49b sThe danger of Apojiacy from Chri)tianity. Vol. I. if# From the Suppofition here in theText, that fuch Perfons as are there (namely; thofe who have been baptited, and by Baptifm have received re- millionof Sins, and did firmly believe the Gofpel, and the Proinifes of it, and were endowed with miraculousGifts of the HolyGhoft) that thefe may fall away; this fhould caution us all againft Confidence and Security; when thofe that have gone thus far may fall, let them that fiandeth take heed. Some are of opinion, that thofe whom the Apoftle here defcribes are true and fincere Chriftians, and that when he rays, it is impoffible if they fall away, to renew them again to Repentance, he means that they cannot fall away totally, fo as to ftand inneedof being renewed again to Repentance : But this is direítly contrary to the Apoftle's defign, which was to caution Chriftiansagainft Apottacy, becaufe if they did fall away, their recovery would be fo exceedingdifficult ; whichAr- gumentdoes plainly fuppofethat they might fall away. On the other hand, there are others who think the Perfons, here defcribed by the Apoftle, to beHypocritical Chriftians, who for fomebate ends had entertained Chriftianity, and put on the Profeffionof it, but not being fincere and in good earneft, would forfake it when Perfecutioncame. But befides that this is contrary to the defcription which the Apoftle makesof thefe Perlons, who are raid to have tolled of the Heavenly Gifts, and to have been made partakers of the HolyGhofi; by which if we underftand Juftification and Remiffion of Sins, and the Sanctifying Virtue ofthe Holy Ghoft, which in all probability is the meaningof thefe Phra- fes, thefe areBleffings whichdid not belong to Hypocrites, and which God does not beftow upon them; I fay, befides this, there is no reafon to imagine that the Apoftle intended fuch Perlons, when it is likely that there were very few Hypo- crites in thofe timesof Perfecution; for what should tempt Men todiffemble Chri- ftianity, when it was fo dangerous a Profeffion? or what WorldlyEnds could Menhave in taking that Profeffion upon them, which was fo direftly contrary to their worldly Interefts? So that upon the whole matter, I doubt not but the Apoftle here means thofe who are real in the Profeffion ofChriftianity, and that fuch might fall away. For we may eafily imagine, that Men might be convinced of the Truth andGoodnefs of the Chri#ian Dolärine, and in good earneft embrace the Profeffion of it, and yet not be fo perfealy weaned from the World, and fo firmly rooted and eftáblifhed in that Perfuafion, as when it came to the Trial, to be able to quit all for it, and to bear up againft all the Terrors and Affaults of Perfecution; fo thatthey might be real Chriftians, and no Hypocrites, though they were not fo perfeilly eftablifhed and confirmed, and fo fincerely refolved as many others. They were not like St. Paul, and thofe tried Perfons whom he fpeaks of, Rom. 8. 35, 37. Who ¡ball feparateus from the love ofChr f ? /halltribulation, or difirefs, or perfecution, or fa- mine, or nakednefs, or peril, or fword ? Nay, in all thefe things we are more than Conquerors. (They had been tried by all thefe, and yet had held out) upon which he breaks out into thofe triumphant Expreffions; lamperfisaded, that neither death, der life, nor angels,nor principalities, norpowers, nor things prefent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, norany other creature, /hallbe abletofeparate ur from the love of God, which k in Chrifi yefus our Lord. They might not (Ifay) be like thofe: and yet for all that be real in their Profeffion of Chriftianity, and no Hypocrites. In fhort, I take them to be fuch as our Saviour defcribes him to be, who received thefeed into lion,places, namely, he that heareth the word, and anon with joy recei- veth it : yet bath he not root inhinsfelf, but dureth for a while; for when tribulation or perfecution arifeth becaufe of the word, byand by he k offended. This is no defcrip- tion of aHypocrite; but of one that was real, as far as he went (for he is faid to receive the word with joy) but was not well rooted, and come to fuch a con- firmed State, as refolutely to withftand the affaults of Perfecution. So that tho' we have truly embracedChriftianity, and are in a good degree fin- cere in the Profeffion of it, yet there is great Reafon why we fhould neither be fecure nor confident in our felves. Not fecure, becaufe there is great danger that our Refolútions may be born down one time or other by the Affaults of Tempta- tion, if we be not continually vigilant, and upon our Guard. Not confident its our felves; becaufe we hand by Faith, and Faith k thegift of God, therefore as the Apoftle
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