Alfo 1 Cor. 12. 4.5,6. Ephef. 2. 18. Father and Son mentioned joyntly in this communion. The Father folely : the Son alfo and the Holy Ghoft fingly. The Saints refpective regard in all worship to each Perfon manifefted. Faith in the Father: Job. 5. 9, 10. and love towards him. 1 John 2. 15. Mal. 1. 6. So is prayer and Praife: It is fo likewife with the Son. Joh. 14. 1. Of our Communion with the Holy Ghoft. The Truth farther confirmed.

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Hat the Saints have Communion with God, and what Communion in general is, was declared in the first Chapter. The manner how this Comunion is carried on, and the matter wherein it doth confift comes next under confideration. For the First, in refpect of the diftinct perfons of the Godhead, with whom they have this fellowship, it is either diftinct and peculiar, or elfe, obtained and exercifed joyntly and in common. That the Saints have diftinct Communion with the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, (that is, diftinctly with the Father, and diftinctly with the Son, and distinctly with the Holy Spirit) and in what the peculiar Appropriation of this diftinct Communion unto the feveral Perfons doth confist, must in the first place be made manifeft.

1 John ch. 5. v. 7. The Apostle tells us, there are three that bear Witness in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit. In Heaven they are, and bear Witnefs to us. And what is it that they bear Witness unto? Unto the Sonfhip of Chrift, and the Salvation of Believers in his Blood. Of the carrying on of that, both by Blood and Water, Juftification and Sanctification, he is there Treating of. Now how do they bear witness hereunto? even as THREE distinct witnesses. When God witneffeth concerning our Salvation, furely it is incumbent on us to receive his Te

a Ecce dico alium effe Patrem, & alium Filium, non divifione alium, fed diftinctione. Tertul. adv. Prax. Ou Darw To EV VOÑOUL, TILS τρισί περιλάμπομαι ; ἐν φτάνω τα τρία διελῶν, καὶ ἐς τὸ ἕν αναφέρομαι. Greg. Nazianzen.

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stimony

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ftimony And as he beareth witness, so are we to receive it. Now this is done diftinctly. The Father beareth witnefs, the Son beareth witness, and the Holy Spirit beareth witnefs; for they are Three diftinct Witneffes. So then are we to receive their several Teftimonies, and in doing fo, we have Communion with them feverally; for in this giving and receiving of Teftimony, confists no fmall our Fellowship with God; wherein their diftinct witneffing confifts, will be afterward declared.

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§. 3. 1 Cor: ch. 12. v. 4, 6, 6. The Apostle speaking of the distribution of hts and Graces unto the Saints, afcribes them diftinctly in refpect of the Fountain of their Communication unto the distinct perfons. There are diverfities of Gifts, but the fame SPIRIT. The one and the felf-fame Spirit that is the Holy Ghost, v. 12. And there are differences of Adminiftrations, but the fame LORD, the fame Lord Jefus. v. 3. And there are diverfities of Operations, but it is the fame GOD, &c. even the Father, Ephef. 4.6. So Graces and Gifts are bestowed, and so are they received.

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S. 4. And not only in the Emanation of Grace from God, and the Elapfes of the Spirit on us, but also in all our Approaches, unto God, is the fame diftinction obferved: For through Chrift, we have an Accefs by one fpirit, unto the Father. Ephef. chap. 2. v. 18. Our Accefs unto God (wherein we have Communion with him) is die Xes, through Chrift, ἐν πνέυμαλι in the Spirit, and weὸς τὸν πατέρα unto the Father. The perfons being herein confidered, as ingag'd diftinctly into the Accomplishment of the Councel of the will of God, revealed in the Gospel.

§. 5. Sometimes indeed there is exprefs mention made only of the Father and the Son, 1 Joh: ch. 1. v. 3. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jefus Chrift. The

Ο Χαρίσματα, διακονία ενεργήματα. Πᾶσαν δέησιν καὶ προσευχής καὶ ἔντευξιν, καὶ εὐgesίαν ἀναπεμπλέον το όλο πάσι θεώ, δια το 67 πάντων ἀγγέλων αρχειρέως εμψύχε λόγο καὶ θεῖο Orig. contra Celf, lib. 5.

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particle [and] is both distinguishing, and uniting. Also Joh. chap. 14. V. 23. If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and WE E will come unto him, and make our abode with him. It is in this Communion, wherein Father and Son do make their abode with the Soul.

§. 6. Sometimes the Son only is fpoken of as to this purpofe. I Cor: ch: I. v. 9. God is faithful by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Fefus Christ our Lord. And Revel, ch. 3. v. 20. If any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will fup with him, and be with me; of which place afterwards..

