Imatges de pàgina
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of those texts which have occasioned the perplexity we are considering. The first occurs in Matthew *" I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men; but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come." You will remember that our Saviour had just exercised his miraculous power in the cure of a demoniac. The Pharisees saw that this proof of special and divine authority could not be contravened. Foiled, then, in their efforts, they attempted to destroy the credit of the miracle, by imputing the whole agency to Satan. It was in this that their criminality seems to have consisted; as another Evangelist tells us, "because the Pharisees said, he hath an unclean spirit." The doctrines and work of the Holy Ghost were not only rejected, but maliciously calumniated and imputed to the Prince of Darkness.

Now it is very questionable how near any sin, committed at the present day, can approach to this. It is certain that malicious opposition to the miracles of the Holy Ghost cannot be exhibited for no such testimony of divine power is

* Chap. xii. 31, 32.

now visible. With respect to the spirit of the threatening itself, the exposition of some other texts, before I close this letter, may perhaps throw some light on it.

The next passage under consideration is in the Epistle to the Hebrews:*-" 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 unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." We must examine these expressions separately.

The persons alluded to were "once enlightened." Life and immortality being brought to light, all who had received knowledge of the truth were called "enlightened," in distinction from the moral darkness of heathenism. But this illumination, although it might bring some hope to the mind, is not to be confounded with the sanctifying and saving influence of the spirit, the only true hope of the soul. Have tasted of the heavenly gift." The term "gift" here, refers to the new gospel state. And “ And tasting" implies so far an examination of it as to induce a conviction, that it was a more excellent state than

* Chap. vi. 4-6.

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that in which the subject had been while a Pagan or a Jew. A very similar meaning should be attached to "the good word of God." Being made "partakers of the Holy Ghost" is understood by our best expounders, to apply to the possession of those spiritual gifts which were conferred, in the apostolic age, sometimes even on persons who had only an historical or speculative faith. Among these were included the gifts of tongues and prophecy. "The powers of the world to come," were the miracles performed to introduce the gospel dispensation; which the Jews were accustomed to denominate "the age, or world, to come."

Before we examine the remainder of this pas sage, let me introduce another of similar import : "If we sin wilfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment." * It will assist us in our attempt to understand both these quotations, if we recollect that they were addressed to persons supposed to be familiar with the law of Moses. In that dispensation, you will recollect that there were certain sins for which no provision was made by sacrifice, especially presumptuous transgressions; with respect to which God had said immediately after giving the regulations concern

*Heb. x. 26, 27.

ing sacrifices, “But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him."* With regard to open idolatry, it had been said, "If there be found among you, within any of thy gates which the Lord thy God giveth thee, man or woman, that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the Lord thy God, in transgressing his covenant, and hath gone and served other gods, and worshipped them, &c." The punishment of the law in all such cases was death. But are we hence to conclude that there could be no remission of sin, in any case for which no sacrifice had been legally provided? Surely not. Numerous transgressions were pardoned through the sacrifice of Christ, then remaining to be offered. You have examples of this in Aaron, David, and Manasseh; for some of whose sins there was no sacrifice appointed by law. It is in reference to this that the apostle speaks, when he says, of those who reject the atonement of Jesus Christ, that "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." His meaning seems to be, that, as there can be

Numb. xv. 30, 31.

+ Deut. xvii. 2-7.

no salvation out of Christ, they must perish who persist in refusing this. But then such is neither more nor less than a case of final impenitence; and it is only as such the awakened sinner ought now to view it.

There is another consideration which should always be kept in mind in reading the awful threatenings of God, and that, too, when they appear, at first sight, entirely absolute: I mean, that all these threatenings are conditional. The declaration of Joshua to the children of Israel would seem appalling; "Ye cannot serve the Lord, for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." Yet the patriarch certainly could not have intended to declare that there was no possible pardon for their sins, if they sought it in a penitent and becoming manner. The same limitation must be preserved, in reading the description of the Redeeming Angel, "Beware of him and obey his voice; provoke him not, for he will not pardon your transgressions."*

It is true, my dear sir, that the language of scripture, respecting apostates, assumes a peculiar awfulness and it is indeed a melancholy thought that few of them ever reach repentance.

* Ex. xxiii. 20, 21. On this remarkable passage the Editor begs to refer to his " Scripture Testimony to the Messiah,"

vol. i. pp. 486, 495, second edition.

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