320 TABULAR RECORD OF MORTALITY. and had the Isle of Ely settled on her as a dower. Her husband died in about three years, and she becoming possessed of the whole of this property, and wishing to give herself up entirely to the exercise of devotion, retired into the Isle of Ely. "The place she had chosen seemed very proper for her purpose; for, as an island, it was separated as it were from the rest of the world; and the deepness of the waters, and extensiveness of the fens, which encompassed it, rendered it very difficult of access; so that nature seemed to have formed it for solitude and contemplation." But Etheldreda was not doomed to live for a long time in this recluse state: another husband was in reserve for her, and, however unwilling she might be to enter again into connubial bonds, she was, after much persuasion from King Ethelwolf, married to Prince Egfrid, at York, with great pomp and solemnity. Egfrid was not more than fifteen or sixteen years old. In the year 670, Oswy, the father of this young man, died, and Etheldreda was now Queen of the greatest of the Saxon Kings. Her exalted station, however, made no change in her sentiments, and she solicited permission from her husband to retire into a monastery; who, wearied with her importunities, at last granted her request, and she accordingly took the veil at Coldingham Abbey, in Yorkshire, over which Ebba, the King's aunt, then presided. After some time, Egfrid was advised to take his wife by force from this retirement; but the Queen, being informed of it, fled into the Isle of Ely, where, in the year 673, she founded the conventual church of Ely, with the adjoining convent. Of this monastery she was constituted Abbess, the Monks and Nuns living in society and regular order. It flourished for nearly two hundred years, but was destroyed, with its inhabitants, by the Danes, in 870. In Bentham's "History of Ely," (4to., London, 1771, pp. 46-59,) from which the above narrative has been collected, there are three curious plates relative to St. Etheldreda. The first is the effigies of the saint, in which she is portrayed with a pastoral staff in one hand, and is looking earnestly on a book which lies open in the other. The second represents her marriage with Egfrid, and the ceremony of her taking the veil. The third contains the history of some miraculous events which happened to Etheldreda in her travels from York to Ely; particularly the budding of her pilgrim's staff, which she had fixed in the ground while she slept. TABULAR RECORD OF MORTALITY. "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord." THE CHRISTIAN MISCELLANY, AND FAMILY VISITER. NOVEMBER, 1846. THE CASE OF THE APOSTATES MENTIONED IN THE IN one of his Epistles to the Corinthians, the Apostle writes: "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." And though precisely the same words do not occur in the Epistle to the Hebrews, the impressive sentiment is repeated again and again. Indeed one principal object of the Epistle is, to guard the Hebrew Christians against that fearful sin;-to deter them from apostacy. But how does the Apostle seek to accomplish so desirable an end? Is it possible, or is it not possible, for a believer to fall from grace and perish everlastingly? is, without doubt, an interesting question; but it is a question which the Apostle does not argue. To argue such a question, in the abstract, is plainly no part of his design. In fact, some had already "fallen away;" and by their apostacy they had crucified the Son of God afresh, "putting him to an open shame." Not only had they made shipwreck of faith: that wreck was total and irreparable. This mournful fact the Apostle employs as a deterring example to others; evincing thereby, that it is indeed "a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." The case of these apostates is, on many accounts, entitled to a careful and devout consideration; and the design of this paper is to bring the most important features of the subject under the notice of pious and intelligent readers. The first particular to which we call attention is the fact That the condition into which these apostates had fallen was one of UNPARDONABLE guilt and HOPELESS misery. This will not be denied; and therefore it needs not to be largely insisted upon. All doubt on this particular would seem to be excluded by the following considerations. "It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance." It is indeed contended by some, that the word may signify, not "absolute impossibility," but a something so very difficult as to approach to impossibility. To say the least, however, the difficulties attending this qualified sense of the word are such, that nothing but a real impossibility of explaining the passage without it can render it tolerable. The same word occurs in the following, but in no other instance in our Epistle: "By two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie.-For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.