A Discourse of the Two Covenants

SECT. I. The distinct Offices and Acts of each Person in the Trinity in this Covenant.

§. 1. I Now come unto the third Head in this great and glorious Promise, and that is, When the Lord doth promise to be the God of his people, he doth make over to them in Covenant all the Persons in the Divine Nature; for they had all of them a hand in the making of the Covenant, and therefore all the promises of the Covenant come from them all, they all of them do make over themselves unto the Saints: and this will appear, (1) by looking upon them all as free Agents, and those that are absolute Lord's, and have dominion over their own acts, and they have all given themselves. [1] God the Father has made over himself, I will be unto him a Father, it's spoken of Christ; and therefore he is called by the Apostle the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by this means he is our Father, my Father, and your Father, my God and your God, say Christ. [2] He gives the Son unto us, Unto us a Son is given, and therefore he is called by way of eminency, the gift of God, Joh. 4.10. Rom. 8. He that spared not his own Son, but gave him to death for us all. And yet the Son is not so given by the Father, but he doth also freely give himself; for he saith, I and my Father are one, not only one in essence, but also one in will, in reference unto the great work of Redemption; and therefore God doth • o sooner make the motion to him, Psal. 40. it is brought in as the consultation held in Heaven before the Lord dispatched Christ into the world, but Christ saith, Lo I come to do thy will O God. I came not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me. There is none that takes away my life, but I lay it down of myself. [3] And the giving of the Spirit, it's sometimes said to be the gift of the Father, and therefore called the Promise of the Father, which they were to wait for, Acts 1.8. and sometimes the gift of the Son, I will send the Comforter: again, The Comforter that I will send you from the Father, Joh. 15.26. and the Comforter whom the Father will send in my name. Which is not to be interpreted as a promise only of the gifts and graces of the Spirit to come in but at second hand: but as the giving of the Son is a giving of his person, and giving us an interest therein; so giving the Spirit is a giving of the person of the Spirit also, and giving us a personal interest in him: and as the Father and Son are one, so is the Spirit also one with them; and therefore has the same will with them, and doth freely bestow himself upon the Saints for their portion, as the Son doth to accomplish the great designs of the Gospel.

2. This will appear from the union of a Saint with all the Persons in the Trinity. The Scripture speaks distinctly, not only of a union with Christ, but with the Spirit, he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit, i. e. not only makes up one spiritual body with him, but also is one with the Spirit that dwells in him; and therefore Joh. 17.21. Christ's prayer is, That they may be one, as we are one: not only one amongst themselves, but one with us also, according unto that glorious and unspeakable union that is between the persons amongst themselves, of which this is but a shadow and a resemblance. God is said to dwell in the Saints, and they are the habitation of God through the Spirit, 2 Cor. 6.16. and they are said to dwell in God, Joh, 1.4, 16. and 1 Thess. 1.1. which is in God the Father, &c. and to work in God, Joh. 3.21. And our Divines do commonly say, that in glory our union with God shall be perfected; and they say, that the soul is capable of an union with God, as it does appear in its union with the Son; for the mystical union is not only unto Christ as Man, but unto the Godhead, as well as unto the Manhood of Christ; for we are made one with whole Christ both God and Man. Now by this means there being but one Essence, there must follow a glorious union with all the Persons, and if this be perfected (as some make that to be the intent of Christ's prayer, Joh. 17.21. That they may be one with us, as thou Father art in me ) if there be a perfection of their union hereafter, then surely there is an union that is begun in this life with all the persons in the Godhead; and so much also our particular union with them does imply, for all communion is grounded in union.

3. It will appear from the distinct Communion of the Saints with them all: Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. And there is a fellowship of the Spirit also, 1 Cor. 13.14. (1) There are distinct manifestations: Christ says, I will manifest myself to him; and there is a distinct Love, He that loves me shall be loved of my Father. I do not say that I will pray the Father, for the Father himself loves you; and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father also: and therefore there is the love of the Son discovered, and the love of the Father also. Sometimes the love and good will of the one is let into the Soul, and sometimes of another; and the soul is drawn out and ravished sometimes with the love of the one, and sometimes with the love of another: and we honor them distinctly, and believe in them distinctly, honor the Son, as they honor the Father, and believe in God, believe also in me, Joh. 14.1. Answerable unto the manifestations and discoveries that are made, such are the apprehensions and the affections of the Saints. Some are mightily at first conversion taken up with the love of the Father, and they see that Christ was but his servant in that work, and the fountain of free grace was in the Father, and the plot to redeem was his, and it was his will that Christ came to perform, and therefore their hearts and faith are mainly drawn out towards God the Father. Others there be that have the love of Christ set on upon their hearts, who though he were God, and in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, yet he did empty himself, and humbled himself unto death, even the death of the Cross; and he came off freely upon the motion of the Father, which was so much the more, because all the acts of the Father, though they are acts of Love, yet are acts of Majesty also, and there was no dishonor or condescension in the Father; but the acts of Christ were acts of ministry and of humiliation, and that even unto the death of the Cross, that he should be made sin, and made a curse; and the Love of Christ is discovered unto them as passing knowledge. There are distinct manifestations of them all, and therein is the ground of their communion with them all. (2) There are distinct communications, the Father opens his bosom, and he reveals his counsels. There is a book in the right hand of him that sits upon the Throne, he reveals his mind unto Christ, and by him unto his Saints; and therefore he is said to come out of the bosom of the Father, and therefore man is said to hear and learn of the Father: and the Son communicates his righteousness, his graces, his victories, his privileges, his inheritance, and the Spirit doth convey unto the soul his right and his warmth (for the Spirit is as fire) his holiness and his comforts, for he is the oil of gladness; his communion doth consist in giving and receiving and returning. Now there is something that all the Saints do receive from each of the persons, and there is a peculiar glory that they do return unto them all, answerable unto the mercies that they do receive; and by this means proportionable unto the mercies they receive, such is the communion that the Saints have, sometimes with one person, and sometimes with another; they know that he that has communion with the Father has communion with the Son and with the Holy Ghost, because they are one; but my meaning is, that person which a man's heart is at the present affected with, and drawn out unto in a more special manner, that he has a special communion with, which is something of the Love of the Father, and the manifestation and communication of the Father, sometimes of the Son, and sometimes of the Spirit, and answerable unto these our communion is said to be with each of them.

4. It will appear by these distinct acts of office which they have for the good of the Saints undertaken; for though opera ad extrà sunt indivisa, and we cannot say that one works, but the other works also; and therefore we cannot call them opera propria, proper works; yet they are appropriata, appropriated, in the Scripture they are more specially attributed some unto one, and some to another. Eph. 1.2, 3. Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, and blessed us with all spiritual mercies in Christ: and for Christ, we have Redemption through his blood, &c. and as for the Spirit, Eph. 1.13, 14. After you believed you were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise, who is the earnest of your inheritance. And so 1 Pet. 1.2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God, through the sanctification of the Spirit, and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: therefore by reason of the special interest that they have given unto the Saints in themselves, they have undertaken distinct offices; and this is plain in Son and Spirit, which are terms of office. He that is sent doth imply as much as to be employed in the business of another, and to receive his commission from another. This will appear, (1) in the work of Conversion and Election, the Father begets, calls, draws: For no man (says Christ) can come to me, except God the Father draws him. Christ he receives men, but he receives none but those that the Father has given him, he gives him the souls that he must save, and they that come to him are so given him of the Father, these shall come, and none else, he will in no wise cast them off. And as Christ receives them, so the Spirit unites God and the soul; for he is the bond of union between them and their Head, he that is joined unto the Lord is one Spirit; and we are one Spirit, baptized into one body; and therefore in the work of Election each of them have their distinct acts and office. (2) In all the duties of the Saints they have their proper and distinct works; as in hearing, it is God the Father whose the truths are that they hear, they are a mystery hid in God from ages and from generations. The book of his counsels are in the hand of him that sits upon the Throne, who is the Word of God, that is, the Interpreter of the Fathers mind, as the word of a man is of the mind of a man, which I conceive is the proper meaning of that expression; and so Joh. 1.17. The law came by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ meritoriously; for there is not a truth revealed but cost the blood of Christ, and it is as the Lamb that was slain, by virtue of his Priesthood, that he doth open the book, Rev. 5. And so the Spirit is the Eye-salve that gives us an understanding to receive the truths that are revealed, and doth ingraft the word into the heart: so in prayer also, the Father is prayed unto; and therefore Christ teaches us in our prayers to look up unto God, and to cry, Our Father; not but that Christ and the Spirit may be prayed to, for they are God, they are believed in, and therefore are to be prayed unto; but yet because of the different offices of the persons in this work of prayer, therefore we are mainly directed to pray unto the Father; so that he hears prayers, and the Spirit indites them, and the Son he offers them with his own odors, Rev. 8.3. (3) It will appear also in the sealing of the Saints, which, I conceive, is not the working of grace, as some say, and so the allusion is of a seal, modo naturali, and so the Spirit in working an impression of the image of Christ upon the soul is said to seal it, leaving the like impression in the man; but it is after a man believes; and I conceive, that sealing is used in Scripture chiefly in a metaphorical sense, to assure and to mark out a person, as it's said Ezech. 9. They were sealed, that is, set apart for it, and seal the stone, that is, to make it sure, to ratify and confirm it. Now there are the distinct seals of all the persons unto the evidences of the Saints, they have all of them a distinct witness, 1 Joh. 5.7. The Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and they three agree in one, they do all of them testify the same thing, but yet they do all of them give a distinct witness in the hearts of the Saints; as they did witness unto Christ, the Father from Heaven, and the Son in his Baptism, and the Spirit descending as a Dove, so they do also unto the souls of the Saints: and therefore Sacraments are called Seals: not that they do work the righteousness of faith in any man; (for they do not work grace, but strengthen and witness grace) but because they do assure it unto the man that doth receive them, and for that cause are said to be sealing Ordinances.

§. 2. Now these distinct acts of office they do perform, are grounded upon the distinct interest that the Saints have in them all: and I call these acts of Office upon a double ground. [1] Because they are but for a time, during the present administration of the mediatory Kingdom, which shall have its period, and then the Father will draw souls to Christ no more, the Son will present sacrifice to God no more, the Spirit will no longer assist, call, purge, sanctify, seal; but all the graces of the Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ shall be perfected, and all God's ends in the Covenant of grace attained; and then the offices that were undertaken but for the accomplishment of these ends shall be laid down. [2] Because there is a personal glory that doth redound unto each person by these offices: there be natural acts that do add to the essential glory, the glory of the nature; but acts of Office being personal, they add unto the glory of the persons that do perform them; God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, the Father hath the glory thereof; and the Son he hath taken the form of a servant, and paid the service, and made a purchase, and he has the glory thereof, all Nations are given unto him, and the honor of it in the hearts of all the Saints: Joh. 5.23. That all men may honor the Son, &c. And the Holy Ghost he works all in the hearts of the Saints, he begins the good work, and he perfects it; for all the graces of the Saints are but fruits of the Spirit, and therefore he has a distinct glory also. The great end and intent of God in the new Covenant was not only to show forth the Attributes of his Nature, and to glorify them in a higher way than ever they were formerly under the first Covenant discovered, as we have formerly seen; but also to exalt the glory of all the persons in the hearts of the Saints, that they might, with hearts ravished with the love, goodness, and the offices of them all, cry out, Glory be unto the Father, Son, and holy Ghost, and pray unto them all, Rev. 1.5, 6. Grace be unto you, and peace from him which was, and is, and which is to come, and from the seven Spirits before the Throne, and from Jesus the faithful and true witness, the first begotten of the dead, and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, who has loved us, and washed us from our sins by his own blood, and has made us Kings and Priests unto God, and the Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, &c. They have each of them their peculiar glory of the distinct works that they themselves have wrought, and all of it is grounded upon this distinct interest that the Lord doth promise to the Saints, that he will be their God.

5. When the Saints come to glory, their communion with all these glorious persons shall be perfected, they shall not only have perfect sanctification, but communion; and as their communion in this life is not with God only, but with all the persons distinctly, having hearts affected with love, and sensible of the communion of them all, so it shall be much more in Heaven; for the communion here that we have shall be perfected. Now in Heaven we shall have not only the vision of God, that is, of his Essence, but also of all the persons, we shall see God in Trinity, as well as in Unity; for what we have here by faith, we shall have there by sight; but here we have that by faith, therefore we shall see them there, or else we cannot see him as he is; and according to our vision, so shall our communion be, but we shall have a distinct fellowship and sweetness in the Father, Son, and Spirit forever.

Now the grounds of it are these. 1. That our happiness might appear to consist in the vision and fruition of them all, therefore they are all of them distinctly made over by Covenant to us, we shall not only see God in his Unity, but in his Trinity also, not only the glory of the Divine Essence, but the excellency of each of the persons. This is a mystery now that is inconceivable unto us, which we are not to pry into, which the Angel in a vision told Austin while he was studying and did endeavor to comprehend, he did but attempt to empty the Sea with a spoon into a pit, Scrutator Majestatis opprimitur à gloria. This Mystery is here discovered only to the faith of the Saints; but that revelation which is in this life imperfect shall be perfected in Heaven, and our knowledge which in a way of faith is imperfect (for faith is a grace that doth suppose imperfection) that shall be perfected in vision; for in Heaven whatever doth suppose sin, or implies imperfection, shall be done away; therefore the Father as distinguished from the Son, and the Son from the Father, the nature of the generation of the Son, and the procession of the Holy Ghost, which now we have only revealed unto us that it is so, the nature and the manner of it we shall understand, so far as the creature is capable of such glorious and inconceivable mysteries, and then in them all shall our happiness consist, and our soul is to have its portion in them all.

2. That the soul may honor them distinctly; for the aim of God in the new Covenant is not barely the glory of the Divine Essence, and to exalt in the hearts of the Saints the Attributes of the Nature, but the excellency of the persons also; that they may honor the Son, as they honor the Father, that they may give glory to the Father, Son, and holy Spirit, and may cry always day and night, Holy, holy, holy, Rev. 4.8. repetitâ acclamatione unum Jehovam celebrant, quem etiam trinum agnoscunt, Bright. And the Lord doth in Scripture exceedingly stand upon a distinct glory, and to that very end requires not only a general and confused, but a distinct acknowledgment; not only that we should know God to have all goodness and all sufficiency in him, but the particular attributes and excellencies that are in God; and not only to know Christ, to have all fullness in him, but that the soul see the several offices and the particular excellencies that are laid up in Christ, as the Church doth, Cant. 5. for as else a man can never give God glory till his particular excellencies be known and discovered, so a man will never be in his own soul affected with it (for they are particulars that do affect:) as whilst the Queen of Sheba heard but a general report of the wisdom of Solomon, she was so far affected, as that she was moved to come a great journey, even from the farthest parts of the Earth to hear his wisdom; but when she saw his wisdom in the particulars of it, when he had answered all her questions, and she had seen all his glory, there was no more spirit left in her, they were the particulars that did affect, his wisdom, and his house, and his servants, &c. As it's in confession, they are not generals that do affect, it's a small thing for men to say, That they are all sinners, and they have broken all the commands; but when a man sees his sins in the particulars set down in order before him, then is his soul amazed, and he doth abhor himself, never till then: and so it is in thanksgiving also. Now because that all the persons shall be glorified, and they shall all have great glory, therefore it must be distinct; and that it may come from a heart truly affected with it also, therefore he must give unto each person his distinct glory.

3. That a man in this life may exercise distinct acts of faith upon them all, Joh. 14.1. You believe in God, believe also in me, not only to the glory of God the Father, but of the Son and Spirit also; that faith may have an eye unto God the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, as Eph. 1.14. and unto Christ as the Son, in whom he is well pleased, as Mat. 17.3. therefore he is in the bosom of the Father able to reveal all his Fathers counsels unto the Saints, and interceding as he is the Son, and therefore is very powerful with him, he cannot deny the cry of a Son, Heb. 7. ult. Though Christ as he is God cannot pray, because he can stand in need of nothing that he should go out of himself for, for he is God all-sufficient; yet it is the Godhead that gives an efficacy to all that is done in the human nature. There are two things Christ does as he is a Priest. (1) His Satisfaction, and the sufficiency thereof is put upon the Godhead in the Scripture, Acts 20.28. The blood of God, and, We are made the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5.21. and Heb. 9.14. He offered himself by the eternal Spirit without spot to God. (2) His Intercession: and though he doth intercede by the power of his satisfaction (for he doth enter within the most holy place) and doth sprinkle the blood with the incense, his blood is a speaking blood; yet the prevalency of his Intercession is commonly put upon the strength of the relation between God and him, Psal. 2.7, 8. Thou art my Son, &c. Ask of me and I will give thee, &c. Thou art Christ the Son of God, it's the confession of Peters faith, and is also called the Foundation of the Churches faith, 1 Cor. 3.11. And so there is Divine Worship given to Christ as Mediator, they worship the Lamb, this is by reason of union; and yet it is evident, that the human nature remains a creature after its union, and therefore it is as he is the Son, and so is coessential with the Father, this is the formalis ratio, the proper cause of this Divine Faith and Worship; and so the Holy Ghost also he is to be believed for himself and his own testimony: the Spirit is truth, and the Scriptures are to be believed only for the testimony of the Spirit, 2 Pet. 1.21. But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; therefore we are commanded to hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches; he is called therefore the Spirit of faith, 2 Cor. 4.13.

