Hebrews 6:7

Heb. 6:7. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God:

At the very beginning of the Edwardsean Awakening, Solomon Stoddard's hold-outs are warned by this verse.:

It seems by God's providence, as though God had yet an elect number amongst old sinners in this place, that perhaps he is now about to bring in. It looks though there were some that long lived under Mr.Stoddard's ministry, that God has not utterly cast off, though they stood it out under such great means as they then enjoyed. It is to be hoped that God will now bring in a remnant from among them. But it is the more likely that God is now about finishing with them, one way or other, for their having been so long the subjects of such extraordinary means. You have seen former times of the pouring out of God's Spirit upon the town, when others were taken and you left, others were called out of darkness into marvellous light, and were brought into a glorious and happy state, and you saw not good when good came. How dark will your circumstances appear, if you shall also stand it out through this opportunity, and still be left behind! Take heed that you be not of those spoken of, Hebrews 6:7; Hebrews 6:8, that are like the "earth that has rain coming oft upon it, and only bears briers and thorns." As we see there are some pieces of ground, the more showers of rain fall upon them, the more fruitful seasons there are, the more do the briers, and other useless and hurtful plants, that are rooted in them, grow and flourish. Of such ground the apostle says, "It is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." The way that the husbandman takes with such ground is, to set fire to it, to burn up the growth of it.--If you miss this opportunity, there is danger that you will be utterly rejected, and that your end will be to be burned. And if this is to be, it is to be feared, that you are not far from, but nigh unto cursing.

Those of you that are already grown old in sin, and are now under awakenings, when you feel your convictions begin to go off, if ever that should be, then remember what you have now been told; it may well then strike you to the heart!

The sermon entitled, "Wicked Men Useful in their Destruction Only" (July 1734) had appropriate illustration in this text:

"The ax lieth at the root of the trees; and every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire," Matthew 3:10. The end of those men who bring forth nothing but briers and thorns is to be burned, as in Hebrews 6:7; Hebrews 6:8: "For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessings from God: but that which beareth thorns and briers, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned." So we read of the tares, Matthew 13:30: "Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them:" and in verses 40-42, "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be at the end of the world.

In the year (1740) of the beginning of the Great Awakening, Hebrews 6:7; Hebrews 6:8 is a warning of impending fire in the sermon, "Fearfulness Which Will Surprise Hypocrites":

As they are wont to burn lime in a great and exceeding fierce fire, till stone and bones, and other things are burnt to lime; so shall the wicked be burnt in the fire of God's wrath. "As thorns cut up shall they be burnt in the fire as briers and thorns are the encumbrance and curse of the ground where they grew, and are wont to be burnt; so shall it be with the wicked that are among God's people and grow in God's field. Hebrews 6:7; Hebrews 6:8, "For the earth which drinketh in the rain that 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."

Reflectively, Religious Affections sees moral fruit as the grand design of redemption and cites Hebrews 6:7; Hebrews 6:8 showing that not bearing moral fruit is utterly fatal.

"According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love" (Ephesians 1:4). "Created unto good works, which God hath foreordained that we should walk in them" (ch. 2:10). Holy practice is as much the end of all that God does about his saints, as fruit is the end of all the husbandman does about the growth of his field or vineyard; as the matter is often represented in Scripture (Matthew 3:10; chap. Matthew 13:8; Matthew 13:23; Matthew 13:24-30; Matthew 13:38; chap. Matthew 21:19; Matthew 21:33-34; Luke 13:6; John 15:1; John 15:2; John 15:4-6; John 15:8; 1 Corinthians 3:9; Hebrews 6:7-8; Isaiah 5:1-8; Song of Solomon 8:11-12; Isaiah 27:2-3). And therefore every thing in a true Christian is calculated to reach this end. This fruit of holy practice, is what every grace, and every discovery, and every individual thing, which belongs to Christian experience, has a direct tendency to.

About the same time Edwards delivered a sermon on Hebrews 6:7 (Jan. and Feb. 1746/7) consisting of five observations.

Obs. I. The means of grace to those that live under the gospel are like the showers that often descend on the earth. [There are five observations each with an application].

Using this text as the basis, Edwards observes that the means of grace are outward (Scripture) and inward (strivings of the Spirit) while the sinner is the soul which has no principle of fruitfulness in itself but is capable of receiving it. Means of grace are to the soul, therefore, as rain to the earth. Another observation is that the soul which receives the Word is like the soul that drinks in the rain and produces good fruit. The sermon on Hebrews 6:8 follows with the observation that those who do not bring forth good fruit are rejected of God and near to cursing and burning.