confidence and fecurity; when those that have gone SER M thus far may fall, "let him that ftandeth take

"heed."

Some are of opinion, that those whom the apostle here describes are true and fincere chriftians, and that when he fays, it is impoffible if they fall away, to "renew them again to repentance," he means that they cannot fall away totally, fo as to ftand in need of being renewed again to repentance: but this is directly contrary to the apoftle's defign, which was to caution chriftians against apoftafy, because if they did fall away, their recovery would be fo exceeding difficult; which argument does plainly suppose that they might fall away.

On the other hand, there are others who think the perfons, here defcribed by the apostle, to be bypocritical chriftians, who for fome bafe ends had entertained christianity, and put on the profeffion of it, but not being fincere and in good earnest, would forfake it when perfecution came. But befides that this is contrary to the defcription which the apoftle makes of these perfons, who are faid "to have tafted "of the heavenly gift, and to have been made parta"kers of the HOLY GHOST;" by which if we understand juftification and remiffion of fins, and the fanctifying virtue of the HOLY GHOST, which in all probability is the meaning of these phrases, thefe are bleffings which did not belong to hypocrite, and which God does not beftow upon them; I fay, befides this, there is no reafon to imagine that the apostle intended fuch perfons, when it is likely that there were very few hypocrites in those times of perfecution; for what fhould tempt men to diffemble christianity, when it was fo dangerous a profeffion ?

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SERM or what worldly ends could men have in taking that profeffion upon them, which was fo directly contrary to their worldly interefts?

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So that upon the whole matter, I doubt not but the apoftle here means thofe who are real in the profeffion of chriftianity, and that fuch " might fall away." For we may eafily imagine, that men might be convinced of the truth and goodness of the christian doctrine, and in good earnest embrace the profeffion of it, and yet not be fo perfectly weaned from the world, and fo firmly rooted and established in that perfuafion, as when it came to the trial, to be able to quit all for it, and to bear up against all the terrors and affaults of perfecution; fo that they might be real chriftians, and no hypocrites, though they were not fo perfectly eftablished and confirmed, and fo fincerely refolved as many others. They were not like St. Paul, and thofe tried perfons whom he fpeaks of, Rom. viii. 35, 37. "Who shall separate "us from the love of CHRIST? fhall tribulation, "or diftrefs, or perfecution, or famine, or nakedness, "or peril, or fword? nay, in all these things we are "more than conquerors.' conquerors." (They had been tried by all these, and yet had held out) upon which he breaks out into thofe triumphant expreffions; "I am per"fuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, "nor principalities, nor powers, nor things prefent, "nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor

any other creature, fhall be able to feparate us from the love of Gon, which is in CHRIST JESUS "our LORD.". They might not (I fay) be like thofe and yet for all that be real in their profeffion of chriftianity, and no hypocrites.

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In fhort, I take them to be fuch as our SAVI-SER M. OUR defcribes him to be "who received the feed "into ftony places," namely, he that heareth "the word, and anon with joy receiveth it: yet "hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a "while; for when tribulation or perfecution arifeth "becaufe of the word, by and by he is offended.” This is no defcription of a hypocrite; but of one that was real, as far as he went (for he is faid " to "receive the word with joy") but was not well rooted, and come to fuch a confirmed ftate, as refolutely to withstand the affaults of perfecution.

So that tho' we have truly embraced chriftianity, and are in a good degree fincere in the profeffion of it, yet there is great reafon why we fhould neither be fecure nor confident in our felves." Not fecure," because there is great danger that our refolutions may be born down one time or other by the affaults of temptation, if we be not continually vigilant, and upon our guard. Not "confi"dent in our felves," becaufe "we ftand by faith, "and faith is the gift of GD;" therefore, as the apostle infers," we fhould not be high-minded, "but fear." Men may have gone a great way in christianity, and have been fincere in the profeffion of it; and yet afterwards may apoftatize in the fouleft manner, not only fall off to a vicious life, but even defert the profeffion of their religion. I would to GOD the experience of the world did not give us too much reafon to believe the poffibility of this. When we fee fo many revolt from the profeffion of the reformed religion, to the corruptions and fuperftitions of Rome; and others from a religious and fober life, to plunge themselves into all

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kind

SER M.kind of lewdnefs and debauchery, and it is to be CXXI. feared, into atheism and infidelity; can we doubt

any longer whether it be poffible for chriftians to fall away? I wish we were as certain of the poffibility of their recovery, as we are of their falling, and that we had as many examples of the one as of the other.

Let us then be very vigilant over ourselves, and according to the apoftle's exhortation, 2 Pet. iii. 17. "Seeing we know these things before, beware, left "we also being led away with the error of the swicked, fall from our own stedfastnefs."

2dly, This fhews us how great an aggravation it is, for men to fin against the means of knowledge which the gofpel affords, and the mercies which it offers unto them. That which aggravated the fin of these perfons was, that after they "were "once enlightned," that is, at their baptifm were inftructed in the chriftian doctrine, the clearest and most perfect revelation that ever was made of GOD'S will to mankind, that after they were " juftified "freely by GoD's grace," and had received remiffion of fins, and had many other benefits conferred upon them; that after all this, they fhould fall off from this " holy religion." This was that which did fo heighten and inflame their guilt, and made their cafe fo near defperate.

The

two great aggravations of crimes are wilfulness and ingratitude; if a crime be wilfully committed, and committed against one that hath obliged us by the greatest favours and benefits. Now he commits a fault wilfully, who does it againft the clear knowledge of his duty. Ignorance excufeth; for fo far as a man is ignorant of the evil he does, fo far the

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action is involuntary: but knowledge makes it to SFR M be a wilful fault. And this is a more peculiar aggravation of the fins of chriftians, becaufe GoD hath afforded them the greatest means and opportunities of knowledge; that revelation which Go hath made of his will to the world by our bleffed SAVIOUR, is the cleareft light that ever mankind had, and the mercies which the gofpel brings are the greateft that ever were offer'd to the fons of men; the free pardon and reminion of all our fins, and the affillance of Gon's grace and HOLY SPIRIT, to help the weakness of our nature, and enable us to do what GOD requires of us. So that we who fin after baptifm, after the knowledge of chriftianity, and thofe great bleflings which the golpel beftows on mankind, are of all perfons in the world the moft inexcufable. The fins of. heathens bear no proportion to ours, because they never enjoyed thofe means of knowledge, never had thofe bleffings conferred upon them, which chriftians are partakers of; fo that we may apply to ourselves thofe fevere words of the apoftle in this epiftle, "how fhall we efcape, if we neglect "fo great falvation?" Hear how our SAVIOUR aggravates the faults of men upon this account, of the wilfulness of them, and their being committed against the exprefs knowledge of God's will; Luke xii. 47, 48. "The fervant which knew his lord's "will, and prepared not himfelf, neither did according to his will, fhall be beaten with many "ftripes; for unto whomfoever much is given, of "him fhall much be required; and to whom men "have committed much, of him they will afk the "more." The means and mercies of the gofpel

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