An Expojition of the Epiftle r--.-A._.--.. namely in Chrift, who is God 6te(Jed forever; Rom. 9· forelfe they could not Serm. !1!. blefs themfelves in him. And thus Efay makes it the top of Evangelical Perfedi– ~ on, which he prophecyed of, E[ay, 6$. x6. yea and of the Hate of the peo" pie of God in the New Heaven and New Earth, wherein Righteoufnefs dwels, of which ver. 17. x8 . That he whojhoutd 6te[s himfelf i11 the .f.arth, jhoutd 6/efS himfelf i11 the Godoftr11th, that is, God and Chrift, that is alone the truth and the firm fubftance of all bleffednefs and happinefs, according .to that alfo of the Pfalmift; whom have !in Heaven but thee, afld i11 Earth in comparifott o'f thei! That as a wicl1ed man is faid to blefs himfelf in his life, Pfat. 47, 8.that is,toapplaud hisownfoulshappinefs, ( Sottl, takethinttaje,) in havinggoods Jaid11pfor mml)'years, forto make him (as hejudgeth) happy; fo the Saints blefs tl1emfelves in their God, their Glory, not i11 riches or wifdom or jlrength, buttheygloryit~this, thattheytmderftandandk11!Y'<JJ God.."fer. 9.23,24- and by knowing him are made happy in him. F<>r that is eterrialljfe; Jo!i. '7· and fo by having God and ChriO: tor their bleffednefs 1 tliey have ail things with them and fo are bleffed with all bleilings. I wi!Jbrhis God, that firft; then follows, and he fba!J whertt all thi11gs. La!Uy, God 6teffeth out of heartygood wi!J a11d love to our Perfotts;] and this is as the foul or form of bleiiing,whether ye will take it for the ad: ofbleiiing in God ·, or the matter of bleiiing beftowed upon us. It is the good will of God that caufeth each of thefe to have the denomination and nature of a 6/ef– jing. I. It is the Spring and Fountain of that ad of bleiiing, as that which confii• tutesit fuch, To btejs, is to wijb, or wijbing to beftow altgoodout ofgood wilt; as when we 6te(s God, it is the good will we expreft therein, which makes it ter– med, 6tejJi11g IJ,m, and fo to differ from praife; (as was ihewn,) fo in God• bleiiing us, (his bleiiingus, to be fure at leaft anfwereth to our bleiiing of him, and infinitely exceeds it.) In him it is a fatherly Ad, and fo proceeds from mere natural and pure good will and affection. The Lord firJlloves, then bleiieth; Je– bovah thy God will love thee, and fo will blefs thee, Vtttt. 7· n, '3· ver. and fo likewife in Pf'al. ) . 11/t, Gods bleiiing us is exegetically expreffed and ex– plained to be acompa!fmg a mtm round abottt withfavour a11d good wilt, clafping and accepting him, as with eve~laj/i11g armes, Veut. 33· 27• Tho" Jehova wilt 6tejs tbe Righteot4s, thot• wilt mcompafs him ro,.nd withfavor•r, or f~vourable acceptation , !lood will or gracious .good liking and acceptance, joyned with a delight in thetr perfons, and rejoycmg to do them good,as the fame word, ( Jfa. 42. r. in whom my foul delights, fpoken of Chri!t, ) imports. And it is an encompaiiing round, becaufe that man hath nothing elfe from God, but love and favour coming in upon him on every fide, and furrounding him, and hence it is that a man is bleffed with all bleilings. In thefe termes therefore doth Mo– fi's pourforth his prayers of bleiling on Jo(tphs head, who was feparated from DM. 31 . ,,,6. his Brethren, as the choife£\ of them all. The good wilt of him that dwflt itt <ompued. the btifb, lfl it come upotl the head of Jo(eph, and 11po11 tbe crownof the head of him, that was fi'paratedfrom his 1Jrethrttt. He invocates the Original , the Fountain of all bleiiings; namely the good will of that God, who in the bulh had appeared and faid; Tam the God ofAbraham, &c. And furely if God commuznd.l·'·6· nicates himfelf to whom he bleffeth, his bleiiing ofthem muft proceed from the deepeft goodwill ; and indeed is the reafon why he giveth himfelf, as in mar– riage they beftow themfelves,and all to whom they bear their fpecial good will. And IT. thi• good will of God accompanying each thing be£\owed, is that which maketh a bleiiing of it, and fo to be more then meerly gifts beftowed. The Hebrews termed their gifts, or prefents ableiiing. Thus 1 Sam. 25, 2 7· A– bigail toVavid, This 6Jej]i11g which thine Handmaid hath /Jrought u11to my Lord, alfo 2Ki11gs 5. 25, whereby they would have it under£\ood by the recei– ver, that they proceeded from their free and moft hearty good will; and that to be more then the gift, Thou haftgiven tong !tfe to thy Ki11g, fays Vavid to God, and fo bldfeth him for that;but becau(e long life in itfelt;was as no bleiiing tohim, without Gods favour,in another Pfalm he fays, thy Jovmg-ki11d11eji is /;mer tben l1je,
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