will be his Advocat but if he sin he who came to (e) 1 Joh. 3.8 destroy the works of the devil will not own such a one who doth the devils work But yet for thy comfort O mourning sinner it s written If any man sin c. It s true it is written that thou shouldest not sin these things write I unto you that you sin not saith the Apostle by way of preface and to ward off a mistake that we should not sin is the end and designe of all our rods and mercies of all the Scriptures and of Gods works towards us of Christs death intercession c. But yet if any man sin out of ignorance frailty c. Christ pitieth them he will not desert their cause he will not justifie them in that nor plead for a liberty for them to sin but he will plead for a pardon and that they may be preserved from sin there after Ah then beware thou abuse not this mercy and rare priviledge say not we will sin that Christ may pity us and plead for us it s a sure signe of a gracelesse soul to say let us add sin to sin that grace may abound how doth the Apostle abominat such a vile inference Rom. 6.1 Though the Lord to magnifie the riches of his free grace may make grace abound where sin hath abounded Rom. 5.20 yet if thou wilt cause sin abound because grace hath abounded it is an evidence that grace hath not and if thou continue in that desperat resolution never shall abound to thee and though Christ will plead for sinners yet if thou dare sin that he may plead for thee thou hast reason to fear that thou art none of those for whom he doth or will plead But you will say if Christs intercession be such a sure and exquisite ground of consolation and confidence the people of the Jews must then have been in a sad condition they being destitute thereof Ans There be two extreams which wee should here shun the one making it begin too early the other making it too necessary and laying too much weight upon it As to the 1. Some imagine that Christ before his incarnation did interceed and thus as God for then he was not man he must appear and pray for his people We will not repeat what hath been already said against that opinion only now let us briefly view the arguments already brought or which we conceive may be made use of for that strange as it appeareth to us assertion 1. It may be objected that we have the Mediators reverend interposing represented to us in that parable of vine-dressers interceeding with the master Luk. 13. beside what is holden forth by the typicall services pointing out Christs intercession Ans We need not now run to that acknowledged rule (d) Theologia symbolica non est argumentativa Symbolick Theology is not argumentative We must not extend a parable beyond it's scope and it is certain the (e) See Diodati English Divines Dr. Hammond c. intent of this parable was nothing else but to hold out the Lords long-suffering and patience towards that people and the inevitable ruine of all those who notwithstanding would continue in their unbelief and disobedience And as for the vine-dresser who interceeds that the fig-tree might be spared (f) Quisque suae vineae cultor Theoph. in loc Theophylact thinketh that every man is the dresser of his own vine (g) Cajet in loc Cajetan will have Michael the Arch-angel who saith he was set over the Jews to be their Guardian to be this vine-dresser Others as (h) Cultor vinea suus cujusque Angelus custos Theoph. ibid. Theophylact in his second conjecture will have every mans proper tutelar Angel to be this vine-dresser and intercessor the English Divines do think the faithfull Ministers to be their vine-dressers for they like (i) 1 Cor. 3.6 Exod. 32.31 1 Sam. 12.23 Amos 7.2 5. Paul and Apollo do plant and water the vine-yard and lâ—ke Moses Samuel and Amos do interceed for the people committed to their charge And Christ as Cajetan thinketh is rather the Lord then the dresser of the vine-yard But though we would yeeld Christs Intercession to be here adumbrated as certainly it was in several types yet that is so far from concluding the point for which it is alledged that it doth sufficiently confute the same For what is typified is not as yet exhibited and therefore these shadows as useless must evanish when we may behold the substance and truth 2. Object Sympathy is a main ground of intercession but there was sympathy flowing from a covenant-relation before the incarnation Is 63.9 In all their afflictions he was afflicted in his love and in his pity he saved them Ergo. Ans These words are spoken of the Father the Angel of whose presence is said to save them and whose Spirit is said to be vexed v. 10. as usually in Scripture the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of the Father so by the Angel of Gods presence there judicious Interpreters do understand the Mediator the eternal Son of God so that the former words cannot be meant of him according to that appropriation of works and attributes which is frequent in the Scriptures albeit it be certain that as to the thing it self which is here spoken of none of the persons of the blessed Trinity must be excluded And therefore we Answer 2. That this is a metaphorical and borrowed kind of Speech taken from the manner of men as the Jewish Doctors cited by the (k) See the English Divines and Dio. dati on the place English Divines well observe like unto that kind of expression in Deut. 32.10 Psal 17.8 Zech. 2.8 c. And therefore sympathy in the Lord Jehovah as a (l) A revâ—rend late Divine whose memory is precious in this Church whose arguments may be abused and drawn a greater length then they will go or were aâ— we may conceive intended by the Author doth grant what we have here alledged from him and which of it self is most certain and by that concession giveth us ground to interpret his assertion as spoken rather of a symbolick and typical then proper and personal intercession as may also further appear from the several replyes here made to what is objected from him and therefore do we now mention that judicious Divine not that we might confute but that we might thus essay to vindicat his assertion judicious Divine speaking to this purpose saith doth only import 1. That he knoweth the afflictions of his people 2. That he mindeth help to them and so this kind of sympathy cannot infer intercession otherwise all the persons of the Trinity must be said to interceed for us But that sympathy which we made the proper and immediat ground of Intercession was that real humane and proper Sympathy which is in the humane nature of Christ whereby he is said to be touched with the feeling
given to him and the holy Spirit proceeding from the Father and Son carrieth on the work of salvation in all them whom the Father hath elected unto life and for whom the Son hath laid down his life thus in time effectuating what the Father from eternity had decreed and applying the medicine the Son hath purchased and prepared for us 2. While it s ask't what the Spirit worketh by virtue of this economy Ans When thou comest home to thy fathers house and seest his face either thy curiosity shall be silenced or satisfied but now if thou only askest what we may rather ask what not Are not all the gracious actings of the Spirit and the whole work of sanctification first and last the sweet fruit of this economy covenant and transaction and without which our case had been as bad and desperate as the devils and now the Spirit by virtue of that covenant not only works but creates grace in subjecto inhabili where there was no inclination fitness or preparation till he began to work and not only actuatch grace where he hath wrought it and concurreth with it but also supplieth the defect of the cause and principle it self which still remaineth incompleat till he perfect it in glory which is another kind of providence nor what is afforded to natural agents And holiness sanctification and illumination being the third great work of God which by virtue of that voluntary transaction remained to be wrought towards the sons of men that did lie upon the third person of the blessed Trinity and thus by this eternal covenant holiness was fitly appropriated to the holy Spirit And thus we may see that there is not a full enumeration in the three-membred distinction of mission so often ininculcated in the Schools 1. per imperium or by command which supposeth the subjection of him who is sent 2. per consilium or by counsel and advice which supposeth weakness and ignorance in him who is sent 3. per originem or by natural descent as trees send forth their branches and this say they kind of mission only hath place among the persons of the Trinity but we may doubt if any where in the Scriptures the word mission or sending is put to signifie the natural procession of any of the persons of the Trinity but however from what hath been said it may appear that this three-footed distinction doth halt and wanteth one of its legs ye◠and that member which is most usefull and necessary and which as we conceive only hath place in the Scriptures viz. by mutual consent agreement and covenant and none can question that this sort of mission may have place among equals Before we come to the application Concl. 10 let us add this tenth Concl. We are not so limited to conceive of the divine nature under one or more personal properties and distinct subsistences that in prayer or any other point of worship we may not draw nigh to him as the alone Jehovah and true God we are not so obliged to conceive of the divine nature relatively and as subsisting in the Father Son and Spirit as that we may not apprehend him absolutely as God abstracting as it were from the different subsistences of the God-head though not excluding them And thus the Jewish Church used to worship him and for ordinary made their adress to him as that one true and living God laying hold rather on his essential and glorious attributes then on his personal properties or relations But (u) A word of warning and caution 1. It were to be wished now under so full a discovery of this mysterious unity and Trinity that in beholding the infinite nature of the one Jehovah and true God we might adore the glorious Trinity of persons yet not suffering our thoughts so to expatiat and be scattered in musing on three as distinct objects of worship but still fixing our eye upon the unity of the divine nature and God-head which is the formal object of worship and which is not multiplied nor divided in the several persons for as (x) Vna est enim Patris Filii Spiritus sancti essentia quam Graci 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocant in quâ non est aliud Pater aliud Filius aliud Spiritus sanctus quamvis personaliter fit alius Pater alius Filius alius Spiritus sanctus Aug. tom 3. de fid ad Pet diac cap. 1. fol 48. Austin saith albeit in the Trinity there be alius alius yet not aliud though there be a distinction of persons yet not of natures nor a distinct object of worship but the same God-head is in all the persons and therefore whether one or mo or none of the persons be named the object of worship is the same and we should in the unity of nature (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autor expos apud Forhes loo cit cap. 33. behold the admirable Trinity of persons and in that Trinity the glorious unity of nature without division or confusion multiplication or alteration But 2. Albeit we may name any one of the persons particularly as being the true God and a fit object of worship yet we must not imagine any special respect and honour thereby to be given to him as if the other two were less worshiped in that act of worship and therefore albeit the Saints do frequently make their adress to the Father yet 1. they do not exclude the Son and holy Ghost nor 2. imagine that the Son and holy Spirit hath not an equal hand with the Father in all their mercies and thus 3. they do not come to the Father as another and greater God to whom more honour and reverence were due then to the Son and Spirit and 4. they do not apprehend that thereby the Father is engaged more to help them then the other two which are not named 3. As we should not stumble at the Arrian and Socinian cavils against the mystery of the Trinity which is an object of faith so far beyond the reach of our dark-sighted reason and apprehension and is such a depth as our shallow understanding and short measure is not able to sound So on the other hand we would beware least our belief of the Trinity make us encline towards the pagan conceit of plurality of Gods that it tend not nor lead that way as too freqently it doth in the rude and stupid multitude contrarily to the dictates of (z) Vide Scot in 1. sent dist 2. quaest 3. reason it self which hath convinced many Pagans of the impossibility of mo Gods then one which necessary point is so clearly held forth in the Scriptures of truth that he who runs may read Deut. 6.4 Mark 12.32 1 Cor. 8.4.6 c. But hoping that sober Christians will abominat these and such like gross conceptions of God that which we would mainly here take notice of and improve is that gracious economy of the glorious persons of the ever blessed Trinity
omues i. e. quatuorgenera orationum ibi enumerata debe â—â— conjungi petitioni ut perfecta efficax sit ideo etiam censeÌ„tur quasi quatuor partes complentes constituentes integrum officium orandi Fran. Swarez ad 2.2 a quaest 81. ad 100. de Stat. Rel. Tom. 2. Tract 4. lib. 2. cap. 3. sect 4.8 Licet oratio plurium virtutum actus includaâ— omnes tamen ad petitionem ordinantur ut melius fiat inde orationis nomen participant ibid. in primo cap. lib. 2. vid. lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 8 9. Swarez speaketh integration of Prayer and so ought not have been omitted in its definition yet since they make us two distinct heads of practicall divinitie and here fall in only as accessories of this duty we will refer them to their proper place purposing now only to speak of Prayer according to its proper acception And thus it is contra-distinguished from confession thanksgiving meditation c. and doth import (h) Et in hoc sensu definiente Damasceno loc cit est petitio decentium à Deo asking or petition And thus sayth (i) Swarez loc cit sect 8. Ipsa ergo petitio propriissimo speciali modo oratio dicitur atque ita censent D. Thom. Bon. omnes qui de oratione scribunt Swarez when mention is made of Prayer for any person or thing in the Scriptures it is alwayes taken in this sense and the fathers and School-men and whosoever saith he have written of Prayer have spoken of it in this signification and the word Prayer in our language cannot without great impropriety be applyed to signifie any other thing CHAP. IV. In what act of the Soul prayer doth principally consist Psal 27.8 When thou saidest seek ye my face my heart said unto thee Thy face Lord will I seek COncerning that which we meet with in the (a) Quod locum generis occupat first words of the desinition while Prayer is said to be an offering up of our desires c. we may inquire In what act of the Soul doth Prayer directly formally and principally consist By which question we do not exclude the voice as if it might not concur in the performance of this duty Wherefore is the tongue called our glory Ps 57.8 and 108.1 and 30.12 if it should not be employed in glorifying its Maker in praising of and praying unto Him but though it must joyn in the work yet it cannot give life and being unto it that must flow from another fountain after which we now enquire and therefore while Prayer is divided in Mental and Vocal the last trust include and suppose the former else it deserves not the name Lip labour is not Prayer But you will say we cannot petition and ask but by the voice and therefore the first must also include the last Ans Amongst men there can be no society no asking nor granting unless there be some expression by the voice or outward gestures but we may converse with the father of Spirits and pray to Him who (b) 1. Chr. 28.9 understandeth all the imaginations of our thoughts and espieth them (c) Ps 139.2 afar off before they have any being or can be known to our selves without an interpreter This (d) Estque haec significatio communis mentali vocali orationi quia utroque mode petitio fieri potest à Deo Swar loc cit lib. 1. cap. 1. sect 8. Swarez granteth and I think none of the Papists these Patrons of Lip devotion will deny In answer to the Queree the Roman Casuists and Scholemen following their Patron (e) Thom. 22 quaest 83. art 1. Thomas affirm that Prayer is an act of the Understanding and not of the Will Their grounds are frivolous and not worthy to be considered unless to shew the folly of these luxuriant wits 1. It belongs saith (f) Loc. cit in Corp. Thomas to the understanding as to command so also to (g) Ita se habet oratio ad superiorem sicut imperium ad inferiorem petition and ask Ans Whatever might be said concerning the faculty of the Soul that commands and sets a work the rest yet we cannot be said to ask any thing of God unless the Heart present it's desire and so the Will must draw up the supplication and offer it to the King But we may far more probably lay down the contradictory supposition and say that it belongeth not to the understanding as elsewhere we may have occasion to shew at greater length but to the will as the Mistris and Superiour to command the rest of the faculties O! But 2. saith (h) Lessius de Just Jur. lib. 2. cap. 37. dub 2. Greg. Nyss Or. 1. de Or. Dom. Chrysost lib. de Orand Deum dicuut orationem esse colloquium cum Deo Lessius Prayer is Locution and a kind of Speech Thus the Fathers have defined Prayer a conference with God but nothing within us except the understanding can entertain that conference Ans It s true in Prayer we enjoy a sweet communion with God we speak to him and poure out 〈◊〉 complaints unto him but