such persons dwelling on earth, who have these names | named upon us, that such a claim should be laid from heaven to us, I claim every one of you for mine, for mine, saith the Father, you were baptized in my name; and so the rest. Why should we not walk up and down this world with this sense on our minds, with this thought often renewed, often impressed upon us? LECTURE XVI.* 6. Ir lets us see how we are to understand the relation that results from such a covenant between God and us, whereby we become related to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and they become related to us; you have heard under what distinct notions, principally, but not exclusively, each of the persons is related to us. The Father as Creator, not excluding the Son and Spirit; the Son as Redeemer, not excluding the Father and Spirit; the Spirit as Sanctifier, not excluding the Father and Son. We have shown you concerning each of these, that creative power (according as the Scripture teacheth us to conceive) is from the Father, as the Fountain; through the Son as the way of its conveyance; (in respect whereof some speak of a natural mediatorship belonging unto the Son of God before the ordinate one) and by the agency of the Holy Ghost, who is represented as the immediate Agent in all the operations of God towards the creature, whether in the sphere of nature or of grace. And we are to look upon the Son as under the notion of the Redeemer, but so as to understand that this redemption was designed by the Father, and is applied by the Holy Ghost; and upon the Holy Ghost as the Sanctifier, and yet still to understand that this his sanctifying work was predetermined by the Father, procured by the Son, and effected by himself. When therefore we are to consider God as related to us as our God, ("this God is our God, he will be our guide even unto death,") we must take in and bring together each of these notions and conceptions concerning him; we must take in the conceptions of each of the persons, "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost is my God." Somewhat agreeable to what the ancient philosopher saith, concerning relatives, Relata sunt quorum totum esse est ad aliud; that is, relatives are such things, the whole of which appertains to another. Why so? All that is conceivable in the Divine Being is, in this case, all to us. The fulness of God is to be considered with relation to us so far as is needful, so far as we are capable; he doth not reserve himself from us in any thing of it. How admirable a thing is this! How great and high thoughts ought we to have concerning the privilege state of our case! Indeed, there is nothing that we have to consider of this God, or to look after the knowledge of, to answer the curiosity of a vain mind; but every thing or any thing that may answer the necessity of a perishing soul, of a soul that must otherwise be miserable and lost. Whatsoever is requisite to our real felicity and blessedness, we may look to all that is in God as determined by a special relation unto us. "As I am such (saith God) I am such entirely yours, all for you, wholly yours." Therefore did the everlasting covenant that comprehends and conveys all this, yield such solace to the soul of dying David, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. "Thou hast made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure, for this is all my salvation and all my desire." 'I care for nothing beyond this.' The great thing that the covenant doth convey, is God; and by it it is, that God the Father, Son, and Spirit, do become related to us as ours, if once we do take hold of the covenant, if once we put in our claim, and do but lay the ground by that act of our own interest: our claimable interest doth depend upon that; that very act of taking, accepting, "laying hold," as the expression is in that Isa. Ivi. for the encouragement of poor strangers that might possibly apprehend they were quite cut off from God. "No, let the sons of the strangers that take hold of my covenant encourage themselves; that makes me theirs: I am theirs, if they do but lay hold; it is but take and have:" as afterwards, in this * Preacbed April 24th, 1691. chapter where the text is, it is said concerning the Son especially, " He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life." And he hath him who hath once taken him. Again, 7. This serves specially to instruct us concerning our application to God in prayer. That is, that we must still comprehend in our thoughts, Father, Son, and Spirit together; the Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, as it is expressed in the text. I know and have particularly understood from some, that they have been full of dubious, perplexing thoughts, how to steer aright in their applications to God, making their solemn addresses so as to run into neither of those things which they have pretended to have been, both of them, their fear and confusion, on the one hand, by not ascribing distinctly to each of the persons what they should; or blasphemy on the other hand, by ascribing what was not due, what was not to be ascribed. But our way is very plain, if we do but consider what the Scriptures say concerning these three substances in the Godhead, and what copies it sets us of applying ourselves hereupon. That is, to the eternal Father, through the eternal Son, by the eternal Spirit: so we ought to apply ourselves, and here is