An Eipojition of the Epift.le "'-/\../lone entire Petition or Sentence, both this in the 18th Verfeand that in the 17th. Ser. XX. And their meaning is this, That i11 the k11ow!edge of God a11d Chrtj/, their eyes \..1/"V""'!o.J being mltght11ed by a Spi~it of wijJom a11d reve!atto1J, (all thefe bemg means by which we come to knowledge, ) they mzght ktww what u the hope of his CafJi11g. To fuch a purpofe or fenfe as this, do many Interpreters ufually read it. But I rather cut it off from the former, and make it a new and difiinCl: Peti– tion. He had finilhed one Petition, when he prayed, that God would give them a Spirit of wifdom mid reve!atiot; in the kt~ow!eige of him , or communion with him: And now he prayeth for !mow/edge of the hope of hu CafJiug; for a tafle, andpre!ib{ltioll or fore-knowledge of the greatnefs of that Glory. they were ordained unto. \ And as he,prayed fhey lhould have a Sf!mt of wifdom and of revelatimz given them to know God : fo now he jlrt.~yeth God to give themEyes of their miltdsen!ightned, to k11ow the hope of hJS caOmg, a11d the riches of hzs Inheritanee. Only I yield thus much to the other Interpretation, (which I delire you to obferve,") That of the two, the Apoflle putting knowledge of God, and com– munion \vith God, the knowledge of htm, (as the Text hath it) before the knowledge of what is the riches of his btherztance. I fay, I yield thus mucl1 to it, That Commmtioll with God, and Knowledge of God, is the highefi way to come to know what Heaven is, and what the rzchrs of hi< Inheritm;ce is; and therefore it is a meaning agreeable to the Analogy of Faith to read it thus , 'l'hat i11 the knowledge of htm their··eyes mtght be en!zghtned, to !mow what– Heaven u. It is, I fay, a meaning agreeable to the Analogy of Faith; the knowledge of God, and communion with God, is the high way to know what is the hope of hiscafJi?Jg, and whatthe riches of his Inheritance i~. But yet, my Brethren, that Interpretation of theirs is certainly to me not the meaning; and my reafon is this, becaufe they would make the hzow!edge of God, but as a way and means only fubordinate to the knowledge of what Hea– vens Glory is: /11 the kn•wledge of him, the eyes of their U1Jder{fandi11gs bei1Jg tn!ightned, (fay they) that they may kttow what is the hope of his ca!tit;g, a11d wbat is the riches, f!ic. But though it is true, that by the knowledge of God; and communion with him, we come to know what Heaven is; ye1 of the two, Communion with God is the greater. I lhall explain my felf to you thus. There are two things to be confidered in Heaven; There is either the hap– pinefs that the Saints themfelves lhall enjoy, which is ill the Saittts (faith the Text) their happinefs and their blelfednefs: And there is fecondly, Communion with God, which is the caufe of this happinefs. Now of the two, Communion with God is the greater. There is Beatitude objef!iva,the thing polfelfed,which is God himfelf; and there is Beatitttdo' forma/is, which is the fruition of him; the happincfs by enjoying God, and by knowing God. Now of the two, the know– ing of God, Communion with God is more than our happinefs; and therefore, if you mark it, the Apofile putteth that firfl, That yott may have a Spirit of wif dam, (faith he) and of revtlatio11 itt th~ commtmimt and ktJOw!tdge of him; and then cometh, Thatyott may h10w what happinefs yott jbatt have, what is the riches of the glory of his b;heritm;ce ;,, you, in the Sai11ts: there is Bea– titttdo forma/is, your fruition 0f it. Of the two,my Brethren, it is the greater, therefore it is put firfl here, and therefore is not meant as a means only of knoiV· ing the other, but as a diflinCl: thing from the other. ' You lhall find as much to this purpofe in Rom. ~·comparing the third and the fourth Verfes with the IJih. The Apofile fpeaks there of Faith; By F:zith (fatth he) we rt)O)'Ct 111 the hope of theglory of God, (that is, of that Glory we lhall have from God,) and ttot 01z!y Jo, but we glory i1t·tribulatio11 a!fo. Though for the prefent we are mifernble, yet through Faith we lee fo much Glory to come, that the Soul fl1all have, as it upholdeth us, we rejO)•ce i11 the hope of glo>y11otwithftt11Jdi11g tributatio11. Now mark the r Ith verfe, A>td11ot only Jo, tm we a!Jo joy i11 God. He rifeth higher; To rejovce in hope of Glory, it is a grPatmatter ; andnotonlyfo, but todoitinaflliCl:ion too, that is more. But will you have the highefl, faith he ? Not 011/y Jo, but we joy i11 God too. Thefe
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