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 ...

§. 143. Of comparing Heb. 10. 38. with Hab. 2. 4.

Heb. 10. 38.

Now the just shall live by saith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no plea∣sure in him.

HEtherto of patience, as one means of persevering in the Christian profession: a∣nother means here followeth, which is, faith. In setting down this means, that it might be the better heeded, it is produced from the Prophet Habakkuk, Chap. 2. v. 4. But so as the Apostle useth his liberty to leave out, adde, and alter what seemeth fitting to his purpose.

• 1. The Prophet setteth these words, the just shall live by his saith, in the last place: but the Apostle in the first. The reason may be this. He would first establish them by the promise of life, before he terrified them with fear of Apostacy.
• 2. The Prophet adds this affix. a 1.1 HIS, (by his faith) but the Apostle leaves it out: For the Greek and Latine use to understand such affixes: The LXX use ano∣ther affix or relative pronoun, namely, b 1.2 MY, (thus, by my faith) whereby they make God to be the object of that faith: as if the Lord had thus said, the just live by that faith, wherewith they rest on me.
• 3. Where the Prophet saith, his soul which is •…•…ifted up, the Apostle thus hath it, If any man draw back: whereby he declareth the wofull consequence of confidence in ones self. For this phrase, his soul which is lifted up, setteth out self confidence, which is an occasion of a mans drawing back, and falling away, which is the main point here disswaded.
• 4. Insteed of this phrase, his soul is not upright in him, used by the Prophet, the A∣postle useth this, in reference to God, My soul shall have no pleasure in him: and that to declare the fearfull issue of mans disrespect to God. For the Prophets phrase im∣plieth, that the backslider is not upright, and faithfull with God: and thereupon the Apostle inferreth, that God can take no pleasure in him.

Thus we see by this variety of words and order, that the Apostle is so far from contradicting any thing in the Prophet, as he doth clear his sense and meaning. Fitly doth the Apostle infer this testimony, The just shall live by faith, upon Christs certain comming, mentioned in the former verse, to shew, that through faith in that com∣ming of the Lord, the just supports himself, and so lives by that faith.

Notes

• a 1.1

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

  M•…•….