therefore, to confess plainly, with
Augustine, 'that the _will_ of God is the _necessity of things_,
and that _what_ he has _willed_ will _necessarily come to pass_.'
" (_Ib_. p. 171.)

Again: "With respect to his secret influences, the declaration of
Solomon concerning the heart of a king, that it is inclined
hither or thither according to the Divine will, certainly extends
to the whole human race, and is as much as though he had said,
that WHATEVER CONCEPTIONS we form in our minds, they we
_directed_ by the _secret_ INSPIRATION of GOD." (_Ib_. p. 213.)

Finally, for the present: "_What God decrees_," says this
celebrated writer, "must NECESSARILY _come to pass_." (_Ib_. p.
194.)

I think it will not be said, by any one who has heard me
attentively, that I either misrepresent, or misunderstand,
Calvin, when I impute to him the doctrine that God has purposed,
decreed, determined, foreordained, predestinated whatsoever comes
to pass, and that he in some way or other brings to pass whatever
occurs.

But it may be objected that we ought not to hold modern
Calvinists responsible for all the doctrines of Calvin; that they
"no further indorse them than as they are incorporated into their
acknowledged creeds." To this we cordially assent. By this rule
we will abide. What, then, is the language of the _Westminster
Confession of Faith_, the established standard of orthodoxy in
the American Presbyterian Churches? The third chapter commends
thus: "God, from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy
counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain
whatsoever comes to pass" (p. 15); and, at the commencement of
the fifth chapter, we read: "God, the great Creator of all
things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures,
actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his
most wise and holy providence."

Observe, he, according to this statement, not only _upholds_ and
_governs_ all creatures, but _directs_ and _disposes_ all
_actions_ and things, from the _greatest_ even to the _least_.

The _Larger Catechism_ says, in answer to the question, "What are
the decrees of God?" "God's decrees are the wise, free, and holy
acts of the counsel of his will, whereby, from all eternity, he
hath, for his own glory, unchangeably foreordained _whatsoever
comes to pass in time_, especially concerning angels and men."

The _Shorter Catechism_ answers the same question by these words:
"The decrees of God