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 ...

§ 8. Of Rules for Brotherly-love concerning Meditation.

FOr Meditation:

• ...

  1. We must advisedly meditate on the excellency of this grace* 1.1 of brotherly-love. All the excellencies of love have an eminency in brotherly∣love.

  Now love is set out by the Apostle as the most excellent of all graces. Where he exhorts to covet earnestly the best gifts, he adds this clause, Yet shew I unto you a 〈◊〉〈◊〉 excellent way (1 Cor. 12. 31.) That way is, to season all with love. And having reckoned up sundry singular properties and effects of love, he layeth Faith, Hope and Love together, and concludes, that of them love is the greatest, (1 Cor. 13. 13.) greatest in use, greatest in continuance.

  In use, because all practical graces are set on work by love: and love ex∣tends* 1.2 it self to the good of others; It seeketh not her own onely; Whereas Faith and Hope are as hands clasped, fast holding that which makes to ones own good, Love is as an hand opened, dispersing that it hath to the good of others.

  In continuance Love is greater then Faith or Hope, because these end with this present life: but Love continueth in the life to come, and is most perfect in Heaven.

  Besides, there is no grace wherein a creature may more resemble his Crea∣tour,* 1.3 then Love. God assumeth to himself this Title Love, and that by a kinde of Property, thus, God is Love, 1 John 4. 8, 16. This doth in an high tran∣scendent manner commend the excellency of Love; and due Meditation on the excellency of a thing, is an especial means of seeking after it, and laying hold on it.

• 2. We must duly consider the worth of a brother. Brothers here meant are* 1.4 Saints by calling. Whatsoever their outward condition be in this world, they are most precious persons. They are styled precious in Gods sight and honourable, Isa. 43. 4. Ex∣cellent (Psal. 16. 3.) Gods jewels (Mal. 3. 17.) They are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthood, a holy Nation, a peculiar people, 1 Pet. 2. 9. Comparatively, The righ∣•…•… is more excellent then his neighbour (Prov. 12. 26.) that is, then any other man, not righteous: And that in his birth, For he is born of God, John 1. 13. In his life, He liveth by faith, Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. In his death, Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints, Psal. 116. 15. Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord,

• Revel. 14. 13. This made Balaam to wish that he might dye the death of the righ∣teous, Numb. 23. 10. God set his love on them before the world was. He so dear∣ly loved them, as he spared not his dear and only Sonne, but gave him to death for them, Rom. 8. 32. He hath given his holy Spirit to quicken them, to beautifie them, to make them amiable before God and men. He hath given his Angels a charge over them, Psal. 91. 11. The Angels are ministring spirits for their sakes, Heb. 1. 14. The whole world is preserved for them: and they are reserved to glory. Who should not, who would not be kindly affectionated to them in bro∣therly-love?
• 3. We must seriously think upon the good that may be reaped by them and* 1.5 from them: The good is both temporall and spirituall. Laban learned by experi∣ence that the Lord had blessed him for Iacobs sake, Gen. 30. 27. And Potiphar saw that the Lord was with his servant Ioseph, and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand, Gen. 39. 3. The good that those men received from Iacob and Ioseph, who were both Saints, was temporall. Much spirituall good may also be received from such, by their pious pattern, prudent counsell, pithy exhorrations, powerfull prayer, and other like means; yea hereby also may our eternall salvation be pro∣moted. Due consideration of these and other-like benefits cannot but work bro∣therly-love towards them.
• 4. We must diligently mark the prejudice that useth to arise from professors* 1.6 alienation of their hearts one from another, and from dissentions following there∣upon. Gods blessed name is thereby blasphemed: the Ministry of the Gospel standered: the holy profession disgraced: the faithfull ones grieved: the guilt∣lesse miscensured: the weak offended, and enemies made to insult: Surely they who duly consider these mischiefs, will for the preventing hereof, labour for this grace of brotherly-love.

Notes

• * 1.1

  5. Well weigh the excellency of love.
• * 1.2

  Love greater then faith or hope.
• * 1.3

  In love God is best resembled.
• * 1.4

  6. Observe the worth of a Saint.
• * 1.5

  7. Think upon the good they do.
• * 1.6

  8. Ponder the prejudice of professors dis∣•…•…entions.