nothing to lead us into confusion or indistinction of thoughts in so doing. It is plain we have the Father always represented as the original Foundation of all light, all life, all being, all excellency, all perfection, whether created or uncreated. He is then a most adequate terminative Object of our worship in such application and supplication. We go properly to the Fountain of all good. Whither should we go else? But he is (especially to those that have been in delinquency and transgression) inaccessible; we need a mediator; there could no mediator answer the exigency of our case, that was not God as well as man: we need a Divine Mediator, a God Mediator, we cannot expect that God should do any thing for us but for the sake of God, or for his sake who was God; so we are always taught to apply ourselves, to direct our addresses; and so we are to expect the answers of them; that is, that prayer must ascend through Christ, and that blessings are to descend through him. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places," through him, Eph. i. 3. And we are to suppose that whatever is done for us, in answer to our prayers, when they are accepted, it must be by the agency of the Holy Ghost. The state of our case is such, as to require an infinite almighty Agent to work in us, and to work for us, the things that are necessary to our present support, and to our final blessedness. And we are hereupon taught by our Lord himself, in respect to the final and terminative Object of such worship, (that of prayer for instance,) to pray unto the Father; “Our Father which art in heaven"-so we are taught to pray. "I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," Ephes. iii. 14. Yea, and so our Lord Jesus Christ did pray himself; "I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter," John xiv. 16. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," Luke xxiii. 24. And to him he renders solemn acknowledgment by way of thanksgiving. "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth," Matt. xi. 25. And when he did so, (as we find his was a very praying life, in the days of his flesh, here in this world,) it is very vainly and foolishly alleged that then he must, according to our doctrine and notion, be supposed to pray to himself; it is a very vain and idle pretence. And so I find indeed, that the arguments of that sort of adversary, that is, they that do impugn the divinity of the Son of God, tend to prove, generally, nothing but that which we never deny, that is, that Christ was man. This is the thing that by many arguments they set themselves most industriously to prove, which none of us deny, that Christ was man. Who doth doubt it? But they would thence conclude that because he is man, therefore he could not be God; which is their absurd and foolish consequence, when we know it was so plainly, so very plainly said, that the Word which, in that text, is said to be with God, is also said to be God; and the same Word is said to be made flesh, to be incarnate, to have assumed and taken on flesh; that is, not as if it did, in becoming flesh, cease to be what it was before, but did only add an assumed nature to a divine; and therefore, there being two natures now meeting toge- 8. This should further teach us how to steer our whole ther in that one person, it was no way unintelligible, but course in this world: our business here on earth, ought to that he should do that in the one nature which was impos- be (in the main of it) religion; we ought to make religion sible he should do in or by the other. That is, as man he our business. The business of religion, while we are in did grow, and as man he did die, and as man he did this imperfect state, is only a motion God-ward. The repray, when as God he could do none of these. But he ligion of the way, is coming to God. So that any one who that was God did do these things, though not as he was is sincerely religious and godly, will be able to make anGod. He that was God, did lay down his life, as in that swer to this question, What is the main business of your 3rd chapter of this epistle, v. 16. "Hereby perceive we life? This true answer he can make, "My main business the love of God, that he" (that same he that was God) is to make towards God; I am aiming at God, tending to"laid down his life for us." And so he that was God wards God, as one that hath been removed and set at a shed his blood for us, Acts xx. 28. "Feed the flock of distance from him, and so am to be brought back to him." God (his church) which he hath purchased with his own It was this Christ died for, the just for the unjust, to bring blood;" his own, who was God; though, as God, we us to God. Now this being the state of our case, we are know he could neither bleed nor have blood. But whereas, distant from him, in nearness to whom consists our duty the Son of God, as he was the Son of God and God, did and felicity. When we are to take and direct our course pray, and praying, apply himself to the Father, so are we God-ward, we must have a final term for our motion: to do, to pray, and in praying, apply ourselves to the Fa-"Whither are you going?" "Why, my course is tending ther as we are led by that great example. But then, we and directed God-ward." This motion must have for its being nothing but creatures, we have the whole Deity in ultimate term, God the Father. This is the sense and lanview as the Object of our worship and