V E R. 3. Ephefianf, Chap. I. 2; promifed on his part, that he would be with him to ftrengthenhim, and deliver him from all evill, and to crownhim withglory ; yea, that all his feed fhould be bleffed with righteoufneffe and life, through him. TheScripture is plentifull to prove that it is all kindeofbleffedneffe, to have God for our God. Now then if we be members with Chrift our head, have we not caufe to be thankfull to Godeven in this refpeet, that he hath been, and is hisGod . Theancient Church did magnifie God, that he had made himfelf the Godof,.,e/ braham, ifaac, and Taco& their forefathers : howmuch more reafon is there for us to glorifie him in this regard, that he is the head of Chrift our Lord f Again, if any man fhould help and deliver from great evils forceofour fiiends,lhould doe them many favours, would wenotreturn them inthis confideration thanks, and much commend them e If Chrift be deare untous,we muff needsbleffe and praife the Lord,in as much ashehathbeen a Godaffift- ing, preferving, and is a God glorifying our Lord and Saviour. In the head ofChrift lay all ourhappineffe, hadnot Godbeen a God to him, and covered itin the day ofbattell, we had all of usperifhed ; all our fupernaturallhappineffe floodand fell in him. We may makea double pre i. Ufeof this ; one of' inftrudion in Doctrine, the other refpeEling man- ners ; for feeing Jefus Chrift bath God for his God,he hathas well a cre- atednature within hisperfon, as the increatednatureof God ; he could not be a proper Saviourofus, were henot God ; he conid not have God for his God, were he not a creature : For the SonofGod, as God, couldnot be predeftinated to the perfonall union, which the humane nature comming from without wasonely capable of. Again, he did need no Protector nor bleffer, he did need aGod in thefe regards, as man. Secondly, wemuff hence be flirtedup to magnifie God, for that he ye 2. hath been, and is unto our Head. We fee in the naturall body,the mem. bersjoy in the good ofthehead, yea, theypreferre itbefore their own ; for hence it is that ifone ftrike at thehead, the hand will ward the blow though it be quite cut off: Thus ifwe were fuchmembers toour Chrift, as we fhould be, we would more rejoyceand magnifie God, for that he hath been, and is, tohis Chrift, then for that which heworketh for our felves. Ifwe lovenot and extoll not theGodofChrift in this refped, that he is a God tohim, it isa fignwe bear notthat love to Chrift which wefhould. c.And Fatherofour Lord IefueCbriJi : ] Obferve fecondly : that we are to magnifie God in this regard, that he is the Father of our Lord : ThisrefpeCt ishere placed inorder ofnature,duly, for it floweth from the other; God is notfirft theFather ofChrift, in regardofhis humane nature, andthen his God ; but becaufe he wasofhis own accord the Godpredeftinating the humane nature in Chrift to the perfonall union, therefore hecommeth to be theFather ofhis Son, fo far as he fubfifteth in flefh. As we are notfirft the children of God, and then come tohave him for our God ; but becaufe God bath freely fet his love upon us,and been our God fo far as to predeftinate our adoption, Ergo, hecommeth to
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