcome to 
 them if they would but come to him. The other boys, when 
 they heard of the favours with which the two had been 
 laden, were load in the exi^ression of their indignation. They 
 accused the clergyman of partiality, in giving to some without 
 
 iviug to all ; and, when reminded that they would not 
 
 ^ 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 17 
 
 10 
 
 It 
 
 
 \ 
 
 accept of his ofTois, but ran away from him as fast as they 
 could, they rephid, " What of tliat ? He caught those two 
 boys, and why shouhl he have selected them instead of the 
 rest of us ? If he had only run a little faster he mi}j;ht have 
 caupjht us. It was mean in him to show such partial: ty," 
 Again they were reminded that the clergyman was ready to 
 serve them as ho did the other two he caught, and give them 
 as many melons as they wanted if they would only go and 
 ask him for them. Still the boys would not go near him, 
 but accused the generous man of injustice and partiality, in 
 doing for two that which he did not do for all. 
 
 So it is with sinners. God iinds all guilty, and invites 
 them to come to him and be forgiven, and receive the richest 
 blessings heaven ca.n afford. They all run from him, and 
 the louder he calls the more they try to escape. By his grace 
 he pursues, and some he overtakes. He loads thom with 
 favours, and sends them back to invite their fellow-sinners to 
 return and receive the same. They all with one accord re- 
 fuse to come, and yet never coase to abuse his mercy. They 
 say, " Why does God select some and not others? Why 
 does he overtake others who are just a bad as wo, and allow 
 us to escape ? This election of some and not others is un- 
 just and partial." And when the minister of God replies, 
 ** The invitation is extended to you ; whosoever will, let him 
 come and take of the water of life freely," the sinner heeds it 
 not, but goes on in his sins, still complaining of the injustice 
 and partiality of God in saving some and not saving all. — 
 From Dr. Belcher's " Clergy of America,'' 
 
 Mr. Winter was Oiice in company with an Armininn who 
 spoke violently against the doctrine of election. " You be- 
 lieve election," said Mr. Winter, "as firmly as I do." *' I 
 deny it " answered the other, '* On the contrary it is a doc- 
 trine I detest." ** Do you believe that all men will be saved 
 on the last day, or some only ?" " Only some." ** Do you 
 imagine that these some will be found to have Siived them- 
 selves ?" *'No, certainly, God in Christ is the only Saviour of 
 
 aw<- 
 
18 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 sinners." 'T*i\l Hod could linvo saved ilie rest, could lio not?" 
 ** No doubt." ** I'licn snlvution is pecnliMr to tiie saved?' 
 ** To 1)0 siiro." •• And (iod sjivos tlicm doNii^nu'dly, Jind not 
 ogftinst ills will ?" " ('crtsiiiily.' *• And willinL'ly snflors tlio 
 rest to ])oriHli tlion<,di lie could easily Inivo hindered it?" 
 ♦' It should seem ho." ♦' Then, is not this election?" " It 
 amounts to the same thing." 
 
 Tn the life of Dr. Dufl', we are told of M(diosh ('hundcr 
 
 01 
 
 stud(!nt of the Hindoo ( 
 
 id this devoted 
 
 lose, 
 
 missionary's lirst son in the faith, who at a meeting' before 
 many witnesses, after deep silence, hurst forth and made the 
 following stutenient : — ♦* A twelvemonth ago I was an 
 atheist, a materialist, a ])hysic}il necessitarian; ar.d w]u\i 
 am I now? A l)M))ti/ed Christian! A twelvemonth ago I 
 was the most miserable of the miserable ; and what am I 
 now ? In my own mind, the haj)piesl of the ha])py. What a 
 chnnf'C 1 How has it been brought ahout ? The recollection 
 of the past tills me with wonder. When I lirst came to 
 your lectures, it was not instruction 1 wanted. Instruction 
 was the pretext, a secret desire to expose what 1 reckoned 
 your irrational and superstitious follies the reality. At last, 
 against my inclinations, against my feelings, 1 was obliged 
 to admit the truth of Ohristianity. Its evidence was so 
 strong that I could not resist it. I^ut I still /V7^ contrary to 
 what 1 thoiifiht. On hearing your account of the nature of 
 sin, and especially sins of the heart, my conscience burst 
 upon me like a volcano. My soul was pierced through with 
 horrible reflections and terrible alarms ; it seemed as if 
 racked and rent in pieces. I w^as in a hell of torment. On 
 hearing and examining further, I began, I know not how or 
 why, to find relief from the words of the Bible. What I 
 once thought most irrational I soon found to be very wisdom ; 
 what I once hated most I soon began to love most ; and now 
 I love it altogether. What a change I How can I account 
 for it 9 On any natural principal I cannot, for every step 
 that I was made to take was contrary to my previous natui\<l 
 
 4 
 t 
 
 IV 
 
 \ 
 
CALVIVTS'M. 
 
 19 
 
 IV 
 
 (' 
 
 ) 
 
 wihIi nnl will. My ^ro^ross wns not ili.it of o;inior>t inquiry, 
 but of oarnoHt op^HJsitioii. And to tho hist, luy her it was 
 op[)OsiHl. hi s/titi' of tfii/srlf I Income a ( 'hrist'mu. Surely 
 some uiisoon power must hiive been ijuidinj^ mo. Surely 
 this must he what the l»ihle calls *«,'race,' free j^race, sover- 
 eign! j^'raco, and if ever tliere was an election of grace; siuidy 
 1 am one." 
 
