the self-same spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 11. and from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness c. Shall I need to subjoyn what you may perhaps already sense and consider That Baptism is to be ministred in the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost as well as in the name of the Father Mat. 28.19 Prop. 4. God the Father then is not cannot be so the object of prayer as is exclusive either of God the Son or of God the Holy Ghost 1 For the Son It is manifest that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father Joh. 5.23 If you 'l review the last prayer of that lively Protomartyr Steven it is directed hither They stoned Steven calling upon God and saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Act. 7.59 He that runs may read the same requests from the beloved Disciple of Christ and from his bride the Church which conclude our Bibles Come come Lord Jesus c. Rev. 22.17 20 21. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom is the only recorded prayer of the penitent thief upon the Cross Luk. 23.42 43. Paul begins well-nigh every Epistle with prayers to him as well as to the Father Rom. 1.7 1 Cor. 1.3 2 Cor. 1.2 c. And is followed herein both by John and Peter 2 Joh. 3.2 2 Pet. 1.2 In short this is given us as the character of all true Christians 1 Cor. 1.2 Act. 9.14 With all that call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Observe it is not said That call upon the name of the Lord through Jesus Christ though this is no doubt their duty and his due as being the Mediator It lets us see that his Saints look upon him not only as a middle person through whom they pray unto God but as true and very God to whom they make their prayers 2 For the Holy Ghost We are debters in point of prayer to him as he also deriveth all our grace and peace to us We are debters saith the Apostle not to the flesh but to the spirit and this not only to live after the spirit but to lift up our hearts with our hands to him in spirit and truth O come saith the Psalmist let us worship and bow down Let us kneel before the Lord our maker for he is our God c. Psal 95.6 7 8. The Apostle maketh application of this part of the Psalm to the Holy Ghost Heb. 3.7 8 c. External and internal worship is due then from us to God the Holy Ghost The reason which the Psalmist gives us reach him as well as the other persons He is the Lord our God he made us and not we our selves The spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the almighty hath given me life The inspiration of the almighty hath given me understanding Job 33.4 c. 32.8 Know ye not saith Paul that your bodies are the temples of the holy ghost Which he elsewhere maketh synonimous with being the temples of God What then Therefore glorifie God in your bodies and in your spirits which are Gods and therefore glorifie God the Holy Ghost So that inward and outward worship not only may but must be given to the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6.19 20. c. 3.16 17. The Saints of God have offered him therefore their prayers of petition see instances Prop. 3. and the Seraphims do offer him their prayers of praise and thanksgiving Crying holy holy holy Lord God almighty which with express warrant enough is interpretable to the Holy Ghost and not to be limited to one or both the other persons Isa 6.3 9. with Act. 28.25 26. Shall I add more evidence where there is so much already Lo 1. The objective fundamental and formal ground of prayer is found with the Son and with the Holy Ghost as well as with the Father Is the Father God so is the Son God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 And the Holy Ghost is called God not less than three times in one Scripture 1 Cor. 3.16 17. I forbear ampler testimonies because you acknowledg this fundamental truth Is the Father an omnipresent majesty pray we where we will so is the Son also Hear him Wheresoever two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them Mat. 18.20 So likewise is the Holy Ghost Whither shall I go from thy spirit saith the Psalmist i.e. I can go no whither but thy spirit is with me Psal 139.7 Is the Father an omnipotent mercy pray we for what we will he is able to hear and help us So also is the Son the mighty God the almighty Isa 9.6 Rev. 1.7 8. And so likewise is the Holy Ghost All these worketh that one and the self-same spirit dividing to every man as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 Briefly is the Father omniscient knowing what we pray for how we pray what are the purposes of and what principles are at act in our hearts and in what proportion and when it is best to answer our prayers and to accommodate our desires and distresses So is the Son he knoweth what is in man the very heart and reins he knoweth all things Joh. 2.24 25. c. 21.17 Rev. 2.23 And so also is the Holy Ghost he searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. 