4. That we may honor them in our prayers distinctly: for whomsoever a man is to believe in, him he may pray unto, Rom. 10.14. How can they call on him in whom they have not believed? And therefore in our prayers we are not only to go unto God, but unto each of the persons, with distinct petitions, suitable unto the acts that they have undertaken, and the offices in which they have made over themselves unto the Saints under the new Covenant. Christ he prays to the Father, Holy Father, righteous Father, I will that those that thou hast given me be with me, sanctify them by thy truth. And Stephen at his death, Lord Jesus receive my spirit. And the Disciples, Lord increase our faith. And so doth the Church, Tell me where thou feedest, &c. The Apostle commonly speaks of them all together, The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit be with you. And Rev. 1.5, 6. Grace from him that is, and was, and is to come, and from the seven Spirits that are before the Throne, and from Jesus the faithful and true witness. And as it is a man's duty to believe in the Son as well as the Father, so it is to pray to the Son distinctly, as also unto the Father: for as our faith must distinctly take in all the objects of faith, or else it is imperfect; (for there are two things that tend to the perfection of any grace: (1) When it takes in all the objects in their extent and latitude. (2) When they do put forth complete and perfect acts upon these objects: thus I say, as faith must take in all its objects, or else there is something wanting in it, as the Apostle speaks of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the wants of faith ) so must faith give unto each of these their due and proper glory; and Christ being to be believed in, he may be prayed unto, nay it's an honor that belongs unto him, and therefore our faith must give it to him.

5. That the soul may have a distinct fellowship and communion with them all; and there is a fellowship with the Spirit; we are by the Gospel brought into communion with God, and it's a distinct fellowship and communion that we are to have with all the persons, our communion is as large as our relation, and the soul is to look upon himself as reconciled to them all; and therefore all of them are become our friends; and we have a particular and distinct interest in them all. Now how is a man said to have fellowship with God, or to walk with God? it is when the thoughts of a man's heart are taken up with God, and he has an eye unto him, and unto his glory from day today: As a man is said to have communion with the Devil, when he walks with his temptations, and the desires and thoughts of his heart do run out towards the unfruitful works of darkness; a man has fellowship with the Devil in all things, as it is said; Prov. 6.22. The law shall talk with a man waking, and keep him when he is asleep, and lead him when he goes; how is this is? it is but in the thoughts and the meditations of a man's own heart, by the suggestions and directions thereof, where it doth richly dwell; so it is in this also, it is communion with God, and God's dwelling in the soul, animus ascendit frequenter, &c. the soul frequently ascends, there is gratiarum decursus & recursus, a flowing down and reflowing of graces, and in this doth our communion lie. Now a man having an interest in all the persons, all of them having undertaken something for a man's good by way of office, and a man receiving something from them all, and returning praise to them all, there is in the soul a distinct fellowship to be exercised with them all; sometimes the thoughts of his heart being drawn out to the Father, and sometimes unto the Son, and sometimes unto the Spirit; and observing the witnessing of them all, and the sealing of them all unto the evidences of the Saints, sometimes we walk with the Father, and sometimes with the Son, and sometimes with the Spirit; and the more distinct a man's communion is, the more sweet it is.

6. That a man may draw arguments and motives unto duty and against sin from them all, and a man's interest in them all. We are said to be baptized in the name of them all, Mat. 28.20. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Now what is it to be baptized into the name of the Father? it's conceived to be taken from the manner of marriage, wherein the wife doth transire in nomen, in familiam, &c. into the name and family of the husband: or of servants, who had their masters name called upon them; and therefore no man might be baptized in the name of a creature, it is that which Paul detests, that he should baptize in his own name; and therefore the meaning is, to be baptized in fidem, in cultum, into the faith and worship of God; and so you are unto them all, and give up your names unto them all; and therefore unto each person we owe both faith and worship distinctly, all manner of duty and obedience, because we are distinctly baptized unto the faith of them all, to believe in them, and worship them: and a man should draw arguments to keep him from sin from them all, and his interest in them all, the Father is greater than all, and it is by his will we are sanctified: If we call him Father, who without respect of persons judgeth every man according to his works. Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 1 Pet. 1.15. And he says of Christ, I send my Angel, but take heed of him, obey his voice, provoke him not, for my name is in him. And grieve not the holy Spirit, by whom you are sealed to the day of redemption, do not resist the Holy Ghost, do not tempt him, lest he forsake you, and say, I will strive with you no more. A man should fear the evil aspect of any word of God, and the estrangement of any promise of God, that he should be in such a condition, that he cannot go to it with boldness and comfort, and be kept off from an Ordinance of God, that he cannot eat the Passover with the people of God in the season of it: how much more when a man shall look up upon the Father, Son, and Spirit, and sees any of these estranged from him; for they seek the glory one of another, and delight to have each other honored in the hearts of the Saints; and if thou walk unworthily towards any of them, they are all of them provoked and displeased thereby.

§. 3. Let us now take a view of the particulars, how, and in what respect each person doth make over himself unto the Saints in the second Covenant, that we may see how they have an interest in them all. 1. God the Father makes over himself in Covenant unto the Saints as he is the Father; therefore Christ calls him My Father and your Father, my God and your God. The Saints also call him our Father, 2 Thess. 1.1. In God our Father, &c. Christ is his Son by nature, as he is God, and as Mediator, he is taken into the same Sonship by the grace of personal Union, Luke 1.35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And we are also taken into the same Sonship by the grace of Adoption, by virtue of the mystical Union, even as the Manhood of Christ is by the personal Union. Now what is it to have an interest in him as a Father, that we can call him Abba Father? The sweetness of that relation is very great unto the Saints; for he is the Father of mercies, and he is the Father of lights, by which Majesty, Holiness, and Perfection is intimated, for so much Light doth signify, 1 Joh. 1.5. and therefore he is said to dwell in light, and Heaven to be an inheritance in light, and he is the Fountain and Father of all Light, whether it be lumen fidei, or lumen gloriae, the light of faith, or the light of glory: and from hence Saints looking upon God the Father making over himself unto them, are greatly affected, considering, (1) they have the honor of such a relation; and truly the highest honor of the Saints is that of Sonship, as it was the highest honor of Christ in his relation, that he was the Son of the Father; and we count it a high honor to stand in relation unto a Prince, as David said, Is it a small matter to be Son-in-law to a King? It is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a privilege or prerogative to be called the Sons of God, Behold what manner of love the Father has shown us, that we should be called the sons of God! Now we are the sons of God in this life, we have this title of honor put upon us, though it is true our condition doth not seem answerable unto such a relation; adoptionis fructus nondum apparet, &c. 1 Joh. 3.2. (2) We may be sure to be acquainted with his secrets, and see all his actings; for the Father loves the Son, and shows him all that he himself does: he did so to Christ, and in your measure he will deal so with you also; for the Son is in the bosom of the Father, and therefore he knows his mind and his purpose, The secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him, i. e. the secrets of his counsel with them, and the secret of his providence over them, his Law is in their hearts. (3) He loves you as a Father, My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And we know the bowels of a father to his son by Abraham's to Ishmael for his everlasting state, his love did rise so high, though we are begotten not of the will of man, but of God. And though Absalom were a disobedient son, yet David doth love him, so that his heart went out to him, even when he rebelled against him, there is an efficacy in love. (4) As a Father he will hear your prayers: Father I thank thee, that thou hast heard me, I know thou hearest me always, whatever you ask of the Father, he will give it you also that are his children. It is by our sonship that we prevail with God in prayer at any time, we have an Advocate in the Father, The Father himself loves you, saith Christ, and therefore whatever you ask the Father be sure you shall speed, and Christ argues the case with us, Why should you doubt this? If you know how to give good gifts to your children that are evil, how much more shall your heavenly Father give to them that ask? (5) He will as a Father give you a supply for all your wants: The Father loves the Son, and has committed all things into his hand, all judgment is committed to the Son; so he will give you as a Father the greatest gifts, he gives his Son, his Spirit, he will give the Holy Ghost to them that ask him, he will give grace and glory, he doth not think Heaven too dear for them, because they are sons, and his own Essence he will make their portion and happiness. (6) He rejoiceth in your prosperity here in your well-doing, when wisdom is justified of her children, he rejoiceth in their well-doing, a wise son maketh a glad father: he loves to see them prosper, to see their graces grow, and their souls thrive, that they may have all good things both here and hereafter. (7) He spares them in their services, as a father spares his son that serves him, though they be weak he doth not reject their offerings, and he doth accept the will for the deed; does not deal with us as an enemy that watches for our halting, but as a father; we do not stand without as the rest of the world do, but we come into the inner Court. (8) Lastly, they have an interest in him for correction, Whom I love I chastise, says God; and in all their afflictions he doth pity them as a father, he doth correct in judgment, not in fury, but in measure, &c. it is for their profit, that they may say it was good for them, &c.

But more particularly this must be premised, that under the first Covenant all the persons had an equal hand in the same things, and there were not opera propria, but what the Father is said to do, that the Son and Spirit also are said to do; so that they have not their appropriata, any peculiar works appropriated unto them, but whatever is done, is done by the Godhead jointly; and the same thing that is said to be done by the Father, is said to be done by the Son also, that as God the Father is said to create all things, so is the Son also, Joh. 1, 3, 4. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made that was made; and so it is said of the Spirit also, Gen. 1.2. The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters. Job 26.13. By his Spirit he has garnished the heavens; which doth not note the instrument or the minister by whom the Lord wrought, but only the order of the working in the Trinity, for the order of working is answerable to the order of subsisting; the Father works by the Son, and the Son works by the Spirit; and therefore Job 33.4. The Spirit of God made me, and the breath of the Almighty has given me life. It's attributed unto the Spirit alone: and not only in the work of Creation, but also in the upholding of the things created; for Joh. 1.3, 4. In him was life, that is, omnia per ipsum sustentari, &c. which is expounded by that, in him we live, and move, and have our being, and that Col. 1.17. By him all things consist, as well as were made by him, and in a more special manner the image of God, in which man was created, was from them all, Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in our own image, which was but one and the same of all the persons; for it is added, in the image of God created he him: the life is the light of men, which is as much as to say, hominem per 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ad imaginem Dei creatum, as Chemnitz. Thus under the first Covenant all things were carried on by the Godhead jointly, and whatever was done is said to be done by them all, without any appropriation of anything unto one person more than another. But when we come to a second Covenant, then though God works all in all, yet there is a special kind of appropriation of the actions, some more peculiarly unto one person, and some unto another, vel quoad agendi modum, vel quoad actionis terminum in quo se unius personae operatio potissimùm elucet, &c. Med. p. 37. Synops. purior. &c. p. 103. In which, though there be a joint concurrence of all the persons by way of consent, for they have all but one will, yet they may be in a special manner so appropriated unto the one, as they cannot unto the other; so the Father is said to send his Son, and the Son cannot be said to send himself; and so the Son is said to be incarnate, the word was made flesh, and to take upon him the form of a servant, which cannot be said of the Father; and so the Father and the Son are said to send the Comforter, which cannot be said of the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost is said to form Christ in the womb of the Virgin Mary, the holy thing conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost; and the Holy Ghost is the bond of Union between the two Natures, and the bond of Union between Christ and us, which cannot be said of the Father, or the Son, though there be a consent of will, and so a concurrence of all the persons unto every action that doth tend unto our salvation; for having one and the same Essence, they have all of them one will also; yea they have so taken upon themselves the special offices and acts, that per solennem quandam appropriationem, by a certain solemn appropriation, some of them are said so to be done by the one, as that they cannot be said to be done by the other; and it is according unto these appropriated Acts, that the persons are made over unto us under the second Covenant: for though the will of the Father and the Son be one and the same, because the Essence is but one; yet as the Father is not the Son, and the Son is not the Father, so eadem voluntas distinct appropriate se alteri ut donanti & mittenti, alteri ut dato & misso, Cocceius de Testament. Dei Dispute. 9. Thes. 92. The same will doth distinctly appropriate itself to one as the giver and sender, and to the other as given and sent. Now answerable unto this consent of will, such are the offices that they have undertaken, and such are the actions and operations that they do put forth, and by this distinct consent of will unto the several actions, which in the Scripture we see they do appropriate unto themselves, (for it is the Word of God, and the Lord speaks it of himself, and not any man) according unto these do they under the second Covenant make over themselves to the Saints, that, answerably to these several acts and offices, they may be able to look upon each person, to whom in Scripture they are appropriated, and from that person in faithfulness to expect the accomplishment of them, because they have each of them undertaken it, speaking so of themselves in the word, as if such acts did properly belong unto them, and thereby manifesting the distinct appropriation of their wills unto each of them.

This being premised, let us now see how each person has made over himself unto Believers in reference unto the second Covenant. (1) As a distinct object of their faith; for there are distinct acts of faith to be exercised upon all these persons answerable unto their appropriated acts: Ye believe in God, says Christ, believe also in me; for though the ultimate object of faith be God (for by Christ the Mediator we believe in God) yet the several persons are to have faith distinctly exercised upon them, answerable unto that distinct revelation of themselves. (2) As a distinct object of worship, That every man might honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. Grace and peace from him that is, and was, and is to come, and from the seven Spirits that are before the Throne. (3) As distinct grounds of their consolation; for though God be the God of all consolation, yet there is a distinct consolation comes from each person, answerable unto their appropriated acts, which is the ground of a distinct communion. (4) For their salvation, each of the persons having their proper work in bringing many sons to glory; but it has been shown, that these appropriated acts, which I called Acts of Office, are but for a time taken up with reference unto the mediatory Kingdom, and when that shall be ended, and all the Saints perfected and glorified, and the Kingdom again given up into the hand of the Father, then God shall be all in all; and the persons shall act jointly without any such appropriation forever: and look what the Spirit in the Word has spoken of each person, that we may be assured of, that each person has undertaken; for the Spirit of God knows the mind of God and the things of God, and the Lord would never have spoken so of himself, but that he would have us to look upon them as acts that the persons had each of them undertaken for the Elect, and these we way build upon in the new Covenant, that they have and will perform.

SECT. II. The Actions undertaken by God the Father in this Covenant.

§. 1. GOD the Father has spoken of himself distinctly, and has taken upon himself some appropriated acts, and hath in them made over himself unto the Saints for their consolation and salvation, which we shall demonstrate unto you in these particulars. 1. All things begin at God the Father, he is first in order of working, as he is in the order of subsisting; he was the first Plotter and Mover in this great work of man's salvation; for the Son saith, He can do nothing of himself in it, but what he sees the Father do; and therefore Luke 24.9. Christ calls it his Fathers business: as though Solomon built the Temple, yet the Platform was revealed unto David, and by him was left unto his son; so though Christ, this Solomon was to build the Temple, the man whose name is the Branch, yet the Platform of all was laid by the Father; and therefore he is in Scripture everywhere said to have the first and the great hand therein: and I shall reduce these to two heads. (1) The Actions that are undertaken by the Father. (2) The Relations in which the Saints stand unto the Father.