it s a spirituall conference in which the heart the will and the affictions are principally employed That 's the first thing which God requires and especially regards My son give me thy heart Prov. 23.26 And therefore whenever the Psalmist drew nigh to God either to pray or praise he lookt mainly to his heart knowing that if it was not prepared to speak to God there was no other speaker that would get a hearing and he thinks it not enough to have his heart set a work unless the whole heart were employed Ps 9.1 Ps 111.1 Ps 119.145 Ps 138.1 Ps 86.12 c and only that man to him iâ— the blessed man that seek God whether in Prayer or any other point of Worship with the whole heart Ps 119.2 The heart hath a voice which God well understandeth and will hear when all other Messengers are sent away empty we have a sweet though short dialogue Ps 27.8 The Lord begins and drawes on the discourse with a kindly invitation to seek his face but who makes answer O! Say these learned Rabbies the heart and will cannot speak nay but saith the Prophet David I acknowledge no such axiom my heart must make the reply my (i) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 heart said unto thee thy face Lord will I seek Amongst our Divines I find not this question moved but I know (k) Only Dan. Til. once ours then Arminian and afterwards I know not what in his Syntagdisp de precseemeâ—b to joyn with the School-men none of them who will not joyn with D. (l) Oratio est voluntatis nostrae religiosa representatio coram Deo Ames Med. Theol. cap. 9. de cas cons lib. 4. cap. 14. Ames while he describeth Prayer a religious presenting of our wills before God which upon the matter differs not from
want his armour and having his quiver so full of (b) The Promises are these arrows which the bow of Prayer discharges arrows he cannot want his bow give me children else I die said she in her impatience Gen. 30.1 O! But may the Christian well say let me pray or I cannot live What can the poor Pilgrime do if he have no provision Prayer is our money that answereth all things what though we be far from home yet the treasure followeth us it 's within a cry and Prayer can bring from thence what we can stand in need ask whatsoever ye will it shall be given unto you Joh. 16.23 c. Ah! How should a Christian live without his God and without his Saviour and how shall he live without his life that 's impossible O! but our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3.3 And can there then be a distance and separation of him from God Nay pray he must he must look up 〈◊〉 God and lift up his soul to the Throne And thus some of the (c) Veteres cum Damaesceno de Fid. orth lib. 3. cap. 24. definiunt precationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient Doctors have defined Prayer a lifting up of the soul to God Vnto thee O Lord saith the Psalmist while he is presenting his supplication to God Ps 25.1 do I lift up my soul O! but the distance is great and where shall this holy man find a ladder to reach the Heavens O! but he was well acquainted with such a voyage and how quickly as with wings doth he mount up and approach the Throne and close with the King wrestle with him and at length prevail v. 2. c. v. 15. c. And as Prayer is thus so necessary and usefull for us so it is well pleasing and acceptable to God it is his delight Prov. 15.8 Yea sometimes it is put for the whole worship of God one particular because of it's excellency in place of the general as Gen. 4.26 Is 64.7 Mat. 21.13 O! How should we then blush at the impudence of the Roman Clergy who with their Patron (d) Thom. 2.2 quast 83. art 2. 3. Less Swar loc citand alii Sholastici ad locum Thomas Aquinas will question and dispute for and against in these points that are so certain and undenyable As 1. If it be convenient to pray 2. If Prayer be a Religious act and begin their disputes with a videtur quod non as if their trifling objections could render the negative any wayes probable or to have the least appearance of truth Yet herein they carry themselves suteably to their own principles For upon good ground it may be inquired if the Popish Devotion be convenient and if their lip-labour and moving of the tongue without attention and affection as we shall (e) Set part 2. chap. hear themselves confess yea and without understanding while they pray in an unknown language be a Religious act and deserve the name of divine Worship and we may confidently affirm that to dally thus in Gods service and to teach others to do so is a notable injury against the infinite Majesty of God an impious and blasphemous mockrie of the Omni-scient and holy One who must be worshiped in spirit and truth Joh. 4.23 and with the whole heart as too little to offer unto Him if we had more to give and too naughty to be imployed in His worship Nay this doth not only savour of the pagan and heathenish delusion that much babling is acceptable to God Mat. 6.7 but also of the Satanicall superstition of Witches and Charmers who are well acquainted with such sort of prayers as fit engines for accomplishing their hellish designes that kind of prayer being as it were the Devils A. B. C. which he first teacheth his schollars which he will indeed answer because they are abominable to God and that thus he may delude and allure these miserable wretches and keep them in his snare What kind of teachers then must these be that dare affirm that God will hear and accept such Prayers These must be the seducing spirits of whom the Apostle warneth us whose lot hath fallen in the latter times to beware 1. Tim. 4 1. who teach the doctrine of Devils having their conscience seared with a hot iron O! but you will then say what is the Prayer that God will hear and accept For answer we might bring many emphatick sentences and expressions of the ancient Doctours of the Church who in their meditations have rather been taken up with its excellency sweetness and usefulness then its nature and theorie which though they may suffice for stopping the foul mouths of Popish Casuists and Schoolmen yet they are rather Rethoricall commendations then descriptions of this great duty but of late since learning became more polished every one almost who hath spoken to this point hath given as it were a new definition and it were no difficult task in us to do the like But since all the diversitie is rather in words and phrases then in the matter we could wish that all would rest on that which doth most fully and clearly explain the thing and thus as we conceive in our Catechisme Prayer is excellently well (f) Joyning together what is said both in the larger and shorter Catechisme described an offering up of our desires to God for things agreable to his will in the name of Christ by the help of his spirit with confession of our sins and thankfull acknowledgment of his mercies Here 1. we have the act it self specified 2. The subject 3. The matter and object whereabout it is employed 4. The rule 5. The object to which it it directed 6. The incense that perfumes our duty and makes it acceptable And. 7. our help and assistance in this great work or thus In this our christian sacrifice we have 1. the oblation it self 2. The preist that offereth it 3. The thing we sacrifice and offer up 4. The person to whom we present this oblation 5. The manner how the rule whereby we are directed to make choyce of what we should offer 6. The altar And. 7. our guid leader and assistant Of these severally as the Lord shall enable purposing to add a word concerning the end and scope we should aime at in this performance in the qualifications part 2. Chap 1. As to that which followeth in the last words of this description concerning 1. Confession of sin 2. The return of praise for mercies It s certaine these must be joyned and intermixed with our petitions We must confess and then beg pardon and thankfully remember mercies already received that they may be blessed to us in the use and that by our ingratitude we obstruct not the bestowing of future and desired mercies And thus they belong to the compleating and as (g) Per â—â—ulationem intellig iâ— Apostolus 1. Tim. 2.1 orationem prepriissimesum ptam pro petitione quia vero