2. For the object of faith Is it the Father only Nay so is God the Son and God the Holy Ghost And if the object of faith then of prayer also Rom. 10.14 Mat. 28.19 That the Son is the object of faith seems to require little or no proof with him that believes the Scriptures Since they were written to this very end that we might believe in the name of the Son of God and that believing we might have life through his name Joh. 20.31 1 Joh. 5.13 And he that disbelieveth or denieth this disbelieveth or denieth the Father also 1 Joh. 2.22 23 24. Here was the blessed faith of Peter the rock the bottom or foundation upon which the Church is built Mat. 16.16 17 18. Hitherto also our blessed Saviour calleth his Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 14.1 The Holy Ghost is the object of faith likewise I believe in the Holy Ghost is one and an eminent article of the true Creed of Christians Plain it is that the wisdom of the Spirit is the wisdom of God the power of the Spirit is the power of God the testimony of the Spirit is the testimony of God And if we may and should believe the witness of men much more the witness of God for the witness of God is greater It is the Spirit who is one God with the Father and with the Son that beareth witness because the Spirit is truth and therefore to be believed relied upon as the Apostle argueth 1 Cor. 2.1 4 5. 1 Joh. 5.6 7 9. He that believeth not in the Spirit then believeth not in
expedient for the right directing of your Prayers frequently to actuate such thoughts in and about the distinction of these persons before Paayer Because this serves thereunto as a means to its end There is not only a habitual but an actual preparation of our selves prerequired to Prayer Job 11.13 Isa 64.7 Psal 108.1 The actual presenting of the divine essence to our selves and pressing the glory thereof upon our Souls which eminently shineth forth in all these persons is admirably preparatory hereunto and hath a powerful influence per modum objecti upon our minds wills and affections both to fetch them off from other pursuits and objects and to fix and unite them in and to the present office To allure the heart to draw nigh to him to aw it with the dread of him to advance it to a dependance on and delight in him and to abase shame us in the sense of our distance from him as Creatures and the dishonour we have done to him as sinners as you have seen in effect already Qu. 2. Direct 5. The Doctrine of the Trinity is as all Theological Doctrines are a Practical Doctrine The Scriptures propound it in order to Faith and Worship Not one of these persons but is the object of both as I have already proved Q. 1. Prop. 4. Prop. 4. In actuating distinct thoughts upon these distinct persons in the undivided essence we may read and thence recollect many incouragements and inducements to Prayer both of petition and Praise Think of them in their essentiall union and whatsoever of obligation on inducement an infinite immutable absolute allsufficient most pure most perfect goodness and truth may offer you for your incouragement in Prayer here it is your Faith may freely take it up and improve it Think of them in their personal distinction And here also what is there rather what is there not that may perswade and encourage Prayer Let me intimate a few things 1 Think you of God the Father The thoughts of that very name cannot but take with an ingenuous nature and will bring his Children with Reverence and with Confidence upon their knees as it did Paul Eph. 3.14 But you must think further of him as the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ibid. This consideration in confession will not only bend the knee but break the heart Luk. 15.18 Zech. 12.10 This will immediately set the Soul a blessing of him Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 1.3 Eph. 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 Yea and send your Soul a begging to him and crying after him Abba Father i.e. Father Father O that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies would give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him c. Gal. 4.6 Jer. 3.4 Eph. 1.17 c. Lo. 1. hence may your Soul resume he is my God and my Father This was that blessed news which Mary must bring from Christ to his Disciples Behold I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Joh. 20.17 2. Hence may you Soul reason down all discouragements 1. Why may I not adventure t is not the presence so much of a Judg as of a Father is it not my Father that reacheth me out the Golden Scepter There is something of encouragement that he is my Father by Creation the eyes of all may and do wait upon him and he gives them their meat in due season But how much more of encouragement is there that he is the Father of Christ my Father in my Christ Here your faith may see boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Eph. 3.12 2. What may I not ask and have He is able to do exceeding abundantly for me above all that I can ask and think who could beget an only begotten Son in his own unbegotten nature c. yea and he is willing too He that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him freely give us all things Eph. 3.20 Rom. 8.32 2 Think you of God the Son The very thought of his relation to the Father will be taking and transporting to honour him and it will be your honour The Father loveth the Son and sheweth him all things that himself doth hath committed all judgments unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father And if any serve me saith he him will my Father honour Job 3.35.5 20 22 23.12.26 What! the only begotten Son of the Father the Angels worship him upon that account and how should we whose nature he took for whose sake he suffered c. how should we much more adore him think of this Sonship 1. It will afford you boldness in Prayer You need not sollicite the servants about the Court Angels or Saints departed to present your petitions for you the only begotten Son of the King of Kings who is in the bosom of the Father that hath his Fathers Eye his Fathers Ear his Fathers Heart yea his Fathers Essence bids you come with boldness in full assurance of faith by him Tells you that he will be your Advocate and that he is now at the right hand of his Father your intercessour Eph. 3.12 Heb. 10.20 22.7.25 2. It may assure you the blessing prayed for Can you think the Father will deny his only begotten Son of the same mind will nature with himself who taketh your petitions out of your hand or heart rather and tenders them in your behalf unto his Father All things that the Father hath are mine saith Christ Joh. 16.15 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he will give it you ask and receive that your joy may be full ver 22 23 c. 15.16 This comfort this confidence have we that believe on the name of the Son of God 1 Joh. 5.13 14. 3 Think you of God the Holy Ghost Lo this is the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father He proceedeth from and is one with the Father and with the Son and that to further your union and communion with himself and them He is not only a spirit of adoption to the Saints but a Spirit of supplication in the Saints Rom. 8.15 Zech. 12.10 If the temptations of the flesh pull you back let the thoughts of the Spirit put and prick you on that you make it a work not of formal saying but of fervent praying Praying in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. The thoughts of him 1. Lead you to the origine of ability for prayer Prayer is too hard for flesh and blood which therefore hangs backward your thoughts now prompt you an omnipotent help We know not either what we ought to pray for or how to pray for it as we ought Now the Spirit helpeth our infirmities 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 stands as it were over against us at the other end of the burden and puts under his shoulder with us and so
we may carry the right of this duty cleverly and come off cherily Rom. 8.26 2. Leave your hopes of the acceptance of your prayers This is not the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God And God knoweth what is the mind of his own Spirit who for matter and manner maketh intercession in the Saints as the Son doth for the Saints according to the will of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Rom. 8.26 27. Gal. 4.6 Nay this Spirit is God existing in and equal with the Father and the Son in the same Godhead And therefore God the Son cannot deny to tender God the Father cannot deny to take what Prayers are presented by you in the power of the Spirit Let the thoughts of the Holy Ghost then be more frequent and familiar with you before prayer The thoughts of him will put you at a greater distance from and upon a greater defiance of your own fleshly appetitions and inclinations in Prayer will prompt you what you should desire in prayer how and for what will put you into a more Spiritual frame and disposition for Prayer yea and upon praying for a more abundant and efficacious influx and assistance of the Spirit of Prayer which your heavenly Father will be sure to give unto them that ask him Luk. 11.13 Prop. 5. You may proportionably order your thoughts concerning these distinct persons as to prayer by considering of and conforming your Prayers to the distinct manner of their existence and operation in the Godhead which is the object of Prayer The promisses make this plain enough without more proof But it is needful that I Instance and be more particular as to both their existence and operation 1 As concerns the distinct manner of their subsisting in the same Godhead which hath been