Marrow Man
Drunk with Powder
Someone in our SS class on the WCF noted a slight discrepancy in different versions of the WCF 10:4. The version from the reformed.org site (where I copied the chapter for the class) says the following:
However, most other versions of the WCF I have seen (including the ARP and PCA versions) have this instead:
It's not a huge deal, although the language in the latter is much stronger. What is the reason for the difference and which versions of the WCF have the difference?
IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come to Christ, and therefore can not be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the law of that religion they do profess; and to assert and maintain that they may is without warrant of the Word of God.
However, most other versions of the WCF I have seen (including the ARP and PCA versions) have this instead:
IV. Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved: much less can men, not professing the Christian religion, be saved in any other way whatsoever, be they never so diligent to frame their lives according to the light of nature, and the laws of that religion they do profess. And to assert and maintain that they may, is very pernicious, and to be detested.
It's not a huge deal, although the language in the latter is much stronger. What is the reason for the difference and which versions of the WCF have the difference?