The Purpose of God in the Creation of Man (Edmonston
and Douglas) is a posthumous fragment of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen, part of an unfinished work which he had in hand at the time of his death, and published by his express direction. Its object is to prove that the phrase "state of probation," as popularly applied to our human life with regard to God's purpose concerning us, is not a true one—that the term " education " should be substituted for it. To Mr. Erskine's words when he asserts "God's Eternal and unchanging Purpose for man —to raise him by education into fellowship with Himself—to make him a partaker in His own righteousness and His own blessedness," we heartily subscribe. And if "a state of probation" merely means that "we are placed here for the purpose of being tested whether we will walk in God's way or in our own," the phrase is unsatisfactory, or even worse. But we have not been used, we trust that others have not been used, so to limit it. We have always taken probation to imply a pur- pose of the carrying-out of which it is one of the instruments, have supposed that it is the bringing-out of what is in a man for the end of making him what he should be. Is it not better to extend and deepen the signification of popular terms in matters of theology and the spiritual life, than to banish them? They cling with wonderful tenacity to the hearts of men, and if we can make them serve the higher purpose our task is much easier.
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