Of the PERSON Of CHRIST. 83 (2.) His divine nature is the ground and warrant far our fo doing. This is that from whence he is the due and proper object of all divine faith and worfhip. From the power and virtue thereof do we expert and receive all thofe things which in our believing on him we feek after. For nonebut God can bellow them on us, or work them in us. There is-in all the aci- ings of our faith on him, the voice of the confeifion of Thomas, .siy Lord and my God. His divine perfon wherein he is God and man, wherein he bath that nature which is the formal object ofdivine worfhip,and wherein he wrought all thofe things which are the motives thereunto, is the object of thisfaith, whicti gives its difference and diftin&ion from faith in God in general, and faith in the perfon of the Father, as the fountain of grace, love and power. [2.] Faith is acted on Chrift under the formal notion of mediator be- tween God andman. So it is expreffed, 1 Pet. i, 21. Wits by him do be- Ìieve in God that railed him asp from the dead, andgave hint glory, tines your faith and hope might be in God. And this adiig of faith towards Chrift, is not contrary unto that before defcribed, nor inconfiftent with it, though it be diftinct from .it. To deny the perfon of Christ to fall under this double conhderation, of a divine perfon abfofutely, wherein lie is over all God bleffedfor ever, and as manifefled iu the flefb, exercifing the office of mediator between God and man, is to renounce the gofpei. And according unto the variety of thofe refpefts, fo are the tidings of faith vari- ous; force on him abfolutely on the motives of his mediation; tomee on him as mediator only. And how neceffary this variety is unto the life, fupportment and comfort of believers, they all know in force meafure who are fo. See our expofition on Heb. i. r, 2, 3. Sometimes faith confiders' him as on the throne; fometimes as flanging at the right bandof God; fometimes as over all God bleffed for ever; fometinaes as the mediator between God and man, the man Chribl Jefus. Sometimes lais glorious power ; fometimes his infinite condefcenfion is their relief. Wherefore, in the fenfenow intended, he is conftdered as the ordinance, as the fervant of God who raifed him nap from she dead, and gave him glory. So our faith refpects not only his perfon, but all the ads of his office. It is faith iú his blood, &om. iii. g. It ,is the will of God, that we fliould place.onr faith and truft in him and them, as the only means of our acceptance with him, ofall grace and glory from .him. This is the proper notion of a mediator. So is he not the ultimate object ofour faith, wherein it refts, but God through hint. Through bim have we anaeçcfs in onefpirit Tinto the Father, Ephef. ii. t8. So he is the way-whereby we go to-God, Job: xiv. 6. See "Heb. x.19, 20, 21. And this alto is faith in -him, becaufe he is the immediate. though not the ultimate object of it, Acts xxvi. 18. This is that which tenders our faith in God evangelical. The efpecial nature of it arifeth from our refpeCt untoGod inChrift, and through "him. And here- in faith principally regards Chrift in the difchatge of his facerdetiil office. For although it is alfo the principle of all obedience unto him inhis other offices, yet as unto fixing our faith in God throughhim, it is his facerdo- ,tal office and the effefls of it, that we refs upon and truft unto. It is through `him, as the.high-prieft over the houfe of God, as he whohath made for us a new and living way into the holy place, thatwe drawnigh to God, Heb. iv. 54, 15, 16. chap. X. i9,--21, 22. t John i. 2. No comfortable refreshing thoughts of God, no warrantable or acceptable boldnefs in an approach and accefs unto him, can any one' entertain or receive, but in this exercifeof faith onGirift as the mediator between God and man. And ifin theprahice of religion, this regard of faith unto hint, this acting of faith on God through
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