But does not the Omniscient then foresee, how each man, in the freedom given to him, will exercise that freedom? Most surely. But to foreknow, and to foreappoint a result, are widely and materially distinct. God foreknew that Abraham would believe in the promises made to him, but his faith could not have been foreappointed or it would not and could not have been "counted unto him for righteousness." And had he not thus believed would the purposes of God have been counteracted? Most certainly not. His mercy would have found another channel, as surely as the mountain stream finds its fitting way to the distant ocean. But Abraham, if unfaithful, would not have been that channel. This is clear, because we find in Scripture the distinct reason assigned, why it pleased God to bring these things upon Abraham, viz., his foreseen faith and consequent obedience. "FOR I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him." (Gen. 18, 19.) If the mind involuntarily wanders to the question— how is it with those who (like too many of our own nation, and millions in others,) have not heard God's Holy Word, and so have not been " called;" the strict answer would be, the same which reproved the enquiry of Peter in a matter not affecting his own salvation : What is that to thee, follow thou me." (John 21, 22.) But though it is indeed presumptuous to "judge another man's

servant," St. Paul has thrown light upon a subject which needed no more than our own ample knowledge of God's infinite goodness. He writes, "When the Gentiles, [Heathens] which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing." Rom. 2, 14. Sin is not imputed when there is no law." Rom. 5, 13. "Where no law is there is no transgression." Rom. 4, 15. Hence we learn that there is a sense of right and wrong inherent in every heart; and the English translation, therefore, of that portion of the Ninth Article. "very far gone from original righteousness," seems more scrupulously just than the Quam longissime" of the original. We may further reason thus: that as it cannot be for man to give or to withhold the eternal happiness of another, no little child shall suffer everlastingly, for its parents' neglect in training it in the due "nurture and admonition of the Lord;"-no congregation will be doomed to "the worm which dieth not, and the fire which is not quenched," through their minister's errors or omissions ;-no nation on which the light of the Gospel has not yet shined, will be "as the beasts that perish," because Christian Kingdoms have disregarded the divine precept, "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." God's foreknowledge as to the determinations of the human mind, which, like the

ocean tide, He leaves free to go "thus far and no farther," we have already observed in the prophetic instance of the Jews, "This people will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them." Deut. 31, 16. He foreknows, therefore, in all and every conceivable case, what would be the effect upon every mind, whether child, congregation, or people, if Christian parents, ministers, or nations fulfilled, respectively, the bounden duties of the stations in which Providence has placed them. We are all responsible in such, or any other matters, for neglect in doing that which ought not to be left undone; and the temporal happiness and peace of individuals, and of kingdoms, must undoubtedly suffer from such neglect in so important a matter,* but eternal happiness or misery it is for God alone to award. We may "kill the body," but we "cannot kill the soul." Judgment is before Him, therefore trust thou in Him."

* The public mind is fast arriving at the sound and wholesome conviction, that not Education only, but Religious Education, is the alone bond which can hold together the social system and preserve the community in safety and order. Where religion fails, as in the waywardness of the world it sometimes will, to guide men in the ways of pleasantness and the paths of peace, we may be assured that no control less divine, no inducements or motives less pure and lofty, will stand one moment in the hour of temptation before the tide of earthly passions and interests. Too long has it been a successful device of the devil to substitute a wrong motive for right dealing; by putting into men's mouths "honor" as their watchword and ruling principle; self worship instead of the worship and obedience due unto God. Too long have mankind been wont to consider what becomes them as "men of honor,"-what the judgment of their fellow man will be, (like false worshippers before a golden calf,)

Job 35, 14. Clear and remarkable is the view opened to us on this question by our Saviour himself. "Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes." "And thou Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained unto this day." Matthew 11, 21. How distinctly is divine knowledge not only of what is, but of what would have been, the sure effect of certain causes, manifested in this declaration. And mark farther It was not fitting that the events of Providence should be hastened in their course because of the crimes of this or that city. The predestined period of our blessed Saviour's appearance on earth had not arrived. Those cities having reached that climax of wickedness which passes even Divine forbearance, were signally destroyed as an example to others. But weigh well what

:

He who is to be the judge of all men ("For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son,") has declared respecting them-" It shall be more tolerable in the day of judgment" (Matt. 11, 22,) for

instead of asking themselves what is their duty as Christians, and with what judgment they will be judged by Him, their Lord and King, whose servants and subjects they nominally are, but whose standard they have forsaken, and whose homage they have transferred to the Prince of this world, Satan. Why exchange the guidance of Gospel light for the false and flickering ignis fatuus of erring beings like ourselves?

those cities which would have repented, but had not the miracles of Christ as a means to save, or as witness against them, than for Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, who, having unwonted advantages, disregarded them. In like manner we may be fully assured, that every soul in every nation, and of every period of the world, will be judged with omniscient discrimination and divine knowledge of what would have been each individual soul's obedience, under more favorable circumstances of Christian position, instruction and privileges.

But far, immeasurably above all other views of the impartial and immutable character of God's justice, would stand the one pre-eminent sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ, could we duly conceive the immensity of that sacrifice, or the awful and inevitable reality of that judgment which is thus shown to follow sin. We know that the " one oblation of himself once offered" in satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, was predestined in love before the world was,-foreshadowed in type and prophecy for ages, and fulfilled in agony on the cross at Calvary ;that "He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed." But who can approach, in its full truth, the sorrow and acquaintance with grief borne by that divine mind when taking our nature upon Him, He visited in earthly form the earth He had made ;-He came to His own, and His own received Him not,-and He endured for us men, and