tion or persecution ariseth, because of the word by and by, he is offended." Mat. xiii. 20, 21. Here the word is received and of course tasted; but who would say that this character ever obtained religion? I pass to the last characteristic. They tasted the powers of the world to come. This referred to the christian dispensation, under which many have felt powerful impressions, but have stopped short of true conversion. The meaning, however, will not be altered, if we suppose the Apostle to allude to an invisible state. The soul tasts by feeling, and who does not know, that sinners feel the reality of heaven and hell, and, may make some efforts to escape the one as well as indulge pleasing anticipations of the other, and yet remain strangers to genuine religion? Acts xxiv. 25. xxvi. 28. Mat. xxv. 1, 12.

With regard to the characters so often introduced to prove falling from grace, the limits of my pamphlet will, at present, restrict me to very few remarks, which I will confine entirely to the case of Judas; in which it is thought we have incontrovertible evidence of total and final apostacy. It will, however, be necessary, before this can be admitted, to prove that Judas was ever truly converted; for this has never yet been done to my satisfaction.

The first argument in favor of the piety of Judas, is drawn from the following scripture: "Mine own familiar friend, in whom 1 trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted his heel against me." Ps. xli. 9. This passage seems to be applied to Judas by our Saviour.-John xiii. 18. Mine own familiar friend.-Surely, says one, Judas could not have been a friend without being a christian. I ask, was he still a christian after he had joined the wicked mob to betray Christ? Well, after he had done this, Jesus called him friend. "And Jesus said unto him, friend wherefore art thou come," &c. Mat. xxvi. 50. But it is urged the Saviour trusted in Judas. Whatever may be the meaning of this expression, I think, it cannot be pretended that Christ ever regarded him as a loyal subject; for it is expressly said, that he knew he would betray him, (John xiii. 11.) and that he knew it from the beginning.-John vi. 61. The truth is, we are to understand nothing more in the passage quoted from Ps. than expressions corresponding with the profession of Judas-not that Christ ever regarded him as his

G

true friend, or trusted in him according to the true meaning of this term.

The second evidence introduced to prove that Judas was a christian, is, that he wrought miracles. To this I would reply, that it has already been shown, that a power to work miracles was something separate and distinct from real religion. Balaam possessed miraculous knowledge, that is, a spirit of prophecy; (Num. xxiv. 2-17.) yet, İ presume, no body believes he was a good man. Now, what is the difference between miraculous knowledge and miraculous power? Both come from God and have been possessed by unconverted men. Then, a power to work miracles affords no evidence that Judas was a true christian.

But it is said, Judas was given to Christ. True, but in what sense? Surely not as a true believer. I request the reader to examine the history of this case minutely. "Then one of the twelve called Judas Iscariot, went unto the high Priests and said unto them, what will ye give me and I will deliver him unto you." Mat. xxvi. 14, 15. Observe, this was before the sacrament. If Judas fell from grace, it must have been previous to the administration of this ordinance. Now turn to what Christ said after the communion, in his sacerdotal prayer, of those that had been given unto him. "Thou givest them me, and they have kept thy word." John xvii. 6. The reader will discover that Christ in verses 6,7, and 8. is speaking of the conversion of his Apostles, where Judas is not included; for he had previously sold his Lord and renounced his word; therefore, what is said in these verses, could not have been true concerning Judas. Hence, he had not been given to Christ, in conversion, as had been the other Apostles. But in v. 12 Christ alludes to his Apostles, as having been given to him in another sense, in which Judas is included, viz. as external disciples.

swer,

But, says one, Judas was chosen by Christ. Yes, I anchosen as a student, but not unto eternal life.—“I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen." John xiii. 18. In this choice Judas is not included.

Again, it is said, Judas was sent to preach, and the inquiry is frequently made with an air of triumph, would Christ send an unconverted man to preach the gospel? It is true Judas was suffered to remain with the Apostles,

though he had not received the word from the lips of Christ as they had done.-John xvii. 6, 7, 8. Our Saviour did not see proper to execute the discipline of the church on him, as God, knowing the hearts of men. While on earth, he chose to act in conformity to his government of the church in after ages. And, doubtless, there have been, and are now, but too many Judases in the church. But, is she less under the government of Christ now, than she was then.

