Φωτισθενίας enlightened with the true spiritual knowledge of God. But it may be said, "The ancient fathers understood this of baptism, which they called μos, illumination."-True; but then they called it so on this supposition, that all who were baptized with water, were, at the same time, baptized with the Holy Ghost, and inwardly enlightened thereby. Justin Martyr says, TLDENlas, (enlightened) signifies, those who having been instructed in the knowledge of Christ, and then baptized, were farther enlightened by the divine Spirit."* So the calvinian

Leigh, in his Critica Sacra, tells us : "The greek fathers sometimes call Poor, baptismum, and ww, baptiso: For those which are BAPTIZED with THE HOLY GHOST, THEIR MINDS ARE ILLUSTRATED WITH THE BEAMS OF DIVINE LIGHT."

And when the apostle said, ye were ONCE enlightened, he meant ye were TRULY and REALLY

*Apol. 1 Edit. Grabe. Sect. 80.

enlightened. So Pool on the place, "Semel hic idem quod planè et verè, απαξ pro απαξαπλως, prorsus, perfectè, ut. Heb. ix. 26, 28. That is, ONCE is one and the same with TRULY, realLν, απαξ for απαξαπλως, ALTOGETHER, PERFECTLY, as Heb. ix. 26, 28. And he quotes Ribera, Erasmus, Camero, and several other divines of great note, who consider the persons here said to be enlightened as men who, "absolutionem a præteritis omnibus peccatis suis acceperunt, &c. omnibusque christianorum privilegiis donati crant:" that is, as men who have received the forgiveness of all their former sins, and have all the privileges of Christians bestowed upon them.*

2. They had tasted of the heavenly gift; that is the gift of grace in general, which came down from heaven. If any thing more particular is here intended, perhaps it is that which is elsewhere called, The gift of

*Syn. Crit. in loc.

*

righteousness: that is, justification, or the remission of sins. Accordingly Paraus mentions Erasmus, and seve ral other eminent divines, who say, the heavenly gift is, "Fidem, quæ cœlitusdatur illuminatis :" faith which is given from above to those who are enlightened. And to taste of this does not mean a slight or superficial participation thereof: but rather a full and perfect one. In this sense we must understand the same word, as it is used, chap, ii. ver. 9. where it is said that Christ tasted death for every man certainly he partook of it in the most full and ample manner.

3. They were made partakers of the Holy Ghost: that is, they partook of the witness and fruit thereof. Pool tells us that Grotius understands it,-"Donorum et charismatum Spiritus sancti, &c. quæ non contingebant eo tempore nisi justificatis," of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, &c.

Syn. Crit. în loc

which at that time were given to none but the justified.*

4. They had tasted as truly and fully as Christ tasted death, the good word of God; that is, they had experienced the nourishment and sweetness thereof, as truly as Christ experienced the bitterness of death. Grotius, "Gustare, hic et infra est experiendo cognoscere: that is, to taste here, and in the next clause, means to

KNOW BY EXPERIENCE.

So

5. They had, in the same manner, tasted the powers of the world to come; that is, they had not only been partakers of the gospel and its present benefits, which some understand by the world to come (rendering μελλοντος αιώνος, the future age; that is the gospel age, to which the Mosaic was prior ;) but also of the powers, the enlivening and strengthening joys of eternity; in other words, they had a foretaste of the joys of heaven.

Estius, Menochius and Ribera, aé

*Syn. Crit. in. loc.

cording to Pool, say that the powers' of the world to come mean, " Immortalitatum et gloriam, vitamque beatam, et eternam Dei visionem in cælis electis promissam in regno Christi:" that is, immortality, glory, the beatific life, and eternal vision promised in heaven to the elect in the kingdom of Christ. And they add, that the Hebrews, "dicunter gustasse, quia eas fide amore, vel magno desiderio perceperunt, earumque spe delectabantur”are said to have tasted those powers, because they had a perception of them by faith, love, and a great desire, and were delighted by the hope of them: [the things they had tasted.]

Thus, by considering these five particulars separately, we find each of them so expressive of the spiritual nature, or properties of our holy religion, that it is absurd to affirm either of them of any but true believers.But if we consider them in connexion with each other, and as so many links of one chain, and suppose them all to be found in any but a real believer,