C

YHRISTIAN Reader,-Thou hast here at length that so much desired and long looked for Commentary of Dr Gouge on the Epistle to the Hebrews, the largeness whereof may be a sufficient plea for the long stay thereof at the press.

Though it be a posthumus (a child brought into the world after the death of his father), yet I do assure thee it is his own. For though he set not upon this work for the fitting it to "the press, till the latter end of his days, after he was seventy years of age, being kept from it by other public employments, as is well known, yet it pleased God so to lengthen out his life, that he lived to finish this Commentary upon the whole Epistle, excepting one half chapter; the completing whereof, though it cost me some time and pains, that it might be answerable to the rest, yet in respect both of its form and matter, it may well be accounted his own work. For as being his amanuensis to a great part of the work, I observed his method, so the matter and substance of that half chapter I found in his own notes, to which I have added no more than I thought necessary to make it like the rest. So that I may truly say, thou hast here Dr Gouge's Commentary upon the whole Epistle to the Hebrews; and therein the substance of above a thousand sermons preached at that famous Wednesday Lecture in Blackfriar's, London, though now cast into a new mould by way of section. Yet I am persuaded, and that upon good grounds, that there is scarce a point in divinity which he handled upon any portion of Scripture in the whole course of his ministry, but he hath brought the substance of it into this Commentary. Several sermons, which upon the first view I thought fit to be published, and thereunto had designed them, I have since found fully handled in this Commentary; wherein I conceive, thou mayest find as many points of divinity, cases of conscience and controversies, fully, clearly, though succinctly handled, as in any commentary whatsoever yet extant.

As he was ever acknowledged by all scholars that heard him, or read any part of his works, to be most exact and accurate, in the opening of the true sense

of a text, in the resolving thereof, and raising of genuine observations from the same; so in the giving of the natural sense and meaning of the apostle in this epistle, and in the analysing, first of every chapter, then of every verse, and in raising of the proper deductions and conclusions from each word and particle almost in this epistle, he hath shewed his skill to the utmost it being the fruit, as of his younger, so of his elder years,1 whenas he grew herein more and more acute and dexterous.

Though the doctrines which he raised from each word and particle are not set down under the notions of doctrines, nor the reasons for the confirmation thereof under the terms of reasons, yet in the section where the Greek word or particle is opened, there are expressed, as the doctrines thence naturally arising, so the reasons for the confirmation thereof, and likewise many practical inferences, ever holding it2 one part of his art to conceal his art; especially in writing, though in preaching, as none more solid and judicious, so scarce any more clear and perspicuous, condescending to the capacity of the meanest; ever affecting the simplicity of plain preaching, rather than obscure and lofty expressions.

At the end of this Commentary, besides a large English table of all the material points treated of by the author, I have added an Alphabetical Index of above seven hundred Greek words, which thou mayest find learnedly and dexterously explicated, either by their etymologies, synonymas, or various acceptations (if they be okuohuara), or if not, yet thou hast the clearest and most familiar explication that each word is capable of. For it was one part of the author's excellency, that constantly in the course of his ministry he did endeavour to instil into the heads of his auditors the fullest sense of the Spirit in a familiar way, though veiled under many significant, simple, compound, or decomposite notions. Such was his depth of judg1 Discipulus est prioris posterior dies.-Seneca. гsgáσxw δὲ ἀει πολλὰ διδασκόμενος.—Solon.

Est caput artis artem dissimulare.-Erasm.

8 τόν ἰδιώτισμον τοῦ ἁπλουστέρου κηρύγματος.—Greg. Nyss. A

ment, that after he had conferred place with place, he could suddenly methodise the different senses, and give forth the quintessence of all his collations, so as the meanest capacity might be edified by him.

That I may not exceed the bounds of an epistle, I shall only add this word concerning the narrative of my dear father's life and death. Though some things therein may seem scarce creditable, as his indefatigable pains, his unparalleled meekness, and the like, yet do I assure thee, there is not one particular expression in the whole, but upon mine own knowledge I can avouch for truth, having observed most of them myself, and heard the rest often from his own mouth.

Though he be now dead, yet he still speaketh to us in this elaborate Commentary of his, of which he died in travail. Though it were his Benoni, yet to the heedful reader it may justly become another Benjamin, a son of the right hand, to lead him fully into the bowels of the whole epistle. The author's sole aim in all his ministry being the same with Austin's,1 1 Sint cast delitiæ meæ, Scripturæ tuæ; nec fallar in eis, nec fallam ex eis.- Confes. lib. ii. cap. 12.

and in his Commentary like that of Jerome,1 to hold out clearly the meaning of the Spirit, and not his own fancies and conceits.

And such was his happiness, that he had the incomes of the same Spirit in explaining the epistle, as the penman in writing, though not in the same measure. My prayer unto the God and Father of mercy is, that it may do as much or rather more good in the perusal, than it did in the first preaching, becoming a means of conversion to the unconverted, of edification, comfort, support and establishment to all that are already brought into Jesus Christ.

Thy servant in the work of the gospel,
THO. GOUGE.

