3 6 .lln Expofttion of the Epiftle --~--~~~~--~~-- -----------– ~6/t{s tbte agai11 ; which is equivalent to the expre!Tion here, with all bleillngs Smn.JII. hath he ble!Ted us. And what doth or can the great God fay more? ltise- ........-v---• nou gh. . Now that inGods intendment the whole total oftheGofpel was exprefi to A6ra– bam, and wrapt up in that term ofbleJ7ing, th~avowed explications and interpre– tations made thereof by the Apofiles do undemably declare. Th~s prefently after Chrifis afcenf<on in one of the firfi made Sermons,Ath 3• fpeakmg to the Jews, ver. 25 .Te are de Childrm of the Covmmtt God made,jityitJg to Abraham, itJ thy jeedfball a/J the kitldreds of the Earth 6e 6/e.fJtd; which he exe?unds UntO them thus, that firjl God(estt hiJ Son Jefiu to 6/ef!you, namely the Jews: And yet more expreily, Gat. 3· 8. God Preached the Gofpel tmtoA6rabam, fi'JliJg,. m theejba/J a/J Nations be blefJtd. So that as A6rahams fiyle was the 6/r]Jedof the Lord, Gm. 14- 1 9• and alfo the Children of God are all faid to '" 6tefJtd with jizithjitl Abraham, in the following verfe. 9· and again, Heb. 6. 13, 141 For when God made promife toAbraham, 6ecaufe he cotttdfwear fey 110 grrater, he f<»orei?J himj'etj, Jayh•g, furely bl~l]ing I will bte[s thee, whichver. 17.is faid to contain the whole of his Cmm(et to the Heirs of promife, and that tofbew the immutability of ihathu Cotmjet, he coTJfirmed it by tllt Oath. Hence theretore, although tlie Gofpel in moit things lpeaks greater things than the Old Tefiamenr, and in higher terms;yet hath it not altred,nor can it bet– ter this. Cbrifi himfelf that began to preach this Gofpel in that his firfi large Sermon that is recorded; it is the firfi word he therein utters, BleJJed are the poor itt Spirit, f.!ic. Mat. ) . 2, 3· and becaufe he could not add to this , he does but repeat it over and over, as the general that contained in it, the Kittgdom of Heavm, ver. 3• comfort here ver. 4· i11heriti11g the Earth, ver. 5, filtwg with alJgood, ~er. 6. obtai11i11g rntrcy, ver, 7· jeei11g God, vcr. 8. adoptio1t and being Gods Cluldren, ver. 9· and 1f there be any other particular, ail are [ummedup m this word, [ ~Jejfed.] Each and every particle of our falvation or happinefs being b/effings, ~s here: all the Gofpel can fay,is but 61eJ7ing; which is therefore called in the Jump of it, thefuhtej's of the 6!eJ7i11g of the Gojpe!, Rom, I 5• 29. for it cannot fpeak beyond wha~;this word reacheth. All that Cl1rifi could do when he Afd:nded , was but to6/efs; and after Chrifis Afcenfion, the !aft book of the Gofpel,the Revelation,doth continually and throughout ufe the fame fiyle and atlatter day,when Heaven Doors are to be fet open for the righteous to eme; in , their everlafiing happinefs is uttered by it, Comeye b!tfied. II. For the thitJg, or what import this word carries with it : As you heard what it wasfor 1IS to bl~fs God, fo now I am to lhew what it is for God to 6/efs 1ts. Gods 6/effiug us, u hu btjlowrng or commm11cati11g a!! good together with btmfe!f, witha/Jheartygood will out of lovt to ottrperfosts. a"·>3· th" J, Jt is a befiowing or communicating of good,~the Jews defined it in general ~:7/:7,!,~;;. acce!fio 6oui, grounded upon Pfa!, 11 >· where woat in the 12, q . verfes is ex– fenror girr,v. prefled byble!Iing,in the •+!' adjiciatflP.er vos, Go.d addtoyo11, namely good, 1o.hecaH•hi• or well-bemg;, unto your bemg, or what IS already g1ven you, And the Scrip– ~~~~d~ .~;. ture often ufeth the wordble!Ting for a gift or prefent befiowed, And to be fi!fe T•l:! 1 I"J what ever mans ble!Tings are, all Gods ble!Tings are the giving and accumulati– ~;y;;'}/;~;f,, on of good to us, ordomg tJS good. And though the.word;,.,,_;. fignifie~ but his thu.ond, ' "· good word to and cotJcemmgus; yet Gods word ts hu deed. And 'Dez benetii9·<,6: thei; cereejl6mefaare, for by a bare word of command he bleffeth P[at. q. 11 tt. ~~~;:;~~.~~~ there he comma~Jds .the 61~/]i11g, that ble!Ting of ble!Tings, e~en life for ever– che.' he call• more; hke as 'tiS fatd, he commmtded, and thry were created, Pjit!. 148. )· So ;~:;:,b~';;;g~' he commands and we are bleffed.Alas!.when we Creatures blefs God, we exprefs you h"«he but our well .w1fl1es or joyfu1acc!amat1ons t~Jthat bleflednef~ is in himfelfalready; ~:~~: ~he~{\,',! but when God bleffeth us, he altogether giVes,he commumcates. Levit.2S.21. }!. It is the communication of at!good, yeaof himfe!f. God gives and blef– fetn ld<e hunfelf when he bleffeth ~ He 6/e.fJtth zndeed, as the phrafe is,'· Chron. ~· I o, and wdl not blefs under g<vmg all. Ht 6/e.fJtth a!togethrr, as the phrafe 1s, Numb. 24- 10. therefore in the Text here with"" blrjfi11gs. He cannot blcfs lcf~
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