HEB. 6. 9.
THe Text hath an adversative respect to the verses precedent, as the first word (But) plainly denoteth: For it is put in by way of mollifying and softening, after those severe and terrible expressions the Apostle had used before. At the 4. verse there is an Hypothetical Proposition, containing Beneficium Dei, The goodness and mercy of God: and Maleficium hominis, The ingratitude of man, with the sentence or judgement upon him. I shall not now speak to that controversal matter, which is usually debated by the learned upon these words: you may briefly observe the mercies of God bestowed upon this supposed Apostate reduced to two heads
First, That which concerneth his intellectuals, in that expression, Enlightened.
Secondly, Those that relate to his Affectionate part: and herein are most particulars, viz. tasting of the heavenly Gift, partakers of the Holy Ghost, tasting of the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. These things (God willing) shall be more distinctly handled when we shall discourse of the Grace of Conversion, and the counterfeit of it, (and then we shall vindicate the Orthodox interpretation from all corrupt oppositions) In the Second place, you have the Ingratitude, or wickedness of the man abusing these mercies, and that is, […], which may be proved of an universal Apostacy, not a fall in some particular gross sin, Toti, in totum, de toto, as Junius: which mistake made the Novatians deny any Church-reconciliation to lapsed sinners, and which made the Roman Church delay the receiving of this Epistle into the number of Canonical. In the Third place, there is the heavie doom of such, It is impossible to renew them again, […], the word is in the Active sense, and signifieth there are no Teachers, no Doctors, no Ministry, no Sermons can ever instrumentaly reduce them to godliness: and the Apostle saith, it is impossible, not absolutely to God, nor in that sense, as it is impossible for every man by nature of himself to recover out of his sins, seeing that it is common to every natural man: but here he speaketh of a special impossibility. Therefore its impossible from a special decree of God, whereby he doth threaten to such abusers, and contemners of his Grace and mercy, a total substraction of all his favours, and goodness from them: even as a branch once grafted in, and afterwards disjointed is hardly capable of a second coalition. Now this the Apostle
-
Aggravateth from the cause, because they crucifie the Sonne of God afresh, viz. as much as lyeth in them: if they be restored, there must be a new Christ, or a new oblation of Christ, Those that fall in Adam Christ repaireth, but if a man fall off from Christ, and reject him, there is no further remedy appointed by God, but such are in as hopelesse a condition as the Apostate Angels.
-
He illustrateth by the earth, drinking in rain, yet bringing forth thistles, which is near to cursing. Now having thus wounded them, and powred salt in their wounds, at last he powreth oyl to supple them, telling them that he doth not think they are these Apostates, partly because his judgement is they have better things then these, partly because God is just and faithfull, and will therefore perfect the good work begun in them: My Text is the first mollifying expression, wherein you have,
-
The Apostle his charitable judgement expressed by […], which according to the subject matter is sometimes to be understood of such a divine faith and hope that cannot be deceived, sometimes of such a certainty as we have by charitable construction and morall prudence, and in this sense it is taken here.
-
There is the object of this charitable judgement, better things, that is, better things then those fore-mentioned benefits (though seemingly very glorious) which hypocrites may have, and at last fall away; better then to be meerly inlightned, better then to have a taste only, and some sweet affections in holy things, and for better explication sake, he addeth, and things that accompany salvation, […], harentia saluti, saith Austin, that cleave to salvation, that cannot be disjoyned from it: such things as whosoever hath, cannot but be saved; implying that those1 benefits though they were good things and gifts of Gods Spirit, yet were not necessarily accompanying salvation.
That although affections and sweet motions of heart in holy things are much relyed upon as evidences of grace and salvation, yet they are not indeed any true signs or infallible testimonies.
This Point needeth a powerfull and a wary discovery: Therefore for explication sake, let us consider what religious affections and motions the Scripture declareth to be in some, who yet are not truly regenerated. The known and famous instance is Mat. 13. 20. where the third kinde of hearers is said to receive the word with joy. This is tasting the good Word of God, finding some sweetnesse and power in the Ordinances, yet that this hearer was not hereby regenerate is plain, partly because he is said to have no root, partly because he is opposed to the good ground, that is, the good and honest heart (what is said by Arminians to these things, hereafter shall be discussed) so Joh. 5. 35. you have a plain instance of some that had light and heat in them, yet not godly. Ye did for a season rejoyce in Johns light and Ministery, so that men who shall at last be thrown in utter darknesse, may yet for a while rejoyce in the light of Gods word: Thus Herod putteth it also out of all question, Mar. 6. 20. for he heard John gladly, and the motive was religion, for it’s said he feared or reverenced him, because he was a just man. I look upon this point as fundamentall in practice; and which if true, may strike like an arrow into our hearts, and therefore have brought undeniable places of Scripture to assert this truth; Affections in holy administrations with delight and joy, may be in those who yet have no true grace: I will instance only in another affection, and that is sorrow and grief about sinne, even this may be in a man unseasoned with grace, Mat. 27. 3. it is expresly said of Judas, he repented himself and confessed I have sinned in betraying the innocent bloud, […], the word is properly used of that sorow, grief and care, which is in the affectionate part of a man: Ahabs humiliation, 1 King. 21. is so great, that God taketh notice of it; Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself? The Israelites how often were they in their humiliations and mournings for sin? though these laud flouds were dried up again, insomuch that Gregory did well compare them to the grashoppers which make sudden leaps from the earth, as if they would fly to heaven, but presently fall down upon the ground again. Take one place for many, Psal. 78. 34. They sought him and they teturned, and they enquired early after God: Great expressions! Do you not think God like that Father in the Parable will presently kisse them, put robes upon them, prepare a fatted calf for them? No, vers. 36. marreth all. Neverthelesse their hearts were not stedfast within him. Now it’s remarkable, as the Scripture cals these actions, repentance, humiliation, returning and seeking after God, giving the name of grace to them, because they have the outward lineaments of grace, so also the Scripture attributeth pardon of sin and forgivenesse unto them, vers. 38. he being full of compassion forgave their iniquities, Numb. 14. 20. God upon Moses his praier, saith he had pardoued their iniquity: now this cannot be a true and proper pardon of sin. for Heb. 3. it is plain, All these perished because of their unbelief. Therefore when the Scripture saith, that upon such humiliation and repentance God doth pardon sin, especially speaking of an whole body of people, it’s to be understood in a particular sense thus, for not punishing them at that time, but either quite taking away, or at least differring the temporall affliction, but is still abiding them, for no unconverted man, truly and properly ever hath any sin pardoned him: so that as to a godly man repenting, God taketh away eternall punishment, but lets a temporall chastisement sometime abide, so to the unconverted repenting, God doth sometimes take away the temporall, but causeth the eternall punishment to continue. By all this you see the Scripture speaking of some, as rejoycing in that which is good, and mourning for that which is evill, whereupon their sins are said to be forgiven, that yet all this while are men whose hearts are not right within them: and this is no wonder, seeing they are said to beleeve, Mat. 12. they beleeve for a season, yea, Joh. 2. 23. unconverted men are said […], to beleeve in the name (which some make the highest expression of beleeving) now according to the collustration of their understandings by faith, suteable are the motions of their affections in their heart. As they beleeve, so they rejoyce, mourn, desire, and delight in things believed.