Hebrews 10

Hebrews 10:1

Heb. 10:1. For the law having a shadow of good things to come, (and) not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect. In the following comment we find the author of Images and Shadows of Divine Things defining shadows as “dark resemblances” which are nevertheless clear enough for their purpose.

[288] Hebrews 10:1. “The law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things.” Here a shadow is distinguished from images, or pictures, as having a more imperfect representation of the things represented by it. The types of the Old Testament are compared to this kind of representation of things, not only here, but chap. 8:5, and Colossians 2:17, which fitly resemble them on several accounts. The shadow of a thing is an exceedingly imperfect representation of it, and yet has such a resemblance, that it has a most evident relation to the thing of which it is the shadow. Again, shadows are a kind of dark resemblances. Though there be a resemblance, yet the image is accompanied with darkness, or hiding of the light: the light is beyond the substance, so that it is hid. So was it with the types of of the Old Testament; they were obscure and dark; the light was beyond the substance.

The light that was plainly to reveal gospel things came after Christ, the substance of all the ancient types. The shadow was accompanied with darkness and obscurity; gospel things were then hid under a veil.

In “Concerning Faith” Edwards applies this principle to the Old Testament.

It was of old the coming to the sacrifice, as one consenting to the offering, active in choosing and constituting that as his offering, and looking to it as the means of atonement for his sins, that interested him in the sacrifice; as appears by Hebrews 10:1; Hebrews 10:2; “Could never make the comers thereunto perfect. For then, the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.” Compare chap. 9:9.

Heb. 10:2-4

Hebrews 10:2-4

Heb. 10:2-4. For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those (sacrifices there) a remembrance again (made) of sins every year. For (it is) not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Blank Bible:

Hebrews 10:3. “But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.” See last v. p.p.5 p. 854 * 1,2,3. concerning the argument for the insufficiency of the ancient sacrifices from their being often offered]. (crossed out) The wise man argues the vanity of all earthly enjoyments, and that temporal food is not men’s true good from that that the occasions for need of eating returns, satisfaction is not attained, his need and his appetite remains, the demands of nature are not answered so but that still it continues demanding so that after a man has repeated his eating from day to day many years yet he needs and his nature craves as much as when he first came into the world. Ecclesiastes 6:7 see also Ecclesiastes 1:5-9. All the labour of man is for his mouth yet the appetite or (as in the original) the soul is not filled, with the context. The argument is of the same sort with that which the apostle here makes use of to shew the vanity of the ancient sacrifices and their insufficiency to answer the end of a true atonement. That they did not satisfy because the demands of justice still (?) remained and its appetite returned as in the other case the demands of nature they were never able to make the comers thereto perfect. The occasions of offering them returned continually. And therefore if Solomon’s argument is good, the apostle’s is certainly good also. Heb. 10:5

Hebrews 10:5

Heb. 10:5. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me;

Blank Bible: “[Body hast thou prepared me] see Bp. Kidder’s Dem. Part 2.89-92 and Owen in Loc. p. 28.p.b.c.d.e.”

One may wonder how this text has anything to do with freedom of the will, but Edwards sees profound relevance:

9. That it should be possible for Christ to fail of doing his Father’s will, is inconsistent with the promise made to the Father by the Son, by the Logos that was with the Father from the beginning, before he took the human nature: as may be seen in Psalms 40:6-8 , “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire: mine ears hast thou opened (or bored); burnt-offering and sin-offering thou hast not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the Volume of the Book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God, and thy law is within my heart.” Where is a manifest allusion to the covenant which the willing servant, who loved his master’s service, made with his master, to be his servant forever, on the day wherein he had his ear bored; which covenant was probably inserted in the public records, called the “Volume of the Book,” by the judges, who were called to take cognizance of the transaction (Ex.. 21). If the Logos, who was with the Father, before the world, and who made the world, thus engaged in covenant to do the will of the Father in the human nature, and the promise, was as it were recorded, that it might be made sure, doubtless it was impossible that it should fail; and so it was impossible that Christ should fail of doing the will of the Father in the human nature.

Heb. 10:6

Hebrews 10:6

Heb. 10:6. In burnt offerings and (sacrifices) for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

[T]hat ceremonial law which the Levitical priesthood fulfilled in offering up the sacrifices of beasts, and that will or law of God which X fulfill’d in offering up his human nature to God which was the thing offered to God in all the difficult service he performed in his human nature and the Apostle would here intimate that it was not by the former of these that we Christians are sanctified i.e brought to a participation of the privileges of saints or of the holy & peculiar people but by the latter not by the law that the priests obeyed in what they did in the Old sanctuary /p./ but by this law or will of God that X our great high priest fulfill’d i.e. by his fulfillment of this law or which is the same thing by the service he performed as the willing servant that had his ear bored. [finis]

Heb. 10:7

Hebrews 10:7

Heb. 10:7. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.

