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 ...

§. 170. Of the meaning of Heb. 3. 18.

Verse 18.

And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?

THe Apostle having in the former verse set down in general, That sinne was the cause of the peoples destruction, in this verse he declareth what kinde of sin in special it was: namely, unbelief: and withall he proceeds in his enquiry after the persons that did further provoke God, even to swear vengeance.

The Apostle goeth on after the same emphatical manner that he did in the •…•…∣mer verse, Dialogue-wise. See §. 166.

The vengeance which God sware is thus expressed, That they should not enter•…•… his rest.

This is a great judgement. For so men that have long travelled, and been 〈◊〉〈◊〉 troubled, rest is very comfortable, and acceptable.

But what rest can be comparable to Gods? For it is HIS rest that is here spo∣ken of. How can any more be deprived of it then by not entring into it?

All these, and that as an aggravation of the punishment of the Israeli•…•…es 〈◊〉〈◊〉 been before-handled.

Of Gods swearing vengeance, See v. 11. §. 114.

Of the rest here meant, See v. 11. §. 116. Of Gods rest, See §. 117.

Of not entring into that rest, See §. 116.

Of Israels forfeiture thereof, See §. 118.

The sin here let down to be the cause of Gods swearing the fore-said venge•…•… is unbelief.

In the Greek there are two conjunctions which are comprised under this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 particle [BUT. Those two are, a 1.1 If not. The sentence may thus be translated To whom sware he, IF NOT, or except, or unless to such and such.

Our English [BUT] doth sufficiently express the emphasis of both the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 particles: and it implieth, that these, and these alone, and none else were the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 here meant.

This then gives us to understand, that all the sinners in the wilder•…•…* 1.2 which there perished, were guilty of the sinne here mentioned, which is, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 belief.

There were other apparent sins for which many of them were punished▪ 〈◊〉〈◊〉 these the Apostle reckoneth up five kindes: as, 1. Lust. 2. Idolatry. 3. •…•…∣tion. 4. Tempting Christ. 5. Murmuring, 1 Cor. 10. 6, &c. Yet unbelief 〈◊〉〈◊〉 bitter root out of which all of them sprouted: and that sour leven with which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 were all infected and tainted. See v. 12. §. 128. See Chap. 11. v. 31 §. 185.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, si non, nisi.
• * 1.2

  Unbelief in all that died in the wilderness.