 A younu: woman in a st itc of reli<'ious anxietv, askiMl Or. 
 Nettleton, " What do you thiid; of tiu^ doctriuc of Klcction? 
 Sonu^ say it is true, :iii(l some say it is not true, and 1 do 
 not know what to think of it." " And ^vha^ do you wish to 
 tliink of it," said the Dr. " I wish to thiid<," saul she, 
 *' that it is not true." *♦ Siip])ose then," said he, " that it 
 is not true. The doetrinc of repentance is true. You must 
 repent or perish. Now, if the doctrine of l^llection is not 
 true, what rcuson have you to believe you shall ever repent?' 
 After a moment's retiection, she replied, " if the doctrine of 
 Election is not true, I shall never repent." Her eyes we*'e 
 opened, all refuge failed her. She saw herself entirely de- 
 pendent on the sovereign grace of (lod ; and there is reason 
 to i)elieve she was soon brought out of darkness into God's 
 marvellous light. 
 
 A woman, known to be a great opposer of the doctrine of 
 Election, said one day to Dr. Nettleton, '* You talked to rne 
 yesterday, as if you thought I could repent." "And can 
 you not ?" said he. " No, I cannot, unless God shall change 
 my heart." Do you really believe," said he, ** that you 
 cannot repent unless God has determined to change your 
 heart ?" *' I do," said she. " Why, madam," said he, " you 
 hold to the doctrine of Election, in a stricter sense than I 
 do. I should prefer to say, not ttiat you cannot, but that you 
 never will repent, unless God has determined to change your 
 heart." 
 
20 
 
 CALVINIb.v!. 
 
 L 
 
 : 1 
 I 
 
 A certain indiviclual said to Dr. Nettleton, " I cannot get 
 along with the doctrine of Election." " Then," said he, "f?ct 
 along without it. Yon are at liberty to get to heaven the 
 easiest way you can. Whether the doctrine of Election is 
 true or not, it is true that you must repent, and believe, and 
 love God. Now, such is the wickedness of your heart, that 
 you never will do these things, unless God has determined 
 to renew your heart. If you think your heart is not so 
 wicked make it manifest by compiyii?Qr with die terms of 
 salvation. Why cavil with Election ? Suppose you should 
 prove it false ; what have you gained ? You must repent 
 and believe in Christ after all. Why not immediately 
 comply with the terms of the gospel ? When you have 
 done this without the aid of Divine grace, it will be soon 
 enough to oppose election. Until you have done this, we 
 shall still believe that the doctrine of Election lies at the 
 foundation of all hope in your case." 
 
 A good man who had been for a long time perplexed about 
 the doctrine of election, as fearing he was not among the 
 number chosen resolved one day to fall down upon his knees, 
 and give thank{4 to God for having elected some to everlasting 
 life, even though he himself should be passed by. He did so, 
 and the happy consequence was, that while thus engaged, 
 he obtained assurance of his own personal election, and was 
 freed from his perplexity. 
 
 " Soilie preachers near Olney," says Mr. Newton, '* dwelt 
 on the doctrine of predestination." An old woman said, **Ah, 
 I have long since settled that point ; for if God had not 
 ohrsen me before I was born, I am sure He would have seen 
 nothing in me to have choesn me for afterwards !" 
 
 A pions negro servant in the house of a Southern planter, 
 with a familiarity not at all uncommon, undertook to remind 
 his thoughtless, but kind-hearted master of the duties he 
 owed to God, and his own spiritual well-beir.; The planter 
 
 ■ 
 
OALVINISM. 
 
 21 
 
 J 
 
 
 
 had got hold of the ignorant, popular, caricature of the 
 Scriptural doctrine of Election, and tried to bluff him off by 
 saying ** Sambo, If I'm elected, I'll be saved whether I try 
 or not." To which the old negro replied, "Well, Massa, 
 Tse never know'd of a man yet being elected who was not 
 a candidate." 
 
 A coloured man being ridiculed by another about the doc- 
 trine of Election, replied, " Friend, I do not pretend to 
 understand it, I am only a beginner, just in the A B C of a 
 Christian life ; but I believe it because I find it in the Bible, 
 and though I do not understand it now, because of my 
 limited knowledge and capacity, I have no doubt but that in 
 good time, whether here or hereafter, God shall reveal even 
 this unto me." 
 
 Henry Ward Beecher when preaching on Election, took 
 occasion to say that ** it was like the hump on the back of 
 a dromedary, neither for ornament nor use." Spurgeon is 
 said to have answered the Brooklyn divine very happily, by 
 saying *' I accept that illustration ; for, it was God placed the 
 hump on the dromedary's back, and I do not feel disposed 
 to find fault with it, however unsightly it may appear. 
 
 A young man conversing with the Eev. Mr. McLeod, of 
 Toronto, lately, and professing to be in a state of anxiety 
 about his soul, said, ** I believe I would have been a Christian 
 long ago but for the doctrine of election." ** Indeed !" said 
 Mr. McLeod ; *' then you do not believe that doctrine." 
 " No, sir," said he, ** I do not, ** Then why do you allow it 
 to trouble you, if you do not believe it ? Do you believe 
 this, *Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt he 
 saved ?' " " yes," he said, '' I believe that." ** Then," he 
 was asked, *' why are yo2t still unsaved ? " He at once saw 
 how insincere had been his objection to the doctrine of 
 election ; and soon afterwards found it a source of great 
 comfort and strength* 
 
22 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 A minister travelling in company with a talkative sceptic, 
 was led by a particular part of the conversation to speak ot 
 the foreknowledge of God ; and to show how necessarily it 
 appHes to the smallest as well as to the greatest events. 
 " What!" said the infidel, while he was lifting a straw from 
 the boitom of the coach, " did Almighty God know from all 
 eternity that I should pick up this straw?" '' Yes," replied 
 the minister, " he not only foreknew you would pick it up, 
 but he also knew you would do it to insult him," 
 
 • Toplady relates the following anecdote of King William III. 
 aud Bishop Burnet. The Arminian prelate affected to 
 wonder, '* how a person of his Majesty's piety and g()od sense 
 could so rootedly believe the doctrine of absolute predestina- 
 tion." The royal Calvinist replied, "Did I not believe 
 absolute predestination, I could not believe a providence. 
 For it would be most absurd to suppose, that a being of 
 infinite wisdom would work without a plan ; lor which plan 
 predestination is only another word." 
 
