The high priest coming from the presence of the Holy Trinity pronounced the name JEHOVAH three times, pointing out thereby the offices of each of the divine persons in the economy of the covenant, and how they stand related to the church: so our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God, having finished the work of salvation, blefses his redeemed by making them to know that the Lord Jehovah is their God, by putting his name upon them, by communicating spiritual life unto them, and admitting them into communion with the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in love, grace, and consolation. Let it be observed, that the incomprehensible efsence of God is the object of worship. The Godhead is the fountain of the divine persons. They equally exist in it by efsential union; so that in each and every act of worship they are adored and worshipped. "We begin our prayers to "God the Father, and conclude them "in the name of Jesus Christ; yet the "Son is no lefs invoked and worshipped "in the beginning of our addrefs than "the Father, though he be peculiarly "mentioned as Mediator in the close, 66 not as Son to himself, but as Media"tor to God in Trinity. In the invo"cation of God the Father we invocate 66 every person, because we invocate the "Father as God, every person being so. DR. OWEN.-In that divine directory which is recorded by the apostle Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians" for the benefit of the church in all succeeding ages, this is fully declared. Our accefs in worship is said to be to the Father through Christ by the Spirit. In which scripture there is a distinction of the persons, as to their operations, but none in point of their equality as the object of our worship. For the Son and Holy Ghost are no lefs worshipped in our accefs to God than the Father himself: only that the grace of the Father, which we receive a sense and enjoyment of through the Son's mediation and the influence of the Holy Spirit, is that which we draw nigh unto God for. So that when by the distinct dispensation of the Trinity and of every person we are led to worship the whole Trinity and every person; by what name soever, whether of Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, we invocate him, all the divine persons have union and personal communion with us, and an indwelling in us. THE FATHER dwells in us'. "If we "love one another, God dwelleth in "us. Hereby we know that we dwell "in him, and he in us, because he "hath given us of his Spirit. Whoso66 ever shall confefs that Jesus is the Son Cap. ii. 18. i 1 John iv. 12, 13, 15. 66 "of God, God dwelleth in him, and hề "in God." Now it is evident, that it is God the Father which is spoken of, from the words which stand in immediate connection with those which I have cited, "And we have seen and do testify, "that the Father sent the Son to be the "Saviour of the world." CHRIST dwelleth in us. Thus he writes to the Colofsians'; "Christ in you.' Thus he prays for the Ephesians; "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith". The HOLY GHOST dwelleth in us... "He that raised up Christ from the "dead shall also quicken your mortal "bodies by his Spirit which dwelleth in you"." God the Father dwelleth in us by pofsefsing our minds with apprehensions of his love; and we dwell in him as we know and believe the love which he hath to us. The apostle John exprefsly makes mention of communion with the Father and the Son, which is not to be understood as exclusive of the Holy Ghost, by whom it is we enjoy it. He declares it to be the blefsed privilege of real saints. Truly," says he, "our fellowship is with the Father, "and with his Son Jesus Christ." Lord himself also has introduced this divine subject of communion into that 66 1 Chap. i. 27. n Rom. viii. 11. Our consolatory addrefs which he delivered to his disciples prior to his departure from them, and thereby presented it to our view. "If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will "love him, and we will come to him, "and make our abode with him." Fellowship with Christ is exprefsly, fully, and repeatedly spoken of in the sacred scriptures. The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's, is a divine treatise upon the subject. Paul saith, "God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto "the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ 86 our Lord"." Our Lord speaks of it in these words, " Behold, I stand at the "door and knock; if any man hear my "voice and open the door, I will come "in to him, and sup with him, and he "with me." Communion with the Holy Ghost is taken notice of by the apostle in his epistle to the Corinthians'. In his epistle to the Romans' he makes distinct mention of his love. Moreover he directs his supplication peculiarly to the Holy Ghost in that most solemn benediction to which I have just alluded, and which I shall now recite. "The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and "the love of God, and the communion "of the Holy Ghost be with you." All P 1 Cor. i. 9. q Rev. iii. 20. • John xiv. 23. Chap. xv. 30. such benedictions are originally supplications. He is entitled to all instituted worship from the appointment of the administration of baptism in his name'. There is no act of worship, no duty nor obedience performed, no going forth of our souls to God, but what is distinctly directed unto Father, Son, and Spirit; and by these and such like means we hold communion with God. And the gracious communications of the Lord God to us are held forth in the divine word so as to be ascribed jointly to all the persons in the Godhead, and also respectively to each of them. See the apostolic prayer which is recorded by John". "Grace be unto you and peace "from him which is, and which was, "and which is to come; and from the ઃઃ seven spirits which are before the "throne; and from Jesus Christ, who "is the faithful and true witnefs, &c." The seven spirits before the throne are the Holy Spirit of God considered as the fountain of every perfect gift and grace. All the Three Persons are here joined together, and yet all are mentioned as distinguished in their communications of grace and peace unto the saints. These things duly considered sufficiently prove that the holy Trinity have and Matt. xxviii. 19. u " Rev. 1. 4, 5. |