lest he spare not thee." Nor does he stop here, though this seems to me enough to evince to every candid and unprejudiced mind, that Paul was deeply sensible of a possibility, and even a danger, that some of these might fall away: but he proceeds, "Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness; if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." How clear, how positive! What words, what arrangement of assertions could he have used, more strongly to confute every idea of once in grace always in grace?

These were actually grafted into Christ; did partake of his richness and fatness, did stand by faith, therefore surely were once in grace; yet he warns them of their danger; "be not high-minded, but fear." And to convince them that they were really in danger, and had something to fear, tells them, that the continuance of God's love and favour to them was conditional; "if thou continue in his goodness:"-and in the most peremptory manner assures them, "otherwise thou also shalt be cut off." Cut off from what? why surely from the good olive-tree, into which they were grafted; or, as. Christ himself expresseth it: "every branch that bringeth not forth fruit, my Father taketh it away." Is it possible to be cut off, and taken away, and yet to remain in, and united to Christ, the true vine and good olive-tree? By no means. What greater grounds then, have such who have been once in him, and are thus cut off and taken away, to depend upon final acceptance with him, for what they once were, than those who never were grafted into him? seeing they are the very persons who "crucify him afresh, and put him to open shame," Heb. vi. 6. which is the very reason the apostle elsewhere giveth, why it is impossible, as he positively declares it is, " to renew them to repentance?"”

How are they then ever to be saved? Is it not clear, that for such "there remains no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful looking for of judgment," Heb. x. 27. which will assuredly overtake, and shall devour all such adversaries. Indeed, it is admirable, that Christians can believe, that such apostates are in covenant with God-in a state of grace, and must be saved!

VOL. II.-43

It is urged in support of this opinion, that Christ tells the believers, that "none can pluck them out of his hand." This is granted, none can. A true believer, remaining such, was never plucked out of his holy hand, and never will be; either by satan to devour, or by wicked men, to afflict and annoy. Satan may tempt and roar; ill men may censure, despise, and, if God permit, even slay, but still he holds them in his hand; in all their trials, persecutions, and even in death they are safe, and all things work together for their good.

It is remarkable, that Christ is speaking here of his sheep, which he several times calls his "own sheep,"-declares "they hear his voice and follow him, and will not follow a stranger;" declares he puts them forth, and goes before them; and repeats it, that they follow him. Read John 10th chapter.

Now, is it possible for those, who are put forth by him, hear his voice, continue steadfastly following him, and will not hearken to, nor follow a stranger, to be plucked out of his hand? I conceive it is not possible. But what has this to do with such, who, trusting to their having been once in Christ, grow high minded, and presuming upon the certainty of their eternal salvation, continue not to follow Christ in the regeneration; hearken not to his voice, but listen to the stranger, the voice of the old seducer who, as he persuaded Eve, that though she disobeyed the law of God she would not die; so he now persuades these, that though they sin, they are sure of eternal life? What security is there, in a promise made only to such as hear the voice of the Shepherd, and so steadfastly follow him as not to hearken to, but flee from the stranger, unto those who thus daringly revolt from him, go back, (as did some formerly,) and walk no more with him? Of these, however confidently they may presume upon the certainty of their eternal salvation, as they do not continue in the goodness of God, the apostle pronounces," they shall be cut off."

Do we not read of many who, being once true children of God, afterwards became apostates? Does not the scripture declare that the righteousness of men who depart from it, shall not be mentioned? Ezek. xviii. 25. And God's ways are strictly just and equal herein, though many then were ready to say,

"the way of the Lord is not equal." And many now cannot see how he can cast off sinners forever, because of their revoltings, seeing they were once righteous men, and chosen of him. But it seems, this inspired prophet thought it very unequal, that a man, because he was once righteous, and in a state wherein, had he continued, he should surely have lived and not died, should, notwithstanding "he turned away from his righteousness, committed iniquity, and did all the abominations that the wicked man doeth," be so distinguished from other wicked men, as still to live in favour and covenant with God! And indeed, this would be unequal, and a manifest respect of persons, too gross to be ascribed to God; and hence the prophet asks, in regard to such an one, who thus turns from his righteousness, and does the very things for which the wicked die, "shall he live ?" Ezek. xviii. 24. He knew it could not consist with the justice of him, whose ways are altogether equal, to order things in such an unequal and partial manner; and therefore he not only asks, as if he abhorred the idea," shall he live?" but immediately adds, as expressive of the justice of God, "all his righteonsness that he hath done, shall not be mentioned;" and then positively declares, "in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die."