 A person in the lower ranks atLochwinnoch, in Scotland, 
 whose life and practice had not been consistent with that of 
 a genuine Christian, was nevertheless a great speculator on 
 the high points of divinity. This unhallr /ed humour stuck 
 to him on his death-bed, and he was wont to perplex and 
 puzzle himself and his visitors with knotty questions on the 
 divine decrees, and such other topics. Thomas Orr, a per- 
 son of very different character, was sitting at his bedside, 
 endeavouring to turn his attention to what more immediately 
 concerned him : — "Ah, William," said he, "this is the decree 
 you have at present to do with, — He that beliereth shall be 
 saved ; he that believeth not shall be damned.'' . - ^ ^ . 
 
 When the Rev. Geo. Whitefield was in the zenith of his 
 popularity. Lord Clare, who knew that his influence was 
 c^^asiderable, applied to him by letter, requesting his influence 
 
 .• 
 
 ^ 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 2B 
 
 at the fensuing general elections at Bristol. Mr. Whitefield 
 replied, that in fjenend elections he never interfered ; but he 
 would earnestly entreat his lordship to use all diligence to 
 make his own particular calling and election sure. 
 
 .\ ■ *•« 
 
 Andrew Fuller remarks, in a letter to two relatives : — ** I 
 used to think that the doctrine of election was a reason why 
 we need not pray, and I fear there are many who split upon 
 this rock, who think that it is to no purpose to pray, as things 
 will be as they will be. But I now see that the doctrine of 
 election is the greatest encouragement instead of a discourage- 
 ment to prayer. He that decreed that anyone should be 
 finally saved, decreed that it should be in the way of prayer. 
 As much as he that has decreed what we shall possess of the 
 things of this life, has decreed that it shall be in the way of 
 industry ; and as we never think of being idle in common 
 business, because God has decreed what we shall possess of 
 "this world's goods, so neither should we bo slothful in the 
 business of our souls, because our final state is .decreed." 
 
 
 I 
 
 -' II.— THE DOCTRINE OP HUMAN DEPItAVITY. * 
 
 A pious minister, having preached on the doctrine of 
 original sin, was afterwards waited on by some persons who 
 stated their objections to what he had advanced. After 
 hearing them, he said, ** I hope you do not deny actual sin 
 too?" *' No," they replied. The good man expressed his 
 satisfaction at their acknowledgement ; but to show the folly 
 of tlieir opinions in denying a doctrine so plainly taught in 
 Scripture, he asked them, ** Didjou ever see a tree growing 
 witliQut a root ?" . ' ' - • - , , - • • 
 
 /- Massiloii was once asked, how a man who lived SQ'VetireA 
 eoiald so wall describe human nature, to which he replied, 
 " That h«6bly. studied his ow:n heart ;''-%ndsuppdiSm§' that 
 
T 
 
 24 
 
 CALVINISat. 
 
 all hearts were alike, from this model the illustrious French- 
 man portrayed the hearts of others. 
 
 « 
 
 Dr. Gill was preaching some years ago on the natural 
 depravity and spiritual inability of man. A gentleman, who 
 heard the sermon, was greatly offended ; and taking an op- 
 portunity some time after, calling on the doctor, told him, 
 that, in his opinion, Lohad degraded that noble being, man, 
 and laid him much too low. ** Pray, sir," answered the 
 doctor, *'how much do you t' ink can men contribute towards 
 their own conversion and salvation ?" "Man can do such 
 and such things," replied the gentleman, reckoning up a 
 whole string of free-will abilities. ** And have you done all 
 this for yourself?" said the doctor. "Why no, I cannot say 
 I have yet, but I hope I shall begin soon." ** If you really 
 have these things in your power," replied the doctor, ** and 
 have not done them for yourself, you deserve to be doubly 
 damned; and are but ill qualified to stand up for that 
 imaginary free-will, which, according to your confession, has 
 done you so little good. However, after you have made 
 yourself spiritually whole (if ever you find yourself able to 
 do it), be kind enough to come and let me know how you 
 went about it ; for at present, I know but of one remedy for 
 human depravation, namely, the efficacious grace of him 
 who worketh in men, both to will and to do, of his own good 
 pleasure." 
 
 IIL—THE DOCTKINE OF PAETICULAE 
 
 REDEMPTION. 
 
 Two neighbours discussing doctrinal points, turned to limited 
 or universal atonement. The Arminian said, "YouCalvinists, 
 with your limited view, would make the blood of Christ of 
 almost no value." •* On the contrary," said the Calvinist, 
 '* We set the very highest vaUie oix the blood, — the precious 
 blood of Christ.; we beJieve it is sufficiernt for ^ll,^ot ftbe 
 whole world ; but efficient only for t'aem that believe." 
 
 
CALVINISM, 
 
 25 
 
 ' 
 
 IV.— THE DOCTRINE OF EFFECTUAL CALLING. 
 
 Mrs. Romaine was once in company with a clergyman at 
 Tiverton, who spoke with no little zeal against what he called 
 ** irresistible grace," alleging that, ** such grace would be 
 quite incompatible with free- will." " Not at all so," an- 
 swered Mrs. Romaine ; ** grace operates effectually, not coer- 
 cively. The wills of God's people are drawn to Him and 
 divine things, just as your will would be drawn to a bishopric, 
 if you had the offer of it." 
 
 An Arminian brother said to Dr. Nettlcton one day, ** Do 
 you believe that God influences the will?" *'I do," he 
 replied. *• How do you prove it?" *' I prove it by this 
 passage of Scripture, * For it is God that worketh in you 
 both to will and to do.' " ** But that does not mean that 
 God influences the will ; and now, how do you prove it ?" 
 said the Arminian. " I prove it," said he again, "by this 
 passage, * For it is God that worketh in you both to will 
 and to do.' " *' But that does not mean, I say, that God 
 influences the will." And what does it mean," said the 
 Doctor. '* It means," said the Arminian, '* that God gives 
 us a gracious power to will and to do." "Then it does not 
 mean, said Dr. Nettle ton, " that God works in us to will and 
 to do?" 
 
