as it bath taught you, ye shall abide in him 1 John chap. 2. v. 27. That teaching Undion which is not only true, but TRUTH it felf, is only the holy Spirit of God: fo that he teacheth alfo; being given unto us, that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God, 1 Cor. 15. I have chofen this fpecial Inftance, becaufe as I told you, it is comprehenfive, and comprifes in it felf most of the particulars that might be enumerated quickning, preferving, &c.

2.

This then farther drives on the Truth that lies under Demonftration; there being fuch a diftinct Communion of Grace from the feveral perfons of the Deity, the Saints must needs have diftinct Communion with them.

§. 17. It remaineth only to intimate in a Word, Wherein this distinction lies, and what is the Ground thereof. Now this is that, the Father doth it by the way of Origi nal Authority; the Son by communicating from a purcha fed Treasury; the Holy Spirit by way of immediate Efficacy.

1. The Father communicates all Grace by way of Origi nal Authority, He Quickneth whom he will, Joh.5.21. Of his Own Will begat he us. Jam. 1. 18. Life-giving Power is in respect of Original Authority invested in the Father by the way of Eminency: and therefore in fending the quickning Spirit, Chrift is faid to do it from the Father, or the Father him felf to do it. But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send Joh.14.26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will fend from the Father. Joh.15.26. Tho he be also faid to fend him himself,on another account,c.16.7.

2. The Son, by the way of making out a purchased Treafury. Of bis Fulness do we all receive and Grace for Grace. Joh. ch. 1. v. 16. And whence is this fulness? It pleased the Father that in him all Fulness fhould dwell: Col. 1.19. And upon what account, he hath the difpenfation of that fulness to him committed, you may fee Phil. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11. When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin, he shall prolong his Days, and the Pleafure of the Lord fhall profper in bis Hand, He fhall fee of the Travail of his Soul and be fatis

fied, by his knowledge fhall my righteous Servant justifie many for he ball bear their Iniquities. Ifa. 53. 10, 11. And with this fulness he hath alfo Authority for the Communication of it: John 5. 25, 26. Matth. 28. 18.

3. The Spirit doth it by the way of immediate Efficacy: Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Fefus from the Dead, dwell in you: be that raised up Chrift from the Dead, fhall also quicken your mortal Bodys by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Here are all three comprized, with their diftinct concurrence unto our Quickning. Here is the Father's Authoritative Quickning, he raised Chrift from the Dead and he fhall Quicken you: and the Son's Mediatory Quickning, for it is done in the Death of Chrift and the Spirit's immediate Efficacy; he fhall do it by the Spirit that dwelleth in you. He that defires to fee this whole matter farther explained, may confult what I have elsewhere written on this fubject. And thus is the distinct Communion whereof we treat, both proved and demonftrated.

CHAP. III.

Of the Peculiar and distinct Communion which the Saints have with the Father. Obfervations for the clearing of the whole-premifed. Our peculiar Communion with the Father is in Love, 1 Job.4.7,8. 2 Cor.13.13. John 16.26,27. Rom.5.5. Job. 3. 16. Job.14.23. Titus 3.4. opened to this purpose. What is required of Believers, to bold Communion with the Father in Love. His Love received by Faith. Returns of Love to him. Gods Love to us, and ours to him, wherein they agree: Wherein they differ.

§. I.

H

Aving proved that there is fuch a distinct Communion in refpect of Father, Son, and Spirit, as whereof we speak; it remains that it be farther cleared up by an Induction of Inftances, to manifeft what and wherein the Saints peculiarly hold this Communion with the feveral Perfons refpectively: which alfo I fhall do after the premifing fome obfervations, neceffary to be

previously

previously confidered, as was promifed, for the clearing. of what hath been spoken. And they are thefe that fol low.

§. 2. 1. When I affign any thing as peculiar, wherein we diftinctly hold Communion with any Perfon, I do not exclude the other Perfons from Communion with the Soul in the very fame thing. Only this I fay, principally, immediately and by the way of eminency, we have in fuch a thing, or in fuch a way Communion with fome one Perfon; and therein with the others, fecundarily and by the way of confequence on that Foundation: For the Perfon, as the Perfon of any one of them, is not the prime Object of divine Worship, but as it is identified with the Nature or Effence of God. Now the works that outwardly are of God, (called Trinitatis ad extra) which are commonly faid to be common and undivided, are either wholy fo, and in all refpects; as all works of Common Providence, or elfe being common in refpect of their Acts, they are distinguished in refpect of that principle, or next and immediate rife in the manner of operation; fo Creation is appropriated to the Father, Redemption to the Son; in which fenfe we fpeak of thefe things.

