First, As touching the Connection of the Words with what precedes, it is evident, that the Hebrew Church, or some among them, had been slow and dull of hearing, or very ill Proficients in the School of Christ, viz. they had not attained to that Knowledge and Experience which for the time they had they might have arrived unto, Chap. 5. 12. They seemed but Infants or Babes in Knowledge, and had need to be taught again which were the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ. And from hence the Apostle acquaints them with the Danger of not persevering in the Knowledge of Christ, and of not pressing forward, or going on to Perfection: And also intimates, that this would give just Cause or Ground to fear, that they were not sincere Christians; and from thence gives them an Account of those that might sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, or of the miserable State and Condition of such who after high Illuminations and great Knowledge of the Divine Truth, and a Profession of the Gospel, do fall away; whose Apostasy, though at first it might be but partial, yet might (they not being truly regenerated) end at last in a total and final falling away: And that deadness, dullness, and non-proficiency in Godliness, might and would end (if their Hearts were not right with God) in a final Apostasy: Or, as a worthy Writer notes,1 he presupposeth, "Except they study to make Progress, they shall go backwards; and that going backwards, tendeth to Apostasy: And that voluntary and complete Apostasy from known Truth, doth harden the Heart from Repentance, and cutteth off a Man from Mercy: He accounteth our natural Security so great, that there is need of most fearful Threatenings to awaken us out of it; and that the way to be freed from final falling, is to make a good Progression." From hence note,
First, As touching the Connexion of the Words with what precedes, it is evident, that the Hebrew Church, or some among them, had been slow and dull of hearing, or very ill Proficients in the School of Christ, viz. they had not attained to that Knowledg and Experience which for the time they had they might have arrived unto, Chap. 5. 12. They seemed but Infants or Babes in Knowledg, and had need to be taught again which were the first Principles of the Doctrine of Christ. And from hence the Apostle acquaints them with the Danger of not persevering in the Knowledg of Christ, and of not pressing forward, or going on to Perfection: And also intimates, that this would give just Cause or Ground to fear, that they were not sincere Christians; and from thence gives them an Account of those that might sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost, or of the miserable State and Condition of such who after high Illuminations and great Knowledg of the Divine Truth, and a Profession of the Gospel, do fall away; whose Apostacy, though at first it might be but partial, yet might (they not being truly regenerated) end at last in a total and final falling away: And that deadness, dulness, and non-proficiency in Godliness, might and would end (if their Hearts were not right with God) in a final Apostacy: Or, as a worthy Writer notes,1 he presupposeth, "Except they study to make Progress, they shall go backwards; and that going backwards, tendeth to Apostacy: And that voluntary and compleat Apostacy from known Truth, doth harden the Heart from Repentance, and cutteth off a Man from Mercy: He accounteth our natural Security so great, that there is need of most fearful Threatnings to awaken us out of it; and that the way to be freed from final falling, is to make a good Progression." From hence note,
- 1Mr. David Dickson.