 D. L. Moody, when speaking of God's part and man*s 
 part in conversion, said, " I fought against God all I could, 
 and God did all the rest." * 
 
 Says Toplady ** Look abroad in the world and you will 
 find that every religion, except one, puts you upon doing 
 something, in order to recommend yourself to God. A 
 Mahommedan expects to be saved by his works. A 
 Socinian thinks to go to heaven by his works. A Papist 
 iQoks to be justified by his wQ^kg, A F^rc^-willey hopes for 
 
I 
 
 20 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 salvation by his works, co^'pliances, enclcavoifrs and per- 
 severance.- A Pagan, if he believes that there is a future 
 state, expects to be happy hereafter, by virtue of the sup- 
 posed good he does, and the evil he leaves undone. A 
 Mystic has the same hope, and standi on the same sad 
 foundation. It is only the religion of Christ, which runs 
 counter to all the rest, by affirming that we are saved and 
 saflled with an holy calling, not according to our works, but 
 according to the Father's own purpose and grace, which was 
 (not sold to us but was) given us, in Christ, before the world 
 began."— 2 Tim. i. 9. 
 
 ^ Dr. Nettleton once said to a man who manifested great 
 opposition to the doctrine of the Election, "If I should go 
 to heaven, I feel as if I should like to say, in the language 
 of the apostle. Who hath saved us and called us with an holy 
 calling ; not according to our works : but according to his 
 own purpose and grace, which were giyen us in Christ Jesus 
 before the world began. Now, if we should meet in heaven, 
 and I should make use of this language, yv'ill you c^uarrel 
 with me then?" . : " . . 
 
 Prof. Duncan, in his ** Colloquia Peripatetica " remarks^ 
 ** God will neither take the blame of sin, nor alienate or split 
 the praise of grace." . ... 
 
 v.— THE DOCTEINE OF FINAJJ PERSEVERANCE. 
 
 I confess that to me it is one of the most attractive doc- 
 trines of God's Word, that " the righteous slmll hold on his 
 way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and 
 stronger." For I am " confident of this very thing, that He 
 which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until 
 the day of Jesus Clirist." ** I give unto My sheep eternal 
 life, and -they shall never perish: neither shall any plucl* 
 themcfut of my haad," **• He that belie veth in-hiin'is lioc 
 
CALyiNISU«> 
 
 27 
 
 coiuiemned." **Ho that liveth and believeth in me shall 
 never die." There are many assurances to this effect, and 
 if anything definite is taught in Scripture, I am confident 
 
 that this is among the plainest of such teaching 
 
 If, as some say, you may be Christ's soldier to-day and 
 desert to-morrow, and then be enlisted again, — if it be indeed 
 true that a man may be regenerated and then lose the" 
 divine life, and upon repentance be re-regenerated and re- 
 re-re-re-re-re-generated I know not how many times, I am 
 not aware that this novelty is hinted at in my unrevised 
 New Testament. There I read of being ** born again," but not 
 of being born again and again and again and again and again 
 —I say, I cannot find a trace of this in the Bible. On the other 
 hand, I find that if one regeneration fails, which is impos- 
 sible, there would remain nothing else to be done. If you 
 indeed believe in Christ Jesus, set to this your seal, that He 
 will keep you to the end. Whatever happens, " I am per- 
 suaded thai neither things present, nor things to come, nor 
 height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to 
 separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our 
 Lord." The least sin ought to make you humble, but the 
 greatest sin ought not to make you despair. — Spurgeon, 
 
 Several years ago, when the Kev. Abel Pearson, D.D., was 
 travelling on a preaching tour through East Tennessee, he 
 stopped to spend the night with a relative in Sevier county. 
 ** Cousin John"— the name he familiarly applied to his 
 kinsman, w.is an Arminian, and it was not long before the 
 Doctor and Cousin John were conversing very earnestly 
 upon the subject of religion. Cousin John remarked that he 
 was an Arminian from experience— being himself a living wit' 
 ness of the truth of Mr. Wesley's doctrine of falling from 
 grace. And he proceeded to relate to Dr. Pearson that part 
 of his history which he regarded as ppnclusive on the subject 
 in question. He had, he said,, experienced a change of heart 
 many years preyioiis,^ — and although he had rttn well for 9, 
 eeasQQ, enjoying^ tbfl undoubted pyei^ence tf G(>d, yet be ,ljfii.4 
 
28 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 J 
 
 1 
 
 unhappily fallen — lost the last vestige of religion. Soon the 
 grace of God sought him out again, and lie was converted a 
 second time, and then he was confident he was a child of 
 God. Thus, in his own experience, had he the clearest 
 proof of the truth of the doctrine of falling from grace. 
 
 Having concluded this triumphant argument in favour of 
 his favourite doctrine, he paused for Dr. Pearson to reply ; 
 hut the Doctor only looked solemn, and ejaculated, "What a 
 pity !'• 
 
 Silence ensued for some minutes. At length Dr. Pearson 
 asked, " Are you perfectly sure that you experienced a 
 change of heart that first time ?" 
 
 Cousin John was quite sure. There could be no mistake. 
 He believed in a religion that he could feel. 
 
 He always knew when he had religion, and when he had 
 not ; and he always kneiv where he got it^ and just when he 
 lost it. There was no room for mistake. 
 
 ** Are you quite sure," continued the Doctor, ** that you 
 lost all the religion you got that first time ?" 
 
 " Yes, quite sure," replied Cousin John. He was perfectly 
 conscious of having lost his religion, — indeed, he had 
 become worse than he had ever been before. 
 
 ** What a pity !" again sighed Dr. Pearson, ** what a pity!" 
 
 For the second and third time the same questions were 
 put, and the same answers given, Dr. Pearson only respond- 
 ing, ** What a pity, Cousin John, w^^at a pity ?" 
 
