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 ...

§. 129. Of persecution by spoyling of goods.

A Fourth branch of the exemplification of their former good course, is thus set down, and took joyfully the spoyling of their goods.

By spoyling of goods, he meaneth a violent taking of them away, not by com∣mon enemies of their nation, but by their own country-men; who in hatred of their Christian Religion entred into the houses of such as professed themselves Christians, and violently took away their goods. So much is implyed under the Greek word translated, a 1.1 spoyling.

It is derived from b 1.2 a verb which signifieth, to pull or take away by violence, as to pull a thing out of the fire, Iude v. 23. It is applyed to wolves catching sheep, Joh. 10. 12. Yea to the Devils catching the word out of mens hearts, Matth. 13. 19. The word of this text is applyed to c 1.3 Extortioners, Matth. 23. 25. And Extortioners are oft called d 1.4 Harpies, Luke 18. 11. 1 Cor. 5. 10, 11. and 6. 10. For there is a ravenous kind of foule that are called * 1.5 Harpies, which use with violence to take mens meat from their table. Hereby the violent, forceable, and tumultuous man∣ner of taking away the Hebrewes goods, is set out to the life.

The word translated goods, is a compound. The e 1.6 verb signifieth to be, or to subsist. f 1.7 The participle is used to set out such a thing as a man hath, as Riches, Wealth, or any thing else that he possesseth. There is another Greek word in this verse derived from the same root, & translated g 1.8 substance. In these titles, the Apostle followeth the common use, in calling the things of this world goods: though com∣paratively in reference to grace and things of eternall life, they be but trash and shadowes.

The Apostle bringeth in the spoyling of their goods, as a kind of persecution. The Devill herein manifested his persecuting mind, when he spoiled Iob of all his goods, Iob 1. 10, &c. So deale the •…•…dianites with the Israelites, Judg. 6. 4.

Well may this be accounted a kind of persecution, because the goods of this world are not only for delight, but for a kind of necessity; our very life is preserved by them.

• 1. It hereby appears that it is no small wrong that they do, who spoyle others

• of their goods, especially if it be for conscience sake, by reason of their holy pro∣fession who are spoyled; whether it be under pretence of law, or by open Violence, it is in Gods account persecution.
• 2. Be moved hereby, whosoever suffer in this kind, patiently to beare it, and to put this kind of persecution, as a Jewel into the Crown of martyrdome.

The verb translated h 1.9 took, is a compound of a simple verb that signifieth to i 1.10 take, Matth. 10. 40. and a preposition that signifieth k 1.11 to. The compound hath em∣pha•…•…, and is commonly translated to receive, Luk. 15. 2. Phil. 2. 29.

Of the manner of enduring the spoyling of their goods, l 1.12 joyfully, See Chap. 3. v. 6. §. 64, 67.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• b 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• c 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• d 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  Extruimus∣que toros, dapi∣busque epula∣mur opinis, Harpyi•…•… diripi∣unt que da∣pes, &c. Virg. Aeneid. lib. 3.
• e 1.6

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. sum.
• f 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• g 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• h 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• i 1.10

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• k 1.11

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• l 1.12

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.