r-...A/'1 Sermon xvm. -y-...J An Expofition of the Epiflle S E R M 0 N XVlll. E PH E S. I. t), r6. Wherefore I alfo, after I heard ofyour Faith in the Lord, Jef"lf.f, and love unto all the SaintJ, Ceafe not to give thanft.: foryou, makJng mention ofyou in my Prayers, &c. Gwerat Coherence, and Parts of the Words. IN the former Verfe, he had fet forth the caufes ?f ~alvation, and _the Original and Fundamental benefits of Elechon, Predefrmauon, Redemption, Calling, &c. From the ~d. verfe to the 11th. And then from the I I th. to this I 51h. verfe he had made Application of it, both to the Jews, of which Nation he was, In whom We have o6tainedan Inheritattce; and then to the Gentiles, un– der the perfons of thofe Ephejimu, In whom Te aJfo trtif/ed, and fo obtained an Inheritance. After which at the ~)th. verfe he beginneth to exprefs his own particular affection to them, upon Gods having endowed them with all thofe blef– lings before, thereby provol<ing thefe Ephejians, unto whom he had applied thefe great benefits, unto two great Duties, I. Unto Thanksgiving unto God, who had befiowed fuch great things on them. I!. To the further increafing in Grace, through the knowledge of them ooth, which he provokes them to, by !hewing what his own Prayers and Toonkf– givings were to God for them. Now he provokes them to thefe two 'Duties, mofi firengly,and yet but fecretly and impliedly. He doth not fay in exprfs words, Wherefore do ye give thanks, and do ye pray1 ~c. but he doth more, he lays before them his own example, Wherefort ( faith.he,) I alfo do give thcmks for you, :znd have 110t crqfed to pray foryot~ji11ce I heard of your- Fa1th a11d Love. And thts mufi needs frnl<e all their hearts. BathPaut that isbut as a fiander by,fu.ch a fenfe ofthe greatnefs ofthofe things God bath befiowed upon us, that he giveth thanks for us, .and out of his love to God and our Souls praieth that we may attain the knowltdge of, and an increafe in !"hat knowledge of thefe things, how much more lhould we our felves do it? If 1, faithPa11t, (for he frameth his expre/Jion to fuch a meaning,) ~£1., Even I, faith he, (or I at{o, as it is here tranflated, ) do give thmtks tmto God foryo11 makitl[,trlelltion ofyotl i11 my Prayers i thea you your felves much more lhould do it. There are Three things in thefe '). and I 6. verfes. ,; What Paul did for them, which are two. I, Hegave thanks for them. :z.; He hadprayedfor tbem, both amplified by this, withont ceafi1tg. There is Secondly, the occafion ofthefe; Having heard,fatth he, 1.0j their Faith mClmjl. :z.. Of their love to alt Saints. Then Thirdly, there is the fubjeCl: matter or ca>1fe of his thanks, noted out in this particle Wherefore, J>.liTifTO, or For thu, I give thmtks, which referreth to all thofe benefits he had before enumerated, made theirs hereby. Expojition
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