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 ...

§. 128. Of the meaning of the six and twentieth verse.

Vers. 26.

Whose voyce then shook the earth, but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

THe Apostle proceedeth to aggravate the terror of turning from Christ, and that comparatively by another argument from the lesse to the greater.

The former comparison was betwixt persons, Moses and Christ; this is betwixt Majesty and Majesty, or power and power. It may be thus framed. If he that sha∣keth the earth be to be feared, much more he that shaketh both earth and heaven too.

Whereas the Apostle saith, a 1.1 whose voyce. This is meant of Christs voyce in de∣livering the Law. Thereunto hath the particle b 1.2 THEN reference. For then Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoak, and the whole Mount quaked greatly, Ex∣od. 19. 18. c 1.3 But now hath relation to the time of the Gospell. And because that which he intendeth is a glorious and joyous matter, the Apostle expresseth it in the words of a Prophet (viz. Hag. 2. 6.) and stileth it a promise, in this word d 1.4 hath promised.

In quoting the Prophet, the Apostle hath more respect to the sense then to the words. Translators must hold close to the words, but relators or quoters of Text are not so strictly bound thereto; Its enough if they faithfully deliver so much of the sense as is pertinent to their purpose; Now that we may see how the Apostle doth this, let us consider the scope which the Prophet aimed at, and apply it to the Apo∣stles purpose.

The scope of the Prophet was to comfort the faithful Jewes, who had after forty years distrubance built a new Temple, but far inferior to that which Solomon had built before, and were thereupon much troubled in their minds; for at the sight of the foundation thereof many of them wept, Ezr. 3. 12. To comfort them, he tels them that the glory of this latter shall be greater then of the former, Hag. 2. 9. The reason is in this Text, taken from the Majesty and power of the Lord that should come into this Temple, who thus saith of himself, I will shake the heavens and the earth, namely at the exhibition of this Lord in the flesh, while this Temple stood.

His argument in general thus standeth.

At giving the Law the earth only was shaken?

But at bringing in the Gospel, earth and heaven too were shaken. Therefore the Gospel is the more glorious. And therefore the Gospel is with more diligence and reverence to be heard.

Only the latter part of the argument, concerning the shaking of earth and heaven too, is here proved.

1. Quest. When were these shaken.

Answ. At the beginning and progresse of the Gospel. This is evident both by the main scope of the Apostle in this place, which is to magnifie the glory of the Gospel above the Law.

2. Quest. How were they both shaken?

• 1. By evident signes.
• 2. By powerful effects.

The signes are these,

• 1. The extraordinary light that shined about the shepherds at Christs birth, Luk. 2. 9.
• 2. The extraordinary starr, Matth. 2. 2.
• 3. The opening of heaven at his baptisme, Matth. 3. 17. and transfiguration, Matth. 17. 5.
• 4. The Voice from heaven that was thought to be a thunder, Ioh. 12. 28, 29.
• ...

• 5. The darknesse of the Sun, the renting of the veil of the temple, the earth-quakes, the cleaving of stones, opening of graves, raising of bodies out of the graves, at Christs death and resurrection, Mattk. 27. 45, 51, 52, 53, and 28. 2.
• 6. Christs entring with his body into heaven, Act. 1. 9, 10.
• 7. The sound which suddenly came from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and the cloven tongues, like as of fire, Acts 2. 3.
• 8. The shaking of the place where the Apostles prayed together, Acts 4. 31.
• 9. The opening of the heaven, when Stephen saw Christ, Acts 7. 55, 56.
• 10. The transplendent light and voice from heaven which astonied Saul, Acts 9. 3, 4.
• 11. The opening of the prison dores, and iron gates, Acts 5. 19. and 12. 10.
• 12. The great earth-quake, Acts 16. 26.

Before I set down particular effects, I will first shew that acts and effects both of grief or trouble, and also of joy or rejocing, are set out under this metaphor of being moved.

For when strange, unexpected, and admirable things fall out; such as are trou∣bled, or such as rejoyce thereat, are said to be moved, as Ruth 1. 19. The whole City was moved, (1) all the inhabitants were astonished, and much rejoyced. So Matth. 21. 10. And contrariwise Isa. 7. 2. Ier. 49. 21. Acts 21. 30.

Thus we see, that when the inhabitants of a place give any expressions of grief or joy, the place is said to be moved.

Thus were both earth and heaven moved and shaken at bringing in the Gospel, as appeareth by these effects.

• 1. The appearing of Angels, Luk. 1. 11, 26. and 2. 9, 13. So in the wildernesse, as Mark. 1. 13. In Christs agony, Luk. 23. 4. at his resurrection, Luk. 24. 5. and at his ascension, Act. 1. 10, 11.
• 2. The shepherds relating what they had seen and heard, Luk. 2. 17, 18.
• 3. The wise men comming from the East, and the trouble following, Matth. 2. 1, &c.
• 4. The prophecies of Simeon and Hannah, and the effects thereupon, Luk. 2. 25, &c.
• 5. Christs disputing at twelve years old, to astonishment, Luk. 2. 46.
• 6. His preaching, and people wondering thereat, Luk. 4. 22. Matth. 7. 28. Iohn 7. 46.
• 7. His miracles, and peoples amazement, Mark. 1. 27. Luk. 5. 26. Iohn 12. 19.
• 8. The astonishment of people at his death, Matth. 27. 54.
• 9. The watch-mens astonishment at his resurrection, Matth. 28. 4.
• 10. His Disciples amazement at his ascension, Acts 1. 11.
• 11. His Disciples powerfull preaching, Acts 2. and their miracles.
• 12. The conversion of nations, and constancy of Martyrs.

Of this phrase, e 1.5 yet once more, we shall speake more on the following verse.

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 〉.
• e 1.5

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