6¢ c/1 `Declaration of the Glorious MYSTERY who denieth the Son (herein) bath not the Father , but be that_acknowledg- eth theSon bath the Father alfo, I John ii. 23. For this is the record, that God hathgiven unto zis eternal life, and this life is in the Son. He that bath the Son, bath lifè, and he that bath not the Son bath not life; chap. v. II, 12. If we are wanting herein; whatever we pretend, we do not worship nor honour God at all. And there is reafon to give this caution ; reafon to fear that this great fundamental principal of our religion, is, if not disbelieved, yet not much attended unto in the world. Many whoprofefs a refpe& unto the divine being, and the worship there- of, feem to have little regard unto the perfonofthe Son in all their religion. For although they may admit of á Fuftomary interpofition of his name in their religious worfbip; yet the fame dillin& veneration of him as of the Father, they feem not to underftand, or to be exercifed in. Howbeit all the acceptance of our perfons and duties with God, depends on this one condition, that we honour the Son, even as we honour the Farber. To honour the Son as we ought to honour the Father is that which makesus chriftians, and which nothingelfe will fo do, This honour of the perfon of Chrift may be confidered in the duties of it, wherein it cloth confift; .and in the principle, life,or fpringofthefe duties. The duties whereby we afcribe and exprefs divine honour unto Chrift, may be reduced unto two heads. 1.) Adoration. 2.) Invocation. Adoration is the proflration of foul before him as God, in the acknowledg- ment of his divine excellencies and the afcription of them unto him. It is expreffed in the Old Teftament by minwrs, that is, humbly to bow downour felves orour fouls unto God. The LXX render it conftantly by ,reyoxu- t. ; which is the word ufedin the New Teftamentunto the fame purpofe. The Latines expreffed it ufually by adorn: And thofeweirds, though of other derivations, are of the fame fignification with that in the Hebrew.; And they do all of them include fome external fign of inward reverence, or a readinefs thereunto. Hence is that expreffion, He bowed down his head and wo fhipped. See .Pfal. xcv. 6. And there external figns are of two forts. (i. Such as are natural and occafional, (a. Such as are folemn, fluted or inftitutezl. (i. Ofthe firfl fort are the liftingup ofour eyes and hands towards heaven upon our thoughts of him; and fometimes the tailing downofour whole per- fans before him, which deep thoughts with reverence will produce. Out- ward inftituted figns of this internal adoration are all the ordinances of evangelical worship. In and by them do we folemnly profefs and exprefsour inward veneration of.him. Other ways may be invented to the fame pur- pofe, but the fcripture knows them not, yea condemns them. Such are the veneration and adoration of the pretended images of him, and of the Hoft, as they call it, among the Papifts. This adoration is due continual- ly to the perfon ofChrift, and that as in the exercife ofthe office of medi- ation. It is flue unto him from the whole rational creation of God So is itgiven incharge unto theangels above. For whenhebroughtthefirft begotten into the wand lie fall, ,tco:wun-úzrau..¿ta= r=tutuáyys.aoi®sg,(that is, rnnnwn m4K 4D ,4, wozfliphim allye GodsPfal. xcvii. 7. Let all the angelsofGodwoe- Jhip him, adorehim, bow down before him, Heb.i.6. See our expofitionofthat place;the defign ofthe vhole chapter being toexprefs the divinehonour that is dueunto the perfonofChrift, with the grounds thereof. This is the com- mand given alfo unto the church, He is thy Lord, and worfhip thou him, Pfal. xlv. I1. A glorious reprefentation hereof, whether in the church above, or in that Militant here on the earth, is given us, Rev. V. v. 6, 7, 8, g, to, 11, I2, 13, 14. And Ibeheld and lo, in the midfi ofthe Throne, and of
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