SEPULCHRES, March 26. 1655.

1 Propositum mihi erat non ad meam voluntatem Scripturas trahere, sed id dicere, quod Scripturas velle intelligebam. Commentatoris officium est, non quid ipse velit, sed quid sentiat ille quem interpretatur, exponere: alioqui si contraria dixerit, non tam interpres erit quam adversarius ejus quem nititur explanare.-Hieron. ad Pammach.

OUR welcome ship the wealth of heav'n hath brought,
No Indian earth; and she so richly fraught,
With worth our waiting pays; an empty skiff
Had sooner come, and with an easy whiff
Of wind had sail'd; our ship so fully laded

Through the surges deeply plough'd, and slowly waded.
His wares for houses claim our hearts; may I

Still make my better part their library;
Yea, may these volumes turn'd into myself,
Be chained faster to my soul than self.
They burden shelves, in souls had they abode,
Like th' elements in place, they would not load.
Nor crave I them alone; our college cries
To have a share in these commodities.
These thousand sermons, Sion is content
To quarter freely; harmless regiment!

Which with no foe contendest, but with sin,

Which driv'st not students out, but draw'st them in,
Which dost not eat, but art the scholars' bread,
And in a vacant desk can'st make thy bed;
Whose pistols only reasons are, whose swords
Are framed only out of Scripture-words.

Our Gouge who Christ i' the types so clearly shews,
Gives light to th' Hebrews, knowledge to the Jews.
Th' Hebrews so hard, a fort scarce ere obtain'd,
We conquer now; I'm sure the works we've gain'd.
Finis in page the last, the end holds forth
Of th' worthy comment, not the comment's worth.
Its clear analysis the text unties,

"Twas sad that death did th' writer analyse.

THE shady types are made in th' Hebrews plain.
This comment clears the Hebrews, and again
The life of Gouge expounds this comment, next
We want one to explain his life; that text
A pair of commentators join to clear,

The dove and serpent both must comment there :

His pen goes sweetly, but had we our choice,
We him would hear; no music to the voice.
He's gone; yet sure, the worth of th' son will spread,
Who serv'd his living father, serves him dead.

W. J.

CEC. 1. Of the authority of this epistle.

SEC

That we may with the better warrant collect articles of faith and rules for life out of this epistle, it is requisite that we be well informed in the divine authority thereof, and also well weigh the excellency of it.

These evidences following make clear the divine authority of this epistle.

1. The matter of it, which is beyond the reach of human invention. So profound mysteries are revealed therein, as could not be known but by divine revelation.

2. The manner of unfolding those mysteries, which is with such majesty and gravity as argueth a divine. spirit.

3. The congruity of it with other canonical scriptures, so as, if all Scripture be given by inspiration of God, Пãoa yapǹ Jeóvevoros, 2 Tim. iii. 16, then this also.

4. The direct refutation of pernicious heresies, which, since the writing of this epistle, have been forged, so as it must needs be inspired by a foreknowing Spirit.

5. The whole tenor of this epistle, and manner of expressing the legal ordinances therein, shew that this epistle was written while the temple stood, and Levitical rites were in use, which was in the apostles' time; so as, if it had not been canonical, it would questionless have been discovered by them.

6. The penman of it, whom we shall shew hereafter to be Paul the apostle.

7. The express approbation which St Peter gives of it, for he makes mention of an epistle which St Paul wrote to them, to whom he himself wrote his epistles, ygate iun, 2 Peter iii. 15, 16, who were Hebrews, 1 Peter i. 1; 2 Peter iii. 1.

These proofs of the divine authority of this epistle shew how justly it is accounted canonical, as it hath

been in all ages of the church; for where catalogues of canonical scriptures have been made,' this epistle hath been put into the number, and they have been accounted heretics that have denied it to be canonical.2

Sec. 2. Of the excellency of this epistle.

Admirable is the excellency of every part of sacred Scripture, which savoureth of more than an human spirit. And this epistle hath sundry excellencies, which in a peculiar manner do commend it unto us;

as,

1. The mysteries couched therein. The greatest and profoundest mysteries of our Christian religion are therein propounded: concerning God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; concerning the natures, person, and offices of Christ; concerning the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, and efficacy of his intercession; concerning the excellency of the new covenant; concerning the life of faith; and concerning the privilege of these latter times, &c.

We

2. The variety of histories therein recollected. have in it a rehearsal of most of the memorable histories from the beginning of the world to the last age thereof; and not only of such as are registered in holy writ, but also of such as fell out since the prophets ceased to record any.

3. Explication of legal types, and application of them to their distinct truths. No other book is herein comparable to this epistle.

4. Confutation of heresies. It may be termed the maul of popery, which is a mass of heresies. Popish heresies are most against the offices of Christ, espe

1 Athanas. in Synops. S. Scrip.; Aug. de Doctr. Christ., 1. ii. c. viii.; Damasc. de fide, 1. iv. c. xviii.

Epiph. 1. i. hær. xlii.; Philast. Catal. hæres. c. xlviii. Vide Whitak. 'Egzoràv, in quo fragmenta veterum hæresium, indicantur, ad constituendum ecclesiæ pontificiæ &ogTagay, collata.

cially against his priesthood. Those heresies are so fully met withal in this epistle, as if it had been written since popery began. God foreseeing what poisonous heresies would be broached, prepared this antidote against them.

