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 ...

§. 137. Of the different manner of creatures perishing.

THE Hebrew word translated perish is put for any kinde of perishing, whether* 1.1 by degrees or at once: Things that rot, consume by little and little: In this sense this word is applied to the memoriall or name of wicked men, which is said to perish, Psa. 9. 6. in that by little and little they are clean forgotten, and thus said* 1.2 to rot, Pro. 10. 7. Things that rot by degrees come to nought.

At once things are said to perish when they are suddenly destroied; Thus a righ∣teous man is said to perish, Isa. 57. 1. that is, suddenly to be taken away, as Ezechiels wife was, with a stroak, Eze. 24. 16.

So the Greek word used by the Apostle is sometimes put for a suddain destru∣ction,* 1.3 as Luk. 17. 27, 29. where it is applied to those that perished by the Floud, and by fire and brimstone from heaven.

It is also put for withering by degrees, as the grace of a flower perisheth, Jam. 1. 11.

There are some who conceive that earth and heaven do waste by degrees, and

through continuance of ages do wax old and fail. They say, that there is not now that clearnesse of light nor vigour of Stars that was in former times; and that the strength of the earth doth every year decay.

Others are of opinion that the heaven and all the Host thereof still retain that* 1.4 vertue, vigour, and strength which they had when they were first made; and that the earth, though in the superficies of it, whereon men and beast tread, and which is daily digged and ploughed up, may have some of the strength thereof exhaust∣ed, yet in the main body and innermost part of it, it still remaineth the same; and so shall do to the end of the world. See §. 139.

Yet in that a•…•… length they shall be changed, they may be said to perish; In this sense it is said, that heaven and earth shall passe away, Mar. 13. 31.* 1.5

Thus one way or other all creatures perish.

Livelesse and senselesse creatures in the earth and water; vegetable plants; fish, Fowls, Beasts, and other creatures that have sense, together with the bodies of men, perish by little and little; The heavens with their hosts and the substance of the earth, shall on a sudden be changed; Devils are in their quality altered from that they were at first made; So also souls of men: Gods Angels are in their na∣ture alterable; There is a possibility for the third, which is the invisible and high∣est heaven to be destroyed, if it seemed good to the supreme Soveraign so to deal with it; In these respects all creatures may be said to perish.

Notes

• * 1.1

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

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• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

  Mundum vide∣mus passio•…•…i subjectum, & per secula sene∣ct•…•…te deficere credimus & si∣niri. Aug. quaest▪ ex Vet. Test. q. 28.
• * 1.5

  Non est nane illa claritas lu∣minis, nec sunt ille stellarum vires quae fue∣runt, terrae eti∣am vires defi∣ciunt quotannis. Moll. praelect. in Psa. 102. 27.