1. The meaning.
IN the opening of this word, or title of God, two questions are to be opened.
1. Quest. Whether by thit title, Father, is signified the whole Trinitie or some one person thereof. Ans. Otherwhiles this name is attributed to all the persons in Trinitie, or any of them. Mal. 2. 10. Haue wee not all one father. &c. Luk. 3.38. Which was the sonne of Adam, which was the s••nne of God. And in E∣sai 36. Christ is called the Father of eternitie, because all that are truely knit to him, and borne anew by him, they are eternally made the sonnes of God. A∣gaine, oftentimes it is giuen to the first person in Trinitie, as in those places where one person is conferred with another. And so in this place principally for some speciall respects, this title agrees to the first person. For first he is the father of Christ as he is the eternall word of the father, and that by nature, be∣cause he is of the same essence with him. Secondly, he is the father to Christ in respect of his manhood, not by nature or adoption, but by personall vnion, because the humane nature doth subsist in the person of the word. Thirdly, he is a father to all the faithfull by adoption in Christ.
2. Quest. Whether are we to praie to the sonne and the holy Ghost as to the Father? Ans. Inuocation belongs to al the three persons in Trinitie, & not on∣ly to the Father, Act. 7.59. Steuen praieth, Lord Iesus receiue my spirit. 1. Th••s. 3.2. Now God our Father and our Lord Iesus Christ guide our iourney vnto you. 2. Cor. 13.13. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, the loue of God, and the communi∣on of the holy ghost be with you. And men are baptized in the name of the father, the sonne, and the holy Ghost, that is, by calling on the name of the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost.
Some may say, this praier is a perfect platforme of all praiers, & yet we are taught to direct our praiers to the Father, not to the Sonne, or holy spirit. I an∣swere, the Father, Sonne, and holy Ghost, are three distinct persons, yet they are not to be seuered or deuided, because they all subsist in one and the same godhead or diuine nature. And further in all outward actions, as in the creati∣on and preseruation of the world, and the saluation of the elect, they are not se∣uered or diuided: for they all worke togither, onely they are distinguished in the manner of working. Nowe if they be not diuided in nature or operation, then they are not to be seuered in worship.
And in this place wee principally direct our praiers to the father, because