Blake - Houston-Packer Collection BT155 .B53 1653

I{Ì t4 Sol, The Covenant ofgrace is by a Mediatour. The Covenant of Works God made no creature in fuch a neceffìty in finning, of fuck a be- ing that needed pardon. A fecond ground is, That though a Mediatour was not necefa- ry by Way of reconciliation, yet he was nece fart' by way of prefer- vation ín righteoufneff'e. This fecond fully overthrows the firft in that which it grants, and I know not how that can be proved that it affirmes ; Man was not preferved, and therefore it appears that he had no fuch Mediatour appointed for his prefervation, And it feems (accord- ing to this opinion) man could not bave flood unleffe Chrift had been incarnate, and fo his fall was not from the freedome of his will, but the principles of his creation ; For the Angels, how they can be faid to Eland by grace received from Chrift as Me- diatour, I know not, they being no fellow- members with us, though fellow- fervants, howfoever accidental benefits come to the Angels by Chrift, in their joy to fee loft man reftored and re- conciled, as to God, fo alto to their fellowfhip and communion; according to that of the Apoftle, Ephef. 1. 1o. Col. 1.20. in their experimental knowledge alfo, of the wifdome of God in this great myftery, r Pet. 1. 12. Ephef. 3. ro. yet I doubt not that it was for man, whole nature he of umed that Chrift was incarnate, and that lie is a Mediatour between God and man, 2 Tim, 2. 5. and not between God and Angels, and that for fallen man and not for man in his integrity ; therefore I conclude the firft Co- venant was immediate, no Mediatour intervening, all the bhf f ngs of the firft Covenant flowed from the whole Trinity the Creation it fell, without refpe.9. to Chrift incarnate thexe was no revelation of the high myfter: to man in innocency. The Covenant of Grace is by a Mediatour ; mans fallen condition in fo great a diftance from God, neceffarily calling for it. Two cannot wall¿, together unle ffe they be ag, coed, Amos 3.3. That man may walk in Covenant with God, it is neceffary that a way of a- greement be found ; This the fecond perfon of the Trinity by Covenant with the Father bath undertaken, and therefore he is filed The Mediatotar of the New 7 of °lament, Heb. q. 15. e."1 Medi- atour of a better Covenant, Heb. 8.6. The Mediator of the New Covenant, Heb. 12. 24 Many obftacles were in the way of mans CO y enanting wi h God, and attainment of the mercies and grace of the Covenant, all of which lay on the Mediato urto remove, that

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