Dr. George Duffield on the Doctrines of New-School Presbyterians [pp. 655-675]

1867.] I)octrines of 1Vew-scAoo~ Presbyterians. 673
not certain. For how could events in time be made certain in
the eternity past, otherwise than by their futurition through
the purpose of God that they should come to pass?
In regard to election he says: "Believing that God foreknew all of the human race who, in the progressive development
of his plan of redemption through Christ, could be led to faith
and repentance by the Holy Spirit, the New-school Presbyterian avers that he affirms nothing at variance with the sacred
Scriptures and the standards of his church, when he says, that
the Divine decree of election embraces all whom God foresaw
that he could, by the blood and Spirit of Christ, in the providential development of his plan, bring to faith and repentance.
The Apostle Peter affirms believers to be`elect according to the
foreknowledge of the Father.' Elect, says the New-school
Presbyterian, expanding this thought, not because God foreknew that this one and the other left to themselves would
believe; but because, according to the mystery of the Divine
Omniscience, he forekuew whom he could, by the truth and
Spirit of Christ, bring to faith and repentance." Pp. 632, 633.
The foregoing account of the New-school doctrine of election
is simply the Taylorite doctrine on that subject. Divested of
circumlocution, it amounts simply to this: God elects to salvation those whom he foresees, by the utmost power of his Spirit,
word, and other agencies, he shall be able to induce to believe
and obey. If this is anything higher than the Arminian doetrine of election upon foreseen faith and good works, we do
ll0t see it. It must be a distinction without a difference. His
representations of the Old-school view involves the usual misconceptions of Arminians and Pelagians. He says, "Old-school
Presbyterians are apt to adopt a more summary process by
which to explain the mystery of election, affirming the choice
of God to be wholly arbitrary, a simple absolute exercise of
sovereign will, without any reason whatever except its designed
arbitrariness." Because they deny that it is founded on faith,
holiness, good works, or any other condition foreseen in the
creature, does it therefore follow that it is without any reason
whatever in God's all-wise counsels? Old-school Presbyterians, like the Scriptures and our Confession, pronounce election
sovereign relatively to its objects. But when have they ever
VOL. XXXIX.-~0. iv. 85