H
E B R E W S
CHAP. VI.
In
this chapter the apostle proceeds to persuade the Hebrews to make a better
proficiency in religion than they had done, as the best way to prevent
apostasy, the dreadful nature and consequences of which sin he sets forth in a
serious manner (ver. 1-8), and then expresses his good hopes concerning them,
that they would persevere in faith and holiness, to which he exhorts them, and
sets before them the great encouragement they had from God, both with respect
to their duty and happiness, ver. 9, to the end.
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Advancement
in Holiness; First Principles.
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A. D. 62.
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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 toward God,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection
of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if
God permit. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once
enlightened, 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 crucify to themselves the Son of God
afresh, and put him to an open shame. 7 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.
We have here the apostle's advice to the Hebrews--that they would grow up from
a state of childhood to the fullness of the stature of the new man in Christ.
He declares his readiness to assist them all he could in their spiritual
progress; and, for their greater encouragement, he puts himself with them: Let
us go on. Here observe, In order to their growth, Christians must leave
the principles of the doctrine of Christ. How must they leave them? They must
not lose them, they must not despise them, they must not forget them. They
must lay them up in their hearts, and lay them as the foundation of all their
profession and expectation; but they must not rest and stay in them, they must
not be always laying the foundation, they must go on, and build upon it. There
must be a superstructure; for the foundation is laid on purpose to support the
building. Here it may be enquired, Why did the apostle resolve to set strong
meat before the Hebrews, when he knew they were but babes? Answer. 1.
Though some of them were but weak, yet others of them had gained more
strength; and they must be provided for suitably. And, as those who are grown
Christians must be willing to hear the plainest truths preached for the sake
of the weak, so the weak must be willing to hear the more difficult and
mysterious truths preached for the sake of those who are strong. 2. He hoped
they would be growing in their spiritual strength and stature, and so be able
to digest stronger meat.
I. The apostle mentions several foundation-principles, which must be well laid
at first, and then built upon; neither his time nor theirs must be spent in
laying these foundations over and over again. These foundations are six:--
1. Repentance from dead works, that is, conversion and regeneration,
repentance from a spiritually dead state and course; as if he had said,
"Beware of destroying the life of grace in your souls; your minds were
changed by conversion, and so were your lives. Take care that you return not
to sin again, for then you must have the foundation to lay again; there must
be a second conversion a repenting not only of, but from, dead works."
Observe here, (1.) The sins of persons unconverted are dead works; they
proceed from persons spiritually dead, and they tend to death eternal. (2.)
Repentance for dead works, if it be right, is repentance from dead works, a
universal change of heart and life. (3.) Repentance for and from dead works is
a foundation-principle, which must not be laid again, though we must renew our
repentance daily.
2. Faith towards God, a firm belief of the existence of God, of his nature,
attributes, and perfections, the trinity of persons in the unity of essence,
the whole mind and will of God as revealed in his word, particularly what
relates to the Lord Jesus Christ. We must by faith acquaint ourselves with
these things; we must assent to them, we must approve of them, and apply all
to ourselves with suitable affections and actions. Observe, (1.) Repentance
from dead works, and faith towards God, are connected, and always go together;
they are inseparable twins, the one cannot live without the other. (2.) Both
of these are foundation-principles, which should be once well laid, but never
pulled up, so as to need to be laid over again; we must not relapse into
infidelity.
3. The doctrine of baptisms, that is, of being baptized by a minister of
Christ with water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost, as the initiating sign or seal of the covenant of grace, strongly
engaging the person so baptized to get acquainted with the new covenant, to
adhere to it, and prepare to renew it at the table of the Lord and sincerely
to regulate himself according to it, relying upon the truth and faithfulness
of God for the blessings contained in it. And the doctrine of an inward
baptism, that of the Spirit sprinkling the blood of Christ upon the soul, for
justification, and the graces of the Spirit for sanctification. This ordinance
of baptism is a foundation to be rightly laid, and daily remembered, but not
repeated.
