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 ...

§. 113. Of the righteousnesse of Christs Kingdom.

THe a 1.1 Greek word joyned by the Apostle to the Scepter here mentioned, sig∣nisieth rectitude, streightness, evenness; It is opposed to crookedness, rough∣ness, unevenness: So doth the b 1.2 Hebrew word also signifie; It is •…•…itly applied to a Scepter, which useth to be streight and upright; not crooked, not inclining this way or that way; So as that which is set out by a Scepter, namely, government, is hereby implied to be right and upright, just and equall, not partially inclining to any side: The government of a good King is frequently set out by this phrase, He did c 1.3 that which was right, 1 King. 15. 5, 11. & 22. 43. and it is opposed to declining to the right hand or to the left, 2 Kin. 22. 2. according to the true meaning of the word in this place, it is not unfitly translated righteousnesse; and so it is expounded in the next verse: These two words in Hebrew, which signifie d 1.4 righteousnesse, and e 1.5 recti∣tude or equity, are oft joyned together, as f 1.6 importing the same thing, Prov. 2. 9. Psa. 58. 1.

This phrase a g 1.7 Scepter of righteousnesse is a rhetoricall phrase, very elegant and emphaticall: It implieth a most just and equall ordering all things in the Kingdom, so as nothing but that which is right, without all appearance of any unrighteous∣nesse, is to be sound in Christs administration of his Kingdom: The h 1.8 Substantive righteousnesse, is oft put for the Adjective righteous; and that to declare the super∣lative degree thereof; as Deut. 24, 13. Psa. 119. 172. Isa. 1. 26. Ier. 33. 15. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Heb 7. 1.

Hereby it appeareth that Christ doth most righteously order the affairs of his Kingdom: In this respect he is stiled a righteous Iudge, 2 Tim. 4. 3. and a righteous

branch: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord our righteousness, Jer. 23. 5, 6. Iustice and Iudgement are the habitation of his Throne, Psa. 89. 14. His Laws and Statutes are all righteous, Psa. 19. 7. &c. His word, which in speciall is counted to be his Scepter, teacheth all righteousnesse, maketh his subjects righte∣ous, and leadeth them in that only right way which bringeth them to the Crown of righteousnesse; There is no true righteousnesse but that which is found in this Kingdom; The members of this Kingdom are the only true righteous men, all other are but righteous in shew: The rewards which Christ giveth, and the judge∣ments which he executeth are all righteous.

Thus he brings most glory to himself, and doth most good to others, which are two main ends whereat Christ aimeth.

Happy are those men, happy are those subjects which are of this Kingdom, and governed by the Laws thereof.

Blessed be the Lord which delighted in his Church to set his Sonne on the Throne thereof; and to put this Scepter of righteousnesse into his hand, because the Lord loved his Church for ever, therefore made he his Sonne King, to do judgement and justice.

How should this allure us to come to this Kingdom, to abide therein, to subject to the Laws and Ordinances thereof!

O the folly of those who will not have this man to rule over them, Luk. 19. 14, 27. but will break his bands, Psa. 2. 3. They are like to the Trees, Iudg. 9. 14, 15.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, re∣ctitudo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rectus, ab 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 & 〈 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 〉
• f 1.6

  Synonima.
• g 1.7

  See §. 25. on this phrase, Word of power.
• h 1.8

  Abstractum pro concreto. In regno Christi est pura puta justitia▪ Basil. Mag. Explic. Psa. 44.