A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Hebrews · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
1. THerefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Chriſt, let us go on unto perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works; and of faith towards God, 2. Of the doctrine of baptiſms, and of laying on of hands, and of reſurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
1, 2. Therefore ſuppoſing the Principles of Chriſtian Doctrine, I now paſs over ſuch diſcourſe, and will go to lead you to ſome additional knowledge belonging to the more perfect; not now diſcourſing of theſe Principles as to men that have not received them; I mean, 1. Repentance and Converſion from a ſtate of Death, and from Infidelity, and a wicked, ungodly life. 2. A lively belief and truſt in God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. 3. The preparatory Baptiſm of John▪ and the Baptiſm of Chriſt, which conſtituteth us profeſſed Chriſtian; what profeſſion is prerequiſite in the Adult, and what Covenant it ſolemnizeth, what Duties it binds us to, and what Benefits it delivereth and ſealeth. 4. The great Gift to Chriſt's Apoſtles and Miniſters of Authoritative Impoſition of hands, by which the ſame Holy Ghoſt was given to others, and Miracles wrought for the confirmation and propagation of the Chriſtian Faith. 5. The certainty of a Reſurrection, and future Life, including the Immortality of Souls. 6. The final Judgment which will ſentence men to their everlaſting ſtate, and uſe them accordingly.
3. And this will we do, if God permit.
3. And ſo I will now paſs to ſome additional further Truths, by God's aſſiſtance.
4. For it is impoſſible for thoſe who were once enlightned, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the holy Ghoſt, 5. And have taſted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come; 6. If they ſhall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance: ſeeing they crucifie to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, & put him to an open ſhame.
4, 5, 6. I will not now go back to Preach Regeneration to you that profeſs to be already regenerate, though you are tempted to Apoſtacy: For it is impoſſible for thoſe that were illuminated to believe in Chriſt, and were baptized, and have not only heard of the ſignal Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt from Heaven, but have themſelves had an experimental taſt thereof, and been themſelves partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, as well as ſeen his miraculous Gifts in the Church, and have had an inward experimental taſt of the truth and goodneſs of the Goſpel, and the powerful preparations and hopes of the World to come; If they ſhall really loſe all this, and fall from the belief of Chriſtianity, to regenerate or renew theſe men again to ſaving Repentance, ſeeing after believing Chriſt to be the Meſſiah, they are turned to take him for a Deceiver and Blaſphemer, and conſent to the pretended Juſtneſs of his Crucifixion, and ſo expoſe him by ſlander to the ſame reproach, as his Crucifiers did.
Note 1. That the Apoſtle ſpeaketh of no other falling away, but to Infidelity, denying Jeſus to be the Chriſt. 2. That it is not Temptation to Unbelief, nor a degree of Unbelief mixt with Faith, or doubting, that he ſpeaketh of, but a forſaking and renouncing Chriſt. 3. He ſpeaketh not of the meer denyal of the Tongue in a paſſion or fear, but of the renouncing Chriſt by heart and tongue. 4. He ſpeaketh not of the act of a man in madneſs, or melancholy, who is not himſelf, but of a man's deliberate act, that hath free uſe of reaſon, 5. He ſpeaketh of no Infidels, or total Apoſtates, but thoſe that had themſelves been partakers of the ſignal Gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, and were convinced by experimental guſt of the Truth. 6. Therefore it muſt be noted, that not only truly holy perſons, but abundance (if not the greateſt part) that did but ſo believe as to imbody with the Church, had then one ſort or other of theſe miraculous, or rare Gifts for Confirmation of the Goſpel, which made Chriſt, Matth. 7. bring in the workers of iniquity as wonder-workers in his name; and Paul, Gal. 3.3, 4, 5. appealeth to the quarrelſom Galatians, which way they had the Spirit and Miracles. 7. That this muſt needs be the ſame Blaſphemy of the Holy Ghoſt, which Chriſt pronounceth unpardonable: For they who had not only ſeen the Miracles, but had the Holy Ghoſt themſelves for ſome ſuch wonders, could not doubt of the matter of fact, whether ſuch Miracles were extant or not: So that there was no poſſible way for ſuch to turn Infidels, but by believing that this Witneſs of the Spirit of Miracles, was a falſe, deceiving Teſtimony of Satan, and not God's Teſtimony: And this was the Blaſphemy againſt the Spirit, Mat. 12. 8. That it is not all that is here meant, that ſuch are not to be abſolved by the Church (which ought but to fore-judge, as God will judge, as far as they can:) But that alſo ſuch can never truly be regenerate and ſaved. 9. The reaſon is, becauſe God giveth Faith by means, and the Witneſs of the Spirits ſignal Gifts is the laſt means for proof that God will give them; and they that after receiving this, reject it by ſuch Blaſphemy, are forſaken by the Grace of the Spirit, whom they blaſphemouſly renounce. 10. Crucifying Chriſt afreſh importeth charging him to deſerve Crucifixion, as guilty of the deceit and blaſphemy for which he was crucified: So that none that believe not the Spirit's Miracles in fact, are guilty of this ſin, though they be Infidels. Some Ancients, and moſt Papiſts expound [Impoſſible] by [Difficult;] but I think ungroundedly. 11. Yea, the Jews that crucified him were not ſuch as here are deſcribed; for they had not before believed and received the Holy Ghoſt: It is the worſt reproach of Chriſt for a profeſſed Chriſtian to ſay [I did believe in him, and had the Spirit my ſelf, and ſaw and did ſignal Works or Miracles, and I found at laſt that he was but a Deceiver, and all theſe Gifts were the operations of evil Spirits.]