Blank Bible:

“The meaning of this and how these words with those in the two preceding verses prove that we are saved by the positive Righteousness of Christ as well as by his atonement. see Miscell. N. 1106.B.7.”

OF CHRIST. That salvation is not only by the atonement of Christ but by his obedience to the law or commands of God is manifest, by Hebrews 10:8-10 . Above when he said sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein which are offered BY THE LAW. Then said he Lo I come to DO THY WILL O God He taketh away the first that he may establish the second BY THE WHICH WILL we are sanctified. In what Christ says in Psalms 40 which is here quoted by the Apostle Christ speaks of his appearing in the form of a servant or become a servant to God for our sakes like the servant that had his ear bored to perform an upright willing service to God & perfect obedience to his law. I delight to do thy will O my God & thy law is within my heart. The Apostle here signifies that it was by that WILL or that LAW as it was fulfill’d in the human nature of Christ (here called his body) that we are sanctified & not the ceremonial law as fulfilled in Levitical sacrifices which law the Apostle speaks of in the 8th verse.

Heb. 10:8-18

Hebrews 10:8-18

Heb. 10:8-18. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offering and (offering) for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure (therein); which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once (for all). And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes, the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; For henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. (Whereof) the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us; for after that he had said before, This (is) the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these (is, there is) no more offering for sin.

Heb. 10:19

Hebrews 10:19

Heb. 10:19. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, Edwards connects this with Hebrews 10:22 and notes in “Concerning Faith”:

3. Prayer is often plainly spoken of as the expression of faith. As it very certainly is in Romans 10:11-14, “For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him, for whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed?” Christian prayer is called the prayer of faith, James 5:15. And believing is often mentioned as the life and soul of true prayer, as in the forementioned place.

Matthew 21:21; Matthew 21:22; 1 Timothy 2:8, “I will that men everywhere lift up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.” And Hebrews 10:19; Hebrews 10:22, “Draw near in full assurance of faith.” James 1:5; James 1:6, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.” Heb. 10:20-21

Hebrews 10:20-21

Heb. 10:20-21. By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh; And (having) a high priest over the house of God;

Heb. 10:22

Hebrews 10:22

Heb. 10:22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

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[our Bodies washed with pure water] See Owen in Loc. p. 65.c.d.e “referring to the custom of washing their bodies in clean water before they went to worship at the Temple especially on their solemn days.” Doddr[idge] in Loc.

In Religious Affections, Edwards the preacher, apologist, and evangelist come together on this verse:

‘Tis unreasonable to suppose, that God has provided for his people, no more than probable evidences of the truth of the gospel. He has with great care, abundantly provided, and given them, the most convicting, assuring, satisfying and manifold evidence of his faithfulness in the covenant of grace; and as David says, “made a covenant, ordered in all things and sure.” Therefore it is rational to suppose, that at the same time, he would not fail of ordering the matter so, that there should not be wanting, as great, and clear evidence, that this is his covenant, and that these promises are his promises; or which is the same thing, that the Christian religion is true, and that the gospel is his Word. Otherwise in vain are those great assurances he has given of his faithfulness in his covenant, by confirming it with his oath, and so variously establishing it by seals and pledges. For the evidence that it is his covenant, is properly the foundation on which all the force and effect of those other assurances do stand. We may therefore undoubtedly suppose and conclude, that there is some sort of evidence which God has given, that this covenant, and these promises are his, beyond all mere probability; that there are some grounds of assurance of it held forth, which, if we were not blind to them, tend to give an higher persuasion, than any arguing from history, human tradition, etc. which the illiterate, and unacquainted with history, are capable of; yea, that which is good ground of the highest and most perfect assurance, that mankind have in any case whatsoever; agreeable to those high expressions which the Apostle uses, “Let us draw near in full assurance of faith” . And: “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches, of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ” ).

It is reasonable to suppose, that God would give the greatest evidence, of those things which are greatest, and the truth of which is of greatest importance to us; and that we therefore, if we are wise, and act rationally, shall have the greatest desire of having full, undoubting, and perfect assurance of. But it is certain, that such an assurance is not to be attained, by the greater part of them who live under the gospel, by arguments fetched from ancient traditions, histories, and monuments.

