72 CA 'Declaration of the Glorious MYSTERY But ostward caufes and circumflances, gave opportunity unto the exercife of fore of them, in a, more way eminent and confphcuous than others . were cxercifed in. For infante ; fach were his unfpeakable condefcen- foe, felf-denial, and patience in fufferìngs, which the apofle unto this pur- pofe infìfls upon, Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. Now the great dcfign of all believers is to be like Jefus Chrift, in all grace, and all the exercife of ir. I-Ie is in all things their pattern and example. Wherefore when they have a view . of the glory of-any grace as it was exercifed in Chrift, and withal a fenfe of their own defeft and want therein, (conformity unto him being their de- fign,) they cannot but apply themfelves unto bim in folewn invocation, for a farther communication of that grace unto them, from his Flores and fulnefs. And there things mutually promote one another in us if duly attended unto. A due fenfe of our own defe& in any grace, will farther us in the profpe& of the glory of that grace in Chrift. And a view, a due contemplationof the glorious exercifeof any grace in him, will give us light to difcover our own great defeft therein, and want thereof. Under a fenfe ofboth, an immediate application unto Chrift by prayer, would be an un- fpeakable furtherance of our growth in grace, and conformity unto him. Nor can there beany more effeftual way or means to draw fupplies ofgrace. from him, to draw water from the wells of falvation. When in an holy admiration of, and fervent love unto any grace as eminently exercifed in and by-him, with a fenfe of our own want of the fame grace, we ask it of him in faith, he will not deny it unto us. So the difciples upon the -pre- fcription of a difficult duty unto whofedue performance a good meafureof faith was required ; out ofa fenfe of the aüfulnefs ofhim, andtheir ownde-' feet in that grace whichwas nece¡fary unto the peculiar duty there preferi- bed, immediately pray unto him, faymg, Lord increafe ourfaith Luke xvii, 5. The fame is the cafe with refpe& unto any temptation that may befal us, wherewith he was exercifed, and over which he prevailed. (5. The time of death whether natural, or violent for his fake, is a fea- fon of the fame nature. So Stephen recommended his departing foul into his hands with folemn prayer ; Lord yefus, faid he, receive my fpirit. To the fame purpofe have been the prayers of many ofhis faithful mar-' tyrs intheflames and under the Sword. In the facie manner doth the faith of- innumerable holy. fouls work in the midit of their death-bed groans. And the snore we havebeen in the exercifeof faith on him in our lives, the more ready will it be in the approaches of death, to make its refort un- to him in a peculiar manner. And it may be other inftances ofa like na- ture may begiven unto the faine purpofe. Ananfwer untoanenquiry which may poffibly arife from what wehave infifted on, ¡hall clofe this difcourfe. For whereas the Lord Jefus. Chrift as mediator doth intercede with the Father for us, it may be inquired, Whether we maypray unto him, that he wouldfp intercede on our behalf; whether this be compnzed in the dutyof invocation, or prayer untohim? Anf. Fir/f, there is no precedent nor example of any fuch thing, of any fuch prayer in the fcripture. And it is not fafe for us to venture on duties not exemplified therein.. Nor can any infante of a neceffary duty be given, of whofe performance we have not an example in the fcripture. Secondly, in the invocation of Chrift, we honourthe Son, even as we honour the Father. Wherefore Isis divine perfon ìs therein the formal obje& of our faith. We confider him not therein as ailing in his mediatory office towards God for us, but as he who bath the abfolute power and difpofal of all the good risings we pray for. And in our invocati- on ofhim, our faith is fixed on, andterminated on his.perfon. But as he is in
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