was prepared and ready for the change, came Luther, and with him the Reformation. When Physical Science imperatively demanded more light, came Newton, and brought that light. When the various revolutions of the Race seemed to have disordered and unsettled the human mind, and to have prepared it for more settled principles of right and wrong, came Paley, and set up a fit standard of moral and political Philosophy.

In all times and in all countries, in the histories of nations and of individuals, these adaptations are to be traced. Just in the ratio that improvement has been required, improvement has taken place. And I cannot believe that the distribution of great men through the various ages of the world—that the vast and startling events in the world's history-have been mere matters of chance or contingency: for I can see therein parts of a transcendent plan, evidences as well as agents, of a stupendous design, forthshadowing the character of God and working the happiness of man.

I can also see this: That had Luther, or Newton, or Paley, or other great men, been born before or after the times that produced them, the world would have gone differently, and, as I believe, not so well. Had they lived at earlier periods, the world would not have been prepared to receive them, and their discoveries would never have seen the light; had they lived in later times, the world would have formed its opinions upon other models, and their wisdom would have been useless. They were necessary links in the great chain of Providence, and the world, so to speak, could not have done without

them.

From the events and prospects of our own time, we derive a strong confirmation of our doctrine. It is impossible to look upon the present aspect of things without perceiving therein a controlling and directing hand, swaying and disposing all things. It may be thought that the pious motives of our missionaries are self-caused and selfdirected. I see in them a higher will than man's-I see in them the Spirit of God, christianizing the world. The freedom of the slave may be attributed to the self-originated benevolence of man-I ascribe it to the operation of the love of God-fraternizing the One Family. The demand for intellectual light may be deemed to be only the shout of man-I hear therein the voice of the Eternal. In the struggle for freedom of thought and conscience there may be seen nothing but the powers of awakened man-I perceive in it the active operation of Immortal Mind, pressing onwards to its kingdom and power and glory. In the stream of improvement and deepening happiness that flows along the channel of Time, there may be seen nothing but the energies of man swoln into a torrent-I behold therein with humble awe, the rich river of God's good purposes and transcendent love. From before the foundations of the world, the springs and fountains of that stream were discovered, and every age brings with it tributary waters, that add to its fulness, and impel it in it in its course.

And still the mighty stream flows on. Every moment swells it, every moment quickens it. On, on, it hastens to the great Everlasting Sea, and we are borne upon its surface.

And as we float along upon its bosom, do we find nothing in our

selves that tells us we are travelling with the stream, and have no power to stop its progress, or to change its course-nothing that tells us we are going in a destined track-nothing that speaks to us of an over-ruling and constraining providence? We dare not assert it ;for every event of our daily life shows us that we are in the hands of a Being mightier than ourselves-who rules us by the word of his power, and turns us whithersoever He will.

Thousands of invisible evils, and dangers, and difficulties surround us, but we are preserved unharmed through them all. We tread on the brink of unseen precipices, dangerous pit-falls, deep and dizzy gulfs, but we are guided over the chasms without even knowing the presence of danger. Thousands of high pleasures and lasting gratifications are provided for us, though we do nothing to deserve or to gain them. For us the sun rises and sets; for us the earth is clothed with verdure and riches. For us springs up the flower, for us the trees bear fruit, for us the fruit yields seed.

Nature provides beautiful scenes to gratify our eyes. Harmony touches her sweet harp to delight our ears. Earth sends forth her fragrance to please our sense of smell. For our sakes do the Seasons come-the bright-eyed Spring-the laughing Summer-the majestic Autumn-the stern and solemn Winter. For us do the Seas raise clouds-for us do the clouds drop fatness. Nay, the very storms, the tornados, the hurricanes, all are impressed into our service-for our sakes do they raise the thunder of their voice.

And as in the world so in the mind. Our emotions, passions, and affections are all given us for our happiness, aye, and so are our afflictions, too. In every trouble and in every sorrow there is some good end concealed that will not fail to promote our comfort and to bring us peace at the last.

