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 ...

§. 150. Of judging the best of others.

Heb. 10. 39.

But we are not of them, which draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

THe doom denounced in the former verse is very terrible.

That they to whom the Apostle wrote, might not be too much affrighted

thereat, and think that he had too hard an opinion of them, as if he thought they were drawing back; he mitigateth it by manifesting his good opinion of them.

Thus much is evident by his manner of inferring this upon the former, by the conjunction of opposition a 1.1 BUT.

For such passages as declare a good opinion of any, are opposite to threat∣nings of judgement. And here that inference implieth a case of difference between them and others: that albeit others might forfeit Gods good plea∣sure towards them, yet he did not so think of them. Of mitigating severe cen∣sures see Chap. 6. 9. §. 53, 54, 55.

To perswade them the more thereof, he useth the first person plurall, b 1.2 WEE, to shew, that he had such an esteem of them as he had of himself, and that he judged himself as much as he judged them, See v. 26. §. 87.

Thus we see that Saints may havr a good opinion of one another, as well as of themselves. Oft doth the Apostle in his good hope and steadfast perswasion in∣clude others with himself, thus, We walke by faith, 2 Cor. 5. 7.

• 1. Charity which is the rule of iudging others believeth all things, 1 Cor. 13. 7. that is the best of every one. What one in certainty knoweth of himself he may and ought in charity judge of other Saints.
• 2. Every one is so conscious to all his own corruptions, as he knoweth more ill of himself, then he may of other Saints.

Far from this Christian mind are such conceited Pharisees, as judge and condemn others that are better then themselves, Luk. 18. 11. See Gods account of such, Isa. 65. 5

Notes

• a 1.1

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

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