ISBN: 9780217741477 / 0217741479 Presbyterianism; The Truly Primitive and Apostolical Constitution of the Church of Christ by: Samuel Miller

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1840. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... and of comfort; and that, under the guise of free grace, wa build up a fabric of favouritism on the one hand, and of fixed necessity on the other, at... Show More

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1840. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... and of comfort; and that, under the guise of free grace, wa build up a fabric of favouritism on the one hand, and of fixed necessity on the other, at once making God a tyrant, and man a passive subject of his arbitrary will. But is it true that Presbyterians embrace any such system as this? Nothing can be further from the truth. It is a shameful caricature, which has no correspondence with any thing but the perverted pictures of prejudice and bigotry. We abhor such sentiments just as much as our uncandid accusers. The truth is, it would be difficult to find a writer or speaker who has distinguished himself by opposing Calvinism, who has fairly represented the system, or who really appeared to understand it. They are for ever fighting against a caricature. Some of the most grave and venerable writers in our country, who have appeared in the Arminian ranks, are, undoubtedly, in this predicament. Whether this has arisen from the want of knowledge, or the want of candour, the effect is the same, and the conduct is worthy of severe censure. The writer of these pages is fully persuaded that Arminian principles, when traced out to their natural and unavoidable consequences, lead to an invasion of the essential attributes of God, and, of course, to blank and cheerless atheism. Yet in making a statement of the Arminian system, as actually held by its advocates, he should consider himself as inexcusable, if he departed a hair's breadth from the delineation made by its friends. The system itself is one thing; the consequences which may be drawn from it, another. Without pretending to go over all the points of Calvinism in detail, let it suffice to say, that the system which Presbyterians profess to receive, is of the following character and amount:--That the Gospel finds a... Show Less