A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 162. Of Professors provoking God while they hear his Word.

THe sin of those some before mentioned, is thus expressed, Some when they had* 1.1 heard, did provoke.

Of the derivation, and emphaticall signification of the word Provoke, See v. 8. §. 90.

This a 1.2 Greek Verb is here only in this text of the New Testament used: but in the Old Testament by the Greek LXX more frequently: especially in the Psalms: as Psal. 78. 17, 40, 56. & 106. 7, 33, 43. So Ierem. 44. 8. and in sundry other places.

In the New Testament there are other Greek words which signifie the same thing, carry as great emphasis, and translated provoke: as in this phrase, Do we b 1.3 provoke the Lord to jealousie? 1 Cor. 10. 22. Love is not c 1.4 provoked, 1 Cor. 13. 5. d 1.5 Provoke not your children, Eph. 6. 4.

The word used in my text doth greatly aggravate the obstinacy of those who pro∣fesse themselves to be Gods people, they do, as much as in them lieth, imbitter the Spirit of God, and vex him. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit, Isa. 63. 10. Hence is it, that he is said to be grieved, v. 10. §. 103. What else can be expected but that God should vex them, as is threatned, Psal. 2. 5. and accomplished, 2 Chron. 15. 6. It is not safe to provoke the Almighty, and to cause him to turn

his Fatherly affection into the disposition of a Judge.

This sin of theirs is yet further aggravated by their contempt of the means which* 1.6 God afforded to reclaim them, which was his Word: for this act hear, hath refe∣rence to the voice of God, mentioned ver. 7.

The * 1.7 Greek word is a participle of the present tense, and may be thus transla∣ted, Hearing they provoked: that is, While God was speaking, and they hearing▪ they still provoked.

They heard God directing them the right way, and inciting them to walk in tha•…•… way, Deut. 30. 15, 16.

They heard God admonishing them to take heed lest they should wander out 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that way, Deut. 8. 11, 12.

They heard God promising blessings to them that obeyed him, and threatning curses against them that disobeyed, Deut. 28. 1, 2, 15, &c. Yet they provoked, Go•…•… Word nothing at all wrought upon them.

Such was the disposition of the old world, (1 Pet. 3. 19, 20.) Of Sod•…•…m and G•…•…∣morrah, (2 Pet. 2. 8.) Of the Israelites in the time of the Iudges, (Judg. 2. 17.) O•…•… the Kings, (2 King. 17. 13, 14.) and after their captivity, Ezr. 9. 10.) Yea in and after Christs time; even till they came to be Loammi, no people of God, Act 7. 51. 1 Thess. 2. 15, 16.

The God of this world had blinded their eyes, (2 Cor. 4. 4.) and hardned th•…•… hearts, as he did Iudas his heart, Ioh. 13. 27.

Hereby they shewed that they were not of God, Ioh. 8. 47. 1 Ioh. 4. 6. It is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the sons of Eli, that They hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Lord would stay them, 1 Sam. 2. 25.

Gods Word is the means which God hath sanctified to reclaim sinners. The 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of those who hearken not thereto is very desperate. O take heed of sinni•…•…g under the means which God affords to reclaim from sinne.

Notes

• * 1.1

  What it is to provoke God.
• a 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ad fervorem ex∣cito.
• c 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• d 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ad iram provoco.
• * 1.6

  To hear Gods Word and rebell.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.