4. Laying on of hands, on persons passing solemnly from their initiated state
by baptism to the confirmed state, by returning the answer of a good
conscience towards God, and sitting down at the Lord's table. This passing
from incomplete to complete church membership was performed by laying on of
hands, which was extraordinary conveyance of the gift of the Holy Ghost
continued. This, once done, all are obliged to abide by, and not to need
another solemn admission, as at first, but to go on, and grow up, in Christ.
Or by this may be meant ordination of persons to the ministerial office, who
are duly qualified for it and inclined to it; and this by fasting and prayer,
with laying on of the hands of the presbytery: and this is to be done but
once.
5. The resurrection of the dead, that is, of dead bodies; and their re-union
with their souls, to be eternal companions together in weal or woe, according
as their state was towards God when they died, and the course of life they led
in this world.
6. Eternal judgment, determining the soul of every one, when it leaves the
body at death, and both soul and body at the last day, to their eternal state,
every one to his proper society and employment to which they were entitled and
fitted here on earth; the wicked to everlasting punishment, the righteous to
life eternal.
These are the great foundation-principles which ministers should clearly and
convincingly unfold, and closely apply. In these the people should be well
instructed and established, and from these they must never depart; without
these, the other parts of religion have no foundation to support them.
II. The apostle declares his readiness and resolution to assist the Hebrews in
building themselves up on these foundations till they arrive at perfection: And
this we will do, if God permit, v. 3. And thereby he teaches them,
1. That right resolution is very necessary in order to progress and
proficiency in religion. 2. That that resolution is right which is not only
made in the sincerity of our hearts, but in a humble dependence upon God for
strength, for assistance and righteousness, for acceptance, and for time and
opportunity. 3. That ministers should not only teach people what to do, but go
before them, and along with them, in the way of duty.
III. He shows that this spiritual growth is the surest way to prevent that
dreadful sin of apostasy from the faith. And here,
1. He shows how far persons may go in religion, and, after all, fall away, and
perish for ever, v. 4, 5. (1.) They may be enlightened. Some of
the ancients understand this of their being baptized; but it is rather to be
understood of notional knowledge and common illumination, of which persons may
have a great deal, and yet come short of heaven. Balaam was the man whose
eyes were opened (Num. xxiv. 3), and yet with his eyes opened he went down
to utter darkness. (2.) They may taste of the heavenly gift, feel
something of the efficacy of the Holy Spirit in his operations upon their
souls, causing them to taste something of religion, and yet be like persons in
the market, who taste of what they will not come up to the price of, and so
but take a taste, and leave it. Persons may taste religion, and seem to like
it, if they could have it upon easier terms than denying themselves, and
taking up their cross, and following Christ. (3.) They may be made
partakers of the Holy Ghost, that is, of his extraordinary and miraculous
gifts; they may have cast out devils in the name of Christ, and done many
other mighty works. Such gifts in the apostolic age were sometimes bestowed
upon those who had no true saving grace. (4.) They may taste of the good
word of God; they may have some relish of gospel doctrines, may hear the
word with pleasure, may remember much of it, and talk well of it, and yet
never be cast into the form and mould of it, nor have it dwelling richly in
them. (5.) They may have tasted of the powers of the world to come;
they may have been under strong impressions concerning heaven, and dread of
going to hell. These lengths hypocrites may go, and, after all, turn
apostates. Now hence observe, [1.] These great things are spoken here of those
who may fall away; yet it is not here said of them that they were truly
converted, or that they were justified; there is more in true saving grace
than in all that is here said of apostates. [2.] This therefore is no proof of
the final apostasy of true saints. These indeed may fall frequently and
foully, but yet they will not totally nor finally from God; the purpose and
the power of God, the purchase and the prayer of Christ, the promise of the
gospel, the everlasting covenant that God has made with them, ordered in all
things and sure, the indwelling of the Spirit, and the immortal seed of the
word, these are their security. But the tree that has not these roots will not
stand.