addresses. But guage of an inquiring soul, when once it comes to undernot the Deity, abstractly considered, but the Deity as sub- stand what the Scripture doth so plainly reveal; that there sisting in these three persons. The Deity abstractly con- are in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Their sidered, in the case of our Lord himself, was neither the sense, I say, is what we find expressed, John xiv. 8. Object, nor the subject of prayer; God, as God, did nei- "Show us the Father and it sufficeth us:" "do but show ther pray nor was prayed unto by him; did not pray, for us the Father, and we have enough: our great inquiry is it was the man, the man Christ that prayed; nor abstractly, after the Father, the Fountain and Original of all things, nor merely as God, was he the Object of prayer; but as in whom is our life and our only hope." 'Well," saith the Godhead did subsist in the person of the Father, so our Saviour, (meeting that genius and sense of such an indid the man Christ apply himself to him, and so could in quirer,) "I know where you would be, and who you are no sort be said to pray to himself, in praying to him. But seeking: and have you so long known me, and are ignonow, I say, we who are nothing but creatures, we have the rant of the Father? Come, I will be your Conductor, I will entire Godhead, not abstractly, but as subsisting in three be your Guide, no man cometh to the Father but by me." persons, to apply ourselves unto, and those persons con- And therefore, as there must be a final term of this motion, ceived of according to the order they are represented to so there must be a way leading thereto. "Why, I am the stand towards one another, and to be related one to another. way, the truth, and the life; (John xvi. 6.) no man cometh As we told you already, when we pray to the Father, as unto the Father, but by me." What is considerable in all the final and terminative Object of our prayers, we are at motion, is especially considerable in this. In every motion the same time to conceive the Son as through whom the there must be a final term, and there must be a way to prayer is to be transmitted, together with the answer, the move in. The Father, he is the final term-the Son, he good we are to expect and pray for; and the Holy Ghost, tells us, he is the way. But then there must be a third as by whose power to pray, and by whose power the an- thing, there must be an acting, moving principle besides, swer of prayer is to be effected too. And so it is God that and that must be the Holy Ghost, and can be no other. our prayers must respect, God to whom, God through It is by that one Spirit that all who shall approach to God whom, and God by whom. Pray to God, through God must have access to him, even to him the Father, considerand from God, and so our prayer hath every way to do ed under the notion of the Father. Jews and Gentiles have with God. Our prayer, as it is to be throngh the media- been wont (as that was the noted distinction) to divide the tion of Christ, so both it and its answer are to be wrought world. Now we find both spoken of in the same context, by the Holy Ghost; we are in that great and sacred work Ephes. ii. His business was to make them nigh who were of praying, to deliver up ourselves to the conduct of the afar off. The Gentiles were afar off, the Jews were comHoly Ghost, and so we are to do in the whole of our paratively nigh: now Christ was to make them nigh too, course. "As many as are the sons of God they are led," and both of them were to have access by one and the same oracled (as that word signifies, Rom. viii. 14.) "by the Spirit to the Father: from the 13th to the 18th verse. Spirit of God." Which Spirit is a Spirit of adoption, (as Whoever have a mind to return, to come back to God, it afterwards follows,) the Spirit that belongs to the state (from whom, in the common apostacy, all have made a of worship, as they are sons, that teaches them to cry, defection and cut themselves off,) here is the course and "Abba Father." And because they are sons, he hath method of their procedure, they must propound to themsent the Spirit of his Son into their hearts, as it is said in selves God the Father, (the Fountain of all life and blessthat parallel place, Gal. iv. 6. And we are required to edness,) to whom they must come, to whom they must be pray alway in the Spirit, Ephes. vi. 18. And in the Holy bending and directing their course, and to whom they must Ghost; 20th verse of the epistle to Jude. "Praying in guide their course in the way he hath prescribed, and that the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, look- is, by his own Son: "No man cometh to the Father (saith ing for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." our Saviour) but by me." And they must be acted on in Put all this together and then every prayer of ours ought this way towards that final term and end, by the power of to respect each person in the Godhead. That is, it ought the Holy Ghost. There can be no motion without the to be to God, through God, and from God: even as the concurrence of such a third, unto which there is a correanswer, it is to be in the same order, originally God's spondency here. That is, no man can move, but he moves answer, through Christ, and by the Holy Ghost. And so somewhither towards some term, nor can he move, but it we run into no confusion, when we suffer ourselves to be must be in