19. art 1. Dion Carthus in 3. dist 17. quaest 1. Theandrick actions which do flow from and denominat both the divine and humane Nature as the proper and immediat fountain for as both Natures continue distinct as to their being and existence though personally united in the Mediator So also their operations and properties must not be confounded There be some actions that only agree to the humane and others only to the divine Nature whatsoever is beyond the reach of the creature and doth not import inferiority and subjection that must be ascribed to the God-head but all Christs sufferings and what belongs to the state of His humiliation that was proper to the humane Nature yet so as that in another kind of causality the divine Nature might have some influence and concur in such a manner as was sutable to his infinit Majesty for compleating and perfecting these actions and sufferings of the humane Nature for from the divine Nature did flow the value and worth of these therefore they were meritorious and satisfactory because they were performed by Him Who was God-man albeit as man And thus speaking to the particular concerning Christs intercession Doctor (k) Gisb. Voet sel disp par 1. dis 30. an Christus qua Mediator pag. 536. est actio Christi Mediatoris qua Mediatoris agenda se secundum naturam humanam quae est immediatum precationis subjectum Voet doth in a word and in the by only clear the question Christs intercession saith he is an action of the Mediator as He is Mediator but to be performed by the humane Nature which is the only subject of that action and we would distinguish and clear the ambiguity of the phrase which may give occasion to mistake while any action is said to be performed by Christ as Mediator the meaning is not that it is performed by and doth belong unto both Natures as its immediat subject though both those Natures must necessarily be united in one person in the Mediator and though both these Natures may concur in a way sutable unto them for compleating these actions as to their moral value and estimation but the meaning is that such an action belongs to His mediatory Office and He as our Surety performs it for us albeit it doth flow from as it 's proper cause and is terminated in as it 's immediate Subject one of the natures only But you will say did not both the divine and humane Nature concur in these miraculous works which were wrought by Him while He was on earth Ans Both did concur but by two distinct operations the one humane the other divine Thus saith (l) Athan. orat 4. contra Arrian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanasius as man He stretched out His hand but as God He did rebuke and cure the disease And thus we deny not that some of Christ's actions were Theandrick that the divine and humane actions did in their own way concur for perfecting the work But take any one simple action and thus as to it 's original it is either divine or humane It was the God-head that did assume our nature that raised it from the dead that is present with the Church to the end of the world that preservs and governs His Church that pardoneth sin that is worshipped c. And it is His Manhead that was born was crucified rose again ascended into heaven prayed wept c. Albeit we deny not that even as to these humane actions and sufferings the Deity of Christ did morally concur adding worth and making them to be of infinit value and satisfactory to divine justice in that they were performed by Him who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God man though as man that is though the Man-head only did concur as their proper physical cause and immediate Subject not that we deny that the Deity did support the Humanity and did concur with and give a being unto all it's actions and operations but that there was as to this any thing peculiar albeit there was a more ultimat and mysterious union to Christ For thus all of us live move and have our being from God and from all the persons of the blessed Trinity (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil mag lib. 5. adversus Eunom Vnitatem naturae voiuntaris operationis confitemur Ambros in Symb. Apost cap. 3. all of them working by one and the same power And thus the actions of all men might be called Theandrick and all creature motions Divine Act. 17.28 Joh. 5.17 19. c. And thus we do not with Papists deny that Christ is Mediator according to both natures yea we do not exclude His divine nature from His Intercession for from it doth flow it's worth and excellency So that it must prevail with God and obtain a grant And according to this sense we will not condemn Gerhard though we like not the phrase while he (n) Gerh. harm cap. 180. pag. 1145. Christus ut noster Mediator Sacerdos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orat saith that Christ as Mediator and God-man doth pray the Godhead indeed doth concur in a suteable manner adding vertue to that sacrifice But this moral influence is not sufficient to cause the action which of it self imports inferiority and subjection to denominat the divine nature Thus also according to some impropriety of speech we may say that God did pray according to that (o) Per communicationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communication of properties whereby that which is proper to the one nature may not only (p) Communicatio proprietatum alia est verbalis alia realis cum Deus dicitur propriosanguine redemisse Ecclesiam de persona Christi hoc dicitur in concreto realiter at verò verbaliter de natura a qua persona denominatur viz. Divina Maccov distinct reg cap 11. sect 6. denominat the person but the other nature and thus as it is said Act. 20.28 that God purchased the Church with His own blood so He may be said to pray and interceed for the Church But while we are enquiring after the sense of words we must not (q) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Symb. Athanas vid etiam Symb Antioch Theoph. in Heb. 7. confound the divine and humane Nature but must ascribe to each of them their own properties and actions and here we might shew the consent of the christian Church from the beginning all of them (r) Non potest per eandem naturam adorare quasi servus adorari quasi Dominus Ambros lib. 5. de side cap. 2. quomodo non Patrem rogat ut homo qui cum Patre exaudit ut Deus August lib. 3. contra Maxim cap. 14. agreeing in this that Christus ut Deus adoratur cum Patre ut homo orat Patrem that Christ as God is worshipped with the Father and that as man He prayeth to the Father As to the 3. Though the thing it self be certain and clearly
3. one person of the blessed Trinity invocat or be invocated without the other two 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Greg. Nazianzen Orat. 37. And to whom shall the second person of the blessed Trinity present our prayers if not to Himself and with whom shall He interceed if not with himselfe which were grosse once to imagine and to what purpose who can shew It s true Christ as man doth adore and invocat the whole Trinity and as God He doth as truly as the Father and holy Ghost (r) Ex hoc enim rogat quo minor est patre quo vero ej aequalis est exaudit cum patre August lib 1. de Trinitat cap 10. hear and (s) Unlesse we say with Franciscus a S. Clara in his exposition of the English Confession that the God-head and not the persons formally and as such but only as they are identified with the God-head are the proper and formal object of worship doctores inquitille loc cit communiter ipsis personis divinis praecise sumptis sub ratione formali constitutiva personaruâ— quae est relatio negant subesse terminum formalem adorationis sed hoc deitati sâ—lum primo compesit relationibus autem prout identificantur cum essentia c. answer the distinction and infinit distance of Natures in the Mediator being a sufficient plea against all the cavils that carnall reason can suggest to the contrary But that we may speak to the objection the infinit knowledge of the divine Nature in the Redeemer is a sweet ground of consolation to all that come unto Him for thus our blessed Mediator must know all our wants whereupon must follow an unconceivable communication and manifestation thereof to the humane Nature to which the divine is personally united So that though the man-Christ be not omniscient as some Lutheran Divines do imagine yet He is multiscient and albeit the glasse of the Trinity in which the Saints in glory do see here what is done on earth be a popish dream yet the humane Nature of Christ being personally united to the God-head doth from thence by reall communication receive and alwayes hath a perfect knowledge of the conditions of his members and of their particular needs and straits for as man He is touched with the feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 and so He must know them yea while on earth and in the state of His humiliation he had such an measure of knowledge that none needed to testifie to Him of man for He knew all men and what was in man Joh. 2.24 25. But yet the main pillar of our confidence must be 1. His divine and infinit omniscience 2. The pryce he hath payed His satisfying the justice of God And thus 3. the cry of His blood which doth answer every case and condition of all the Saints there is not a petition thou canst put up but Christs blood doth and thus himself may be said to joyn with thee and say Lord hearken to that poor soul for whose sake my blood was shed deny not to it what I have purchased for it And though this voyce and intercession be metaphoricall yet it is reall and most prevailing though thus rather