to theEP H E S lA N S. ~ Sermon XVIH. Expo.fition of tbnvords. Wherefore, J This holds out the caufe of his tliankfgiving, and Firfl:, It refer~~ reth to what he faith in the next words, hearwg of yottr Fatth and Love. You !hall find in that parallel Epifile to the Colof. Chap. 1. l• 4· the. fame 10 the very: fame words ; We give thanks to God, the Fathfr of our . Lord JejM, Chl·i[l prt!J•ing always for you, fince we heard of your Filtth m Chrijl Jefw 'mtdof the loveyou have to all the Saints. This was the cnufe of his gtving ;ba11ks, their Faith in Chrijl,and the Lot;e whtch they had tod/1 the Salltls, as Graces which did evidence their interefi in nil thofe benefits. . It referreth alfo Secoodly,to all that went before. P artl had a comprehentive eye to all the benefits mentioned in the former 11etfes, whtch Godhad befiowed upon them, this Wherefore draweth all in. Wheri I confider ( fanh he,) how God hath Elected you, Prede!linated you, Redeeme~ you by t.hc blond of hi~ Son,given you Faith, fealed you up by his Spint, wluch Spmt ts the earneO:. of your Inheritance, ~~~T'"·for this cattfe, ( fa1th he,) lince I heard of your Fa1th and Love, and of your increafe in thefe things, and fo was confirmed thereby of the certainty of your intere!\ in all thefe; I do give thanks for you, and I ceafe not to do it. Paztl's giving of thanks for thofe he wntes to, although ufual m · other Epifiles, yet is with this difference here from what elfewhere, namely, iri refpect of his ordering the bringing of it in. !n other E~ifiles it comes in inthe Preface or beginmng, arid !hods alone arid entire by tt felf, but here be ranks tt tri the mid!\ of a difcourfe, alter a large, exact, doctrinal enumeration of the great benefits we have in Chrifi, and withal after an Ap{'lication to the Ephejian;, by lhewtng them thelf perfonal interefi m thofe benefits, and fo 1t comes m 1n a way of Coherence to all the reil fore-going, and upon occation of thofe benefits. So as indeedPaul looking back (through this fmall particle, lldT;;n, for this cmtjr,) upon all the former beams of grace and benefits mentioned, and having taken :1 full and a fummary profped of them, gives thanks in the conlideration of them for thefe Ephrjiam. Yea, and Thirdly, This particle ieferreth to the very la!\ words immediately before, to the praije of hisglory, God (faith he,) had made this the eud of all the benefits of our Salvation,that himfelf fhould be glorified for them. Wbn·e– fore I give thanks to God for you, and give him the praife of his glory on yout behalte, God is not to loofe his end, it is therefore my duty, Wherefore I ceafe not to give thanks fot you, &c. Thefe Three particulars, to which the words refer, are the caufc of his thanks, . Now the Objervatio11 and Meditation from hence is this, That the Confide- Obfetv(, ratton of the greatncfs of the benefits of 6od towards us when we take a full profpect of them, ( fuch as here the Apofile had given them,) and withal our interefi therein with application to our fe!ves, (which the Apoflle here likewife made,) together with this , thanh7 end of all thefe is the praife of hisglory, when the Soul confidereth all thiS, It IS provoked to gtve thanks to God. Learn then by thiS the way of fitrring up youo hearts to thankfulnefs to God. Take a view of all his benefits to you in Cbrifi, labour to fee your intte!\ in them and then confider that all this God hath ordained not for my Salvation only, b~t for the pratfe of h1s glory : All thts tf thoroughly apprehended by a frelh view of Fatth, wtll at any tlme move a good heart togive thanks to God. Wherefore!,] Let us a little hke notice of the grace oF Pmt!, to quicken our ?Wn hearts by the example of It, .(he was the highefi example of grace, but Chnfi that ever was upon Earth,) and confider how inlarged bis heart was in .thankfulnefs to Go~ for the falvatwn of theSouls of others, as well as in deflres to fave them. 2 The(. i. q . We are 6otmd (faith he, ) to .give thanks, togive glory to Godalways for; •ott Brethrm, 6doved of the Lord, becrm['e God bath from the 6egmnmg chofmyou toJalvatio" throughfaufltjicatio11 of the Spi>·it,and beluf of tke trmb. It was not a matter of liberty' it was a matter of duty (as .Paut here fpeaksof it,) weare6ozmd. And h; fpeaks this , not as ha: ving ..
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=