7, 8. 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. 8. But that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto curſing, whoſe end is to be burned.
7, 8. For as the Earth is bleſt, or juſtly praiſed, which bringeth Fruit when it is watered and manured; but that is called curſed, and bad, whoſe fruit muſt be for the fire, which bringeth forth but Thorns and Briars: So God will bleſs and reward them who fruitfully anſwer the means which he uſeth in them; but will curſe and burn thoſe who, after the greateſt means, and experimental partaking of the ſignal gifts of the Spirit, ſhall turn to reproach and blaſpheme him whom they believed in.
9. But beloved, we are perſwaded better things of you, and things that accompany ſalvation, though we thus ſpeak.
9. But though, in the dangerous times, and temptations to Apoſtacy, I think meet to tell you the dreadful caſe of ſuch, for your ſafety; do not interpret i…, as though I thought this is, or would be your caſe: We have reaſon to hope better of you, that you have the Grace which will bring you to Salvation.
10. For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have ſhewed toward his Name, in that ye have miniſtred to the ſaints, and do miniſter.
10. For God, who is our moſt righteous Governor, even in this Life diſtributeth Rewards and Penalties in Juſtice: And as, in Juſtice, he forſaketh the foreſaid Apoſtates, who ſcorn his Mercy, ſo he will reward your faithful uſe of his Grace with more Grace, and will not forſake you who have ſhewed ſo much fidelity to his Name, and charity to his Saint.
Note, That the additional Grace, which is neceſſary to Perſeverance, is given (oft) by way of Reward for former fidelity, and not meerly without ſuch reſpects.
11. And we deſire that every one of you do ſhew the ſame diligence, to the full aſſurance of hope unto the end:
11. Therefore, ſeeing this is God's ordinary way, to reward well uſed Grace with more, I deſire that you will hold on in the ſame diligence, till you reach to the Conſummation, or full Aſſurance of your hope of Perſeverance and Salvation, which every young Beginner doth not attain.
12. That ye be not ſlothful, but followers of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promiſes.
12. And that tired, weary ſluggiſhneſs make you not deſiſt, and loſe your reward; but that in unwearied diligence to the end, you follow them, who, through faith and enduring patience, have won the prize and poſſeſs the promiſed felicity.
13, 14. For when God made promiſe to Abraham, becauſe he could ſwear by no greater, he ſware by himſelf, Saying, Surely, bleſſing I will bleſs thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. 15. And ſo after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promiſe.
13, 14, 15. So God, who ſware by himſelf to Abraham (having no greater to ſwear by) confirmed his Promiſes of the Multiplication of his Seed, which yet Abraham lived not to ſee fulfilled; but he patiently waited and dyed in faith, and all the Promiſes were fulfilled in due time.
16. For men verily ſwear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all ſtrife.
16. For men uſe, by Oath, to appeal to him that can diſcern and revenge Perfidiouſneſs; and when other Evidences fail, they end their Strifes by the Confirmation of an Oath.
17. Wherein God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heirs of promiſe the imm…tability of his counſel, confirmed it by an oath:
17. And God knowing our weakneſs of faith, to confirm the Faithful, who are the Heirs of his promiſed Happineſs, of the truth and immutability of his Decrees, confirmed his Word to us by his Oath, that we might be put quite out of doubt.
18. That by two immutable things, in which it was impoſſible for God to lie, we might have a ſtrong conſolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope ſet before us.
18. That ſo, by his Word and his Oath, which are both immutable, and therefore infallible Security, ſeeing it is impoſſible for God to lie, we who are fled for refuge from guilt, and ſin, and danger, and miſery, to lay hold on the propoſed hope of Everlaſting Life, might have well grounded and ſtrong Conſolation, and not be ſhaken by any doubts of the Fidelity or Promiſes of God.
Note, God would have us to have ſtrong Conſolation in our Faith and Hope.
19. Which hope we have as an anchor of the ſoul, both ſure and ſtedfaſt, and which entereth into that within the vail.
19. Though the things of this Life are much uncertain, this Hope, which is our Support and Comfort, is founded on firm and ſtedfaſt Security; and is fetch't, by faith, from the moſt holy and inviſible things, which the Vail of Mortality yet hideth from our ſight.
20. Whither the fore-runner is for us entered, even Jeſus made an high prieſt for ever after the order of Melchiſedec.
20. Into which inviſible, heavenly Glory Chriſt is entred, not only for himſelf, and his own Conſummation, but as a Fore-runnner for us, to intercede, and prepare felicity for us, and from his fulneſs of Power, to ſend down his Spirit, and conſummate all that concerneth our Salvation, as a Royal Prieſt, typified by Melchiſedec.