Sometimes the Spirit alone is mentioned, 2 Cor. ch. 13. V. 14. The Grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Love of God, and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all. This diftin&t Communion then of the Saints with the Father, Son, and Spirit, is very plain in the Scripture; but yet, it may admit of farther Demonftration: Only this caution I must lay in before hand. Whatever is affirmed in the pursuit of this Truth, it is done with Relation to the Explanation enfuing in the beginning of the next Chapter.

§. 7. The way and means then on the part of the Saints, whereby in Chrift they enjoy Communion with God, are all the Spiritual and holy actings, and outgoings of their Souls in thofe Graces, and by thofe ways, wherein both the Moral and Inftituted worship of God doth confift. Faith, Love, Trust, joy, &c. are the natural or Moral worship of God, whereby thofe in whom they are, have Communion with him d. Now thefe are either immediately acted on God, and not tyed; to any ways or means outwardly manifefting themselves, or elfe they are farther drawn forth, in folemn Prayer and Praifes, according unto that way which he hath appointed. That the Scripture doth distinctly affign all thefe unto the Fa

d. Hic tibi præcipue fit pura mente colendus.

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ther, Son, and Spirit: manifefting that the Saints do, in all of them, both as they are purely and nakedly moral, and as farther cloathed with Inftituted Worship, respect each Perfon respectively, is that, which to give light to the Affertion in hand, I fhall farther declare by particular Instances.

§. 8. For the FATHER: Faith, Love, Obedience,&c. are peculiarly and diftinctly yielded by the Saints untó Him, and He is peculiarly manifefted in those ways, as acting peculiarly towards them, which fhould draw them forth, and stir them up thereunto. He giveth Teftimony unto, and beareth Witness of his Son, 1 John 5. 9. This is the witness of God which he bath teftified of his Son. In his bearing witness he is an object of Belief. When he gives Teftimony (which he doth as the Father, because he doth it of the Son) he is to be received in it by Faith. And this is affirmed, v. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. To believe on the Son of God, in this place, is to receive the Lord Chrift as the Son, the Son given unto us, for all the ends of the Fathers Love, upon the Credit of the Father's Teftimony: and therefore therein is Faith immediately acted on the Father. So it follows in the next words, He that believeth not God (that is the Father who bears witness to the Son) makes him a Lyar. You believe in God (faith our Saviour) John 14.1. that is, the Father, as fuch, for he adds, believe alfo in me; or believe you in God, believe also in me. God as the prima Veritas, upon whofe Authority is founded, and whereinto all Divine Faith is ultimately refolved, is not to be confidered as peculiarly expreffive of any Perfon, but as comprehending the whole Deity, which undividedly is the prime object thereof. But in this particular, it is the Testimony and Authority of the Father [as fuch]

e Ifa.9.6. 1 Cor.1.30. Matth.5.16,45. 6.1,4,68. 7.21. 12.50. Luke 24.49. John 4.23. 6.45. 12.26. 14.6,21,23. 15.1. 16.25,27. 20.17. Gal.1.1,3. Ephef.2.18. 5.20. 1 Thef.1.1. Fames 1. 17. 1 Pet. 1.17. 1 John 2. 13, &c.

therein,

therein, of which we speak, and whereupon Faith is diftinctly fixed on him; which if it were not fo, the Son could not add, believe alfo in me.

§. 9. The like alfo is faid of Love, 1 John 2.15. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That is, the Love which we bear to him, not that which we receive from him. The Father is here placed as the Object of our Love, in Oppofition to the World which takes up our Affections i agánie marços; The Father denotes the matter and object, not the efficient caufe of the love enquired after. And this Love of him as a Father, is that which he calls his Honour, Mal. 1, 6.

§. 10. Further, Thefe Graces as acted in Prayer and Praises, and as cloathed with inftituted worship, are peculiarly directed unto him. We call on the Father, 1 Pet. 1. 17. Epb.3.14,15, For this caufe I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, of whom the whole Family in Heaven and Earth is named. Rowing the Knee, compriseth the whole worship of God, both that which is moral, in the univerfal obedience he requireth, and thofe peculiar ways of carrying it on, which are by him appointed, Ifa. 45.23. Unto me (faith the Lord) every knee fhall bow, and every tongue fhall fwear; which v. 24, 25. he declareth to confift in their acknowledging of him for righteoufnefs and Strength. Yea, it feems fometimes to comprehend the orderly fubjection of the whole Creation unto his Sovereignty f. In this place of the Apostle it hath a far more reftrained Acceptation, and is but a figurative expreffion of Prayer, taken from the most expreffive bodily pofture to be ufed in that duty. This he farther manifefts, v. 16, 17. declaring at large what his Aim was, and whereabouts his thoughts were exercifed in that bowing of his knees. The workings then of the Spirit of Grace in that Duty, are diftinctly directed to the Father as fuch, as the Fountain of the Deity, and of all good things in Chrift, as the f Rom. 14,10,11. Phil. 2.10.

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