The agreement and disagreement between true and false professors of Christ, illustrated from Heb. vi. 7, & 8.

THESE words are explanatory of the preceding

verses. The apostle is describing the fate of apostates from the faith. It is impossible, says he, to renew them again to repentance; meaning by this, that the attempt of recovering them by the use of any means whatever, on the part of others, will be vain*. In giving them up as incorrigible, he proceeds: we act as men do in cultivating their fields. "For the earth which drinketh in the rain which cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God. But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." In this view of the connexion of these words, they exhibit to us the agreement and disagreement between true and false professors of Christ.

First. Their agreement consists in their enjoying

* See Owen on Apostasy, and M'Knight in loco, VOL. IV. No. II. H

the same nature, the same external blessings, and the same external care.

1. They enjoy the same nature. As such, they are here compared to "the earth." Our Lord, in his parable of the sower, makes the same comparison. There is a peculiar appositeness in the comparison, because the human mind, like the earth, is susceptible of seed, and capable of cultivation. Besides this, men like earth after cultivation, produce fruit good or bad; and their improvement will always be in proportion to the cultivation they enjoy. In this common nature then,. this susceptibility of seed, and capability of improvement, true and false professors agrec.

2. They also enjoy the same external blessings. This is expressed by the "earth drinking in the rain which cometh oft upon it." By the rain is represented to us the word of God, the doctrine of salvation. Thus the same term is applied in Deuteronomy, and not improperly: for as the rain comes from above, and fertilizes the soil, refreshing and quickening vegetation, so the word of God, the doctrine of salvation coming from above operates upon the soul of man. Through this word, either read or preached, the faith which is unto salvation is produced, as also all the graces accompanying faith, and evidencing love to God. Through the same word the divine life is preserved and revived, when in decay. Its influence is subtle and gentle, but powerful. It comes upon the soul as rain or showers upon the earth. This blessing, i. e. the word read or preached, both believers and unbelievers enjoy. It cometh oft upon them; they have repeated opportunity of hearing it. Both may receive its truth, and confess its excellence. This is intended by the earth's drinking in the rain. The external act of reception in both is the same; so is the confession of the mouth. They receive it as it is, indeed, the word

of God. False professors may receive it even with joy and satisfaction, as Herod heard John the Baptist, and as those did, in Christ's parable of the sower, who only believed for a season. All this drinking in of the rain, this hearing of the word, embracing it, apparently embracing it with joy, is common to true and insincere professors.

3. They also enjoy the same external care. The earth is dressed, or attended to, by the husbandman, or by the landlord, through the instrumentality of labourers. Thus true and false professors are equally attended to under the Gospel, in its external administration. The great husbandman of our fallen race is Jehovah. As such he is repeatedly represented by our Lord himself. He it is who uses workmen to dress his field. These workmen are chiefly the ministers of the Gospel. They exhort and admonish sinners they entreat and supplicate them in God's name, to be reconciled to him. They offer the blessings and privileges of the kingdom of God to all indiscriminately, who will accept of them.

Thus far true and false professors agree. After this, they differ. The former resemble the earth, which bringeth forth berbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, and receiveth blessing from God: the latter, that which beareth thorns and briers; is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned.

II. How striking the difference, both as respects their improvement of the same blessings, and their end!

First. Their improvement of the same blessings is

different.

1. Believers bring forth herbs meet for the dressers. That rain which descends oft upon them, and is drunk into their souls, fertilizes their natural barrenness. Originally they were unfruitful, void of good, like a desert. By the word, however, they are

made alive; their barrenness is removed. The word is the seed of regeneration. This seed, through the kindly influences of divine grace, vegetates. The rain of the Gospel descends oft upon it, and it is made effectual by the Spirit of all truth. The same word which produces a change of heart, continues that change lively and operative. This last particular proceeds from the first, because, for the earth to bring forth herbs, pre-supposes their seed to be sown, and to vegetate. For any to bring forth fruit meet for repentance, pre-supposes repentance. To argue from this He must be text, the power of man is futile.

changed by grace, before he can do any thing acceptable to God. When he is thus changed, he will improve divine blessings. He then resembles that earth on which the rain descending, is absorbed by it, and herbs spring from it. The seeds of those herbs have, however, been previously sown. they spring up, they are dressed and cultivated by the husbandman, that they may be fit for his use. Thus the heart being renovated by grace, the evidences of this renovation appear.

When

The fruits of regeneration may be summed up under the two general heads of faith and holiness, These are fruits the latter including obedience. ineet for the dressers, and none but these.

Faith is the first fruit, as well as evidence of regeneration. It is implanted in the soul at the very moment the change is experienced. The process is this. Faith cometh by hearing, hearing by the word of God. Thus, as the rain descends on the earth, the word does on the soul. By it, its natural hardness is softened. The husbandman ploughs the earth, strikes his furrows, deposits the seed. Jehovah, by his Spirit, through the word, breaks the sinner's heart, disposes it for the reception of the truth, and implants the truth therein. The preaching of the Gospel causes the seed to spring up. The principle of faith

produces the act of faith. The Lord Jesus is known, acknowledged, and embraced, as the only Saviour. His righteousness is apprehended-self is denied the merit and efficacy of good works disclaimed-the merit and efficacy of Christ's death alone, realized as the ground of acceptance before God, by the penitent sinner. Faith in Jesus includes faith in the Gospel and in Gospel promises, together with an unqualified confidence in Jehovah's faithfulness. The Gospel is received by him who possesses this faith, as the only standard of right and wrong: its principles, as the principles of truth, the yea and amen of duty. Hence his natural corruption, his alienation from God, Christ's dignity and all-sufficiency, the Spirit's almighty agency, are all to him acknowledged truths, because bible truths. Reason is made subordinate to revelation, and that for this simple, conclusive cause, that reason is dark and corrupted. It once was the regulator of the life, but through sin it has become the minister of the passions. Who are they who boast the strength of their reason, and despise the light of the Gospel, but the slaves of their passions and appetites ? Before reason can regulate the life, it must be enlightened by the of Jehovah. Then, and not till then, does grace it answer for a guide in the path of duty.

A consequence of faith, is holiness, including obedience, another fruit as well as evidence of regeneration, produced by the same cause. This is that conformity of the heart and life to the will of Jehovah, which is well-pleasing in his sight. Sin is · hated; its first risings repressed; its dominion slain; the will is subordinate to God's will; the appearance of evil is avoided; the very garments spotted with iniquity shunned. Sin is abhorred for its own sake; holiness loved for its intrinsic excellency; our corrupt desires are detested; the gratification of the passions loathed; sinful thoughts are strangled in