the Sacrifice then the Priest doth interceed yet it is the basis and ground it is the foundation and the meritorious cause of the prevalency of the other that proper and formall intercession And thus Christ alwayes in all cases and for every one of his servants doth cry and God alwayes hearkneth and doth answer that cry The Lord did hear the cry of Abels blood from the ground Gen. 4.10.11 He heard the cry of blood Of 1. a mear man 2. Of a sinner though evangelically righteous 3. From the ground 4. Pleading for vengenance against the murderer And shall he not hear the cry of his blood who was 1. His (t) Zech. 13.7 fellow who 2. knew no sin and which 3. is now in heaven and which 4. pleadeth for mercy in which the Lord so much delighteth and that upon the account of satisfied justice The cry of blood is very loud though it were the blood of a slave how much more the blood of the only begotten Son of God And thus 4. This is the fourth ground of consolation His appearing in heaven and following the cry of his blood shed on earth His appearing before the judge in that body that was killed and thus (u) Sic Gerhard alii quos citat Harm de resur Cap. 9. sic Cajet in Rom. 8.3 facto inquit monstrando signa passiouis c. some do think that the scars of his wounds do now and shall for ever remain and that these are no blemishes nor imperfections but triumphant monuments of His viâ—tory over the devil of his unconceivable love towards lost man and so many witnesses and Advocats to plead for his aflicted members O! saith (x) Cicatrices Christi sunt lucidiores pulchriores solis radiis Chrysost apud Gerh. loc cit Chrysostom the prints of his wounds are more beautifull and resplendent then the beams of the Sun And as to his proper and formall yea and vocall intercession as while on earth he did pray for his followers and (y) Joh. 1. â—4 16 promiseth to pray for them in some particular cases and speciall exigencies and for some particular mercy to some particular (z) Luk. 22 32. persons so while in heaven he may upon such and such occasions interpose for his people Though we cannot exactly discover nor particularly and peremptorily determine what Christ saith and doth in heaven for us yet by reflecting on the copy and samplar of his intercession which is registrat in the word we may conjecture what he doth there and though we should only say that Christ in the generall did interceed by a verball and outward expression of his desire for his people though there be no ground for such a limitation but much to the contrary yet were not this very comfortable albeit in his solemn farewell Prayer Joh. 17. He did not put up any particular petition for any one of the disciples but in the generall did interceed for all the eleven yea and for all these who to the end of the world were to believe through the gospel they were to preach v. 20. Yet the disciples were no lesse refreshed and benefited thereby then if severally he had prayed for every one of them The Lord well knows the meaning of Christs Prayers and will in return to them make an application to every one as their need requireth and he will no lesse hear and answer Christ Praying for all his members then if he only prayed for one of them O! then lift up your heads and shout for joy all you disconsolated ones Joseph your brother liveth Gen. 47.1 Joh. 14.2 Gen. 41.40 42. Mat. 28.18 he hath moyen in court ye shall not starve he will provide for you the best of the land the good land of Goshen he
out for every giver without all life or sense Who would not mock a Traytor who should undertake to go to Court and plead for others and what King would suffer himself to be thus abused and what a return might such as imployed rebells to interceed for them expect but if the rebell will lay down his arms and submit to the King if he will beg pardon for his former rebellion and make his peace others may be heard while they interceed for favour to be shewed to him and in process of time he may get the Kings ear and have moyen to plead and prevail for others CHAP. VIII What it is to ask in the name of Christ why we must and whether the Jewish Church did pray in his name Joh. 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the father in my Name he will give it you Joh. 14.13 14. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do c. ALbeit every act of worship and adoration must ulti matly be terminated in God and be equally directed to all the persons of the blessed Trinity as its chief and principal object and therefore in prayer as a main point of divine worship we must draw nigh to God and offer up our desires to the Father Son and holy Ghost as having one and the same divine nature power and glory yet in this spiritual performance as also in every other ordinance there is something as it were proper and peculiar to each person of the Trinity as we shall more fully shew Part. 3. Chap. 1. where we are to enquire how we should conceive of God in prayer and after what order we should direct our petitions to each of these glorious persons But now in a word we take notice how the Apostle expresseth this appropriation Eph. 2.18 where we are said through Christ to have access to the Father by the Spirit 1. The holy Ghost dictates and draws up our bill 2. The Son gets us access and audience he presents and pleads our cause and 3. The Father accepteth and granteth our requests which being thus framed by the Spirit and perfumed with Christs incense must be a (a) Phil. 4.18 sacrifice acceptable and well-pleasing odour of a sweet smell to God We will not now ask why we are said to have access to the Father while we must also approach the Son and holy Ghost but remitting that to its own place we shall now for clearing the description of prayer only show 1. what it is to pray through Christ or in his name 2. what it is to pray by the holy Ghost and what is the help and assistance he affordeth of the first in this and of the second in the following Chapter Time was when there was a sweet communion between God and man and that was mans happinesse he needed not have been afraid to approach the Throne but sin did make a wofull breach and separation and ever since the apostat rebel hath lien under a twofold incapacity to draw near to the King 1. Morall in respect of guiltinesse and provocation the wrath and terrours of the provoked majestie like that flaming sword Gen. 3.24 doth guard the way and hold off the rebel that he may not approach the Throne fear did not keep man from sining and departing from God therefore fear shall arrest him in the place that he dar not return 2. Physicall in respect of weaknesse and impotency and that not meerly privative but accompanied with a positive enimity stubbornnesse and aversenesse from returning Man by his fall did not only break his leggs and so dis-enable himself that from that time forth he had no strength to ascend to the place from which he fell but also like some vagabonds who having resolved to make a tread of begging rejoyce in their impotency and sores and refuse to be healed so the wretched sinner accounts his losse gain and rejoyceth to wallow in the mire into which he hath fallen hating God and abhorring a communion with him he doth not consider nor lay to heart his own misery and unhappiness But while no Physician was employed nor could be found to cure this desperat disease and soul-lethargy our blessed Saviour was (b) Isa 65.1 found of them that sought him not When he looked and (c) Isa 63.5 saw none to help or uphold his own arm brought Salvation (d) Ezek. 16.5 6 8. when no eve pitied us to have compassion upon us when we were cast out into the open feild to the loathing of our person being polluted and wallowing in our own blood when he passed by and looked upon us that was a time of love he spread his skirt over us and covered our nakedness and while we were lying in our blood he said unto us live and to a generation not worthy to be pitied (e) Isa 65.1 behold me behold me he became a (f) Numb 21.9 brazen Serpent saying to all these that were bitten and stinged to death by the old serpent (g) Isa 45 22. look unto me and be ye saved When the precious redemption of the soul did cease for ever and none was able to give God a ransom for it Psa 49.7 8. He gave his precious soul an offering for our sin Isa 53.10 When none could cure our sores he made a plaster of his own blood he did bear our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisment of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed Isa 53.4 5. And now all honor and praise be to our physician who hath cured all our sores and hath removed both that morall and physicall incapac ty and impotency of which we did labor He hath 1. by his blood washen away the guilt so that now there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus Secondly by his Spirit whose (h) Gal. 4 5.6 Ioh. 14.26 Ioh. 15.26 Iohn 16.14 sending into our hearts he hath also purchased with his blood he strengthneth us with might in the inner man Eph. 3.16 the Spirit of Christ will make us both willing and able to draw nigh to God Thirdly he hath purchased liberty and accesse and now by his blood we have boldnesse to enter into the Holiest by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us Heb. 10.19 20. Fourthly he hath purchased to us success and a safe return of our prayers so that the Father now can deny us nothing we ask in his name John 16.23 Thus to us (i) Col. 3.11 Christ is all in point of 1. conciliation 2. assistance 3. accesse and 4. successe and should we not then draw nigh to God in his name a d may we not fear lest God prove a consuming fire and (k) Mal. 2.3 spread upon our faces the dung of our sacrifices if they be not offered up by the hand of this our high Preist but when we approach in his name we must
