Hebrews 6:9

Heb. 6:9. But, beloved, we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak.

In "Miscellaneous Observations concerning the Divine Decrees in General, and Election in Particular" Edwards finds use for Hebrews 6:9. The apostle speaks of their being chosen to salvation, as a ground of their perseverance, or the reason why they never shall fall away, as others spoken of before, whereby they failed of salvation. See the preceding verses (of 2 Thessalonians 2:13). Compare Hebrews 6:9.

In other words, the reason some Hebrew Christians fall away and others do not, is the divine election of the second group. Also, Hebrews 6:9 illustrates the central theme of Religious Affections :

Secondly, that we may rightly understand how Christian practice is the greatest evidence that others can have of the sincerity of a professing Christian, 'tis needful that what was said before, showing what Christian practice is, should be borne in mind; and that it should be considered how far this may be visible to others. Merely that a professor of Christianity is what is commonly called an honest man, and a moral man (i.e. we have no special transgression or iniquity to charge him with, that might bring a blot on his character), is no great evidence of the sincerity of his profession. This is not making his light shine before men. This is not that work and labor of love showed towards Christ's Name, which gave the Apostle such persuasion of the sincerity of the professing Hebrews (Hebrews 6:9-10). It may be so, that we may see nothing in a man, but that he may be a good man, there may appear nothing in his life and conversation inconsistent with his being godly, and yet neither may there be any great positive evidence that he is so. But there may be great positive appearances of holiness in men's visible behavior: their life may appear to be a life of the service of God: they may appear to follow the example of Jesus Christ, and come up in a great measure to those excellent rules in Matthew, Chapter s 5, 6, and 7, and Romans 12, and many other parts of the New Testament: there may be a great appearance of their being universal in their obedience to Christ's commands and the rules of the gospel. They may appear to be universal in the performance of the duties of the first table, manifesting the fear and love of God: and also universal in fulfilling rules of love to men, love to saints, and love to enemies; rules of meekness and forgiveness, rules of mercy and charity, and looking not only at our own things but also at the things of others; rules of doing good to men's souls and bodies, to particular persons and to the public; rules of temperance and mortification, and of an humble conversation; rules of bridling the tongue, and improving it to glorify God and bless men, showing that in their tongues is the law of kindness. They may appear to walk as Christians in all places, and at all seasons, in the house of God, and in their families, and among their neighbors, on Sabbath days, and every day, in business and in conversation, towards friends and enemies, towards superiors, inferiors and equals. Persons in their visible walk may appear to be very earnestly engaged in the service of God and mankind….

Hebrews 6:9-10 was also produced as one more argument in Qualifications for Full Communion that communicants must be persuaded of their own saving faith: "In Hebrews 6:9; Hebrews 6:10 he [the apostle] speaks of the Christian Hebrews as having that hope which was an anchor to their souls."