2. The apostle describes the dreadful case of such as fall away after having
gone so far in the profession of the religion. (1.) The greatness of the sin
of apostasy. It is crucifying the Son of God afresh, and putting him to
open shame. They declare that they approve of what the Jews did in
crucifying Christ, and that they would be glad to do the same thing again if
it were in their power. They pour the greatest contempt upon the Son of God,
and therefore upon God himself, who expects all should reverence his Son, and
honour him as they honour the Father. They do what in them lies to represent
Christ and Christianity as a shameful thing, and would have him to be a public
shame and reproach. This is the nature of apostasy. (2.) The great misery of
apostates. [1.] It is impossible to renew them again unto repentance. It is
extremely hazardous. Very few instances can be given of those who have gone so
far and fallen away, and yet ever have been brought to true repentance, such a
repentance as is indeed a renovation of the soul. Some have thought this is
the sin against the Holy Ghost, but without ground. The sin here mentioned is
plainly apostasy both from the truth and the ways of Christ. God can renew
them to repentance, but he seldom does it; and with men themselves it is
impossible. [2.] Their misery is exemplified by a proper similitude, taken
from the ground that after much cultivation brings forth nothing but briers
and thorns; and therefore is nigh unto cursing, and its end is to be
burned, v. 8. To give this the greater force here is observed the
difference that there is between the good ground and the bad, that these
contraries, being set one over against the other, illustrate each other. First
Here is a description of the good ground: It drinketh in the rain that
cometh often upon it. Believers do not only taste of the word of God, but
they drink it in; and this good ground bringeth forth fruit answerable to the
cost laid out, for the honour of Christ and the comfort of his faithful
ministers, who are, under Christ, dressers of the ground. And this fruit-field
or garden receives the blessing. God declares fruitful Christians blessed, and
all wise and good men account them blessed: they are blessed with increase of
grace, and with further establishment and glory at last. Secondly, Here
is the different case of the bad ground: It bears briers and thorns; it
is not only barren of good fruit, but fruitful in that which is bad, briers
and thorns, fruitful in sin and wickedness, which are troublesome and hurtful
to all about them, and will be most so to sinners themselves at last; and then
such ground is rejected. God will concern himself no more about such wicked
apostates; he will let them alone, and cast them out of his care; he will
command the clouds that they rain no more upon them. Divine influences shall
be restrained; and that is not all, but such ground is nigh unto cursing;
so far is it from receiving the blessing, that a dreadful curse hangs over it,
though as yet, through the patience of God, the curse is not fully executed. Lastly,
Its end is to be burned. Apostasy will be punished with everlasting burnings,
the fire that shall never be quenched. This is the sad end to which apostasy
leads, and therefore Christians should go on and grow in grace, lest, if they
do not go forward, they should go backward, till they bring matters to this
woeful extremity of sin and misery.
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Cautions
against Apostasy; The Divine Promise and Oath.
A. D. 62.
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9 But, beloved, we are persuaded better things
of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.
10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love,
which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the
saints, and do minister. 11 And we desire that every one of you do
show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and
patience inherit the promises. 13 For when God made promise to
Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,
14 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. 16 For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for
confirmation is to them an end of all strife. 17 Wherein
God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the
immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: 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: 19 Which hope we have as an
anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that
within the veil; 20 Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even
Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.
The apostle, having applied himself to the fears of the Hebrews, in order to
excite their diligence and prevent their apostasy, now proceeds to apply
himself to their hopes, and candidly declares the good hope he had concerning
them, that they would persevere; and proposes to them the great encouragements
they had in the way of their duty.
I. He freely and openly declares the good hope he had concerning them, that
they would endure to the end: But beloved, we are persuaded better things
of you, v. 9. Observe, 1. There are things that accompany
salvation, things that are never separated from salvation, things that show
the person to be in a state of salvation, and will issue in eternal salvation.