1. The Actions, that according unto Scripture-acceptation the Father has undertaken, and these are of two sorts. (1) There are some acts that are eternal and before time. (2) There are some that are done by the Father in time. 1. The actions of the Father before all time, and they are these. (1) He did from Eternity purpose to glorify himself in the Son; for the Father will be glorified in the Son, Phil. 2.11. The great end of all the acts of Christ, and of all his life is this, that every tongue might confess, That Jesus is the Lord, unto the glory of God the Father; for this is the highest way of glorifying the Father, and therefore Christ knowing that to be the Fathers end, that he might show himself to be the Fathers servant, he did aim at this end, and it was always in his eye in all things that he did, I seek not mine own glory, but the glory of him that sent me, Joh. 8.50. There is one that seeks not his own glory, and therefore Heb. 1.2, 3. he is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is the shining forth of the glory of the Father; for his great aim was from Eternity to be glorified in his Son; and therefore 1 Cor. 11.7. Christ is said to be the image and glory of God, and the woman the man's glory, the head of Christ is God. Now glory is the manifestation and the shining forth of some supereminent and transcendent excellency. And it was an argument of great excellency that was in man, that all the creatures were created for man, and put in subjection unto him; but the highest honor of man was the woman, who was created in the same nature, having a reasonable soul, as himself had; and souls know no sexes, being created after the same image, and unto the same glory with himself, and yet this glorious creature should be created for man, and put in subjection unto man, for the woman was created for the man: so also God hath great glory by all his creatures, for Prov. 16.4. He made all things for himself; and he has a more special honor from the reasonable creatures, the Angels and the Saints; but yet the top and the highest of God the Fathers glory is, that the Son, who thought it no robbery to be equal with God in glory, yet shall give up himself to the glory of the Father; and this is a far greater glory than the Father has by all the creatures in Heaven and Earth. And there is a double glory that the Father did seek by the Son: (1) That the Son himself should give him glory, should seek his glory in all things, reflect all his own glory upon the Father, and attribute all to him, and be content to veil his own glory, that the glory of the Father might appear. (2) He has the glory of all that glory that is given to the Son by the Saints, it's all ultimately resolved into his glory who is the Father, as all the promises of God in Christ are in him Yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us, Phil. 2.11. All the confessions and acknowledgments that are made unto Christ, do all of them redound unto the praise and glory of God; for the more the Son is glorified, the more it redounds unto the glory of the Father, whose glory the Son seeks in all that he does; and therefore in every respect the Father is glorified in the Son: and this was the great plot that God made from everlasting. (2) The Fathers purpose was to glorify the Son in the Saints, that he might make him the head of both the Creations of God. [1] To them that stood; so he is the head of all Principalities and Powers, that they should all hold of him; and so they should all honor the Son as they honor the Father; and therefore it's said Heb. 1.6. the Angels do worship him; and so Angels are round about the Throne, Rev. 5.11. The Father will receive glory from no creature, but it shall be by the Son; for the great glory of the Father we must still remember comes in by him, and all the honor that they do unto the Son redounds unto God the Father. [2] As for them that should fall, as well as those that stood: All men must honor the Son, even as they honor the Father, and he that honors not the Son, honors not the Father; and therefore Christ says, All thine are mine, and mine are thine, I am glorified in them; so that all the glory that the Son had, its foundation was laid in the plot and purpose of the Father. I speak of his manifestative glory; as for his essential glory, he had that from himself, as he is God of himself, and was therein equal with God; and did no more receive his glory from another, than he did his essence from another; but having one and the same essence, they must needs have one and the same glory; but as for the glory that he hath amongst the creatures and from them all, it's from and by the plot of God the Father: to this end was Christ the head of both Creations. (3) The purpose of the Father was to glorify the Elect, which he chose to himself out of both Creations; and therefore 'tis said Ephes. 1.4. He has chosen us in him before the foundations of the world were laid. He chose him as the head, and the Elect as the body: He has made known unto us the good pleasure of his will, according as he purposed in himself to gather together all things unto one, whether things in heaven, or things on earth. There is a Mystery in the Gospel which is called the hidden Wisdom, which God hath ordained before the world unto our glory; it was free grace to mind the glory of the Elect next to the glory of his own Son, and that as the Son shall glorify him, so also the glory of the Son shall come in by the glory of the Saints; and the Son engaged, who was the Lord of glory, to bring many sons to glory by this, because therein should his own glory consist; for at the day of Judgment the great glory of Christ shall be in his Saints, He shall come to be glorified in his Saints, and be admired in them that believe, &c. And if he did look upon man as fallen, he need never have taken up such a purpose as this is; for being enemies, he had a prison that was large enough to have held them all, for Tophet was prepared of old, he hath made it deep and large, and he needs not their service nor their friendship, he could have destroyed them, and, as John the Baptist saith, Of these stones he could raise up children unto Abraham. But yet it was the loving-kindness of the Father, that did think thoughts of peace towards them, and he had an eternal purpose of good will: and as the Father will be glorified in the Son, so shall the Saints also; and therefore they are said to be elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, 1 Pet. 1.3. and the plot is in Scripture commonly attributed unto the Father. (4) It was God the Father that made the motion unto Christ the Son, who called him and appointed him unto this work, Joh. 8.42. I came not of myself, it was an honor that Christ did not take upon himself, Heb. 5.5. But he that said, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee, he doth engage him in the work by the highest relation, and the greatest obligation that can be, as he was his gift, so he must be obedient unto the Father in this thing; and therefore In the volume of the book it is written of me, that I should do thy will O God, and this is intended in these two expressions, Prov. 8.22, 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 he possessed me, for the servant is part of his masters goods; and therefore it's said, That he is his money, Exod. 21.21. Now as soon as the Son became in the purpose of the Father his servant, immediately he possessed him, and he is called the beginning of all the ways of God towards the creature. The first step of all the good will that was towards the creature, and all the goings forth of God towards him was laid in the Son, he is the beginning of his way: and it is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I was set up from everlasting, it's the same word in Psal. 2.6. I was anointed from everlasting, it is spoken in the purpose and intention of God; for the efficacy of it took not place till after the Fall, neither was he actually anointed, till he in the human nature received the Spirit without measure, and was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. (5) He proposed it unto the Son by way of a Covenant; for the Covenant was originally made with Christ, and so 2 Tim. 1.9. there is a promise of eternal life, not unto us, but unto him; and also in Tit. 1.2. eternal life that was given us before the world began; he did appoint him the office that he should undertake, him has God the Father consecrated, and sanctified the service that he should do, Joh. 10.18. I lay down my life, and this commandment I received of my Father. And to show the intention of the Fathers Spirit in it, he did swear, that he should be a Priest, and it was the word of the Oath made him so to be; For him hath God the Father sealed. And it was by this Covenant that most properly Christ became the second Adam, 1 Cor. 15.47. As the Lord made a Covenant with the first Adam for an image and an inheritance, which he was to transmit unto his posterity; so also he did with the second Adam: only here was the difference; though the first Adams consent to the Covenant was voluntary, yet he being a creature, and subject to a Law, when the mind of God was made manifest in a Covenant, and to deal with him in a Covenant-way, it had been his sin to withdraw his consent. But now the Son being God equal with the Father, it was every way free with him to have consented unto the terms of this Covenant, or not; but he did it freely, Lo I come to do thy will, O God. (6) In this Covenant he did appoint unto his Son what glory he should have, and what glory and grace the Saints should have: He hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: so that all the grace that ever should be communicated to the Saints here, and their glory hereafter, it should be all laid up in him, as in a common Treasury: It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell; in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. And when the Saints enter into happiness, they do but enter into their masters joy, all is laid up in Christ for them. And God doth appoint Christ what glory he should have for his personal glory, That he should be exalted at the right hand of the Majesty on high, and have a name given him above every name, and that he should be glorified in the Saints, and admired in them that believe; the Father has given him to have life in himself, that he may quicken whom he will, and hath given him power to execute judgment, because he is the Son of man. (7) The Father did appoint him the souls that he should save; for Joh. 17.10. All thine are mine; I pray not for the world, but those that thou hast given me, &c. The Father and the Lamb have each of them a book of life, and they do answer one another; for every soul that God would have saved, he did give unto the Lord Christ by Covenant: so that as he did measure out suffering to Christ, and sins too, for he had our sins unto a number laid upon him; so he did souls also that he was to bring to glory; and he knew all the souls that were given him of the Father, and the travel of his soul is seen in them. (8) The Father appointed all the degrees of grace they should have here, and of glory hereafter. Christ is but a Steward to dispense that eternal life which is laid up in him to that end. There is a measure of the age in the body of Christ, and the measure is appointed by the Father, and so are the measures of glory also, Mat. 20. It is not mine to give, says Christ, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. (9) The Father did engage unto the Lord Christ, that the service which he should do, should be accepted for the Saints, and that he would delight in it: It pleased the Lord to bruise him, &c. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, and shall prolong his days, the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (10) The Father did engage himself to fit him for the work he was to do: Then said I, Lo I come, as in the volume of the book it's written of me, to do thy will, O God; sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me. And Isaiah 42.6. I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thy hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. I have set the Lord always before me, because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved, therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, my flesh also shall rest in hope, &c.

2. There are some acts that take place in time, though the decree and purpose of them was from everlasting; and these acts of the Father either concern Christ or the Saints, they are acts that are more immediately terminated in him, or in us.

1. The Acts of the Father which do more immediately concern Christ are these. 1. When the fullness of time appointed by the Father was come, then he sent him into the world, and that which was before only in Decree and Covenant, he doth now put in execution, Gal. 4.4. When the fullness of time was come, God sent his Son made of a woman, &c. So that the sending Christ into the world was God the Fathers act: mos Scripturae est tempus exactum ac finitum impletum dicere, the Decree of his coming into the world was from everlasting, and the Son did engage himself unto it by Covenant from everlasting; but yet there was a set time appointed by the Father when this should actually be put in execution, and when that time was come, and fully accomplished, then God the Father did put this great plot in execution; and therefore when Christ came into the world he is said to come out from the Father, Joh. 16.28. I came forth from the Father, and came into the world. And again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. So that the Son's taking our flesh is done in obedience to the Father, and he is said to be sent unto that end: the Father did not only send him in reference to the office that he did undertake being made flesh, but he did also send him to take flesh, Non ideo missus Filius, quia Verbum caro factum est, sed ideo missus, ut Verbum caro fieret, The Son was not therefore sent, because the Word took flesh, but therefore sent, that the Word might take flesh, Austin. Why did not Christ come sooner into the world, but in the last days? The reason in respect of Christ was, because the time was not come that was determined by the Father, and he was as well obedient in the time of his coming, as in the coming itself, his obedience was seasonable, it was in the fullness of time. But why did not God the Father send his Son sooner into the world? As it is not for us to know the times and the seasons, so it is not for us to inquire into the reason of them. Bernard gives this reason, Cùm magis esset necessarium, tunc primo ferret auxilium: all ways had been used, and all means tried, and all in vain, and now non apparebat Angelus, non loquebatur Propheta, &c. The Scepter was departed, Prophecy ceased, and all ways of intercourse and converse between God and man seemed to be at an end, now is the season to recover lost man; now therefore the Father did appoint him to come into the world, and he saith, Lo I come to do thy will, O God.

2. God the Father did ever since the Fall command the Son to undertake the actual administration of all things, and all was done by him as God, and as having the government upon his shoulders ever since the Fall: for (1) the Kingly office of Christ immediately took place as soon as the Priestly office; and therefore 'tis said Joh. 5.23. The Father hath committed all judgment to the Son, he has given all things into his hand. So that it was he that continued man in his being, and the use of his reason; for else the day that he did eat he was to die; but Joh. 1.9. He it is that enlightens every man that comes into the world; it's spoken of Christ after the Fall, and it is spoken of him, because he was made flesh: it is an act of Christ that is common to all mankind, which can be nothing else but the light of reason, and those common principles of natural light that mankind is endued with. (2) He it was that cast Adam out of Paradise, and plucked him out from the Tree of Life, he it was that made void the first Covenant in respect unto any hope of life by it, and set an Angel to keep the way to the Tree of Life, which was the first office that Christ did appoint unto the Angels after he had actually undertaken his government, and was to further the design of the Gospel, by shutting man out of hope of having life and salvation by the former Covenant, which they had broken. (3) He it was that gave to the old world the Spirit of Prophecy; for it is the testimony of Jesus, Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied of these, saying, Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints, &c. for the discovery of the will of God, and for the gathering of that small harvest that he had out of the world of ungodly men, &c. (4) They being gathered, and there being but few, and the Earth being overspread and filled with violence, he it was that brought the flood upon the world, and destroyed it: My Spirit shall not strive, whose Spirit? 1 Pet. 3.19, 20. By which Spirit he went and preached unto the Spirits which now are in prison, who sometimes were disobedient in the days of Noah. They were then men upon Earth, but they are now Spirits in prison. (5) He gave the Law, and he did appoint and institute all those legal ways of worship, and all those types and shadows of the Law, which were but praeludia humanitatis, preludes of the humanity, that it might be represented unto the faith of his people as lively as might be, till the fullness of time appointed by the Father was come, Heb. 12.25. (6) He it was that brought Israel into Canaan, and planted them a Church there unto himself; Isaiah 5.1, 2. I will sing unto my well-beloved a song of my beloveds concerning his vineyard, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is generally conceived to be a name given unto the Messiah, and he had a vineyard in a fruitful Hill, he fenced it, and gathered out the stones, planted it with the choicest Vine, and built a Tower in the middle of it, and made a Wine-press therein: and all this is the act of him whom he doth call my Beloved.

3. The Father did prepare the nature that Christ was to assume unto union with himself: Burnt offering hadst thou no pleasure in, but a body hast thou prepared me, he that called him to be a Sacrifice, he did prepare a body, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by this is included the soul also, that very individual nature, though formed by the Holy Ghost, yet according to the appointment of the Father; for in him was the fullness of the Godhead bodily to dwell, that is, he was to take our nature thus prepared into a personal union with himself, so that not only that Christ should take the nature of man, but that very individual soul and body that he was to take was appointed and prepared by God the Father, which he would have to be as a Sacrifice to himself, and unto him he would give this grace of union, that it should become one with the second Person in the Godhead.

4. This very human nature thus prepared by the Father, and by the Son thus assumed, the Father did fill with all habitual grace, Col. 1.19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, the meaning is, not only that he should have fullness of grace in himself, but such a fullness also that he might convey and communicate unto us, that all the fullness of the creatures should be derived from him, That of his fullness we may receive grace for grace; he hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: and he is therefore said to receive the Spirit without measure, because he has the Spirit so as to fill all the Saints, the Spirit so as to dispense the Spirit: this cannot be spoken of Christ as God, for so he cannot receive the Spirit, and so he cannot receive grace; but it's spoken of him in reference to his human nature, which the Father prepared and anointed, as he saith, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for the Lord hath anointed me, he cannot be said to be anointed as God, but as he is Mediator; and therefore there is a double grace comes from the Father upon this nature of Christ, a grace of Union, and a grace of Unction also; so that though the Godhead of Christ were infinitely holy, yet his Godhead doth not qualify the human nature; but he being the Fathers servant, and the grace that was to be dispensed, was by the appointment of the Father; therefore it is the Father that laid up this grace in the human nature of Christ, as in a common Treasury, making him a second Adam, that he might dispense it unto us.

5. Having in this manner prepared him, the Father did send him forth into the world, and owned him before the world to be his Son: at his Baptism, Mat. 3. ult. A voice came from Heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son: and in his Transfiguration, Mat. 17.5. it was again repeated, and 2 Pet. 1.17. God the Father gave him glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. God the Father did declare him to be the Son of God with power, partly by the doctrine that he preached, for no man spake as he spake, he spake of heavenly things as one that had seen them; for he came down from Heaven, as one that came out of the bosom of the Father; and also by the Miracles that he wrought the Lord did give a testimony to him to be the Son of God, by opening of the eyes of the blind, healing the sick, raising the dead, &c. So that the Father did eminently own him to be his Son before all the world, that men might believe in him, which is a thing of mighty concernment to us; and Heb. 1.6. when he brings his first begotten Son into the world, he saith, Let all the Angels of God worship him; so that he is owned by the Father before men and Angels, as the person that it was the design of the Father to set up as the Head of all Principalities and Powers for the happiness of his Saints, and the glory of God the Father.

6. The Father did appoint how long he should live upon earth, and what death he should die: He was delivered by the determinate counsel of God; and therefore Christ tells them, My hour is not yet come, and that is given as the reason, why they that were so malicious had not seized upon him sooner, it was because his hour and the power of darkness appointed by the Father was not yet come; he was to die a crucified death, being made a curse for us; for it's written, Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree, Gal. 3.13.

7. The Father also becomes Christ's Executioner. It is true, sin did not only set God against us, but all the creatures also; and therefore Christ standing in our stead, he shall have men to be his enemies, and they shall seek to destroy him, he shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they will serve the turn to destroy his body, but it is no more that they can do; but it is the soul of man that was the great Traitor against God, and men cannot reach the soul to afflict it; therefore it pleased the Father to bruise him, when he made his soul an offering for sin; and therefore his great satisfaction being there, his great purchase is made thereby; for it is said, He shall see of the travel of his soul, which then mainly begun in the garden, though it's true all his life time he had been a man of sorrow, but specially when he cried out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , &c. yet he had then some lucida intervalla, but in the three hours darkness, when he fought it out between God and him alone, then the Lord did enlarge his faculties for wrath, and poured it out abundantly, when all the graces of Christ did act to the highest, to take hold of God, and to uphold himself. To have been in Abraham's bosom then when he was about to slay his son, even his only son, and seen what strivings of heart, and rendings of bowels, what great grief possessed Abraham at that time, how should a man of compassion have been affected! But there was much more love in God to his Son Christ, and yet to bruise him was that which he delighted in: it was unto him a sweet smelling savor, when he was offered up upon the Cross: God that doth not delight in the death of a sinner, yet he doth delight in the death of a Son, that the sinners may live and be saved eternally.

8. God the Father being in this manner satisfied by his Sacrifice, he doth raise him from the dead: he is said to be raised by his own Godhead, that is the Spirit spoken of Rom. 1.4. & Heb. 9.14. he himself saith, I have power to lay down my life, and I have power to take it again, he received a commandment from the Father concerning both; but he is said to be raised by the Father, because he was by the Father as a Judge condemned as an offender and malefactor, executed, cast into the prison of the grave, which I understand by that in Isaiah 53.8. Now the debt being paid, the Father doth grant him a deliverance, and sends an Angel, a public Minister of Justice, to manifest that his debt is paid, and the Father satisfied thereby; and therefore it is unto the Father that he did look for it, thou wilt not leave my soul in statu separato, in a separate state, nor my body in the grave, &c. thou wilt not suffer thy holy One to see corruption.

9. God the Father gave him glory, and exalted him far above all Principalities and Powers, and might, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come. He has a glory that he is invested with above all the Angels in Heaven as he was Man; whiles he was upon earth he was made lower than all the Angels for a little while, but now he has more glory as he is Man than all the Angels are capable of; as he has more grace than they have, therefore he must needs have more glory, and that as he is Man; by this means he is gone to Heaven as our Fore-runner, to take possession for us: Joh. 14.2. I go before, says he, to prepare a place, and therefore it is expedient for you that I go away.

10. He receives the fullness of the Spirit from the Father: Christ waited for the promise of the Spirit as well as we, for the full accomplishment of it; for as the faculties of Christ were enlarged, so did his grace exalt itself, though he was always full of grace and truth; and therefore as he was said to grow here, in all things he was like unto us, only without sin, so in the growth and in the degrees of the perfection of his human nature; therefore when he came to Heaven his faculties were enlarged, as ours shall be; and so there is the fuller measure of his receiving the Spirit in glory, than he had when he was here upon earth; for when he was here on earth he knew not the day of Judgment: Of that day knows no man, no not the Son, while he was upon earth, but when he came to Heaven it was revealed unto him; it was first revealed to Christ, and by Christ unto his Servant John, and therefore he did himself open the book, which was sealed to him, as well as it was unto us, but he did open it, and looked therein, &c. They were such discoveries as the Lord did not communicate unto the human nature of Christ, till he came to glory, and then his knowledge (as also his grace) was perfected; therefore Joh. 7.39. that's given as the reason why the Spirit was not yet given in its fullness, because Christ was not yet glorified, he did not fully dispense it unto us, because he had not in fullness received it; for every promise is first made unto him, and in him unto us, and it is first fulfilled in him, and through him in us also.

11. God the Father has put him into the actual administration of his government as he is man, Dan. 7.14. all Angels, Principalities and Powers being made subject to him; and so much his sitting at the right hand of the Father does imply, namely the actual administration of all things, and that as he is man; for he must as well rule as man, as he shall judge as man: as he is God in prosecution unto the Covenant that God the Father made with him, so this Kingdom has been in the hand of the Son ever since the Fall, and so it's true, that the Father judges no man, but the Son has all judgment committed to him; but while he was man here, he was in a state of humiliation, and it was the time of his ministry; but in Heaven is the time of his Magistracy, and the Lord hath now made him to be both Lord and Christ; and now he doth actually rule the world as man, whereas before his ascension he could not; for as he was man he received not himself up into glory: and this is the glory that the Father did promise to give him, and to glorify him with himself therein before the world was, that that nature which he should take should be exalted above all creatures, and the actual government of all things should be committed thereupon unto him, and so as man he is made the head of all things for the Churches sake, Eph. 1.21, 22.

