And this avowment of a relinquishment of the gospel hath many provoking aggravations attending it. And yet whereas some men may in their hearts and minds utterly renounce the gospel, but, upon some outward, secular considerations, either dare not or will not profess that inward renunciation, their falling away is complete and total in the sight of God; and all they do to cover their apostasy in an external compliance with Christian religion, is in the sight of God but a mocking of him, and the highest aggravation of their sin. This is the falling away intended by the apostle :-a voluntary, resolved relinquishment of and apostasy from the gospel, the faith, rule, and obedience thereof; which cannot be without casting the highest reproach and contumely imaginable upon the person of Christ himself, as is afterwards expressed.

FOURTHLY, Concerning these persons, and their thus falling away, two things are to be considered in the text: 1. What is affirmed of them. 2. The reason of that affirmation.

1. The first is, That "it is impossible to renew them again to repentance." The thing intended is negative;-to "renew them again to repentance," this is denied of them. But the modification of that negation turns the proposition into an affirmation: "It is impossible so to do.”

'Adúvarov yap. The importance of this word is dubious; some think an absolute, and others a moral impossibility is intended Αδύνατον γάρ.

thereby. This latter most fix upon; so that it is a

matter rare, difficult, and seldom to be expected, that is intended, and not that which is absolutely impossible. Considerable reasons and instances are produced for either interpretation. But we must look further into the meaning of it.

All future events depend on God, who alone doth necessarily exist. Other things may be, or may not be, as they respect him or his will. And so things that are future may be said to be impossible, or be so, either with respect unto the nature of God, or his decrees, or his moral rule, order, and law. (1.) Things are impossible with respect unto the nature of God, either absolutely, as being inconsistent with his being and essential properties: so it is impossible that God should lie: or, on some supposition, so it is impossible that God should forgive sin without satisfaction, on the supposition of his law and the sanction of it. In this sense the repentance of these apostates, it may be, is not impossible. I say, it may be; it may be there is nothing in it contrary to any essential properties of the nature of God, either directly or reductively. But I will not be positive herein. For the things ascribed unto these apostates are such,--namely, their "crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting him to open shame," as that I know not but that it may be contrary to the holiness, and righteousness, and glory of God, as the supreme

ruler of the world, to have any more mercy on them than on the devils themselves, or those that are in hell. But I will not assert this to be the meaning of the place.

(2.) Again; things possible in themselves, and with respect unto the nature of God, are rendered impossible by God's decree and purpose: he hath absolutely determined that they shall never be. So it was impossible that Saul and his posterity should be preserved in the kingdom of Israel. It was not contrary to the nature of God, but God had decreed that so it should not be, 1 Sam. xv. 28, 29. But, the decrees of God respecting persons in particular, and not qualifications in the first place, they cannot be here intended; because they are free acts of his will, not revealed, neither in particular nor by virtue of any general rule, as they are sovereign, making differences between persons in the same condition, Rom. ix. 11, 12. What is possible or impossible with respect unto the nature of God, we may know in some good measure from the certain knowledge we may have of his being and essential properties; but what is so one way or other with respect unto his decrees or purposes, which are sovereign, free acts of his will, knoweth no man, no, not the angels in heaven, Isa. xl. 13, 14; Rom. xi. 34.

(3.) Things are possible or impossible with respect unto the rule and order of all things that God hath appointed. When in things of duty God hath neither expressly commanded them, nor appointed means for the performance of them, then are we to look upon them. as impossible; and then, with respect unto us, they are so absolutely, and so to be esteemed. And this is the impossibility here principally intended. It is a thing that God hath neither commanded us to endeavour, nor appointed means to attain it, nor promised to assist us in it. It is therefore that which we have no reason to look after, attempt, or expect, as being not possible by any law, rule, or constitution of God.

The apostle instructs us no further in the nature of future events but as our own duty is concerned in them. It is not for us either to look, or hope, or pray for, or endeavour the renewal of such persons unto repentance. God gives law unto us in these things, not unto himself. It may be possible with God, for aught we know, if there be not a contradiction in it unto any of the holy properties of his nature; only he will not have us to expect any such thing from him, nor hath he appointed any means for us to endeavour it. What he shall do we ought thankfully to accept; but our own duty towards such persons is absolutely at an end. And, indeed, they put themselves wholly out of our reach.

Εἰς μετάνοιαν.

That which is said to be thus impossible with respect unto these persons is, πάλιν ἀνακαινίζειν εἰς μετάνοιαν, "to renew them again to repentance," Merdvora in the New Testa

ment with respect unto God, signifies "a gracious change of mind," on gospel principles and promises, leading the whole soul into conversion unto God.

This is the beginning and entrance of our turning unto God, without which neither the will nor the affections will be engaged unto him, nor is it possible for sinners to find acceptance with him. 'It is impossible avazarile," "to renew." The construction of the word is defective, and must be supplied.

Σέ

*Ανακαινίζειν. Σ may be added, "to renew themselves," it is not possible they should do so; or wás, that some should, that any should renew them: and this I judge to be intended. For the impossibility mentioned respects the duty and endeavours of others. In vain shall any attempt their recovery by the use of any means whatever. And we must inquire what it is to be renewed, and what it is to be renewed again.

Now our ȧvazavouós is the renovation of the image of God in our natures, whereby we are dedicated again unto him.

