opponents, when they would disprove total depravity, contend that every man is enlightened, and yet they do not pretend to think that every man is justified. Being "made partakers of the Holy Ghost," may mean, his sanctifying influence; it may also refer to the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, which were enjoyed in the primitive church, and which were not confined to real believers. It may also refer to that deep impression and pungent conviction, which the unconverted now partake of, by means of the out-pouring of the Spirit.

"Tasting the heavenly gift," and "tasting the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,' seem to be high expressions, to be applied to the exercises and enjoyments of unrenewed men. We know that tasting, is, in other places of scripture, made use of to express a holy and experimental knowledge of God and divine things. But it is also the case with ma ny other words and phrases; that they are sometimes used to express what is peculiar to the experimental christian, and at other times they are applied to the exercises and feelings of such, as have not known the grace of God in truth. To know God, is sometimes descriptive of such a spiritual knowledge of him, as is peculiar to the converted: but it does not always mean this.

Joy in the things of religion, is sometimes spoken of as peculiar to the saints. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy," &c. Gal. v. 22. It is spoken of as an evidence of the sincerity of Zaccheus, that he received Christ joyfully; also of the believing Eunuch, that he .went on his way rejoicing. Yet the stony ground hearers, who never had any root in them, are said to have received the word anon with joy. That which in the other cases, was expressive of grace, did not here express so much; for there can be no grace where the seed takes no root in the heart. When Paul, 1 Cor. vi. 11, says, "But ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified," he undoubtedly means that theirs was the washing of regeneration: But when Peter says, ist epistle, ii. 22, But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, the dog is returned to his own vomit again; and, the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire;" we are not naturally led to

understand him, by washed, to mean the same thing. Peter, by washing, seems to mean such an outward reformation, as proceeds from no change of nature. It is strikingly illustrated by the sow, which can be washed and made white, while the swinish nature being unchanged, will soon discover itself by her returning to wallow in the mire.

In view of all this it may be asked, How shall we know when these words and phrases, which are sometimes made use of to distinguish a work of grace, and yet are sometimes applied to the experiences of graceless sinners, may be considered as belonging to the one, and when to the other? To this it may be replied; That a close attention to the connexion, will commonly enable us to determine in what sense the inspired writer intends to use the word, or phrase, in the passage which we shall at any time have occasion to examine. Thus, if we hear the inspired writer say; 66 They that know thy name will put their trust in thee," we are none at loss but that by knowing the name of God, in this place, he must mean a spiritual and holy knowledge; for the effect of this knowledge is a trusting ia God. But when the inspired writer tells us, "That when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful,' we are at once led to conceive of their knowledge of God, as not including right exercises of heart. When Peter speaks of believers as loving their unseen Saviour, and rejoicing in him with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, we are irresistibly led to conceive of this as a holy joy, as a blessed prelibation of the joy of their Lord, into which they are about soon to enter. It is love to Christ which causes the joy, and besides, it is described as being full of glory. But when we are informed of a certain class of hearers who receive the word with joy, and yet at the same time, are said to have no root, we are immediately led to think of those false joys in the things of religion, which false converts are the subjects of; and in which for a while they often seem greatly to abound. If the scripture is evidently speaking of real saints, and it describes them as having" tasted that the Lord is gracious," then tasting is to be understood as expressive

of a sweet and holy sense of the goodness of God: but if the scripture is evidently contrasting attainments which may be lost, with certain better things which accompany salvation, then "tasting of the heavenly gift, and of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come," ought to be understood to express something short of true grace. It may intend much the same which is expressed, in the parable of the sower, by receiving the word with joy. This description of the exercises and comforts of false converts, is not given at length, like that in Hebrews, but it may include as much. The phrase, receiving the word with joy, would, if taken by itself, as naturally lead us to think of a true conversion, as the passage which we have had under consideration: But there is something, in close connexion with it, which lets us know that the joy was all without foundation. And that the same is true concerning the text now before us, has, we think, been shown. If that does not include as much as this, it is probable, that miraculous gifts, and enlightening by the Holy Ghost, is the thing in which the case, supposed in the epistle of the Hebrews, differs from the case stated in the parable; and from any other case which can now occur. In the primitive church, cases could exist, where they might speak with tongues, and have the gift of prophecy, and of understanding mysteries, and have faith so that they could remove mountains, and yet not be possessed of charity, or any saving grace. See 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. " Many," says our divine Lord, will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity." Mat. vii. 22, 23. Those, who were thus favored with the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost, would by this means have very striking, and peculiar proofs of the divine reality of the christian religion. Openly apostatizing from this religion, and speaking contemptuously of it, after having the truth of it demonstrated to them by the Spirit, by the means of miraculous gifts, with which they themselves had been furnished; might amount to that blas

pheming of the Holy Ghost, which constitutes the unpardonable sin.