Heb. 10:23

Hebrews 10:23

Hebrews 10:23 . Let us hold fast the profession of (our) faith without wavering; for he (is) faithful that promised;

This text contributes to Edwards’ understanding of justifying faith as “nothing else, but true virtue” in his “Concerning Faith”:

Saving faith is called in Heb. 3:6 ,. “The confidence and the rejoicing of the hope.” Well expressing the act of the whole soul that is implied in saving faith, the judgment, the will and affections.. So in Heb. 10:23 , “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith.” In the original it is, hope.

Justifying faith is nothing else, but true virtue in its proper and genuine breathings adapted to the case, to the revelation made, the state we are in, the benefit to be received are the way and means of it, and our relation to these things.

Heb. 10:24-25

Hebrews 10:24-25

Heb. 10:24-25. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works; Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner some (is); but exhorting (one another; and so the much more, as ye see the day approaching. Blank Bible:

10.25 and 27 vid last (?) p. p. 3 this mark # [25.26.27.28.29. How such as are here spoken of committed the sin against the Holy Ghost he (?) notes in Chap 6:4, 5, 6 to NO. 227/ p. 865 ** ? (See these references in loc.) ** Hebrews 10:25; Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully etc. - see Owen in Loc. p. 76, 77, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, at places marked in the margin.

An important uncited note on the Bible is Number 230:

[230] Hebrews 10:25-28. That the sin against the Holy Ghost is here intended is confirmed from the place in the Old Testament that seems to be referred to in the 28th and 29th verses; for the place that seems especially to be referred to is that in Numb. 15:30, 31, etc.; where God having been speaking of the sins of ignorance, that should be atoned for with sacrifice, tells what sins should not be atoned for with sacrifice in these words, “But the soul that doeth aught presumptuously, whether he be born in the land or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord, and that soul shall be cut off from among his people; because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment; that soul shall be utterly cut off:” and then in the words next following, there is an instance given of such a man so sinning presumptuously, viz. the sabbath-breaker, that gathered sticks on the sabbath, and how no sacrifice was accepted for him, but he perished without mercy by all the congregation’s stoning him with stones. See margin of the Hebrew Bible. That the apostle here refers to this passage, seems evident by these things. The apostle is here speaking of a sin, for which there remains no more sacrifice, and in that in Numbers shows what sins were not to be atoned for by legal sacrifice. He speaks here of him that despised Moses’s law, which agrees with those words in that place in Numbers, “Because he hath despised the word of the Lord, and hath broken the commandment:” the reason given in that place why no sacrifice was to be accepted for him, so here the reason given why no more sacrifice remains, is that he sins willfully.

In that place another reason why he should perish without accepting a sacrifice was, that he reproached the Lord; so here the reason given why there remained no sacrifice for this was, that he had insolently and maliciously reproached the Spirit of grace, for so the words in the original signify which are translated hath done despite to the Spirit of grace. (Vide Van Maestricht [sic], p. 363, Colossians 1.) Another reason there given is, that he had despised the word of the Lord; a reason here given is, that he had trampled on the Son of God, who is the Word of God. The man gathering sticks perished by the hand of all the congregation; the whole congregation were commanded to stone him with stones, to bear testimony that none had mercy on him, agreeably to God’s direction in such a case, Deuteronomy 13:8-10. “Neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare him, but thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people, and thou shalt stone him with stones that he die.” Thus the sabbath-breaker perished without mercy. And he died under the hand of two or three witnesses, as the apostle concluded from the law in such a case. Hence we may gather the meaning of the word willfully in that place, That the apostle means by it in the same sense as the man in Numbers is said to sin presumptuously; the phrase in the original is with an high hand, or rather, a lifted up hand, as of one that is going to strike another. The same word is used of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 11:26-27. “He lift his hand against the king.” Heb. 10:26

Hebrews 10:26

Heb. 10:26. For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice of sins, Blank Bible:

sin willfully, etc.] By sinning after coming to the knowledge of the truth the apostle means apostatizing from Christianity after we are come to the knowledge of it as is evident by the context, particularly by the 23 and 25 verses and by the latter part of the chapter. So sometimes the word sinning is used as particularly in 1 John 3:9, Whosoever is born of God sinneth not for his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God, i.e. he cannot fall away or apostatize as many that those (?) that the apostle John wrote were acquainted with had done. But they remained Christians because the seed of God of which they were begotten and became Christians remained in them. Hebrews 10:26 sin willfully.] The apostle means the same as with proud malice or with a high hand in Numbers 15:30; Numbers 15:31 *, but he has here reference to that place in the law of Moses which he speaks of v. 28. vid. No. 230. Mystical (?) p. 362. Colossians 1:5:13.vid. Miscel. 475 that End (?).