delivered you before on Qu. 2. This may direct you how to order your thoughts and their whole transaction both 1. As to their persons 2. As to your praises and petitions 3. And in or as to both as the persons are united with each other in the same Essence 1 As to these persons I advise you to apply your self to the Father through the Son by whom alone you can hope for acceptance by the Spirit from whom you must have ability and assistance The Father is the first Person in order of these personal subsistants that giveth subsisting life both to Son and Spirit The Son is the second or middle Person subsisting of and from the Father and with the Father emitting or sending forth the Spirit The Spirit is the third and last in the order of these three Persons subsisting of and from them both and sent forth by both of them So then though it be not always necessary to keep this order of the persons in your mentions of them in prayer to all three persons because you find clear precedents by whom this order mentioned was not observed 2 Cor. 13 14. Rev. 1.4 5. Yet it is always necessary as to the inward manner and intentions of your mind that your applications be by the spirit by his assistance 2. through the Son through his mediation trusting by and for him to find acceptance to the Father who through the Son and by the Spirit giveth out answers As the Apostle doth more than intimate Eph. 2.18 Through him i.e. the Son We have an access by one Spirit unto the Father 2 As to your praises and petitions This lets you â—â—e what a wide and an effectual door is opened to you To ask from and acknowledg to the Father all those blessings which come to you by his giving of the Son Eph. 1.3 1 Pet. 1.3 And to Father and Son whatsoever benefits are communicated to you by their giving of the Spirit Rom. 15.13 2 Cor. 1.21 22. So that you need not determine nor should limit your requests or thanks to that only person from whom these blessings do in a more especial manner proceed The Father being the first principle of personal subsistence all things are from him by the Son and all things are referred back again by him to the Father 1 Cor. 8.6 Joh. 5.19 The Spirit subsisting from both and being sent out by both referrs you back in all both to Son and Father John 16.13 14 15. Gal. 4.6 3 As your prayers look upon all the Persons as inseparably united in the same essence Learn to admire their mutual inexistence one in another and in the same Godhead Which our Saviours example in that solemn prayer Joh. 17. may instruct you As thou O Father art in me and I in thee c. ver 21. Think you upon the Father Therewith admire and adore the Son who is the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express image of his person Heb. 1.3 Think you of the Son therewith admire and adore the Father He and his Father are one Joh. 10.30 Think you of the Holy Ghost Therewith admire and adore both Son and Father He proceeds both from the Father and from the Son Joh. 15.26 Think you of any admire and adore all They are all one eternal perfection one God 1 Joh. 5.7 2 As to the distinct manner of their working What it is you have seen already Q. 2. Direct 3. n. 4. The Son worketh from the Father and the Spirit from them both This directs you not only how to apply your selves to these persons to the Father through the Son by the Spirit as before but also in and for what viz. according to the more appropriate works of each person 'T is true there is no work of the Godhead without it self but it is common to and predicable of every person in the Godhead But yet as some will observe it is usual in the Scriptures to ascribe the former middle and latter part of these external works with proportion to the distinct order of these undivided agents I instance the great work of mans Salvation Our Salvation may be eminently considered in three parts or steps 1. The appointment 2. The acquisition 3. The application of it 1. The former part the appointment of man to Salvation Election which is the first step is eminently ascribed to the first person the Father Eph. 1.3.4 5. Gal. 1.15.16 Who hath appointed us to Salvation by his Son through Sanctification of the Spirit 1 Thes 5.9 2 Thes 3.13 Elect according to the foreknowledg of God the Father through Sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ saith Peter 1 Pet. 1.2 The Father then should eminently have the glory of our election in our prayers of thanksgiving as the Apostles render it him ver 3. Eph. 1.3 4 c. 2. The middle part the acquisition of Salvation for man in redemption is eminently ascribed to the middle or second person the Son who in the fulness of time was sent forth from the Father and offered up himself through the eternal Spirit that he might obtain eternal redemption for us and we might receive