 By this time Cousin John was thoroughly nervous, and 
 asked impatiently, ** Why do you say so, Dr. Pearson — why 
 do you say, *What a pity ?* " 
 
 " Because,*' replied the Doctor, in that peculiarly solemn 
 manner which so distinguished him, ** because, if you are 
 not mistaken, you are a lost man, a lost man ! Paul says, *if 
 a man fall away, it is impossible to renew him again ;* and 
 if you onoe had religion, and have lost it> it is a hopeless 
 ease with you — there remains nothing in your case, but a 
 certain fearful looking' for of judgment aad fiery indignatiott^ 
 ^at »h# devour the adversary. A lost man I' A lo^t mstn T* 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 20 
 
 lit* 
 
 Cousin John sat silent for some time, evidently in no very 
 enviable state of mind. At length a ray of hope beamed 
 upon his countenance. *' Dr. Pearson," said he, ** I hadn't 
 thought of the subject just in that light before, and on re- 
 flection / 7)iay have been miatalien about having religion that 
 first time ; but I thowjht I had." 
 
 It was a season of great favour from the Lord ; when the 
 preacher discoursed from the text " We are journeying to 
 the place of which the Lord said I will give it you," the 
 earthly Canaan, a type of heaven. 
 
 A few months parsed on, and one of the happy, rejoicing 
 hearers was sick nigh unto death. The preacher visited him, 
 when the almost dying man said : •* That was a blessed 
 meeting to my soul ; I felt that I had taken a few more steps 
 heavenward." The preacher replied, *' you are very near 
 home." 
 
 The sick man said, "I feel and know that I am almost 
 home ; but it is just os important for me to take the last step 
 well as it tvas to take the first step,'* 
 
 In a few days that last step was taken and the land of 
 heavenly promise gained. It is good to be converted and 
 sanctified to God, but hold on to continuing grace from the 
 Lord, for the last step into the heavenly city. *' He that 
 endureth to the end shall be saved." 
 
 VI~MISCELLANEOUS ILLUSTRATIONS. . 
 
 Have Arminians ever considered the fact that their sys- 
 tem cuts at the very root of prophecy, and consequently of 
 the Bible as a Divine revelation ? Neither God nor man can 
 in any supposable fashion foresee a mere possibility. If a 
 thing is foreseen and foreshadowed it is as certain to take 
 place as if it had been foreordained fifty times. If Jiot, what 
 is the use of talking of the certainty of pxophecy ? Why talk 
 of the women and childiren that Hazael was to murder when 
 
30 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 for aught that any one know, he might under the supreme 
 influence of the freedoir of liia will, at once capricious and 
 motiveless, never kill a single solitary person ? A surely 
 foreseen bare possihility is an unthinkable and therefore an 
 unknowable absurdity. Neither God nor man can make it 
 possible. • ' ■ ; ' * " 
 
 Whether does God or man begin the work of grace in the 
 human soul? If man, then there is a case of self-caused 
 progencsis, a phenomenon which natural philosophers tell 
 us is unknown in the world of nature, and which the Apostles 
 have very broadly intimated is equally unknown in the 
 world of grace. 
 
 Dugald Stewart, the Scotch Metaphysician, used to say 
 to his class that the treatise of Jonathan Edwards, on the 
 Freedom of the Will, has never been answered, and never 
 would be. Have any of our Canadian Arminians ever made 
 the attempt ? 
 
 The strongest Calvinists have always been the sturdiest 
 and most diligent workers, not in spite of their creed, but 
 because of it. 
 
 ** Do you not perceive," said an Arminian brother, "that 
 the logic of your Calvinism inevitably makes God the author 
 of sin ?" ** Well," said the Calvinist, "let me ask, do you 
 believe that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God ?" 
 ** Most certainly I do," was the answer. ** Well then ; open 
 your Bible at Gen. xlv. 4, and we read, *I am Joseph your 
 brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. Now, therefore, be not 
 grieved nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither ; 
 for God did send me before you to preserve life. So it was 
 not you that sent me hither, but God.* Turn also to Actsii. 
 28, * Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and 
 foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked 
 hands have -cruoTfi^' and sliain.^ ^ And' Acts' iv. '2T,' 
 
 aw- 
 
preino 
 IS and 
 surely 
 re an 
 ake it 
 
 in fche 
 aused 
 
 toll 
 ostles 
 
 the 
 
 ) say 
 1 the 
 never 
 made. 
 
 :diest 
 I, but 
 
 that 
 ithor 
 you 
 )d?" 
 open 
 your 
 not 
 her ; 
 was 
 tsii. 
 and 
 •ked 
 '27,' 
 
 CALVINISM* 
 
 ' For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou 
 hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gen- 
 tiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to 
 do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before 
 to be done.' Now, if the Holy Spirit, who inspired the 
 Scriptures, makes God the author of sin, in those and similar 
 passages, then certainly we do; hut if it would be manifestly 
 blasphemous to accuse the Scriptures of making God the 
 author of sin ; so it is, at least, infamous to say that we do." 
 
 How did Christ know that the thief on the cross would be 
 with Him that day in Paradise ? The thief might change his 
 mind, • . • 
 
 In an argument between two friends of dififerent schools 
 of theology, one said " What is prophecy ? It is certainty. 
 What makes it certain ? If certain it is no longer merely 
 possible, it is sure. And if sure, how can a man change his 
 mind on it ? If he do, it is not certain at all." 
 
 Spurgeon put the whole question about preaching Calvin- 
 ism in a nutshell, when he says, ** A servant is expected to 
 give his employer's message as he receives it. He is not to 
 argue about its wisdom or folly, its courtesy or rudeness. 
 He has but to deliver it as he got it ; and if there is anything 
 wrong, the employer, not the servant, is responsible. I," 
 adds Spurgeon, *' am but a servant, I deliver my message 
 as I received it. If there is anything wrong with it, please 
 go up higher.*' . . . . . / : /:... 
 
 f " • . , ^ • 
 
 ;•. ^i . •■ •: • • ...' • . . ' . ■ ! .. 
 
