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 ...

§. 50. Of the Apostles manner of producing a Divine Testimony.

Verse 6.

But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man that thou art mind∣full of him? Or the sonne of man that thou visitest him?

Verse 7.

Thou madest him a little lower then the Angels, thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands.

Verse 8.

Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, &c.

THe Apostle here begins to set out the excellency of Christs humane nature: in amplifying whereof, he continueth to the end of this Chapter.

In the four verses following he proveth Christ to be more excellent then Angels. Now Angels are of all meer creatures the most excellent. Christ therefore must needs be the most excellent of all.

This Argument of unequals the Apostle began in the former verse▪ where he gave proof of the inseriority of Angels. Here he sheweth that that which was de∣nied to Angels, is granted to Christ. Therefore he bringeth in that which is spo∣ken of Christ, with this particle of opposition, a 1.1 BUT: which is here made the note of an Assumption, thus, God put not the world to come in subjection to An∣gels: BUT to Christ he did. Though that assumption be not in expresse terms set down, yet to make it the more clear and evident, the Apostle sets it down in a Divine testimony: which in general terms he thus produceth, One in a certain place testifieth. If upon that which was asserted in the former verse, it should be demanded, Seeing God hath not put in subjection to Angels the world to come, to whom hath he put it? The answer is this, One in a certain place testifieth, &c. He expres∣seth not the authour, but indefinitely saith, One (or a certain man, as b 1.2 the Greek particle here used, is translated in other places, Luke 9. 57. & 13. 6.) Nor the Book, but saith, in a certain place. This is the interpretation of c 1.3 one Greek par∣ticle: which being d 1.4 accented, signifieth, where (Matth. 2. 2.) or whither, (1 Joh. 2. 11.) But without an accent it signifieth a certain place, as here, and chap. 4. 4. & 11. 8.

This was usuall with the Pen-men of sacred Scripture. Sometimes they only set down a text of Scripture: giving no note of Author, or place, as Rom. 10. 18.

Sometimes this indefinite phrase is used, He saith, Heb. 13. 5.

Sometimes this, The holy Ghost saith, Heb. 3. 7.

Sometimes this phrase, It is written, Matth. 21. 13.

Sometimes this, In the Law it is written, Joh. 8. 17.

Sometimes a Prophet is indefinitely set down, Matth. 1. 22.

Sometimes the name of the Prophet is expressed, Matth. 2. 17.

Sometimes the Book of Moses, Mark 12. 26. And the Book of the Psalms, Act. 1. 20.

Once the second Psalm is mentioned, Act. 13. 33.

Scriptures might be thus indefinitely quoted, because the Churches to whom the Evangelists and Apostles wrote, were so well acquainted with the Scriptures, as the very naming of a Scripture might be sufficient for them readily to finde it out, because they well knew where it was written: or it may be that the Apostles

did it purposely to move them more dilligently to search the Scriptures, that so they might the better acquaint themselves therewithall.

It is said of the Jews, that they were so versed in the Hebrew text, (which was their mother language) as they could readily tell how many times such or such a word was used in the Hebrew Bible: and that they trained up their children to be as expert therein. To them there needed no more but the very naming of a Text of Scripture.

Were our people as expert in the Scriptures, which we have trauslated in our mother tongue, a great deal of pains might be spared by our Ministers in quoting the Book, Chapter and verse, wherein the text that we quote is set down.

Let us be stirred up so diligently to exercise our selves in the holy Scriptures, and to be so well acquainted therewith, as it may be sufficient to hear a testimony or a phrase of Scripture, though the particular place be not expressed.

Notes

• a 1.1

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉▪ Sec v. 8. §. 68. & chap. 1. v. 13. •…•…. 140 & chap. 11. v. •…•…. §. 2.
• 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 〉.