curses your rich estates will be the ruin of your souls your eminent pleasures will end in perdition and the greater is your confluence the greater will be your confusion if guilt shall still abide upon your Conscience If ye will not lay it to heart saith the Lord of Hosts I will even send a curse upon you and I will curse your blessings yea I have cursed them already because ye do not lay it to heart Deut. 28.15 ad finem Eccles 7.13 Jam. 5.3 6. Rev. 18.7 Mal. 2.2 4 Is Conscience evil you have no interest in Christ An interest in Christ and an evil Conscience are things inconsistent who doth always purge their Conscience whom he proprietateth in his choice benefits True it is the priviledges by Christ are large but as Peter told Simou Magus so must I tell thee upon the same reason Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter for thy heart is not right in the sight of God Heb. 9.14 c. 10.22 Act. 8.21 5 Is Conscience evil your choicest endeavours are also evil because you frustrate the end of the Commandment which is to free you from an evil Conscience and are not framed to that entireness which the Commandment enjoyneth and expecteth unless your hearts are sprinkled from an evil Conscience you have no access to God nor can hope for acceptance much less can you have assurance your prayers are turned into sins and provocations So long as Conscience was statedly sinful God accounted the most costly Sacrifices of the Jews wherewith went supplications also but as so many splendid mockeries and they were so far from receiving acceptation that they were reckoned abomination 1 Tim. 1.5 Jam. 4.8 Heb. 10.22 Psal 109.8 Isa 66.3 4. Prov. 21.27 6 Is Conscience evil be sure the consequence will be evil if you continue this evil So long as Conscience is bad no one capacity or faculty can be good which are all under the empire and influence of Conscience If thine eye be evil the whole body is full of darkness and if the light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness Mat. 6.23 But this is not all mind the place of Conscience miserable must be the issue of an evil and polluted Conscience Corruptio optimi pessima You that are fearless of its sin now shall feel its sting hereafter and shriek and roar with the corrodings of that worm which you would not here attempt to kill or cure It s evil of sin will issue in extreamest and eternal sufferings if not timely salved Cure it or it will kill and condemn you and you will contract condemnation from God unto you Mar. 9.44 Isa 66.24 1 Joh. 3.20 IV. Speed your â—onversion from sin your Conscience must needs be sinful so long as your sin continueth If you continue in a sinful state the state of Conscience must needs be sinful If you are defiled this is defiled If you are after the flesh so is this also Tit. 1.15 Rom. 8.5 6 7 8. If you would heal Conscience then hasten your conversion do not only try your ways but turn to the Lord who will bind up that which is broken Lam. 3.40 Hos 6.1 The change of your condition includeth the change of Conscience Turn you at Gods reproof and he will pour out his spirit upon you and then you are no more in the flesh but in the spirit the motions and mindings of Conscience shall be no more so fleshly Prov. 1.27 Rom. 8.9 c. 7.5 6. V. Strike in with Christ The stain of Conscience is such that none but the sprinklings of Christs blood upon it can purge it from dead works to serve the living God Heb. 10.22 c. 9.14 The evil of Conscience came in originally by the first Adam and is only healed by the second Adam Hasten to him by an active faith This is that bunch of Hysop which sprinkleth this blood upon you and so the Conscience becomes clean in the sight of God Psal 51.7 Would you have Conscience cured from its evil state close with Christ by a sound faith He dwelleth in the heart by faith Eph. 3.17 VI. Search and put the Covenant into suit follow him that did create and can alone cure the Conscience with iterated prayers and with the instance and pressing of his promises Peruse his Promises I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh c. Ezek. 11.19 20. c. 36.26 27. Deut. 30.6 Plead them in your petitions He will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel Ezek. 36.37 Unfold the pravity of your Hearts and Consciences Lord I acknowledg my Conscience is miserably corrupted far departed from thy first Creation and foully depraved both by the fall of Adam and my own voluntary dâ—fections Behold I bring thee an old and obdurate Heart Lord renew and mollifie it a diseased and defiled Heart Lord repair and purge it an Heart of stone and adamant inflexible to thy ducture impenetrable by thy displeasure c. Lord remove it and renew me Urge him with his Promises to do it and thine own heart there-with also to deliberate and draw from them Lord hast thou not said A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you I will â—ake away the stony heart out of