¡90 Anexpefitim vpontheLords f er. And inEfai / 6. Chrif} iscalled the Father ofeternitie , bécaufe all that are truly knit to him, and borne anewbyhiin,they areeternally made thefonncs ofGod.Againe,oftentimes it is giucu to the firf}perfon inTrinitie, as in thole places where oneperfon is conferred withanother. And fo in this place prin- cipally for foine fpeciall refpeels, this title agrees to thefirf} perfon.Fortirft be is the father ofChrif}as hee is the eternal( word of theEither, and that by na- turc,becaufe he is ofthe fame eflmce ith him. Secondly,heis father toChrifi ,in refped}ofhis manhood , not by nature or adoption, but by perfbnall vniön, becaufe the humane nature doth fiibfi fi in theperfonof the word. Thirdly,he is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Chrif}. a. Oue/z. Whether arc wee to pray to the Sonneand holyGhof} as to the Father?Anfluuocationbelongs to all the three perfons in Trinitie,& notonly to theFather. AO. 7. ¡9. Stencilpraieth,Lerd lefu receiuemy fgrit. t . Theff, 3.7. NowGodour Father andour Lord s'effró Chrieguideor!rierirueyTintolox 2.Cor. 13 13 . Thegraceo¡our Lord /cps (hrifi, the logeofGod, andthecom- rtsunion ofi he holyghofbe withyou. And menarebaptized in the name ofthe Father,the Sonne, and the holy Ghof}, that is, by calling on thename of the Father, Sonne,and holy Ghof}. Some may, fay,this praier is aperfect platformeofall praiers, and yet weare taught todire61 ourpraiers to the Father,not to the Sonne or holySpirit:l an. (were, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghof}, are threedia inc`} perfons,yet they 'are not tobe fetteredor diuided , becaufe they all fug is inore and the fame godheador diuine nature. And further in all out.\ and adions, as in thecrea- tionand preferuation ofthe world, andthe faluation ofthe elect, theyate not feueredor diuided; for they all worke togither, onely they are -diti inguifhcd in the manner of working . Now if they be not diuided in natureor operation, then they are not to be feuered in worfhip. And in this placewee principallydireá} our praiérs to the father, becaufe flee is the fir(} inorder:yet fo, as then wee implie the Sonne and holy Ghofl: For wepray to the Father in the name of the Sonne by theaffìflance oftheholy Ghof}. Andto what perfon foeuer thepraicr isdireeted, wemuí} alwaiesre- a member in mind and heart to include the refl. 2. The efe. THe vies ofthis point aremanifold. 1. Fira, whereas wee are taught tocome to God as toa father, and there- fore in the name of his Sonne our SauiourChrif}, wee learneto lay the fita ground ofall ourpraiers. which istohold andmaintainsthevnion and thedi- flinElion of the threeperfons in Trinitie. This being the lowefl and the firfi foundation ofpraier, it is rcquifite that all which wouldprayaright, fhotild haue this ,knowledge, rightly tobeleeue the Trinitie, and to knowe how the three perfons agree , and -how they arediainguifhed, and the order ofthen, how theFather is thefir(},the Sonne the fecond, theholyGhof the third : and there-.
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