a one, but does hate or abhor him to the death, it must be, because he is fallen into total apostasy. The continuators of Pool say, that "the Hebrew word here translated υποστειληται, is variously rendered, as elated like à bubble, lifted up, making pride and unbelief to be the sins threatened here; and the proper sense of the word here used, is, for fear, or sloth to withdraw, or leave their standing, so that the meaning in both" (the Hebrew and Greek words)" amounts to this, If any, out of the pride of their heart, will not depend on Christ's righteousness, as the Jews would not, or out of fear and sluggishness will not hold out, but withdraw themselves in time of persecution, from their faith and confidence in Christ, professed, shrinking through fear, or losing it through sloth, or forsaking it by treachery, either gradually or totally, confiding in themselves, and so despising GoD, reject him, and draw away from him-Gop himself will be so far from taking any pleasure or de light in such a soul, or vouchsafet any joy or life, that his very soul abhors it, is highly displeased with its sin, and ABOMINATES ITS PERSON.In his displeasure is misery, death, and ETERNAL PERDITION.*" So Baxter, "If any man forsake THIS FAITH, and its profession, either through fraud, flattery, or fear of men, GOD will forsake him." Fatirer Quesnel's remark is, "All the past is counted for nothing, unless PERSEVERANCE secures the future." Therefore Baxter, in another place saith, "If any man draw back, Christ saith, his soul shall have no pleasure in him. Even those that have endured the great fight of affliction, being reproached and made a gazing-stock, and that have taken joyfully the spoiling of their goods, in assurance of a better and enduring substance, have yet need to be warned, that they cast not away their *Pool Comment on the place. Quesnel's New Test. on the place. confidence, and draw back to perdition, and lose not the reward for want of patience and perseverance."*_ And that final, as well as total apostasy, is here intended, appears from hence, that the apostate is said to draw back unto awλuar, perdition or destruction: yea, to that perdition or destruction which is opposed to the TEPITOMO US, to the saving, deliver ing, or preserving of the soul. But it may be said, "The person who is supposed to draw back, is not the same with him who lives by faith he is only a hypocrite or carnal professor who draws back." To this I answer, What can a hypocrite or carnal professor draw back from? If he draws back at all, it must be either from that which is good, or else from that which is evil. If he draws back from that which is good, then he had goodness to draw back from. The carnal professor, is in reality, no carnal *See Epistle dedicatory to a book entitled, The Right Method for a settled Peace of Conscience and Spiritual Comfort. professor-Or if he had no goodness to draw back from, and so was in truth, a carnal professor, then, in this case, he drew back from that which he never had! If he draws back from that which is evil, would God have no pleasure in him on that account! or would God hate or abhor him to the death, as Goodwin hath it? and is this the way, viz. by drawing back from that which is evil, to involve himself in that perdition which is opposed to the saving of the soul! But it may be objected farther, that "The apostle doth not say, if any of you, but if any man draw back," &c. I answer, the original is xa tay UTOO και υποσ THANTHI, AND, OF BUT IF HE (that is, the just man that liveth by faith,) "draw back." Theophylact says,--Eav UTOTτελήται ο δίκαιος, τελεσιν, αμφιβολίαν τινα παθη και διδαγμον η το υποτελήται, αυτό το υπόλοι πεινώθη τοις πειρασμοίς" If the just man shall draw back; that is, if he shall be doubtful, or hesitate, or give place to temptation.* Mr. Wesley renders *Theophyl. in loc. page 987. it, If, o dixaos, the just man that lives by faith, (so the expression necessarily implies, there being no other nominative to the verb,) draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.* Dr. Whitby renders av UTOSHληται, "If He draws back ;" and observes "that it refers plainly to the just man who lives by faith." Dr. Hammond, after having examined the original words as they are found in this place, in other parts of the NewTestament; and after having exain. ined them as they are found in Hab. ii. verse 4, according to the Septuagint, Hebrew, Chaldea, Arabic, the Targum, &c. and after considering the interpretation of Phavorinus, Rabbi Tanchum, Ignatius, and our English Pocock, observes, "And all this sets down the true notion of the word in this place, thus: But if HE that should live by his faith, shall Predest. calmly considered. Whitby on. the five points, page 408. L |