The sermon “Of Endless Punishment” remarks briefly on this text:

In Hebrews 10:26; Hebrews 10:27, the apostle says, “If we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries:” by which two things are manifest, (1,) that without a sacrifice for sin, there is no deliverance from punishment; and, (2,) that there is no other sacrifice for sin, by which sinners can be delivered, but that of Christ.

However, Misc. 475 to which Edwards refers is not only an important comment on this text but on the doctrine of unpardonable sin as Edwards understood it. We quote it in full:

475. SIN AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. There seem to be three things essential to this sin, viz. conviction (?) malice & presumption in expressing that malice. Christ says, Matthew 12:31; Matthew 12:32, blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men and, whosoever speaketh a word against the son of man it shall be forgiven him but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost neither in this world nor in the world to come. Here I would observe 1st, in order to a man’s speaking against or reviling the holy Ghost in the sense of this text, he must have some knowledge of him. If a man only hears the name holy Ghost, having no notion what is meant by it and reviles he knows not what, he don’t blaspheme the holy Ghost in the sense of the text; or if he has only such a notion that he is one of the persons in the Godhead and speaks against him as he does against the other persons, having no notion in his mind of any thing that is a distinction of nature or work.

One man would not be said to blaspheme or revile another if he spake against him having only heard his name having no notion at the same time in his mind of any thing belonging to him that distinguished him from the rest of mankind; or to revile his person in particular if he had no other notion of him than only of his being of such a company, if he has no notion in his mind of any thing that distinguishes his particular person that he expresses spite against. Therefore when men blaspheme the holy Ghost, they express spite against something that they have an idea or notion of in their minds that is particularly pertaining to & distinguishing of this divine person.

Therefore I determine thus that those that blaspheme the Holy Ghost unpardonably express their contumely & spite against the holy Ghost with respect to those acts of his wherein consists his nature and office, viz. divine love either expressing the love of God or breathing (?) love to God, or, which is the same thing, with respect to his gracious & holy acts. It is no matter whether they have a distinct notion of a person of the holy Ghost if they, out of malice, revile those things wherein his nature & work consists. The Pharisees out of malice reviled the holy Ghost in his expressing the love & mercy of God to men in casting out devils and delivering men from captivity to that cruel enemy, a gracious & glorious work, some thing of the same nature with his casting Satan out of men’s souls and an image of it. And we are not to understand it as though Christ charged them with this sin merely because they reviled the holy Ghost in this work; but in all his doctrine & works they, against conviction, laid all those things in Christ that were the fruits of the Spirit to the devil; they charged him with acting and being acted by an unclean spirit, Mark 3:30:2. In order to a man’s blaspheming the Holy Ghost in the sense in which Christ speaks his so doing, it must be attended with conviction. He must be sensible that he does it; he must be sensible that the thing he reviles is God’s Spirit, or at least that it is from God.

He must have conviction that God is God & must have a malice against him and must from malice against him express his contempt; or despite of some gracious or holy spiritual operation of his, or in a word, he must revile the grace of God that he has light to know is his. A man is not said to blaspheme or revile another in the sense that the expression is used in this text if he don’t know who he is.

If a man meets another that is his father & reviles him, he don’t revile his father if he don’t know that it is his father. A man may have light sufficiently to know a thing and may inwardly secretly be convinced & yet his spite & malice may keep him, as it were, from owning of it to himself. A man may have abundant evidence of some worthy qualification in another that he mortally hates & may, as it were, keep from owning of it to himself, & yet indeed be inwardly sensible of it. He does, as it were, willfully stop the mouth of his understanding - wont suffer it to speak out. So I believe it was with those Pharisees: that miserable unreasonable shift of theirs to take off the evidence of his miracles seems to shew that they were convinced but were willfully resolved to object & not to own, viz. that he had one of the strongest of the devils in him and so by him cast out the rest. 3. By speaking against the holy Ghost I understand any way [very?] outwardly & presumptuously declaring malice by reproaching & blaspheming. A having malice inwardly is not sufficient, though it be against convictions of conscience; but when a person has (?) with his malice also the presumption as to appear in it, he has that spirit of contempt that he is not restrain’d by any fear or awe, but is so horribly daring as outwardly to express his malice, by reproaching, then [therein?] he commits the unpardonable sin against the holy Ghost. Generally words & actions go together. 4. The spite & malice that they do this from may be against God or against the Son of God, or against the people of God, but if [it?] is not any spite or malice against God or the Son of God or the people that being declared is the sin against the holy Ghost, but their spite must be because of the holy Ghost. If their spite is declared against God, it must be because of the gracious or holy breathings & operations of the Spirit that he is the Author of; if it be against the Son of God, it must be because of what of the Holy Ghost appears in him: his holy doctrine, holy precepts, holy life, or what of the gracious or holy influences of the holy Ghost come from him; or if it be against the people of God, it must be because of the holy Ghost in them, their holy religion, holy graces. Their spite and malice is evermore terminated upon the holy Ghost or [as?] the holy Ghost is the foundation of their malice. Their spite and contumely, when it is declared, it must be declared against that, or for that. They need not declare that their spite is for the Holy Ghost but they must declare that it is for that which is indeed, & which they are convinced, is divine, the holy Ghost.

