29. This doctrine covers with the wing of its sanction all the
errors that were ever promulgated or conceived. I do not say that
they all grow out of it, but that it justifies them. Why should I
oppose Romanism, or Universalism, or Socinianism, or Puseyism, or
Infidelity, when they are all decreed by Jehovah? Christendom
presents the strange spectacle of men prying into systems,
bringing to the light, condemning, and holding up to public odium
their errors of theory and practice, and, yet, holding as a
fundamental article of their own creed that God from all eternity
freely decreed, whatsoever comes to pass. Let them first reject
and refute the error which vindicates all errors. What right has
a Calvinist to find fault with anything?
30. Again: It clearly follows, from this theory, that any attempt
to prevent the commission of sin in our neighbors, is not only in
opposition to the primary--the original will, the eternal
purposes of God, but is also in opposition to the highest good of
the universe; and that we should, as reasonable beings, rejoice
in every instance of sin--of lying, robbery, uncleanness, and
murder--as in every instance of holiness.
31. I do not identify this doctrine with pagan fatalism, but I
hold that it is akin thereto, and that it tends to the same
practical results. It is, in my opinion, worse than pagan
fatalism. That doctrine represents all events and actions as
strictly necessary, but it binds the gods as well as men. All bow
to that mysterious power called fate. Thus it relieves the gods
of all blame. But Calvinism asserts the freedom of Jehovah, and
then imputes to him the foreordination of whatever occurs in the
whole universe, and thus, by plain logical consequence, fastens
upon him all the just blame of whatever is exceptionable.
Calvinism is not pagan fatalism. It is Christian fatalism. It is
fatalism baptized.
DISCOURSE III.
"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being
predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all
things according to the counsel of his own will."--EPH. i. 11.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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