Book II. CHRIST A M E D I A 1 T 0 R. V. A Mediator ought to be an indifferent or impartiaJ1>erfon, free from all Exceptions. A MED I AT 0 R. PARALLEL. V. Jefus Chri!l: is a Perfon free from all Excep– tions whatfoever. God approved of him, Afls ii. 22. and Man hath no caufe to except again£1: him, but contrarywife to be abundantly thankful to God for chuQng him to this Work and Office, becaufe none elfe could be found in H eaven or Earth; None able to open the Book, and Iooft the Seals thereof, but He, Rev. v. 5, 6. VI. A Mediator ought to be a Well-wither to Peace, a Perfon that loves it, and longs after it; no– thing being more acceptable to him, than to be a Peace-maker. VII. A Mediator mull: have the great TranfaClioo of makiog Peace committed to him, or be inve!l:ed with full Power and Authority to do it. VIII. A Mediator ought to be a condefcending Perfon, not to have his own Will to be done in any refpecr, further than the Na– ture of the Caufe will require it. VI. Jefus Chri!l: is called the Prince of Peace, Ifa. ix. 6. never did any give fuch clear, full, and undeniable Proofs and Demon!l:rations of his be– ing a Well-wither to, and Lover of Peace; witnefs all he did and endured, or pall: through, from firil: to la!l:, that he might accomplith this Work of making Peace, Epb. ii. I 5· VII. God hath given Chri!l: full Power and Commiffion to accomplith this Work of Media– torthip. He is anointed and ordained to be a Prince and Savior. All Power is given to me in Heaven and in Earth, Matt. xxviii. r8, I9, 20. Him bath God the FatherJealed, ]ohn vi. 2 7. VIII. ChriO: lhewed himfelf to be of a mar– vellous condefcending Spirit: Who being in the Form of God, thought it no Robbery to be equt'J with God, but made himfelf of no Reputation, &c. Phi!. ii. 5, 6; 7- He for our fakes became Poor, that we through his Poverty might be made rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9· I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own Will, but the Will of him that fent me, ]ohn v. 30. Not my !Vil/, but thy Will be done, ]hon vi. 3S. IX. A Mediator is not chofen, IX. There was great need of, or it was very unlefs there appear great Need of neceifary that there lhould be a Mediator betwixt it, and that the Bufinefs cannot be God and Man: accomplilhed otherwife. Firft, On God's parr. Secondly, On the Creature's part. Firfl, On God's part it was nece!fary, in RefpeCl: of his own Glory. r. In RefpeCl: of the Glory of his Wifdom. This of bringing forth and ordaining a Med~ator, was the marvellous Contrivance, and the highe!l: Manife!l:ation of Divine Wifdo~1: for hereby a Way is found to Jufrice and Mercy, and make them meet to– gether m fweet Harmony; that the Punilhment of Sin might be borne, and yet the Sinner pardoned freely in a Way of Mercy, I Cor. i. 2. and ii. 7· Rom. iii. 26. Hence (as ~he ApoO:le fheweth) the manifold Wifdom of God is made known by the Church, accord– tng to the eternal P~trpofe, which was purpofed in Chrifl]efus our Lord, Eph. iii. 10, 1 I. 1.. 1t was for the Glory of his Mercy and Goodnefs, which moved Wifdom to feek out and provide this bleffed Mediator, and glorious Means of Reconciliation, when God might JUfily have left fallen Man, as he did the fallen An<>e]s. Moreover, this of a Mediator fi1ews us, that God mull: be dealt with in a Way cl free Grace, Entrea– ty, and Re')uell:. Hence we read, how frequently Chri!l: prayed and interceded for us, John vn. 20. yea what ftrong Cries and Tears he offered up in the Days of his Flelh, l-leb. v. 7· Whatfoever ble!fed Relief, Pardon, Peace, &c. Mankind receives, it is wholly in a Way of Mercy and free Grace, through the Mediation of the Lord Jefus Chntt. By Grace ye are faved, Eph. ii. 8. God fo loved the World, that he gave f:!/s only begotten Son, ]ohn iii. 16. . 3· It was for the Glory of his Ju!l:ice, which mull: be dealt with in a Way of Sa– tisfaCtion; Gr:ace will be dealt with in a Way of Intreaty, falvii ]uftitia: Therefore the Covenant IS efrabhfi1ed in the Hands of a Mediator, that is able to lay down a Price o_r Ranf~rn : I 'l"im. ii.6. That fo God might be jufl, and the ]uflijier of thofe that be– lzeve zn Jefus, Rom. In. 26. Nay, when the Lord Jefus undertook on our behalf, to come up to the Demand of J ufrice, it is faid, God JPared him not, but delivered him up to Death
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