and other Scriptures to have known any thing of Christ and his mediation must make that people more stupid and brutish then the most barbarous nations 2. Their daily sacrifices and manifold types were as so many lectures and sermons concerning Christ his suâ—â—â—rings and satisfaction by these Christ was dayly preach't and held forth to their eyes that being the most popular and familiar kind of manifestation And what shadow of probability can be alledged for their resting on their sacrifices as expiatory it being impossible and shall we think that the people of God and their teachers who were taught of God were ignorant of this impossibility and that in so necessâ—rty and fundamentel a point that the blood of bulls and goats shoulâ— take away sins Heb 10.4 and that all their ceremonies and types did point out Christ the writer of that epistle deth most frely and clearly show arguing against the Jews not â—â—â—m new groundâ— but from acknowledged pâ—â—â—ciples and as â—e â—â—ed ad hominem proving that the Sâ—n of Mary whom they crucified was the promised Messiah in whom they beleeved and to whom they did look in all the types sacrifices and other parts of worship Nay if Jacobs testament enlarged a Copy whereof translated into our language I once had be not suppositious and if we will give credit to (p) Vid. Galatin de arcan cath verit praeetipue Heb. 2 3 6 7. Galatine and to these testimonies of the â—ewish Rabbiâ—â— whose words he citeth we will rather admire how they attained to such a measure of knowledge concerning the Trinity Incarnation Person and Offices of Christ then once question whether they did know and believe in the Mosaiah and lookt to him in all their performances And it is most considerable that the Scribes and Pharisees yeâ— and the rude multitude in all their debates with Christ in all their challenges and accusations did alwayes grant that they expected the coming of the Messiah who was to be the Son of God according to which well known principle the high Priest adjured him to tell though he purposed not to believe his words whether he was the Christ the Son of God Mat. 26.63 Mark 14.61 And to this day albeit they being judicially bâ—â—nded for rejecting the true Messiah have many strong delusions and grosâ— errors both concerning his Person and Office yet they still expect and wait for the coming of the promised as they suppose Messiah and it is the great work of their Rabbles to enquire after the cause why he delayeth so long and how pathetically do they all lament and mourn for this and with what importunity and affection though carnal and selfish do they pray for his coming Yea the Gentiles were not altogether left without a testimony the Sybills prophecies of Christ were very full and clear and as (q) Thom. 22. quaest 2. art 7. ad 3. Summa Tabi. § eredere Ramerii pan theol de fide cap. 10. c. Aquinas Joannes de Thabia Ramerius and others testifie in the reign of the Emperor Constantine and his mother (r) So Thomas but Ramerius calleth her Sirene Joannes de Thabia and others call her Helena Irene there was a sepulchre found in which did lie the corps of a man having a golden plate on his breast on which was this engraving Christ shall be born of a Virgin and I believe in him O Sun thou shalt again see me in the dayes of Irene and Constantine And Job knew Christ distinctly and as his Redeemer and will any imagine that his friends who spake so divinely of God were ignorant of Christ (Å¿) Job idem de amicis ejus dicendum non fuit inâ—igena nec proseliâ—us id est advenae populi Israel sed ex gente Idumaea genus ducens ibi orâ—us ibidem morâ—uus est August de civit Dei lib. 18. cap. 47. 3. Christ is a Priest for ever Psa 110.4 Heb. 5.6 Heb. 6.20 Heb. 7.17 He is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 He is the same as to the necessity and efficacy of his death and satisfaction albeit as to the exâ—cution of his priestly Office he did not assume our nature and in it die and interceed for his people till the fulness of time came Gal. 4.4 Salvation could never be found in any other there was never any other Name by which the sons of men could be saved Act. 4.12 4. We may here add the suffrage of the learned not only of orthodox â—ivines concerning whose testimony there will be no question but also of popish Casuists and Schoolmen all of them joyning with their Masters Lombard and Thomas and with them maintaining that Faith in the Mediator alwayes and in every (t) Licet Hugo de S. victored pud Ramer pamheol de side cap 10. neget personam Mediatoris mittendam fuisse cognitam ante legem Mosaicam sed Joan de Lugo de virtuts fidei disp 12. § 4. § 101. aliam adfert opinionem Hugonis ex Suarâ—zio quod viz siaes explicata Christi semper sint necessaria in corpore Ecclesiae non vero in singulis personis state of the Church was necessary to salvation there being no expiation of sin without his blood Thus all of them agree in this general assertion though they be divided as to the explication of it some of them pleading for the necessity of an explicit faith of the mystery of Incarnation others only requiring an implicit faith whereby a man doth know and believe all the wayes and means which God then had or afterwards would reveal concerning the salvation of man amongst which this of the incarnation of the Son of God being one he who thus generally believeth may be said to believe that though he never heardany thing of Christ his Person or Offices Yea some (u) Explicite oredere est specialiter actualiter credere implicite â—redere est generaliter credere quod Catholica tenet Ecclesia vel credit quae fides sufficit dummodo in contrarium noÌ„ seÌ„tiatur Guid. de Baiis supedeer dist 15. § canones generalium extend this implicit faith to the dayes of the Gospel holding it now to be sufficient to salvation to believe and embrace all that the Church of Rome believeth and â—â—aintaineth and though now the learned Doctors of the Romish Church be ashamed to own such an assertion yet that opinion was common among the ancient Canonists and School men and hath many Patrons such as Innocentius Joannes Andreas Abbas Hostiensis Imola Anantas Baldus Zanchinus Wiliel-Parasiensis Altisiodorensis Summa Rosella c. as (x) Locis cis Sanchez and Lugo do confesse citing these Authors for that abominable Doctrine which they themselves would seem to disclaim but whatever be the profession of the more learned when the point is brought to the trial yet such as are acquainted with their Priests carriage in hearing confessions and absolving ignorants know that these judicious and tender
predicatui de tribus personis simul exceptis quae pertinent ad incarnationem seu assumptam naturam exam plorum loco hac adsert Deus noster Pater noster Praedestinator Creator Recomcâ—liator Adoptator Sanctificator exauditor precum Forh instr Histor theoâ—l lib. 1 â—cap 12. our blessed Lord teacheth us to call God Father not as if thereby he did point out to us the distinction or relation that is among the persons of the trinity or to single out to us the first excluding the other two for its certain we should direct our prayers to God who is Father Son and holy Ghost but to hold out to us (x) Ostenà it ad veram Deo gratam orationem requiri ut in vera siducia oremus ac jciamus nos invocare Deum qui in Christo dilecto suo filio nos dilexit ante jacta mundi fundamenta qui in filios suos adoptavit ac spiritum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nobis donavit qui paternum erga nos gerit animum quem proinde juxta ipsius exemplum mandatum ut panem nostrum invocare possumus Gerhard in loc cont harm cap. 180. the fatherly affection and tender bowels of God and of all the persons of the blessed Trinity and to encourage us to draw nigh to God with confidence as children to a father ready to help and pity us and though we be not limited to the same words or to say no other then is held forth in that pattern and copy yet we may not change our thoughts of God nor imagine that he hath cast off his fatherly care and affection towards us And herein as we have the command So we have the example of Christ he looked upon God as a father in that solemn prayer Joh. 17.1 Father the hour is come glorifie thy Son So also ver 11 21 24 25. For though he hath another kind of interest in the Father then others yet this doth not nullifie and hinder our interest and relation especially since ours is founded upon his God having adopted us in this his beloved Son we are truly sons though not such sons as Christ we are his sons not meerly nor especially by creation but by adoption redemption and a right to the inheritance And that Christ and beleevers have the same Father and thus stand under the relation of brethren he himself is not ashamed to profess Heb. 2.11 and Joh. 20.17 Go to my brethren saith our blessed Lord to Mary and say unto them Iascend unto my Father and to your Father and to my God and unto your God And thus the ancient Church in their prayer Isa 63.16 ingeminat this (y) Dulce nomen patris sweet relation with much confidence Doubtless thou art our Father thou O Lord art our Father our Redeemer And as thus we have 1. a precept and 2. practice so also 3. a promise for our warrant 2 Cor. 6. 