 - The Rev, Joshua Denovan, of Alexander St. Baptist Church, 
 Toronto, recently had a conversation with a gentleman, who 
 very qui«tly drifted into a contrast of the Calvinistic with the 
 Arminian system of doctrine. He encouraged him to drift 
 until he made substantially thia statement : " Calvinisni 
 was, perhaps, all well enough in the sixteenth century, when 
 thinkers hikd juet emerged from Bome in a »tate pf mental 
 
82 
 
 OALVINm&X. 
 
 
 antagonism to lior 'porfonnancoa' of religion, and when tho 
 ignorant populace were habitiiatod to accept clerical dogma; 
 but the modern Christian mind has become so liberalised there 
 is no doubt that for many a day Calvinism has not only been 
 antiquated and effete, but practically dead and buried." 
 "Indeed!" he ventured to reply, ** What then is all the 
 active controversy about ? If thinkers have exploded Cal- 
 vinism, and if the religious populace almost unanimously dis- 
 believe it, why then are Arminian ministers still so very 
 warm in its denunciation — so incesantly laborious in tho 
 refutation of it? If my observation has been correct, I 
 think that for one reference to Arminianism in the Calvinis- 
 tic pulpit or press, there are ten to Calvinism in the Armin- 
 ian. If Augustine and John Calvin, if the Synod of Dort, 
 and the Westminster Assembly have been so long defunct 
 and powerless, why are they not charitably allowed to rest 
 in forgetfulness, like the Ca3sars or Plantagenets — generously 
 left to repose in the humble obscurity their errors earned *? 
 No, sir ; I cannot help thinking that it is not so. Human 
 nature very decidedly dislikes Calvinism ; what is commonly 
 called human reason condemns it ; Arminianism continues 
 to demoi^strate its absurdity, and to denounce it as diaboli- 
 cal; yet it lives, and works, while multitudes of tho most 
 intelligent and pious of our generation believe it, love it, and 
 grow more consecrated by feeding on it. Is not all this 
 proof of the divine truth and inherent immortality of Calvin- 
 ism? A doctrinal system which is as antagonistic to Mahome- 
 dan fatahsm, as it is to Anninian free-will and self-righteous- 
 ness, which unconverted human nature everywhere rejects 
 and repels, which all shades of religious ritualism and 
 rationalism i*f»iects; which Methodism, with all her character- 
 istic energy, has laboured incessantly for nearly two centuries 
 to kill; which the devil hates, as he hates Jehovah's sovereign- 
 ty — to what can we attribute the present existence and living 
 power of this doctrinal system.**^ 
 
 A shrewd, d^evout* (Dkteehisif, oalled> J^iaes Sta8ey,.^o 
 long laboured in the London District in this country, was 
 
CALVINIHM. 
 
 88 
 
 tho 
 
 llioro 
 
 In tlie lml)it of flayin.s; that ho hud heard many Arminian 
 HoimoDS, but he liad never but oDce houid au Arminian 
 prayer. Kvcry really devout man is a Calvinist when on iiis 
 
 Nobody that has ever read John Calvin's expository 
 writings but has acknowledged that, couusidcring wbenhe lived 
 and all his environments, he is a very prince of commen- 
 tators. How many who vilify his person, and disparage his 
 work, ever read a single line that he wrote? Not one in a 
 hundred. 
 
 Dr. Newman Hall, in a Methodist Church h this city 
 lately, said, ** I shall never forget, how on one occasion, 
 when in Geneva, I visited i.ie church where Calvin often 
 preached, where John Kno:: often preached also. The cus- 
 todian of the church, who spoke English very well, showed 
 rue Calvin's pulpit. The basis of Calvin's doctrine was 
 salvation by grace. An English gentleman, a sceptic, who 
 was with us, said, that in his opinion it was for people to be 
 good and to try to deserve Heaven. The custodian of the 
 church spoke to him with eloquence, which would have be- 
 fitted the pulpit of which he was the humble guardian. I 
 remember one sentence, ** Works are the thermometer of 
 faith. The thermometer does not cause the heat, but indi- 
 cates it. Works are not the cause of salvation ; but are 
 only a sign of it. A Christian does the works, not in order 
 to live, but because he does live already, and so he 
 works. . . . There is no mystery in the faith of the 
 gospel. The faith in Christ that saves is a perfect surrender 
 of ourselves to Him, acceptance of His accomplislied work, 
 and obedience to His commands. I or this r-eason, preachers 
 preach Christ. If Christ was accepted, morality and good 
 works must certainly follow. To produce, it was absolutely 
 necessary to giv^ health and strength to the tree. ThAt 
 don«4 tti9 tree would do the rest. What effect has your 
 faith upon your cba^aoter ? Whjit effect upon your '»v<:siness, 
 • 
 
■\[ 
 
 
 I 11 I 
 
 u 
 
 CALVINISM. 
 
 • in maldng you scrupulously honest and true ? What 
 > effect has it upon your domestic life, making you gentle, 
 .'•generous, loving and tender? What effect upon your 
 prayerful ness, what effect upon your zeal ? What sacrifice 
 are you making ? What cross are you carrying for the 
 Lord Jesus ChrisV? He that doeth righteousness is right, 
 and a tree is known by its fruit." 
 
 , Dr. Nellis, in a brief introduction to ** The Needs of the 
 World," says, " It would be very hard to be a Christian, if 
 that meant the approval of the ecclesiastical system of the 
 
 .Church of Rome, or the cruel dograas of Augustine, and 
 Edwards and Calvin." Now, the basis of the doctrines of 
 
 'Augustine, and Edwards, and Calvin, is salvation by the 
 grace of God. ** Not of works, lest any man should boast; 
 but through that faith which is the gift of God ; and which 
 
 ".works by love, purifies the heart, and oyercomes the world*" 
 Where is the cruelty ? . . - \^ .>■'■:■-. ■. 
 
