the point, so far as he is concerned. But we despair of ever meeting with such a case.

We have already supposed the existence of an intelligent finite agent, free in the absolute sense of that word-we have supposed all the actions of that being foreknown by God, and thus rendered certain; and yet that their freedom was not affected by that certainty. Now, is it to be supposed a thing impossible with God, to create a being in every respect like this-in attributes, inclinations, circumstances, and actions, insomuch that he shall do and think, and act in similar circumstances in a similar manner, and from similar motives? Would not the actions of such a being be free? They must, or else the resemblance cannot be complete. Is it impossible for God to create such a being? No; else he is not omnipotent: omnipotence can do any thing but a contradiction; and it is not a contradiction to say that God can create a being like some supposable typeand every thing is supposable which is not a contradiction; any thing but a contradiction is possible. God, therefore, can create a free agent, who in the exercise of his free agency shall accomplish the purpose of his sovereign pleasure and such a being is man; therefore, we conclude that the doctrine of the Divine decrees is not necessarily, or actually incompatible with that of the free agency of man*.

But we may appeal, as another ground of argument on this difficult subject, to our own consciousness. Are we ever conscious, either in our vicious or virtuous actions, of acting against our inclination? Were we ever conscious of choosing a thing against our choice, or of preferring a line of conduct contrary to our preference? We may be told that we are putting impossibilities: we are so; and we are anxious so to put them, that our readers may see their absurdity. When a man is compelled to do a thing contrary to his inclination, he does not choose it; but when his conduct is the result of his choice, in that conduct he is perfectly free-and does not the sinner choose sin? does not the believer prefer Christ? The determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God does not affect the crime of the Jews in murdering the Lord of Glory; nor does the counsel of his will render the faith of believers less a voluntary act in the Ephesian converts.

But we shall finally appeal to some Scriptural illustrations

* See President Dwight's System of Theology, Vol. I.

p. 262.

of the doctrine. The first we shall introduce is the memorable passage from Peter's sermon on the day of Pentecost: "Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain." And the Apostles confirm this declaration, saying, "Of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done." Can any thing then be more plain than this, that in crucifying the Son of God, all the parties concerned were executing the Divine decree, and so far accomplishing the Divine pleasure, and the unalterable purpose of the Most High; and yet that they acted as moral agents in what they did, and were guilty of a most heinous crime; for the guilt of which they, and not God, are answerable? That there is difficulty in all this, we readily grant: but perhaps some such considerations as the following may tend to diminish, if not remove it. God, as an infinitely wise Being, must determine all that he will do, or allow to be done, from the beginning to the end of all his operations upon matter or on mind, else it is clear his plan of governing the universe would be imperfect, uncertain, and confused. Now, from the determinations of God, thus eternally settled, certain results issue, which, though he is not their author, he nevertheless allows; esteeming it, upon the whole, better that these results should be allowed, than that the determinations whence they sprung should not exist. These results are, therefore, fully contemplated by his infinite mind, and comprehended and provided for in his perfect plan. Such are all the varieties of moral evil. God determined to make man,-to make him a free agent, therefore capable of sinning; that free agency he did abuse to purposes of actual crime; but God was not the author of his sin, though he was of his free agency; the sinful volitions of his mind, which led to the sinful actions, were all his own. Hence, then, the responsibility and guilt of the Jews in the murder of the Son God; they did it of their own malignant hatred, impelled by their diabolical passions, without any respect whatever to the Divine decree, or intention to advance the purpose and the plan of God in what they did. If they had, it would have been a pious act; for that which is done according to the Divine will, and with a sincere desire to promote the Divine glory, is decidedly a pious act. But no;

they cried Away with him; crucify him. So that although they fulfilled the Divine counsel in what they did, they were as much free agents, and therefore as culpable, as though no Divine determination had existed.

Let us examine the other passage, to which we alluded at the beginning of this paper. "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ." Now the counsel and purpose of God are infallibly certain, but faith in Christ is the voluntary act of an intelligent creature; by this we mean, an act done with the full consent of the will. It may be asked, then, Is the will of man free to receive, or free to reject him, so that it can as easily do the one as the other? We answer no; for by reason of the fall, his will has naturally a bias to that only which is evil, and would, therefore, in every case, without a Divine influence, reject Christ. Here, then, is the difference between free agency and free will. A free agent is one who has the power of willing and of acting according as his will shall dictate; but free will, in its popular sense, is an ability in the will itself to choose good or evil; and this is not the case with man; for the will that spontaneously and of itself chooses holiness cannot be a depraved will; this supposition would therefore falsify the doctrine of human depravity, and at the same time annihilate the doctrine of the influences of the Holy Spirit; for the will that can choose holiness, without a Divine influence, does not require a Divine influence, and therefore the office of the Holy Spirit is unnecessary. The will, indeed, is uncoerced; the idea of a coerced will is absurd. But the will of a finite being is limited, and bounded by the circumstances of his nature; and in man, that nature being fallen, limits the exercises of his will to that only which is in harmony with his fallen nature. While the will to sin, then, is perfectly free (we use the term as opposed to coercion), he cannot, from the very necessity of his nature, will holiness without a Divine influence on the heart; and that influence is such as not to coerce the will, or render the will to holiness less free, than was the previous will to sin. The one was the will of a corrupt and depraved nature; the other is the will of a renewed nature, both equally uncoerced; but in the one instance, the principle was from within himself, in the other it was from God. We shall only refer to one other illustration.

