“How will you separate a man from his character?” asked Mr. Hillston. “You might just as well talk of separating sugar from its sweetness. What is the character of sugar? It is sweet. Can you deprive it of this attribute without utterly destroying it? Certain qualities and attributes constitute character, and make the man. If a man has no character, he is a brute. Godliness, holiness, etc., are nothing till they become concrete by entering into the moral constitution of an individual. It is in vain, then, to talk about God’s saving the ‘righteous character,’ because that is nothing but an abstraction. Besides, Paul says, ‘whom’ He did fore-know, not ‘what.’” “I will take back the word ‘character,’ if you will allow me,” said Ernest, “and say that God predestinates the righteous _man_.” “Very well,” replied Mr. Hillston. “We agree, then, it is the _individual_ that is foreordained to salvation. All denominations are agreed that there is an election of some sort. Let me ask upon what principle you think God elects men to salvation?” “Why, sir, God elects those to salvation who He fore-saw would repent of their sins.” “That view,” said Mr. Hillston, “is a flat contradiction of what Paul says. The apostle describes the several steps or processes in the believer’s salvation. He does not say that God predestinated those who would repent, but those ‘whom He did predestinate He _called_, and them that He called He _justified_.’ According to your view, the passage ought to say: ‘Them whom He justified, on account of their repentance, He predestinated.’ The plain meaning of the passage is, that God predestinated some men to salvation, and in consequence of that election, He _called_ them and _justified_ them. The apostle reiterates this view in some of the other epistles. Here is Eph. 1:3, 4, 5: ‘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 be holy and without blame before Him in love. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will.’ Now,” continued Mr. Hillston, “ought not this passage to put an end to all controversy? The apostle declares there was an election. When? He says ‘before the foundation of the world.’ Why did He choose us? Was it because we were righteous? No. Was it because God fore-saw that we would repent? No. He chose us that ‘we _should become holy and with out blame_.’ Now what do you say?” “I confess,” said Ernest, “that such passages puzzle me no little. Why does God choose some men to salvation, and pass by others, when all are guilty alike?”