 • > 
 
 ' -.The Arminian has a God without a plan ; a Saviour that 
 may never save : a promise that may never be made good ; 
 a heaven that may never be filled ; a help that may never 
 be effective ; an ideal and a prophecy that may never be 
 realized ; a divine fellowship that may never be enjoyed ; 
 and an offered certainty in which nothing 1*3 sur^. 
 
 
 An Arminian arguing with a Calvinist, Vemarlied, ** If I 
 
 believed your doctrine, and were sure thai I was a converted 
 
 'man, I would go and take my fill of sin." ** How much sin," 
 
 replied the godly Calvinist, ** do you think it would take to 
 
 fill a true Christian to his own satisfaction?" Here he hit 
 
 the nail on the head. ** How can we that are dead to sin, 
 
 live any longer therein ?" A truly converted m^n bates sin 
 
 %ith all hit, heart; atid even if h^ cbuld sin Without sufferiiig 
 
 'for it, it wbtild'bd inifey eht)\igli toiliim to siii at; all. '^^— 
 
6ALVINISM. 
 
 ^5 
 
 What 
 gentle, 
 1 your 
 acrifice 
 or the 
 
 right, 
 
 of the 
 tian, if 
 of the 
 le, and 
 nes of 
 )y the 
 boast; 
 which 
 orld*" 
 
 p that 
 good; 
 never 
 ^er be 
 )yed ; 
 
 *If I 
 
 erted 
 sih," 
 ke to 
 ) hit 
 sin, 
 3 Sin 
 
 sring 
 
 ^ • -J ■ .1 
 
 The pious and learned Dr. Buchanan in his last will 
 written by his own hand, has in its preamble the following 
 expression ; '* I account the origin of my salvation to be the 
 lote of God the Feather, who loved my soul in Christ its Head 
 rbefore the foundation of the world." How similar to the 
 language of inspiration. ** Blessed be the God and Father 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all 
 spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ : According 
 as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the 
 world, that we should bo holy and without blame before him 
 in love." — Eph. i. 8-4. 
 
 Eev. Thomas Cole, a renowned minister of the Church of 
 England, who died in 1697, said, ** If a sinner comes to 
 judgment in his own righteousness; shut him out, saith God; 
 so saith conscience ; so saith the law. But, when one comes 
 clothed with the righteousness of Ghiist ; let! in, saith 
 God ; so saith conscience ; so saith the law and let 
 the devil say a word to the contrary, if he dare." , > 
 
 About .twenty-five years ago, a somewhat rash, impulsive, 
 but passably honest and outspoken Methodist minister at a 
 protracted meeting in Westminster Township,. S9<id,/* The 
 first time I meet the Apostle Paul after I get to heaven^ I 
 shall certainly say to him, ** Paul, what tempted you to 
 write the 9th Chapter of the Epistle to the E6mans?" If 
 all Arminians who have felt just the same way as that 
 preacher, were to. ply the Apostle with the same question 
 he would be kept busy. No doubt he could answer it, and 
 satisfactorily, but not, we fear to suit those with Arminian 
 proclivities. : . , , . • 
 
 Spasmodic piety, was illusti*ated in a New Hampshire 
 meeting," by an incideut whicli niet the case. A dweller in 
 the region of summer boarders, who diiring the leisure of 
 winter, was a constant attendant on religious meetings and 
 an earnest'exhorter thetein> but -during the boayding-seasoij 
 
'i 
 
 n 
 
 i 
 
 80 
 
 dALvii4isr«f. 
 
 worked seven days in the week, once remarkecl tliat if 
 he went to heaven he must die in the winter J* 
 
 u 
 
 evoi* 
 
 At the Grimsby camp meeting lately, one of our 
 Toronto ministers concluded his sermon by remarking, 
 ^'If you have been converted keep at it. Some people's 
 religion is a poor, jerky kind* They will never go to Heaven 
 except God kill them in the midst of a jerk." 
 
 ■ ** It was a special providence of God," says Mr. Samuel 
 Clarke, ** that the same day Pelagius, the heretic, was born 
 in Britain, St. Augustine, the great confuter of the heresy, 
 was born in Africa : — Div^'ne providence so disposing it, that 
 the poison and the antidote should come into the world 
 together." 
 
 Daniel Webster being asked on one occasion, '* What was 
 the most impressive thought that ever passed through his 
 mind ?" replied after a moment's thought, ** I believe the 
 most impressive thought that ever passed through my mind 
 was this : my own individual responsibility to God." 
 
 The book of grace is the counterpart to the book of 
 election : they are written in heaven first and there God 
 reads them ; we cannot see into this book, let us write them 
 in the leaves of obedience and then read them. — 2 Tim. ii. 19. 
 
 It was happy for Mordecai that his name stood in the 
 Persian chronicles, that Ahasuerus might read it ; his service 
 shall be found out with rewards. It is more blessed to 
 stand in the chronicles of h^ven, registered by the pen of 
 ,the Eternal Spirit. — Adams » 
 
 The deepest truet leftds to the most powerful action. It 
 is itlie sileirielng oil thAt mak^s the machine obey the motive 
 ^Q^&€ wiilii gjL'eateist readiness and i^ioM^^-licivergaL 
 
CALVINISM. 
 