Sometimes the leadings of Providence are manifest. Occasionally we are shown how imminent has been the danger from which we have been preserved. We are shown to have been walking on the edge of a gulf only to be miraculously kept from falling. Then the hand of God is recognised, and we fully feel our powerlessness, our weakness, our dependency. But at other times when the Finger of the Guide is not so clearly seen, we are apt to think that we are walking in our own strength, and directing our own steps. We little think at such times that in every act of our life, a power above our own is at work; and because the Hand is invisible to our eye of sense, we are prone to forget it altogether, and sometimes to deny its existence.

Could we but see the invisible things of God, we should find that every hair of our head is numbered; that every thought we form, every word we speak, and every act we do, no matter whether great or small, mighty or minute, are all watched over, appointed, controlled, and directed by Him, and that the very will which prompts us to act and to speak, is nothing but the voice of his determination pointing out the path in which we are to go.

Free-will is after all but a very sorry, sad sort of invention, It is a Great Egotism;-nothing more. I-I-1: I, the Author, I the Finisher. To be a Force launched into the abyss of Being, bound by laws of Being, does not content your Free-willer. No; he must demand to be what his soul tells him he is not-an independent thing, a God.

CHAPTER XX.

A FURTHER OBJECTION TO THE DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY ANSWERED.

It is sometimes urged against the doctrine of Necessity that it makes man a slave. It is said that under our theory man has no power to do as he likes, but is compelled to do what another determines for him.

What odd ideas of slavery such reasoners must have! It appears to me that the situation of the slave depends entirely and solely on the character of the master. Slavery is only to be complained of when it brings the hardships of slavery, and we have no right to complain when we cannot feel the chain that binds us. But if it be slavery for us,-poor, weak, helpless, blind, erring, and finite creatures, to be dependent on a Being who is Infinite, Omnipotent, and All-seeing-who is possessed of boundless Virtue and Benevolence, and who expressly assures us of his protection and loving-kindness,then in all sincerity I say, that I would hug the fetter that encircles me, and heartily pray that all the world might be included in the same bond. Our dependence on our Creator, like the dependence of a child on its parent, should be our joy, and our happiness, not our complaint.

When it is said, then, that the doctrine cannot be true which asserts man's entire and absolute dependence on the only principle of Truth and Goodness, a great folly is committed.

CHAPTER XXI.

ANOTHER OBJECTION ANSWERED.

We are told that a belief in the doctrine of Necessity must tend to make men unhappy and gloomy.

I cannot understand this objection; neither can I admit it; for it is opposed by reason and rejected by experience.

Is it credible that he should be a gloomy and unhappy being who believes that every event in which he is concerned, and every event also in which he is not implicated, will result to the general, and to his individual, good, and to the glory of his Maker; who looks upon the beautiful world around him as a vast theatre of God's benevolent designs and man's true happiness ;-who recognizes the Hand and the goodness of the Creator and Protector in every ray of light, in every drop of rain, in every particle of earth; who lives in reliance on the providence that he believes is ever guarding him: and resigns his spirit without fear into the hand of the God who gave it, devoutly trusting in His mercy for the future? Instead of such views as these being the causes of gloom and misery, they are pre-eminently the authors of happiness and hope, and experience shows us that the possessors of this true philosophy (ought I not rather to call it this true religion?) are the cheerfulest and the happiest of mankind. But I may fairly retort the charge upon my opponents. Most certainly the views which are forced upon them by the peculiar sentiments they entertain cannot be of the most pleasing and inspiriting character. I will glance at them.

The Free-willer's creed must be this. That God made man per

fectly pure, holy, and happy, and that he then abandoned him, and left him to do as he liked. The consequence was that he committed a breach of the only law God gave him, and thereupon God's benevolent designs, with regard to him, were entirely frustrated, and the destiny of happiness that God designed for him, became changed for one of misery and pain. Evil is superadded to evil during many generations, and the race of mankind becomes at last so depraved as to be unable to think a good thought, or to do a good deed. In such a condition, they say, do men now appear. We are then told that man, being thus feeble, utterly depraved and powerless, is left to exercise his free and uncontrolled will, and to do as he likes upon earth.