2. The things that accompany salvation are better things than ever any
hypocrite or apostate enjoyed. They are better in their nature and in their
issue. 3. It is our duty to hope well of those in whom nothing appears to the
contrary. 4. Ministers must sometimes speak by way of caution to those of
whose salvation they have good hopes. And those who have in themselves good
hopes, as to their eternal salvation, should yet consider seriously how fatal
a disappointment it would be if they should fall short. Thus they are to work
out their salvation with fear and trembling.
II. He proposes arguments and encouragements to them to go on in the way of
their duty. 1. That God had wrought a principle of holy love and charity in
them, which had discovered itself in suitable works that would not be
forgotten of God: God is not unrighteous to forget your labour of love,
v. 10. Good works and labour proceeding from love to God are
commendable; and what is done to any in the name of God shall not go
unrewarded. What is done to the saints, as such, God takes as done to himself.
2. Those who expect a gracious reward for the labour of love must continue in
it as long as they have ability and opportunity: You have ministered to the
saints, and you do minister; and we desire that every one of you do show the
same diligence. 3. Those who persevere in a diligent discharge of their
duty shall attain to the full assurance of hope in the end. Observe, (1.) Full
assurance is a higher degree of hope, is full assurance of hope; they differ
not in nature, but only in degree. (2.) Full assurance is attainable by great
diligence and perseverance to the end.
III. He proceeds to set before them caution and counsel how to attain this
full assurance of hope to the end. 1. That they should not be slothful.
Slothfulness will clothe a man with rags: they must not love their ease, nor
lose their opportunities. 2. That they would follow the good examples of those
who had gone before, v. 12. Here learn, (1.) There are some who from
assurance have gone to inherit the promises. They believed them before, now
they inherit them; they have got safely to heaven. (2.) The way by which they
came to the inheritance was that of faith and patience. These graces were
implanted in their souls, and drawn forth into act and exercise in their
lives. If we ever expect to inherit as they do, we must follow them in the way
of faith and patience; and those who do thus follow them in the way shall
overtake them at the end, and be partakers of the same blessedness.
IV. The apostle closes the chapter with a clear and full account of the
assured truth of the promises of God, v. 13, to the end. They
are all confirmed by the oath of God, and they are all founded in the eternal
counsel of God, and therefore may be depended upon.
1. They are all confirmed by the oath of God. He has not only given his people
his word, and his hand and seal, but his oath. And here, you will observe, he
specifies the oath of God to Abraham, which, being sworn to him as the father
of the faithful, remains in full force and virtue to all true believers: When
God made a promise unto Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he
swore by himself. Observe, (1.) What was the promise: Surely, blessing
I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. The blessing of
God is the blessedness of his people; and those whom he has blessed indeed he
will go on to bless, and will multiply blessings, till he has brought them to
perfect blessedness. (2.) What was the oath by which this promise was
ratified: He swore by himself. He staked down his own being and his own
blessedness upon it; no greater security can be given or desired. (3.) How was
that oath accomplished. Abraham, in due time, obtained the promise. It was
made good to him after he had patiently endured. [1.] There is always an
interval, and sometimes a long one, between the promise and the performance.
[2.] That interval is a trying time to believers, whether they have patience
to endure to the end. [3.] Those who patiently endure shall assuredly obtain
the blessedness promised, as sure as Abraham did. [4.] The end and design of
an oath is to make the promise sure, and to encourage those to whom it is made
to wait with patience till the time for performance comes, v. 16. An
oath with men is for confirmation, and is an end of all strife. This is the
nature and design of an oath, in which men swear by the greater, not by
creatures, but by the Lord himself; and it is to put an end to all dispute
about the matter, both to disputes within our own breasts (doubts and
distrusts), and disputes with others, especially with the promiser. Now, if
God would condescend to take an oath to his people, he will surely remember
the nature and design of it.
2. The promises of God are all founded in his eternal counsel; and this
counsel of his is an immutable counsel. (1.) The promise of blessedness which
God has made to believers is not a rash and hasty thing, but the result of
God's eternal purpose. (2.) This purpose of God was agreed upon in counsel,
and settled there between the eternal Father, Son, and Spirit. (3.) These
counsels of God can never be altered; they are immutable. God never needs to
change his counsels; for nothing new can arise to him who sees the end from
the beginning.