But it is still urged, that if I believe Judas had no religion, I am under the necessity of believing also, that Christ calls and sends forth unconverted men to preach the gospel. I would just reply, that those who believe Judas had religion, and lost it, are involved in a similar difficulty, viz. that it is the will of Christ, that men should retain the ministerial office after their apostacy; for he did not depose Judas, but suffered him to remain with the Apostles, and even administered the sacrament to him, after he had covenanted with the Priests to destroy him.

But, if I had no other proof that Judas was from the beginning an irreligious man, the following would be sufficient. "Have I not chosen you twelve and one of you Is A DEVIL," (John vi. 70.) a fallen spirit. This was before Satan entered into Judas to betray Christ. Luke xxii. 3.

John xiii. 2. He was also called a thief prior to this time. John xii. 6. These, I think, are bad marks of christianity.

The figures which seem to favor the doctrine of falling from grace, such as twice dead, to my mind, refer to the almost christian: to those characters who, after having died in Adam, were placed under the quickening influence of the spirit, but rejected the light until it departed, after which they were no more quickened. Perhaps there is no metaphor better calculated to represent this deplorable situation of the sinner, than a tree, not only dead, but plucked up by the roots, from which we may learn that there was no possibility of its ever being revived.

Again, the sow, after she was washed, returned to her wallowing in the mire. All that I have to say on this subject, is, had her nature been changed and rendered innocent and clean, she no doubt, would have pursued a different course; and had the character designed to be represented by this figure, been changed in heart, he would

have remained with us.

But for the want of a new nature,

it has happened unto him like the sow that was washed, &c. He went out from us that it might be manifest that he was not of 28. Had he been of us, he no doubt would have continued with us.

I will now conclude by noticing a few passages of scripture in favor of final perseverance: some have already been brought to view, which it will not be necessary here to repeat.

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."-I John iii. 9. We are not to understand sinless perfection here. This would contradict other parts of the word of God. Chap. i. 8-10. The Apostle gives his meaning in chap. v. 16. where he speaks of the sin unto death, and this is the sin which those who are born of God cannot commit; therefore they shall never die.

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."-Rom. viii. 38, 39.

Life

Observe the manner in which this triumphant language is introduced. "I am persuaded." By whom was Paul persuaded? Surely not by the Devil, but by the Spirit of God. Then he was not deceived when he made this daring challenge to the enemies of the true believer. is desirable, and death is terrible; but neither the one nor the other shall be able to separate us from the love of God. "Nor angels, principalities nor powers." Good angels will not, for they are the friends of the christian; bad angels cannot, for, altho' they are enemies, they are restrained enemies. "Nor principalities nor powers." i. e. the powers of civil authority. A Nero may rage, and others may vent their spite, but all combined shall not be able to ef fect a separation between Christ and the christian. "Nor things present nor things to come." I have often heard at

tempts made to evade the force of this passage, by saying, that nothing but sin could effect a christian's fall; but surely the Apostle included this in things present. Nor heights nor depths, nor any other creature, i. e. neither prosperity nor adversity, nor any thing that can be named or thought of. If the Apostle did not believe in the impossibility of losing

religion when he uttered this language, surely words have no meaning.

"And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." Jer. xxxii. 40. It is supposed by some, that this promise only extended to Israel according to the flesh, but in as much as there seem to be spiritual blessings couched in it, I think it also belongs to Israelites indeed, and that every true christian may claim the benefit of it. In this promise God pledges himself never to leave nor forsake his people. O but, says one, that is not what we are in danger of. The great danger lies in us forsaking God. But the promise under consideration provides against this also. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. God knows if his people be left to themselves, they will depart from him, but he has determined not to do this.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands. "My Father who gave them me, is greater than all, and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hands." John x. 27, 28, 29. What language could be stronger? From it we learn that christians now have eternal life: not temporary life, which would be the case, were they to fall from grace. This, however, they cannot do, for he who is greater than all, has them in his hand and none is able to pluck them out of his hand.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and SHALL NOT come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life." John v. 24. Here the present state of the believer is first brought to view. He has endless life begun in his soul. It is then most clearly shown that this life will never be forfeited, for he SHALL NOT come into condemnation.

The above quotations are but a brief specimen of what the word of God says concerning the security of the saints. It would be needless to multiply. The reader will discover that the passages we have recited are direct in their application, and too positive in their declarations to admit of doubt with regard to their true meaning. This, I think, is not the character of those introduced to prove final apostacy. Their application is doubtful. Indeed, I never saw the first positive text of scripture to prove this doctrine.