some way. Nor again, can he move but it governed by Scripture light. And we can be in no danger must be from some motive principle, that carries him of incurring the guilt of blasphemy; for we do not ascribe through this way to that end. And so you may easily reto any of these persons more than the Scripture doth plainly present to yourselves the business of your lives here in this teach us to ascribe. And as our Saviour saith concerning world. My business is from day to day, to tend towards himself, so may we concerning each of these persons: the eternal Father, by the eternal Son, and under the conwhen the Scripture saith so and so, and doth attribute such duct and influence of the eternal Spirit. These are obviand such things to them, will any one say, that he blas-ous and useful instructions in reference to the doctrine that phemes that saith, that the eternal Father is God, or the hath been opened to you from the text, that do more dieternal Son is God, or the eternal Spirit is God? Scripture rectly concern and relate to the subject we have thus far most expressly saying these things as words can speak been upon. them. And again, But there is somewhat else, in reference to the present but one. purpose, upon this subject, which is collateral, and will be a testimony to us, it is our concernment, and is incumof use to us, however, to take notice of too. Our great bent on us, so to comport ourselves as that it may finally design upon this text, was to observe to you, that there are prove a testimony for us, and not a testimony against us. such a three in the Godhead; three and no more, as we This testimony is directly to us, that is, that this is God's have observed and insisted, of one certain order, Father, appointed way for saving lost souls, and bringing of them Son, and Spirit, that do subsist in the Godhead, which is to life and blessedness; and consequently, according as the But the apostle doth here not only take notice design of this testimony is comported with or not, it will what they are, that are thus in heaven, but what also they be either for us or against us. For us, if it can be recorddo, how they are employed, amidst the glory of the hea- ed at last concerning us, such and such have had the Gosvenly state. And he tells us they "bear record in heaven: pel preached unto them, Christ hath been offered, God the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these three hath been offering himself in Christ; and they have are one." You see who the witnesses are, in the words of obeyed the Gospel, they have complied with the call, they the text, and may see, a little lower, what is the matter of have received the Son of God. Oh! how great a thing their testimony, (as I was hinting to you but now,) that is, would it be to have a record in heaven for that! How did in sum, the truth of the Christian religion or the whole Job solace himself in this, "My record is in heaven." constitution of the Mediator. This is the record, (as it is When you can appeal to the records in heaven touching presently subjoined,) that God hath given us eternal life, transactions between God and you, and you can say, and that this life is in his Son. He hath an infinite fulness "Lord, thou didst make an offer to me of thy Son, thou of life to convey, to communicate, and to diffuse through didst require me to receive him as my Lord and Saviour: a desolate world, a world lost in death and darkness. And I have done so, I appeal to thee whether it be not recordhow is it to be conveyed? in what way is it to be com-ed above; let the records of heaven be searched, see whemunicated? Why it is all treasured up in his Son, he ther I be not recorded a believer, one that hath resigned hath constituted and appointed a Mediator, that in him it up my soul to God in Christ by the power of the eternal might be deposited, and that by him and through him it Spirit, to be entirely and absolutely his for ever. O! how might be transmitted and made to diffuse itself, and flow blessed a thing will it be to have such a record in heaven amongst lost and perishing souls. This was the matter of concerning you and for you? He that knows all things this testimony. Why let us take so much of instruction knows that such a one hath received Christ in truth, such from hence, a one hath truly believed, such a one loves the Lord Jesus in sincerity." And how fearful, by consequence, will it be to have it recorded in heaven against you," So long, so many days, so many years hath such a one lived under the Gospel,so often hath a Christ been tendered to him, and been refused by him, and there he stands in the records of heaven, a refuser of the grace of God, refuser of his Christ, despiser of the great salvation, that hath been published and proclaimed, and "begun to be spoken by the Lord himself, and was confirmed by them that heard him, God bearing them witness by divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost." That since those three glorious Three that are in heaven, are bearing record to the truth of our religion, of Christianity, that is, that God hath a design to communicate life to lost and perishing souls, and hath treasured up that life in order to this communication in his Son: since this is their record, their testimony, I pray let us take care that we duly receive it. Be afraid of slighting that testimony, the matter whereof is of so great importance to ourselves, and the