§. 2. But there are some Acts of God the Father that more immediately respect the Saints, and are terminated on them, and they are also very many, as, 1. the work of Vocation, when men are turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that's attributed unto the Father, Joh. 6.44, 45. No man can come to me except the Father draw him; he that has heard and learned of the Father cometh to me. To come to Christ is to believe in him, as appears verse. 35. He that comes to me shall never hunger, and he that believes on me shall never thirst. He expounds coming to him by believing in him; for he knew who they were that believed not, verse. 64. And therefore said I unto you, No man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. And the Lord speaks not of the will here, no man will come, but of the power, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , no man can come. There is a dispute between us and the Arminians about the power of nature unto acts of grace; and they say there is auxilium sufficiens, sufficient grace which God gives unto all men; but Christ in the Text denies any such power, he saith, No man can come to me, except the Father draw him. What is this drawing? It is not a forcible act by which violence is offered upon the will of man; and yet it's called drawing, because it's an act of almighty power: the words note the sweetness and the efficacy of grace, grace works powerfully, and therefore God is said to draw, and it works sweetly, and therefore man is said to come, as if he were not drawn, trahitur animus & amore, &c. it doth consist in a spiritual illumination of the understanding, and in an effectual persuasion and determination of the will; for it is a drawing, that is, a teaching, as the next verse makes it manifest; and in this is the foundation of eternal life, as it is in us begun: all this was in the purpose of God towards him, but the man was dead in trespasses and sins as well as others, without Christ, and without God in the world; and therefore the Saints actually converted, are styled by the Apostle, the called according to his purpose. But how is this work attributed to God the Father, that the power and the act of believing and of closing with Christ is from him, the teaching and the drawing is the Fathers act? Here I meet with a deep silence amongst all Interpreters, only I find this to be offered by Kemnitius,

This is true, that all the grace that we receive from Christ all our days here, and all the glory we shall have to Eternity, was by the Father laid up for us in Christ, and in the whole work Christ is but the Fathers Servant; but why in a special manner is this work of the Father appropriated unto the work of conversion and vocation? The ground of it I conceive to be this: In the Covenant that passed between Christ and the Father, the Lord did require this service of him, that he should lay down his life, and give himself for the Elect, he gave himself a ransom for many, and he did make him a promise, that he would give those souls unto him again. Therefore as in the fullness of time the Lord did give Christ for them, Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and so he is called by way of eminency the gift of God; for though he were promised from the beginning of the world, yet he was not actually given and exhibited till the last days; so there is a time also when God the Father must fulfil this promise unto Christ, to give souls unto him, as he has given himself for them, in obedience to the Father. Now when are souls given unto Christ? It is when they come to him, and believe in him, they are not actually any part of his charge till then; and therefore they are said to be without Christ, they have no actual relation to Christ, or Christ to them, for the union between Christ and the soul is matrimonial, and it is the Father that gives them each unto other; and therefore marriage between Adam and his wife is made a type and resemblance of it, or rather mystery, called by the Jews Cabala, Eph. 5.33. This is a great mystery, but I speak of Christ and the Church: so that it's God the Father that gives Christ to the soul, and gives the soul unto Christ, he it is that doth join them in a marriage-covenant forever. Therefore as when the time appointed by the Father was come, he sent his Son actually into the world; so when the time of love is come, that a soul should be converted, who before lay polluted in his blood, then doth God the Father send his Spirit in Christ's name into the soul, who doth discover the beauty of Christ and the free grace of God the Father, how ready and willing he is to bestow him; and the manifestation of this grace of the Father is made effectual to the soul, not only to persuade, but also to enable it to accept of Christ upon the terms that he is offered. And upon this ground the work of vocation is mainly attributed unto the drawing and the teaching of the Father; because as they were in the purpose of God, and in the Covenant between Christ and the Father given to him from all Eternity, so they are by the Father actually given to him in the fullness of time, that is, when the time of their conversion appointed by the Father is come; and therefore the enlightening of the soul in this work is attributed unto the Father, 2 Cor. 4.6. God that commanded light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, &c. and by the same almighty Word that he did that work in the Creation, he doth shine into our hearts, discovering Christ unto us and the glory of God; all the incommunicable Attributes of God are gloriously set forth in the Man Christ Jesus, and so the power by which the soul is enabled to believe, is the power of God the Father, Eph. 1.17, 19. That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, would show you what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of the mighty power which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead: so that if any soul be brought home unto Christ in a work of vocation, it is by the almighty working of God the Father, and you are to acknowledge his grace, as well in giving you unto Christ, as in giving Christ unto you.

2. In the work of Reconciliation: though all the persons were wronged by sin, their essence and glory being but one, yet the suit against sin doth mainly in Scripture run in God the Fathers name, God has reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ; and God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself. This was properly the act of God the Father, Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled shall we be saved by his life: it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, as being to reconcile all things to himself, &c. What is it to reconcile? It is properly amicitiam diremptam resarcire, to set them all at one again, who were before friends, but now at variance amongst themselves. God is an enemy unto all men by nature, the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord, and we are enemies unto God, and are deeply rooted in enmity, in our minds, both by secret flattery, and by open hostility, every way, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , haters of God; but now God is no more an enemy unto us, but he loves us with the same love that he loves the Son, Joh. 17.23. and they are no more enemies unto God, but they are called the friends of God, and the Lord's possession, the Fathers inheritance is in the Saints, Eph. 1.18. The riches of his inheritance in the Saints. Thus it is God the Father that offers reconciliation, when you are a great way off he doth run to meet you, and he doth fall upon your neck, and kiss you, and he lets you see, that he has forgotten all the wrong done to him, and that though the earth be his, and the fullness thereof, yet he is taken with nothing so much as with your love; it is to gain your love that he doth all that he does, and he it is that is the person in whom you are properly reconciled, and with him properly the peace in Scripture is said to be made, for the Son is the Peace-maker, Shiloe, he makes peace by the blood of his Cross, and it is by his Spirit that we have access unto the Father; therefore reconciliation is properly unto God the Father, and herein is the soul properly made the friend of God, the enmity being slain thereby.

3. Justification is properly the act of God the Father, putting upon a Believer the righteousness of Christ's not imputing his sin; for he that made Christ to be sin for us, he it is also that makes us the righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. ult. and it is by his grace that you are justified freely, who did set forth Christ to be a propitiation, Rom. 3.24, 25. There is a double act of God the Father in the work of Justification. (1) There is an Imputation of righteousness, Rom. 4.6. Blessed is the man to whom God imputes righteousness without works. There is a righteousness that is wrought by Christ, called the righteousness of God, because the Godhead gave an efficacy and an excellency thereunto, and this under the second Covenant by virtue of our union with him is counted ours, as our sins were by the Father counted his, and it is this counting of the Father that is truly imputation; and so much the word in the Greek doth properly signify; so that though Christ had no sin, yet through the Covenant between him and his Father, our sin is counted his, and though we have no righteousness, yet by virtue of union his righteousness is counted ours; and so it being an act of grace, for we are justified freely by grace, so it's true, justitia nostra est indulgentia tua. (2) There is Remission of sin, that is, a non imputation, Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputes no sin, &c. that is, though we be sinners in ourselves, yet the Lord doth not count us so, but looks upon us as pure and unspotted in his sight: it's true, that the righteousness wrought for us is the righteousness of Christ, he brought in everlasting righteousness, Dan. 9.24. But how shall this become ours? This is by an act of God the Father, imputing his righteousness unto us, and that is counting his righteousness ours, and he looking upon us as being one with him; and though it is true that we are sinners, and every sin hath a guilt naturally and necessarily going with it, for there is a difference between reatus personae and reatus poenae, guilt may be separated from the person, but it can never be from the sin; now the Lord will not impute sin in the guilt of it unto the person; but though he doth sin, and that doth carry a guilt with it, yet it shall not be charged upon the person forever.

4. Adoption, that also is properly an act of God the Father upon a Believer; a man made one with Christ, 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath shown unto us, that we should be called the sons of God. Adoption is properly an act of God the Father graciously receiving a man into the number of his sons, and giving him his Spirit, the privileges and the inheritance of a son: so that though it is by Christ that we have this 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Joh. 1.12. that is, because Christ is the Son; therefore we being made one with him, we also become sons of God by the Sonship of Christ, only his Sonship is natural, and ours by grace, as our union is, and by this means the Father of Christ is our Father also, Joh. 20. I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God, &c. yet is it an act of God the Father, that doth receive us as sons, by virtue of our union with him, who is the Son of the Father. Now consider the benefit we have by it. (1) We have the spirit of sons, Rom. 8.15. before we had but the spirit of a servant, a spirit of bondage. (2) We receive the honor of sons, Joh. 8.35. Th • servant abides not in the house always, but the son abides always: so we are of the family and of the household of God, and he is not ashamed to be called our Father. (3) We have the boldness and the access of sons, Eph. 3.12. We come not as servants to a master, as guilty persons to a Judge, but as children unto a father. (4) We have the Inheritance of sons; for being sons we are heirs, Rom. 8.17. Coheirs with Christ, and so may claim Heaven by a double right, by virtue of the purchase made, and the price paid for it, and also because we are sons, and therefore the inheritance doth belong to us, for all the sons of God are heirs of God also.

5. We have also acceptation with God, Eph. 1.6. He has made us accepted in the beloved, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is to embrace a man with love and special favor and acceptation, which doth proceed from this love; and this also in the Scripture is double. (1) To their persons, he had respect unto Abel, and the Lord tells Cain, If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted, that when they do come before God he doth respect them above all the world beside, to him will I look, Isaiah 66.2. I will cast a more favorable eye upon him than upon all the world beside; whereas the person of a wicked man, as well as his service, is an abomination to the Lord. (2) To their services, Psal. 17.14. Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in thy sight. It is that which the Lord does promise, Exod. 28.38. that their Sacrifices should be accepted before the Lord, what they do doth please him, and he doth not reject any of their services, as he doth other men's. It's said, He spreads the dung of their sacrifices upon their faces, Mal. 3.3. It doth imply two things. 1. That the Lord doth reject their Sacrifices with indignation, as if they had offered dung in their solemn feasts. 2. Summo dedecore eos afficiam, I will spread the highest reproach on them, so Mercer; as you do unto a man, when you cast dung in his face, the Lord will reject their services, and instead of honoring them in them, he will cast shame upon them also; whereas the services of the Saints are [1] accepted ordine supernaturali as flowing from a heavenly and supernatural principle, and [2] ad vitam aeternam ordinata, services appointed unto an eternal reward. Other men's services are not thus accepted, but as they come from a principle of nature, so they shall have no higher reward, they shall rise no higher than the head of the spring from whence they flow.

6. There is a Communion also that the people of God have with the Father, 1 Joh. 1.3. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. There is a communion that the Saints of God have distinctly with all the persons when they receive mercy from them all, and rejoice in the love of them all, and they do return to them again all the glory of the grace of them all; as faith is distinctly to be exercised upon all the persons, so the soul should strive to have a distinct fellowship and communion with all the persons. (1) A man should pray to the Father: for saith Christ, Your Father knows that you have need of all these things. (2) You are to give thanks to the Father, who has blessed you with all spiritual blessings. (3) You are to rejoice in his love: says Christ, I will love him, and he shall be loved of my Father. I say not that I will pray the Father for you, for the Father himself loves you: you are in his bosom, receive all gifts from him as from a Father, and come to him as to a Father, as one that has communion with him and access to him as unto a Father. (4) Glory in the witness of the Father; for there are three that do bear witness in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are one, you are not only to have the Spirits testimony and seal upon your evidences, but the Fathers also bearing witness in your souls, testifying unto you the adoption of sons. There is a glorious communion that the Father gives unto his people, as Christ had with the Father, so may you also in and through him.

SECT. III. The Relations undertaken by the Father and Christ in this Covenant.

§. 1. THE Father having in this manner made over himself in Covenant to his people, they have an interest in all the relations of the Father; for we are not only related unto Christ, but by him to the Father, and as we are to exercise faith upon Christ under all relations, so we are also upon the Father; and these relations are both honorable and comfortable also to the Saints.

1. God the Father is our Father: says Christ, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, to my God and your God; that they may glorify your Father which is in heaven. Be you merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful; and therefore says the Apostle, Rom. 1.7. Grace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, &c. Now what is there in such a relation as this is unto God the Father? We shall see what it was unto Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, and see how in all things he is a Father to us as he is unto Christ, though it be in a lower way, for Christ in all things must have the preeminence. (1) It is the great honor that is put upon Christ as Mediator, that he is the Son of God; we saw his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. That holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God: and in this he is exalted above the Angels, Heb. 1.5. Unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, and I will be unto him a Father, and he shall be unto me a Son, &c. Altissimi Filius ac proinde co-altissimus ipse ejusdem penitùs altitudinis & dignitatis. And in this manner the Saints do partake pro modulo; it is the greatest privilege of the Saints that they do receive from union with the Son, and that in which they are exalted above the Angels: That as they do stand before God in a higher righteousness in their justification; (for though the righteousness of Angels be perfect in its kind, yet it's but the righteousness of a mere creature; but the righteousness of Christ is called the Righteousness of God, 2 Cor. 5.21. which though it were wrought in the human nature, and therefore was not the essential righteousness of God, for that could not be imputed, yet it was that which being wrought by him that was God and man, the Godhead had an influence into it, and gave it an excellence and efficacy;) so they have a higher sonship in their adoption, that is, it's founded on a higher right than that of the Angels, even in the Sonship of the second person in the Trinity; for Christ as Mediator was not a Son by adoption, but by generation, his human nature being taken into the same person, did by virtue of that grace of union partake of the same Sonship; for there was not a double Sonship of Christ, one as he was God, and the other as he was man, for subjectum filiationis est suppositum, the subject of filliation is a person, as the School-men speak. Now as Christ had great glory from other things, in relation to the Angels, for he is the Head of Principalities and Powers, and to the Saints, he is the King of Saints, the holy of holies, and from all the creatures, for he is the beginning of the creation of God, and is the head over all things to the Church; yea in reference to God himself, for he is God's King, I will set my King, and the man God's fellow; but there is none that is a term of so high an honor unto Christ as this, that he is the Son, and it's this that the Lord doth publish to the world as the ground of all the rest, Psal. 2.7. I will declare the decree, the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son, &c. so it is with the Saints, they are called the glory and the first-fruits of all the creatures, the excellent ones, Kings and Priests unto God, to whom the Angels are but servants and ministering Spirits; but yet there is no title of honor like unto this, that they are called the Sons of God. Men do glory in titles of honor, as Pharaoh did in this, I am the Son of the ancient Kings; and the Jews gloried in this, We have Abraham to our father. The Saints have a higher glory, that Jesus Christ is their Father, for he has a successive generation that none can number, he shall see his seed, and shall prolong his days upon earth; and yet to be the sons of God the Father is a far higher honor; for Christ himself says, My Father is greater than I: it is to be understood of him as Mediator only; for as he is God, he is equal with the Father, and thinks it no robbery so to be.

2. As God is the Father of Christ, so he loves Christ as his Son, and therefore he doth call him 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , my beloved Son, Mat. 3.17. and the Son of his love, Col. 1.17. there is an Hebraism for most beloved; as the man of sin, i. e. the most sinful man, the child of wrath, one who is subject unto the highest displeasure of God, and the son of perdition, i. e. one utterly and eternally lost; so the son of his love is one tenderly beloved by him, the most beloved of the Father; and this was the great thing that Christ gloried in, even the love of his Father, Joh. 5.20. The Father loveth the Son, and it was this that did bear up his spirit under all his sufferings, that he did abide in his Fathers love, Joh. 15.10. Thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world, Joh. 17.24. and in this also you bear a part with Christ, Joh. 14.21. He that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, Joh. 16.27. The Father himself loves you, Joh. 17.23. Thou hast loved them, even as thou hast loved me; non aequalitatem denotat, sed similitudinem, it denotes not equality, but similitude. [1] He loved him from Eternity, and so he doth you. [2] He loved him as a Son, and so he doth you, ad similitudinem filii naturalis, so he doth love you as sons. [3] He loves Christ to Eternity, to give him the fruition of himself, and so he loves you also. Now as the great glory and comfort of Christ was in the love of the Father, so also should this be the great glory and the comfort also of the Saints, that though we may glory and rejoice with joy unspeakable in the love of Christ that passeth knowledge, yet specially in the love of the Father, Christ being but a gift that flows from God the Fathers love; therefore Joh. 4.10. Christ is called by way of emincency, the gift of God, and next to the giving of Christ, the love of the Father is principally seen in this, that we should be called the sons of God, Behold what manner of love the Father has shown unto us, 1 Joh. 3.1.

