Of Sins of Weakness, Explication – Title page 2
A PARAPHRASTICALL EXPLICATION OF Heb. 6.
FOR this cauſe (or becauſe it is an evidence of v. 1. foreign.children and babes to be alwaies fed with milke, ſtill taught nothing but the elements of the beginning of the Oracles of God, …. 5. 12. and to know nothing of that higher doctrine of righteouſneſſe, i. e. of our juſtification and ſanctification, v. 13. foreign,which depends extreamely on the doctrine of Chriſt's Melchizedekian Prieſthood, v. 10. to which being conſecrated, v. 9. he [became the author of eternall ſalvation to all thoſe that obey him,] which words are the compendium of the Doctrine of our Juſtification annd ſanctification.) Let us proceede to this higher and more perfect doctrine, or ſuch as is foreign.proportionable to an upper forme of Chriſtians, leaving or paſſing over theſe doctrines that Chriſt began with, (ſuch was that of repentance and faith, Mark. 1. 15. the firſt words of his preaching) and not beginning at the very elements of Chriſtianity, againe, thoſe fundamentall docttrines that the raweſt Chriſtians are taught; as by name thoſe, Firſt, of repentance and turning from our unregenerate workes. Secondly, of Faith or beleefe on God. Thirdly, foreignof baptizing, as that containes both the baptiſme of Repentance and of Faith precedent, both John's baptiſme, the baptiſme of repentance, and Chriſt's baptiſme adminiſtred by the Apoſtles, the baptiſme of Faith in the foreignFather, Son, and Holy Ghoſt. Fourthly, of laying on of hands, whether that which is anſwerable to our Confirmation, oft mentioned of thoſe that had beene baptized, or that in Abſolution, or a third, that on the diſeaſed, the ceremony of curing them, (of which there is ſo frequent mention in the Goſpells, Matth. 9. 18. and 19. 13. Mark. 5. 23. and 6. 5. and 7. 32. and 8. 23, 25. and 16. 18. Luk 4. 40. and 13. 13. and many times in the Acts in the deſcription of miraculous cures.) Fiftly, of the reſurrection of the dead. Sixthly, of eternall judgement or foreign, foreign 3. foreign.adjudging of men to eternall life and eternall death. And by the help of God, this we purpoſe to doe, i. e. to proceed to thoſe ſublimer doctrines of Chriſt's Melchiſedekian Prieſthood, fore-mentioned, c. 5. and reſumed v. 20. of this Chapter. OnelyOnly for thoſe that are ſuch non-proficients in Chriſtianity, that after ſo long profeſſion of that doctrine need ſtill to be taught the principles againe, even that of repentance from dead workes, being themſelves turned backe or in danger ſo to turn to their former Vn-chriſtian unregenerate courſes, let them know this important truth, for which I cannot but goe out of my way a little, and tell them in a parentheſis; That it is impoſſible, that thoſe who have bin once regenerated (for this is the reſult of that which is 4. foreign,expreſſed by many phraſes) that have once been baptized or enlightened, the word ſignifies both, becauſe adulti were not baptized, till they had beene catechiſed, and ſufficiently inſtructed in the faith. 2. That have had a guſt or taſt of the celeſtiall gift, whether foreign,of Chriſt, that Tit. 2. is called foreign, ſalvificall ſaving grace, or whether the grace of Chriſt. 3. That have beene partakers of the Holy Ghoſt, of foreign,thoſe gifts and graces which that worketh in the heart by the preaching of the word, or inviſible overſhadowing. 4. That have had a guſt of the good word, or Goſpell (foreign, being all one) of 5. foreign,Chriſt, and of the powers whether of the Kingdome of grace, the ſtate of Chriſtianity, (for that is cal'd foreign, the age to come, by the LXXII. Iſ. 9. 6. where it is ſet, as the title of Chriſt, that he is foreign, foreign.the father of the age to come, as oppoſite to that Judaicall State) or whether of the Kingdome of heaven,) and fall from that ſtate of regeneration, and thoſe 6. foreignpriviledges of Gods Spirit that attend it, (for the foreign is of equall latitude with all the former particulars, and is the falling from, or forfeiting of them all) ſhould renew, or recover in an intranſitive foreignſenſe, or in an active reciprocall, renew or recover themſelves to repentance, (or once more being applyed to Saint Paul's diſcourſe of repentance, that Saint Paul's foreignpreaching (taken by it ſelfe without ſuperordinary meaſure of grace, ſhould renew ſuch in a plaine active ſenſe) being by ſuch ſinnes of theirs guilty of a kind of recrucifying of Chriſt, and putting him to a ſhamefull foreign.death; for Chriſt who was once crucifyed and ſlaine, is as it were revived in the regenerate Chriſtian's heart, lives and rules and reignes in him by faith, and when that man falls to his old unregenerate courſe againe, he crucifyes Chriſt anew, and puts him to a contumelious death.
