3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;



Ver. 3. If we neglect] He saith not, if we reject, renounce, persecute; but if we neglect, let slip, shift off, as the word ðáñáéôçóçóèå is, Heb_12:25, and as those recusant guests did, Mat_22:1-14. Say we rather with Samuel, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." And with that Dutch divine, Veniat, veniat verbam Domini, et submitremus illi, sexcenta si nobis essent colla. Let the Lord utter his mind, and he shall have ready obedience, whatever come of it.



So great salvation] The doctrine of the gospel, that "grace of God that bringeth salvation," Tit_2:11. I am fully persuaded (saith a late learned light of our Church, Dr Preston) that in these days of grace the Lord is much more quick and peremptory in rejecting men; the time is shorter, he will not wait so long as he was wont to do. The ground is, "How shall we escape if we neglect, &c.? which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed," &c. This is somewhat like St Luke’s preface to his Gospel, Luk_1:2. Hence some have thought that he also was the author of this Epistle.