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 ...

§. 93. Of the use to be made of Gods judgements on others.

V. 17.

For ye know, how that afterwards, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.

THe punishment of Esaus profanesse is here set down; and that as a motive to us to keep us from the like sin. That it is a motive, is evident from this causall particle a 1.1 FOR: As if he had said, Be not ye profane as Esau, because Esaus profanesse was after such a manner punished.

For judgements on some are caveats for others: whereupon the Prophet Ieremi∣eh* 1.2 setteth before the people of the Iewes, the judgement of God upon Shilo, where his name was placed at first, as a caveat unto them, not to place their vain confidence in the Temple, as Ier. 7. 12. Goe ye now to my place, which was in Shilo, where I set my name at first, and see what I did to it, for the wickednesse of my people Israel. And in 1 Cor. 10. 7, &c. The Apostle setteth before the Corinthians the judgements of God upon his people of old for their sins, as caveats for them, to keep them from those ve∣ry sins, for sayth he, Neither be ye Idolaters, ▪as were some of them. Neither let us com∣mit fornication, as some of them did, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyers,

And in the close makes this application, Now all these things hapened unto us for en∣samples, & they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

And truly, if we consider Gods unchangeablenesse, how he is still as pure, as just, as jealous, as potent a God as ever he was, what of old he hated, he still hateth, we have just cause to make his judgements on others, caveats and admonitions unto us, not to adventure upon their sin, left their judgements light upon us.

Obj. Judgements are not so frequent, and severe as of old.

Answ.

• 1. God having in former ages shewed what in justice he may do, what by his power he can do, and what sinners provoke him to do, he forbears them the more, that they may the more thorowly consider his former dealing, and be the more warned thereby.
• 2. He then dealt with his as with Children, he had then rods for them, and used them more frequently. He hath scourges for his Churches grown to a riper age. The rods were corporall and temporall judgements; The scourges are blindnesse of mind, hardnesse of heart, a reprobate sense, infidelity, impenitency, and such like spirituall judgements.
• 3. God now reserves impenitent sinners to greater torments in hel: as our Savi∣our speaks of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum, Matth. 11. 21, 22. &c. how that it should be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgement, then for Co∣razin, and Bethsaida. And more tolerable for Sodom then for Capernaum, in regard that they had greater means of grace vouchsased unto them.
• 4. Greater temporall judgements have been inflicted under the Gospel for de∣spising it. The last destruction of the Iewes was the soarest. Fearfull judgements have befallen all the Churches planted by the Apostles. When were more fearfull judge∣ments on any, then lately on the Churches in Germany?

This doth afford direction in the right use of such judgements as we read of, or hear of, especially of such as are recorded in sacred Scripture; not as mat∣ters of admiration, but as matters of admonition, that as we fear such and such judgements, so to take notice of the cause; and as we fear the judgement, take heed of the cause, lest the like befall us, or a worse.

Notes

• a 1.1

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

  Judgements on some are caveats for others.