The cleare underſtanding of theſe 3 verſes 4, 5, 6. depends upon theſe 6 Goſpell-truths put together. Firſt, that without God's Spirit or ſpecial grace no man can convert, repent, renew himſelfe, much leſſe recover after a defection. Secondly, that by this grace and ſtrength of God, man may convert and repent, and being a regenerate convert, do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthens him, worke out his owne ſalvation, and when he falls, if God do not with-draw that grace, according to the words of our article, he may by the grace of God riſe againe. Thirdly, that if in caſe of fall God doth ſo with-draw his grace, then the man cannot ſo renew himſelfe, or recover to repentance, nor can the ordinary power of the miniſtery worke upon him. Fourthly, that God hath in the Goſpell threatned upon our not making uſe of this grace, to with-draw it or take it away from us, as appeares by the parable of the talents, where 'tis ſaid, [To him that hath, ſhall be given, and from him that hath not, ſhall be taken away even that which he hath] i. e. To him that makes uſe of the grace given him, to the end for which 'twas given, the reſiſting of ſinnes, denying of luſts, and living ſoberly, and juſtly, and godly in this preſent world, Tit. 2. 12. to him ſhall more grace be given; but from him that makes not this uſe of it, (is an unprofitable ſteward of grace, hath duplicate page duplicate page grace, but doth not thus reſiſt ſinnes by the helpe of it, from him) ſhall be taken away even that which he hath. Fiftly, that God doth not upon every ſinne committed by a regenerate …, no not upon every ſinne committed againſt knowledge, againſt grace (if it be but ſome ſingle act) preſently with-draw his grace, for this ſinne may be preſently retracted by repentance, not indulged or ſtaid in, and then to ſuch humble ſinners God gives grace doth not take it away from them. The caſe that ſuch acts of ſinne bring regenerate men to, hath from the Scripture beene explained in another diſcourſe, which I deſire may be there conſidered, Of Conſcien p. 34.and not repeated here. And though it be a ſad one, even God's delivering up to Satan, yet doth not that inferre the with-drawing of his Grace, or forſaking, but rather the giving or continuing ſufficient grace, 2 Cor. 12. 9. paſſage out, and power of bearing it, 1 Cor. 10. 13. But then ſixthly, that upon the regenerate man's walking after the fleſh, relapſing into the ſinnes of his former unregenerate life, like a dogge to the vomit, &c. or into a new ſet of other ſinnes, ſpirituall pride, faction (able to denominate a man carnall, 1 Cor. 3. 3.) and the like filthineſſe of the ſpirit, then doth God with-draw his ſpirit from that man, and therefore ſuch ſinnes as theſe are called peccata vaſtantia conſcientiam, & triſtantia ſpiritum, grieving and quenching of the ſpirit of God; which though it ſtrives with ſinners, yet ſhall it not alwaies ſtrive, Gen. 6. 3. when unrighteouſneſſe commeth in, i. c. any old or new vicious habit, then the holy ſpirit of diſcipline will not abide, Wiſd. 1. 5. And therefore tis ſaid, 2 Pet. … ▪ 21. That they that after they have knowne, turne from the holy Commandement, or the way of righteouſneſſe, and are againe entangled in the pollutions of the world, which they had once eſcaped, v. 20. fall into a worſe eſtate then they were in before their regeneration; which muſt needs be by the totall with-drawing of grace from them. To which purpoſe is that of Saint James out of Solomon, that God reſiſteth the proud, where reſiſting is oppoſed to giving of grace, and ſo notes taking it away, and the proud oppoſed to the humble, are the proud impenitent obdurate ſinners, or they that go on in any impenitent courſe againſt knowledg or conſcience. All which being premiſed, 'tis cleare that they that are thus fallen from a regenerate ſtate to their old foreignunregenerate courſe of ſinne, &c. and ſo by Gods juſt puniſhment deprived of his grace, without which they were able to doe nothing, are not now poſſibly able to recover or renew themſelves to repentance. As they that are only ſlipt or fallen, but not layne downe in their mire of ſinne, might by the grace which they yet have, and by the preaching of the word, be able to doe.
