not everything be as God foreknew it would be? but not because he foreknew it would be so.

Yes;

Knowing that a thing is, or will be, does not make it so. I know the sun shines, but this does not make the sun to shine. God foreknew that men would sin, but it would be little less than blasphemy to say that God decreed that men should sin, and it would be the same to say that his foreknowledge caused men to sin.

In connection with the question, whether God could be just and merciful, and create men whom he knew would sin, and in consequence be miserable forever, it may be observed: There was a period when God existed alone, when he had not created anything, either mind or matter, or angels or men.

If we may reverently inquire why God created man, we may reverently answer, to constituté him happy in obedience to his commands, and thereby, thus, in man, to glorify himself.

In order to do this, men must be free moral agents, that is, capable of keeping or breaking the .divine law. Otherwise they could not obey God, or love him, or praise him. They could not be accountable; they could not sin or fall; they could not be saved; they could not be rewarded; they could not be punished; they could not go to heaven; they could not go to hell. In short, they could not act with reference to God or his law in any way, since in such case all their volitions and actions would be necessitated by God's foreknowledge or decrees, and hence their volitions and actions are God's volitions and actions.

Hence, men so created would have no identity or distinct existence, and might as well have no existence at all, so far as loving, serving, or glorifying God is concerned, or answering any rational end of their creation. Moral freedom, then, was elementary in the constitution

of man; and the creation of men without this, would have been a mere nullity.

God never foreknew that man would sin and be lost, in any such way as to make it so. God made men so that they might all keep or break his law; so that all men might keep his law and be happy forever (not saved, for in such case they would need no salvation).

At the same time, God made men so that they might all break his law and persist in sin, and be eternally lost; and that without the possibility of one actual sinner being saved, by atonement or otherwise! For God to save actual sinners by prerogative, or at the expense of justice, would be to violate their moral freedom which would be the same as to uncreate or annihilate them, and this would be the same as to confess they were made wrong!

Hence, while the atonement makes the salvation of all men possible, it does not necessarily secure the salvation of even one actual sinner. God never made a man determining or willing his damnation. "God hath not appointed us to wrath" (1 Thess. v, 9). So far from this, he swears he has "no pleasure in the death of the wicked" (Ex. xxxiii, 11). Which he certainly would have, had he foreknown it in such a way as to necessitate it.

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God will have all men to be saved" (1 Tim. ii, 4. "He is not willing that any should perish" (2 Peter iii, 9). He has done, and is doing all that he can do (in accordance with his government and man's freedom), to save every sinner. "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it" (Isa. v, 4). Did not Jesus Christ will the salvation of the Jews? And did he not preach and pray, and work miracles, and suffer, and die to save them? Did he not say to some of them, "Ye shall die in your sins, whither I go ye can not come?" (John viii, 21.) "How often would I have

gathered thy children together, and ye would not" (Matt. xxiii, 37). Jesus Christ doubtless did all in his power to save the persons above mentioned, and yet he says, in substance, they were lost forever.

No sinner can be lost whom God can save Some sinners will be lost (John viii, 21). there are sinners whom God can not save.

(Isa. v, 4).

Therefore,

But some will say, "the will of God can not be thwarted; what he wills is always done." If the will of God be always done, then of course there never was any sin in the universe. Hence, no need of a Savior or atonement. Hence, whatever the Bible contains concerning sin or a Savior, is false. And since, according to this sentiment, the Bible is false, we have no revelation from God, if there be any God; no revelation of a future state, if there be any future state; and we are totally ignorant as to our origin and destiny.

From what precedes, it follows that God is just and merciful, although he created men so that they may sin and be eternally miserable, if they will; and he will not, he can not prevent it, even though the whole race should sink to the lake of eternal fire.

“God gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John iii, 16). All men may so believe and be saved, and this is the will of God, as above, that all men should be saved. So all men may disbelieve and be damned. But this is contrary to the will of God.

God never gave his Son to save any actual sinner, except on the above conditions.

The falsity and presumption of the unqualified statement, that "God gave his son to save all men, and hence, all men will be saved," are obvious.

So far from this being true, it is not true, that even one of all Adam's race, who sins, shall be saved necessarily.

Finally, God is just and merciful, although sinners be eternally miserable, and that according to the foreknowledge of God.

JUST, because their damnation is no more, or no less than they deserve.

MERCIFUL, because he has provided for their salvation; because he has done, and is doing all he can do, to prevent their damnation, and save them eternally.

The advent, labors of love, sufferings and death, resurrection and ascension, and intercession of Jesus Christ, prove that God is merciful even to those who are finally lost.

No sinner, not even a heathen can be lost, until the mercy and love of God have been exhibited to him, the divine forbearance exhausted upon him; until the spirit of God has enlightened and awakened him, and convinced him of sin.

When all this array of divinely appointed agencies proves unavailing, God says to him as to Ephraim, "How shall I give thee up?" And then, "He is joined to his idols, let him alone."

This crisis past, a painful consciousness of having slighted offered mercy haunts him, and enhances his wretchedness, while his affrighted spirit is driven away in its wickedness; and all the divine perfections, always harmonious, jointly and severally thunder from the throne of judgment," Depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." And the damned themselves, bowing their knees, and making confession with their tongues, say Amen.

THE TRUTH OF CHRISTIANITY ESTABLISHED BY THE CHRISTIAN'S EXPERIENCE.

BY REV. TOBIAS SPICER, A. M.

"He that believeth on the son of God, hath the witness in himself." John v, 10.

The doctrine of Christ's divinity occupies a very prominent place in Christian theology; it is of infinite importance to Christianity. This doctrine lies at the very foundation of the Christian's hope. Who can trust in Christ for salvation, if in him the fullness of the Godhead does not dwell?

To establish this doctrine was always a great object with the apostles, for by so doing they establi hed the truth of Christianity. As a proof, they often allude to Christ's own declarations on this subject, the doctrines which he taught, the miracles which he performed, and his resurrection from the dead. And these. things were fully sufficient to demonstrate this great truth.

Such witness as God has given to establish this truth, would abundantly convince all men, if they were not depraved beings, blinded by sin. Many things, pertaining to the ordinary business of this life, are believed as true by men of business, with far less evidence. Such witness as God has given to this truth, if brought to bear on any other subject than religion, would be considered as positive demonstration by all sensible men. In view of this fact, St. John reasons thus: "If we receive the witness of men," in the ordinary affairs of life, we ought to receive "the witness of God which he has given of his Son," for "the witness of God is

greater."