Authors whereof, are the three glorious Persons in the Godhead, so venerable and so great Ones. When they are said to bear record in heaven, or to testify in heaven, the meaning is, not that their testimony is performed in heaven terminative, but originaliter, that is, these wit- And besides, that we are thus to take notice of what is nesses do testify from heaven, concerning this matter which doing above, how these Three employ themselves, their is of so great importance to the sons of men on earth. And bearing record in heaven, consider too (and therewith I pray see that we receive their testimony, as after it follows: shall shut up all) where it is that this work is doing, that If the testimony of a man (who is of any credit) ought not these Three are bearing this record in heaven. Let us conto be slighted; the testimony of God is greater. We have sider a little, and take this instruction from it, that it very the testimony of God the Father, God the Son, and God ill becomes us to alienate ourselves from heaven, and disre the Holy Ghost, concerning this one thing, that there is a gard the affairs and concerns of heaven. For we find that design of saving sinners, and giving life to them through our affairs and concernments who dwell on earth are mindhis Son, and that this life is only in this way to be com- ed in heaven. In heaven there is a concern about such municated and conveyed to perishing and undone souls: poor wretched creatures as we upon earth. It is very unwhat an awe should this lay upon our souls that are perish-worthy dealing if we live here upon earth, grovelling in the ing! And it is to us, that this salvation is offered. They dust of it, and very seldom think any thought of heaven. are dead themselves, as the apostle's expression is, "You When in heaven, by that glorious Triad above, we see are dead, but your life is hid with Christ in God." This our concernments while we are upon earth are not forgot being the state of our case, tremble at the thought of slight- ten, are not disregarded. These great and glorious Ones ing such a record, such a testimony, that proceeds from in heaven, are taken up about our affairs. Sure it should these three great Witnesses that do bear record in heaven. provoke us to look upwards much and often, adoringly. That is, the Father testifies concerning his Son, "This is It should suggest from time to time this thought to us, my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased:" The Son, that the intercourse between heaven and earth is not cut that eternal Word, testifying concerning the man to whom off. Still (as abject creatures as we are in this our low he united himself, replenishing that man with a divine estate) these glorious persons above are concerned about glory, so as that glory descending from heaven, and accom- us. Certainly, it should be often considered by us, that panying him in his descent from heaven, shone visibly in we have mighty attractives to draw our minds and thoughts him as the glory of the only-begotten Son of the Father, upwards, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy full of grace and truth. For he, at the same time when, Ghost still bearing a record from heaven to us about things after his descent, he had united himself with flesh, is said that are of the greatest and highest concernments for us to to be the Son of Man, who came down from, and who is mind. in heaven, John iii. 13. He was therefore testifying from And it should, in fine, provoke us to have aspirings upheaven, and was actually in heaven, when also he was ac-wards towards the blessedness and perfection of the heaventually united with this man on earth. And the Holy ly state. In heaven, these three bear record, the Father, the Ghost, he testifying from heaven, by descending on this Word, and the Holy Spirit. Who can think of this, and not same man, in visible glory like a dove, and lighting upon say, "O that I were there! O that I were there? Then will him. Thus, here was God the Father, testifying from this glorious mystery of the Trinity lie open to my view." heaven, and the eternal Word testifying, and the ever bless- It is in that seat of the Divine glory that these Three are ed Spirit testifying, from heaven, and their testimony meet-performing this kind office towards the poor children of ing all in one point, namely, that Christ the Mediator is he by whom life is to be conveyed from the God of all grace unto undone, perishing, lost souls. And consider in reference to this further, that as this is men, even amidst the light and glory of the heavenly state. The time will come that we may hope to ascend, and be caught up into this region of light, and in that light to see light, so that as whatsoever is dark, and obscure, and un known, and unrevealed, concerning this glorious Three and One, will be done away. When once we ascend and get up thither into the regions of light and bliss, where the glory of the Eternal Being doth display itself, we shall then know as we are known: we cannot know now but in part, and see but in part, but we shall then know perfectly and fully, and as we are known; so far as the capacity of created nature can admit. O! how pleasant should our aspiring upward to these Three be, where they do thus testify and bear record. How often should we be directing our thoughts and spirits, and the longing of our souls, towards these regions of light and bliss, saying within ourselves, "When shall a period be put to the time of my converse with bats and moles in this base earth? when shall I hear the Divine voice from the throne of glory that shall say to me, Ascend and come up hither, and see the things whereof thou hast hitherto but heard by the hearing of the ear? LECTURE XVII.