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 ...

§. 63. Of Solomon a Type of Christ.

TO the fore-named Testimony which proveth Christ to be the begotten Sonne of God, another is added to the very same purpose; as these copulative par∣ticles, a 1.1 and, again, import. Hereby it is evident that sundry testimonies may be pro∣duced to prove the same point, Rom. 5. 10. &c.

• 1. This sheweth consent of Scripture.
• 2. It more works, as many blows knock a nail up to the head.
• 3. Many testimonies may better clear the point, and one place be a commentary to another.

Though this be lawfull, yet a mean must be kept therein; and care be taken wisely to observe when there is need of adding Testimony to Testimony: See §. 77.

This latter Testimony is taken out of a promise made to David: it is twice re∣corded, as 2 Sam. 7. 14. 1 Chron. 17. 13. and it is repeated by David the third time, 1 Chron. 22. 10.

The Apostle faithfully quoteth the very words of the promise, which are these I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a Son.

Our English makes a little difference in translating the Hebrew, and the Greek; For that they turn the Hebrew, I will be his Father, and he shall be my Sonne: which* 1.2 is in effect the same, His Father and a Father to him, His Son and a Son to him, are all one in sense. The two originall Languages do directly answer one another.

In the repetition of this promise, (1 Chron. 32. 10.) the order is inverted; for it is thus set down, He shall be my Sonne, and I will be his Father: This inversion of words no whit at all altereth the sense, but affordeth unto us this observable Instruction, that The Father was not before the Sonne, nor the Sonne before the Father, nor in time, nor in order, Both coeternall, both equall; The Glory equall,* 1.3 the Majesty coeternall, as it is in Athanasius his Creed: Therefore in one place the Father is first set down, in another the Sonne; For the Sonne was alwaies with* 1.4 the Father and alwaies in the Father; With the Father, by an inseparable distincti∣on of the eternall Trinity; In the Father, by a divine unity of nature. This is fur∣ther manifest by a distinct expression of both the relatives; For he contents not himself to say, I will be a father to him, but he addes, He shall be a Son to me, to shew, that the Father never was without the Sonne.

The fore-mentioned promise as it is a promise, hath immediate relation to the Son of David, even to Solomon by name, 1 Chron. 22. 9. and thereupon this threat∣ning (if he commit iniquity I will chasten him,) is added, 2 Sam. 7. 14. for Christ was not subject to sin.

There be that say that Solomon in his sinnes might be a type of Christ, as Christ* 1.5 is an head of a body, and considered with the body (as Mat. 25. 40. Act. 9. 4. 1 Cor. 12. 12.) and so this threatning, If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him, ap∣plied to Christ: Or else as Christ was our Surety, and took our sinnes upon him, and was chastened for them.

But it is not necessary that all things which were in such persons as were types of Christ, should be applied to Christ. Nor Solomon, nor David, nor Aaron, as sinners in regard of their sinnes were types of Christ; Though he was in all points tempt∣ed like as we are, yet without sin. cha. 4. 14. No kinde of Persons were more proper types of Christ then the High-Priests, yet were they not types in all things that ap∣pertained to them; They were of the Tribe of Levi; They offered Sacrifices for their own sinnes; They oft renewed their Sacrifices; They had Successors when they died: In none of these were they types of Christ. See Ch. ver. 5. §. 12.

But the excellent prerogatives heaped up together, have not relation to Solomon alone. The Prerogatives as they are propounded to David in the Name of the Lord, are these in order.

• 1. I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall succeed out of thy bowels: 2 Sam. 7. 12.
• 2. I will establish his Kingdom, Ibid.
• 3. He shall build a House for my Name, 2 Sam. 7. 13.
• 4. I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever, Ibid.
• 5. I will be his Father, and he shall be my Sonne, 2 Sam. 7. 14.
• 6. I will settle him in my House, and in my Kingdom for ever, 1 Chr. 17. 14.
• 7. He shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies, &c. 1 Chro. 22. 9.