5. The pithy persuasions unto all holiness and new obedience; the powerful encouragements to constancy and perseverance; the dreadful denunciations against apostasy and impenitency; the sweet consolations to such as for Christ's sake endure the cross, which are here and there throughout in this epistle mixed.

Thus much in general to commend this epistle unto us.

The title thereof is next to be considered.

Sec. 3. Of the title.

The Epistle of Paul the apostle to the Hebrews. It is not probable that this title was set down by the first penman of this epistle; for he might as well have premised his usual inscription with his name and calling (which apostles do in all other their epistles) as have prefixed the foresaid title.

Titles before the apostles' epistles, and subscriptions after them, are not accounted canonical, as the epistles themselves, but supposed to be added by some that afterwards did transcribe the epistles. For there are gross mistakings and palpable errors in many of them. And though some of them may hit the mark, and declare the truth, yet doth it not thereupon follow that they are canonical. Although everything that is canonical be most true, yet every truth is not canonical; for that only is accounted canonical which was given by inspiration of God, θεόπνευστος.

Titles, therefore, and superscriptions added to thre epistles of apostles, are no sufficient grounds of doctrine, nor may articles of faith or rules for life be founded on them; yet they give some light to the matter, and may be handled by way of preface.

As for the title of this epistle, no just exception can be taken against it. Every particle therein is undoubtedly most true.

It plainly demonstrates both the parties, and the means of the author's declaring his mind.

The parties are, 1, the penman or author; 2, the people to whom it was in special directed.

The author is described, 1, by his name, Paul; 2, by his calling, the apostle.

The people are described by their parentage, Hebrews.

The means is by way of writing a letter, the epistle.

Sec. 4. Of the author of this epistle.

The proofs before produced for the divine authority of this epistle give evidence that an apostle, or some other extraordinary minister, immediately inspired and

1 See Cudworth's Supplement to Perkins's Comment on the Epistle to Gal. in the conclusion.

infallibly insisted1 by the divine Spirit, was the author of it.

2

Some have supposed it to be written by Luke the evangelist, or by Clemens; some by Apollos, whose learning and eloquence, joined with great piety, is much commended, who also, in special, is said to have mightily convinced the Jews, Acts xviii. 24, 25, 28.

But the evidences following do more than probably evince that Paul the apostle was the author of this epistle.

1. The ancient Greek churches accounted it to be St Paul's, and thereupon prefixed this title before it, The Epistle of Paul, &c. And in the catalogue of St Paul's epistles this is reckoned up; whereupon there are said to be fourteen epistles of St Paul.

2. Both matter and manner of penning this epistle is agreeable to St Paul's other epistles.5

3. That which St Paul styleth his token in every epistle,' 2 Thes. iii. 17, is also in the close of this epistle thus set down: Grace be with you all, Amen.' Indeed, in most of his epistles he styles it the grace of Jesus Christ;' yet in both his epistles to Timothy and to Titus, it is as here.

6

4. The mention which is made of Timothy, who was St Paul's associate, of whom he oft makes mention in his other epistles, and gives the same epithet to him that is here, our brother Timothy. Compare with Heb. xiii. 23; 2 Cor. i. 1; Philem. 1.

To shew that that very Paul is here meant who was immediately called by Jesus Christ, and infallibly assisted by his Spirit, he is described by his extraordinary function, the apostle. Hereof see chap. iii. 1. Thus much of the author.

Objections made against this penman of this epistle are answered in their due places. See Chap. II. Sec. 27.

Sec. 5. Of the Hebrews.

The people to whom in special the apostle directed this epistle are styled Hebrews; whereby that nation which descended from Abraham is meant.

This title, Hebrews, is oft used in the Old and New Testament. It was first given to Abraham himself, Gen. xiv. 13; then to Joseph, when he was a servant in Egypt, Gen. xxxix. 14, 17; afterwards to all that stock, Gen. xl. 15; Exod. ii. 6; 1 Sam. iv. 6, 9 ; Acts vi. 1; Philip. iii. 5.

Abraham, the father of this people, was styled an Hebrew in two especial respects.

1 Qu. 'assisted'?-ED.

Origines, ut refert Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. vi. c. xxv. 3 Beza in Annot. major.

• Παύλου τοῦ ̓Αποστόλου, &c. Ita scriptum invenimus in omnibus nostris codicibus excepto uno.-Beza ioc citat.; Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. iii. c. iii. Plurima patrum testimonia, citantur a Whitakero.-Controv. i. de S. Script. q. i. c. xvi. 5 Vide Piscat. Prolegom. de authore hujus Epist.

6 Vide August. de Civ, Dei. 1. xvi. c. iii.; et Flor. Josep. Antiq. Jud. 1. i. c. xiv.