3. The object to whom this religious worship is to be tendered, ' To •God and the Father ; ' so Col. iii, 17, 'And whatsoever ye do in word
424 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS T. [SeR. XXV.
or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God, and the Father by him.' God is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in him our God and Father. Tlie meaning is, to God who is the Father, from whom all good things are derived : James i. 17, ' Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights.' There is decursus hencficiorum, et recursus gi'atiarum. All is derived from God to us, and all is directed and referred by us to God, and both by Christ : 1 Cor. viii. 6, ' But unto us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him ; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.' To whom we pray, to him must we give the praise. We ]n-ay to God ; some sacrifice to their own drag : Hab. i. 16, ' They sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense to their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.' Not only are our prosperities and suc- cesses from God, but if we think a good thought or do a good work, it is still of God ; and therefore he must have all the glory : Rom. i. 8, ' First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.' Some give thanks to saints and angels ; no glory must be diverted from God, to whom we pray. We have the Spirit in prayer inclining us to God only : Eom. viii. 15, ' We have received the Spirit of adoption, where- by we cry, Abba, Father ; ' Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' Therefore the glory must solidly and in whole be ascribed to him. Some cannot come to God as a Father but by Christ : Eph. ii. 18, ' For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.'
4. The manner or means, ' In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.* Why must thanksgiving be made in Christ's name ?
(1.) Because there is more of God discovered in Christ than else- where : 2 Cor. iv. 6, ' For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' If Christ had not come into the world, we had never known the wonders of his love, mercy, and grace, which are now discovered to us in raising us from sin and misery to life and happiness. Now his <pt\av6po)7ria, mankindness, appeared : Titus iii. 4, ' But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared.' The angels had the pre-eminence in the creation. There was (jaXayyeXla, his love to angels seen, as being made nobler substances, enjoying the immediate presence of God ; but in redemption there is (fnXavOpcoTna, his love to man. In creation man was made like God, but in redemption God was made like man.
(2.) Christ is the only mediator to convey blessings to us and our services to God ; for he is our high priest and intercessor. As our high priest he procured all our mercies for us by his oblation ; and by his intercession he conveyeth them to us : Heb. viii. 2, ' He is a minister of the sanctuary,' tmv dyiwv Xenovpycr^. He maketh our thanksgivings acceptable by presenting them to God as a sacrifice pleasing to him by virtue of his merit : 1 Peter ii. 5, ' Ye also as living stones are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifice, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ' As we sue
VeK. 20,] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 425
out mercy in his name, so we give thanks in his name ; he is the mediator of our praises as well as our prayers. Without Christ nothing is acceptable to God ; our persons out of Christ are odious to- God, and God is terrible to us.
(3.) He hath required this duty from us : 1 Thes, v. 18, ' In every- thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.' The great duty of the gospel is thankfulness, which enliveneth all the rest ; for the gospel is made up of mercies, and thei'efore called a benefit : 1 Tim. vi. 20, ' Because they are faithful and beloved, par- takers of the benefit.' A great expression of God's love to sinners in- Christ: 2 Cor. ix. 15, 'Thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift.' It is such a law as is mercy. A rule of duty calleth for obedience, but a law that is a remedy and a benefit — a precious remedy, an unspeak- able benefit — calleth for gratitude and thankfulness.
(4.) Because all our mercies come to us as the fruit of Christ's death, as wrapped in his bowels, as swimming in his blood, as the fruit of his purchase. Lev. iii. 5, their peace-offering or thank-offering was laid on the top of the burn t- offer img. Till we are reconciled to God by the death of Christ, nothing we do is acceptable to him.