* Matt. v. 48. concerning the trinity of persons in the Godhead, as shall not be easily reconcileable with the doctrine of his perfections, according as he hath represented and stated it himself. And upon that account, shall we apply ourselves to consider so much concerning the perfections of the Godhead, as this Scripture will give us a general ground for. Indeed to speak of the several perfections and attributes that do belong to the Divine nature, distinctly and at large, would be the work of a life's time; and very little agree with what I have designed, the expounding and opening to you the principles of religion, in as short a time as I can. Therefore, I have pitched upon this text, designing to sum up all under it, which I think requisite to say concerning the excellencies and perfections of the Divine Being, which we commonly speak of under the name, his attributes. You may take the ground of discourse thus, That all the excellencies which are requisite to make up the most absolute perfection, belong as attributes to the nature of God; or as so many attributes to be ascribed to God. This some may possibly apprehend, will be but to do what hath been done already, and to do it over again. That is, when in proving to you the existence of the Deity, we showed that we are to conceive of him under the notion of a Being absolutely perfect. It is true, it was impossible to demonstrate his existence without forelaying that notion of God. And that is suitable to what the laws Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in of method do require, in treating of any subject whatsoever. heaven is perfect. NEXT to the doctrine of the Trinity, comes (according to proper theological order) that of the Divine Attributes or Perfections, most fitly to be considered. After the discourse of the trinity which we have showed you subsists in the Godhead, we have chosen this text, both as it serves to confirm, and as it serves to regulate, that foregoing doctrine. First, As it serves to confirm it. For when we are so plainly told that "there are three that bear record in heaven;" and that the great Object of our religion, and whereto we are most solemnly to be devoted, is represented to us as three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; supposing such a triad as you see in the Godhead, you can suppose it under no other notion than that of a very great and high perfection belonging thereunto. And that, therefore, it must greatly intrench upon the perfection of the Godhead, and unspeakably diminish it, if there should be any attempt or offer made to diminish and detract from that sacred number. It could not but be a horrid maim to the very Object of our religion; and against any such disposition thereunto, or to do any thing, or to admit of any thought into our minds, that may have that tendency, it would fortify us greatly, to have the belief well fixed in our minds of the perfection of the Godhead. And, Secondly, it serves to regulate that doctrine of the trinity too: that is, to direct us to understand it so as may consist with the other perfections of the Godhead; where we are sure it is impossible there can be any war, or that there should not be the highest and most perfect agreement. We must so conceive of the trinity in the Godhead, and the perfections that we are here and elsewhere taught to ascribe unto it, as that these may manifestly accord with one another. And for that purpose, we must conceive of the Divine perfections as the Scripture doth direct us, according as God himself speaks of them; allowing his word to be our measure, in making our estimate and judgment concerning them. They that take another course, and pretend to discover to us the incomprehensible nature of God, by methods and measures of theirs secluding this, and opposing it in any kind, truly we have a great deal more reason to be astonished at their confidence than we have to admire their knowledge; as if they could make a better discovery and a clearer representation of God to us than he himself. But if we do understand the Divine perfections according to those plain and express measures which he hath given us in his word, or which he enables us to collect, as we are reasonable creatures, from what he hath said in his word concerning himself and them, it would then withhold us from any such exorbitant conceptions * Preached May 8th, 1691. That is, if there be occasion to put the question an sit, whether such a thing be or not, and to prove the existence of it, first, and before we come to that inquiry, to inquire quid sit, and what it is. To open the nature of such a thing, there must be first some general notion assigned and laid down of that whose existence we would prove, and about which the first inquiry was made an sit, whether it be, yea or nay. Otherwise, in attempting to prove that, we may as well prove any thing else, if we do not give such a notion of it as will distinguish it from another thing. But now after we have done so, it comes properly of course then to proceed to a more narrow inspection into the nature of such a thing. And so the order of