[95]. It is a known maxim in logic, Suppositio nihil ponit in esse.
[96]. Εαν υποστειληται.
[97]. It is certain, that the particles τις, אשר, and others of the like import, are often left out, and the defect thereof is to be supplied in our translation: Thus it is in Job xxxiii. 27. where the Hebrew word, which might have been rendered and he shall say, is better rendered and if any say, &c. and in Gen. xlviii. 2. instead of he told Jacob, it is better rendered one told Jacob, or somebody told him; and in Mark ii. 1. τις, which is left out in the Greek text, is supplied in the translation, in which we do not read it after days, but after some days. See Nold. Concord. Partic. Page 41, 42. in which several texts of scripture are produced to the same purpose, and among the rest, this in Heb. x. 38. which we are at present considering as what ought to be rendered if any one draw back. In this and such like instances we may observe, that the verb personal has an impersonal signification, or that which is properly active is rendered passively; so Eccl. ix. 15. זמצא בה is not rendered and he found in it, &c. but now there was found in it; many other instances of the like nature are to be observed in the Hebrew text in the Old Testament; and sometimes this mode of speaking is imitated by the Greek text in the New. I might also observe, with respect to the scripture under our present consideration, that the learned Grotius observes that τις ought to be supplied, and consequently the text ought to be rendered as it is in our translation, if any man draw back, which he observes as what is agreeable to the grammatical construction thereof, without any regard to the doctrine we are maintaining, with respect to which, he is otherwise minded.
[98]. To give countenance to this sense of the word impossible, they refer to some scriptures, in which it does not denote an absolute impossibility of the thing, but only that if it comes to pass it will be with much difficulty. Thus it is said, Acts xx. 16. that the Apostle Paul hasted, if it were possible for him to be at Jerusalem the day of Pentecost; where his making haste argues that the thing was not in itself impossible, but difficult. And Rom. xii. 18. we are exhorted, if it be possible, as much as in us lieth, to live peaceably with all men; which shews that it is hard indeed so to do; nevertheless, we are to use our utmost endeavours to do it, which does not argue that the thing is in itself altogether impossible. And there is another scripture they bring to justify this sense of the words in Matt. xix. 23-26. in which our Saviour’s design is to shew the difficulty of a rich man’s entering into the kingdom of heaven, which he compares to a camel’s going through the eye of a needle; by which very few suppose, that the beast, so called, is intended, but a cable-rope, which is sometimes called a camel; thus the Syriack[[99]] and Arabick versions translate the word:
And a learned writer observes, that the Jews, in a proverbial way, express the difficulty of a thing by that of a cable-rope’s passing through the eye of a needle, See Buxt. Lex. Talmud. Pane 1719. and Bochart Hiero. Part. 1. Lib. 2. Cap. 3. And by needle is not meant that which is used in working, but an iron, through which a small rope may be easily drawn; though it was very difficult to force a camel or cable-rope through it; therefore they suppose our Saviour is not speaking of a thing which is absolutely impossible, but exceeding difficult; and this may be inferred from his reply to what the disciples objected, who then can be saved, when he says, with men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. And to apply this to the scripture under our present consideration, they suppose that the apostle, when he speaks of the renewing of those persons to repentance, does not intend that which is absolutely impossible, but that it cannot be brought about but by the extraordinary power of God, with whom all things are possible.
[99]. The ancient Syriac is ܠܓܡܠܐ the modern is the same word, which is literally καμηλον a camel, not καμιλον a cable. This Eastern proverb is now well established. Vide Campbell, Clarke, &c.
[100]. We do not find the word used in that sense till the second century, by Justin Martyr [Vid. ejusd. Dial. 2.] and Clemens Alexandrinus [in Pædag. Lib. 1. cap. 6.] and therefore we are not altogether to take our measures in explaining the sense of words, used in scripture, from them, who sometimes mistake the sense of the doctrine, contained therein. However, if we take the word in this sense, it does not militate against our argument, since a person may be baptized, who is not in a state of grace and salvation.
[101]. See Pag. [124], [125] ante.
[102]. See Pag. [122], [123] ante.
[103]. There seems to be an hendyadis in the apostle’s mode of speaking. By the heavenly gift we are to understand extraordinary gifts, which are called the Holy Ghost elsewhere, Acts xix. 2. because they were from the Holy Ghost as effects of his power, and wrought to confirm the gospel dispensation, which is called the world to come, Heb. ii. 6. and therefore they are styled the powers of the world to come.