Why, what must be the consequence of this? The result must infallibly be, that because of his weakness he must be the sport of every circumstance around him; because of his short-sightedness he must be unable to foresee, and calculate upon, success, or avert misfortune;-because of his wickedness he must of necessity choose the paths of vice and depravity.

Is this a gratifying picture?

Let us recollect, too, that man not only becomes his own slave, but the slave of others, and of all others. Each man, we are told, has a free-will, and as every man's will must be to do himself good, every man's interest is opposed to the interests of his fellow-creatures. What is the result? Why, a constant struggle in which each man is prevented from gaining, by the forces that are opposed to him-a perpetual race in which nobody is the victor, and everybody defeated. Add to all this an universal system of chance, an uncertainty of result, a state of things which may turn out for the happiness of man, or may not which may fulfil God's designs or may overthrow them— and then the pretty theory is complete!

No! not quite complete either. You have made man responsible for events over which he has not the slightest control, without the consolatory reflection that he is under the direction of Him who worketh all things well.

Is this a view that is likely to create much comfort in the mindmuch satisfaction with this life, much hope for the future? Here we are powerless-there we are to be condemued for our weakness. This may be a comfortable belief, but I trust I may never enjoy it. CHAPTER XXII.

TWO QUESTIONS ASKED.

The Free-willer admits-at least I never yet met with a Free-willer who denied that the period of every man's death is determined upon and inevitable.

The man who commits suicide, therefore, performs the act necessarily he is obliged to do so. How then can the Free-willer hold him to be accountable, seeing that he is compelled?

A man's belief is not in his own power. No man can believe what he likes; but his faith is forced upon him. The Chinese does not believe in Confucius, the Indian in Buddha or Seva, the Turk in Mahomet, because he wishes or determines, but because circumstances lead him so to do. In whatsoever way we view it, the will has no power at all over the belief.

Man's belief being compelled, then, how can the Free-willer hold him to be accountable for it?

The reply to these two questions must be, either that a man may be accountable for that to which he is compelled, or that the Deity is wrong in exacting a responsibility where he has given no control

ment.

The first directly asserts the soundness of the doctrine of Necessity and removes the greatest obstacle to its reception; the second is so manifestly enormous that it does not need a remark.

CHAPTER XXIII.

A QUESTION PUT.

There is but one more view on which I wish to regard this subject. I will present it to the heart and conscience. Reader! I will put a question, and I pray you, give me an honest answer!

There are in the world some hundreds of millions of short-sighted, weak, helpless, erring creatures, who are naturally disposed to do evil.

There is in Heaven One Great and Glorious and Infinite Being, Omnipotent, Omnipresent and All-good, who doeth all things well. There is one doctrine which says that the world is governed by the self-caused and independent wills of these millions of short-sighted, weak, evil-disposed and erring creatures.

There is another doctrine which says that the world is governed by the One Great and Glorious Being directing and causing the wills of his creatures.

Which doctrine do you choose?

Do you prefer to lie at the mercy of the opposing interests, the weakness and the wickedness of this crowd of ignorant beings?—or do you prefer to repose upon the Providence of the All-wise God;— to believe that He alone doeth all things, bringing good out of evil, and happiness out of disaster; that you are protected by the shield of His power, preserved by the arm of His goodness, and that you are travelling in the road that He has marked out for you, a road that leads to a happy and glorious land-" where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest.”

CHAPTER XXIV.

CONCLUSION.

I have now only to recount the results we have obtained in our investigation; first, however, let me very briefly state the question. The doctrine I dispute is That the will causes itself, or is free: the doctrine I maintain is, That the will is a result obtained from a proceding chain of causes, of which the primary link is the will or determination of God; and therefore that it is not free, but compelled. The conclusions to which we have come in viewing the matter,

are:

I. That God's character will not allow us to suppose that anything can exist which has not been created by Him-therefore that the will cannot be self-caused.