HEB, VI. 4-6 EXPLAINED. 47
(1.) The one sacrifice of Christ extended farther, as to sing and persons, than all those of the law with all their repetitions put to- gether: “By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses,” Acts xiii. 39. There were some sins under the law for which no sacrifice was provided, seeing he who was guilty of them was to die without mercy, as in the cases of murder and adultery, with respect where- unto David saith, “Thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt-offering,” Ps. li. 16,—namely, in such
cases as his then was. But,—
(2.) In case of apostasy from the one and the other, the event
was the same. There was under the law no sacrifice appointed for
him who had totally apostatized from its fundamental principles, or sinned PN V3, “ presumptuously,” with a hand high and stubborn. This was that “ despising of Moses’ law,” for which those that were guilty thereof were to “die without mercy,” Heb. x. 28. And so it is under the gospel. Wilful apostates forfeiting all their interest in the sacrifice of Christ, there is no relief appointed for them, but God will cut them off and destroy them; as shall, God willing, be de- clared on that place. And this may be the sense of the words, sup- posing éauro7s not to belong originally unto this place, God hath confined all hopes of mercy, grace, and salvation, unto the one single offering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This our apostle insisteth on and presseth, chap. ix. 25-28, x. 12, 14. Infinite wisdom and sove- reign pleasure have centred all grace, mercy, and blessedness in him alone, John i. 14, 16, 17; Acts iv. 12; Col. i. 19. And this “one offering” of his is so sufficient and effectually powerful unto all that by faith seek an interest therein, that this restraint is no re- straint, nor hath any sinner the least cause to complain of it. If they reject. and despise it, it is their own fault, and at their own peril; nor is it the reiterated sacrifice of the mass, or whatever
else they may betake themselves unto, that will afford them any relief.
But the word is constant enough in ancient copies to maintain its own station, and the context requires its continuance; and this makes the work of “ crucifying again” to be the act of the apostates themselves, and to be asserted as that which belongs unto their sin, and not denied as belonging to a relief from their sin: “They crucify him again to themselves.” They do it not really, they cannot do so; but they do it to themselves morally. This is in their sin of falling away, part of it comprised in it, which renders it unpardon- able; they again crucify the Son of God, not absolutely, but in and
to themselves.
And we must inquire how they did it, or in what sense it is by
.
48 THE NATURE AND CAUSES OF APOSTASY.
the apostle charged on them. Now, this (to omit all other things that may be thought to concur herein) was,—
(1.) Principally by an accession in suffrage unto them who had crucified him once before. Hereby they went over the same work with them, and did that for their own parts which the others had done before for theirs. They approved of and justified the fact of the Jews in crucifying him as a malefactor; for there is no medium between these things. The Lord Christ must be esteemed to be the Son of God, and consequently his gospel to be indispensably obeyed, or be supposed to be justly crucified as a seducer, a blasphemer, and — a malefactor; for professing himself to be the Son of God, and wit- nessing that confession unto his death, he must be so received or rejected as an evil-doer. And this was done by these apostates; for, going over to the Jews, they approved of what they had done in crucifying of him as such an one.
(2.) They did it by declaring, that having made trial of him, his gospel and ways, they found nothing of substance, truth, or goodness in them, for which they should continue their profession. Thus that famous or infamous apostate, Julian the emperor, gave this as the motto of his apostasy, "Avéyvwy, éyvwv, xaréyvav,—“T have read, known, and condemned” your Gospel. And this hath been the way of apos- tates in all ages. In the primitive times they were the Gentiles’ intelligencers, and, like the spies of old, brought up a false report upon the land; for they were not satisfied, for the most. part, to de- clare their disapprobation of what was really taught, believed; and practised among the Christians, but, the more to countenance their apostasy, not only invidiously represented and odiously traduced what was really professed, but withal invented lies and calumnies about conspiracies, seditions, and inconsistencies with public peace among them, so [as], if it were possible, to ruin the whole interest and all that belonged unto it. This is to “crucify Christ afresh, and to put him to an open shame.” And such is the manner of them unto this day. If any have made an accession to the more intimate duties of religion, as prayer and preaching, by virtue of spiritual gifts, with other acts of mutual spiritual communion, which the generality of men concern not themselves in, when, in compliance with their oc- casions and temptations, they fall from them and renounce them, they aim at nothing more than, by malicious, scurrilous representa- tions of them, and false additions unto them of things perverse or ridiculous, to expose them to open shame and ignominy. Their lan- guage is, Avéyvaiev, eyvenjuev, xareyveyev,— * We have known and tried these things, and declare their folly;” so hoping to be believed, be- cause of their pretended experience, which alone is sufficient to ren- der them suspected with all persons of wisdom and sobriety. Now,