That this is the meaning of the place, may yet farther appeare by the ſimilitude following, v. 7, 8. brought on purpoſe to explaine it. For the ground that hath the benefit of the raine to 7. foreignmoiſten its naturall drineſſe, and ſo to make it able to beare fruit, and that hath ſuck't in that raine, and been actually moiſtned by it, (which is the lively expreſſion of the premiſed regenerate man) if it doe bring forth fruit to the husbandman, performe that which it is enabled foreign.(and is expected from it) to performe, (which is an expreſſion of him that makes good uſe of grace, lives like a regenerate man, this [he that hath] in the parable of the talent) it ſhall receive bleſſing from God (the more grace in the parable.) But that ſame moiſtned and manured ground (the ſame regenerate man) which bringeth forth nothing but thornes and briars, (the ſervant that proves evill and faithleſſe, that makes not 8. foreign,uſe of grace to its due end of reſiſting luſts, and overcomming the world, but falls into his unregenerate ſins, lives as if no culture had beene beſtowed upon him) is rejected, (deprived of that reward which tother foreign.had) for ſo foreign, an agoniſticall word, ſignifies generally in this booke, as 1 Cor. 9. 27. one that miſſes the prize, the reward) the bleſſing of more foreign.grace: And contrarywiſe is nigh to curſing, that puniſhment of withdrawing of grace due to it, and the end of it is to be burnt, or to burning, which whether it be ſet to note eternall perdition, or elſe an extraordinary kinde of husbandry, which we call Devonſhireing, cutting off the turfe and burning it upon the ground, to make that beare which ordinary culture would doe no good on, I ſhall not define. OnelyOnly from that latter interpretation, which I ſuppoſe will be rejected, I ſhall take the hint to ſay that which though the interpretation be not admitted, will yet be without contradiction true, that how impoſſible ſo ever it be for ſuch an one to recover himſelfe, or for the ordinary meanes to worke upon him, yet 'tis ſtill poſsible, that God may by ſome extraordinary meanes of ſpirituall husbandry recover and reduce that man. All that is here affirmed is onelyonly this, that there is no promiſe that he will, and the thing is onelyonly in the hands, the free hands of God, not ſo much as conſtrained by a promiſe, and ſo no ground either of depending upon it for my ſelfe that God will doe it for me, or prejudging others that for them he will not doe it.
I can foreſee but one objection now producible againſt the probability of this interpretation, and it is this, that this impoſſibility of doing any good by our owne naturall ſtrength without Grace is ſo univerſall a truth, that it cannot be here appropriated to this one caſe of apoſtaſie or recidivation of the regenerate. For the regenerate, remaining ſo, can doe no good thing without it, and thoſe that are not yet regenerate are as unable to convert themſelves, as theſe are to recover or renew. To which though I might anſwer, that the inſtancing in this particular, is moſt (and only) proper to the Apoſtles preſent purpoſe, who ſpeakes to converts, who were either thus fallen or in danger thus to fall, (and therefore though the Aphoriſme might be extended to thoſe others, yet we have no reaſon to expect, that the Apoſtle ſhould ſo farre recede from his buſineſſe in hand as to doe it, and ſo the objection will be of no force) yet will the anſwer be more cleare and ſatisfactory, if I adde, that indeed that which is here ſaid, is proper onelyonly to this kind of ſinners, the relapſt regenerate. For of the regenerate not ſo falne, it is moſt certaine and agreeable to Scripture-doctrine to affirme, that by the ſpirit of Chriſt he can do all things, that he hath ſufficient grace, and by that ſufficient ſtrength to doe what God in the Goſpell requires of him, and therefore 'tis affirmed of him, i. e. his perſon thus enabled, that he is thus able; and conſequently he is every where exhorted to doe accordingly, to worke out his ſalvation, to ſtand, to quit himſelfe like a man, to purifie himſelfe, and a hundred the like, which (every one) ſuppoſe him to have grace by which to doe it.
