§. 106. Of the meaning of these words, Of how much sorer punishment.
Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall he be thought worthy, who hath tr•…•…dden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the Covenant where∣with he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despight unto the Spirit of Grace.
THe reddition, or application of the former argument is here set down.
The former part sheweth the great and just vengeance that despisers of the law brought upon themselves. This application thereof sheweth that far greater vengeance must needs follow upon despisers of the Gospel.
That this application might more clearly appear, the Apostle sets down both the kinde of punishment, and kinde of sin.
To make these points the more regarded, he brings them in with an interrogative, Thus, a 1.1 Of how much sorer, &c.
Of the emphasis of an interrogation in affirming a thing, See Chap. 1. v. 5. §. 46. and v. 14. §. 155. and Chap. 9. v. 14. §. 76.
This word of comparison hath reference to the punishment before mentioned, which was capitall, implying the death of the body, §. 103. So as there are greater* 1.2 punishments then a bodily death; whereupon the Lord sayeth, Feare not them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do: But rather fear him which is able to destroy both bodie and soul in hell, Matth. 10. 28.
The Greek word translated b 1.3 sorer is comparative, but anomalous. c 1.4 The positive d 1.5 is put for any manner of evill, either of sin or of punishment.
Thus this comparative word of my text is used in the case of sin, 1 Tim. 5. 8. and in the case of punishment, Luke 27. 64. So here. For the word punishment is expresly mentioned: and that under a e 1.6 word that signifieth a vindictive punishment, or revenge. The f 1.7 root whence it sprouteth signifieth a revenger. The g 1.8 verb signifieth to revenge. Paul twice attributeth it to himself, in regard of that vio∣lent revenge he sought to do to the professors of the Christian Religion, Acts 22. 5. and 26. 11.