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 ...

§. 40. Of Gods judging Fornicators and Adulterers.

THis act of judging, attributed to God, hath reference,

Sometimes to all sorts indefinitely.

Sometimes distinctly to the righteous, or distinctly to the unrighteous.

In the indefinite respect it is used two wayes:

• 1. To set out Gods righteous governing the whole world; and his equal dealing with all men. Thus it is said of God, He shall judge the world in righteousnesse, Ps. 9. 8.
• 2. To demonstrate Gods rewarding every one according to his works, as where it is said, How shall God judge the world? Rom. 3. 6. His rewarding of all is thus set out, especially at the last day: In the day when God shall judge, &c. Rom. 2. 16.

Distinctly in reference to the righteous, it implies Gods trying their truth and integrity, Iudge me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity: Examine me, O Lord, and prove me, &c. Psal. 26. 1, 1.

• 2. His determining their cause, The Lord judge between me and thee, and see and plead my cause, &c. 1 Sam. 24. 12, 15.
• 3. His justifying them by revenging their adversaries, Psal. 9 4, 5.
• 4. His chastening them here, to prevent their eternal damnation, 1 Cor. 11. 32.

In reference to the unrighteous it signifieth,

• 1. To revenge them in this world, Rev. 6. 10.
• 2. To condemn them in the world to come, Luk. 19. 22 compared with Matth. 25. 30 In these two last respects is this word judge here used.

Concerning Gods judging these sinners, it is in general said, That because of these things the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience, Eph. 5. 6. Parti∣cular judgements are either such as God mediately by the Ministry of man inflicteth on these kinds of sinners, or such as immediately he sendeth down from himself.

Mediate judgements by the Ministry of men, are either extraordinary or or∣dinary.

Of extraordinary mediate judgements, we have these instances:

Phineas his thrusting thorow with a Javelin Zimri and Cosbi in their Tent, Num. 25. 6, 7, &c. And the sons of Iacob destroying the Shechemites, Gen. 34. 25, &c. And the Israelites destroying almost the whole Tribe of Benjamin, Judg. 20. 48. And Absoloms destroying his brother Amnon, 2 Sam. 13. 29, 32.

The ordinary mediate judgement against adulterers was death. The Law for this is expresly set down, Deut. 22. 22. This judgement was in use among Gods people even before the Law of Moses, for Iudah adjudged Tamar his daughter to be burnt for this sin, Gen. 38. 24. The very Heathen by the light of Nature, saw the equity hereof. For Abimelech charged all his people not to touch Isaac or Rebeccah upon pain of death, Gen. 26. 11.

Some take this touching especially of Isaacs wife to be of committing adultery with her. But more clear is that instance which the Prophet Ieremiah giveth con∣cerning the King of Babylons rosting in the fire Zedekiah and A•…•…ab, because they committed adultery with their neighbours wives, Ier. 29. 22, 23.

Heathen Authors give us many instances of the practice of States among the Gen∣tiles, in putting adulterers to death.

a 1.1 The Arabians used so to do.

b 1.2 Draco's Law among the Athenians judged adultery to be a capital sin.

c 1.3 The Goths used to put adulterers to death.

The Laws of the Romans, called the twelve Tables, did also make adultery to be a capital offence. So did the Iulian Law. Thus was it also among the Romans in the dayes of Augustus Caesar.

Judgements immediately from God have been of divers sorts: As

• 1. Upon particular persons: namely, those four and twenty thousand which died of a plague for committing adultery with the daughters of Moab, Numb. 25. 9.
• 2. On Cities. The Prophet declareth this sin to be one cause of that extraordi∣nary judgement that was executed on Sodom, and the Cities near unto her; he saith, They committed abomination, Ezek. 16. 50. hereby he means their buggery and other kinds of uncleannesse.
• 3. Upon Nations. God expresly saith, That the Land where Israel dwelt spued out the Nations that were before them for sinnes of uncleannesse, Levit. 18. 27, 28.
• ...

• 4. Upon the whole world. For concerning the old world which was destroyed with a •…•…loud, it is said, That the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were fair, and they took them wives, of all which they chose, Gen. 6. 2. Their adulteries are hereby described, and set down as a special cause of the general deluge.

More particularly kinds of judgement may distinctly be considered as inflicted in this world, or in the world to come.

In this world, while they live, or after their death.

While they live, Temporal or Spiritual.

Temporal judgements inflicted in this life on unclean persons are,

• 1. In their Name, Shame and Disgrace, as we noted before, §. 38.
• 2. In their Body sundry diseases. God saith of an Adulteresse, That he would cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, (Revel. 2. 22.) By casting into a bed, diseases which force persons to keep their bed, are meant.
• 3. In their State, with extream poverty, as was shewed §. 38.
• 4. In their Soul, with terror of conscience. Certainly David was herewith sore∣ly punished, who in that Psalm which he penneth as a testimony of his repentance for his adultery, thus prayeth, Make me to hear joy and gladnesse; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce (Psal. 51. 8.) Under that metaphor of broken bones, terror of conscience is signified. Hardnesse of heart, and a reprobate sense hath ceised on others. These are spiritual judgements inflicted in this life.
• 5. All manner of bitternesse. The end of a strange woman is bitter as wormwood, and sharp as a two-edged Sword, Prov. 5. 4. By experience the Wiseman thus saith of such an one, I finde more bitter then death, the woman whose heart is snares and nets, &c. Eccl. 7. 26.
• 6. A miserable death, which the Wiseman speaking of an Adulterer and Adul∣teresse, thus expresseth, He goeth after her straightway, as an Ox goeth to the slaugh∣ter; or as a fool to the correction of the stocks: till a dart smite thorow his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life, Pro. 7. 22, 23.

After death his infamy continueth, for his reproach shall not be wiped away, Pro. 6. 33. And this sin is a fire that will root out all his increase, Job 31. 12.

In the world to come Whoremongers and adulterers are judged,

Privatively and Positively.

Privatively with pain of losse; For such shall not inherit the Kingdom of God,* 1.4 1 Cor. 6. 9 Gal. 5. 19. 21. Ephes. 5. 5.

Positively with pain of sense. For whoremongers shall have their part in the lake* 1.5 which burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, Rev. 21. 8.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Strabo l 16. Geog. Euseb. de prap. Evang. l. 6. c. 8.
• b 1.2

  Pausan. in Beol.
• c 1.3

  Procop. l. 1. de bel. Gothic.
• * 1.4

  Poe•…•…a damni.
• * 1.5

  Poe•…•…a sensus.