And for the unregenerate, though indeed he having no grace, can as yet doe nothing, yet ſome promiſes there are in the new Covenant of giving of grace to him, (mention of giving Chriſt for every man, (that Chriſt being the foreign, the ſalvificall grace that appeares to all, teaching them, &c.) and in Chriſt ſtriking a Covenant with thoſe to whom he is given, and part of the effect of that Covenant, foreign, to give ſtrength to ſerve him, and againe mention of the talents diſpens'd among the ſervants, to all ſome, and upon the good uſe of the leaſt more beſtowed. From whence ſure it may be concluded, that 'tis by ſome default of our owne, whoſoever have not ſufficient grace given us, eſpecially the promiſe being ſo punctuall, that God will give the Holy Spirit to them that aske him of God by importunate unwearied prayer.) Whereas in caſe of the fore-mentioned relapſe, there is no ſuch promiſe of Grace, to give us ſuch a claime to it, nor conſequently the ſame degree of poſſibility to renew, that the other hath to convert, God's promiſe of giving grace to them, which doe not reſiſt it, adding much to that poſſibility; and his no promiſe to the other, being ſufficient proofe of the impoſsibility of the other, according to the importance of Aquinas his note out of Ariſtotle, l. 3. Eth. that thoſe things are ſaid to be poſſible to us which we can doe by the helpe of our friends, (which we can doe by a derived power, though of our ſelves originally we cannot) and God being a friend (I meane no enemy, but lover and helper beyond all friends) to unregenerate men, ſo farre as to give Chriſt to dye for them, and his holy Spirit to deſcend to them, being ſuch enemies, to love them and give them the effects of love, whereas to them that have rebelled and vexed his Spirit, he is not ſuch a friend, but an enemy to fight againſt them, Iſ. 63. 10. And ſo no ſuch ſecundary derived way of poſſibility competible to them, becauſe no ſuch aſſurance of any friend to aid them in it, there being none other imaginable but God, and he being to ſuch an one an enemy rather.
Parallel to this place thus interpreted is that in the ſame Ep. c. 10.
For thoſe that after the accepting of the knowledge of the truth, after the embracing the Goſpell, or Chriſtianity, 26. foreign,being regenerate and born a new of water and the Holy Ghoſt, doe fall willingly into their old (or other new) courſes of ſinne (for ſo foreign ſignifies, not the ſingle act, but the habit of ſinne, 1 Joh. 3. 6. and 5. 18. Rom. 2. 12. Heb. 3. 17. and foreign added thereto notes it to be a voluntary wilfull trade of ſinne, which is ſuppoſed by having received knowledge of the truth; whereas 'tis poſſible to continue ignorantly, and ſo by infirmity in ſuch habit, and then that will not be capable of ſuch aggravations as there doe follow, nor withall pertinent to this caſe) by this meanes fall into a condition, for which the Goſpell hath not provided any ordinary remedy. Which foreign.is the meaning of [there remaines not now a ſacrifice for ſinnes] And that ſenſe ariſeth thus. For them that had ſinned ignorantly under the law, there was place for ſacrifice, the Prieſt was to offer a ſinne-offering for them (called ordinarily in the 72. foreign) and they were not to be farther puniſhed or proceeded againſt in foro, but he that did wilfully or deſpightfully breake the law, was upon ſufficient proofe of it by witneſſes, put to death in capitall, or otherwiſe puniſhed in other crimes, without mercy or pity to him, (which is the ſum of the 28 verſe) & ſo in like manner proportionably 28. foreign.to thoſe types, he that hath ſinned through ignorance or ignorantly, lived, and gone on in ſinne, (and ſuch the ſinnes of the unregenerate life are counted to be, done ignorantly in unbeliefe, as Saint Paul ſaith of himſelfe, and the ſame will hold of the ſinnes of thoſe that are Chriſtians in profeſſion, baptized, &c. and yet have not amended their lives or forſaken their ſinnes, for they are ſtill in an unregenerate ſtate, not capable of that deſcription, c. 6. 4, 5.) there is mercy to be had for him (as Saint Paul ſaith of himſelfe, 1 Tim. 1. 