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Ey @ nye agen.
546 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. X.
in or whereby he was sanctified, and dedicated unto God as the eter- nal high priest of the church, this they esteemed “an unholy thing;” that is, such as would have no such effect as to consecrate him unto God and his office.
Obs, VII. However men may esteem of any of the mediatory act- ings of Christ, yet are they in themselves glorious and excellent.— So was the sacrifice of his own blood, even that whereby not only the church was sanctified, but himself also was dedicated as our high priest for ever.
3. The third aggravation of this sin is taken from its oppo-
Kale) tej. Sition unto the Spirit of Christ; they “do despite ya cis xép- unto the Spirit of grace.’ And as in the former in- ros twGyicas. stances, so it is here, there are two parts of this aggra- vation; the first taken from the object of their sin, “the Spirit of grace;” the second taken from the manner of their opposition unto him, “they do him despite.” The Holy Spirit of God, promised and communicated under the gospel by Jesus Christ from the — Father, as the author and cause, actually communicating and ap- plying of all grace unto the souls of them that believe, is this Spirit of grace. And this carries in it innumerable aggravations of this sin. This person, the Holy Spirit of God, God himself, his com- munication of grace and mercy, in the accomplishment of the most glorious promises of the Old Testament, was he whom these apos- tates renounced. But there is a peculiar notion or consideration of the Spirit, with respect whereunto he is sinned against; and that is this, that he was peculiarly sent, given, and bestowed to bear wit- ness unto the person, doctrine, death, and sacrifice of Christ, with the glory that ensued thereon, John xvi. 14; 1 Pet.i.12. And this he did various ways. For by him the souls of multitudes were converted unto God,—their eyes enlightened, their minds sanctified, their lives changed. By him did those who believe come to understand the Scriptures, which before were as a sealed book unto them; they were directed, encouraged, supported, and comforted, in all that they had to do and suffer for the name of Christ. By him were all those mighty works, wonders, signs, and miracles wrought, which accompanied the apostles and other preachers of the gospel at the beginning. Now all these things, and the like effects of his grace and power on all who made profession of the gospel, were owned, believed, and avowed to be the works of the Holy Spirit, as promised in the days of the Messiah; and they pleaded the evidence of them unto the confusion of all their adversaries. This, therefore, was done also by these apostates before their apostasy. But now, being fully fallen off. from Christ and the gospel, they openly declared that there was no — testimony in them unto the truth, but all these things were either — diabolical delusions or fanatical misapprehensions; that indeed
VER. 28, 29.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 547
there was nothing of truth, reality, or power in them, and therefore no argument to be taken from them unto the confirmation of the, truth of Christ in the gospel. Now this proceeding from them who had once themselves made the same profession with others of their truth and reality, gave the deepest wound that could be given unto the gospel. For all the adversaries of it, who were silenced with this public testimony of the Holy Spirit, and knew not what to say, considering the many miracles that were wrought, did now strengthen themselves by the confession of these apostates, ‘That there was nothing in it but pretence: and who should better know than those who had been of that society ?’
Obs. VIII. There are no such cursed, pernicious enemies unto re- ligion as apostates.
Hence are they said to “do despite unto the Spirit of grace,”—éyu- Bpicws. They do injure him so far as they are able. The word includes wrong with contempt. And this they did upon a twofold account, For, (1.) The works, many of them which he then wrought, were eminent and evident effects of divine power; and to ascribe such works unto another cause is to do despite unto him. (2.) They did so principally, in that by all his works, and in the whole dispensation of him, he gave testimony unto Christ in the gospel; and what greater despite and wrong could be done unto him, than to question his truth and the veracity of his testimony? No greater despite can be done unto a man of any reputation, than to question his truth and credit in that wherein he engageth himself as a witness. And if lying wnto the Holy Ghost is so great a sin, what is it to make the Holy Ghost a liar? Herein did such persons do him despite. For notwithstanding the public testimony he gave in, with, and by the preaching of the gospel, they rejected it as a fable, in despising his person and - authority.
All these great and terrible aggravations are inseparable from this sin of apostasy from the gospel, above those of any sin against the law of Moses whatever. They were none of them in the vilest sin prohibited by the law under capital punishment.