Wesley Corpus

For the original runs thus: O Bixalog ex rissa's gnasra" was sav wrossix, rai. If o Bixalog, “the just man that lives by faith,” (so the expression neces sarily implies, there being no other nominative of the verb,) “draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” “But the Apostle adds: “We are not of them who draw back unto perdition.’” And what will you infer from thence? This is so far from contradicting what has been observed before, that it manifestly confirms it. It is a farther proof that there are those “who draw back unto perdition,” although the Apostle was not of that number. Therefore those who live by faith may yet fall from God and perish everlastingly. 26. “But does not God say to every one that lives by faith, ‘I will never leave thee nor forsake thee?’” The whole sentence runs thus: “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.” True; provided “your conversation be without covetousness,” and ye “be content with such things as ye have.” Then you may “boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.” Do you not see, (1.) That this promise, as here recited, relates wholly to temporal things? (2.) That, even thus taken, it is not absolute, but conditional?. And, (3.) That the condition is expressly mentioned in the very same sentence 2 27. Eighthly. Those who are sanctified by the blood of the covenant may so fall from God as to perish everlastingly. For thus again saith the Apostle, “If we sin wilfully, 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. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment 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 !” (Hebrews x. 26-29.) It is undeniably plain, (1.) That the person mentioned here was once sanctified by the blood of the covenant.