3. The Son knew the mind of the Father, and is acquainted with all the Fathers counsels, the glory of God the Father is made known to the Son, all the excellency of his person; No man knows the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him; and so for all actings of the Father, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do, for the Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself doth, and he will show him greater works than these, that you may marvel. This is not to be understood of Christ as God, but as he is Mediator; and so as there was an Idea and a Platform in the mind of the Father, so this is also discovered to the Son, that all the great works that God doth purpose to accomplish in the world, he is able to look into all the Fathers counsels: that as when Solomon was to build the Temple, it is said, That David gave him a pattern of all, according as he had received of the Spirit, 1 Chron. 28.12. Solomon was to build the House, but he received the Platform from his father; so it is in Christ also, the man whose name is the Branch, he it is that must build the Temple of the Lord, Zac. 6.12. but yet he must do all according unto the pattern, for he is but God the Fathers servant in that which he doth, and he must receive the Platform from the Father; therefore it's the Father that doth discover to the Son as a fruit of his love all his own works, and he doth that which he hath seen of the Father, Joh. 8.38. And the discoveries of these secrets of God unto his Son were by degrees more and more: he will show him greater works, he had shown him some great works already in healing the sick, and raising of the dead; but yet he lets them know, that these were not summum sibi ex operibus Dei mandatis, but when he did come unto glory, his own discoveries should be perfected, and then as he had his works more fully revealed unto him of the Father, so also he should show them forth unto the world; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Christ was not yet glorified: so it is with the Saints, according unto their measure the Father loves them, and therefore he shows them all that he himself doth; and as Christ is in the bosom of the Father, so are they also after a sort, for the bosom is the seat of secrets, and the secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, they are Jesuron, the seeing people, they do hear and learn of the Father, they shall be all taught of God, and as a Father he will not conceal his purposes in all his great works from his children, only he doth discover them by degrees, as he did unto his only Son: Hos. 6.3. His going forth is prepared as the morning; and therefore they must follow on to know him: and though now there be many veils drawn before the eyes of his people, for very many of the secrets of God are yet under a veil, the fullness of time for their discovery being not yet come, for he revealed his word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Heb. 1.1. and the Lord has promised, That he will destroy the face of the covering that is upon all people. [1] It is a great and a thick covering, it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which is the manner of the Hebrews, when they would express a thing highly, they do it by a duplication, Isaiah 28.16. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 though some would render the last word by the Participle, a covering spread forth upon all people, and the face of the covering, that is as much as involucrum facierum, a covering spread upon their faces. Now to have a covering upon their faces, it notes guilt and dishonor, which God saith he will take away; but I do not conceive that to be all that principally is intended, but with Calvin and Forer, rather, ignorantiam & caecitatem veluti quodam velo diffusam, ignorance and blindness diffused as by a certain veil: there is a double veil, and God will take both away, a veil upon the truth, and a veil upon the heart also, and both shall be swallowed up, that is, shall be utterly removed, and there shall come a time, that the Sea of glass that is now mingled with fire, shall be clear as crystal again, and the Temple shall be opened, so that a man may see into the Ark of the Testimony, which formerly had a veil before it, that it could not be seen, it was in the secret of the Pavilion of God; but then the most secret mysteries shall be exposed unto the common view of the Saints, but it shall be when the Kingdoms of the Earth shall be given to the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.

4. The Father is pleased in Christ his Son, he delights in him, and so he did before the world, he was the delight of God the Father from all Eternity. I was his delight daily, this is my beloved Son, Mat. 3. ult. and therefore even amongst men children are called the desire of their parents eyes, and that upon which they set their mind, their hearts do go out unto them, Ezech. 24.25. so in your measure, you that are Saints are the delight of God the Father from day today, he loves you as well with a love of complacence, as with a love of benevolence; and therefore he calls the name of the Church, Isaiah 62. Hephziba, my delight is in her, the Lord takes pleasure in his people, his delight is in them that fear him, and them that hope in his mercy. Therefore the carrying on of the work of Redemption to the full accomplishment of all the gracious intentions of the Father is called the pleasure of the Lord, Isa. 53.10. which was to prosper in the hands of Christ, it being of all the works of God that in which he doth most delight: as when a man sets his greatest love upon anything or person, in that he has the greatest delight to see it prosper, and thrive, and succeed; never did an earthly father take so much delight and full satisfaction in the prosperity of a child (and yet we know that a wise Son makes a glad father) as the Lord does, to see the souls of his people prosper, and the ways of his grace to be fully magnified towards them; because all the love of the creature is but a drop, unto the love of the Father which is in Heaven; as the Lord has more delight in Christ, than he has in all the Saints, so he has more delight in one Saint, than he has in all the creatures besides; because he bears unto them a greater love, and hath from them a far greater glory: There is joy in heaven, says Christ, over one sinner that repents, and so there is amongst the Angels; why? because theirs is a joy in the Lord himself, and it's the happiness of the Saints that they can joy in God; and we may well make God our Father our delight, when he does make us his delight; he that has the Son, and the Saints, and Angels in glory to delight in, that yet he should declare, that his delight should be with the sons of men here below, what an amazing condescension is this of our God? how does it engage us to delight in him only?

5. Jesus Christ as he was the Son, had a glorious and a sweet communion with the Father; so Christ saith, Joh. 14.10. I am in the Father, and the Father in me, and he dwells in me, it notes that constant communion that he as Mediator had with the Father, Joh. 16.32. Ye shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone, but the Father is with me; and therefore upon all occasions he did retire himself unto the Father, as his great support in the days of his pilgrimage: and so have the Saints also; our fellowship is with the Father, they have access by one Spirit unto the Father, Eph. 2.18. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he leads us by the hand, and by our sonship we have boldness with him, Pater nomen pietatis & potestatis est, Father is a name of piety and power, Tertul. Oh the infinite sweetness that is for the soul to walk before God the Father in ways of holiness, that in these ways he may enjoy fellowship and communion with himself! There is a great deal of sweetness in a communion of Saints, our Brethren, but much more in communion with Christ our Husband, but most of all in communion with God our Father, he is to be taken as well for a pattern of the one, as of the other.

6. As God is the Father of Christ, so he doth hear the prayers of Christ; and therefore Christ says, Father I thank thee, that thou hast heard me, and I know thou hearest me always, Joh. 11.41. And though his satisfaction be always referred unto his Godhead, Heb. 9.41. yet his Intercession refers unto his Sonship, Heb. 7. ult. the word of the Oath makes the Son, who is consecrated for evermore; men that know how powerful the name of a father is, and what bowels it moves, may well assure themselves that it is much more in him who is the Father of mercies, as well as our Father; and therefore if we know how to give good gifts to our children, and will give them suitable to their necessities, surely so will he much more; and such a man must acknowledge that our Father is. Saints may assure themselves, that they have not only an Advocate without them which is Christ, with the Father, and an Advocate within them unto the Father, for the same word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is used of both; but they have an Advocate in the Father also: and it's that which Christ puts them upon, not only to look upon his Intercession, as that which doth prevail only, but to the Fathers love, and the bowels that are in himself, the Father himself loves you.

7. As a Father he gives Christ an inheritance: Thou art my Son, Psal. 2.7, 8. I will give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance. He has appointed him heir of all things, Heb. 1.3. and all that are the sons of God are heirs, Rom. 8.16, 17. yea all that are sons of God are first-born, and therefore they have a double portion; All things are yours, and Rev. 21.7. He that overcomes shall inherit all things, &c. And it's such an inheritance as none else have in the creatures, for it is one thing to hold it by right of a servant by providence, and another by the right of a son: for the son abides in the house always, and 'tis an inheritance in promises of grace and of glory, which no other men in the world have; God's inheritance is in them, and theirs is chiefly in God, therefore Heaven is called the Kingdom of the Father, in this life it is the Kingdom of Christ. There is a progress and a regress of this Kingdom, it is from the Father, and returns unto the Father again.

8. Christ's great comfort in departing this life was, that he should go to the Father, If you loved me you would rejoice, because I go to the Father: this would make the thoughts of death sweet, and the thoughts of Eternity desirable; Christ at his death resigns his soul into the Fathers hand; the people of God in this world are as it were orphans, but they have a Father in Heaven, and who would not make haste to him? for your happiness and your home is in your fathers house: In my Fathers house are many mansions; and Christ is gone before to prepare a place for you, 1 Joh. 3.1, 2. Now we are the sons of God, but it appears not what we shall be, that is, adoptionis fructus nondum apparet. It's in our Fathers house that our portion is laid up; therefore long for the adoption even the redemption of your bodies, and in the mean while keep the truths that you have heard, that you may continue in the Son and in the Father, that you may have both the Father and the Son, abide in their favor and their fellowship, having once attained it; keep the commandments of the Father, and abide in his love, as Christ the Son did, Joh. 15.10. and the day will come that thou shalt shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of thy Father.

Concerning the relations of the Father under the second Covenant, we are to take this general rule, that in the same relation that he stands unto Christ, in the same, according to our place and station, he stands unto us; yet so, as Christ in all things is to have the preeminence, for that in all things must be reserved unto him, Col. 1.18. and the ground of this rule is from that, Joh. 20.17. I ascend unto my Father and your Father, my God and your God. This benefit the Saints have by their union with the Lord Jesus Christ, that they not only stand in many sweet and comfortable relations unto him, but through him in their own sphere they stand in the same relation unto God the Father together with him.

§. 2. The second relation of the Father unto Christ is, that he is Christ's King and his Lord, 1 Cor. 11.3. The head of Christ is God, the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man. It's not spoken of Christ ration naturae, in regard of his nature, for he is God equal with the Father, and he counts his equality no robbery, he takes but what is his own; but ration oeconomiae, in respect of his office, that he has undertaken by the appointment of the Father. Now how is the Father the head of Christ? as Christ is the head of the Church, and the man of the woman, that is, in respect of the guidance and government he has over us, and so Christ is the Churches head, is called the Churches King, and it is usual in the Hebrew to call Princes, heads of the people. Num. 14.4. Let us make us a head, and return into Egypt, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a prince, a ruler; Judge. 11.8. They said unto Jephtath, Be thou our head over all the inhabitants of Gilead; be thou our King: Hos. 1.11. it's spoken of the conversion of the Jews, after they were called Loammi, and therefore it's not yet come, they shall appoint unto themselves one head: Ezech. 37.24. David my servant shall be King over them, and David my servant shall be their Prince forever; it's spoken of their choosing Christ to be their King, and their glory in the day when the Lord shall raise up the Tabernacle of David that is fallen down. So here by Head is meant, that the Father is Christ's King, and he doth rule him as a King in the whole work of his Mediatorship; and he is Christ's Lord, so he himself doth call him, Psal. 16.2. It's the speech of Christ, as appears by the whole Psalm, and he saith unto Jehovah, Thou art my Lord, Adonai. Now in this relation the Father also stands to all those that are Saints, and members of Christ, he is their Lord, and their King also, Mat. 22.1. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king that made a marriage for his son: God the Father is the King, Christ the Son is the Bridegroom, the Elect of God is the Spouse, the Lambs wife, their marriage is their union with Christ, and the marriage-feast are the Ordinances, unto which the guests were by his servants invited; and of how great consequence this is, we shall see in the person of Christ himself, as God the Father is his Lord and King.

(1) He doth give unto Christ a Law, as he is his Lord and King; for God the Father is the great Law-giver, Christ doth nothing but as the Fathers subject, and in obedience unto him; so Isaiah 42.1. he is called but the Fathers servant, and he does only the Fathers business, Luk. 2.49. and he receives a Law from him, Joh. 10.18. This commandment have I received of my Father; this law is in the middle of my bowels, and it was a law commanding him to lay down his life for his people; and so do the Saints, for Christ is God the Fathers King, Psal. 2.1. [1] Because he receives his government from him, he it was that did anoint him, and set him up, he did receive his Kingdom from the Ancient of days, Dan. 7.14. [2] He hath from him the laws and rules of his government; for he says, I came not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me; therefore all the laws that he gives, they are no other than those he has received from the Father. [3] For the ends of his government, they are also prescribed him, For I seek not mine own glory, but the glory of him that sent me. Now it's a happiness for any people to have a wise and a righteous Law-giver, and this is a comfort and an honor to the Saints, that they have Christ their King, and the law that he has given them is a royal Law, Jam. 2.8. much more should the Saints rejoice in this, that he that is Christ's King and Lord, is their Lord also, and he that is Christ's Law-giver is also theirs: the subjection of the Angels should be enough unto a man that he should be brought into subjection, but much more we should be content to receive the law at his mouth, and rejoice in it, when he is unto Christ himself a Lord and a Law-giver.

(2) As he is King and Lord to Christ, he carries him through all his service; for protection doth properly belong to a Prince in the duties of subjection, which are required of him; and therefore Kings have those names given them in Scripture, they are called Latibulum, a hiding place from the wind, Isaiah 32.2. and the shields of the earth, and they are for defense, Psal. 47.9. and the Angels of God, 2 Sam. 14.15. And they are for protection also to a man in his way, Psal. 91.11, 12. so the Father doth promise Christ, Isaiah 42.4, 6. I have called thee in righteousness, I will hold thee by the hand, and I will keep thee, &c. and in this Christ comforts himself, that his Father was at his right hand, Psal. 16.5, 9. Here also is the happiness of the Saints, that the same God that protected Christ, that girt his loins, and strengthened him for his work, the same God has also undertaken their protection in all the services that he calls them unto, Joh. 10.28, 29. he saith, I will give unto my sheep eternal life, and none shall pluck them out of my hand, for the Father, who gave them me, is greater than all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand. Is there any service that can be so hazardous as that which Christ was called unto to conflict with, even the curse of the Law, the powers of darkness, and the wrath of God immediately? yet Christ did strengthen his faith in this, that he had the power of the Father engaged therein, as he was his Lord; we have assurance of the same protection in all our services that Christ had in his, therefore let not your hearts be troubled.

(3) God the Father doth destroy Christ's enemies, and as his King doth fight his battles, and doth engage himself mightily therein, Psal. 110.1. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thine enemies my footstool. God the Father is engaged in all the victories of Christ, that he shall conquer, and there is none shall be able to stand before him: and as he doth destroy Christ's enemies in the worst season for them, that so it may be with an utter destruction, so shall he do yours also; for the Lord doth but wait for an evil time, that they may be ensnared, as Zeph. 2.4. They shall drive out Ashdod at noon day. In those hot countries they did keep their houses in the heat of the day, it was the worst season to travel, I but then shall they be cast out. Christ has assured you of a victory, Rev. 19.14. the Armies in Heaven followed him upon white horses, as an emblem of joy and victory, and therefore they are said to be clothed in white Robes with palms in their hands, Rev. 7.9. and they are said to have gotten the victory over the beast, his image, the mark and the number of his name, Rev. 15. There are many great promises unto them that do overcome, To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the hidden Manna, and he that overcomes shall inherit all things, I will be his God. And the Apostle insults upon this, and says, Rom. 8. We are more than conquerors through him that loved us. And here is the ground of a Christians comfort, that the power of his Father is as truly engaged for his conquest as it was for Christ's, and we may as well expect victory, as Christ himself did, Rom. 16.20. The God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly.

(4) Christ is to give an account unto the Father as he is his Lord, and we find that he doth so; as the creatures give an account of their services unto Christ, so he does give an account of all his services unto the Father. Zac. 3.11. The Angels had been sent in messages throughout the Earth, and they return unto Christ an account of their service, they answered the Angel of the Lord that stood amongst the Mirtle-trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, &c. but Christ gives his account to the Father, Ezech. 9. ult. the man clothed with linen reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me; and at the last day he shall give up the Kingdom to the Father, with an account of all the service that he has been engaged in, 1 Cor. 15.24. All the accounts of the creatures are passed with Christ, We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, 2 Cor. 5.10. but having received them, Christ does as the Fathers servant present them all unto him, as a part of the service that he himself has undertaken: so that here is the happiness of the Saints, your accounts shall pass before the same Father that Christ's accounts do; and he that doth now present your persons and your services unto the Father, he will then also unto the same God and Father present your accounts, and give you your discharge and your sentence, Come you blessed of my Father.

(5) As the Father is the King, so from him does Christ receive his reward, Psal. 16. ult. Thou shalt show me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore: and the comfort and happiness of the Saints lies in this, that they shall have glory from the same hand that Christ had his glory, Come you blessed of my Father; it's your Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdom. There is a double Throne that we read of, Rev. 3.21. He that overcomes shall sit with me upon my Throne, as I overcame, and am sat down with my Father upon his Throne. The Throne that Christ now sits upon is the Throne of the Father; for so Heaven is called; and so all the Saints, when they come to glory, do sit upon the Throne of the Father, that Throne that he has prepared for them from the foundation of the world: but Christ has also his own Throne which shall be at the day of Judgment, when he shall sit upon his Throne, and all Nations shall be gathered together before him, and the Saints shall sit upon that Throne also; for so he saith, They shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel at the day of Judgment; therefore they shall sit with Christ upon his Throne; and in Heaven they shall sit with him also upon the Fathers Throne. And the ground of all is this, because when God the Father did make Christ his King, he did not put the power out of his own hand, and he did not divest himself, but the Kingdom of the Father is carried on in the Kingdom of Christ through the whole administration thereof; and therefore in the work of grace, 2 Cor. 5.19. God is in Christ reconciling the world, it's the Father that doth put all things under Christ, 1 Cor. 15.27. And the Saints have not only Christ's name written upon them, Rev. 3.12. but Rev. 14.1. they have the Fathers name also written in their foreheads. It was an ordinary manner in those parts, that servants should receive the name of the master for a mark of the person for whom they lived, and Soldiers the name of their General or chief Commander, &c. and this mark was sometimes in the right hand, and sometimes in the forehead; so that they are professed servants not only of Christ, but of God the Father also, whose servant Christ is in all that he doth; and therefore Rev. 11.16, 17. The kingdoms of the earth are said to become the kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ, not only Christ's Kingdom, but the Fathers Kingdom also; though it's true, that the actual and immediate administration of it, is in the hand of the Son, Joh. 5.23. The Father judges no man, yet in the Son the Father reigns. There is a time for the regress of Christ's Kingdom into the hand of the Father, that he may immediately administer it again, as he did from the beginning, and that I conceive is meant by the subjection of the Son, 1 Cor. 15.28. Then shall the Son also be subject unto him, that put all things under him, &c. He is subject during all the time of his Kingdom; for he does rule but as the Fathers servant, and he says, As the Father gave me commandment, even so do I; but there is a greater subjection that yet Christ must show unto the Father. [1] He is now the Fathers servant, and yet so as he rules the world; and therefore as you have heard he is called God the Fathers King: but after the day of Judgment having put down all rule and all authority and power that was substituted by him, he shall give up his government into the hand of the Father, and he shall rule the creatures as Lord of all things, as Mediator no more; but having brought them under his government unto the Father, he, together with that great Church and general assembly of the first-born, shall come under the immediate government of the Father forever. [2] He is now the Fathers servant, and subject to him, but it is in a secret and unobserved way, the government is in his hand, though the Father rules in him; but then he shall lay down all at the Fathers feet before men and Angels, and become subject to the glory of the Father.

