V E R. 3. Ephelan.r, Chap. r. 31 fhip.Let thefe then fufficetogive you force tafleof this bountifulneffeof Cod toward us. The Vfe is to flirre us up to feeke tobe partakers of this our Fathers yf, t, blefling:Happy are we whom he hath thus bleffed,ifwe be ftirrred up to cry to hun,that wemaybepartakers ofit; and turfed are weewho heare fuch bountifulneffe ofhis towardus, ifwe defpife it, not looking after, nor caring for it. Manyprophase Eraues prefer their pottage before this bleffng. If men be capableofgreat hopes, from their earthly Parents fhould choofe awandring life,not fetting by all theirFathers could leave them, would not every one cry out of them as forlorne mifcreants t' Thus it is with us,wearecapable ofall kindes offpiritual bleffngs from our heavenly Father, things fo great as never entred into the heart of any fully: ifwe live like prodigals, (tray fromhis houfe,not fetting by thefe things, howwofull is oar cafe t' Secondly,wee fee thegreat happineffeof the godly man ; What ifhe u. had not acroffe tobleffe him with?yet hehathin reverfion great things; he hath all aboundance inhope,though not in hand:Agreat heire is even accounted wealthy,though duringhis non-ageandWardfhip,he is often held ro (trait allowance;fo here, &c. Laftly, we fee their error who feeke blef ings out ofChrift, who is yf, made every thing, in whom all is Amen : fuchwho feeke jultification, perfeverance,pardonof fumes after Baptifme in themfelves,their own fatisfaftions in the Churches treafury. In Chrift:] Obfervelaftly,in,and throughwhom we come tobebief- Dofe.to. fed,even in and through Chrift our Lord;Wearebleffed through the ac- .P«i.a. knowledging of Chrift, with all things that belong to life eternall and godlineffe. Chrift is made of God,our fan&ifier, juftifier, rather, Redee- mer. InChrift was thefulneflé ofGrace, that we might receive from him,TheSunne of righteoufneffe, and Headofus. We have life begun Mus, I meane thelife ofGrace:W herewas it before ourcallings! Where was the life of us before we were borne t' was it not in our Parents e Thus this life we have, before it come to be conveyed to us,was in Chrift the fecond Adam,andcommon Parent ofus all. Welooke for life in the heavens:where is itt' where is the lifeofa tree in wintert' Is it not in the roott'at the fpring it will be manifeftedby leaves,bloffoms,fruits: fo, ourlife we !yoke fer,ie htdin Chrift our roote, as itwere ; When he the Coloca.;. Sunne of life and righteoufneffe (hall approach tous in judgement,then ¡hall we have that life,nowhidden,mantfefted in us. TheVfeofthis is, firft to let us feeto whom we aretogive praife of all wehave received, even to Chrift the headofus : Wehave received our fpirituall being fromhim. Againe, we muff labour toget more neere communion with Chrift, feeing he is thefountaì.n;whither fhould wehave recourfe but tohim:' the more we could approach to the Sunne,themore fhould webe eclightned with the light ofit.Want ofVnion &Communion with this fountaine, maketh the Grace in temporizers cometo nothing,as waters doe which have no running fpringto feede them. Who
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