17.18 Touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you and will be a father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord almighty And 4. this is made one end and design of the sending of the spirit into our hearts viz. because we are sons and that we may know and improve our relation by calling him Father Gal. 4.6 Rom. 8.15 to banish fear and to make us draw nigh in confidence and love 2 Tim. 1.7 But you will say how can we call God Father since we are not assured of our adoption Ans If God be not thy father he must be thy (z) Mr. Murcot being in great anguish because he feared that God was not his father had these words impressed on his mind If I be not thy father am I thy enemy and again if I be not thy father why dost thou follow after me Mor. exerc Serm. 14. enemy for there is no middle state and how darest thou who art stuble draw nigh to the consuming fire If thou be not a son thou hast no interest in Christ in whom only we have access to the Father Eph. 2.18 Joh. 14.6 And if God be not thy Father why dost thou hing and depend upon him yea even then when he frowns and seemeth to beat thee off and drive thee away I spake a little to the like case Part. 2. Chap. 2. Sect. 2. and shall not now say much but remember that the Lord as in another case So also in this (a) 2 Cor 9.7 loveth a cheerfull giver He would not have us to come to his altar and to bring our oblation grudgingly he would not have his spouse look sad or his children to distrust his love and care towards them nor his servants fear least he were such a one as the ill and wicked servant called him a hard master and ill to please Mat. 25.24 What a grief was it to Peter to have his love to Christ questioned Job 21.17 yea though lately he had denied and disowned him and must it not grieve the good Spirit of God when we have base and low thoughts of his mercy and kindness towards us yea even then while we are constantly reaping the sweet fruits thereof Ah! will ye thus requite the Lord and deal no better with him then they Mal. 1.2 I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us But if ye will trust him ye have his word he will not disappoint you and ye do thus as it were engage his majesty not to fail you O! then draw nigh to him in confidence and fear not to call him father who hath purchased so great an inheritance at so dear a rate for thee its good in some cases as a reverend divine said to threap kindness upon God He will never challenge thee who hast the heart and love of a son for calling him Father If thou be a child of light though thou fittest in darkness yet thou are still a child and thy father will not disown thee if thou claim an interest in him what though thou blushest to call thy self a son as being unworthy of that relation yet surely God hath not lost his title nor deserved at thy hands that thou shouldst rob him of that relation he hath bought by the unvaluable price of his Sons blood and its observable that the Saints many a time would divide the relation that is mutual at least are more positive and peremptory in asserting the one part then the other and as the prodigal when he had by his riotous living forfeited his son-ship and was brought to confess that he was no more worthy to be called a Son yet durst profess that he had a Father and durst call him by that relation and take on this resolution to arise and go to his father and say father Luk. 15.19.18 So they may call God Father while they are convinced and may from an humbled heart confess that they are not worthy to be called his sons and even then while their face is
quia Filii non solent esse itâ— sapientes sicut Patres inter homines ne idem de Filio in divinis existmarent adjectum est in Filio epithetum sapientis quia spiritus in modo loquendi in superbam partem capitur dicimus enim Alexandrum Macedonem fuisse alti spiritus propterea additursanctus vel bonus Jo. Maior in 1. sent dist 14 15 16. quaest unica And 2â— the great Aquinas his reason why we use not so ordinarily to pray particularly to the holy Spirit as to the Father and Son is little better quia inquit Spiritus sanctus procedit ut donum cujus magis proprium est dari quam dare c. Thom. in 4 sent dist 15. quast 3. ad 2. because some works and attributes do more resemble the personal properties of each of those glorious persons and because among those works and attributes there is some such order as doth adumbrat that natural order that is among the persons of the Trinity and thus the three main and great works of God ad extra and which respect the creatures viz. creation redemption and sanctification are accordingly ascribed to the persons of the Trinity severally together with the attributes and divine properties which did especially appear and were manifested in these dispensations and so 1. the work of (Å¿) Vnder which is comprehended providence as being a kind of continued ereation and result and consequent thereof creation as being the first is thus as it were appropriated to the Father the first person of the Trinity as also majesty power goodness and love which were greatly manifested in that work and 2. the work of redemption together with grace reconciliation and pity as being the second great work of God is ascribed to the Son the second person of the Trinity and 3. the work of sanctification and illumination as being the third and (t) For glorification is not a distinct work but the perfection and consummation of sanctification and grace last great work of God towards the world together with holiness and perfection is ascribed to the holy Ghost the third person of the Trinity Of which appropriation we shall speak a little more in the eight and ninth Conclusions but here it would be observed that although we should ponder and may improve and make use of what is so frequently held forth in the Word yet we would carefully guard against a mistake which is incident unto too many who upon this account are ready to divide the object of worship and to seperate these essentially united persons but we must take heed that we do not so appropriate any work or divine attribute to any one as to exclude the other two remembring that the fountain and Author the cause and efficient of all good is one and the same viz. the only wise powerfull and mercifull (u) There is only one blessed potentate 1 Tim. 6 15. God who is Father Son and holy Ghost and therefore all good must equally though not after the same order and way come from all the three persons of the Trinity only in the work of redemption there is some thing peculiar to the Son who was incarnat and took on our nature which therefore was personally united to the Son but not to the Father and holy Ghost and thus all Christs actions and sufferings albeit in them the (x) Natus ex virgine non non nisi filius vox de nube tu es filius meus dilectus ad solius personam pertinet patris in specie corporali columba solus apparuit Spiritus sanctus tamen illam carnem solius Filii illam vocem solius Patris illam speciem columbae solius Spiritus sancti universa Trinitas operata est Aug. de Trinit unitate Dei cap. 9. vid etiam Ambros loc cit cap. 9. humane nature did depend upon the providence efficiency and assistance of God and of all the three blessed persons of the God-head equally for if the humane nature had been thus independent it had not been a creature yet these were so peculiar to Christ that they were not communicable to the Father or holy Ghost as their subject which they could denominate they were not terminatively in nor causally from these other two persons as their nearest and proper cause but thus they were only from and in the humane nature