For instance, if a man, when convinced, appears in avowed enmity against another for his holiness, his love to God, or his humility & faith in Christ alone, if he openly appears in avowed hatred & contumely against him for those things, either by reproaching him for them, or maliciously persecuting of him declaredly for those things, whether he will call them the holy Ghost or no, yet if he is convinced that they are, or that they are divine things in him, he commits the unpardonable sin. The Pharisees, though they were inwardly convinced, yet had a mortal spite against Christ for his holy doctrine & manner of life and precepts & miracles, because they were so contrary to them & therefore [they] reproached them as though they were hellish & from the devil. We have reason to think that conviction is one thing essential to this sin, for this is every where in Scripture spoken of as a sin the more difficultly pardon’d, speaking there of the sacrifices that were to be offered for sins of ignorance, God says, but the soul that doth ought presumptuously whether born in the land or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord & that soul shall be cut off from among his people. Luke 23:34, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. 1 Timothy 1:13, but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly & in unbelief. So in the beginning of the 6th chapter to the Hebrews (Hebrews 6) speaking probably there of this unpardonable sin, & 10th chapter (Hebrews 10). Here a question may arise, viz. why is this more unpardonable than to have a spite against and to blaspheme the divine being in general, or either of the other persons of the Trinity? If a man that was convinced of the being of a God should blaspheme & reproach him & charge him with folly, or with injustice & cruelty or wickedness, that is not unpardonable. But he that blasphemes against the holy Ghost, willfully and maliciously reproaches that [which] should attract our love, & win our hearts, viz. the beauty & grace of God. They are malicious against God for his love & loveliness; they are malicious against God’s saving grace and presumptuously blaspheme it. Wherefore God never will bestow it upon them. When men blaspheme the Father or the Son and may yet be pardoned, they blaspheme him by denying that of him wherein the Holy Ghost consists, by denying goodness or holiness and attributing contrary qualities to him, or else by denying wisdom of them. Mr. Baxter says that it don’t appear that the Pharisees were convinced. But we have to think that many of them were convinced by their behaviour at other times as well as now, Matthew 28:11, particularly by their behaviour when the watch came and shewed them of Christ’s rising from the dead. Their actions plainly shew’d that they believed them for they did not blame the watch at all, that they had not been faithful in watching & keeping the body of Jesus; but gave them large money to hide (?) them, to keep it secret, & invented a lie for them to tell, & told ’em they would plead their cause with the governor, & would perswade [sic] him & secure (?) them. By the 6 of Heb it appears that ’tis against a great degree of light & 10 of Heb., ’tis said if they sin willfully after they have received the knowledge of the truth. Christ in mentioning the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost has respect to their laying all that he did, as acting by the holy Ghost, to an unclean spirit. He has not only a respect to this particular instance of casting out devils, for they did not only moan that this, but that all was from the devil. He rather takes occasion to mention it now because such a miracle was a powerful argument to convince them. The people were all amazed and said, is not this the Son of David, Matthew 12:23, and they were now convinced by the strength of it, as he sees who knew their thoughts, as it is said, Matthew 12:25. And they shewed their conviction by what they said as we observed before. The Pharisees did but repeat what they used to say upon this occasion. They used to say he hath an unclean spirit & that he had Beelzebub, Matthew 10:25. And ’tis this that Christ has respect to as Mark 3:30. They repeat that now with this addition, that the unclean spirit he had was the prince of ’em, to take off the objection [he] did or might raise against them: you say that he acts by the spirit of the devil? If so, how does he cast out devil[s] out of others? They answer that the devil that he has is the chief of ’em & by that he is able to cast out the rest. The apostle says, Hebrews 10:26, if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, etc. Now persons may be said to sin willfully in three senses: 1st, as all sins are willful, even sins of ignorance, the actions are voluntary actions, and they spring from a depraved disposition or inclination; 2. when men know that acts are sins at the same time that their wills determine them, as a man may do when he is overpowered by a temptation, by fear or some appetite; 3. when his will is determined to wickedness for opposition’s sake, without any cause for it but a mere spite against, & contumacy towards that to which sin is the opposite: against true religion & its principles & exercises, or against the Holy Ghost in his actings & fruits. For the holy Ghost is the opposite to sin, Hebrews 10:29; he hath done despite to the Spirit of grace. This is to sin spontaneously, ekousiw", or willingly in the sense of this text. They rebel for the sake of rebelling, oppose for the sake of opposition, or, which is the same thing, out of spite to that which is opposed. Heb. 10:27