your flesh and I will give you an heart of flesh O make good â—hy word to thy poor creature who can no â—ore cure this heart of stone than I can â—reate another world Create in me a clean heart 〈◊〉 God and renew a right spirit within me So David Psal 51.10 See further helps hereâ—â—ter Q. 4. How may we know whether our Consciences are Evangelically good or bad Be plain with Conscience § 1 and let it be â—ain with thee But in regard our Conâ—â—ience may and doth put a paralogism upon 〈◊〉 and its argumentation is oft-times sophiâ—â—cal and fallacious through the depravedness of our natures of which hereafter and so men deceive their own selves Jam. 1 2◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It therefore requireth the stricter care and caution in your part and circumspection on mine how we manage thiâ— work To which end before I propound marks * See Dik Good Conscience ch 7 8 9. p. 73. ad 128. Sheffield Good Conscience ch 24. Bald wins cas Conscience ch 12. I would promise this brief animadversioâ— for preventing mistakes * See Sheffields Good Conscience ch 18 2â— that you may 〈◊〉 conclude the goodness of your Conscienâ—â— either from their past or present 1 scrupulosâ—â— 2 smart or trouble on the one hand 3 stillâ—â— or quiet on the other without further aâ— fuller evidence Which I shall put upon a 〈◊〉 deliberate enquiry hereafter The stated habitude of your Conscienâ—â— may be discerned by these five things Tâ—â— adjuncts the acts the absoluteness the aspeâ— the answer of the Conscience First § 2 By the Adjuncts of Conscience aâ— your Consciences Evangelically pure or defiled Evangelically at peace or disquieted
go and seek the Lord their God They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward saying come and let us joyn our selves to the Lord c. Gen. 3.8 Isa 50.5 Jer. 50.4 5. Who is this that engageth his heart to approach unto me saith the Lord. He requires it Seek ye my face and you must resolve upon it thy face Lord I must and I will seek 'T is good for you and God hath annexed his special promise to to it Jer. 30.21 Psal 27.8 73.28 4 There must be an hearty conjunction with him For of what avail is acquaintance as long as the heart hangs loose in our converses Your heart must be knit and cleave unto him as Jonathan's did unto David Psal 86.11 Act. 11.23 1 Sam. 18.1 What acquaintance with omniscience while your hearts stand off and God is near in your mouth but far from your reins Behold he desireth truth in the inward parts He searcheth the heart and trieth the reins And if thy heart be not right with him thy other applications will be reckoned flattery not friendship Jer. 12.2 3. Psal 51.6 Jer. 17.10 Psal 78.7 36 37. 1 Chron. 28.9 5 Be actually and often communicating thy self to him If you will hide your heart from him what hopes of acquaintance with him He that intends acquaintance should be emptying and unbosoming his heart to him and making him partaker of his secrets Pour out your heart before him then especially in Prayers and Supplications Present him your particular cases and concernments Hide nothing from him from whom indeed nothing is hidden Let all thy pangs of sorrow have vent like Hannahs in the pouring out of thy Soul It may be when thou art pouring out thy case he may be pouring in his comforts Psal 62.8 32.5 38.9 1 Sam. 1.15 Prayer hath the promise of his Presence and indeed of peace In every thing by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God And the peace of God shall keep your hearts c. Psal 145.18 Job 33.26 Phil. 4.6 7. 6 Add to all this an affectionate correspondence and communion with him Acquaintance doth not barely note an interest in another but intimacy but endearedness at least intercourse with that other I would have you secure an interest in him that thou be able with Thomas to say My Lord and my God This will serve thee in with choice peace in that this God is the God of peace Psal 16.2 Joh. 20.28 1 Thes 5.23 But I would not have you think it enough to have obtain'd an interest in him but you should maintain an holy open intercourse with him for herein lieth the crop and confluence of Evangelical peace and it is the end for which one whole Epistle was written 1 Joh. 1.3 4. Oh! what a calm and serenity of Conscience do such holy converses of faith love c. breathe forth What a conflux of joy are they blessed with Who ever came down from this Mount but his face shone with the irradiations of Divine love Or did not say of being on this Mount as Peter of being on that Mat. 17. 