of the PERSON üj'GHRIST. ÓJ and ours. To call on the name of the Lord Jefus expreffeth falemn in- vocation in the way of religious worfhip. The Jews didcall on the name of God. An others in their way called on the names of their Gods. This is that whereby the church is diflinguilhed from them all i It cat's on the naineofour Lord jtefus Chriff. He rag ires that as we belive on God, that is, the Father, fo we fhould helieve on him, alp, and therein honour the Son, as we honour the Father, john xiv. t. The nature of this faith, and the manner how it is exercifed on Chrift, we fnall declare afterwards. But the apoflle treatingof the nature andefficacy of this invaci:tior, affirms that we cannot call on him, in whom we have notbelieved, Rain. x. t4. Whence it follows on the contrary, that he on whom we are bound to believe, on him it is our duty to call. So the whole fcripture is clofed with a prayer of the church unto the Lord Chrift, exprefling their faith in hint; Even fo come Lord Jefus Rev. xxii 20. There is not any one reafonof prayer, not any one motive unto it, not any confideration of its ufe or efficacy, but renders this peculiar invocation of Chrift a neceffary duty. Two things in general are required to render the duty ofinvocation lawful and ufeful. Firft, that it have a proper objeíl; Secondly, that it have preva- lent motives and encourgements unto it. Thefe in concurence are the for- mal reafon and ground of all religious worfhip in general, and of prayer in particular. So are they laid down as the foundation of all religion, Exod. xx. a, 3. I am the Lord thy God, that is the proper objet of all religious worfhip, which brought thee out of the land of 'Egypt, out of the houfe of bandage, which being fummarily and typically reprefentative of all divine benefits, temporal, fpiritual and eternal, is the grand motive thereunto. The want of both thefe in all meer creatures, faints and angels, make the invocation of them, not only ufelefs, but idolatrous. But they both eminently concur in the perfon of Chrift, andhis stings towards us. All the perfeftions of the divine nature are inhim, whence he is the proper objet of religious invocation. On th's account when he aced in and to- wards the church, as the great angel of the covenant, God inftruted the people unto all religious obfervance of him, and obedience unto him, Exod. xxiii. 21. Beware of him and obey his voice, provoke him not, fòr be will not pardon your trangrefons, for my naine is in him. Becaufe the name ofGod was in him, that is, the divine nature with fovereign autho- rity to punifh or pardon fin, therefore was all religious obedience due unto him. And no motives are wanting hereunto. All that the Lord Chrift bath done for us, and all theprinciples of love, grace, companion and pow- er fromwhence what he hash fo done did proceed, are all of this nature. And they are accompanied with the encouragement of his relation unto us, and charge concerning us. Take away this duty, and the peculiaradvan- tage of chriftian religion is dellroyed. We have lived to fee the utmoftextreams that chriftian religion can di- vert into. Some with all earneftnefs do prefs the formal invocation of faints and angels as our dut and force will not grantthat it is lawful for us fo to call on Chrift himfelf. The Socinians grant generally that it is lawful for us to call on Chrift; but they deny that it is our duty at any time fo to do. But as they own that it is our duty, fo on their principles it cannot be lawful. Denying his divine perfon, they leave, him not the proper objet ofprayer. For prayer without an afcription of divine excel- lencies, as omnifctence, omniprefence, and almighty power unto him whom we invocate, is but vain babling, that bath nothing of the nature of true prayer in ir. And tomake.fuch afcriptions unto ham who by na- ture is not God, is idolatrous. The folemn ordinaryworfhip of the church, and
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=