13.) Chriſt hath dyed, offered himſelfe a ſacrifice for ſinne, and ſo delivered men from the danger of ſuch ſinnes, upon condition that they doe repent of them, and amend, nay by this ſacrifice of his he hath purchaſed grace for ſuch, ſufficient to bring them out of that darkeneſſe to light, from that ſtate of unregeneration to repentance, ſo that for that man conſidered in that ſtate, though he be a ſinner, yet (as Saint John ſaith, 1 Epiſt. 2. 1.) Chriſt is an advocate and a propitiation, and here there remaineth a ſacrifice, a meanes of pardon and a meanes of converting, Chriſt giving himſelfe, both that he might redeem and purifie, Tit. 2. 14. juſtify and ſanctify. Yea farther, when this man being regenerate falls into any ſingle act of ſin, (if it be through ignorance or weakeneſſe (as ſtill there remaine ſome relicks of them in the regenerate, the ſtate in this nonage of ours, being but an imperfect ſtate) then foreign yet of ſtill this ſacrifice remaines, and pardon is had by it to the regenerate diſciple upon acknowledgement and petition; nay if it be not capable of the excuſe of ignorance or weakneſſe, yet if it be not continued in, but retracted preſently by repentance, this ſarrifice foreign ſtill remaines in force for him, as in the Law when the leproſie doth not ſpread, Lev. 13. 23. or is healed in the leper, 14. 3. then though the Prieſt ſhut him up againe ſeven daies, &c. anſwerable to excommunication or delivering up to Satan, yet ſtill v. 4. the Prieſt ſhall offer ſacrifice for his cleanſing, and ſo here though the ſinne be leproſie, an uncleane ſpot in the ſoule, yet being not ſpreading but preſently retracted by repentance, it may bring ſome inconveniencies upon him, ſuch as have been mentioned elſewhere in the caſe of delivering up to Satan; but yet it may paſſe for a ſpot of ſonnes, at leaſt ſuch as ſhall now not hinder from being a ſonne; and this ſacrifice here, or 1 Joh. 1. 7. the bloud of Chriſt parallell to it, cleanſeth from ſuch ſinnes as theſe, continues pardon and grace as yet to ſuch, obtaines of God that he with-draw neither. But if any man, after the embracing of Chriſt, receiving the truth and grace, i. e. being thus regenerate, ſhall returne to his old pollutions again, (or ſome new in exchange for them, the filthineſſe of the ſpirit in ſtead of that of the fleſh) to a courſe and trade of ſinne, having not now the excuſes or alleviations, of which before he was capable, ſhewing himſelfe to contemne both the mercy and grace of God, to deſpiſe that pardon, and (to make no uſe of, but contrariwiſe) to reſiſt that grace; there is no direction for any offering for ſuch; this very ſacrifice of Chriſt belongs not to him ſo farre as by Covenant to obtaine continuance of pardon for him, or continuance of grace; God may juſtly with-draw both, and Chriſt's bloud ſay nothing to the contrary; nay, God hath told us that in this caſe he will with-draw both in the places forementioned, and the ſame may be 20 foreign,collected from this place from the aggravations here ſet upon the ſinne, that it is the treading upon the Sonne of God, profaning the bloud of the Covenant, i. e. making the bloud of Chriſt uneffectuall to his pardon, and contumeliouſly uſing the ſpirit of grace, and ſo grieving and quenching that ſpirit. And ſo v. 27. all that remaines behind in juſtice, or by tenour of the ſecond Covenant expectable from God, is that he ſhould proceed to judge ſuch a ſinner, and his zeale 30 foreign &c.or wrath burne like fire, to conſume all ſuch gaineſayers or adverſaries that walke thus contrary to all his methods of mercy, of grace, and from hence all that can toward comfort of ſuch be concluded, is, that 'tis not here ſaid, that God cannot or never will give grace againe to ſuch, or uſe meanes for the recalling them, becauſe of God this is not here affirmed. From which negative argument, though the poſſibility of ſuch recovery may be concluded, yet there are little grounds to conclude it probable, or reaſonable for any man (that ſhould by that be encouraged to ſpirituall ſecurity) to depend or hope in it, for if the weight of one paſſage be obſerved (how much worſe puniſhment ſhall he be thought worthy of or adjudged to? i. e. 31. foreign;worſe then that under Moſes law, when the offender, 28. was put to death without mercy) we ſhall rather have reaſon to feare God will puniſh ſuch with exciſion or cutting off, without giving any new ſtocke of grace to recall them againe: For the word foreign in this booke doth not ſo often import being thought worthy, (which might conſiſt with contrary mercy) as meeting with that reward, actuall receiving of it. So foreign, Heb. 3. 