-Without faith it is impossible to please God." So far, therefore, as the usage of this Epistle is concerned, the word denotes 322 THE CASE OF THE APOSTATES what is simply impossible. Again: "There remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking-for of judgment and fiery indignation." Again, the apostates are said to "draw back unto perdition." And in another place (vi. 8) they are plainly represented as being "rejected, nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." Looking, therefore, at the whole case as it is stated and represented in the inspired record, we must conclude it to be one of guilt for which no remedy existed, of misery to which no hope remained. The next topic to which we shall advert is— THE STATE FROM WHICH these apostates fell away. To bring this part of the subject at once into view we quote the following at large: "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, and have fallen away, to renew them again unto repentance." (Heb. vi. 4—6.) * Had not this scripture been directly opposed to certain views conscientiously entertained by some truly pious and very estimable men, relative to the final perseverance of the saints, we can scarcely doubt but the fact would have been at once admitted that, taken altogether, these words describe a state of saving grace and true evangelical holiness. In this light we, of course, regard them. In the same light we also regard ch, x. 26 of this Epistle: "We have received the knowledge of the truth." In confirmation of these views we now proceed to offer a few remarks. These unhappy apostates "were once enlightened." A mode of expression which clearly denotes their saving conversion to the faith of Christ; their being brought to a vital and experimental "knowledge of the truth" as it is in Jesus. Precisely the same expression occurs Heb. x. 32, "After ye were illuminated." And from the context it is manifest that the change denoted by this expression was one which placed the subject of it in a state of spiritual life, and hope, and blessedness. Being thus "illuminated," they courageously "endured a great fight of afflictions;" and they "took joyfully the spoiling" of their earthly "goods," knowing in themselves, that they had "in heaven a better and an enduring substance." Now, without all controversy, "here is the patience of the saints; here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Here, without question, is that faith which is "of the operation of God;" that divine assurance, that holy joy, that blessed hope, which can exist only in a state of grace and acceptance with God. And yet the entire change by which they had thus "passed from death unto life," is denoted by this single expression, "Ye were enlightened."† They have "tasted of the heavenly gift." We know, indeed, that "every * So this clause is rendered by Macknight, Stuart, Bloomfield, Wesley, and translators generally. The English version has it, "If they shall fall away." But even Calvinistic interpreters admit that this cannot be defended. In fact, the "if" is a mere interpolation: it has no place in the inspired original. The above are the only instances in which the verb pwriw occurs in this Epistle; and the sense appears to be the same in both. With regard to the former, Calvinistic commentators generally take the word in an unnatural or unmeaning sense; but in the latter instance they sometimes give it the more obvious sense which we have assigned to it. Poole's "Annotations" may be taken as a sample of both. On chap. vi. 4, we have a most unsatisfactory representation, the purport of which amounts to this: "The persons intended are such as have been brought out of the darkness of Judaism, see with a new light spiritual things, and have the mind raised up to such objects as they knew not before; but they have no new eyes or understanding given them, and so are but as devils like angels of light!" But on chap. x. 32, the annotators explain the word "enlightened," to mean: "They were convinced of the truth of the Gospel, and received it in the love of it, and testified the truth of their being Christ's, by their suffering for him," &c. MENTIONED IN THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 323 good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." But here the phrase is definite and emphatic, "The heavenly gift." That is, God's best and greatest gift to dying man,- "eternal life by Jesus Christ;" pardon, and grace, and holiness. "The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ;" and "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life." (John iii. 36.) Not yet in the full fruition of its blessedness; but he has "tasted of the heavenly gift." To taste that gift can mean no less than to know it truly and experimentally. Thus Jesus is said to "taste death." Thus the Psalmist would have us to "taste and see that the Lord is good." And to have "tasted that the Lord is gracious" is a spiritual mark of "being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible." They have been "made partakers of the Holy Ghost." Doubtless as the great principle of spiritual life, and power, and blessedness. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." But thus to be made " partakers of the Holy Ghost," is to possess the character and enjoy the privileges. of them that believe; for we 66 receive the promise of the Spirit through faith;" and "the Spirit giveth life." دو They have "tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. This page will be perused by some to whom "the word of God" has often been "quick and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword; " "sweeter than honey and the honeycomb." You have felt its power both to kill and to make alive; to wound and heal; to fill with "godly sorrow," and to turn that sorrow into joy. The testimony of your own experience directly harmonized with the words of the Psalmist: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart." And from what