became faithless and unbelieving, and Jesus upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart. But they were again renewed unto repentance and received their Lord and Master again. Judas repented that he had betrayed innocent blood, and Peter that he had denied his Lord.

The apostle designed to teach no more than this: that when persons had been once enlightened by the truth, and tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come, and had been convinced of the nature and divinity of Christ's mission; if such should "fall away," it would be more difficult to reclaim or renew them again unto repentance, than to convince them first of the excellency of the gospel-not because the testimony in favor of the truth would be insufficient, but because the mind would be full of prejudice, and such would be in a position unfavorable to examine testimony and weigh evidence impartially-having apostatized, they would have no disposition to receive the word and be renewed again to repentance. If it is absolutely impossible for an individual to repent, of course, he is relieved from all moral obligation to make any effort in that direction.

This scripture was originally addressed to those who were in danger of apostatizing from the faith they had embraced. They were in danger of "falling away" from the truth, and returning to the beggarly elements of Judaism. This language was addressed to believing Jews in and about

Jerusalem, a very few years previous to the destruction of that city by the Romans. Paul exhorted the brethren to be faithful unto the end, to remain steadfast and immovable. He had witnessed the apostacy of some and the coldness and indif ference of others; hence, he exhorted the Hebrew brethren, "not to forsake the assembling of themselves together," after the manner of some, but to be true disciples of the cross, and never swerve from the truth, so much the more as they saw the day approaching. The brethren were exhorted to fidelity in the good work, inasmuch as it would be very difficult to renew again to repentance such as should fall away. It would be nearly impossible for any human being to present convincing testimony to the minds of such, and bring them back again to the faith of the gospel. It is more difficult to create renewed interest in the heart of a man, after he had abandoned the truth and lost all interest in the religious themes and institutions, and "fallen away" from his first love, than to bring him to the knowledge of the truth at first.

This is what Paul teaches in relation to Christianity. When a man has embraced the gospel, and tasted the joys of the world to come, if he should abandon the truth, apostatize from the faith and go back to Judaism-called the beggarly elements of the world-it would be far more difficult to renew him again to repentance, than to convince him of the truth at first.

The passage before us shows how hard it is to

regain a good position when once abandoned; how difficult it is to be brought back to the way of truth and right, when once forsaken, not that it is absolutely impossible for God to change the mind and convert the soul, but that it is extremely difficult for man to present any argument which will turn such from their errors. In addition to what we have said, we ask the reader's attention to the following, from eminent orthodox divines, in corroboration of what we have said. Dr. Macknight comments, as follows:

"The apostle does not mean that it is impossible for God to renew a second time by repentance, an apostate; but that it is impossible for the ministers of Christ to convert a second time to the faith of the gospel, one who, after being made acquainted with all the proofs by which God has thought fit to establish Christ's mission, shall allow himself to think him an impostor, and renounce the gospel. The apostle, knowing this, was anxious to give the Hebrews just views of the ancient oracles, in the hope that it would prevent them from apostatizing."

Rosenmuller, a celebrated German theologian,

says:

"Adunaton, in this place, does not mean absolutely impossible, but rather a thing so difficult, that it may be nearly impossible; thus we are accustomed to say of very many things, in common conversation."

WRATH OF GOD

"For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience."-COLOSSIANS iii. 6.

In the Scriptures frequent reference is made to the "wrath of God." "Thou sendest forth thy wrath which consumed them as stubble." Ex. xv. 7. "My wrath shall wax hot." Ex. xxii. 24. "The day of the Lord cometh with wrath." Rev. vi. 17. Such language has been misunderstood and so falsely interpreted, as to give to God the character of a merciless tyrant. Our heavenly Father has been represented as imbibing a hatred towards his own erring offspring more terrible than ever dwelt in the bosom of the most depraved mortal that ever walked the earth. Hence, much of the worship and religious service in which people have engaged, has been designed to affect God, to placate his wrath, secure his favor and reconcile Him to man. Such views of God and religion have done great harm to Christianity and turned many away in disgust from the Father of mercies, the God of our salvation. God cannot be angry, malignant, revengeful, and full of wrath, in any sense in which man is angry and wrathful for " an

ger resteth in the bosom of fools." Eccles. vii. 9. And we are commanded to cease from anger and forsake wrath." Psalms xxxvii. 8. Therefore God cannot indulge in any such sinful emotion himself.

When we read of the "wrath of God," we understand the language to be used in a figurative sense, to denote God's disapprobation of sin, his aversion to transgression, and his retributive justice. In the Scriptures, God is spoken of as a man, having the organization and passions of mortal beings; but all such language should be understood figuratively. We read of the "arm," and "hand," and "fingers" of the Almighty; of thẹ "right arm" of the Lord, and of his "heart" and "breath;" that he "sits," and "rides," and "walks;" but these are all figurative expressions, adapted to the condition and circumstances of the ancient Hebrews, indicating the poverty of language in which ideas adapted to the comprehension of the people were conveyed, and were never designed to be understood literally.

To express the divine approbation of any course of action, expressions similar to those employed by the people for a like purpose, must have been introduced, and therefore to represent God's disapproval of sin and its merited retribution, He is spoken of as being "angry" with the sinner, and exercised by wrathful emotions. Merited retribution indicated to their undeveloped and uncultivated minds, "anger" and "wrath" in God. When nations and individuals brought upon themselves