§. 3. God the Father stands unto Christ in the relation of a Friend, or a Companion; and so he calls him, Zac. 13.7. the word there doth properly signify two things, (1) Socium, a man's companion, one that he doth enjoy intimate communion and fellowship with. (2) Amicum sive proximum, a friend, Christ is one that is near to God the Father, one with whom he doth enjoy the most intimate society, and so much the expression of his being in the bosom of the Father doth intimate, Joh. 1.18. for there are three things which it notes, (1) arctissimam conjunctionem, the nearest conjunction, (2) ardentissimam dilectionem, the most ardent love, (3) secretissimorum communicationem, the communication of the deepest secrets: it is used of wives, Deut. 13.6. and of friends, Luke 16.23. Now there are four great acts of friendship, as the Philosopher has observed: (1) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , benevolence, a true well-wishing, desiring his good, as the good of his own soul; as we read, thy friend which is as thy own soul. Thus as the Son seeks the glory of the Father, so does the Father seek the glory of the Son, as truly as his own glory; so Joh. 14.13. That the Father may be glorified in the Son; and therefore he saith, He that honors not the Son, honors not the Father, Joh. 5.23. so he doth seek the salvation and good of the Saints, even as his own glory; for as he will be glorified in the Son, so he will also be glorified in the Saints; and therefore though the Lord Jesus Christ be in glory already, yet he is not satisfied with his own glory, but takes care that his friends may be partakers of it, and therefore he will leave Heaven once more, that he may come again to fetch you; for his glory is not perfect without you: and this he doth as he is the Fathers servant also, because the glory of the Father as manifested is not perfected till all the Saints be brought home to him, and are glorified with him.

(2) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , concord, friends have one mind, idem velle & idem nolle est firma amicitia, to will and nill the same thing is firm friendship: Again, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he that doth choose the same things: so it is with Christ, Joh. 10.30. I and my Father are one, that is, we have the same will, and we act in the same time, we carry on the same design; and so it is with the Saints also; and therefore he doth by an almighty power, whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself, subdue their will unto his will, that they choose the things that please him, and they say always, Not my will, but thy will be done; and therefore Salvian makes this the happiness of the Saints, quia ex voto agunt humiles sunt, hoc volunt, paupers sunt, pauperie delectantur, sine ambitione sunt, ambitum respuunt, &c. because they live by prayer, they are humble, &c.

(3) In friendship there is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , beneficence, a readiness and a willingness to do all good unto the party beloved: so is God the Father a friend to Christ, he gives him glory, he sets him at his own right hand, and gives him dominion over the works of his hands, and has put all things under his feet, Psal. 8. And so he is a friend unto the Saints also; for he has made them heirs of all things, and has given them all things necessary unto life and godliness; the most precious things he bestows upon them, himself, and his Son, and his Spirit, his Grace, the ministry of Angels; and he has subjected all the actings of his Providence unto their prayers, and they all work together for their good; he doth employ them in the highest and most honorable services, and he doth bestow upon them the greatest rewards.

(4) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , All friendship is in communion, Arist. Eth. 1. so the Father is a friend to Christ, Joh. 5.20. The Father loves the Son, and shows him all things that he himself doth. Abraham is called the friend of God, and therefore there is such a fellowship that the Lord has with him, that he cannot hide from Abraham the thing that he means to do; and so there is a communion that he has with the Saints, a constant communion, they come and sup with him, and make their abode with him, Joh. 14.23. They dwell in God, that is, in the sense and the apprehension of his love from day today, 1 Joh. 4.16. they are in the Father and in his Son Christ: friends do impart secrets, and divide grief, and multiply joys; and because we cannot ascend up unto God, therefore he will come down to us: We will come to him, and dwell in him, &c. There is a great deal of sweetness in society, where a man loves, We took sweet counsel together, and walked to the house of God in companies; but there is none like unto that that is between Heaven and Earth: I saw heaven opened, and the Angels ascending and descending upon the sons of men, Joh. 1. ult.

§. 4. As Christ is the true Vine, so the Father is the Husbandman: Christ is not here spoken of as a head in heaven, for so he has no dead members; but it's spoken of him as spreading himself into a visible Church, which is sometimes compared unto a Vine, Jer. 2.21. and sometimes to an Olive-tree, Rom. 11. and of this Vine the Father is the Husbandman or the Vine-dresser: for there are branches in this Vine that do bear no fruit, parents pampinarii. Now there is a double act of the Father in this relation. (1) The unfruitful branches he takes away, that is, all hypocrites and unsound-hearted in the Church visible he takes away, partly because they dishonor the root, and partly because the husbandman has no fruit by them, For who is he that plants a vineyard, and doth not drink thereof, he lets it out unto vine-dressers, &c. and it was to yield for the fruit of it a thousand pieces of silver; there is nothing more hateful than an empty Vine; Hos. 10.1. and these branches he takes away, and they are cast out. [1] They are cast out of the hearts of God's people, and out of their prayers, and in the end they are cast out of their society. [2] They wither: their gifts wither, and their former seeming graces from which they had their greenness decay, their lamps go out. [3] Men gather them, Heretics gather them, or profane men gather them, for they shall be gathered together in bundles, those of their own kind, and all those spiritual judgments that complete a man for separation from God, befall such a man, and this punishment is from God the Father, who is the Husbandman. (2) All the branches that are fruitful he doth purge them, that they may bring forth more fruit. There are two parts of Sanctification, and there is a growth of a Christian seen in them both; there is a growth in grace, the new image is more visibly seen; and there is a growth in mortification, or the decay of the old image: the new man is renewed day by day, and the old man decays day by day, &c. In visible Churches the purging of the members is the Fathers act, the remainders of sin are the great misery of a Saint. Now to whom should a man look to be cleansed? It's true, that it's the sprinkling of the blood of Christ upon the conscience by which it is done; but it is properly the act of God the Father applying this blood; for every degree of grace in the one or the other, it's an act of the grace of the Father. But more particularly, here are three things to be spoken to for the opening of this relation, that we may receive the fruit, and taste the sweetness thereof. (1) How and in what respect is Christ compared to a Vine? (2) Why is he said to be a true Vine? (3) How is the Father said to be the Husbandman? and what doth he unto this Vine as he is the Husbandman?

1. How and in what respect is Christ compared to a Vine? and here we are to consider, that the visible Church is in Scripture compared in Scripture to four trees, because there is no one that is able to resemble it. (1) It's compared to an Olive-tree, Jer. 11.16. Rom. 11.17. and that for its profitableness; for the Olive-tree is for light, which makes the lamp to burn, and there is all light in the Church; and it's for nourishment to be eaten, and so there is all food in the Church; and it's for ornament, for oil makes the face to shine, Psal. 104.15. the trees of the Lord are full of sap, &c. (2) It's compared to a Palm-tree, Psal. 92.12. The righteous shall flourish like a pa • m-tree, which lives always; so there is a flourishing and a greenness and glory that is upon the Church of God, and that in the greatest winter of affliction, when other trees do cast their leaves. Again, a Palm the more weight it has hung upon it, the more it grows, and the deeper it takes root, as the Walnut-tree, the more it's beaten, the more it bears. (3) It's compared to a Cedar, Psal. 92.12. and Ezech. 17.23. He shall grow as a cedar in Lebanon. [1] For its deep rooting, for it's the strongest of all the trees: as the wood of it is of all other least subject unto putrefaction; so in respect of the deep rooting of it it's of all other trees least subject unto subversion; so the Israel of God is said to be, He shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon, &c. [2] For its growth and height; it's therefore called the Cedars of God, Psal. 80.10. [3] For it's spreading nature, the boughs spread to the Sea, and the branches to the River, therefore the birds make their nests and sing in the branches of it, Psal. 104.17. [4] But the Church is specially in the Scripture compared unto a Vine, [1] for its excellency; for in the Parable of Jotham this is recorded amongst the most excellent, the Vine, the Fig-tree, and the Olive, Judge. 9. [2] For its spreading nature; for it will not only compass the house, but it will fill the land, Psal. 80.9. [3] For its fruitfulness, it is the fruitful Vine; and the excellency of its fruit is such, that it is said by it to cheer God and man, Judge. 9.13. it's said to cheer God and man, where by Elohim I should understand great men, the great ones, as well as the mean ones, are cheered and revived by it: Some do expound it of God, and how the Lord was pleased with it, and it was offered unto him in Libamina, for a drink-offering. [4] Of all trees there is none requires so much husbandry, and such a continual laboring about it; it is a tree that hath more enemies than any other, whether they are suckers from within, which call for continual pruning, or beasts from without, which will surely waste the Vine, and root it up; or else the Foxes, Cant. 2.15. for they all will spoil the Vines, and prey upon the grapes: and it 〈◊〉 in this respect that the Church is called and compared to a Vine. And it's of this Vine that Christ is the root; for it's not spoken of Christ as he is a Head in Heaven, so he has no dead members, there are membra praesumptiva quae ad columbam non pertinent, but it's spoken of Christ spreading himself into a visible Church here upon earth, and his being the root notes two things: (1) Their union with him, as the branches have with the root; and therefore they are said to be in him, even those that bear no fruit: some are in him only by profession, and some by a real coalition. (2) They may suck sap from him, for the foolish Virgins have the oil in their lamps from him, as well as the wise that have oil in their vessels; the one have the oil of gifts, from whence their greenness comes, though they afterward wither, and the other have the oil of their graces; the one has it from the Spirit of Christ assisting, and the other from the same Spirit inhabiting or informing; for there are two sorts of branches in this Vine, as the Text makes manifest.

2. Why is he called the true Vine? He may be fitly resembled to a Vine, as he is called the true light, Joh. 1.9. and the true bread, Joh. 6.32. because he has the excellency of the Vine in a spiritual sense, he is a spiritual Root that has spiritual branches, and they bear spiritual fruit; for omnia corporalia sunt imagines quaedam rerum spiritualium, all corporals are images of things spiritual: and as Christ did condescend unto the lowest condition for our salvation, he became a worm and no man, Psal. 22. so he doth compare himself unto the lowest of creatures for our instruction; but yet so as the creatures are but shadows and weak resemblances in respect of those spiritual excellencies that are in him; so he is the true bread, and so his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, that is, it is spiritual nourishment, and is to the soul that which all earthly food is to the body; for as the creatures are but shadows of God, so Christ and spiritual things have the truth of all excellency, of which the creatures are but resemblances.

3. How is the Father said to be the Husbandman? There are six main acts of the Husbandman, and all of them are in the Scripture attributed to God the Father. (1) The husbandman doth plant the Vine: it's true here both in the root and branches, both are the plantation of God the Father. [1] It is true of Christ the Root, who though in some respect he be called a Branch, as he did grow out of the dead and withered stock of the house of David, as a branch out of a dry tree, and yet so the Father brings him forth, Zac. 3.8. Behold I will bring forth my servant the branch; yet as all the other branches do grow upon him, being one with him, so he is in a more special manner termed a Root, the root of David, as he is called, Rev. 5.5. and it is the Father that did cause this branch to grow, Jer. 33.16. and it's the Father that planted this Root; for he bids you look unto him, Zac. 6.12. The man whose name is The Branch, he shall build the Temple of the Lord, and he is made unto us of God wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. It's by the Fathers appointment that he is become the Churches Root; he had never had a Church built upon him, had not the Lord laid him in Zion as the chief corner-stone, 1 Pet. 2.6. and a Church had never grown out of him, as the root, had it not been of God the Fathers planting; for he has given us the rule, Mat. 15.13. Every plant that grows alone in the Church, and is not planted by the Father, shall surely by the Father be rooted up. [2] He it is also that doth plant, or ingraft all the branches into this root, Isaiah. 60.21. Thy people shall be all righteous branches of my planting, that I may be glorified; and therefore Rom. 6.5. we are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , planted together into the likeness of his death and his resurrection, created in Christ unto good works, for we are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , things made by him, Eph. 2.10. Now if we do consider Christ not only as a Head in Heaven in reference unto the Church mystical and invisible, but as he is a root on earth, spreading himself into a Church visible, and the great benefits that we have thereby, as the incomes of Ordinances, the labors of Officers, and the fellowship of Members, we owe these all unto God the Father, he is the Husbandman that planted them all.

(2) The Father as Husbandman fenceth the Vine: he that plants the Vine, he it is also that makes the fence; for the invisible Church of God has spiritual enemies, in heavenly things; but the visible Church, that has variety of outward enemies; as the lily amongst thorns: sometimes the Foxes by their subtlety seek to spoil the vines, and sometimes the wild Boar out of the wood doth endeavor to root it up, and yet it is preserved, the bush is in the fire, and yet it's not consumed, it is because there is a hedge about it, Joh. 10.29. says Christ, My Father that gave them me is greater than all, and no man can pluck them out of my Fathers hand: Job 1.10. Thou hast made a hedge about him, and all that he has round about; and this hedge of protection is sometimes made by God's own immediate hand, Zac. 2.5. God himself is a wall of fire about Jerusalem, he doth himself become their hedge and their defense; upon all the glory he doth stretch forth a covering: and sometimes he doth make others to be a hedge, sometimes his own Angels, and they pitch their Tents round about them that fear the Lord; they were round about the Throne; and sometimes he does make Rulers, which are the shields of the Earth, to become the shields of the Church, but their protection and defense is the work of the husbandman. Now when the Lord doth pluck up the hedge, and break down the wall of the visible Church, we then see what terrible inroads all the enemies do make, and how they come in and spoil her; The Boar of the wood doth waste it, and the beasts of the field devour it, Psal. 80.13. so that it's God the Father only that makes the hedge, and he it is that doth remove the fence, and he it is that has the hand in making it up again.

(3) He as the Husbandman doth hire laborers into his Vineyard; for it is the work of God the Father, Mat. 20.1. as he is the Lord of the harvest, so he doth thrust forth laborers into his harvest; as he is the husbandman, so he doth hire laborers into his vineyard, which is the visible Church, and the laborers are the officers and the workmen that do labor therein, and they are said to be hired, (1) ration pacti, because there doth as it were a bargain and an agreement pass between God and them; for answerable unto a man's end, such is the implicit agreement that he makes with God; and answerable unto that, so God will give a man a reward: if a man do it for profit, he shall have it; but then he is said not to serve Christ, but his own belly; and if he do it for praise of men, Christ saith, They have their reward, &c. (2) Ration praemii, in regard of reward, because there is no man that shall labor in Christ's Vineyard, but he shall have his reward, answerable unto the penny that he himself did agree for; for no man doth labor there in vain, there is a certain wages promised him, &c. And this belongs unto God the Father, there is not a man whose gifts you enjoy, and whose labors you have, and do prize, but he is hired by the Father, and he it is that gives him his hire. Now we know that laborers in the vineyard have been very precious to the Saints, and are the glory of the Churches, a Crown of twelve Stars, Rev. 12.1. they are all of them hired by him that is the Husbandman, and the Lord of the Vineyard, &c.

(4) It's the husbandman that waters the vineyard, and the vine that he himself has planted, as it's said Isaiah 27.3. I will water it every moment: and there is a double watering, sometimes he does it by the dew, Hos. 14.5. I will be as the dew to Israel, and he shall grow as the lily, &c. that is, in a secret, silent, and insensible way, as the Manna fell in the dew, without any observation; there is a secret River that doth refresh the City of God, Psal. 46.5. and the Church is secretly refreshed and supported no man knows how; and it's also watered by the rain, the former and the latter rain, in a more glorious way; the Lord comes in, and doth revive the Church, and all men shall see that it is his work, and that it is from Heaven only, and both put together, as the dew and as showers upon the grass, Mic. 5.6. which tarrieth not for man, it waits not for the sons of men, the Lord doth wait for no human concurrence or the joining in of any of the creatures, but he doth water his own vine himself, that it doth flourish and grow, and these waters are all the gifts and graces of the Spirit, which the Father doth send; for the giving of the Spirit is called the promise of the Spirit, Acts 1.4. for the succus vitalis, the vital juice of this Vine is the Spirit.

(5) He pruneth it as he is the Husbandman, the unfruitful branches he takes away: Joh. 15.2. Every branch in me that bears not fruit he takes away; but yet there is the skill of the husbandman in it, who will have in his Church no unfruitful branches: though for a while they may continue, yet he will gather out of his Kingdom whatever doth offend, and whoever works iniquity: and he prunes it in the fittest time, in its season, when it may be best for the vine. It may be some do wonder that the Lord lets wicked men alone to continue in the Church so long, why they are not immediately cast out; truly if the Father be the Husbandman, let us leave it to his pruning, for it's his work, and he will do it, in his time and season, we must not undertake to direct him which season is best, he keeps it in his own power, and he doth it at the fittest time; so that after this pruning the other branches may grow better, and the Father hath undertaken it; and though there may be some hypocrites that may a long time escape the eyes of men, and the censure of the Church, yet they shall not escape the Fathers eye, who is the Husbandman. There is a spiritual Excommunication that goes forth against them from him, and he will surely cast them out as dead branches, and he hath provided a fire for them, and they are burnt; and there is no man that burns so fiercely in Hell as such dry wood prepared for the fire; for all the vessels of wrath are fitted to destruction, as well as the vessels of mercy are prepared for glory.

