of the PERSON of CHRIST. ti[ from him unto the whole body: Deny his perfon to be theproper and iunuedi- object of this faith, and all thefe things are utterly overthrown, that is the whole fpiritual life and eternal falvation of the church. This faith in the perfon of Chrift which is the foundation of all that di- vine honour in facred adoration and invocation which is afiìgned unto him, may be confidered two ways. (I. As it refpeds his perfon obfolutely. (2. As he is confidered in the difcharge ofthe office ofmediation. (i. In the firft fenfe faith is placed abfolutely and ultimately on the perfon of Chrift, even as on the perfon of the Father. He counts it no robbery herein to be equal with the Father. And the reafon hereof is becaufe the divine nature it felf is the proper and immediate object of this faith, and all the alts of it. This being one and the faine in the perfon of the Father and of the Son, as alfo of the holy fpirit, two things do follow thereon. Firfi; that each perfon is equally the objeft ofour faith, becaufe equally participant of that nature which is the for- mal reafon and objeft of it. Secondly, it follows alfo, that in ailing faith on, and afcribing therewithal divine honour unto any one perfon, the other are not excluded, yea they are included therein. For by reafon of the mutual in-being of thedivine perfons, in the unity of the fame nature, the objeft of all fpiritual worlhip is undivided. Hence are thofe exprefiions ofthe fcriptures; He that bathPeen the Son, bathPeen the Father; he that bonoureth the Son, bonoureth the Father, for he and the Father are one. And to clear our prefent defign, three things maybe obferved from hence, namely, that the divine nature, with all its effential properties, is the formal reafon, and only groundof divine faith. As r. That the Lord Chrift is not the abfolute and ultimate objefiofour faith, any otlterwife but under this confederation, of his being par-, taker of the nature of God, of his being in the formof God, and equal unto him. Without this, to place our faith in him would be robbery and facrilege; as is all the pretended faith of them, who believe not his di- vine perfon. a. There is no derogation from the-honour and glory ofthe Father, not the leaft diverfion of any one fingle all of duty from him, nor from the holy fpirit, by theefpecial adings offaith on the perfon of Chrift. For all divine honour is given folely unto the divine nature. And this being ab- folutely the faine in each perfon, in the honouring of one, they are all equally honoured, He that honoureth the Son, he therein honoureth the Father alto. 3. Hence it appears what is that efpecial ailing offaith on the perfon of Chrift which we intend, and which in the fcripture is given in charge unto us, as indifpenfably neceffary unto our falvation. And thereare three things to be confidered in it. (t.) That Isis divine nature is the proper formal object of this faith, on the confederation whereof alone, it is fixed on him.. If you ask a reafon why I believe on the Son of God; if you intend what taufe I havefor it, what motives unto it, I Ihall anfwer, It is becaufe what he bath done for me, whereofafterwards; fo doth the.apoffle, Gal. ii. so, But ifyou in- tend, what is the formal reafon, grounds and warrant whereon I thus he -, lieve in him, or place my truft and confidence in him, I fay it is only this, that he is over all God blef ecIfor ever; andwere he not fo, I could not be- lieve in him. For to believe in any, is to expel from him that to be done" for me, which none but Godcan do. (s.) That the entire perfonof Chrift as God add man, is the immediate object of our faith herein. The divine nature is the reafon of it; but his X divin?
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