Hebrews 10:27

Heb. 10:27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

In the “Perseverance of the Saints” Edwards deals with this verse commonly adduced as opposed to that doctrine:

§ 32. As to the objections from such hypothetical propositions as those, Hebrews 10:27 , etc., “If we sin willfully, after we have received the knowledge of the truth;” Heb. 6:4, etc., “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, if they fall away,” etc. Such hypothetical propositions may be true, when one or both parts of it are impossible, as the truth of such a proposition consists in the connection of the antecedent and consequent; as when our Lord said to the Jews, “If I should say, I know him not, I should be a liar like unto you.” See Gill against Whitby, Vol. I. page 271.

§ 33. Objection. That we are required to take CARE and to PRAY that we may persevere. It was impossible for Christ to fail under his trials; and yet how evident is it that he used means, endeavors, care, labor, and earnest prayers, that he might persevere?

Heb. 10:28-29

Hebrews 10:28-29

Heb. 10:28-29 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? Blank Bible:

and hath counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified] There are those things that satisfy one that by him that was sanctified by the blood of the covenant is meant Christ himself and that the apostle alludes to the Law of Moses where it was commanded that Aaron and his son should be hallowed with the blood of the sacrifice, Exodus 29:2, or if he intends the person himself that despises it that he intends only a sacramental sanctifying alluding to Moses’ sprinkling the blood of the covenant on all the people thereby sealing the covenant Exodus 29 , viz that all the expressions here seem evidently to be taken of those laws the expression of blood of the covenant and that of an unholy thing and the he (?) throughout the whole book of those laws here speaks of Moses Law as in the foregoing verse. It shewed the profaneness of him that despised Moses Law or cov[enant] that he despised it tho consecrated with blood and after it had been sealed by sprinkling blood on the people be shewed a contempt of that blood by which it had been sealed as tho it had not been an holy thing. So the cov[enant] of grace is sealed by the blood of Christ in baptism and the person sacramentally sanctified. He therefore that despises Christ profanes that blood as tho he accounted it an unholy thing vid miscell. No. 629 especially §.6. (which seems to have been crossed out) hath done despite to the spirit of grace] the word for hath done despite in the original ???ß??sa? which signifies hath (?) in a petulant proud and insolent manner vid miscell. vol on quarto p. 51.

In “Perseverance of the Saints” Edwards discusses this text.

§ 28. As to that text, Heb. x.29: “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing; and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” “There is a sanctification to the purifying of the flesh, and a sanctification to the purifying of the conscience from dead works, to serve the living God; Hebrews 9:13; Hebrews 9:14. The sanctification external to the purifying of the flesh, consisteth in the man’s separation from the world, and dedication unto God’s service, by calling and covenant, common to all the members of the visible church; and it is forcible thus far, as to bring a man into credit and estimation as a saint before men, and unto the common privileges of the church; whereupon as men, so God also, speaketh unto him, and of him, as one of his people, and dealeth with him, in his external dispensation, as with one of his own people. In this sense, all the congregation of Israel, and every one of them, is called body. Yea, Core also, and his followers, Numbers 16:3. The sanctification internal, by renovation, consisteth in a man’s separation from the state of nature to the state of grace; from his old conditions to be a new creature indeed.

By this latter sort, a reprobate cannot be called sanctified, and that by virtue of the blood of the covenant, albeit he should not get any farther good thereby. Or we may say more shortly, there is a sanctification by consecration, when any thing is devoted or dedicated unto God, and a sanctification by inhabitation of the Holy Spirit; 2 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 6:18. Of the former sort, the censers of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, and called holy; and the reason is given, because they offered them before the Lord, therefore - they were hallowed; Numbers 16:38. And in this sense, all the members of the visible church, even such as afterwards do prove apostates, are sanctified; because they offered, and offer themselves, unto the Lord. That this is the true sense, is confirmed by its being called the blood of the covenant; referring to the manner of sanctifying the people of old by the blood of the covenant; sealing them as a people externally in covenant with God, as the blood of Christ in baptism in like manner seals visible Christians, as externally God’s covenant people. - Mr. Dickson, cited by Blake on the Covenant. p. 242. Heb. 10:30-31

Hebrews 10:30-31

Heb. 10:30-31. For we know him that hath said, Vengeance (belongeth) unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again. The Lord shall judge his people. (It is) a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

In the awesome published sermon, “Men Naturally God’s Enemies” Edwards proves it is “a fearful thing” indeed by this text.