you there enjoyed and felt, you may conclude with safety what the Apostle means when, speaking of these now fallen souls, he says, "They have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come." But this can be affirmed only of them that have "through grace believed." "It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." It is farther manifest that these apostates had been the subjects of "repentance unto life." One dreadful feature of their present condition is, that "it is impossible to renew them again unto repentance." Not simply to bring them to repentance, but "to renew them again unto repentance." Such is the obvious meaning of the Apostle's words. He plainly looked upon their former repentance as a state to which it would be a signal mercy if they could be agail renewed. But this, alas! had now become "impossible." Upon the whole, the expressions here employed are so decisive, so strong and clear, as fully to justify Mr. Wesley's conclusion; namely, "that they cannot, without gross and palpable wresting, be understood of any but true believers." Upon every fair and natural principle of interpretation, this conclusion is inevitable. The state from which these persons fell away was not a state of mere profession, but one of true and saving grace; and for anything that appears to the contrary, as high a state of salvation as any to which believers generally have attained. Having thus far endeavoured to ascertain the present and the former state of the apostates, we purpose, in the next place, to consider The CHARACTER of their apostacy. Every attentive reader of the Epistle to the Hebrews must perceive that the apostacy under consideration was of a very decided and even of a flagrant character. This circumstance must not be overlooked. There is such a thing as partial and even concealed apostacy: there are such characters as backsliders " in heart." Nor do we deny that such a state involves a serious amount both of condemnation and of peril. But the case contemplated by the Apostle is 324 THE CASE OF THE APOSTATES one of much more flagrant criminality. These men had openly "denied the faith: " they had openly denied "the Lord that bought them." Hence the apostate is supposed to "sin wilfully,-to crucify the Son of God afresh,-to count the blood of the covenant an unholy thing,-to do despite unto the Spirit of grace,—and to forsake the assemblies of the Christian church." The particular force of some of these expressions will be considered presently. All that we infer from them at present is, that the apostacy was of a decided, open, flagrant character. Nor let us here forget the melancholy fact that, even in the present day, some of the most bitter invectives and the most shocking blasphemies that have ever been uttered against religion and against God, have proceeded from the lips of men who were once enlightened:" men who professed the religion of Jesus, and who (their own conscience still being witness) enjoyed the salvation of the Gospel. So that, dreadful as the thought really is, it can by no means be deemed "a thing incredible," that persons whose previous state was such as we have before described, should "fall away," and even sink into the lowest depths of enmity to Christ. But facts of this description go far to establish the conclusion that, in such a case, the apostate still "feels the power of the truth which he has abnegated, and can save himself from it only by a war of annihilation, in which he is driven forward to the abyss we have described." But, 66 Secondly, This apostacy was attended with, and characterized by, peculiar aggravations. This point deserves our most particular attention. How far it may be possible clearly to ascertain the precise character of these peculiar aggravations, is a question; but of their existence no doubt can well be entertained. Doubtless, there is much in the case before us that is of common concernment; much that is fitted to warn "every man." But there are also some things peculiar to the time at which the Apostle wrote, and to the parties then more immediately concerned. And cases do but seldom occur in which it is of greater consequence, rightly to divide "the word of truth." To proceed. These peculiar aggravations we look upon as giving the case before us that terrible specialty, that specific criminalness, which rendered it an inexpiable and unpardonable offence; a sin not to be purged "with sacrifice and offering for ever," and which could find no forgiveness, "neither in this world, neither in the world to come." These fearful aggravations of a fearful crime are thus set forth; and we quote the several passages together that this part of the subject also may be at once brought fully into view. "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?" (Heb. ii. 3, 4.) "They crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." (Heb. vi. 6.) "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins." (Heb. x. 26.) "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Heb. x. 28, 29.) In the conduct thus described, we cannot fail to distinguish the following characters of aggravated guilt. 1. A grievous wilfulness. In one sense, every man that sins, sins "wilfully." Man neither sins nor perishes of necessity, or by constraint. But surely it is not every wilful sin, committed even after conversion to God, that will bring a man into this fearful state. When the Apostle says, "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more |