each PERSON difíintlly. 201 witnefs he is an objeft of belief. When he gives teflimony (which he doth as the Father, becaufe he Both it of the Son) he is to be received in it by faith. And this is affirmed v. to. He that believeth on the Son ofGod, bath the witnefs in bimfelf. To believe on the Son of God in this place, is to receive the Lord Chrift as the Son, the Son given unto us (a) for all the ends of the Father's love, upon the credit of the Father's teftimony: and therefore tlrer'in is faith immediately afted on the Fa- ther. So it follows in the next words, Hethat believeth not God (that is, the Father, who bears witnefs to the Son)makes him a lyar: you believe in God, faith our Saviour, John xiv. 1. that is, the Father, as fuch; for he adds, believe elfo in me; or believe you in God, believe alfo in me. God (b)as theprima veritas;uponwhofeauthority is founded, and whereinto all di- vine faith isultimately refolved, is not to he confidered tunamhwa"s, aspeculiarly expreffive ofany perfon, but simvbtis,ascomprehending thewhole deity, which undividedly is the prime objeft thereof. But in 'this particular it is the teftimony and authority of the Father (as fuch) therein, of which we fpeak, and whereupon faith is diftinftly fixed on him: which if it were not fo, the Son could not add, Believe alp on me. The like alfo is faid of love, I John ii. 15. Ifany man lovethe world, the love ofthe Father is not in him. That is, the love.which we bear to him, not that which we receive from him. The Father is here placed, as the objeft of our love, in oppoStion to the world, which takes up our affections, 7rrtl6s, The Father denotes the matterand objett, not theefficient caufe of the love enquired after. And this love of him as a Father, is that which he calls his honour, Mal, i. 6. Farther, thefe graces as afted in prayer and praifes, and as cloathedwith inftituted worfhip,are peculiarly direfted unto him. We call on the Father t Pet. i. 17. Ephef. iii. 14, a 5. For this caufe I bornmy kneesunto theFather ofour Lord yefus Chrill, of ''whom the whole family in heavenand earth is named; Bowing the knee, comprizeth the whole worlhip of God, both that which is moral, in the univerfal obedience he requireth, and thofe peculiar ways of carrying it on, which are by him appointed. .lfa. xiv. 23. unto me, faith the Lord, every knee fhall bow, and every tongue flail fwear. Which v. 24, 25. he declareth to conflit in their acknowledging of him, for righteoufnefs, and flrengtb. Yea, itfeems fometimes to compre- hend the orderly fubje&ion of the whole creation unto his fovereignty (b). In this place of the apoftle, it hath a far more reftrained acceptation, and it is but a figurative expreffion of prayer, taken from themolt expref- five bodily pofture to be ufed in that duty. This he farther manifefts, o. a6, 17. declaring at large what his aim was, and whereabout his thoughts were exercifed in that bowingofhis knees. The workings then of the fpirit of grace inthat duty are diftinftly ditched to the Fatheras fuch, as the fountainofthe Deity, and ofall good things in Chrift ; as the father of ourLord Jefus Chrift. And therefore the fame apoftle doth in another place, exprefsly conjoyn, and yetas exprefsly diftinguifh the Father and the Son in ditching his fupplications, 1 Theft. iii. 1 t. Godhimfe f even our Fa- ther, andour Lord yefus Cbrifl direa our way unto you. The like prefident alfo have you of thankfgiving iEphef. i. 3, 4. Bleffed be the Father of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrifl &c. I (hall not add thofe very many places, wherein the feveral particulars (e) that do concur unto that whole divine worlhip (not to he communicated unto any, by nature not God without idolatry) wherein the faints dohold communionwith God, arediftinftly di- tchedto the perfon of the Father. (o) ita is. 6. a Cor. i. 30 Mat. v. 16.'45. vi. 1,4. 68. vt. sa. xii. 50. Luke .2212. 49. John iv. 23. vi. 45. sii. 26. xiv. 6, 21, 23. Vt. r svi. 53 07, xx. al. Gal. i , 3.'_ Ephet ii 18. v. 20. r The. i. lam. i. 7. Pee i. r7. loirs ii..3 Edr. (io Rom. siv..o (r) Jerem. s. tr. Phil.ü. to. at. xvii. 5, 6. Gal. iv. 8. 4. It Eee ,
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