20 Ephe/ans,Chap. i, v E R.3, Doll. i. that Godand Father ofour Lord. 3. The arguments,which are two; Fiat, from that which God is to Chrift our Lord ; for this is ufuall with the Apoftle, thatwhenhe defcribeth God in petition or thankfgiving, that the defcriptionconraineth matter of ftrengthning faith,andwhetringde- fire in the one,and motivesofpraife in the other;The Godofpeacefanchifte yeti throsghout, I Theff.5. Bleffedbe God, the Father ofour Lord le(us, the God(fal mercies and confalations, a Cor. 1.3. The fecond Argument, is from that God bath done by us in Chrift, in thofe words, Who bath Gleffedroe, with all [irituall bleßings, in heavenly things in Chrift. Now 1 before we come to the more particular confiderationofthefe words ; 1 fome things are to be opened for the clearingof them : Firft, What is meant by our blefl'eng God? vAn`w. Bleffing, is fometime operative, working and effcéting thehappineffe ofhim that is bleffed ; Thus God bleffeth us : Sometime it is declarative, confefling and extolling the blelied effareof thofe whomwe bieflè ; Thus we bleffe God, we ac- knowledge him bleffed, praife, and extol! him, Pfal. 145. ver. 1, 2, 21. where bleffing and praifing are made equivalent. Secondly ; it is tobe marked,that there words; God,even the Father ; contain a defcriptionof God,from two relations untoChrift;one from this,thathe is the God by covenant ofChrift: Theother from this,thathe is the Father;according to that, /ohm 20.17. rgoe tomy Father, andyour Father,tomy Ged,andyour God: for this,the wordsbearebetter then that firft God indefinitely,then limited to the perfon ofthe Father,fhould be conceived in this fen fe,blef- fedbe God,towit,Godthe Father afoul. Lord ; for the article fbould rather be prefixedtoaaz,)e,and the particle& doth redound .The laft thing tobe marked,is that the word,heavenly,whichmay fignifie things, or places,is fitlieft taken to note theplace where our fpiritual bleffings were given us, for fpirituall bleffingnoteth not theaction ofGod blefling,but theof%Qs proceeding from it ;; to thisfenfe,who hath bleffed with fpirituall things : for the Apoftle conítruethall fpirituall bleflings by predeftination, vo- cation : Now to fay ,Who bathblued tes with fpirituallthings, in heaven- ly things, is abfurdly fuperfluous. Again, this word is in two other pla- ces ofthis Epi/lleufed, to notethe circumftanceofplace, and therefore is here in that fenfetobeconftrued, without more urgent reafon to.the contrary. The fummeis, Praifed be the God of our Saviour; praifed be the God ofour Lord Chrift Jefus , whobath bleffed us, that is, by his bleffing madeuspartakers ofall fpirituall benefits, fuchas take their beginning from heaven, are kept inheaven, fhall all have their accom- plifhment in heaven ; and all this inChrift, who is the root, and fecond ,ildam, whenceevery benefit fupernaturall fpringèth, and is derived into us. Tocome then first tothe aétionofPraife. Obferve thence in gene - ra11, that agood heart muft be ready,onconfiderationofGods benefits, ro breakforth intopraifes :The Apoftle cannot fpeak, or thinkofthem, but that hisheart andmouthglorifieGod; the manifold doxologues in Basile Epiftles, may give fufñcient argument of this truth. Nay, we fee howDavid, amenafter. Gods heart, was fo affected, that he did not only flirre
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