Hast not he that made you, and gave you your strength, and your courage, get your strength and courage in his hands? Is it a hard thing for him to overcome it? Consider God has made your soul; and he that made it knows how to punish it to what degree he will. He will fill it with misery; he can bring what degree of sorrow, and anguish, and horror he will. And he that made your body can bring what torments he will upon it. He has made every vein and sinew; and has every one in his hands, and he can fill every one as full of torments as he will.

God, who made you, has given you a capacity to bear torment; and he has that capacity in his hands; and he can enlarge it, and make you capable of more misery, as much more as he will. If God hates any one, and sets himself against him as his enemy, what cannot he do with him? How dreadful must it be to fall into the hands of such an enemy! Surely, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God,” Hebrews 10:31 .

Heb. 10:32

Hebrews 10:32

Heb. 10:32. But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions;

Edwards in “The Manner of Seeking Salvation” sees Hebrews 10:32 as a reference to men’s struggles even after receiving “some saving comfort.”

It is with them as it was with the Christian Hebrews, Hebrews 10:32 , “After ye were illuminated ye endured a great fight of afflictions.” Some through a melancholy habit and distemper of body, together with Satan’s temptations, spend a great part of their lives in distress and darkness, even after they have had some saving comfort.

Heb. 10:33-34

Hebrews 10:33-34

Heb. 10:33-34. Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your good, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Heb. 10:35

Hebrews 10:35

Heb. 10:35. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. This with other texts of Scripture shows, according to “The Perseverance of the Saints,” that “continuance in faith is necessary to continuance in justification….”

§ 7. It seems to be because continuance in faith is necessary to continuance in justification, at least in part, that the apostle expresses himself as he does: Romans 1:17, “For therein the righteousness of God is revealed from faith unto faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith.” Or, the righteousness of God is revealed, as we receive it, and have the benefit of it, from faith, or by faith unto faith. For it is by faith that we first perceive and know this righteousness, and do at first receive and embrace it, and do at first become interested in it: and being once interested in it, we have the continuance of faith in the future persevering exercises of it made sure to us, which is necessary, in order to a suitable continuance of a justified state. And faith continuing, our interest in God’s righteousness continues, and we are continued in a justified state, and shall certainly have the future and eternal reward of righteousness. And thus that is fulfilled, “The just shall live by faith.” Agreeable to that, 1 Peter 1:5, “We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.” And also to that, Hebrews 10:35-39, “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise.

For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. Now, the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” And Hebrews 3:6; Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 3:18; Hebrews 3:19; and chap. Hebrews 4:1, Hebrews 4:11; chap. Hebrews 6:4, Heb_11-12; and the former part of the 15th chapter of John (John 15), “Abide in me, and I in you. - If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch. - Continue ye in my love. - If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” It was impossible that Christ should not continue in his Father’s love. He was entitled to such help and support from him, as should be effectual to uphold him in obedience to his Father. And yet it was true, that, if Christ had not kept his Father’s commandments, he could not have continued in his love. He would have been cast out of favor. See Romans 11:22; Colossians 1:21-23; 1 Timothy 2:15; 2 Timothy 4:7; 2 Timothy 4:8; Romans 4:3; compared with Genesis 15:6; 1 John 2:24-28. Heb. 10:36-37

Hebrews 10:36-37

Heb. 10:36-37. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. “Observations upon Passages of Scripture”:

Hebrews 10:37. - “For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come and will not tarry.” It cannot be justly inferred from these words, that the apostle expected Christ’s last coming to judgement in that generation. All that could reasonably be understood by them is, that the time of their sufferings was short, and it would be but a little season before they would be wholly delivered from all their enemies, and should receive the recompense of the reward they hoped for. This appears by the context, and also by the obvious meaning of the place referred to in the Old Testament. If this and the next verse be compared with Habakkuk 2:2-4, it will be manifest that the apostle refers to what is there said. The vision is for an appointed time, but in the end it shall speak and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come, it will not tarry. Behold his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him; but the just shall live by his faith. The thing that it is there said will come and will not tarry, is God’s people’s deliverance from the oppression of their enemies especially from the Babylonish captivity; as appears by the context.

