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 ...

§. 12. Of Prophets.

THe Title Prophet, in English and f 1.1 Latine, is taken from the g 1.2 Greek; which ac∣cording to the notation thereof, signifieth one that foretelleth things to come: So doth also the h 1.3 Hebrew word. Now he that foretelleth things to come: must needs be instructed therein by God. For it is a divine property to foretell things* 1.4 future, Isa. 41. 22. and 48. 5. Hence is it, that, in a large signification, he that was cho∣sen of God to be his messenger, and to declare his will unto people, was called a* 1.5 Prophet.

With this Title (Prophet) sundry sorts of men were dignified and distinguish∣ed. As

• 1. Heads of Families: for it was their duty to instruct others in Gods will, Gen. 18. 19. Such an one was Abraham, Gen. 20. 7.
• 2. Such as gave themselves to be more then ordinarily instructed in Gods will: that on all occasions they might declare it to others. Of these there were Companies, or Societies, 1 Sam. 10. 5, 10. and 19. 20. These had their Colleges, 2 King. 22. 14. Among them some were Masters or Seniors; others Juniors, called sonnes of the Prophets, 2 King. 2. 3.
• 3. Such as God used to pen sacred Scripture, 2 Pet. 1. 19.
• 4. Such as were endued with a speciall gift of interpreting Scripture, 1 Cor. 12.* 1.6 29. These were especially in the Apostles times.
• 5. All sorts of true Preachers and Ministers of Gods words, Matth. 10. 41. and 13. 57▪
• 6. Most strictly and properly such are stiled Prophets, as were immediately stir∣red up of God, and extraordinarily assisted by his Spirit to such weighty matters, as could not, but by divine assistance be effected, Ioh. 3. 2. They are therefore set out by an ancient Father, under such a i 1.7 Title as signifieth, bearers of the Spirit.

Some of these read such writings as by no learning or skill of man could be read, Dan. 5. 17.

Others discovered secret counsels, 2 King. 6. 12.

Others brought such things to mens mindes, as the men themselves had forgotten, Dan. 2. 24.

Others interpreted dreams, Gen. 40. 14. and 41. 38. k 1.8 Though the dreams which which set out things to come, were other mens dreams, and in those dreams God shewed things to come to them that dreamed them (as to Pharaoh, Gen. 41. 25. and to Nebuchadnezar, Dan. 2. 29.) yet because they wanted understanding to con∣ceive the meaning of those dreams, they cannot be said to have the spirit of Prophe∣cy, but they rather who expounded them. For prophecy appertaineth especially to the minde and the understanding.

Finally, Others did many extraordinary and miraculous works. Among these Mo∣ses excelled, and is in that respect said to be mighty in words and deeds, Acts 7. 22.

There were also others said to propesie, and called Prophets, but▪ improperly: As* 1.9

• 1. They who were used to foretell mysteries which they themselves understood not. Thus Caiaphas is said to prophesie, Ioh. 11. 51.
• 2. They, who if they understood what they foretold, yet had no good liking* 1.10 thereto. They neither feared God, whose counsel they revealed; nor regarded Gods people, for whose sake that gift was conferred upon them. Such an one was Balaam, who taught Balack to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, and loved the wages of unrighteousness, and yet is stiled a Prophet, 2 Pet. 2. 15, 16.
• 3. They who pretended to know the counsel of the Lord, and to foretell what he had revealed to them, when there was no such matter. Such were Zidkiah and the four hundred that conspired with him, all called Prophets, 1 King. 22. 6, 10.
• 4. They who among the Heathen noted such Oracles and predictions of matters as were supposed in future times to fall out, as they were foretold. In such a sense m 1.11 Epimenides is called a Prophet, Tit. 1. 12.

But to leave those who are improperly called Prophets, and to return to those who most strictly and properly were so called; God, for the clearer manifestation of his divine power in them, raised them up out of all sorts of people: Many of them were of the Priests, as Ier. 1. 1. Ezek. 1. 3. and Levites, as 2 Chron. 20. 14. Yea also there were Prophets of other Tribes. Daniel was of Iudah, Dan. 1. 6. Elijah of Gad, 1 King. 17. 1. Elisha of Ephraim, 1 King. 19. 16. Ionah of Zebulon, z King. 14. 25. Others of other Tribes. As respect in choosing Prophets, was not had to any* 1.12 one Tribe, so nor to age; for children were chosen Prophets (1 Sam. 2. 18. and 3. 4, &c. Jer. 1. 6.) nor to education; for an herdman was made a Prophet (Amos 7. 14.) nor to sex; for women were Prophetesses (Iudg. 4. 4. Isa. 8. 3. 2 King. 22. 14. Luk. 2. 36.)

