at the same time sanctifies the soul; and which we therefore press upon you, because it is the great means that God himself has appointed, either of bringing us into the way of righteousness, or of advancing us therein.

vi. 1, 2.

Having, at the close of the fifth chapter, adverted to the backwardness of the Hebrews in the faith, the Apostle proceeds in the sixth chapter to urge them on unto perfection, and to point out to them, on the one hand, the danger of neglect, on the other the reward of perseverance. "Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ,-let us go on," he says, "unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

The foundation, indeed, of religion must be first laid, and laid well. It must be fixed deep in repentance from the works of sin which lead unto death, and in faith through Christ towards God. The doctrine of Christian baptism, its superiority to the baptisms of the law, and even to that of John', should be well understood, together with its sacramental necessity and value to the Christian disciple, as admitting him to be a covenanted partaker in the benefits of Christ's death. The laying on, too, of hands in Confirmation is highly important in the foundation of the Christian character. Where this apostolical rite is regarded and attended to as it ought to be, there a solid basis of religion is likely to be laid at the most critical

1 Acts xix. 1-5.

period of life, and those defects supplied, under which Infant Baptism, in particular, must otherwise labour. Thus admitted by Baptism into the family of God, and enrolled at Confirmation with his own free consent in the congregation of the faithful, the Christian disciple must farther be taught to lead the rest of his life according to these beginnings; and for this purpose he must be especially grounded in the doctrines of the resurrection of the dead, and of that eternal judgment which is to follow, when he shall have to give a solemn account of his deeds upon earth, and especially of the use or abuse which he shall have made of his Christian calling.

These, though plain and simple, are necessary, fundamental truths of the Christian religion; which must indeed be primarily, but not exclusively, regarded; fixed well in our minds, but not so as to shut out all farther advancement. They are indispensable parts, but not the whole, of our piety: they constitute the foundation, but not the entire building.

It is under this impression that I have undertaken, even from the pulpit, not merely to confine myself to the preaching of the first principles of the Christian religion, but to urge your attention to those farther important and highly edifying truths, which are discussed in Scripture, and especially in the apostolic Epistles; that so we may "go on unto perfection" both of faith and practice. And this, after the example of the Apostle, we will still continue

to do, if God permit; though, I trust, without neglecting those who

And this will we do, if God permit. vi. 3.

must be considered as only babes in Christ, or omitting to feed them with food convenient for them.

F

"That we may go on," I said, "unto perfection, both of faith and practice." For consider the danger there is in not going on. It is not in human nature to stand still. We must move either forwards or backwards. We have it not at our option to remain stationary. To say nothing of improvement in piety and virtue, which ought to be in proportion to the time extended to us, and the want of which under such circumstances becomes sinful; if we neglect to go on, we shall be sure to fall back: we shall lose even the things which we have wrought';" our previous principles and habits will be impaired by neglect.

True piety goes on "from strength to strength," receives ،، grace for grace," ""forgets those things which are behind, and reaches forth unto those things that are before, pressing towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ." Thus only are we safe. Those who, instead of pressing on towards the mark, halt in the race set before them, will fail of the prize. Accordingly, in times of persecution, the negligent and luke-warm Christians are those, who have proved open apostates from the faith. And even now, when there is no temptation to open apostasy, there is still the danger of irreligion, in which spiritual indolence generally terminates. And what will then be the case with such, whether open or virtual apostates from the Gospel? Listen to the reason which the Apostle gives for urging Christians to go on unto perfection:-" For it is impossible," he says, ،، for those who were once

1 See Ezek. xviii. 24.

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. vi. 4-6.

enlightened" with the knowledge of the truth, “and have tasted of the heavenly gift" of peace which Christ bestows upon the penitent, "and who were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God," in its sacred influence upon the soul, "and the powers of a world to come'," in affecting the hopes and fears of the human heart,-if such persons shall fall away, it is impossible, the Apostle says, "to renew them again unto repentance." When mercies like these have been experienced, yet experienced in vain, what other means of salvation remain to be applied? Is not this virtually as much a rejection of Christ, the only Saviour of mankind, as if we had actually taken a part in his ignominious crucifixion? Under such circumstances, recovery is, by all ordinary rules, impossible. The Almighty may indeed save even the apostate, as he did many of those who actually crucified the Saviour; for "with God nothing is impossible." But at the best such a case is an awful one: and to the Christian minister, acting by a general commission, it may well be called "impossible" to renew such sinners to repentance, when all the ordinary powers of Christianity have already proved unavailing.

Instead of thus thwarting and rendering frustrate, to their own extreme peril, the blessed influence of the

1 The powerful doctrines " of the resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." ver. 2.

For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is

to be burned. vi. 7, 8.

Gospel, Christians should be like the fruitful earth, when it returns in plentiful crops the showers and the tillage it receives, that they may receive fresh blessing from God, to make them more fruitful still; not, like a barren soil, producing, with every advantage, only thorns and briers. For they that are such, are, as such, rejected of God, and, like the barren fig-tree, (if they become not more productive,) nigh unto cursing: whose end, in that case, is to be burned. Who can think without horror of such a close of his Christian privileges? Yet such is the penalty of unfruitfulness; that is to say, of a profession of religion, unaccompanied by a practical experience of its power. On the other hand, you have seen the blessing pronounced upon the fruitful soil, even a fresh blessing, accompanied by increasing fruitfulness and proportionate felicity.

But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation,

Whilst the Apostle addressed to the Hebrew Church his solemn warnings against an indolent, unproductive profession of religion, he could not but express a persuasion of better things. He thought of the works of Christian love and labour which they had shown, notwithstanding all their fears of persecution, in having ministered and in still ministering to the wants or consolation of their fellow Christians. He was only anxious that this spirit of benevolence should be universal and per

though we thus speak. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire