The safety of appearing at the day of judgement, in the righteousness of Christ

Answer.

For the answering of this Doubt I shall open this Scripture to you, and show you what is meant by sinning, and by wilful sinning: 1. By sinning here is not meant any sort of sin, but some special sin: particularly the sin of Apostasy and renouncing of the gospel: this is evident, because this sin is that which he speaks of in the verse immediately preceding: there he speaks of mens casting off their Christian society, and therewith the profession of the truth: which is the thing he dissuades from in this verse: and he evidently speaks of Apostasy when he comes to explain his meaning more sully, ver. 29. he calls this sin a treading under foot the Son of God, &c, besides the same Apostle speaking of the same sin, Heb: 6.6. calls it a falling a way. 2. By sinning or apostatizing wilfully we are to understand a malicious apostasy: the word indeed does signify willingly: but it also signifies spitefully or maliciously, or as in our version wilfully: there are three ways that men may apostatize from the profession of the Gospel: they may do it ignorantly; when men are blinded by the arguments of Heretics: they may do it against their light through ⟨p. 300⟩a spirit of fear, as some good men have done, and many others that have not sinned unpardonably: in time of Persecution many have through weakness denied the Gospel: they may do it spitefully and maliciously, that is here intended, for they are said, ver. 29. to do despite to the Spirit of grace: by this you may fee that though there have been many backslidings after your illumination, though you have had a stubborn and rebellious heart, yet you may be free from the sin here intended, and have opportunity to come with acceptance unto Christ.

For the answering of this Doubt I shall open this Scripture to you, and shew you what is meant by sinning, and by wilful sinning: 1. By sinning here is not meant any sort of sin, but some special sin: particularly the sin of Apostacy and renouncing of the gospel: this is evident, because this sin is that which he speaks of in the verse immediately preceding: there he speaks of mens casting off their Christian society, and therewith the profession of the truth: which is the thing he disswades from in this verse: and he evidently speaks of Apostacy when he comes to explain his meaning more sully, ver. 29. he calls this sin a treading under foot the Son of God, &c, besides the same Apostle speaking of the same sin, Heb: 6.6. calls it a falling a way. 2. By sinning or apostatizing wilfully we are to understand a malicious apostacy: the word indeed does signifie willingly: but it also signifies spitefully or maliciously, or as in our version wilfully: there are three ways that men may apostatize from the profession of the Gospel: they may do it ignorantly; when men are blinded by the arguments of Hereticks: they may do it against their light through