of Christ which was personally united only to the Son and by virtue of that hypostatical and mysterious Union they could denominate not only the humane nature but also by a (y) Per communicationem idiomatum communication of properties the second person of the Trinity and thus the Son died for us not the Father nor holy Spirit And then as to this appropriation of works we would distinguish between that which was natural and what was voluntary we must not imagine any natural obligation lying on the Son to become our Redeemer or on the holy Ghost to be our Sanctifier as to the creation albeit there did lye no obligation on God to creat the world yet supposing him according to the counsel of his own will and of his own free choice to have created it the sole ground of appropriating that work to the Father appeareth to be that natural order that is among the persons of the Trinity for the Father did not come under any voluntary economy and mission towards the sons of men but the other two by a voluntary economy received as it were commissions and a mandate the Son from the Father to accomplish the work of Redemption and the holy Spirit from the Father and the Son to begin and carry on our Sanctification till it be perfected in glory And by reason of this arbitrary and free economy the works and dispensations of these two glorious persons in reference to the salvation and redemption of sinners do in a special manner and upon this particular account denominate them yet still it must be remembred that the actions and sufferings of the humane nature of Christ do after a far other maner and upon another account denominate or have reference unto the Son of God then any other works and dispensations which are ascribed either to the Son or holy Spirit because of their economy towards the Sons of men Hence Concl. 4. We must not in prayer or any other part of worship so name and direct our worship adoration or invocation to any one of the persons of the Trinity as to exclude the other two for 1 that same divine nature which many Schoolmen and orthodox Divines will have to be the proper object of worship that is in the one is in the other two 2. Because all the persons have the same power and causality and their work is the same towards us and why should not we look up unto and worship all the three (z) Vid. Forbes instr histor theol lib. 1. cap. 23. ubi variis argumensis ex Alense
is ready to foster divided conceptions concerning the object of worship it may be conceived safest especially in publick and before the multitude not to alter the denomination of the persons in the same petition in the same prayer saith he the generality of people being prone to imagine different objects of worship in such cases Concl. 8. Albeit we may thus fix our minds upon and expresly name and direct our prayers unto any one of these glorious persons yet as our blessed Lord in the dayes of his flesh So Christians most usually adress themselves to the â—ather for he being the first person according to that blessed order that is among the persons of the Trinity there may be several considerations inviting us particularly to fix upon him for thus as the first both immanent and transient act (i) The appointing of the end according to the order of nature is before the election of the means vid. Twiss vind grat lib. err 7. dig 3. pag. 706. both (h) Heb. 5 7. predestination and creation by this appropriation is ascribed to the Father hence sin being a defacing of the image of God which was implanted in man by his creation it must in a special maner be against the Father and his work and thus the Father having in a special maner received the wrong to him upon this particular account satisfaction should be made and reconciliation with him and pardon from him should be askt and thus Christ in his prayers sufferings and in every step of our redemption (k) See Mr. Shepherds select Csseâ— in a letter from new England pag. mihi 20 21. Albeit there be some expressions of that pious man which would be warily used and which need a favourable interpretation as 1. while he calls the Father as some may think the Son and holy Ghost the original and first cause of all good 2 while he saith that Christ came into the world by his death and intercession to satisfie the Father and not the holy Ghost 3. that we should chiefly eye the Father in our prayers c. Vid. Calv. dicenâ—em filium esseimproprie â—reaâ—orem respectu persona vindicatum a Chamier panstrat tom 2. lib. 1. cap. 4 did especially look to the Father and thus the Saints also from to time time most ordinarily direct their worship to the Father in their confessions acknowledging his work to have been defaced by their sins his justice provok't c. in their petitions asking pardon from him his peace and favour c. and in their praises ascribing to him their election adoption c. admiring his wisdom and love in providing such a remedy and so great a salvation for self-destroying sinners c. And this practice is conform to the constant tenour of the Scriptures of the new Testament and albeit in the old while the Prophets and ancient Church of the Jews call God Father they rather thus express his tender bowels and fatherly affection towards them then any internal relation among the persons of the Trinity yet its hard to affirm that all that people the most eminent and knowing among them were ignorant of this appropriation of works and attributes and that they never particularly eyed the Father as the first person of the Trinity But it would be observed while we say that the Father was in a maner primarily and most directly wronged by sin we do not only understand Adam's first sin which did obliterat and deface his image engraven on the heart by his first work of creation and which thus was a base requital of his bounty of whom first in order he had his being and honour not only I say did God the Father receive in some speciall maner the wrong by that first sin of man and by our original sin flowing from it but also by the constant tract of our actual transgressions which as they flow from that common root in us So they reflect upon that bright Sun which the creature at first laboured to obscure and hence it s said If any man sin we have an advocat with the father 1 Joh. 2.1 as being in some special maner wronged thereby yet notwithstanding there be some sins whereby more directly offence is offered to the Son and holy Ghost then to the Father thus the contempt of the Gospel and undervaluing of the blood of Christ do most immediatly reflect upon the Son and his work of redemption and the quenching and resisting of the holy Spirit in his heavenly motions is most directly against the Spirit and his work of illumination and sanctification hence the Spirit thereby is said to be (l) Eph. 4.30 grieved and (m) Isa 63.10 vexed And in that unpardonable sin or rather mass of sins both the Son and holy Ghost are put to an open shame as is expresly said of Christ whom they crucifie to themselves afresh Heb. 6.6 and it is no less evident as the holy Ghost whose works and gifts they abuse and undervalue ver 4 5 6. Hence it hath its name and is particularly called the sin against the holy Ghost Mat. 12.31 Mark 3.29 Luk. 12.10 Thus also notwithstanding of that appropriation of works we will find one and the same work ascribed particularly to divers persons thus our sanctification though appropriated and usually ascribed to the holy Ghost yet it is called of the Father Jude 1. and thus also our reconciliation is ascribed to the Father 2 (n) The words themselves without a commentary do clearly hold out God the Father though as frequently else where expressed by his essential Name Cor. 5.19 20. Joh. 3.16 c. and to the Son Rom. 5.10 11 15. Col. 1.20.21 Joh. 14.16 Eph. 2.13 14. c. Our (o) Calvinus in 2 Cor. 13.14 ostendit quomodo dicamâ—r reconciliari quum essemus inimici Deo per mortem Christi tamen Deum ita mundum dilexisse ut dares silium suum unigenitum c. Hinc inquit Deum inde nos intuemur nam Deus quantum ad se dilexit ante mundi creationem at cum in nobis nihil cernamus praeter materiam irae ita sit ut respectu nostri initium dilectionis sit a morte Christi reconciliation is ascribed to the Father because of his free grace he elected us to salvation and to Christ because by his death he purchased our salvation and reconciliation and it is ascribed to the Spirit also because it is his proper work to bring us to the Father Eph. 2.18 Concl. 9 Concl. 9. Albeit we do not deny that the Father may be said to work by and with the Son and holy Ghost and the Son with and by the holy Ghost because of that natural procession order and priority that is among those glorious persons yet we humbly conceive that the way of conveying of all good to the Saints which the Scriptures so frequently inculcat and which we should especially eye in all our adresses to God to wit from the