22 Ephefians,Chap. r. VE 13.3, leaft bleffing feeme great towardus. The humbled poore, takethe lean fcraps thankfully. The Ufe ofthis, is firft, to rebuke ourdeadneffe, in whole hearts are no affrétions, in whole mouthes are nowords, magnifying the Lord,for his continuall mercies : Ifmen doe us fmall favours, efpecially iftheybe ofcountenance andauthority ; Ohowwe think our felves beholding f' ourmouthes run over in fpeakingoftheir courtefie,wegive them a thou-' fandthanks,weprofeffeourfelvesattheir commands; Out alas, that being thus one to another,we fhould offer God fuch meafure as we doe: But this exceedethall the reft, that becaufe God doth conftantly conti- nue to us benefits, that therefore we fhould flacken our thankfull duty. Ifone give us twenty pound one time onely, we thank him ; but togive it us yearly for twenty years together, this is far more thankfworthy ; to give it us as an inheritance for ever, this is molt of all obliging us Thusit is.withGods benefits,whichhe conftantly leafeth out to us,and maketh them as it were a free-hold with us. We for thefe, even in this confideration, fhouldmolt extoll him. Let us in the fecond place ftirre our felves up to be thankfull ; It is Gods fine and rent, every thing which he requireth for his benefits : Call onme in the day of thy trouble, I willdeliver thee,andthenß,eltglorrfie me. We would not forfeit any thing worth the holding for non-pay- ment ofrent : Let us take heed left for want of thankfulneffe we give God occafion to re-enter, and difpofíeffe us of all good things we enjoy. Do£l.:a. The Godand Patherofour Lord lefin Chrr/1.] Obferve firft particular - ly, that every Chriftian heart is to magnifie God, in that he hath been theGod of Chrift our Lord. This Both the Apoftle, who doth not fay ; Blefledbe Godthe Fatherfor bleßingofus, but Eft, Bleffed be the Godof ourLord lefuo Chrijl : Before he commeth to confider what Godwas to himfelf, with thereft ofbeleevers,hedoth extol( him,for that he was to Chrift the head. Which doétrine before we can profecuteprofita- bly, it is fit to unfold what this doth comprehend, to be the Godofany ; for thisopened, we (hall conceive more clearly, the equity ofthis, that we are to bethankfull in this regard. This is a fundamentall favour, whenceall other doe fpring, and it conraineth the eternall love of God, loving us, andpredeftinating us to fupernaturall happineffe, as likewife every fubordinate grace, by which it is executed. Firft therefore, the fore- knowledge andpredeftinating Chrift as man, to the grace ofper- lonall union, and gloriousoffice ofa Mediator, ofwhichwe have,' Pet. r.2o. this commeth here to be conceived. I have fheep, that are mine, which are not of this fheepfold, faith Chrift: where we fee that we are Gods, and God ours, before we are called, evenby predeftination. Se- condly, Chrifts calling, ofwhich is fpoken, Heb.5.r. and the confede- ration entred with ourMediator, wherein God requiredon his parr, the fulfilling ofrighteoufneffe, fofarre asferved to qualifie his perron, that líe might be a fit high Prielt, and efpecially the offering his body, that is, his'foule and body by thecurfed death of the cro(fe, wherein God promiled rpa; John co.18 Heb.z.xo. Heb.7.x6. Heb.q.8g. Ir3.43,10,x:.
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