ido ` Sphfian.r,Chap.t, . V Ex.17, who is the Father glorious himfelfe by nature, and the authorof all that glory which is communicated with his children, intreating him togive untoyou that fpirituall gift ofwifedome, wherebyyou may lx able to underftand, and that light ofhis fpirir, which doth make mani- feft the things fpirituall, which are to be underftood óf you ; and this I with you, through the further knowing and acknowledging of that Chrift, in whom you have beleeved : More plainely, I delire for you, that God will give you eyesofyour underftanding fo enlightned, that you may know him. Dell. r. Obferve then firft, that we muff fo confider of God, when wecome unto him inprayer, as that we may fee in him the things we defire. The Apoftlet goingto Prayer for thefe Ephefians, who had beleeved on Chrift, and about to feeke the glorious gifts of thefpirir, which might helpe them to know the glory referved forthem, he fettethGod before him, as the God ofthat Chrift, whom thefe had now received by faith into their hearts,&the fatherofall glory,both ofthem flrength- ning his faith : For he could not thinke that God, the God ofChrift, would be wanting to thofe who were Chrifts ; or that the father ofall glory would deny thefe glorious gifts, which hee was about to increafe. When men come to aske at thofe who have enoughof that they feeke, and to aslte it in fuch meafure onely as that it is not any thing for thofe they fue unto to vonchfafe, theyeafily perfwade them - felves that they (hall fpeede. This maketh Paul 11111 fet God before him,as having that inhim for which heprayeth ;TheGedefpeace fencti- fre,you threughout,IThef5.Subdue chafe lu/ts whichfight again/t yourfoules. So feeking the confummation,or perfeétingofthe beleeving Hebrews, beedoth fet God before him, as who had from the lowell humiliation, brought the headofthem to glory, Heb. 13. Thus the Church, Alt.y., feekingcourage, and that wonders might bewrought, they let Godbe- fore them,as the God of power,whohad made heaven earth, fea, &c. pre, Wherefore learne thus to help thy faith; Wouldeft thou haveremit fionoffinne ? Confider ofGod, as a God with whom there is plenty of redemption or forgivenelfe : Wouldit thou have eafe in any mifery and griefe Confider of him as a father of all mercy and confolation, whenthou cornettto him;this dothftrengthen faith,&enflame affection: We feeke things more fecurely, when we know them tobe wherewee are in looking them, and we follow them more affectionately, when nowwe are gotten after a manner into the fight ofthem. Dsti,a, Obfervefecondly, that even true Weevers have great want of hea- venlywifdome ; aschildren andyouth,when they have in their meafure that wifedome which belongeth to their kinde, yet they want in great meafure the faine wifdome inwhich they partake ; So it is with Gods children ; when now they have that wifdome from above in force degree, yet they are many degrees fhort of that which is to beattained : Yea, our Saviour himfelfe, thehead ofus,did fo receive wifdome, that there was place for growth and increafe in it, Luke 2. fine. What loth the want of wifdome in children, which we may not obferve in
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