that circumstance is familiar to the learned, it is ' unnecessary for us to state the argument for their sake; and as the mere English reader might not perceive the force of the argument, it has been thought proper to decline altogether the introduction of such a mode of reasoning.

7th, Heb. vi. 4-6. x. 26-29. "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."-" For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?"

Our author's design in referring to these passages, is to prove, that common influences, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, are not withheld from some of those who lie under the decree of reprobation. We have no doubt, that many of those who shall be ranked at

the left hand on the day of judgment, will be found to have enjoyed common influences, and gifts of the Holy Ghost; but the question here is, whether or not the apostle, in these two passages, describes the probable case of real, or the actual case of false Christians? In introducing himself to the attention of his brethren " according to the flesh," (who were also believers in Christ,) the apostle states a fact, which he, doubtless, believed was universally admitted, viz. that "God, who, at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken (unto us by his Son," ver. 1, 2. In order to shew the superiority of the gospel, he proves the unequalled dignity of its founder, ver. 2-14. From this consideration he infers, that "we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip," ii. 1. Having thus intimated, that the superior dignity of Christ demands the greater watchfulness and fidelity, he proceeds to appeal to the fears of his brethren; "For," says he, "if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; how shall we [believers in Christ] escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him?” ver. 2, 3.

Having invited his brethren to compare the character and office of Moses and Jesus Christ, the apostle

adds, "Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; but Christ, as a Son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end," ver. 5, 6. He then shews how particularly applicable to their case was the exhortation of the Psalmist. (Ps. xcv. 7.) "To-day if ye will hear his voice; harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness," &c. ver. 7-10. From this example he takes occasion to renew his work of exhortation-"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called to-day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end," ver. 12-14. Recurring to the example of the ancient Israelites, (ver. 15-18,) he makes this remark-"So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief;" and exhorts thus, "Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it," ver. 19. iv. 1. Returning again to the consideration of the same subject, (ver. 2—10) he draws an inference of a similar nature.- "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief," ver. 11. To induce them to exercise a godly fear over themselves, he assures them, that "the

word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword," &c. ver. 12, 13. And for their encouragement, he also assures them, "that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,” (ver. 14.) and adds, "let us," therefore, "hold fast our profession." But lest any should be intimidated by a consideration of the dignity of their high priest, he declares, that he is exceedingly compassionate, (ver. 15.) and, on this ground, exhorts them to "come boldly to the throne of grace, that they may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need," ver. 16.

The apostle having thus called the attention of his brethren to the foregoing consideration of the priestly character of Christ, prolongs his remarks on the subject, (chap. v. 1-10.) and intimates his readiness to proceed still further, provided they were able to enter fully into the discussion; but, judging that they were unable, he declines the undertaking, at the same time assuring them that they had "need that one teach them again which be the first principles of the oracles of God," ver. 11-14. He exhorts them, therefore, to endeavour to be wellgrounded in the first principles of the doctrine of Christ," and to "go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God," chap. vi. 1. "And this will we do," says he, "if God permit," ver. 3. But not leaving the matter here, he adduces a powerful motive, by which they might be induced to "go on to per

fection:-For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, &c. if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance." The substance of this motive seems to be, that, if any one should so far retrograde in his Christian course as to stand in need of applying that first principle of Christ which regards repentance from dead works, his case would be truly hopeless, seeing, that if he should deliberately renounce his allegiance to Christ, and hold him forth as an impostor, there could be no hope that he should be convinced of his error by evidence which he already possesses, and consequently, that it might justly be deemed impossible for any preacher of the word to be able to bring him to that state of repentance from dead works, in which he stood at the commencement of his Christian career.

Having asserted the awful possibility of apostatizing from Christianity in the manner above described, the apostle, anxious to clear himself from the charge of insinuating, that those to whom he particularly addressed his epistle, were in danger of falling into such foul apostasy, expresses his full conviction of the contrary, resting his hopes on the evidences of their faith and love, and on the divine faithfulness in reference to those who put their trust in God: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto