Nevertheless, I began to assume a certain
superiority of demeanour towards him, as judging it incumbent
on me to do so, in order to keep up his idea of my exalted
character. We conversed again till the day was near a close; and
the things that he strove most to inculcate on my mind were the
infallibility of the elect, and the preordination of all things that
come to pass. I pretended to controvert the first of these, for the
purpose of showing him the extent of my argumentative powers,
and said that "indubitably there were degrees of sinning which
would induce the Almighty to throw off the very elect." But
behold my hitherto humble and modest companion took up the
argument with such warmth that he put me not only to silence but
to absolute shame.
"Why, sir," said he, "by vending such an insinuation, you put
discredit on the great atonement, in which you trust. Is there not
enough of merit in the blood of Jesus to save thousands of
worlds, if it was for these worlds that he died? Now, when you
know, as you do (and as every one of the elect may know of
himself) that this Saviour died for you, namely and particularly,
dare you say that there is not enough of merit in His great
atonement to annihilate all your sins, let them be as heinous and
atrocious as they may? And, moreover, do you not acknowledge
that God hath pre-ordained and decreed whatsoever comes to
pass? Then, how is it that you should deem it in your power to
eschew one action of your life, whether good or evil? Depend on
it, the advice of the great preacher is genuine: 'What thine hand
findeth to do, do it with all thy might, for none of us knows what
a day may bring forth.
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