These, at least most of them were literally meant of him, who by name is expressed* 1.6 Solomon; Yet not singly and simply considered in himself alone, but as a type of Christ: For David and his posterity had their royall dignity conferred upon them, not so much for their own sakes, as that they might be a fore-going type, and a visible representation of Christs royall dignity, and of that redemption and sal∣vation which he should bring to the people of God: So as those excellencies which in the Letter are spoken of David, Solomon, and others, are mystically, truly, and principally foretold of Christ, whereby the benefit of those promises was infinite∣ly encreased, and the comfort of true beleevers above measure enlarged: This the Apostles, who were inspired with a divine Spirit, well knew: and thereupon on all occasions applied those types to their intended truth; as here in this place.

a 1.7 True it is, that Davids Sonne by Bathsheba, was named Solomon; but the my∣sticall truth of this name (as of the name of Melchisedech. chap. 7. v. 7.) was mani∣fested

in Christ Jesus: Reade the 72 Psalm, which carrieth this Title, For Solomon, and it will be found that Christ is the true Prince of Peace, which Solomons name im∣porteth; and that all things there set down are fullfilled in Christ.

But to compare the type and truth together in such particulars as are mentioned in the promise made to David, 2 Sam. 7. 12. these instances following are to be ob∣served.

• 1. Solomon was a man of Rest; and Christ was the Prince of Peace, Isa. 9. 6. God gave Solomon rest from all his enemies, such as were the Philistins, Aramites, Moabites, Am∣monites, and others like them: But Christ so judgeth among the Nations, as they beat their swords into plough-shares, &c. Isa. 2. 4. and the Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb, &c. Isa. 11. 6, 7, 8, 9. Yea, God in giving Christ hath raised up an horn of sal∣vation for us in the house of his Servant David, that we should be saved from our ene∣mies, and from the hand of all that hate us (Luk. 1. 69, 71.) not only from men but* 1.8 from devils also: For he hath spoiled Principalities and Powers, Col. 2. 15.
• 2. God gave peace and quietnesse to Israel in Solomons daies; But Christ is our Peace (Eph. 2. 14.) and it pleased the Father to reconcile all things to himself by Christ, Col. 1. 20.
• 3. b 1.9 Solomon was the seed that proceeded out of Davids bowels, whom God set up after David: But Christ was that promised seed that by an excellency and pro∣perty was called the Sonne of David, Matth. 1. 1. who also by lineall descent pro∣ceeded out of Davids bowels. An ancient Father expounding this phrase, Out of thy bowels, thus, Out of thy belly (as the LXX and vulgar Latin do) hath this com∣ment upon it; If you simply take this of Solomon, it is ridiculous; For then might David be thought to have brought forth Solomon as a Mother: Hereupon he ap∣plieth this to the Virgin Mary, out of whose womb Christ came: But that Father mistook the mark. For the Hebrew word properly signifieth the bowels, (as our English turns it) and it is elsewhere applied to men, as Gen. 15. 4. 2 Sam. 16. 11. And* 1.10 in 1 Chr. 17. 11. it is thus expressed, which shall be one of thy sonnes; therefore Solo∣mon must not be clean excluded, but be immediatly intended, yet as a type, and Christ most principally as the truth and substance.
• 4. God established Solomons Kingdom, but much more Christs; whose King∣dom cannot be moved, (Heb. 12. 28.) as Solomons was: For first ten Tribes fell away from his Sonne, 1 King. 12. 20. and afterwards the whole Kingdom was translated* 1.11 from Solomons race to Nathans. Compare Mat. 1. 12. with Luk. 3. 27. where there∣fore it is further said, I will establish the Throne of his Kingdom for ever. If this be ap∣plied to Solomon, it must be taken improperly for long date: but applied to Christ, it is most truly and properly spoken: For he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of hi•…•… Kingdom there shall be no end, Luke 1. 33. So as this extent of the pro∣mise to everlastingnesse evidently proves, that Christ is here principally intended.
• 5. Where it is further said, that the promised Sonne of David should build an House for the Name of the Lord, this is true of the earthly Temple built of Stone and Timber, and garnished with gold, silver, silk, and other like ornaments, which was a typicall House for Gods Name, 1 King. 5. 5. But Christ built the mysticall, spirituall, true House of God, which is the Church of the living God, Hebr. 3. 3, 6. 1 Tim. 3. 15.* 1.12

