s in vain against resorting to this "evasion"
and "subterfuge." It is the only way in which the advocates of
his doctrine can make a plausible show of argument when pressed
with certain objections. Hence we find the Westminster divines
employing it. They tell us in their Confession of Faith, that God
was pleased, according to his wise and holy counsel, to _permit_
the sin of our first parents. Lest, however, the faithful should
fall into a serious mistake, another part assures them that the
providence of God "extendeth itself to the first fall, and all
other sins of angels and men, and that not by a _bare permission_,
but such as hath joined with it a most wise and powerful bounding,
and otherwise ordering and governing of them, &c." The nature of
that "ordering and governing" is explained in the declaration that
"God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of his
own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass."
But how learned men can talk of God's permitting what he has
eternally and unchangeably ordained, is a mystery to some of the
unlearned. Is it necessary to tell us, gravely, that God permits
to come to pass that which from all eternity he freely ordained
shall come to pass? He permits men and angels to do what he has
predetermined they shall do, and what they cannot avoid doing!
Wonderful!!

The apology for this gross misapplication of language, on the
part of men whose learning is sometimes magnified almost into
infallibility, is found in their distressing emergency. In no
other way can they, with any plausibility, meet their opponents.
The usefulness of this term "permit" is admirably indicated by
the account which a Presbyterian colporteur gives of an interview
with some who objected to the Calvinistic doctrine of decrees. He
says:--

"I felt myself, however, sometimes compelled to combat with the
opponents of our Calvinistic creed. On one occasion entering a
house, the members of which all attended the Presbyterian Church,
but were not members, I sold a Confession of Faith to the
gentleman; his lady inquired what the name of the book was and on
being told, after turning over its pages in a hasty manner,
exclaimed: 'I could never allow that book to be under my roof--it
should not be read, and it never ought to have been printed.'

"What was I to do? The doctrine of our Church, so far as election
is concerned, was attacked. After some little conversation on the
subject,