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ascribed to themselves, as though by their own free-will they made themselves to differ; but merely to him who delivers them from the power of darkness, and translates them into the kingdom of his dear Son, and whose regenerating influence is certain and efficacious."

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In proof of this doctrine, the Calvinists allege, among others, the following scripture passages:" Whom he did predestinate, them he also called; and whom he called .... them he also glorified

That ye may know what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead-Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works-God, that commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined into our hearts, &c.—I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them hearts of flesh.+"

5. Lastly: They maintain that those whom God has effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, shall never

finally fall from a state of grace. They admit that true believers may fall partially, and would fall totally and finally but for the mercy and faithfulness of God, who keepeth the feet of his saints; also, that he who bestoweth the grace of perseverance bestoweth it by means of reading and hearing the word, meditation, exhortations, threatenings, and promises: but that none of these things imply the possibility of a believer's falling from a state of justification.‡

In proof of the doctrine, they allege the following, among other scripture passages :-"I will put my fear in their hearts, and they shall not depart from me-He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved-The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life-This is the Father's will, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing-This is life eternal to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent-Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of GodThey went out from us, but they were not of us; for if

*Acta Synodi, p. 257, 258. Calvin's Inst, book 3, chap. 24. † Rom, viii. 29. Ephes. i. 19, 20. ii. 9. 10. 2 Cor. iv, 6. Ezek. xxxvi. 26. Calvin's Inst. book 2, chap. 5, sect, 3, 4. Acta Synodi, p. 265–268.

they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us-Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."*

Such were the doctrines of the old Calvinists, and such in substance are those of the present times. In this, how ever, as in every other denomination, there are considerable shades of difference.

Some think Calvin, though right in the main, yet carried things too far: these are commonly known by the name of Moderate Calvinists. Others think he did not go far enough; and these are known by the name of High Calvinists.

our sins are imputed to Christ, and on the other that we are justified by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us; that is, Christ, the innocent, was treated by God as if he were guilty, that we, the guilty, might, out of regard to what he did and suffered, be treated as if we were innocent and righteous.

Mr. John Evans, in his Sketch of different denominations, observes under the article Calvinists, that “to this denomination also belongs more particularly the doctrine of an atonement;" and which he states in such a manner as to convey the idea of its being the cause of the divine love. "This doctrine (he observes, however) is disowned by some of their divines." Mr. Fuller, in his Calvinistic and Socinian Systems compared, with other of their writers, as Mr. Evans acknowledges, "strongly reIt is proper to add, that the probates" this idea; contendCalvinistic system includes in ing that the atonement is the it the doctrine of three co-or- effect, and not the cause of dinate persons in the Godhead, divine love; and it might have in one nature; and of two been added, insisting that the natures in Jesus Christ, form- contrary is a gross misrepresening one person. Justification tation of the Calvinists in geneby faith alone, or justification ral. by the imputed righteousness of Christ, forms also an essential part of this system. They suppose that on the one hand

Jer. xxxii, 40. Mark xvi. 16.
1 John iii. 9. ii. 19.

Mr. E., however, thinks that the manner in which Dr. Watts has written of "the blood of Jesus calming the vi. 40. xvii, 3. + Letter vii.

John v. 14.
Jude 24, 25,

frowning face of the Father, &c.," and in which other Calvinistic writers have expressed themselves on this subject, is sufficient to prove that this is Calvinism; and therefore chuses to rank Mr. Fuller, and those writers who reprobate it, as uniting in this particular with the "Arians and Sabellians, who consider the death of Christ as simply a medium through which God has been pleased to exercise mercy towards the penitent."

In answer to the former part of this statement, or what amounts to the same thing, a late author writes as follows: "The SENTIMENT of love is a very different thing from the EXPRESSION of that love. I do not believe that any respect able writer on our side says that a satisfaction, or an atonement to divine justice, was required as a motive to love and pity; but merely as a medium whereby that sentiment might be consistently manifested. No one supposes satisfaction for sins necessary to induce God to be merciful; though we do believe that that mercy could not be consistently manifested without an atonement."*

be in direct contradiction to what he says in the hundredth hymn of his first book :"Such was the pity of our GodHe loved the race of man so well, Of sins, and save our souls from hell." See also his hundred and third, and hundred and fourth hymns, second book.

He sent his Son to bear our load

His meaning appears to have been much the same as that in Num. xxv. 11, where Phinehas is said to have turned away God's wrath from the childrer of Israel. This also was by an atonement offered to divine justice; an atonement which did not change the mind of God into what it was not before, but rendered it consistent with righteousness' to manifest it. Hence he was in a manner the mediator between God and the people, and forgiveness was exercised to them for his sake.