(6) The fruitful branches he doth purge, as the husbandman, that they may bring forth more fruit: and in this are the two parts of Sanctification. [1] The destroying of the old man; for the Lord Jesus Christ hath as well bought off in our Redemption the power of sin, as the guilt of sin, Tit. 2.14. he hath redeemed you from all iniquity, that he may have the more communion with you, and that he may fit you the more for use, 2 Tim: 2.21. If a man purge himself, &c. and also that your services may be the more pleasing unto him, Mal. 3.3. 1. He doth it by Ordinances, Eph. 5.2, 6. He doth cleanse them by the washing of water through the word, and they are clean through the word that he doth speak unto them. 2. Sometimes by the inward motions of the Spirit, discovering the filthiness of sin, and stirring up a man's heart to hate it, and himself for it, that a man shall make it his business to mortify sin; and as Christ suffered in the flesh, and ceased from sin, so he doth arm himself with the same mind, his resolution is the armor that strengthens and establishes his heart therein. 3. Many times the Lord doth it by shedding abroad his love in the soul, so that the sense thereof makes a man to purify himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, as the exhortation also is, 2 Cor. 7.1. Having this hope [such exceeding great and precious promises] let us perfect holiness in the fear of God. [2] The reviving of the new man; it's the Fathers end that they may bring forth more fruit, for they are ordained to bear fruit, a vine is of no worth, if it be not fruitful; therefore Col. 2.19. they are said to increase with the increase of God 1. Some say the increase of God is a great and glorious increase, as the mountains of God, and the Cedars of God, and the wrestling of God. 2. Some say it is the increase of God, quae est à Deo tanquam à primario efficiente, which is from God as the prime efficient: Paul may plant, and Apollo water, but God gives the increase: therefore we should honor the Father in the work of Sanctification as well as we honor the Father in his Election. 3. Some say the increase of God is ad Deum tanquam finem ultimum, is to God as the last en • : And when doth a man bear more fruit? [1] When he doth the duties that he did formerly neglect, and is more abundant in them, 1 Cor. 15. ult. [2] When he doth exercise more grace in them, and there is more of the inward man in them, Rev. 3.2. though he doth the same duties, yet it is more fruit to God than formerly, when he doth it with more pleasure, and the commandments are none of them grievous to him, it is his meat and drink to do it, his comforts do come in by his duties, as well as by the promised rewards, and he is also more constant in the performance of them, and doth not perform duty only by fits: inconstancy in any man is an argument of weakness, 'tis a reproach to have it said, a man's righteousness is but as the morning dew, and as the early cloud that passeth away.

§. 5. We come now unto the last particular of the personal and appropriated relation of God the Father as he stands unto Christ, and in him unto us: as he is his Father and our Father, our God and his God, his friend, so he is the fountain of the life of Christ, and in him the fountain of spiritual life to us also, and that is set down, 1 Joh. 5.11. God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: we see of what person it's spoken, it is the Father that hath given us this life, and laid it up in his Son, as in a common Treasury, that from him it might be conveyed unto us. So Joh. 6.57. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father; so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. Here in the opening of it I must show, (1) Whether this be spoken of Christ as he is God, or as he is Mediator? (2) How Christ as Mediator is said to live by the Father? (3) What the life is that we have from Christ? (4) That all this life that we have from Christ and is in him, is from the Father, he that is the fountain of the life of Christ, is also the fountain of our life.

1. Whether it be spoken here of Christ as he is God, or as he is Mediator, God manifested in the flesh? That it's not spoken of Christ as he is God, there are three things do clearly make it manifest. (1) It's spoken of Christ with respect unto his Office; for he speaks of himself as sent by the Father, and sending is a term of office. Now as he is sent by the Father, so he lives by the Father: but he is sent as Mediator, and it wholly relates unto his Office in which he is by the Father employed; and therefore it is as Mediator that he lives by the Father. (2) It's spoken of Christ as he is fed upon by the faithful, I live by the Father, so he that eats me shall live by me, which refers to him as he is made man; for so he saith verse. 34. He that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, hath eternal life, &c. Now the Father is the fountain of life unto Christ in the same respect that Christ is the fountain of life unto us; but it is as Mediator that he is so to us, as he hath flesh and blood, for so he becomes unto us a natural head; and therefore suited to be an object of our faith, fit both to be our surety here, and our Advocate in Heaven; our surety here, as having our nature, and therefore being able to pay our debt; and our Advocate hereafter, as having our nature still upon him, and therefore knows how to have mercy and compassion, the same nature in him will incline him thereunto. (3) I conceive, that it were dangerous to say, that as he is God, so he lives by the Father, though I often find that Divines writing of the eternal generation of the Son, do speak of the Fathers begetting of the Son by the communication of the same Essence, that he is God of God, &c. But surely he that is God, must be without cause, he must have his Being from himself, he must be the first and the last; he that hath his essence from another must have his sufficiency from another, and he that is from another must be unto another; for he that is the first cause, he must also be the last end, Rom. 11.36. For of him, and to him, and through him are all things, &c. and therefore he that is not God of himself, is not God at all. I dare not therefore say, that he hath the Divine Essence communicated by eternal generation, but rather he is à seipso Deus, à Patre filius, essentia ejus principio caret, personae vero principium est ipse Deus: it's spoken of Christ, therefore not as he lives in himself, as he is God, but as he is Mediator made by the Father the fountain of life unto us.

2. What is the life, which as Mediator Christ receives from the living Father? There are two words in Scripture unto which commonly all things excellent or desirable are compared, and those are Light and Life; and so all misery is set forth under the two contraries, and they are Darkness and Death, as Psal. 97.11. Light is sown for the righteous: in thy light we shall see light, &c. And so life also, Psal. 30.5. In his favor is life: Psal. 36.9. With thee is the fountain of life: thy loving-kindness is better than life; life is that which doth comprehend in it all good things, as the lesser is comprehended of the greater; for the life is more worth than meat, and the body than raiment; and so it implies that Jesus the Mediator doth receive all things that are good, excellent, and desirable from God the Father, he doth live by the Father, &c. he is unto him the fountain of all good things: But this is but general. I find life in Scripture used four ways, as standing in opposition unto a fourfold death in us. (1) There is a death in reference to the guilt of sin, a man being under the sentence of the Law dead; and in opposition thereunto there is a life of Righteousness in Justification: therefore it's said Rom. 5.17, 18. For if by one man's offense death reigned by one, much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gifts of righteousness shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ: therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all to condemnation, so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification to life. (2) There is a death in reference to the dominion of sin; and thus we are said to be dead in trespasses and sins: and so there is a life of Holiness and Regeneration, when the Lord saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and stand up from the dead, Eph. 5.14. Joh. 5.25. When the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live: and so he doth quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. 2.5. they are made alive unto God. (3) There is a death in sorrow, and under misery, as the Jews were in their Captivity, they were dry bones dead, and their restoring of peace and comfort was a resurrection from the dead, Ezech. 37.12. and so Heman is free amongst the dead, as they that are wounded and lie in the grave, &c. and in opposition thereunto there is a life of consolation, 1 Thess. 3.8. Now we live if you stand fast in the Lord, that is, this will be one of the greatest comforts of our lives, our happiness, our glory, and crown of rejoicing, &c. Rom. 7.9. I was alive without the law once, alive in performances, and alive in presumption, alive in comforts, alive in confidences, and that is the meaning of Hab. 2.4. The just shall live by his faith, and in the same sense it is used Heb. 10.38. He that shall come will come, and will not tarry, now the just shall live by his faith. There is a double sense of these words: [1] In matter of Justification, Gal. 3.11. No man is justified by the law, it is evident, for the just shall live by faith. [2] In matter of consolation in any affliction, and so faith doth not only make a man live, keep body and soul together; but it makes a man live a comfortable and a cheerful life also, non est vivere, sed valere vita, &c. (4) There is a death eternal, which is an everlasting separation from the vision and fruition of God, who is the fountain of life, and so we read of the second death; and so there is a life of glory, Joh: 3.36. He that believes not in the Son of God, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him; and Heaven is commonly in the Scripture called everlasting life, &c. Now in all these respects the Son lives by the living Father, and they that are one with him do live by him.

1. Christ as Mediator receives from the living Father a life of justification: he was made under the Law, and under the curse, 2 Cor. 5.21. it pleased the Father to make all our sins meet upon him, he did bear the sins of many, he did appear the first time of his coming into the world loaden with transgression, but he shall appear the second time without sin, Heb. 9.28. and this was by the Fathers imputation, and his voluntary susception; but when he arose from the dead, he is acquitted by God the Father, and therefore is said to be justified in the Spirit, i. e. by his own Godhead, and 1 Pet. 3.18. he is said to be quickened by the Spirit, that is, he raised up himself by the power of his own Godhead; so being raised he is justified, that is, he is acquitted from the guilt of all the sins that he did before lie under; and so he is taken from prison, he did not break prison, but he was released, and had a fair discharge, and the judgment that was past upon him he was absolved from. Now as the sentence of his condemnation came forth from the Father, so must also his justification, and as he says, Joh. 16.10. Ye see me no more, to note that his death should fully satisfy, and his sacrifice be perfectly offered: as for other Priests, they came often to present their Sacrifices which were imperfect, and the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin off the sinner.

2. He received from the living Father a life of holiness and sanctification: Col. 1.19. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell. What fullness is here meant? an habitual fullness of grace, Joh. 1.16. Of his fullness we have all received grace for grace: as he was anointed by the Father, he received not the Spirit by measure; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. It's true, that grace in the human nature of Christ, which is the subject of habitual grace, is not infinite, for that only belongs to the Holiness of God; but yet there is all fullness in it, because it's laid up in him, that he might dispence it; and there is a sufficiency, and there are supplies of the Spirit for all the Saints; and therefore he is called, Dan. 9.24. The most holy, or holiness of holinesses; the human nature is capable of more grace, and therefore of greater glory, by reason of its personal union, than all the creatures in Heaven and Earth, either men or Angels; for he is the Son of Righteousness.

3. He received from the living Father a life of consolation. It's true, if we look to his condition amongst the creatures, so he was a man of sorrows; but if we respect his communion with the Father, and the fullness of the consolation of the Spirit (for where the Spirit is truly a Spirit of Sanctification, there also he is in perfection a Spirit of Consolation) so he is said, Psal. 45.7. To be anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows: his blessed Soul had experience as of greater and higher privileges, so of far greater comforts than of the creature, men or Angels; and though it's true, that when he bore the sins of men, and the wrath of God, there was substractio visions, and therefore he is said 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , which is as much as extra confortium vivere, to live without society: he was to be sequestered as in a wilderness, and set apart unto grief, and to nothing else, yet it was but for a short time; for as the Sun did recover its light again, so did his Spirit also, and his Soul was filled with unspeakable joys, as he before under-went unutterable sorrows; therefore he says, Joh. 15.10. I kept my Fathers commandment, and abide in his love; my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth, &c.

4. He received from the living Father a life of glory: Thou wilt show me the path of life, in thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore: and therefore, Rev. 3.21. He that overcomes I will grant to sit with me upon my Throne, even as I overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his Throne, &c. Jesus Christ has a Throne on which he now sits ruling the Nations, having received a Kingdom from the Ancient of days, and he has a Throne in the Church; a Throne is set in Heaven, Rev. 4.2. and there is a more glorious Throne to be erected at the last and great day, when he shall sit upon the Throne of his Glory, &c. but all this while Heaven is the Fathers Throne; and when the works of God are perfected here below, the Kingdom shall be given up into the hands of the Father again: and thus Christ as Mediator, as sent by the living Father, so he received from him a fourfold life, and therefore may be fitly said to live by the Father.

But it may be objected from Joh. 5.26. As the Father hath life in himself, so he has given to the Son to have life in himself. How is it said that Christ hath life in himself, when he receives his life from the Father? I answer, Christ's meaning is this, he did publish himself to be the fountain of life, and he doth commonly tell you, that there is a double fountain of life, (1) there is the living Father; but so life could not have been derived unto us being dead; for there is no way to receive anything from God, but by the hand of a Mediator, therefore the Father hath appointed another fountain of life, and that is his Son, and in him he hath laid up life, as in a common Treasury; though as Mediator the fountain of his life be in God, yet in reference unto us; the Father hath given him to have life in himself: it's not spoken of him as he is man, but as he doth raise the dead by an Almighty power, and they shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live, as he is an everlasting Father, and begets souls unto the Lord, and as it is given unto him: and therefore it must belong to him as Mediator, and not as God, and it is said, He has given this power to him, because he is the Son of man: therefore the meaning is, that God the Father being the fountain of life, man being fallen, and separated from God, and dead in trespasses and sins; now if the Lord will convey life unto us, it must be by another hand; and therefore he hath made the Son the fountain of life, and the fullness thereof to dwell in him: and so the Son has life in himself, as the Father has life in himself; the Father conveys it to the Son, and the Son receives it of purpose to derive it unto us.

3. Having seen what the life is that the Son receives from the living Father, and how he lives by the Father, let us in the next place consider, how we that are members live by the Son also: and it will appear, that answerably to the life that Christ received from the Father, so is he the fountain of life unto the Saints. (1) A life of Justification; for he is become Jehovah our Righteousness, we are made the righteousness of God in him: so that there is no condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus; for the debt is paid, and the bond is cancelled; for the Lord hath brought in an everlasting Righteousness, and such as sin can never spend. Thus we live by him a life of Justification, he is made unto us of God wisdom and righteousness. (2) We have from him a life of Holiness and Regeneration; we are dead in our trespasses and in the uncircumcision of our life, till by him we are quickened; and therefore, 1 Cor. 15.44. it's said, The first man Adam was made a living soul, that was his state in his creation, and God did breathe into him the breath of life, and he became a living soul, that is, such a nature as he had, such he could propagate unto his posterity, and so from the first Adam we are made living souls; but if they were dead, Adam could not revive and quicken them again; and therefore that belongs to the second Adam, he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in spiritum vivificum, for a vivifick spirit, we have the unction from the holy One, 1 Joh. 2.20. and therefore the Spirit that we receive and that dwells in us, is the Spirit of the Son, he is the head from whence our influences come, and he is the root from which all our sap is derived, it is of his fullness only that we receive grace for grace. (3) We receive from Christ a life of consolation: for he it is that sends the Comforter, the message is, Isaiah 61.2. he is sent to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captive, and to publish the acceptable year of the Lord, the year of Jubilee, the time of rejoicing; his work is to revive the spirits of the contrite ones; he gives them strong consolation and good hope through grace, and that's the meaning of that place, Hab. 3.2. Revive thy work in the middle of the years. The Church was then in captivity, and in great affliction, and they were as dead men under the hand of God, it is such a reviving that they beg: and all the incomes that the Saints have from the Spirit of consolation, it is a life that is derived unto them from the Lord Jesus Christ; from whom the Spirit of Sanctification comes, from him comes also the Spirit of Consolation. (4) We receive from Christ a life of Glory; he is gone to Heaven as our Fore-runner, and having prepared a place for us, he will come again and fetch us; we can never be received up to glory, if Christ had not been first received; and then he receives us also into the same glory, we enter into our masters joy: it is his by a personal purchase and propriety, it is ours by our mystical union and fellowship with him only; and therefore it is said; That he doth raise us up at the last day. And Phil. 3.21. He shall change our vile body, that it may be like to his glorious body; and when he shall appear, we shall be like him, 1 Joh. 3.3. so that our life is hid with Christ in God, but when Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory, Col. 3.3.

4. God the Father is the fountain of life unto the Saints: and that two ways, (1) as he is the fountain of life unto Christ, and as he lives by the Father. (2) As by the Fathers appointment and decree he is made the fountain of life unto us. (1) As the Father is the fountain of life unto Christ; for, Joh. 14.19. Because I live ye shall live: if he did not give himself, we could not live by him. Now, Col. 3.4. And when Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Christ is our life causative, non essentialiter, &c. and he gives us life, because he hath life in himself, but that is given him from the Father; there is a righteousness in him by which we are accepted, and the fullness of habitual grace in him by which we are sanctified: all this is laid up in him by the Father; it is upon this ground only, that he is the fountain of life unto us, because he himself lives by the Father; therefore in all the glory of Christ, the Father should be honored, because all the fullness of Christ he doth receive it from the Father: Therefore whensoever we have recourse unto Christ for righteousness, holiness, and comforts, and see him to live by the Father in all these; and when we look up unto him who is our Head, and see him exalted above all Principalities and Powers; and that he lives by the power of God; now say, Christ lives by the power and the glory of the Father, and the life that I live is by the faith of the Son of God. (2) As by the Father he is made the fountain of life unto us; for the Father did give eternal life unto us when he laid it up in the Son: therefore it is said, That they killed the Prince of life; as he is the King of Righteousness, and the Prince of Peace: it is said Moses was a man of peace, but he could not command peace in the mutinous and murmuring people, but if he had been a Prince of peace he could; and so Christ as a Prince of life can convey life, and dispense it, Rev. 22.14. We having fallen and forfeited Paradise and the Tree of Life, we were secluded from it: Now God the Father hath appointed another Tree of Life, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will give unto men a right or a privilege to eat thereof also, which they were formerly shut out of. So that you see, it is the Father that hath given him power to quicken whom he will, to have life in himself, and to give eternal life to as many as believe in him.

SECT. IV. Our Covenant-Interest in Offices, Acts, and Relations of the Trinity applied.

[Use 1] §. 1. HAving finished the doctrinal part, and seen how God the Father makes over himself in the Covenant of Grace to the Saints; for their portion lies in God, not only in the Attributes of the nature, but in an interest in the persons also; and we have an interest in all the actions that the Father appropriated, whether they be eternal, or in time, and those whether terminated in Christ immediately, or in us; and we have seen how we have an interest in all the personal relations of the Father, that in the same relations he stands to Christ, in the same he stands to us also; he is his Father and our Father, his God and our God; he is our Father, our King, our Friend, our Husbandman, and the Fountain of our life, for he hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: Now we come to apply all this to ourselves, and it shall be 1. for Information, that so in so great a truth as this, we may not be mistaken. And here we are to consider, (1) that a man hath interest in all the persons at once, they all be given together; a man hath not first an interest in the Father, and then in the Son, and then in the Spirit, but having an interest in one, he hath an interest in them all, he that hath the Son hath the Father also, he hath the Father and the Son. And by this we may see what a glorious change there is in a man when he is converted and made one with Christ, he hath an interest in all the Attributes of God. It's true, that they do all act for him afterwards successively, and according to a man's necessity at several times they work for his good; sometimes an act of mercy is put forth for him, sometimes an act of power, sometimes wisdom, sometimes patience; but yet the soul comes to have an interest in them all at once, and at the same time, and when he is intitled to the one, he is intitled to the other, even to them all: and so it is with the Persons also, the title Believers have to them begins at once. As a man hath interest in Christ the Mediator; it's true, that Christ doth exercise all his Offices for his spiritual good successively, and he is now to him a Priest to offer his Sacrifice, and to bear his iniquity, now he is a Prophet to teach him, now he is a King to govern him; and there are distinct acts of all these offices; but yet the soul hath an interest in them all at once: As it is in all grace; it's true, that the graces of God's Spirit do all of them act in their places; for we are to add to our faith virtue, and to our virtue knowledge, &c. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is taken ab iis qui choros ducunt, from such as lead the dance, in which everyone keeps his own place, and acts his own part; for grace brings the most glorious order into the soul that can be; but yet all grace is wrought together, even the whole new man is begotten at once: And so for all the creatures of God; it is true, that they do all in their places act for the Saints, the Stars in their courses do fight against Sisera, but yet a man comes to have jus haereditarium, an hereditary right to them all at once: And this is the glory of the change at a man's first conversion, which a man may admire, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a man that had before no interest in any Attribute of God, in any person in the Godhead, or any of the Offices of Christ, or any grace of the Spirit, or any promise of the Gospel, or in any creature of God, yet at once in the very same instant, he comes to have a title unto all these; that though all the promises be fulfilled by degrees, and in their time, yet the soul hath a title unto them all, and that as true and as great as he shall have when he comes to Heaven; for it is by the same title that he shall enjoy Heaven; for this is but our nonage and childhood, yet a child hath the same title to the land his father left him, as when he comes to be a man, only he hath not the possession of it: and so the title by which you shall enjoy God forever, is begun in this life; only there are two great changes you must pass through, the first is conversion, the second is death; by the one the soul is intitled to his heavenly inheritance, and by the other he is fully put into possession.

