of the PERSON of CHRIST. 73 in the difcharge of his mediatory office, through him our faith and hope is in God, s Pet. 2i. He who is themediator, or Jefus Chrilt the me- diator, as God and man in one perfon, is the obje& ofall divine honour and worfhip. His perfon, and both his natures to that perfon, is fo the obje& of religious worfhip. This is that which we are in the proof and demonflration of. Howbeit it is his divine nature, and not his difcharge ofthe office the mediation, that is the formal reafon and objeft ofdivine worfhip. For it conflits in, an afcription of infinitely divine excellencies and properties unto him whomwe fo worfhip. And to do this on any ac- count but of the divine nature, is in its felfa contradiftion, and in them that do it idolatry. Had the Son of God never been incarnate, he had been the the obje& ofall divine worfhip. And could there have been a me diator beeween God and us, who was not God alto, he could never have been the objeft of any divine worfhip or invocation. Wherefore Chrift the mediator, God and man in one perfon, is in all things to be honoured even as we honour the Father but it is as he is God equal with the Farber, and nót as mediator, in.which refpeit he is inferiour unto him. With ref - peft unto his divine perfon we ask immediately ofhimfelf in our fupplica tions i as he is mediator we ask of the Father in his name. The dif- ferent aftings of faith on him, under thefame diftin&ion, (hall be declared in the next chapter. R;,FN2+p?Ai +..L~,NrlA%5PiRWT,.?W Z+S+ZSt_f,.',"'G7ï:%c g'?'+,ÁSBs "";á;R,,a8k8=ïe>'TE?i.48Rr.tt 3";='s:!'esM+Mas=s'E:B;!83. iss W37mmokiiiiAmAmme2Sái..xèmf wt *2s tiammmffift&E9Hat CHAP. X. The Principle of the Agnation of divine Honour unto the PERSON of C HR I S T, in both the Bran- ches ofit ; which is Faith in him. HE principle and fpring of this affignation of divine honour unto Chrift in both thebranches of it, is faith in him. And this hath been the foundation of all acceptable religion in the world fine the entrance of fin. There are force whodeny that faith in Chrill was required from the beginning, or was neceffary unto the worfhip of God, or the jultification and falvation of them that did obey him. For whereas it mullbe' granted that withoutfaith it is impofble topleafe God, which the apoftle proves by inftances from the foundation of the world, Hei. xi. They fuppofe it is faith in God under the general notion of it, without any refpe&t unto Chrift that is intended. It is not my deign to contend with any, nor exprefly. to confute fuch un- grateful opinions, fach pernicious errours. Such this is, which being put- flied in its proper tendency, ftrikes at the very foundation of chriltian re- ligion. For it at once deprives us of all contributionof light and truth from the Old Teftament. Somewhat I have fpoken before of the faith of the faints of old concerning him. I that' now therefore only confirm the truth, by Tome principles which are fundamental in the faith of the Gofpel. " T. r. The
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