2. The description of the persons that are the subject spoken of is given in five instances of the evangelical privileges whereof they were made partakers; notwithstanding all which, and against their obliging efficacy to the contrary, it is supposed that they may wholly desert the gospel itself. And some things we may observe concern- ing this description of them in general; as,—(1.) The apostle, de- signing to express the fearful state and judgment of these persons, describes them by such things as may fully evidence it to be, as wna- voidable, so righteous and equal. Those things must be some emi- nent privileges and advantages, whereof they were made partakers by the gospel. These, being despised in their apostasy, do proclaim their destruction from God to be rightly deserved. (2.) That all these privileges do consist in certain especial operations of the Holy Ghost, which were peculiar unto the dispensation of the gospel, such as they neither were nor could be made partakers of in their Juda- ism; for the Spirit in this sense was not received by “ the works of the law, but by the hearing of faith,’ Gal. i. 2, And this was a testimony unto them that they were delivered from the bondage of the law, namely, by a participation of that Spirit which was the great privilege of the gospel. (8.) Here is no express mention of any cove- nant grace or mercy in them or towards them, nor of any duty of faith or obedience which they had performed. Nothing of justifica- tion, sanctification, or adoption, is expressly assigned unto them. Afterwards, when he comes to declare his hope and persuasion con- cerning these Hebrews, that they were not such as those whom he had before described, nor such as would so fall away unto perdition, he doth it upon three grounds, whereon they were differenced from them; as,—[1.] That they had such things as did accompany sal- vation,—that is, such as salvation is inseparable from. None of these things, therefore, had he ascribed unto those whom he describeth in this place; for if he had so done, they would not have been unto him an argument and evidence of a contrary end, that these should not fall away and perish as well as those. Wherefore he ascribes nothing to these here in the text that doth peculiarly “accompany. salvation,” verse 9. [2.] He describes them by their duties of obedt-
VOL. VIL. 2
18 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
ence and fruits of faith. This was their “ work and labour of love” towards the name of God, verse 10. And hereby also doth he differ- ence them from these in the text, concerning whom he supposeth that they may perish eternally, which these fruits of saving faith and sincere love cannot do. [8.] He adds, that in the preservation of those there mentioned the faithfulness of God was concerned: “ God
is not unrighteous to forget.” For they were such he intended as ~
were interested in the covenant of grace, with respect whereunto alone there is any engagement on the faithfulness or righteousness of God to preserve men from apostasy and ruin; and there is so with an equal respect unto all who are so taken into that covenant. But of these in the text he supposeth no such thing, and thereupon doth not intimate that either the righteousness or faithfulness of God was any way engaged for their preservation, but rather the contrary. This whole description, therefore, refers unto some especial gospel privileges, which professors in those days were promiscuously made partakers of; and what they were in particular we must in the next place inquire.
The FIRST thing in the description is, that they were dra pwrie- dévres, “ once enlightened.” Saith the Syriac translation, as we ob- served, “ once baptized.” It is very certain that, early in the church, baptism was called gwricués, “illumination;” and guwrifev, to “ en- lighten,” was used for to “baptize.” And the set times wherein they solemnly administered that ordinance were called jmépas rév parov, “the days of light.” Hereunto the Syriac interpreter seems to have had respect; and the word éraé, “ once,” may give counte- nance hereunto. Baptism was once only to be celebrated, according to the constant faith of the church in all ages. And they called bap- tism “ illumination,” because it being one ordinance of the initiation of persons into a participation of all the mysteries of the church, they were thereby translated out of the kingdom of darkness into that of light and grace. And it seems to give farther countenance here- unto in that baptism really was the beginning and foundation of a participation of all the other spiritual privileges that are mentioned afterwards; for it was usual in those times, that, upon the baptizing of persons, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and endowed them with extraordinary gifts, peculiar to the days of the gospel,’ as we have showed in our consideration of the order between baptism and imposition of hands. And this opinion hath so much of probability in it, that, having nothing therewithal unsuited unto the analogy of faith or design of the place, I should embrace it, if the word itself, as here used, did not require another interpretation; for it was a good while after the writing of this epistle and all other parts of the New Testament, at least an age or two, if not more, before this word