In “Concerning the Endless Punishment of those who Die Impenitent” Edwards notes the temporal significance of this verse:

§ 31. That which lasts as long as the world stands, That which lasts as long as the world stands, is sometimes said to be forever. Yet the space of man’s life in comparison of the state that succeeds is often represented as a moment, the shortest space, yea, even as nothing. And so the space of time to the end of the world is represented as very short, Hebrews 10:37. Here in a particular manner observe those words of Christ, Revelation 22:10-12. After Christ had shown John the end of the world, the day of judgment, and consummation of all things, he says, “The time is at hand.” He that is unjust let him be unjust still, etc. - Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.” Here Christ represents to his beloved disciple the space from that time to the end of the world, to be very short, after he had from time to time represented to him (in the course of those visions, of which this is the conclusion) the state of the punishment of the wicked to be everlasting, and forever and ever; as Revelation 14:10; Revelation 14:11; Revelation 19:3; Revelation 20:10.

And even in this 22nd chapter, 5th verse (Revelation 22:5), when Christ ways, - Behold I come quickly, and so represents the time to the end of the world to be but short, we are naturally and justly led to compare this representation with that which is made of the duration of the future state both of good and bad after the judgment; and to draw inferences according concerning the duration of that following state, on many accounts: As, 1. The same Jesus, in the same course or series of visions, by which John is directed in this book, makes both representations: and the future state of the righteous and wicked, especially of the latter, is set forth in a representation that is insisted on, and repeated from time to time, as being forever and ever. 2.

He at this very time, and in the same vision (as may be seen verse 5 of this same 22nd chapter - Revelation 22:5) says of the blessedness of the righteous, that it shall be forever and ever; the very same phrase that is used before, from time to time to set forth the duration of the misery of the wicked. 3. After he had spoken of the glory of the righteous as being forever and ever, he, in the midst of those words, wherein he represents the time to the end of the world as very short, joins both righteous and wicked together, representing their state as fixed, unalterable and everlasting, in the same expressions; “The time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still. Behold I come quickly.” The shortness of the time to the end of the world, is expressed in the words immediately preceding those that express the endlessness of the state of both righteous and wicked; and then again the words immediately following express the same thing over again, “Behold I come quickly.” And, 4. The words immediately following these, naturally lead us to the same comparison, even to compare the duration of the time before the coming of the Judge, and the duration of those rewards and punishments which he will render to men according as their works shall be; “Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his works shall be.” The shortness of the time before his coming to judge and recompense men, is declared, for the comfort of the righteous, and terror of the wicked; and the thing that justly renders the consideration of the measure of duration before Christ’s coming comfortable to the saints, though it seems so long on some accounts, is, that it is very short in comparison of the duration of the reward that shall follow; and so the thing that should justly make the measure of time, before the judgment, terrible to the wicked, is, that though they may be ready to please themselves that the time is so long, yet it is very short in comparison of the punishment that shall follow. And in other places of Scripture, the time preceding the punishment of the wicked in particular, is represented as very short.

Thus it is threatened that God would bring upon them swift destruction: and it is said, the things that shall come upon them, make haste, and that vengeance shall come speedily on the enemies of the elect, and the like. And the punishment of the wicked itself is always represented as everlasting and endless.

Whence we may most reasonably suppose, that those phrases, when applied to future punishment, are used in their most proper sense, and not at all in the same manner as when applied to the space preceding, which is here spoken of as comparatively very short. Heb. 10:38-39

Hebrews 10:38-39

Heb. 10:38-39. Now the just shall live by faith: but if (any man) draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul. The inseparability of faith and perseverance is not only maintained in “The Perseverance of the Saints” (cf. above) but no less in “Justification by Faith Alone”:

And that God in justification has respect not only to the first act of faith, but also to future, persevering acts, in this sense, viz., as expressed in life, seems manifest, by Romans 1:17; “For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.” And Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 10:39, “Now the just shall live by faith; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them that draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe, to the saving of the soul.”

In 1736 Edwards preached a sermon on Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 10:39 entitled, “Perseverance in holiness is absolutely necessary to salvation.” Edwards notes that after the apostle’s development of Christ’s priesthood he exhorts to faith and perseverance. The apostle warns of those who had committed the unpardonable sin of apostasy but encourages those who were enduring persecution. Only a little while longer - the just must live by faith but backsliding is damnable in nature. Then Edwards explains that perseverance is not necessary as righteousness but as a title to eternal life. This theme is fortified in the sermon “Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer”:

1. That perseverance in the way of duty is necessary to salvation, and is abundantly declared so to be in the holy Scriptures; as Isaiah 64:5, “Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth, for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.” Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 10:39, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul hath no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Romans 11:22, “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” - So in many other places. Chapter 11 Heb. 11:1