The Apostle Paul was in a dreadful storm at sea; all

hope of escape was utterly lost; but it was revealed to him, from heaven, that God had determined they should all be saved: and this he declared to the ship's company, with his own confident assurance, that the Divine determination, so expressed, would certainly be fulfilled. And yet, soon after this, while the storm was still raging, some despairing of the safety of the vessel, were about to quit her, and make an effort to swim to shore. Then "Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." On this representation, they remained on board, and they all got safe to land. Now, who that reads this story but must perceive, that throughout the whole affair, Paul and his companions acted as free agents in this business, and felt as much free agents in what they did, as though there had been no decree existing on the subject: and yet there not only was a decree, including both the end and all the means necessary to the attainment of that end, but they themselves were perfectly aware of its existence. Here, then, we have the verdict of common sense, and the ordinary feelings of mankind, in favour of the position, which it has been the object of this paper to establish, namely, that the free agency of man is not incompatible with the Divine decrees.

Let, then, our faith in the Divine inspiration of the Holy Scriptures be established by the consideration of such a subject as this. Here we see God acting according to an infinitely wise and perfect plan: such a plan is developed in the Scriptures; and the consistency that marks the several parts, the harmony that characterizes the whole, are the impress of his almighty hand. Let us learn our only dependence. Man is fond of boasting of his independence; but, alas! the boast but ill becomes a being who is so completely in the hand of God. Let us adore the unsearchable Deity. "Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand?" Let us be encouraged to confide in him :—the perfection of his plan—the certainty of his operations-afford the strongest possible grounds for the highest confidence to his intelligent creatures: and it is written," They that know thy name will put their trust in thee." How should the consideration of such a subject teach us to value the unspeakable gift, that when, in his infinite wisdom, God had permitted sin to enter and destroy the human race, he provided a strong deliverer, and sent his Son to repair the ruins of the fall-to rebuild the desolated mansion, and

render it once more a residence for Deity; thus overruling evil for good-where sin abounded, causing grace much more to abound. Turning, then, with profound adoration from the knowledge that is too wonderful for us, let us believe in Christ, according to the Divine commandment, for "he that believeth shall be saved." And let no man, to whom the offer of Christ is made, think to shelter himself for the rejection of that offer in the abysses of such mysteries as these; for thus it is written ;and, after all the sneers of infidelity, and cavils of objectors, the dreadful alternative stands unalterably the same, "He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned."

0.

An Essay on the Agriculture of the Israelites.

PART I,

Situation and Extent of the Land of Israel-its Population-Fertility -Tenures-Soil-Climate-Seasons-Agricultural

Produce.

9

[The following pages are not offered to the reader as a complete Essay upon the subject, but merely as hints thrown out to promote investigation; and it is hoped that others will contribute, from their stores, to a farther elucidation. From the various particulars of which it treats being mentioned only incidentally in the books from which they are taken, complete information is neither to be expected nor obtained ; yet the subject is, at any rate, worthy of notice, were it only as a matter of antiquity and curiosity: but it may, likewise, afford hints, in an economical, as well as in a moral and religious point of view. The reader is, therefore, requested to bear this in mind; and, where we have only an intimation, not to require amplitude; and, where there is only room for conjecture, not to expect certainty. And, after all, should the information respecting the agriculture of the Israelites in the land of Canaan, prove to be but small, or next to nothing, it will be some satisfaction to have ascertained that it is ALL that is to be acquired, at so great a distance of time and place, and under the yet more disadvantageous circumstances of a total change of inhabitants, laws, and religion.]

MAN, in the original intention of the Creator, was designed to be employed in agriculture. The whole earth, at the creation, was rural; and man was placed in one selected, peculiarly favoured, and most delightful spot, “ to dress it, and to keep it;" in which words must be understood some care and exertion, however pleasing, and however salutary. All the kingdoms of nature were placed at his disposal; but, as he himself was a created being, it was right that he should live in dependence upon his Creator,