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 this phrase, Flesh and blood.

THat wherein Christ is here said to be conformable to these children is styled Flesh and blood.

Flesh in Scripture is used Properly or Tropically.* 1.1

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  1. Properly for that part of man which covereth the bones, and is covered with skin▪ through which the veins, nerves, sinews, arteries, and other ligaments of the body do pass.

  Thus doth Iob distinguish flesh from skin, bones, and sinews, Iob 10. 11. Thus di∣stinguished, It is a soft substance made of blood coagulated.

• 2. Tropically flesh is used sundry waies: As,
  • 1. By a Synecdoche: as when it is put
    • 1. For the whole body distinguished from a mans soul. The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls, &c. the flesh of thy Saints unto the beasts of the earth, Psal. 79. 2.
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      2. For the person of man, consisting of body and soul. All flesh shall see the salvation of God, Luk. 3. 6.

      In these two respects flesh is attributed to Christ: namely in reference to his body, (1 Pet. 3. 18.) and to his whole humane nature, Ioh. 1. 14. 1 Tim. 3. 16.

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    • 3. To a mans wife who is styled his flesh, Gen. 2. 23. and by rule of rela∣tion to a womans husband. For man and wife are said to be one flesh, Matth. 19. 5.
    • 4. For such as are of kin. S^t Paul thus styles those that were of the stoc•…•… from whence he came, Them which are of my flesh, Rom. 11. 14.
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      5. For a neighbour. Hide not thy self from thine own flesh, Isa. 58. 7.

      Kinsmen and neighbours are of the same flesh: the former more near, the later more remote: therefore both are called flesh.

    • 6. For all creatures cloathed with flesh. God giveth food to all flesh, Psal 136. 25.
  • 2. By a Metonymy, as when flesh is put
    • 1. For corruption. That that is born of the flesh is flesh, Joh. 3. 6. Flesh in the later place is put for corruption of nature.
    • 2. For infirmity. Thus horses are said to be flesh, Isa. 31. 3. In regard 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their weakness: and in this respect are opposed to spirit.
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      3. For outward appearance. Ye judge after the flesh, (Joh. 8. 15.) that is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 things outwardly appear.

      Corruption, weakness, outward shew, are but adjuncts or accident•…•… which belong to mens bodies, which are flesh.

  • 3. By a Metaphor, as when flesh is put
    • 1. For abrogated ceremonies. This the Apostle intends, where he said Are you now made perfect by the flesh? Gal. 3. 3.
    • 2. For humane excellencies. We have no confidence in the flesh, Phil. 3. 3. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 means thereby such prerogatives as men esteemed excellencies, and used 〈◊〉〈◊〉 boast in them.

These and other like things are as flesh alone, without spirit: which r•…•…∣sume, putrifie and vanish to nothing, as meer flesh doth.

Flesh is here put for the humane nature: and that as it is accompanied with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 nifold frailties.

By way of diminution blood is added thereunto (flesh and blood.)

Blood is a liquor consisting of the four humours; in it life and spirit is conv•…•…* 1.2 through the whole body. The Philosopher saith that blood is the matter ol•…•… whole body.

By a Metonymy blood is put for life and for death. For life, because it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 means of life, Gen. 9. 4. For death, because upon shedding of blood death followe•…•… Gen. 37. 26. Compare Psal. 72. 14. with Psal. 116. 13. In this respect Christs blood put for his death, Rom. 5. 9. Eph. 2. 13.

By a Metaphor blood is put for the corruption of nature, Ioh. 1. 13. Ezek. 16. 6

Blood is here joyned with flesh, to shew that quick flesh is here meant: 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that hath blood in it: And by reason thereof is subject to many infirmities, yea•…•… sensible of them.

As good blood is the nourishment of the flesh and makes it quick and fresh, so distemper of blood causeth many maladies in the flesh. By the wasting of the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the flesh consumeth.

Fitly are these two, flesh and blood, joyned together. I finde them thus •…•…∣ed five times in the New Testament: Here, Matth. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 50. Gal. 1 Eph. 6. 12.

Flesh and blood thus joyned, set out in generall mans externall substance, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 visible and sensible, and in that respect exposed to spirit, Luk. 24. 39.

In particular flesh and blood is put

• 1. For mans earthly disposition, and incapacity of heavenly mysteries; so•…•… himself he can neither know them, nor make them known. Thus flesh and bl•…•… opposed to God, who is omniscient, and revealeth what mysteries he pleased whom he will, Matth. 16. 17. Gal. 1. 16.
• 2. For mans weaknesse. Thus it is opposed to principalities and po•…•… Eph. 6. 12.
• 3. For mortality whereunto our sins brought us. Thus it is opposed to glo•…•… bodies, 1 Cor. 15. 50.

Here it is used in the generall acception of the phrase, as flesh was noted before to be used: namely for humane nature subject to manifold infirmities.

Flesh and blood, as it is a visible substance, so it is gross, heavy, drousie, sub∣ject to hunger, thirst, cold, heat, pain, wearisomness, sickness, fainting, yea and death it self.

In regard of the outward visible part, a man is little better then a bruit beast, which is also flesh and blood, Eccles. 3. 19. Sundry beasts in sundry excellencies, appertaining to flesh and blood, go beyond men: as in bigness, swiftness, strength, vigor of severall senses, as of sight, hearing, smelling, tasting, touching and other like endowments.

That flesh and blood is such as hath been shewed, it came first from sinne. For sinne brought death: and all manner of infirmities are concomitants to death.

This is a point most worthy their due and serious 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•…deration, who are or may be puffed up, by reason of their reasonable soul, or any abilities thereof: or by reason of the comly feature, beauty, strength or other excellencies of the body: or by reason of victories over enemies, successes in their endeavours, honours, dignities, revenews, stately pallaces, sumptuous houses, or any other like things. Notwithstanding these or any other like excellencies, they who lay claim to those excellencies, are but flesh and blood. Flesh and blood are in this case like the Pea∣cocks black feet: when her gay feathers are in her eye, she struts up her self in be∣holding them: but when her eye is cast on her black feet, down fals her gay fea∣thers. A due consideration of flesh and blood would take away all proud con∣ceits of any outward excellencies. Considering all others are, as we are, flesh and blood, What folly is it to trust in man (Isa. 31. 3.) or to fear man? Isa. 51. 7, 8.

Notes

• * 1.1

  How flesh here taken. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Arist▪ de Hist. Animal. l. 3. c. 16.
• * 1.2

  What blood is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Arist. depart. Animal. l. 2. c. 4.