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 ...

§. 78. Of the resolution of Heb. Chap. 8. v. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12.

V. 8.

For finding fault with them, he saith, behold, the dayes come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Iuda•…•….

V. 9.

Not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt, because they conti∣nued not in my Covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

V. 10.

For this is the Covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my lawes into their minde, and write them in their •…•…earts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.

V. 11.

And they shall not teach, every man his Neighbor, and every man his Brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me from the least to the greatest.

V. 12.

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousnesse, and their sins, and their ini∣quities will I remember no more.

IN these five verses a divine testimony is produced (out of Ier. Chap. 31. v. 31, 32, 33, 34.) to prove the excellency of the new Covenant above the old.

In producing it, two things are observable.

• 1. The connexion of the proof with the point.
• 2. A citation of the testimony it self.

By the connexion, that which was supposed v. 7. is plainly affirmed, see §. 30. In this affirmation.

• 1. The point it selfe is affirmed thus, finding fault.
• 2. The persons are set down.

These are of two sorts.

• 1. Agent, he who findeth fault. The Lord, in this phrase, he saith.
• 2. The Patients. They who were under the old Covenant, comprized under this relative, with them.

The testimony it self is largely quoted from this place to the end of the 12. verse. In setting down the testimony, observe,

• 1. The manner of propounding it, in this remarkable note. Behold.
• 2. The matter. This is 1. generally propounded, v. 8. 9. 2. particularly exem∣plified v. 10, 11, 12.

The general declares a main difference betwixt the old and new Covenant. Of this difference there are two parts.

• 1. The excellency of the new Covenant. v. 8.
• 2. The deficiencie of the old. v. 9.

The former is set out.

• 1. Simply.
• 2. Comparatively, v. 9.

The simple in foure branches.

• 1. The time when. The dayes come.
• 2. The Authour and orderer of it, who is brought in.
  • 1. By another expressing him, saith the Lord.
  • 2. By himself speaking. I will make
• 3. The excellency of the Covenant, in this Epithite, New.
• 4. The persons with whom it was made. These are distinguished by two Na∣tions.
  • 1. The house of Israel.
  • 2. The house of Iudah.

V. 9. The new Covenant is set out comparatively in reference to the old, and that negatively thus, Not according, &c.

Under this comparison he further sets out the old Covenant, & thereabout 2. parts.

• 1. A description of the old Covenant.
• 2. A Declaration of the deficiency of it.

The old Covenant is described.

• 1. By the persons between whom it was made. These are of two sorts
  • 1. The Covenanter. I made, saith the Lord.
  • 2. The Covenanters with whom he made it. The house of Israel.
• 2. By the time. This is set out by a memorable deliverance out of the Land of Egypt, and amplified by Gods manner of delivering them, in two metaphors taken from a tender parent.
  • One in this phrase, when I took them by the hand.
  • The other in this, to lead them.

The deficiency of the old Covenant, is noted in a double act.

• One of the Covenantes, They continued not in my Covenant.
• The other of the Covenanters, I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Vers. 10. The exemplification of the new Covenant is,

• 1. Generally propounded.
• 2. Particularly distributed.

• 1. In the general the point is thus expressed, This is the Cov•…•…nam.
• 2. It is described.
  • 1. By the persons with whom it is made: which are, as before.
    • 1. Covenanter, I will make, saith the Lord.
    • 2. Covenanties, with the house of Israel.
  • 2. By the time, after those dayes.
• 2. The distribution is into foure promises, in every of which observe.
  • 1. The matter whereof they consist.
  • 2. The manner of expressing the same.

• ...

  1. The matter of the first promise consisteth of two branches.

  In both which there is,

  • 1. A distinct Act, put, write.
  • 2. A distinct object, Lawes.
  • 3. A distinct subject, their mindes, their hearts.
• 2. The matter of the second promise, is a double relation.
  • 1. The Lord will be to them a God.
  • 2. They shall be to God a people.
• V. 11. 3. The matter of the third promise is set down.
  • 1. Negatively.
  • 2. Affirmatively.

The negative implyeth, that under the new Covenant there shall not be such need of instructing one another as under the old. Hereof are foure branches.

• 1. The Act denyed, shall not teach.
• 2. The Instructers twice set down, Every man.
• 3. The instructed, his neighbor, his brother.
• 4. The substance of the Instruction, know the Lord.

In the affirmative we are to observe,

• 1. The connexion by the causal conjunction, for.
• 2. The expression of the priviledge it self: wherein observe,
  • 1. The kinde of priviledge, shall know. Amplified by the object me.
  • 2. The persons made partakers thereof. These are set down.
    • 1. Generally, all.
    • 2. Distributively, from the least to the greatest.

In the fourth promise observe.

• 1. The inference of it as the cause of all the former, for,
• 2. The substance. This layeth down two points,
  • 1. A double act on Gods part.
    • 1. Affirmative, I will be merciful.
    • 2. Relative, I will remember no more.
  • 2. A treble object concerning men.
    • 1. Their unrighteousnesses.
    • 2. Their sinns.
    • 3. Their iniquities.

2. The manner of expressing all the foresaid promises is absolute.