"The wisest of our absolute brethren" - Sylvester Hassell

‎A phrase, "the absolute predestination of all things," not found in the Scriptures, but invented by one of our most esteemed elders sixty-six years ago, and thought by him to present the teaching of the Scriptures, and not so objectionable as explained by him, has traditionally become almost the entire Confession of Faith of some of our brethren, and has been carried by some to such an extreme as to make God the efficient and responsible cause of sin, and has thus produced endless and bitter controversy among us and even division in some sections. But I am glad to say that the wisest of our absolute brethren virtually admit the utter distinction between God's permissive predestination of sin and His efficient predestination of holiness, and clearly maintain that all the blame of sin belongs alone to the creature, and all the glory of salvation from sin belongs alone to the Creator. Let not this humanly-invented, traditional, undiscriminating, and unexplained phrase, so offensive to the large majority of Primitive Baptists, because seeming to ignore the infinite distinction between sin and holiness, be erected into an idol to which to sacrifice the peace and union of the church of Christ.