'T is good for us to be here let us build Tabernacles c. Isa 26.3 Exod. 34.29 30. Psal 65.4 36.7 8.9 Mat. 17.4 Direct 7. Argue this state and ascertain it to Conscience if thou wouldst arrive to peace Adjure her throughout all her proceedings or argumentations and articulate converses about it to be plain and full with thee as ever thou wouldst attain to a sound and well-setled peace Peace of Conscience is not the birth of rash and precipitate conjectures at an adventure but of rational and pondering self-converses and arguings by comparing a mans self with the signs or marks which the Scriptures give him for judging his estate and condition Hereby know we that we are of the truth and shall assure our hearts * Inde fit ut pacatam conscientiam habeamâ—â— Bez. 〈◊〉 not ad 〈◊〉 or as the Syriack make our hearts quiet before him Hereby we know that we know him viz. to be our advocate with the father and that he is the propitiation for our sins and therefore our peace if we keep his commandments 1 Joh. 3.18 19. c. 2.1 2 3. Call Conscience to attend its office for clearing thy estate and charge it to be open and down-right with thee in the discharge of every part as it proceedeth in way of ratiocination and discourse It proceeds as I have said in a practical Syllogism As thus To be spiritually minded is life and peace But I am spiritually mind do mind spiritual Objects first and fullest Ergo I have life and peace Adjure hereby the living God to tell thee nothing but the truth in all the parts of her discourse Let artificial Logick be found only among Scholars yet is there natural Logick in every mans Conscience as one * Fenners Treat of Conscienc p. 231 232. well observeth Charge her before God and the Lord Jesus Christ to be clear and impartial with thee throughout In the first Proposition adjure her not to give thee unsound marks on the one hand as a very hypocrite may have nor unsafe marks on the other hand as are only to be had where there is height or growth in grace and are therefore improper in the present case which concerns only the truth of grace In the second Proposition adjure her to be full and faithful with thee in her testimony Wilt thou say this before the all-seeing God for me Wilt thou speak it to thy superiour as well as to my self Canst thou say Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high Psal 139.1 23 24. Joh. 21.17 Job 16.19 In the third Proposition urge her to speak home and speak out as she will answer it to God the supream Judg. Give her no rest if she either suspends her sentence or is short in it till she saith Shibboleth plainly and roundly that ye may bring things to some certainty as they did Job 16.30 2 Tim. 1.12 1 Joh. 2.5 See this fully prosecuted Q. 3. Direct 8. Attend the spirit of peace Spiritual peace is an effect of pouring out the spirit upon us Isa 32.15 16 17. Not as if it did exclude the efficiency of Father or Son 'T is both from him and them Rev. 1.4 5. It was through the eternal Spirit that Christ offered his spotless blood to purge and therewith pacifie the Conscience from dead works It is the same eternal Spirit that mouldeth us into the mystical union with Christ maketh application of his blood to the Conscience and manifests the same to its peace and comfort Heb. 9.14 1 Cor. 12.13 Tit. 3.5 6 7. Abuse not the Spirit then but attend his work upon thee his ways before thee and his witness in and with thee 1 Attend his work upon thee What he is doing what he is demanding and with what designes * See Fords spir of bond c. 10 11.
God He that tells a lie to the Spirit tells a liâ—â—to God not unto men but unto God Act. 5.3 4. Prop. 5. The Father Son and Holy Ghost being verily and truly Gods and being distinct persons in the one only and same Godhead we may then according to the grounds laid direct our prayers to God with express mention of one only or of more or of all the persons in the Godhead The laudable examples in Scripture may evince the lawfulness hereof Paul directs his prayers with the express mention sometimes but of one person Ephes 3.14 Sometimes of two persons 1 Thes 3.11 Sometimes of all three 2 Cor. 13.14 John and Steven explicitely address themselves to the second person Rev. 22.20 Act. 7.59 Paul attests the third person Rom. 9.1 as well as others apply themselves to the first person and St. John invocates all three persons Rev. 1.4 5. Prop. 6. The Father Son and Holy Ghost being but one only God of one nature mind will power Godhead they are therefore according to the first Proposition to speak strictly and properly but one only formal object of prayer and of other parts of religious worship So that our Saviour bids us baptize not in the names but in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.19 Not only to intimate their coequality in power and authority among themselves as being one and the same God with whom are no degrees of power or perfection But to instruct us how we should consider of and come before them in that and in all other acts of worship upon the same reason as those that are co-essential and co-equally the original and object of all as natural so instituted worship Thus also were the Priests bound to say in blessing the