notwithstanding this, they were capable of total and final apostasy. However, Sir, there is one circumstance which in all likelihood you will deem a peculiarity, if not an excellency that as my business lies solely in the epistle to the Hebrews, I have confined myself very closely unto it. For, first, though there are a great number of propositions most fully demonstrated, there is not so much as a single demonstration brought out of any other part of the Bible. Nor, secondly, is any other part thereof made use of above twice or thrice, either in introducing, illustrating, or amplifying any one point in the whole tract; except when I have been obliged to turn to the Old-Testament, in explaining a few passages which the apostle has quoted from thence. Thus, Sir, I have given you a full account of this small affair-But before I conclude, I must; intreat you not to expect any thing great or excellent on the occasion. No, Sir, I do not, I dare not make any pretence to deep learning, or great abilities. For the very utmost I pretend to, is, a small degree of zeal; employing a little common sense; which call to their aid a few shreds of learning; to assist truth to stand its ground against most dreadful and dangerous error. That you may yet continue here, as a star of the first magnitude, in the right hand of Him who walketh in the midst of the golden candlesticks, and be as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever, is, Reverend Sir, the prayer of Your dutiful son and servant, THOMAS OLIVERS, A FULL REFUTATION, &c. HEBREWS 11. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation? SALVATION-the neglect of it-the consequence of that neglect—and the impossibility of escaping that consequence, are the awful particulars contained in this passage. It is therefore of deep and universal importance that this subject be well understood, by all who profess the name of Christ. But is this the case? Do all who profess his name, understand it in any tolerable degree? Do they know what the apostle means by Salvation? and what by neglecting it?. I am confident they do not and I greatly fear that this is the case, not of professors only; but even of some who are Teachers of our holy religion. The common way of explaining these words is, to represent this great Salvation as signifying actual deliverance from sin and hell; that to neglect it signifies, not to seek and embrace it; and that this is done, only by careless, impenitent unbelievers: all which is as contrary to the intent of the apostle, and the scope of the whole epistle, as light is to darkness, or as Heaven is to Hell. One reason why many mistake the true meaning of particular passages of Scripture, is, they adopt systems which are incompatible with Truth; and to prevent their giving up a favourite hypothesis, find themselves under the necessity of inventing such interpretations as will agree with their own schemes; which is the case in the passage now under consideration by which means the lovely face of Truth is quite concealed, and error in a thousand forms, appears in its stead. Some also, who maintain the Truth in general fall into great mistakes on particular passages, for want of con sidering the text in close connexion with its context. This is certainly necessary in order to a right understanding of any passage; but more especially if the terms, on which the greatest stress is laid, are equivocal or ambiguous. Now this is the case in the passage before us. The terms Salvation, and Neglect are equivocal; and therefore their meaning can only be ascertained by a strict attention to the connexion of the place, and the scope of the whole epistle. This, therefore, I shall be careful to do to consider the words, only as a link of that chain of which the whole epistle consists. In doing which I shall attend to the OCCASION and DESIGN of the epistle, and, as far as I shall judge it necessary, to the apostle's manner of reasoning therein. By these means I shall be able to shew, I. What we are to understand by so GREAT SALVATION. II. What by NEGLECTING it. And, |