 87 
 
 evoi* 
 
 The late Rev. Dr. Bnn ic, of Kramoea, told an incident in 
 the life of his friend, the Eev. Mr. Jenkins, which occurred 
 in the pioneer days of early Presbyterianism, a few miles 
 north of Toronto. On going into the neighborhood to preach, 
 he was told that the dogma of sinless perfection had been 
 largely dwelt upon in the district by a certain class, and 
 not unlikely some of those tinctured with this view, might 
 be at the service on Sabbath. Mr. Jenkins chose for his 
 text ** There is not a just man upon the earth that doeth 
 good and sinneth not." In the course of his sermon he 
 remarked, ** But I hear there are those who say that they 
 have arrived at sinless perfection. I have never seen any 
 such a man myself. I wmdd like to see such a man. If 
 there be any such present I would be glad if he would just 
 stand up." There being no response, Mr. Jenkins repeated 
 the request, and a man in the audience began to move and 
 slowly straightened himself up. He was asked, ** And have 
 you really arrived at that state in which you can live with- 
 out sin ?" ** Yes, sir ;" was the answer, ** I have lived with- 
 out committing any sin for the last three years." ** Three 
 years without sin ! Sit down, you shameless scoundrel," said 
 the minister, ** did you never read in your Bible, 'If we say 
 that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not 
 in us ?' — * If we say that we have not sinned, we make God a 
 liar, and his Word is not in us? * " The poor deluded man, 
 ashamed, slunk into his seat very quickly. 
 
 When dissolute Ludovicus lay desolate in his sickness, 
 and desired the help of his Italian physician, he answered 
 Ludovicus in his own tune ; ** If you shall live, you shall 
 live, though no physic be given you ; if you shall die, you 
 shall die, physic cannot help you." The doctor's answer 
 was according to the sick man's libertine and heretical 
 opinion concerning predestination. ** If I shall be saved, I 
 shall be saved, howsoever I love or live : if I shall be damned, 
 I shall be damned howsoever I do or die." The answer also 
 gave him demonstrative conviction, taught him the use of 
 means, as well for the health of his soul as of his bod};, aiid 
 so cured Ludovicus of both diseases at once. 
 
 ,,,» 
 

 CANADIAN EDITION OF 
 
 ruties of the Chiirch Member to the Church 
 
 By Rev. THOS. MURPHY, D.D., 
 
 Author of "Pastoral Theology." . , ; 
 
 ^••» 
 
 I'RINTKD AND STEREOTYPIC) BY JoHN iMUIK, 'JH C(>L130llNE ST. TORONTO, 
 
 Folt THE HkV, J. M. CaMKIION. 
 
 Tlie followin<^ testimoiiialH have been received from those who, 
 during the hist few weeks, liave ordered largely for congreg!ition,>l 
 use : — 
 
 From llev. Samuol Cairuthors, Kirkwall.—" It is tho bes tract on tho sub- 
 ject I have over lead. I shall h .vo great pleasure in bringing it undor the 
 notice of others, and shall lujpe to hoar of its bein{4 widely circulated. 
 
 Kirkwall, 2mh July, 1881. S. Caiikutherm." 
 
 From Rev. VV. D. Armstrong', INI. A., Ottawa.—" There is far too much ignor- 
 ance among the moniljors of our churches as to the specific duties they owe to 
 the cause of Christ, and as to the manner in ^vhich these duties should be dis- 
 charged. Dr. Muri)hy's pamphlet is well calculated to remedy this defect. I 
 am taking my Hiblo class over the subject. 
 ■ Ottawa, 11th Juli/, 1R8J. W. D. AnMSTttONO.M .A."' 
 
 From Kov. Itobert Wallace, Moderator of the Tresbytery of T(n*onto.- " 'Jiiis 
 little work is admirably adapted to the purpose for which it is intendec}., It 
 Bhould bo in the hands of overy church member. - . 
 
 .. Toronto, IHth July, ISHi. Robert Wallace." 
 
 From Kov. Joseph White, Roehesterville.--" I find the pamphLet fittud to be 
 very useful, and the more so that some of my people, who have already read 
 it, also approve of the points so pointedly put. 
 
 Itocliexfert)Ule,25fh July, ISSi. JosEPii White, B.A." 
 
 From liov. H. H. Macphorson, M.A., Halifax.— " My Dear 8ir,— Dr. Murphy\s 
 tract I regard as admirable, and well wortliy of distribudon jimong our 
 people. I received the 150 copies which you sent me, and our Session wishes 100 
 copies additional, so as to havo one for each member. 
 
 Jlalifaoc,\mhJuly,\bH\. H. H. AfAd'HERSON."" 
 
 Froin. Rev. Walter Hngcr, London Kast.-" Dear. Brother,- Dr. Murphy's 
 tract is an admirable thiifg;.the best I know for ciders to read and distribute 
 to every church member in thoir districts, calling attcntif)n to such i)ointr-',its 
 are particularly appropriat** to diherent cases. 
 
 Lon'/vn'I'Jant/7th October, ItiHi- -Walter Roo^;r." 
 
 t " We notice with pleasure a little <ract of 10 pages by Dr. Thomas Murphy 
 on the duties of the church member to the Chuich. The cover can have the 
 impress of any church or pastor. We believe Kev. J. M. (.'umoro , of Tori nto, 
 will supply churclies or pastors with ahy needed number. Its opening sen- 
 tence iiidicatos its design and presses homo some pertinent enquiries. ' This 
 little manual is intended to awaken attention aiid to serve as a guide to tl«3 
 chief duties which each of its members owes to the Church. Many persons 
 become connected with the Church and are members of it for years without 
 seeniing to recognize the claims it has upon tlienL They do not reflect upon 
 the obligations wliich this relation imposes, differently to be led to make even 
 ftn effort for their performance '. Word's too true, hence in the successive chaii- 
 tena tlie dutieaare enforced, to|pray for the CJiurch, to attend, to support, ta diaw 
 others thereto, to study the peace of tli,e Church, to guard its good name, to 
 stand by ihe pastor, to' contribute to its benevolent olijetjts, to adopt sonje 
 branch of the church:wprk, to help the S:bl)aih School." . : .. '..■',• 
 
 Pbioe.— Without coyer, $3 per hundred. With cover, having e i n eo 
 theiiiintsteiraiidchurch, if desired, $3.50, free by mail. * " 
 
 J. MiQAiSEHov, 14& Queen Street Ea&t, Toronto.- - - - — - - - - v .. 
 
rch 
 
 f^ 
 
 TO, • 
 
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 Murphy 
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