A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 3 · Chapter 4 · Section 1
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 Lords, 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.Joh. 20. Eſay 9.6. [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,Joh. 10.30. 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. Pſal. 40. Joh. 10.18.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 my ſelf. [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,Joh. 14.26. 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,1 Cor. 6.17. not only of a union with Chriſt, but with the Spirit, he that is joyned 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. Chriſts prayer is, That they may be one, Pater & Filius ſunt unum per naturam, noſtra unio per gratiam. Athan. De foreign ſpiritualis piorum in Deo unitatis in vitae hujus infirmitate pluribus diſſerere non poſſumus, ſed myſterium hoc reverenter adoramus, & unitatis hujus participes fieri optamus.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 Chriſts 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. 1 Joh. 1.3.And there is a fellowſhip of the Spirit alſo,Joh. 14.21. 1 Cor. 13.14. (1) There are diſtinct manifeſtations: Chriſt ſays, I will manifeſt my ſelf 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 honour them diſtinctly, and believe in them diſtinctly, honour the Son, as they honour 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 diſhonour or condeſcenſion in the Father; but the acts of Chriſt were acts of miniſtery 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,Joh. 1.18. Joh. 6.46. 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 priviledges, 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 oyl 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 mans 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 imployed 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 joyned 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,Eph. 3.9. 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,Joh. 5.20. 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,Rom. 8.26. and the Son he offers them with his own odours, 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;Eph. 1.13. 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 ratifie 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 teſtifie 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,1 Cor. 15.24. the Spirit will no longer aſſiſt, call, purge, ſanctifie, ſeal; but all the graces of the Subjects of the Kingdom of Chriſt ſhall be perfected, and all Gods 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;1 Cor. 5.17, 18. 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 honour of it in the hearts of all the Saints: Joh. 5.23. That all men may honour the Son, &c. And the Holy Ghoſt he works all in the hearts of the Saints, he begins the good work,Phil. 1.6. 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 ſhew forth the Attributes of his Nature, and to glorifie 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 for ever 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 Ʋnity; 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 for ever.
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 endeavour 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 honour 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 honour the Son,Joh. 5.23. as they honour 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 fulneſs 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,1 King. 10.5. 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,Joh. 3.16. 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 allſufficient;1 Cor. 3.11. Rev. 4. yet it is the Godhead that gives an efficacy to all that is done in the humane 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,Rev. 4. that the humane 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,1 Joh. 5.6. 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 honour 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, ſanctifie 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 mans 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 compleat 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 foreign, 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 honour 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;1 Joh. 1.3. 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 mans heart are taken up with God, and he has an eye unto him, and unto his glory from day to day: 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 mans 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 Gods 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 lye. Now a man having an intereſt in all the perſons, all of them having undertaken ſomething for a mans 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 mans 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 mans intereſt in them all. We are ſaid to be baptized in the name of them all,Mat. 28.20. 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;1 Cor. 1.13. 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 honoured 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;Joh. 20. 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 Ʋnion, 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, 2 Cor. 1.3. Jam. 1.17.by which Majeſty, Holineſs, and Perfection is intimated, for ſo much Light doth ſignifie, 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, Col. 1.12.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 honour of ſuch a relation; and truly the higheſt honour of the Saints is that of Sonſhip, as it was the higheſt honour of Chriſt in his relation, that he was the Son of the Father; and we count it a high honour 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 foreign, a priviledge or prerogative to be called the Sons of God, Behold what manner of love the Father has ſhewed us, Joh. 1.12, 13.that we ſhould be called the ſons of God! Now we are the ſons of God in this life, we have this title of honour 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 ſhews 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, Joh. 1.…8.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 Abrahams to Iſmael 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 Abſolom 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'l 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 rejoyceth in your proſperity here in your well-doing, when wiſdom is juſtified of her children, he rejoyceth 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,Eph. 3.12. 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,How and in what reſpect each of the Perſons have made over themſelves to the Saints under the ſecond Covenant. 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 joyntly; 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: Joh. 1.4.the life is the light of men, which is as much as to ſay, hominem per foreign ad imaginem Dei creatum, as Chemnitius. Thus under the firſt Covenant all things were carried on by the Godhead joyntly, and whatever was done is ſaid to be done by them all, without any appropriation of any thing 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 joynt 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;Mat. 1.20. 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 diſtinctè appropriat ſe alteri ut donanti & mittenti, alteri ut dato & miſſo, Cocceius de Teſtament. Dei Diſput. 9. Theſ. 92. The ſame will doth diſtinctly appropriate it ſelf 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:Joh. 14.1. 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,1 Pet. 1.21. anſwerable unto that diſtinct revelation of themſelves.Joh. 5.23. Rev. 1.4. (2) As a diſtinct object of worſhip, That every man might honour the Son, even as they honour 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 ſhewed, 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 joyntly without any ſuch appropriation for ever: 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.