Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

The danger of Apostasy is here very awfully described, by showing, that they that are wilful and total Apostates from the Truth, cannot attain unto Repentance, but they must lie under the Curse of God to all Eternity. And this the Apostle proveth by three Arguments; 1. From the Immutability of the Counsel of God; hence he saith, It is impossible for such to be renewed by repentance. He doth not only say, that it shall not be, but that it is impossible that it should be; which Expression may respect the unalterable Determination of God to the contrary, which maketh the thing impossible. 2. Because they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh; that is to say, they do it as much as in them lieth: And therefore, either God must give another Christ, or Christ must come again to suffer and satisfy for their sins, neither of which shall be, or else such sinners must remain under the Curse eternally. 3. The Apostle proveth this by showing the Justice and Equity which is in such proceedings; ⟨p. 57⟩and that is done in these words, which are Aitiolological they give a sufficient Reason for that which before was asserted. Lest any one should think this hard and unreasonable, he doth in these words, by a familiar, and yet elegant Comparison, taken from that which is customary amongst men, and applied to Divine matters, both illustrate and demonstrate the point. The sum is this; We see (saith the holy Apostle) that men if they bestow much pains in tilling a piece of ground, and yet it will bring forth no good, but abounds with evil fruit, they do even execrate such ground, and forsake it, and at last make fuel of it; and therefore God may well deal so with sinners.

The danger of Apostacy is here very awfully described, by shewing, that they that are wilful and •otal Apostates from the Truth, cannot attain unto Repentance, but they must lie under the Curse of God to all Eternity. And this the Apostle proveth by three Arguments; 1. From the Inmmutability of the Counsel of God; hence he saith, It is imposible for such to be renewed by repentance. He doth not only say, that it shall not be, but that it is impossible that it should be; which Expression may respect the unalterable Determination of God to the contrary, which maketh the thing impossible. 2. Because they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh; that is to say, they do it as much as in them lieth: And therefore, either God must give another Christ, or Christ must come again to suffer and satisfie for their sins, neither of which shall be, or else such sinners must remain under the Curse eternally. 3. The Apostle proveth this by shewing the Justice and Equity which is in such proceedings;