3. The promises of God, which are founded upon these immutable counsels of
God, and confirmed by the oath of God, may safely be depended upon; for here
we have two immutable things, the counsel and the oath of God, in which it is
impossible for God to lie, contrary to his nature as well as to his will. Here
observe,
(1.) Who they are to whom God has given such full security of happiness. [1.]
They are the heirs of the promise: such as have a title to the promises by
inheritance, by virtue of their new birth, and union with Christ. We are all
by nature children of wrath. The curse is the inheritance we are born to: it
is by a new and heavenly birth that any are born heirs to the promise. [2.]
They are such as have fled for refuge to the hope set before them. Under the
law there were cities of refuge provided for those who were pursued by the
avenger of blood. Here is a much better refuge prepared by the gospel, a
refuge for all sinners who shall have the heart to flee to it; yea, though
they have been the chief of sinners.
(2.) What God's design towards them is, in giving them such securities--that
they might have strong consolation. Observe, [1.] God is concerned for the
consolation of believers, as well as for their sanctification; he would have
his children walk in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the Holy
Ghost. [2.] The consolations of God are strong enough to support his people
under their strongest trials. The comforts of this world are too weak to bear
up the soul under temptation, persecution, and death; but the consolations of
the Lord are neither few nor small.
(3.) What use the people of God should make of their hope and comfort, that
most refreshing and comfortable hope of eternal blessedness that God has given
them. This is, and must be, unto them, for an anchor to the soul, sure and
stedfast, &c., v. 19. Here, [1.] We are in this world as a ship
at sea, liable to be tossed up and down, and in danger of being cast away. Our
souls are the vessels. The comforts, expectations, graces, and happiness of
our souls are the precious cargo with which these vessels are loaded. Heaven
is the harbour to which we sail. The temptations, persecutions, and
afflictions that we encounter, are the winds and waves that threaten our
shipwreck. [2.] We have need of an anchor to keep us sure and steady, or we
are in continual danger. [3.] Gospel hope is our anchor; as in our day of
battle it is our helmet, so in our stormy passage through this world it is our
anchor. [4.] It is sure and stedfast, or else it could not keep us so. First,
It is sure in its own nature; for it is the special work of God in the soul.
It is a good hope through grace; it is not a flattering hope made out of the
spider's web, but it is a true work of God, it is a strong and substantial
thing. Secondly, It is stedfast as to its object; it is an anchor that
has taken good hold, it enters that which is within the veil; it is an anchor
that is cast upon the rock, the Rock of ages. It does not seek to fasten in
the sands, but enters within the veil, and fixes there upon Christ; he is the
object, he is the anchor-hold of the believer's hope. As an unseen glory
within the veil is what the believer is hoping for, so an unseen Jesus within
the veil is the foundation of his hope; the free grace of God, the merits and
mediation of Christ, and the powerful influences of his Spirit, are the
grounds of his hope, and so it is a stedfast hope. Jesus Christ is the object
and ground of the believer's hope, and so it is a stedfast hope. Jesus Christ
is the object and ground of the believer's hope in several respects. 1. As he
has entered within the veil, to intercede with God, in virtue of that
sacrifice which he offered up without the veil: hope fastens upon his
sacrifice and intercession. 2. As he is the forerunner of his people, gone
within the veil, to prepare a place for them, and to assure them that they
shall follow him; he is the earnest and first fruits of believers, both in his
resurrection and in his ascension. 3. And he abides there, a high priest after
the order of Melchisedec, a priest for ever, whose priesthood shall never
cease, never fail, till he has accomplished its whole work and design, which
is the full and final happiness of all who have believed on Christ. Now this
should engage us to clear up our interest in Christ, that we may fix our hopes
in him as our forerunner, that has entered thither for us, for our sakes, for
our safety, to watch over our highest interest and concerns. Let us then love
heaven the more on his account, and long to be there with him, where we shall
be for ever safe, and for ever satisfied.
Contents
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