V$R. 8. ephefans, Chap. 4. goe before grace, but caufe not grace. I muff be a childe before a growneman, yet childhood is not thecaufe ofmanhood. Thirdly, we mutt labour, feting our grace commeth from Chrift, tocome neere him, to put him on in heart and affet ion , to prette necee into hisprefence; for hebeing the head ofgrace, theneerer we come to him, the more we fhall be filled : as the armesof the tea and channells next to it, are more abundantly filled with it, then thole rivulets more remote. You may fee it in Chrift himfclfe, Why is that blcfl'ed Natureofhis full with grace abovemen and Angels r is it not becaufe it hath neerer conjun6iion with the God-head then men and Angels ? Oh how fhould we flocke about Chrill that gives thefe gra- ces asthe poore doe about the Almoners ofthe Prince. V E R SE 8. Whereforehefaith ; When be afcendedup onhigh, he led captivitie captive, andgave giftsunto men. Here are two thingsfurther in this propofition profecuted,the order being inver ed : a, That Chrift is the giver of all grace, ver. 8, 9, ro. s. That Chrift giveth divers graces, from ver. r r,to 17. The firfl is proved by a teftimonytakenout ofthe Prophet David, the teftimony is propounded, ver. 8. then it isexplained againft excep- tion, var. 9,10. For the betterconfidering ofthis 8 . verfee. 4. things muft lieopened, z. Becaufe it is a parallel place of Scripture, therefore the differences betwixt this place and that in the Pfalme muff be reconciled. a. Thewords mutt be elected. 3. The falfe colle ionsdifproved. 4. The fumme and fcopc muli be explained. r. Thedifferences are two. Firft, the Pfalme'faith, Thou art afcen- dclonhigh, this faith, Fie afcended. For Antwere, the Pfalm/ fpeaketh more Prophetically, as fore- feeing a thing donea farce off: the Apoftle more hiftorically, as of the fame thing now accomplifhed. 2, The Pfalmefaith, fie tookegifisfor men : For The Hebrewufeth that word, as we ufe the Engulf; word [take] which doth lignifie not onely to receive, but reach hither or thither, Take me fuch athing;fo theHebrewword fignifieth to [take] or Eta. king] to reach out unto others. 2. For opening the words : it may be asked; Whofaith! cilnf. Ei- ther the Scripture, Pfalmift, or Chita, may be underftood. Then, what this is,te arend ? Anfw. Afcending is either figurative- lyin regard ofthe fíate; for fo we fay, a man gets upor goethdown apace, when hiseftatedoth ebbe or flow; or elfe [afcending] is pro- perly moving froma lower place toahigher. Now the latter afcent is herechiefely pointed at, though the ocher is to be underftoodto- getherwith ir. For thegivinggifts to men, is a fruitenot fo much of Chriftslocall afcending, as of his beingglorified. John x7. 39. The Spirit 471 The nearer tg Chrift,the ful- ler ofgrace. VERSE B. What is the difference be- tween this, and Pfa.68.t8,vcr. 2. What Afcen- ding is.
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