Well therefore, and that most fitly and properly may this part of the promise (I will be a Father to him, and he shall be a Son to me) be applied to Christ. To Solo∣mon it was spoken in a type; To him indeed God was a Father in favour and love; and he was a Sonne to God as he bare Gods image, being a King, and through the grace of adoption and regeneration: But God is a Father to Christ by begetting* 1.13 him, and communicating his whole essence to him; and Christ is a Sonne to God by being properly begotten of God, and of the same essence with him.

Thus is this testimony as pertinent to the Apostles purpose as the former: Fa∣ther and Son being here properly taken in a like mutuall relation of one to another.

Quest. How then is this set down in the future tense as of a thing to come, I will be, He shall be, seeing the divine generation is eternall?

Answ. As in the former testimonies, so in this, the Apostle setteth out the Sonne of God incarnate; whereby he was visibly manifested to be the true, proper, only

begotten Sonne of God; So as this promise is of a future, conspicuous declaration of an eternall relation; As if the promise had been thus made, I will manifest that I am the Father of that Sonne which I will raise up to them, and that he is my Sonne; In like manner saith the Angel to the Virgin Mary, That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonne of God, Luk. 1. 35.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Many proofs of one point. See ch. 7. v. 15. §. 78. And ch. 10. v. 15. §. 43.
• * 1.2

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.3

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

  Cum Patre sem∣per, & in Patre semper est filius; Cum Patre per distinctionem in•…•…issociabilem Trinitatis ae•…•…cr∣nae •…•… In Patre per divinam uni∣tatem naturae. Amb▪ de fide l. 4. c. 4.
• * 1.5

  Christus dupli∣citer potest in∣telligi habere peccatum: vel quia suscepit in se, & luit pec∣cata nostr•…•… in suo corpore; vel quia peccata quae haercut in cor∣pore & in mem∣bris videri pos∣suu•…•… aliquo modo pertinere ad ca∣put. P. Mart. Comment. in a Sam. 7. 14. Sic •…•…ere Osian∣ander & Lava. Comment. in 2, Paralip. 17. 13. alijque.
• * 1.6

  Promissi series Christum spo∣spondit. Amb. l. 3. Comment. in Luc.
• a 1.7

  Totū Psalmum qui figuratè tan∣quam in Salo∣monem dicitur, fi legere vellet, inveniret Chri∣stum verè regem Pacificum▪ hoc exim Salomonis •…•…omen interpre∣tatur: in quo cognosc•…•…ret com∣pleta omnia que ibi dicuntur, &c. Aug. contra Faust. Manich. l. 13. c. 7. L•…•…ge Aug. Enar. in Ps. 71. & in Psa. 126.
• * 1.8

  Si in Salomoue simpliciter edis∣seres, risum mi∣hi incuties. Vi∣debitur enim David peperisse Salomouem. An & hic Chri∣stus significatur, ex •…•…o ventre se∣men David, qui esse ex•…•… Da∣vid, id est Ma∣riae. Tertul. adver. Marcion lib. 3.
• b 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 LXX 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Ve•…•…. La•…•…. ex ventre tuo.
• * 1.10

  Thronus in ae∣vum & Regnum in aevum magis Christo compe∣tit, quam Salo∣moni temporali scil. Regi. Tort. loc. citat.
• * 1.11

  Quia aedem Dei magis Christus aedificaturus es∣set hominem scil. sanctum, in quo potiore Templo in habitaret Dei Spiritus, in Dei filium magis Christus haben∣dus esset, quam Salomon filius David. Tert. loc. cita•…•….
• * 1.12

  Salomon aedifi∣cavit Templum Domino in typo quidem & in fl∣gura futurae Ec∣clesiae, &c.
• * 1.13

  Aug. Enar. in Psa. 126. Quis est iste proprius Dei filius, nisi cui di∣ctum est, Filius meu•…•… es tu, Ego hodie genui 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Ambr. l. 3. Comment. in Luk▪