2. Though the interest of God's people begin at once in all the persons, yet the Lord would have us take notice, that there is a distinct interest in them all to be attained unto; for the more distinct our apprehensions are, the more glory we give unto God, and the greater will our own comfort be: God delights not in generalities, neither in general confessions, nor in general apprehensions or thanksgivings. As it is in the Attributes of the Nature of God, though a soul that hath an interest in God in Covenant, hath a title to them all at once, yet they are all of them as so many distinct objects for faith to work and rest upon; as mercy, and justice, and holiness, and wisdom, and faithfulness; and the soul should not only be content with a general apprehension that he hath an interest in them all, but should be distinctly drawn forth, and exercise distinct acts of faith upon them all: And as it is in Christ, there are distinct excellencies in him, there is the Holiness of his Nature, the Holiness of his Life, and the fullness of his Satisfaction, the glory of his Merit; and a soul that hath an interest in Christ, and is made one with him, hath immediately an interest in all these; but yet the Lord requires that the faith of his Saints should be exercised about them all, and have their apprehension raised by the glory of them all: As a man that believes any one part of the Word of God, doth believe the whole Word of God at the same time; for faith that doth close with any Divine Truth aright, doth it upon this ground, to rest upon God, tam in revelatis, quàm revelandis, as well in what is revealed, as what is to be revealed: as it was with Adam and the Angels, unto whom there are made daily new discoveries of the will and counsel of God, that they never knew before; but yet there is not a precept, promise, or threatening in the whole Word of God, but it is a distinct object of faith, and the Lord would have the apprehensions of his people particularly set upon them, that they may be particularly affected with them, and see and admire the grace of God in giving them an interest in this promise, and in that threatening: So it is true, that a man that hath an interest in the Son of God, hath an interest also in God the Father, and so a man may consider it discursive, discursively; but the Lord would have the soul stay upon the particular interest he hath in the Father and the glory thereof, and upon the particular interest he hath in the Son and the glory thereof also. As it is in point of assurance, though he that hath the witness of the Father and the Son, hath the witness of the Spirit also; and he that is assured of the love of one, may be assured of the love of them all; yet there is a distinct bringing home of the love of each person to the soul; so that a man doth not by way of discourse only reason himself into the Father, Son, and Spirit, who having one nature have also one love, and if I have a testimony of the love of the Son in me, I have also a witness thereby of the love of the Father also; but when the soul is particularly drawn out and distinctly affected with the love of each of the persons, his apprehensions are raised by reason of this interest: and so it is in the work of faith also, and the ground of it is this, (1) because all the glory that God hath by us here, is when he is exalted in our hearts; for God's glory is in the hearts of his Saints, as all their melody is in their hearts, Ephes. 5.19. when all things in the inward man are in tune, and set right, Exod. 15.2. He is my God and I will exalt him. Now as our apprehensions do rise in the consideration of the glory of anything that is in God, God hath the more distinct glory thereby; for as he hath given us variety of ordinances, and he will be honored by us in them all; so he hath propounded to our faith distinct objects, and he will be honored by our faith in them all; for as you heard, the glory that God hath in this world chiefly is in the hearts of the Saints, they only do glorify him actively, all things else do it but occasionally, that is, by giving them an occasion to glorify him. (2) Because there is a distinct sweetness and virtue that comes from everyone of these, when the soul is distinctly drawn out to them, and they are distinctly exercised: as Phil. 3.10. says the Apostle, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his sufferings, &c. When a man looks upon the death of Christ, there is a virtue will come out of it; and if upon the sufferings of Christ, there is a virtue will come out of them all, and they have all of them their peculiar and proper virtue upon the soul. The Apostle speaks of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , a savor of knowledge: now it is here as it is in a Posy, there are many flowers put together, and they do yield a very fragrant smell, that is very refreshing and delightsome; but he that will be affected with each flower must take them all apart, and he will find that each of them hath its distinct and proper savor, which unless the man had taken apart he would never have known: and so it is also in all the glorious excellencies that are in God and in Christ.

[Use 2] §. 2. The second Use is of Exhortation, and that 1. To stir you up to consider the glory of this interest in the Persons; this was that did most affect Christ, Psal. 16.5. The Lord is the portion of my inheritance: it is his interest in the Father that mainly his heart doth glory in. He had several other interests that he might have boasted of; for he was Heir of all things; but in a more special manner he hath a glorious inheritance in the Saints, Eph. 1.18. which may be interpr ••• either that his inheritance is in them, for they are his both dono and merito, by a gift and by a purchase also, or else 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for inter, as it is rendered, Acts 26.18. To give them an inheritance amongst them that are sanctified, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and so the Saints have a great inheritance to glory in, they are heirs of promises, yea they inherit all things; but the main of Christ's glory is his inheritance in the person of the Father, and that should be also the glory of the Saints; and here consider, (1) that the high advancement of the creature lies in union with the persons, as the highest advancement of the human nature of Christ lies in the personal Union; the grace of Union is far greater than the grace of Unction, that he was made one with the second Person in the Trinity; and the advancement of our nature is more by our mystical Union with the Person of Christ, than in all the benefits we receive from him; but there is a higher union that this tends to, and that is an union with all the persons in the Trinity thereby, for communio fundatur in unione. Now having communion with all the persons, it argues that we have an union with them all; and as we have a higher union with the person of the Son than the Angels have, so we have a nearer union with the Father, and with the Spirit also; and herein lies the greatest exaltation. (2) There is more in union with the persons, than there is in all other benefits whatsoever, and all other interests: as there is more in the person of Christ than there is in all the benefits of Christ; so there is more in giving of the person of Christ, than in giving of all the benefits that he bestows. Thus there is more in our title to the persons, than in all other interests whatsoever, whether we have an interest in promises, in creatures, in ordinances, nay it is more in some respect than an interest in Attributes; for under the first Covenant the Attributes were after a sort made over to Adam, that they should all work for him, they were his portion; but under the second Covenant it is that the interest in the persons comes in; for if Adam had stood, he had had an interest in God in common, whatever was in the Nature of God, all the Attributes of his Nature should have been his; but it is the second Covenant that brings in union with the Son of God, that gives us a distinct union with the Father and with the Spirit; and therefore it is a personal interest that is the great mercy and glory of the new Covenant. (3) It is our title unto the person that gives us a title unto all the benefits: as it is in our union with Christ, 1 Joh. 5.12. He that has the Son has life, it's our union with the Son that gives us a title unto life for him; for the Covenant is matrimonial, and it is the union with the person only that entitles the woman to her husbands honor and estate: so it's in this also, having an interest in all the persons gives a man a title unto all the promises and unto all the privileges of the Saints; and therefore the jus haereditarium of the Saints unto all other good things from God lies in this, that they have an union with all the persons; for they that are not intitled unto the persons, do in vain hope to entitle themselves to the benefits. (4) This gives a man a threefold title and interest, [1] in all the Attributes, [2] in the Divine Nature, [3] in their actings: for as they are all made over unto the Saints, so they know that all these attributes are to be found in all the persons. There is in the Father infinite wisdom, and infinite power, and infinite mercy, and infinite grace, &c. so there is in the Son also, for the attributes of the nature are in common to them all, they having all of them but one and the same simple and undivided Essence; and it is glorious to a Saint to see all the attributes in them all, and thereby he is assured, that in all the actings of the Father he will improve all the attributes, and so it is in all the actings of the Son and the Spirit also, and so they become ours in the actings of them by reason of our interest in all the three persons. (5) This is the proper ground of our communion with God: wherein lies the sweetness of a Christians life here, but mainly in that fellowship that he hath with God, that he walks with God, and that he is not alone, but the Father is with him, &c? Now all communion is personal, and is a mutual intercourse between persons: Our fellowship is with the Father, and with the Son Jesus Christ. And there is a fellowship of the Spirit, 2 Cor. 13.14. It's true, we have an inheritance in attributes and in promises, but we cannot properly be said to have fellowship with him but in regard of the persons: Adam had in his creation an inheritance in all the creatures, but yet he could not have communion with them, there was none meet for fellowship with him but Eve: so it's here, there is nothing but a person that a man can have communion with. It's true, our communion is in things; as we have communion with Christ in his righteousness and in his privileges, in his graces, in his victories, that is, we have a share together with him in them all, and they are as truly ours as they are his, according unto our necessity; but yet remember, our communion is with the person of Christ, not with the benefits: so it is in this also, we have a communion with Father, Son, and Spirit in the attributes of the Nature, so that they are as truly ours according to the tenor, and for the ends of the new Covenant, as they are his; but still our union and communion is with the persons in them, therein doth properly the foundation lie: as if a husband marry a wife, she shall have a communion with him, that is, a common share in his honor and in his estate, in whatever is his; but yet the communion that she hath is with the person of her husband. Now man being a sociable creature, we know what sweetness there is in fellowship with the persons of men, to have the communion of those he takes most delight in: as nature doth enable a man to taste the sweetness of that fellowship; so doth grace, being a Divine nature, and fitting the soul for communion, it doth enable a man to taste the sweetness that is in fellowship with the Divine nature, with all the persons in whom only there is all fullness and joy unspeakable, and full of glory.

2. If there be such an interest in the persons to be had, then let every man examine himself, whether he have such a title unto the persons or no. In all other titles we do use to try, because we would not be deceived, and upon the trial of a title a man doth conclude it is good; illud certum quod ex dubio certum, that is certain, which out of doubtful is made certain. Let us therefore examine our title, which we have so much the greater cause to do, because there is this vanity in the heart of a man, that it's very apt to suppose a title here without trying; and this is the overthrow of many a soul: the foolish Virgins did suppose that they had been espoused unto Christ, and should have gone unto the marriage with him, as well as the wise, &c. as men do in the benefits of Christ, they are willing to suppose that their sins are pardoned, and their persons are accepted, and so they deceive their own souls: there is a fallacy when a man disputes ex falsis suppositis, from false suppositions, and then all the conclusions that he doth build upon them are unsound; and that's the very condition of most Christians, they argue ex falsis suppositis, from false suppositions all their life time, and that's the fallacy spoken of, Jam. 1.22. But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own souls, &c. which is to dispute and gather conclusions from false and corrupt premises; because they were hearers of the word, though they were not doers, yet from this false principle they did reason and argue all their life time that their state was good: and so did the foolish builders, Mat. 7.22. Lord, we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, we have eat and drank in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets; therefore there is no doubt but we shall attain an entrance at his coming; and so the soul is under a fallacy all his days, and this is the great deceit of the old Serpent, to deceive a man in reference to his eternal state; for as Satan by his instruments doth endeavor to beguile you in the matters of truth, Col. 2.4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , he deceives a man by false reasonings; so also he endeavors to deceive a man in matter of his state, that he might deceive himself by false reasonings also: and upon this ground it mainly is, that there is that extraordinary averseness in the hearts of men unto the duty of self-examination, and a far greater averseness to the examination of a man's state, than of his actions; for there are many men that will make conscience to review their actions and consider their ways, and yet these very men are willing to go upon a supposition in the matter of their spiritual states, and to be content to take that for granted, though it be the ground of all. And here we are to consider also, that many that are true Believers may not know that there is a distinct interest in the persons to be had; they in general do believe in God, and close with Christ, who is offered them in the promise, but as for such a distinct title unto all the persons, it is a thing that they are not acquainted with; it seems it was this that Christ reproved in his Disciples, Joh. 14.1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me: their faith in the acting of it was not so distinct and particular as it ought to have been. As it is in witnessing, there is many a man that never knew that there was a distinct witness of all the persons in the hearts of the Saints, and therefore they did never look out for any such thing; so it is in the point of faith also: but now this is a truth discovered to you, and the Lord will expect the fruit of Gospel-discoveries, he will come and demand fruit of his Vineyard, and he doth expect it; he it is with whom, in the word read or preached, that you have to do; he looks what power it hath upon your hearts after it is dispensed.

(1) We are to consider, that the way by which we can come to have an interest in all the persons, is by closing with the Son; for it is our union with the Son, that as it gives us a title unto all good things, so it gives us in the first place an union with all the persons, and it entitles us unto them all; it is he that hath the Son hath the Father also, and he that hath not the Son, hath not the Father: for it is only the blessing of the second Covenant, and it comes upon none but those that are in Covenant, as the promises come upon none but those that are heirs of promise; therefore we should first inquire, whether we be one with the Son or no. Now there is no union with him but by believing in him; for it is the eating the flesh of Christ, and drinking his blood that gives us life by him. Now though believing be an act of the whole soul, for the subject of faith is the whole soul, with the heart man believes, yet it is specially seated in the will; as unbelief also is specially seated there. There is a double infidelity: (1) Purae negationis, of pure negation, which some have said is no sin; but yet if there is a command to believe, then bare not-believing is a sin, because it is the transgression of the Law. (2) Pravae dispositionis, of depraved disposition; and that lies mainly in the will. Now when the will opens aright, it is unto two things: [1] It does consent to receive and accept of Christ upon his own terms, not only Christ with his righteousness, but Christ with his graces, not only Christ with his privileges, but Christ with his inconveniencies, Christ to all the ends for which the Father hath ordained him, he would have him glorified in them all in his heart. [2] With the same hand of faith that he doth receive whole Christ, he doth give up whole self unto Christ again, so that he is his own no more, but put out of his own power forever; and he rejoiceth in this, that I am my beloveds as well as my beloved is mine; he would have his happiness in him, and he would enjoy nothing apart from him forever, he would live in him, and bear fruit in him, and work for him, and be into him, and that to eternity; for he saith to him, as Ruth to her mother-in-law, Where thou goest I will go, where thou lodgest I will lodge, thy people shall be my people, thy God my God, and where thou diest I will die, &c. Where there hath been such an acceptation and such a resignation, there the work of faith is wrought with power, and he that is thus one with the Son, is thereby madelone with the Father also; for our union is by him, as our access and communion also is all by him with the Father.

(2) If a man be intitled unto the persons, there will be drawings out of his heart towards each person: for there is an impression of the love of them all left upon the soul; We love him, because he loved us first; and this love will warm our hearts with love again; there will be the workings of it in the soul, though there be not the witnessing; for Phil. 1.6. there is a good work begun, and it's begun by all the persons, and it is to glorify the persons mainly in the hearts of Believers, and therefore such workings the Lord will draw forth in them: O that ever God the Father should give his Son to me! Joh. 3. God so loved the world! and that I should be called the Son of God, that the Son should lay down his life for me, should bear my sins and my sorrows, that his Spirit should abide in me, enlightening mine eyes, renewing me in the spirit of my mind; there will be such a spiritual warmth wrought in the soul towards all these persons, because there is a principle of the love of them all kindled in the soul. But yet,

(3) There will never be the fullness of assurance, till the persons that have given you an interest in themselves, do also themselves witness their interest, 1 Joh. 5.7. and they will surely do so to all those that wait for them; the Father will say, I am thy Father, and the Son say, I am thy Savior, and the Spirit, I am thine: therefore exercise faith upon your interest in all the persons, and in particular upon your interest in God the Father, and be much in communion with the Father; seeing communion is personal, and there is a distinct interest in all the persons, therefore a distinct communion; that which was the happiness of these persons communion, and the infinite satisfaction that they took one in another, that shall be thy happiness and thy portion forever.

§. 3. We are to exercise faith upon all the persons in this manner made over under the second Covenant, and to live upon this principle in all our ways. (1) That they are all of them objects of faith is clear: for the ultimate object of faith is God, 1 Pet. 1.21. Now as we are to take in the whole Scripture, as objectum immediatum, the immediate object, and every part of the Scripture is to be believed as an object of faith; so the whole Godhead, all the attributes of God, and all the persons in the Godhead are by faith to be rested upon; for there are, 1 Thess. 3.10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , defects of faith, so long as faith takes not in its whole object, it hath not its perfect work, Jam. 1.3. (2) We are to worship them all, though not as apart one from another, yet as in our apprehension distinguished; and we are to give unto them distinct worship, as Christ says, Joh. 4.23. The time cometh, that you shall neither in this mountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father; he that will worship God, must worship him in spirit and in truth; for the Father seeks such to worship him, &c. Now worship is twofold, either cultus naturalis, qui ex ipsa Dei natura pendet, natural worship, &c. There is no man that did ever worship a God, but he did acknowledge, that this God he was to believe in, and hope in, love, and pray to, and to hear and obey him in all things: and there is a cultus institutus; qui ex liberrima Dei voluntate pendet, &c. instituted worship, which depends on the will of God. Now the highest act of worship is in believing, and it's unto this that all the Institutions, which are but media cultûs, means of worship are properly subordinate; for