C6ap:29. n Expo[ham tspn the Book of J o s. Vcrf,t t, 5o3 of them.As often as we thankfully remember the benefits of God, we bleffe Cod. We cannot benefit God bybleflìnghim,. but we should alwayes bleffe him for his benefits. Thirdly, Man bleffeth man two wayes ; either first, when he cloth conceive and repute him bleifed,and fo it may be undetflood here,? hey bieffedme, that is, they e(leemed and reputed me blef- fed, Or Soecondly,when one man withcch another bleffed,or pray- ech fora leffiing upon him, either as tohis person, or his under- takings. In the forme fence, That woman bleffed the Mother of Chrill ( Luke 11, 27. ) $leffed is the womb that bare thee, and theparr which gave the,efuck, As if she had faid, that woman is to be accounted bleffed, that bare and brought thee up. Inwhich fence alio glary prophefied of her felt (Luke I, 48. ) Hence- forth all generations [hall call me blessed, The Lord having beftow- ed this great priviledge upon me to conceive and bring forth the greatest bkfiing that ever the world had, the world (hall con- feffe and esteem me blessed. And thus it was prophesied of Chri(t, who is the bictTingof all Nations (Pfal.72. t 7, ) Al na- tionsshall call him blessed : That is,they (hall declare himbkffd, and bleffe God for him. And thus Solomon{peaks of the vertuous woman ( Prov. 3 a.2$.) Her children ariseup,and call her 6leffed, her husbandal fo, and hepraijethher, So here, The ear that heard me, bleffed me, that i?, all that heard me, or heard of me, judged and called me bleffed. But that of the ApoItle may be objedted (Heb,7.7,) without all contradiEtion the lef e is bleffed ofthegreater,&c. Where (peak- ing of Melchizedech who bleffcd Abrabam,he faith,See bocvgreat a man this UVlelchizedechwag to whom Abrahamgave riches, &c. Abraham was a great man, yet Melchi fedecb wasgreater,becaufe he blessed Abraham. Then how can the common people be faid to bleffe their fovea raign Prince ? How can the lesser bleffe the greater ? I answer ; There is a twofold giving of a blessing ; Firfl,An au- thoricative giving of a blessing, of which that Axiome of the A- postle, Without all contradiitioa the lefs is bleffed of thegreater, is to be underflood, Melcbizedecb blessed Abraham,and Ifaac blef- fedPcob, and Jacob the twelve Patriarks, with a prophetick fpi- rit, and with authority or warrant Urn God to affure them of a ble ling. Secondly,
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