6

The above writer, in his notes at the end of the piece, adds as follows:-“Mr. Fuller is, I think, very unjustly ranked by Mr. Evans with Arians and Sabellians, as holding the atonement to be simply a medium through which God has been pleased to exercise mercy towards the penitent.' The passage to which Mr. Evans refers as the ground of this statement, does indeed prove that Mr. F. considers

Dr. Watts did not mean that the blood of Jesus caused the sentiment of compassion in the divine mind; for this would the atonement not as the * Jerram's Letters on the Atonement. p. 23

ment, is compared to that of a "righteous governor," who cannot remit the penalty of sin: and though he very properly uses the term medium, as opposed to a first cause of divine love, yet it is manifest from his writings that he considers the atonement as a medium of an especial kind. It pleases God to exercise mercy to us in thousands of instances through the medium of each other: but we do not obtain for each other eternal redemption, as he supposes Christ does. Mr. F. considers God as bestowing pardon, justification, and eternal life, as the reward of Christ's humiliation. (See Gospel its own Witness, 2nd. edit. pp. 199, 200: note.) Nor does Mr. F. say any thing about " mercy to the penitent," as if the benefits of the atonement were conferred in consequence of penitence; but (in the note just referred to) he considers penitence itself as bestowed by the holy Spirit out of regard to the atonement." p. 123.

cause of divine love, but the medium through which it flows; and the same is true of writers on his side the question in general, however their adversaries have distorted their sentiments. It is one thing, I conceive, to speak of the atonement, as a "medium," in opposition to a first cause, and another to hold it to be "simply a medium through which God has been pleased to exercise mercy to the penitent." By this statement one might suppose Mr. F. to hold that it is almost, if not altogether, a matter of indifference with the Almighty whether he exacted the penalty of sin or not; only that, all things considered, it might be as well to convey the blessings of salvation through the medium of Jesus Christ: a sentiment which has not the shadow of of the appearance in any writings of Mr. F. On the contrary, it is manifest that he holds with an atonement which neither Arians nor Sabellians will admit. He maintains not only that God has been pleased to exercise mercy through this medium, but that it would be "inconsistent with from the Presbyterians in to exercise 1666, and continued to hold their religious assemblies in the fields.

righteousness
mercy without it. This is
intimated in that very passage
to which Mr. E. refers; where
also the incapacity of God to
shew mercy without an atone-

CAMERONIANS, a party in Scotland, who separated

The Cameronians took their denomination from Richard Cameron, a famous field

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preacher, who refused to ac- the reformed ministers, who judged Calvin's doctrines on these points too harsh. A contest between this denomination and the more rigid Calvinists, was carried on with

cept the indulgence to tender consciences granted by King Charles the second, as such an acceptance seemed an acknowledgment of the king's supremacy, and that he had before great zeal, and a subtlety a right to silence them. Cameron made a separation from his brethren, and even headed a rebellion in which he was killed. His party were never entirely reduced till the revolution, when they voluntarily submitted to King William. CAMERONIANS, or CAMERONITES, is also the denomination of a party of Calvinists in France, who asserted that the will of man is only determined by the practical judgment of the mind; that the cause of men's doing good or evil proceeds from the knowledge which God infuses into them; and that God does not move the will physically, but only morally, in virtue of its dependence on the judgment of the mind. They derived this name from John Cameron, a famous professor, first at Glasgow, where he was born in 1580, and afterwards at Bordeaux and Samnur; at which last place he promulgated his doctrine of grace and free will, which was followed by Amyrant, Cappel, Bochart, Daille, and others of the more learned among * Encyclopædia, vol. iv.

scarce conceivable; yet the only question between them was, Whether the will of man be determined by the immediate action of God upon it, or by the intervention of a knowledge which God infuses into the mind? The synod of Dort had defined, that God not only illuminates the understanding, but gives action to the will, by making an entire change therein. Cameron only admitted the illumination whereby the mind is morally moved, and explained the sentiments of the synod of Dort, so as to make the two opinions consistent.

The followers of Cameron are sometimes called Universalists, as holding the universality of Christ's death, and sometimes Amraldists.*

CAMISARS. See French Prophets.

CAPUTIATI, a denomination which appeared in the twelfth century; so calledfrom a singular kind of cap which distinguished their party. They wore upon their caps a leaden image of the Virgin Mary, and declared publicly

p. 61.

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