These extraordinary Prophets were raised up, when the ordinary spirituall guides of people, as Priests and Levites failed in a due performance of their duty; as in Elies time (1 Sam. 2. 12.) and in Ieremiahs (Jer. 26. 8.) or when such employ∣ments were to be performed as ordinary Ministers could not or would not perform.

The employments were such as these;

• 1. To tell Kings, Priests, Princes, yea and a whole Kingdom of their sinnes and rebellions against God: Micaiah told Ahab the truth, when all besides flattered him, 1 King. 22. 13, 14. Elijah told Ahab of his bloody sinne, and denounced Gods judgement against him (1 King. 21. 20, &c.) when all the people conspired to shed innocent blood with him. Ieremiah told King, Priests, Princes and all the peo∣ple of their apostasie, Ier. 1. 18.
• 2. To restore Religion, it being turned into idolatry. So did Samuel, 1 Sam. 7. 3. and Eliah, 1 King. 18. 21, &c.
• 3. To foretell Gods Iudgements beforehand, that beleevers might be prepared the better to bare them: that impenitent might be made the more inexcusable; and that the severity of Gods judgements might be the more justified, Ier. 5. 13. Eze. 5. 8.
• 4. To make known Gods mercies in the middest of judgements, and Gods minde of doing good to them, after they have been scourged for their sinnes; thereby to provoke them to return to the Lord, Isa. 4. 2. Hos. 6. 1, 2.
• 5. To give evidences of the Messiah, thereby to establish the hope of such, as should live and die before that fullness of time, and to direct them how to build their faith on him: and that by setting out his eternall deity, his true humanity, his conception, birth, growth, doctrine, miracles, passion, resurrection, ascension, in∣tercession; his first and second coming; his spirituall and eternall Kingdom, Acts 10. 43. Thus such as should live when and after the Messiah was exhibited, might be assured that he was indeed the Christ.
• 6. To assure the Jews of a recalling after their rejection; and to reveal the cal∣ling of the Gentiles, Ezek. 37. 19. Isa. 2. 2, 3. and 54. 1, 2, &c.

The chief of these extraordinary Prophets was Moses, after whose time they were very rare till Samuels time: But after Kings were once anointed and set over the people, Prophets were plentifull. There was never a King under whose reign there were not some Prophets; and so continued till the captivity: Yea in and after the captivity, till the second Temple was new built, God afforded extraordinary Pro∣phets to his Church, Ezra 5. 1.

Concerning the Prophets here meant, all they whom God imployed ordina∣rily or extraordinarily to declare his minde to his people, are to be understood in this place.

Of the evidences of the Prophets faith, See Chap. 11. v. 32. §. 225.

Notes

• f 1.1

  Propheta.
• g 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• h 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.4

  Vaticinatus est. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.5

  Propheta. Ier. 18. 9. Propheta Dei est •…•…unciator verborum Dei hominibus. Aug. quaest. 17. in Exo.
• * 1.6

  Prophetae sunt quibus jam sub Apostolis per gratiam dona∣batur interpre∣tatio Scriptura∣rum. Aug. Ep. 58.
• i 1.7

  Prophetae sunt 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, i. Portantes esi∣ritum, sive spiri∣tuales. Hieron. Com. in Saph. c. 3.
• k 1.8

  Lege Aug. de Gen. ad lit. l. 12. c 9.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.10

  Prophetarum nomeu secundum regulam Scri∣pturarum bonis malis{que} commu∣ne est. Hieron. comment. lib. 4. in Ezek. 13.
• m 1.11

  Epiminidem Prophetam vo∣cavit, quia de oraculis scripsit atque responsis quae & ipsa fu∣tura praenunci∣ent▪ Hieron. in Tit. 1.
• * 1.12

  Vide Bezae An∣not. in Tit. 1. 1•…•…