tractation did require it should be in this present case. That is, when we were to inquire concerning the existence of the Deity, first to put you in mind, what you and all must be supposed to apprehend concerning the thing we inquired about, that is, a Being of absolute perfection in the general; and we can have no other notion of God but as a being absolutely perfect. That being done, and it having been evinced to you that there is such a Fountain-Being from whence whatsoever perfections we do behold, and come under our notice among the creatures, must have descended and been derived, inasmuch as whatsover we behold, and take notice of, that comes under any notion of perfection with us at all, is not nothing, and therefore could not come from nothing, and therefore must be first in a fountain from whence it came. When by this means, I say, we have plainly evinced, that there is one Being which hath all perfection originally in itself; and thereupon shown that Being to be a fit object for religion, and to be worshipped by us, and to whom duties and exercises of religion ought to be performed, and that this can be done acceptably no way but agreeable to his own will; thereupon we were put upon an inquiry, how that will of his might be understood and known; and having found that it was discovered (with that design and to that purpose that he might be duly and acceptably worshipped) in that word that bears his name, thence we come, regularly and of course, to speak of things particularly and more expressly concerning him, (whereof we have had some general notions before,) which are contained in this Book, and which this word will help us to a more distinct knowledge of. And therefore now, in speaking to the proposition laid down, we are to consider the subject of it, your heavenly Father;" and then we are to consider the thing affirmed concerning this subject, He "is perfect." 1. For the former, the subject of this affirmation, we must consider in what sense (as there will be occasion to take notice of by and by) he can be spoken of under the name of a subject. Scholars know how to distinguish be had but then attained an end which he was aiming at, and tending towards before, which implies such a diminution as can by no means he admitted concerning God. As when any one doth then suppose himself to have arrived at an eternal sort of perfection, when he hath compassed an end that he was about. "I work this day, and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfect;" finish a work I was engaged in, which is but an external sort of perfection. The word (for want of being more expressive) is borrowed and employed here, in a case of very transcendent height above that. And so for the Latin word perfectie, or perfectus, it carries an intimation with it as if the thing spoken of were, now at length, thoroughly made that which before it was not. Such expressions do (through the natural poverty of speech and language) lessen and diminish greatly the thing that should be represented and set forth by them. tween a subject of predication, and a subject of inhæsion. Ifies an end, and so carries an intimation with it, as one He can be no subject of inhæsion, as you will see presently. But a subject concerning which this or that may be affirmed or spoken, that is the only thing which we can truly and properly mean when we speak of God under that name or term. But whereas he is here mentioned as our "Father which is in heaven," (as our Saviour directs he should be prayed unto, in that comprehensive system of petitions that he himself was pleased to give his disciples, "Our Father which art in heaven,") we must distinguish between Christ's calling him Father himself and his teaching us to call him so, or his speaking of him as our Father. When Christ himself calls him "Our Father," he calls him so as he was; and so he doth speak himself, when he speaks of his having come from, his having descended from, the Father. He could mean by the term "Father," nothing else but the first person in the Trinity. But when he speaks of him as our Father, and directs us to speak of him, or to speak to him, we do not need so tô limit that term "Father," in reference to us, for we may fitly enough consider the whole God in the paternal relation to ourselves. Concerning the Father there is no doubt, for so our Saviour hath taught us to conceive and speak, "I go to my Father and your Father, my God and your God," John xx. 17. And even the Son spoken of as our everlasting Father," Isaiah ix. 6. And all the children of God are said to be born of his Spirit, and to be begotten thereby, John iii. 1. And suppose we should look upon Father, here, strictly as a personal name or title, yet so we must consider the Divine nature as subsisting fontaliter, or as in a fountain, in that person: and it is that person as having that nature eminently and originally and firstly in him; even that same nature that is common to each of the persons. And so it is not in the person as the person, but as having the Divine nature in it, which is the subject here spoken of. "Your Father which is in heaven is perfect." The Godhead, or the nature of God, subsisting as in the Fountain, in the Father; and that same na-fied and spoken of. As there is his self-subsistence, his ture which is also common with him to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. But then, II. For that which is affirmed or