SPIRITUAL DECLENSION AND

RECOVERY.

HEBREWS vi. 4-6.

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 unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open

shame.

THIS is a remarkable sentence of Holy Writ, about which, on account of the all-important subject to which it refers, the minds of many have been greatly perplexed. Some will be curious to know how we understand these words of the inspired apostle; but they are mistaken, if they think we have selected them for the purpose of displaying our own wisdom. Far from us as ministers of Christ, be such attempts, which would bring upon ourselves the just rebuke of God. We desire not to furnish new matter for dry speculation; much less to add fuel to the fire of controversy. With refined speculation the church is already satiated; and the very life of

religion is in many Christian communities forgotten for the sake of it. Christendom is already enough distracted by the war of opinions. Were we to turn aside to these, how could we be good ministers of Jesus Christ, or stand fast in the truth? For good and pleasant is it to dwell together in unity. But as the words before us, like all other words of God, are "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness ;" and as they appear particularly suitable at the present time, when many, having evidently backslidden, are conscious that they have forgotten the covenant of their God, and would be glad to renew it, we therefore choose this Scripture for our consideration. May it appear hereafter, that the Lord himself brought it to our attention. I shall now consider three principal particulars.

I. THE PERSONS SPOKEN OF.

II. THE APOSTACY OF WHICH THEY ARE CAPABLE.

III. THE WARNING WHICH IS GIVEN THEM.

I. WHAT PERSONS HAS THE APOSTLE HERE IN VIEW?

Are they children of God? This is an important inquiry, which has often heated the minds of some, and made others anxious. For there are those who maintain, that the regenerate can

not be the persons spoken of, but only those who are called temporary believers; that is, such as have occasionally had good impressions, and have formed good resolutions, but have never become truly decided; consequently are to be regarded as "those that are without." This opinion originated in a fear lest one of the most vital and consoling doctrines of Scripture, namely, that of the indissolubleness of the covenant of free grace, should be impugned by any misapplication of these words. Whether there was reason for such fear or not, it can never be right and according to truth, to wrest the word of God into compliance with human systems; neither is this the way to show our reverence for it. God's word must always dictate to us, and our systems must comply with it. We therefore assume, that the passage now to be considered refers to children of God. But it may be asked, Can these fall from grace? Let us not be pre-occupied in our judgment, but attend to one thing at a time; and difficulties will melt away as we proceed. First then, let us see what proof there is, that the apostle here speaks of God's own children.

He enumerates respecting them a variety of marks, which certainly belong to real Christians. And while we are examining these marks, let us examine likewise ourselves, whether we bear upon us the same seals of the true Israel. The first of these is, that they have been enlightened. As there are various kinds of enlightening in vis

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ible nature, as by the sun, by the moon, and by lamps, so are there various kinds of enlightening, relative to the human soul. There are many persons who certainly know what is the one thing needful, and what are the several stages on the road to heaven; but they know it only from human instruction, and have their light at second or third hand. Theirs is a moonlight, which neither warms nor fructifies; neither makes that which is dead, alive, nor that which is withered, green. Such enlightening we may have, and yet be as far from the kingdom of God, as the most unenlightened heathen. There are others, who show that they partake of a better enlightening, and even of a kind of warmth accompanying it. But they are excitable persons, who are easily moved at hearing of Christ, and the experiences of his saving grace, and become, perhaps, irresistibly convinced that such things are true. Thus they are found warmly disposed to honour the gospel, and many actually relish, in some degree, those charming truths which seem to overflow in the minds of others. But this feeling lasts only for a little while; they lose all relish of that which is spiritual, as soon as other circumstances bring back other impressions. They have been shined upon, and enlightened by the lamps of the wise virgins. But should any of their lamps have burned down, or their oil have been spent, so as to yield a fainter light, or those who carry brighter lamps happen to have withdrawn, then are

those persons as much in darkness again as ever; and this because they have not cherished the true light in themselves. Now, neither this, nor the former class of persons, does the Scripture call enlightened. It gives this name, not to those who receive their light at second or third hand, but only to those who cherish within them a light which is received immediately from Christ himself; to those of whom it is written, "Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." And this light pervades the soul and spirit, " piercing even to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" that is, it is a light which discovers to the sinner his misery, and makes him feel it as was the case with Saul on his way to Damascus. It is a light which conducts not only into doctrine and theory, but into practice, having first loosened the tongue to cry out, "What must I do to be saved?" It is a light which makes the Saviour not only discernible, but infinitely desirable and precious; so that men call upon him, saying, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.” If then we have experienced the power of this light, which turns the world within us upside down, producing both in our inward frame and outward conduct a radical change, so that we are no longer cold or lukewarm, but fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, and bring forth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, love, and spiritual life,—