A commentary on the whole Epistle to the Hebrews. By M. John Calvin. Translated…A commentarie on the vvhole Epistle to the Hebrevves. By M. Iohn Caluin. Translated…

For if we sin willingly.] He shows what a severe vengeance of God is near to all those who revolt from the grace of Christ: for being once deprived of that only salvation, they are destinate already as it were to certain perdition. Novatus with all his route armed themselves heretofore with this place, ¹to take away all hope of pardon indifferently from all those which should fall into sin after baptism. Those which were not able to refute his falsehood, thought it better not to give credit to this Epistle, than to consent to such an absurdity: but the true exposition of this place, although it should receive no help from any other place but it self, will be sufficient to repel the impudency of Novatus. By this word, if we sin, The Apostle means not those that sin in this or in that regard, but those who having forsaken the Church, do wholly estrange themselves from Christ. For he entreats not here of some particular kind of sin, but expressly reproves those who wittingly and willingly rejected the society of the Church. Now there is great difference between particular faults, ²and such a general falling away, by which we do wholly cut our selves off from the grace of Christ. And because this can befall none but those who have been already enlightened, therefore the Apostle saith, If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth: as if he should say, If we do wittingly and willingly reject the grace which we have received. Now we may see well how far off this doctrine disagrees from the error of Novatus: And that the Apostle here only comprehends Apostates, it doth evidently appear by the deduction of the text. For it tends to show, that those who were once received into the Church, should not forsake the same, as some were accustomed to do. He saith, that there remains now no more sacrifice for sins, for those who do thus; because they willingly sinned after they had received and acknowledged that truth.

For if we sinne willingly.] He shewes what a seuere vengeance of God is neere to all those who reuolt from the grace of Christ: for being once depriued of that onely saluation, they are destinate alreadie as it were to certaine perdition. Nouatus with all his route armed themselues heretofore with this place, ¹