Here is the end of such wicked men as were once really righteous, and acceptable to God, and who, had they so continued, would have lived forever: but turning aside, they die in their sins! And can those who die in sin, be saved in Christ? Nay, verily; where he is gone, they can never come.

Judas once partook of the gospel ministry and apostleship, and had it not been for his transgression, would doubtless, have continued therein; but it is declared, that by transgression he fell therefrom. Acts i. 25. Could any one partake of the true gospel ministry, and apostleship, and not be in a state of grace? or fall therefrom by transgression, and remain in a state of grace? It is evident he was once in a better state, or he could not have had part in the ministry and apostleship of Jesus; nor could be else have fallen therefrom. And did he not so transgress and fall away, as even to become a devil, and go to his

own place, being emphatically called the son of perdition? yea, had it not been good for him, had he never been born? Indeed, we may think so, even though it had not been so asserted in scripture. For what can be conceived more dreadful, than after obtaining and receiving part in the glorious gospel ministry, so grievously to transgress and fall therefrom, as to become a devil, and betray into the hands of sinners the Lord of life and glory; the author of that very ministry!

I conceive a great degree of the sin of Judas, and that which was a very peculiar and dreadful aggravation of it, was his hav ing been once in grace and highly favoured; he knew far better things; and yet, mournful to think, the reward of iniquity prevailed against his knowledge of the truth, and drew him from his duty, after all his happy experience. And it is true of all others, who have known a good state, and fall from it, as well as of Judas; their guilt is abundantly increased, by their haying been once living partakers of the divine nature; their condemnation is proportionably great, and the inveteracy and malignancy of their fallen condition, are so much the more incurable, by how much more they have known of the good things of the heavenly kingdom. Hence, says the apostle, "it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and hage 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 unto repentance; seeing they crucify unto themselves the son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Heb. vi. 4, 5, 6. We cannot reasonably doubt but that some such do fall away; for why else did the apostle declare the impossibility of their renewal; or how could he assert positively, "they crucify to themselves, the son of God afresh?" and how could they crucify him to themselves, unless they had livingly known him in themselves? But that this was their experience, is evident from their having" tasted the heavenly gift, been partakers of the holy ghost, the good word of God, and powers of the world to come:" these knew the "substance of things hoped for," and so had the true faith; but like those mentioned, they "made shipwreck of it;" which could not be if they never had it. By

all which it is evident, that man may fall from a state of faith and grace, even to an impossibility of renewal unto repentance; these with Judas, must go to their own place, and receive the reward of their backslidings, as such who have turned the grace of God into wantonness.

Some insinuate that none can ever make shipwreck of true faith, but only of a seeming or false faith; but the apostle adds a good conscience; "holding faith, (says he,) and a good conscience, which some having put away, concerning faith, have made shipwreck." Their faith was with a good conscience, else they could not ave put it away from them, nor could they ever have had the good conscience in the sight of God, with only a seeming, or false faith; hence it is clear that they had true faith, and a good conscience, and made shipwreck thereof.

Peter speaks of false teachers, and of their bringing in "damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them;" bringing "upon themselves swift destruction." 2 Peter ii. 1. Now, let such as hold the impossibility of falling finally away from grace, upon the argument that none are ever in a state of grace but a certain elect number, and who therefore cannot finally fall, consider whether Christ has bought any that were in an eternal decree of reprobation: if he has not, but has bought only a small number, who belong to an eternal decree of election, how came any of these to bring in damnable doctrines? how can they deny the Lord that bought them? and above all, how can they bring upon themselves "swift destruction?" If Christ bought none, but such as he brings into a real state of grace, and if such as were once in such a state, are always so, then a man may bring in damnable heresies, deny the Lord that bought him, and even bring upon himself swift destruction, and yet be in a state of grace at the same time!

But the apostle goes on describing the dreadful and forlorn state and condition of such seducers, and those who follow their ways: he calls them "cursed children, which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray." 2 Peter ii. 14, 15. It seems they had known the right way: and if they forsook it, and strayed from it, well might he say "the mist of darkness is reserved for such as these forever." 2 Peter ii. 17. But he