*

* If a right explanation of Heb. vi. 4-6, has been given in the preceding pages, it is a passage to which we ought to give diligent heed, for it contains important instruction. 1. We are admonished not to be stumbled at great apostasies from the christian faith. Men may seem to mount up to heaven, and then fall down to hell. Even the teachers of this holy religion, who have been thought great and good, may become heretics and infidels. Such apostasies do not prove, that the religion of the gospel is not true: neither do they prove, that true grace can be lost. "Be not offended, if you see great cedars fall, stars fall from heaven, great professors die and decay: Do not think they be all such Do not think that the elect shall fall.” Shepard's Parable of the ten virgins, 2. Those who have great enjoyments in religion, and great anticipations of future blessedness, are admonished not to suffer these enjoyments and anticipations, to prevent them from looking well to their foundation. They are admonished not to depend on the height of their joys, nor on the wonderfulness of their discoveries.They may be at first greatly alarmed, and then greatly com forted, so as to seem to taste of the powers of the world to come, and still fall away and perish. Let them inquire whether unselfish love, and unfeigned humility lie at the foundation of their raptures, and of all their religious comforts. 3. By this solemn portion of scripture they are admonished, who, tho' destitute of a hope, are thoughtful about the things which relate to their salvation they are admonished to be on their guard against delusive joys. Let them see to it, that they dig deep, and build on the eternal Rock. Many a house has been built high, whose foundation rested on the sand. There is but little hope of convincing the man, whose house is already built upon the sand, that his foundation is bad. There is more encouragement to use means with those, who as yet have built no house, to dissuade them from a careless inattention to their foundation. O that every awakened sinner might be apprised of his danger, and see to it, that he does not take up with slight evidences of a change of heart!

Before we leave this interesting and awakening portion of the lively oracles, let us drop a word of caution to distressed souls, to prevent them from being too hasty to draw the conclusion, that they have committed the unpardonable sin. This sin is described by our Saviour, as a blaspheming of the Holy Ghost, and speaking against the Holy Ghost. If the text which has been before us, describes this sin, it supposes, that in the case stated, the commission of it is preceded by great light and conviction, and by false joys: and that these are followed with a complete apostasy.

II. Mr. Bangs makes use of the fall of angels, and of Adam, as an argument to favor the possibility of the saints falling from grace. He inquires : "Had Satan and his legions only a profession of godliness, antecedent to their apostasy? And Adam and Eve, were they only painted sepulchres when they came perfect from the hands of their Maker ?" p. 236. We do not hold, (and we wish our opponents, once for all, would understand us ;) we do not hold, that the holiness of the saints on earth, or the holiness of the saints in heaven, is in its own nature inamissible, i. e. incapable of being lost. We know that the primitive state of angels, and of man, was a state of perfect holiness; we also know, that if creatures could fall from a state of perfect holiness, it must be, in itself considered, possible for them to fall from a state of imperfect holiness. Therefore we do not at all build our argument in favor of Perseverance, upon the degree of holiness which there is in the hearts of the children of God. The degree of holiness increases the scriptural evidence that I am a child; but it does not increase the certainty, that a real child of God, whoever he is, will persevere to the end. It may increase the evidence that the particular man, James, or John, or whoever he may be, that is favored with these large measures of grace, will persevere to the end, because it increases the evidence of his being a real saint; and the matter is previously made certain, that every real saint will persevere unto the end and be saved. If there were no such previous assurance, that all the real children of God would be preserved from falling, it would be a proof of pride and self-sufficiency, for any one to have this persuasion concerning himself. But in the Methodist Doct. and Discip. it is granted, that when Paul expressed such a firm persuasion, that nothing should separate him from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, (Rom. viii. 38, 39,) he" was at that time fully persuaded of his own perseverance. And I doubt not," says the writer, "but many believers at this day have the same persuasion, termed in scripture, the full assurance of hope." Doct. and Discip. p. 93. I would ask such believers, why they have this persuasion? Does not such a per