"A young Minister, about
three or four years after he was ordained, had an opportunity of
conversing familiarly with the great and venerable leader of the
Arminians in this kingdom; and, wishing to improve the occasion to the
uttermost, he addressed him nearly in the following words: 'Sir, I
understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes
called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But
before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask
you a few questions, not from impertinent curiosity, but for real
instruction.' Permission being very readily and kindly granted, the
young Minister proceeded to ask, 'Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a
depraved creature, so depraved, that you would never have thought of
turning unto God, if God had not first put it into your heart? - 'Yes,'
says the veteran, 'I do indeed.' - 'And do you utterly despair of
recommending yourself to God by any thing you can do; and look for
salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?' - 'Yes,
solely through Christ.' - 'But, Sir, supposing you were first saved by
Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your
own works?' - 'No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.' -
'Allowing then that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you
not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?' - 'No.' -
'What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as
much as an infant in its mother's arms?' - 'Yes; altogether.' - 'And is
all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto his
heavenly kingdom?' - 'Yes; I have no hope, but in him.' - 'Then, Sir,
with your leave, I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my
Calvinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final
perseverance: it is, in substance, all that I hold, and as I hold it:
and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases
to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in
those things wherein we agree."
