An Expojition of the Epiftle ~in thy Majtf/)•, or Ride prvjperoufly; which is a joyful Shout and Acciarimion Serm.!L (as ufeth to be to Kings,) upon his fl>iling by; the people exulting in that Glory ~·andmajeflickState which they fee him go forth in, wifhinghim profperity in his Expedition and Undertakings, to make himfell glorious, .by doing Wondrotes thmgs. The Old Tranllarion exprefl the intent of it, rather than the Letter; Good luck haw thou w ith thi11e Houour. The Church there, had withal io her eye, all thofe gracious perfeCtions his perfon was adorned with; which thus won her heart to him, and drew this from her : For fo it follows, Ride and Prof per, 6tcatef'of TrMh, Righteoujiufs mid Meeknefs• And thus for us to take a view ofall the abfolute excellenciesand perfeCtions that are in God, to behold him Crowned with Glory and Happirlefs t!lat incircleth him round; a Crown of Glo • ry made up of Jufiice, Truth, Holiiiefs, and other Attributes. To take a furvey of all his proceedings and difpenfations, and goings forth of every kind; his e– v~rlafiing decreesof Jufiice and Mercy; all his ways and dealings in the variety ol them, though never fo crofs to our particular; and to rejoyce heartily in that Glory of his, which is the refultof them all: Arid inwardly to fay, Oh let him be thus glorious and bleffed for ever,what ever l11all become ofme ! To be gladof all, congratulate him and wifh well to him in all, this is to 6tef's him. II. When done out ofgood will, as the principle of it (as indeed where fwch ads as thofe forementioned are,there mu!\ needs be good will,the fpring ofthem.) And in this refped ble./]i11g God fuperadds to co11(ejJing to his prmfo, yea or to geve glory to him; it fpeaks more then either. The Devils Jhall confefs to his praile, Phi!. 2. 10, 1 r. Every kner, and ev ery to11gue evm of thi11gs under th~ Earth (in Hell, ) }ball co1Jje{s Chrifl to the Glory of the Father; but theirs is but extorted,although acknowledged by them to be ju(\ly hisdue.Hencc ifwe would fpeak firiCtly, 6!eJ7i'11g God is •ppropriated properly to the Sai>tts, with a diffe– rencefrom prayji11g God; P{at . 145'· 10,11 . All thy works }ball praif'e t hee,O Lord, aud thy Saints jha/1 blefs thu. The Saints alone,they blefs him, and why? becaufe they alone bear good will to him. And they blefs the Lord with P[•l. ro3. •· their whole Souls, and all that is withi" them, and this God refpedsmore then yourgiving him e,lory. 'Twas his very end in chufing forth a feted company of Saints; that he !umfelffir.fl 6l~/]i11g them, they then might 61efs him again. He could have beenglorifiedhowever in them, but he loves to be 6/efl; he loves our goodwill in it, more then the thing. IlL I added,out ofgood will to God himfelf;that is,purely for what he is himfelf, and not only for what to our felves; in this manner our Apofile blef!eth Godhere, even for this, that he is the Godand Father of Chrijl. As loving Gbd, that ever he begot fuch a Son, he rejoyceth, that fo great a Father, hath fo gre·at a Son ; to the mutual honour of each, How often cloth he in his Epifiles come in with this, even in the mid!\ or conclulion of a difcourfe, in which there was an occalion to magnify him, [ "'ho is God61ef!edfor~ver] which is a GlorifYi•tg God tUGod, that is in himfclf and by himfelf, thus bleffed for ever. Thus Rom.I.2). Rom.9. 5'· and elfewhere. Yet-4. Together herewith, Out of aJenfe of hisgoodnefs alfo to us, So here; though he bleffeth him fir!l for being the God of Chri!\, yet he withal after bleffethhim for having blejl us w ith all bleffings; and God gives us leave fo to do. y ~011 loved me purely, fays Chri!\, Joh.14,28. y011 w ould rej o)•ce, 6ecaufe I fai I go to my Father : you would rejoyce inmy enjoyment of him, that is, in my bldlednefs in and through him, who is greater than I, (asit follows,) and [o is the Fotmtai1l of that happinefs I have, He takes it unkindly at our hands, if we rejoyce not in his Perfonal bleffednels primarily, and in the fir£!: place. And thus M we love him, 6ecauf' he loves us.firjl, fo we 6/efs him, be– caufe he bte!Jeth usfirfl : and yet it mu!\ rife higher iu the end, (and in Heaven it will do fo,) even purely to blefs him for himfelf, or elfe we love him not, nor blefs him, as the great God is to be loved and bleffed by Ui. AMeditation or two. ! · Medita-
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