spoken of this subject, He" is perfect." How are we at a loss when we come to speak of this divine perfection! "I have seen an end" (saith the Psalmist) " of all perfection, but thy commandments are, or thy commandment is, exceedingly broad." Even so much of divine perfection as is expressed that one way, (in the divine word) is of so exceeding vast a latitude, as to represent itself as the matter of the highest wonder to a very enlarged and comprehensive mind, that had exceeded the bounds of all other perfection, and already gone beyond them all. I have seen an end of all perfection, but how vast a perfection beyond all that do I perceive in thy divine word, wherein there are yet but some sunbeams, some glimmerings of the perfection of the Divine nature! Indeed when we go about to speak of such a subject as this, or to think of it, we may even fear to meet with such a rebuke as that, Job xxxviii. 2. "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" Can we think by searching to find out God? Can we find out the Almighty unto perfection? Job xi. 7. Somewhat the case requires should be said, of what we can say and conceive but little of. Something the exigency of our case doth require; that we labour, all of us, to be informed concerning one with whom we have so much to do, and in whose hands all our great concerns do lie. For the word that is used here, "perfect," and the words in the learned languages that we are referred to by these penmen, they do (as all words must do) fall most inconceivably short of the thing. Words cannot but be poor, and labour under a penury, when they are expressive of any thing of God. Alas! they can go but a little way in it. The words that we have here to do with more immediately, do carry in them a kind of diminishing and lessening intimation of coming to a state, or having come to a state, that is higher and more excellent, from a state that was meaner and lower; in which the subject spoken of is (as it were) supposed to have been before, according to the general and indefinite use of such words. As the Greek word recios that is here used, refers to a word that signi But to consider the thing itself, (as we may be capable to open to you somewhat of the divine perfections,) there are two things to be done in reference hereto. We shall note to you some things more generally that do concern the Divine perfections indefinitely considered: and then shall (though briefly) come to consider some of the parti cular perfections themselves, which we are more specially concerned to take notice of, that are comprehended under those generals. 1. There are some things more generally to be laid down concerning the Divine perfections, or excellencies, or at tributes; you may call them which of these you will, fidy enough. And, (1.) There is this to be considered concerning them, that there are of these divine excellencies or perfections, which we are taught to attribute to God, some that are altogether incommunicable ones. There are some that are incommunicable; that is, that have not so much as a name common to him, and to us, by which they are to be sign all-sufficiency, his eternity, and his immensity. These are attributes or perfections of the Divine nature, that are not so much as common in name to him and to us; so ap propriate to him, that there is nothing known by the same name that can be said of us. And there are some of his attributes and perfections that are communicable, that is which under one and the same name, may be spoken of him and of us, of him and of the creature. As his wisdom there is also such a thing among men and his power, they have some power: and his goodness; they have some goodness: and so his justice, his holiness, and his truth: these are divine perfections that are spoken of under one and the same name, concerning him and concerning some of his creatures. That is one thing that you have in general to note; as concerning the incommunicable aur butes of God, they have not so much as the same name with him and with us; for there is nothing in us, to which such names do agree: all-sufficiency, immensity, eternity omnipotency, self-existence, and the like. Bat the other (as was said) are signified by words applicable to some what in us, as to be wise, to be good, to be just, to powerful, and the like. And, (2.) In the next place, you must note, that for those divine attributes and perfections which are communicate it is only the name that is common to that thing in he and that thing in us, which is expressed thereby. true that there is the same name but not the same nature There is a likeness, a similitude, but not an identity, s sameness. Take heed of apprehending or imagining such thing between the divine wisdom, or the di power, or the divine goodness, that are uncreated, and that which is created; and so of his holiness, his justice. and the like. We are not to think there is a sameness t nature, though there be the same names used in such per fections as these, as they are found to be in God, and as they are found to be in us, or in the creature: for it is possible that the nature which is infinite and the paintes which are finite can be the same. An infinite nature and a finite nature must needs differ infinitely, and therefore can by no means be the same nature. Wherefore, all that is said in this case, in reference to us, when God is pleased to derive and communicate from himself unto those whom |