foreseen by Him from the beginning. How this could happen it is in vain for us to inquire; but, since we know that even men of prudence and judgment can previously determine in many cases what will be the conduct of others, it is not, perhaps, so very extraordinary that the Deity, whose means of knowledge is unlimited, should be able to foresee the course His creatures will pursue on every occasion. At any rate, we cannot say with truth that the consistency of Divine prescience with human liberty is a doctrine contrary to reason; for it is one on which we cannot properly exercise our reason at all, because the premises are not fairly before us: we do know something of the freedom of our own will, but we know nothing of the mode by which perception, or something analogous to it, is carried on in the Divine mind.

And, as we can acquire no definite knowledge of the Divine attributes, as they are in themselves, so, on the other hand, we are liable to deceive ourselves in attempting to obtain an accurate insight into the nature of their relations to mankind, whether ordinary or extraordinary. To bold speculations of this description were owing those numberless, enormous, and heterogeneous heresies, which sprung up in the earlier ages of Christianity, from the agitation of questions, which, after all, mankind are utterly incompetent to resolve,

concerning the mode of union between the divine and human natures in the person of our blessed Saviour. Since those days mankind do seem to have made one important step towards knowledge, in acquiring additional consciousness of their own ignorance; and hence discussions, on this particular topic at least, have long been suffered to subside, and never again, we trust, will the sense and piety of the Christian world allow them to be revived. But, notwithstanding this partial improvement in the subjects and character of religious disquisitions, there still, perhaps, prevails among us too strong a propensity to pry into the deep things of God. One instance in which reason is inclined to exert itself, and greatly as we think to the detriment of religion, is the mysterious doctrine of the atonement, concerning which the Scriptures teach us, in general terms, that, in consequence of the meritorious and voluntary sacrifice of Christ, God has been pleased to grant a plenary remission of the penalties due to sin, to all who are willing to accept the new covenant which He has made with us in Christ, and in sincerity of heart to perform the conditions of it. Now this information is amply sufficient for all practical purposes; and it would be well if we could be content to acquiesce in it; but there are not wanting those who undertake minutely to explain in what particular way the death of Christ

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was a satisfaction to Divine justice, and all such explanations, as they are falsely called, invariably lead to this palpable contradiction,—that the Deity must have believed his beloved Son, in whom was no guile, to be, notwithstanding, guilty, since he could not otherwise have considered him a proper object of punishment; that is to say, in other words, that ignorance is consistent with omniscience. Here, then, the infidel steps in and triumphs; and he would indeed have some ground for his triumph, if such a representation of the matter were contained in Scripture; but all that Scripture requires us to believe with regard to the atonement is simply this: that by the merits of one person, certain benefits may be, and have been, procured for other persons, which they would not, and could not, otherwise have obtained; and this is perfectly compatible both with reason and with our experience in other

cases.

As a final example of the mischiefs resulting from a rash presumption, that we can comprehend the modes of communication between God and man, by comparing them with those to which we are accustomed among ourselves, we may instance certain existing notions on the doctrine of spiritual agency. We know, by daily experience, that, in our intercourse with earthly things, the mind can receive no impressions from objects external to

itself, without a consciousness of the presence of the external objects; and when this observation, deduced from a particular instance, is generalized and applied, as it frequently is, to the case of spiritual influences emanating from the Deity, internal feeling of their presence will be made a test of their reality; and then any, the most extravagant freaks of the imagination, may be mistaken for the sober and solemn impulses of the Holy Spirit of God.

On the whole, then, we perceive to what manifold dangers we expose ourselves, when we venture to indulge in speculative inquiries into the awful nature of the Supreme God. In that distant and imperfect glance which His Word affords us of His numberless and boundless perfections, we have all that is requisite for the production, the preservation, and the promotion of Christian godliness; and, while we are satisfied with adhering to the Scriptural representations of the Deity, we tread on solid ground; but the moment we forsake our Guide and our Support, we get beyond our depth. It is true, that, in confining our inquiries within these narrow limits, we deprive ourselves of a subject for intellectual exercise, infinitely interesting and sublime; but we only relinquish the pursuit of knowledge, which, in our present condition of being, is too wonderful and excellent for us. God dwelleth, indeed, in light

-in light unspeakably glorious; but it is a light which would blind the weak vision of human in

tellect, a light which no man can approach unto, a light which no man can look upon and live. Here, then, we must be content to see through a glass darkly; and hereafter, if through the merits of our Redeemer we attain to the resurrection of the just, when faith shall be swallowed up in sight, and we shall know even as also we are known,-then it shall be our happy employment through the ages of eternity to scrutinize, admire, and adore the attributes of the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.