Πάλιν,

For as we had lost the image of God by sin, and were separated from him by things profane, this avaяamouós respects both the restoration of our nature and the dedication of our persons to God. And it is twofold:

(1.) Real and internal, in regeneration and effectual sanctification, "The washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost:" Tit. iii. 5; 1 Thess. v. 23. But this is not that which is here intended. For this these apostates never had, and so cannot be said to be "renewed again" unto it; for no man can be renewed again unto that which he never had.

(2.) It is outward in the profession and pledge of it. Wherefore renovation in this sense consists in the solemn confession of faith and repentance by Jesus Christ, with the seal of baptism received thereon; for thus it was with all those who were converted unto the gospel. Upon their profession of repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, they received the baptismal pledge of an inward renovation, though really they were not partakers thereof. But this estate was their avanaiviouós, their "renovation." From this state they fell totally, renouncing Him who is the author of it, his grace which is the cause of it, and the ordinance which is the pledge thereof.

Hence it appears what it is πάλιν ἀνακαινίζειν, “ to renew them again." It is to bring them again into this state of profession by a second renovation, and a second baptism as a pledge thereof. This is determined to be impossible, and so unwarrantable for any to attempt. And for the most part such persons do openly fall into such blasphemies against, and engage (if they have power) into such persecution of the truth, as that they give themselves suffi

cient direction how others should behave themselves towards them. So the ancient church was satisfied in the case of Julian. This is the sum concerning what is affirmed of these apostates, namely, that "it is impossible to renew them unto repentance;" that is, so to act towards them as to bring them to that repentance whereby they may be instated in their former condition.

Hence sundry things may be observed for the clearing of the apostle's design in this discourse; as,—

(1.) Here is nothing said concerning the acceptance or refusal of any upon repentance or the profession thereof after any sin, to be made by the church, whose judgment is to be determined by other rules and circumstances. And this perfectly excludes the pretence of the Novatians from any countenance in these words. For whereas they would have drawn their warranty from hence for the utter exclusion from church communion of all those who had denied the faith in times of persecution, although they expressed a repentance whose sincerity they could not evince. Those only are intended who neither do nor can come to repentance itself, nor make a profession of it; with whom the church had no more to do. It is not said, that men who ever thus fell away shall not, upon their repentance, be admitted into their former state in the church; but that such is the severity of God against them that he will not again give them repentance unto life.

(2.) Here is nothing that may be brought in bar against such as, having fallen into any great sin, or any course in sinning, and that after light, convictions, and gifts received and exercised, desire to repent of their sins, and endeavour after sincerity therein; yea, such a desire and endeavour exempt any one from the judgment here threatened.

There is therefore in it that which tends greatly to the encouragement of such sinners. For whereas it is here declared, concerning those who are thus rejected of God, that "it is impossible to renew them," or to do any thing towards that which shall have a tendency to repentance, those who are not satisfied that they do yet savingly repent, but only are sincerely exercised how they may attain thereunto, have no concernment in this commination, but evidently have the door of mercy still open unto them; for it is shut only against those who shall never endeavour to turn by repentance. And although persons so rejected of God may fall under convictions of their sin attended with despair,-which is unto them a foresight of their future condition,-yet as unto the least attempt after repentance on the terms of the gospel, they do never rise up unto it. Wherefore the impossibility intended, of what sort soever it be, respects the severity of God, not in refusing or rejecting the greatest sinners which seek after and would be renewed unto repentance, which is contrary unto innumerable of his promises, but

in the giving up such sinners as those are here mentioned unto that obdurateness and obstinacy in sinning, that blindness of mind and hardness of heart, as that they neither can nor shall ever sincerely seek after repentance; nor may any means, according to the mind of God, be used to bring them thereunto. And the righteousness of the exercise of this severity is taken from the nature of this sin, or what is contained in it, which the apostle declares in the ensuing instances.1

VERSES 7, 8

What the apostle had doctrinally instructed the Hebrews in before, in these verses he layeth before them under an appɔsite similitude. For his design herein is to represent the condition of all sorts of persons who profess the gospel, and live under the dispensation of its truths, with the various events that do befall them. He had before treated directly only of unfruitful and apostatizing professors, whom here he represents by unprofitable ground, and God's dealing with them as men do with such ground when they have tilled it in vain. For the church is a vine or vineyard, and God is the husbandman, John xv. 1; Isa. v. 1-7. But here, moreover, for the greater illustration of what he affirms concerning such persons, he compriseth in his similitude the contrary state of sound believers and fruitful professors, with the acceptance they have with, and blessing they receive from God. And contraries thus compared do illustrate one another, as also the design of him who treateth concerning them. We need not, therefore, engage into a particular inquiry what it is which the word "for," whereby these verses are annexed and continued unto the precedent, doth peculiarly and immediately respect, concerning which there is some difference among expositors. Some suppose it is the dealing of God with apostates, before laid down, which the apostle regards, and in these verses gives an account of the reason of it, or whence it is they come unto such a woful end. Others, observing that in his whole ensuing discourse he insists principally, if not only, on the state of sound believers and their acceptance with God, suppose he hath immediate respect unto what he had declared in the beginning of the chapter, verses 1-3, concerning his design to carry them on unto perfection. But there is no need that we should restrain his purpose to either of these intentions exclusively unto the other; yea, it is contrary to the plain scope of his discourse so to do. For he compriseth both sorts of professors, and gives a lively representation of their condition, of God's dealing with them, and the event thereof. The reason, therefore, that he gives is not to be confined to either sort exclusively, but extends itself equally to the whole subject treated of.

1

For additional ten pages on this topic, see works, vol. vii. pp. 40-51.—ED.