S. 3. 2. There is a concurrence of the Actings and o perations of the whole Deity in that difpenfation, wherein each Perfon concurs to the work of our Salvation, unto every Act of our Communion with each fingular Perfon. Look by what A&t foever we hold Communion with any Perfon, there is an influence from every Person to the putting forth of that Act. As fuppofe it to be the act of Faith. It is bestowed on us by the Father: It is not of our felves, it is the gift of God: Eph. 2. 8. It is the Father that revealeth the Gofpel, and Chrift therein, Matth. 11.25. And it is purchased for us by the b Greg. Nazian jamb. Cara 3. Idem. orat. 24. See Thom. 22. q. 81. A 3. q. 84. a. 1. Alexan. Alef. fum Theol. p. 3. q. 30. M. 1. d. 3+

a Opera ad extra funt indivifa.

G 2

Son

Son: It is given unto you for Chrifts fake to believe on him; Phil. 1. 29. In him are we bleffed with Spiritual bleffings, Ephef. 1.3. He bestows on us, and increaseth Faith in us, Luk. 7. 5. And it is wrought in us by the Spirit: He administers that exceeding greatness of his Power which he exercifeth towards them who Believe, according to the working of his mighty Power, which he wrought in God when he raised him up from the Dead, Ephef. 1. 19, 20. Rom. 8. 11.

S. 4. 3. When I affign any particular thing wherein we hold Communion with any Perfon, I do not do it exclufively unto other Mediums of Communion; but only by the way of inducing a fpecial, and eminent Inftance, for the proof and manifestation of the former General Affertion: Otherwise there is no Grace, or duty wherein we have not Communion with God in the way described. In every thing wherein we are made partaker of the Divine Nature, there is a Communication and Receiving between God and us. So near are we unto him in Chrift.

S. 5.4. By afferting this diftin&t Communion, which meerly refpects that order in the difpenfation of Grace, which God is pleased to hold out in the Gofpel, I intend not in the leaft, to fhut up all Communion with God under thefe precincts, (his ways being exceeding broad, containing a perfection whereof there is no end) nor to pre-, judice that holy fellowship we have with the whole Deity, in our walking before him in Covenant obedience, which alfo (God affifting) I fhall handle hereafter.

S. 6. These few obfervations being premifed, I come now to declare what it is, wherein peculiarly and eminently the Saints have Communion with the Father: And this is LOVE. Free, undeferved, and eternal Love. This the Father peculiarly fixes upon the Saints: this they are immediately to eye in him, to receive of him, and to make fuch Returns thereof, as he is delighted withal. This is the great discovery of the Gofpel. For whereas the Father as the Fountain of the Deity, is not known any other way but as full of wrath, anger, and indignation against

against Sin, nor can the Sons of men have any other thoughts of him Rom. 1. 18. Ifa. 33. 15, 16. Hab. 1. 13. Pfal.5.4,5,6. Ephef.2 3. Here he is now revealed peculiarly as Love, as full of it unto us; the manifestation where of is the peculiar work of the Gofpel, Tit. 3. 4.

S. 7. 1. 1 John 4. 8. God is Love. That the name of God is here taken perfonally, and for the perfon of the Father, not Effentially, is evident from v. 9. where he is distinguished from his only begotten Son whom he fends into the World. Now (faith he) the Father is Love, that is, not only of an infinitely gracious, tender, Compaffionate and Loving nature, according as he hath proclaimed himself Exod. 34. 6, 7. but alfo one that eminently and peculiarly difpenfeth himself unto us in free love c. So the Apostle fets it forth in the following verfes; this is love v. 9. this is that which I would have you take notice of in him, that he makes out love unto you, in fending his only begotten Son into the World, that we might live through him. So alfo, v. 10. He loved us, and fent his Son to be the propitiation for our Sins. And that this is peculi arly to be eyed in him, the holy Ghoft plainly declares, in making it Antecedent to the fending of Chrift, and all Mercies and Benefits whatever by him received. This love I fay, in its felf is Antecedent to the purchase of Chrift, although the whole Fruit thereof be made out alone thereby. Ephef. 1. 4, 5, 6.

2. So in that diftribution made by the Apoftle in his folemn parting Benediction, 2 Cor. 13. 13. The Grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the LOVE OF GOD, and the fel lowship of the Holy Ghost be with you. Afcribing fundry things unto the diftinct perfons, it is Love that he peculiarly affigns to the Father. And the Fellowship of the Spirit is

Multo

c Deut. 33. 3. ferem. 31.3. John 3. 16. 5:42. 14. 21. Rom. 5. 5. 8. 39. Ephef. 2. 4. 1 John 2. 15. 4. 10, 11. Heb. 12. 6. Bugalin Trev loquitur quem fi Deum diceret fummopere atque adeo infinite nos amare, cum Deum dicit erga nos ipfam charitatem effe, ujus latiffimum mxuelov profert. Beza in loc.

C 3

mentioned,