§. 91. Of the extent of Gods blessing to the Seed of believers.
THis phrase a 1.1 thy Seed, or the Seed that I will give to thee, hath reference to Abraham. The word seed is collective, and compriseth under it an unde∣termined issue or posterity; and it setteth out the extent of Gods promise and blessing, reaching not onely to Abrahams immediate son, but also to the Seed of his son: as if he had said, I have given thee a son, even Isaac; but that is not enough; from this Isaac shall a Seed sprout, which shall be accounted thy seed: so as God extends the blessing of his Saints to their posterity, and that from generation to generation. This God himself doth thus explain to Abraham, In* 1.2 blessing, I will bless the•…•…, and multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the Sta•…•…rs of heaven &c. Gen. 22. 17. It is hereupon said, The generation of the upright shall be blessed, Psal. 112. 2. Prov. 20. 7.
This God doth to manifest the riches of his mercy: and that high accou•…•… wherein he hath his Saints. He thinketh it not enough to confer blessing upon one, but extends it to his Seed, age after age.
- 1. This is a good inducement to parents, to be pious themselves, that God in the riches of his mercy may extend his blessing to them, and their posterity.
- 2. If giveth also just cause to children to rejoyce in their pious parents, and to bless God for them; for they may expect divine blessing to descend to themselves also, if at least they walk in the steps of their pious parents. Yea they may plead their relation to their parents, as the Psalmist did, Psal. 116. 16.