3. is to have honour beſtowed upon him, (and foreign, 1 Tim. 5. 17.) and not onelyonly to be thought worthy of it. In proportion to which if the words ſhould be interpreted and taken without exception or diſpenſation, [foreign, &c. he ſhall be puniſhed in a worſe manner] there will be little place of comfort for ſuch to depend on, and from thence to fall into ſuch dangerous ſnares; and yet becauſe after all this 'tis poſſible that though foreign in the good ſenſe ſignifie actuall giving, yet it may not in the ill, actuall puniſhing, becauſe to thinke worthy and to reward, ſtill goe together in God, in retribution of good, but not ſo in evill, his pardoning mercy oft interceding; and againe, becauſe thoſe words may well paſſe not for any law ſet to God, (but onelyonly as a meanes to keep us from ſo falling, when we ſtand, by ſetting ſuch a direfull character upon it, ſhewing us how promiſeleſſe and dangerous ſuch our ſtate is) it will therefore be no temptation to anywho is in this ſad eſtate to be hopeleſſe or give over labouring to get out again, but rather a Summons or Proclamation of terrour, ſtraight to awaken him out of that eſtate to humiliation and prayers to God, leſt it be too late. And in this the example of David will be encouragement to him, who after a years ſleepe or lethargy in thoſe ſins of adultery and murther, &c. (which were ſuch falls of a regenerate man, and by God's ordinary meanes never retracted all that while) was yet by God's grace, and miſſion of a Prophet extraordinary recalled and reduced again, though it coſt him afterwards many flouds of teares & penitentiall expreſſions to waſh out thoſe ſpots which he had thus contracted (& though even ſtill he lies under the reproach of that ſinne, when he doth not of any other, becauſe that only was indulged in ſo long) 1 King. 15. 5. And the ſame may be ſaid of Solomon alſo, who after ſuch heavie falls, which beyond all the children of God are ſadly recorded of him in Scripture, was by God brought back to repentance; God's mercy being beyond all promiſe (I ſhall adde beyond all other example) to him in this behalfe.
And therefore the cloſe muſt be, that if we have followed them in their ſinnes, we muſt be ſure to imitate them alſo, not only in the repentance, and ſincerity of that, but in all the degrees and demonſtrations of their repentance, if we hope for the mercy which they met with. To which I ſhall adde no more ſave onelyonly this, that the product of that which from theſe places hath beene concluded, ſeemes to be very agreeable with that famous caſe ſet by Saint Auguſtine, l. de perſever: of two men ſuppoſed to be converted together, to live the life of converts in the ſame manner, to fall together, and ſo to continue ſome time, and then one of them before death to recover and riſe againe, and the other to dye in his ſtate of relapſe; where he makes this an argument and example of God's making a diſcrimination betwixt men, ſuppoſing this laſt act of recovery in the one, to be an act of ſpirituall extraordinary grace to him, which was not given, nor by any obligation due unto the other; which is the moſt that from theſe two places thus paraphraſed hath beene collected.
He that thinketh he ſtandeth let him take heed leſt he fall.
1 Cor. 10. 12.
If any man be overtaken in a fault, you that are ſpirituall reſtore ſuch a man, conſidering thy ſelfe leſt thou alſo be tempted,
Gal. 6. 1.
Then ſaith the Devill, I will returne to my houſe from whence I came out; and comming he findeth it empty, ſwept, and garniſhed; then goeth he and taketh with him ſeven other ſpirits worſe then himſelfe, and they goe in and dwell there, and the end of that man is worſe then the beginning. So ſhall it be to this evill generation,
Mat. 12. 42.
Behold thou art made cleane, goe, ſinne no more, leſt a worſe thing happen unto thee.
Joh. 5. 14.
OF A LATE, OR, A DEATH-BED REPENTANCE.
Brutus in Epiſt. ad Pergamen.
foreign.
By HENRY HAMMOND D. D.
LONDON, Printed in the yeere 1646.