“Undoubtedly, it does.”
“But it says,” continued Ernest, “that this number is so fixed and certain that it can neither be increased nor diminished.”
“There is surely no difficulty in that,” said the Doctor. “It is a mathematical fact, and would be true, if the Scriptures said nothing about it. Leaving predestination entirely out of the question, that would be true. For on the Day of Judgment, when the destiny of every human being is settled, there will be a certain number saved, and a certain number lost. Now, can the number be increased or diminished? I never could see why anybody should object to that clause, when it is true according to the doctrine of every religious denomination in the world.”
“Well,” said Ernest laughing, “here is more of this hard doctrine.”
“Let us hear it,” said the Doctor.
Ernest read as follows:
“Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to His eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of His will, out of His mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works—”
“Yes,” exclaimed Ernest, breaking off suddenly, “there it is—without any foresight of faith or good works—saved arbitrarily.”
Again the Doctor gazed at Ernest in surprise. “My young friend,” said the Doctor, with an amused expression, “you do not pause, for a moment, to reflect what the paragraph does really mean, but you at once jump to unauthorized conclusions.”
“I have read it verbatim,” replied Ernest.