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 ...

§. 102. Of the blessing promised to Abraham.

TWo things doth God by oath promise to Abraham.

One generall, which is blessing.

The other particular, which was multiplication of seed.* 1.1

Of the word translated blessing, see v. 6. §. 47.

Here blessing compriseth under it every good and needfull thing concerning body and soul, this life present, and the life to come: as health, wealth, honour, long life, with other temporall good things: and justification, sanctification, with o∣ther spirituall blessings: and the end of all, eternall salvation. All these make to mans happiness, and therefore are comprised under the word blessing.

Object. Wicked men who are accursed enjoy the temporall blessings, and Christ* 1.2 himself saith, Wo unto you that are rich, Luk. 6. 24. How then do these tend to mans blessedness.

Answ. Wicked men pervert the use of temporall good things, and so make them to be a curse. But God bestoweth such grace on the children of Abraham, as they rightly use those temporall good things: and so they prove a blessing. See more hereof in Domest. Duties. Treat. 1. on Eph. 6. 3. §. 101, 102. &c.* 1.3

God said to Abraham, I am thy exceeding great reward, Gen. 15. 1. Here he ma∣keth it good, in this phrase, I will blesse thee. For Gods reward is blessing: it makes a man blessed. So soon as God had made man, he blessed him, Gen. 1. 28. and 5. 2. After mans fall, all the good that God did and intended to man, is comprised under this word, blessed: and that before, in, and after the time of the law: yea, in and after this world, Gen. 9 1. Deu. 28. 3, &c. Mat. 5. 3. &c. and 25. 34.* 1.4

Blessedness is that summum bonum, that chief good, whereof the Heathen had a glimp•…•…, but could not find out wherein it consisted. It is that whereof Christ saith, One thing is needfull, Luke 10. 42. He that is blessed in what he hath, needeth no more. He that hath abundance of such things as make not blessed, may be truly said to have nothing.

Indeed there are many particulars to which blessedness is annexed. Christ giveth* 1.5 instance of eight together, which are commonly called the eight Beatitudes, Mat. 5. 3, &c. And the Scripture in other places gives instance of many hundreds more: but be they never so many they all meet, and determine in one Chief good. As all the lines, which proceed from a circumference, meet and end in the center: all ri∣vers in the Sea: all beames whereby the world is enlightned, are from the sun, and in the sun. There are many members of one body, 1 Cor. 12. 12. The Apostle reckoneth up many unities, Eph. 4. 4, 5, 6, which have reference to many hun∣dreds and thousands, yea, and millions of particulars. There is one Lord: millions are servants to that Lord. There is one faith: but multitudes of believers that are of that faith. One Baptisme: but innumerable persons in all ages baptized. So there is one blessedness, yet many vertues, graces, duties, and meanes which concur to make up that blessedness.

But to make this point the more clear: blessednesse is to be considered in the in∣choation* 1.6 and progresse thereof: or in the perfection and consummation of it.

In the inchoation and progresse, many meanes are used: many graces obtained: many duties performed. They that attain to blessednesse must hear Gods word, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 keep it: must •…•…ear God; must be poor in spirit: must mourn, &c.

Blessednesse is ascribed to all and every particular saving grace, in two respects especially.

• 1. Because no blessednesse can be attained without all and every of them.
• 2. Because they, who attain all and every of them, shall assuredly be blessed.

Quest. What if a Christian attaines some of them, though he have them not all?

Answ. Whosoever hath one sanctifying grace, hath every sanctifying grace. All* 1.7 sanctifying graces are as so many links of one Chain, whereby we are brought to salvation. He that hath one hath all; he that hath not all, hath none at all.

He that hath any sanctifying grace is truly regenerate. Now regeneration con∣sists of all the essentiall parts of a spirituall man, (which are all sanctifying graces:) as naturall generation consisteth of all the essentiall parts of a naturall man. Yes, though in naturall generation there may be a defect and want of some parts, yet it never so falleth out in spirituall regeneration.

Fitly therefore is blessednesse ascribed to every particular grace, because he that hath one, hath also every one. He that is truly poor in spirit doth mourn, is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and so in the rest.

I will not deny but some graces may more conspicuously appear, and be in their kinde greater and more eminent then others: as the stars in the heaven: yet in one degree or other, is every grace in every true Saint, and that while here he lives on earth.

The perfection and consummation of blessedness consisteth in that incomprehen∣sible,* 1.8 and eternall glory, delight and contentment which Saints shall have in hea∣ven, where they shall in a beatificall vision see God himself face to face, 1 Cor. 13. 12. and where God will be all in all, 1 Cor. 15. 28.

• ...

  1. Gods magnificence is herein much commended, in that he maketh those bles∣sed, to whom he is pleased to manifest his favour, and whom he will reward.

  Under blessedness, more is comprised then all the world can afford. All things without blessedness are nothing worth: blessedness is of it self invaluable This is that treasure, and that pearl, for which, he that knoweth the worth thereof, will sell that he hath, and be no loser, Mat. 13. 44, 45, 46.

• 2. Let him that would have his desire satisfied, seek after blessednesse. Man 〈◊〉〈◊〉 well desire no more then to be blessed. If he desire any thing under it, or without it, his desire is a mean and base desire.
• 3. This should make us observe the meanes to which blessing is promised; and this should make us diligent in using those meanes. A man were better not be, then not be blessed: but he that is blessed, will have great and just cause to blesse him, that hath given him his being, and made him blessed.
• 4. This is a great aggravation of their wretched disposition, who being born and brought up under the light of the Gospell, live, lye, and dye in their naturall, cursed condition.

The heathen could say that all things desire their good: yet many men who live* 1.9 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the meanes whereby that good is revealed, will not learn how they may be blessed: much lesse walk in the way that leadeth to it. God for his part saith, Be∣•…•… I set before you a blessing and a curse, Deut. 11. 26. But many wretched men re∣•…•… not to chuse the good part, as Mary did, Luk. 10. 42. O more then mon∣trous ingratitude to God! O the irreparable damage that such bring to them∣selves▪

Notes

• * 1.1

  What is com∣prised under blessing.
• * 1.2

  How tempo∣rall things a curse to wicked ones.
• * 1.3

  Gods reward makes blessed.
• * 1.4

  What blessed∣nesse is.
• * 1.5

  Many things concur to blessednesse.
• * 1.6

  Blessednesse in the beginning and encrease of it.
• * 1.7

  Every grace in every Saint.
• * 1.8

  Blessednesse in perfection.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Arist, Ethic. Nicom. l. 1. c. 1.