Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

First, This resignation is made to Christ as the Mediator and grand medium of salvation. I begin with this first, because Faith cannot go to God immediately, but to the Mediator first, and so to God. Thus the Scripture saith, through him we have access to the Father, Eph. 2.18. by him we come unto God, Heb. 7.25. and which is more express, by him we believe in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. If we will go to our heavenly Father, we must first put on our elder brothers robes, we must clothe our faith and resignation in the resignations of Christ, and so appear before God; we must put our faith into the hand of a Mediator, and from thence it will ascend up before the divine Majesty. Take away the Mediator, and God is a consuming sire, no saith, no prayer, can approach unto him: If the cloud of incense do not cover the Mercy-seat, Aaron will dye before it, Lev. 16.13. unless the Mediators merits had been as a cloud of incense about God, the sinner, though in the lowest posture of resignation, must have died before the Father of mercies. First then, there is a resignation unto Christ as the Mediator and ⟨p. 83⟩grand medium of salvation: For the understanding whereof, two things are considerable.

First, This resignation is made to Christ as the Mediator and grand medium of salvation. I begin with this first, because Faith cannot go to God immediately, but to the Mediator first, and so to God. Thus the Scripture saith, through him we have access to the Father, Eph. 2.18. by him we come unto God, Heb. 7.25. and which is more express, by him we believe in God, 1 Pet. 1.21. If we will go to our heavenly Father, we must first put on our elder brothers robes, we must cloath our faith and resignation in the resignations of Christ, and so appear before God; we must put our faith into the hand of a Mediator, and from thence it will ascend up before the divine Majesty. Take away the Mediator, and God is a consuming sire, no saith, no prayer, can approach unto him: If the cloud of incense do not cover the Mercy-seat, Aaron will dye before it,