people Jehovah Jehovah Jehovah bless thee c. Num. 6.24 25 26. Thereby pointing them and us That though they are distinguished in their personal subsistence yet they are not to be divided in our prayers and supplications Rather that as these three are one in the unity of the divine essence so they should be eyed as one in the unity of an end or object in all our devout and religious exercises Prop. 7. In directing prayer therefore to God with express mention but of one or two persons the Saints of old did not and our selves ought not to exclude the other person or persons because they are all one God co-equal and co-eternal co-existing with each other yea in each other in the same Godhead Believe me saith Christ that I am in the Father and the Father in me Joh. 14.11 You need not any proofs from me that the Godhead or divine nature and excellency is the formal and adequate ground and reason of divine Worship Or that these three persons are God and therefore equal in the Godhead equal in glory not one greater or less than another not one above or below another These premisses being of infallible verity the inference is plain and obvious therefore are they to be equally worshipped not one more or less than another not one above or beneath another For there being no difference or degrees in the ground and adequate reason of the divine Worship that is due unto them there can be no difference or degrees admittable with any ground or reason in the worship that is done unto them If one be not less a God than another one may not be less glorified than another Prop. 8. Yet lastly the Father being the fountain and first principle though not of their essential subsistence yet of the personal subsistence of the Son and of the Holy Ghost of which in the next Question and so of their peculiar manner of working ad extra or without the Godhead viz. the Son working from the Father and the Holy Ghost from them both The Saints therefore have and your selves may eminently though not exclusively direct your prayers to God the Father yea and that for those benefits which come to you by the more especial and eminent operation of God the Son or of God the Holy Ghost 'T is easie to instance Paul blesseth the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for all the blessings in and by Christ the remission of his sins the redemption of his soul c. Ephes 1.3 c. Then beseecheth he that the God of our Lord Jesus the Father of glory may give unto them the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of Christ ver 17. c. And again Chap. 3. v. 14 15 16 17. I bow my knees saith he unto the Father of our Loâ—â— Jesus Christ that you may be strengthned by his â—pirit that Christ may dwell in your hearts by â—aith c. Much to the same effect is the prayer of Peter Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ c. 1 Pet. 1.3 4. Not to mention those passages of the Psalmist Vphold me with thy free spirit Lead me by thy spirit c. Psal 51.12 143.10 Q. 2. How may we order our thoughts aright in distinguishing these three persons Father Son and Holy Ghost I am not willing to weary either my self or you with a needless discussion of what you intend by this expression order your thoughts aright I suppose you would not have me understand thoughts so much in their larger and less proper notion and acceptation as they include all the interior acts of the Soul as in their more limited strict and proper sense as they import the acts and apprehensions of the intellect And that your meaning is how you may order your apprehensions or more briefly may apprehend aright in or touching the distinction of those persons And truth is according as your thoughts are well or ill ordered in this strict sense that your apprehensions are either fitting or faulty so will your thoughts be in that larger sense all the other inward motions of your Soul with relation hereunto will be well or ill ordered more free or more faulty This only I shall therefore further premise Father Son and Holy Ghost are and may be presented to our thoughts under a twofold consideration 1. Common or essential as they are God 2. Peculiar or personal as they are persons in the Godhead And this consideration of them is either 1. More absolute as they all subsist in the unity of the same nature Or 2. Meerly relative in the order of one person to another and distinction of one person from another And now in accord to your desires I offer you these Directions Direct 1. Think of Father Son and Holy Ghost as divine and increated persons That they are persons I do not attempt to confirm because you already confess both thing and name as that which best agreeth to the Scripture-expression as it doth Heb. 1.3 'T is true that this term person doth import the most excellent kind of subsistence viz. intelligent and rational We call not the best of brutes a person But