that the Hebrews were ready to revolt from the Christian faith, into Judaism, and by little and little to fall into the unpardonable sin which he here describes, labours to keep them from both first by manifesting the danger of such a relapse."* Again, on verse 6, they say, "Fall awaythat is, by universal apostasy, into Judaism, or Paganism, maliciously and despitefully contemning and persecuting the faith of Christ; of whose truth they were convinced in their consciences by the Holy Ghost." Bishop Fell, on ch. vi. verse 6. says, "The apostle speaks of an universal apostasy from Christianity back to Judaism." Mr. Sam. Clarke, on those words, For it is impossible, &c. says, "It concerns you to make some progress in Christianity, because the neglect thereof makes way for apostasy." The continuators of Pool say, "The foregoing counsel the Spirit

*Assembly's Comment. Ibid. +Fell an the place. Clark on the place.

enforced on the Hebrews, from the danger of apostasy, to which the neglect of it doth dispose them, and the terrifying consequences of it, from ver. 4. to 9. We must go on to perfection unless we will DRAW BACK, TO PERDITION; so he bespeaks. them you have been sluggish and dull, and going backward already; lest you grow worse, stir up your selves; if you neglect it, You ARE IN DANGER OF UTTERLY FALLING AWAY."* The learned Beza saith on the place, "He [the apostle] addeth a most sharp threatening of the CERTAIN DESTRUCTION that shall come to them who fall from GoD and

his religion." Again : "He [the apostle] speaketh of a general backsliding, and such as do ALTOGETHER FALL AWAY FROM THE FAITH." Gomarus, and Jacobus Capellus, on the place, (as quoted by Pool) tell us that the sense of it is, "Desinite retrocedere, ne abducemini ni

*Pool on the place. +Beza in loc

defectionem ac ruinam prorsus insanabilem :" Cease to draw back, lest you FALL INTO APOSTASY, and into a DESTRUCTION ALTOGETHER WITHOUT

REMEDY."* Calvin says on these words of the apostle, If they fall away, &c. that the persons spoken of are not men, "qui aliqua in parte Deum offendunt sed qui ejus gratiâ se penitus abdicant," who are guilty of some partial offence before God; but who totally abdicate or abandon his grace. Wilson, author of the Christian Dictionary, expounds to fall away "By universal apostasy into Judaism or Paganism, maliciously and despitefully contemning, persecuting, or opposing the faith of Christ; of whose truth they are convinced in their consciences by the Holy Ghost." In the Book of Homilies we are told, that "In the sixth and tenth chapters of the epistle to the Hebrews," the apostle is speak

*Synop. Crit. ii. loc. +Calv. in. loc. Christian Dictionary on the place.

ing" of The FINAL falling away from Christ and his gospel, which is a sin against the Holy Ghost, that shall never be forgiven, because that they do UTTERLY forsake the known truth, do hate Christ and his word, they do crucify and mock him, (but to their utter destruction) and therefore fall into desperation, and cannot repent."*

But it may be said, "The apostasy here spoken of by the apostle, is not to be understood of true believers; but of hypocrites and false profes. sors. To this I answer, first, It has already been demonstrated that the persons spoken of were true believers, and genuine Christians.

Se

condly, To suppose them to be any other than true believers, is absurd and contradictory. For if they were only hypocrites and carnal professors, they never properly stood, and therefore could not fall. Again, if they were only carnal hypocrites, they had

*First part of the Hom. on Repentance.

no genuine repentance; and therefore, to talk of RENEWING them again to that which they never had, is absurd with a witness! If it is said, that "They had common grace, from which they might fall; then I ask, Would hypocrites, by falling from this common, unsaving grace, crucify unto themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame? And would they, by falling from this counterfeit grace, be rejected, and nigh unto cursing, and at last be burned? And is the sin of falling from such false, ineffectual grace, so aggravated, that it is impossible to renew unto repentance those who have once been guilty of it?

Again, it may be objected farther, that the apostle says, verse 9, " But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we speak thus." True: but then the question is, What does he mean? It is impossible he should mean, We have a full, absolute persuasion, that you cannot