Secondly, In and through Christ the Mediator, faith yields up the soul to God to be taught by the spirit. I say, in and through Christ the Mediator: Without a Mediator God will not speak to a sinful creature, unless out of the fire, in words of wrath, like those at the last day, Go, thou cursed one. If he speak and commune with us in words of peace and salvation, it must be from the mercy-seat, that is, through Christ, who is called Gods [Greek or Hebrew] or propitiatory, Rom. 3.25. Hence Christ is called the wisdom of God, because through him that wisdom doth manifest it self; and as God speaks, so faith hears and resigns, both are in and through the Mediator. I say, in and through the Mediator, faith yields up the soul to God to be taught by the spirit, the very same teaching spirit; as it was procured by the Mediator, so it is given out by God. Therefore faith, for the teaching thereof, resigns up the soul as to the Mediator the procurer, so to God the donor of it: And in this resignation faith climbs up to him by that noble Attribute of his infinite wisdom. Are there transcendent mysteries in Scripture? Faith will resign and cry out ⟨p. 90⟩with Zophar, Oh! that God would speak and show me the secrets of wisdom. Whilst the Scripture is in its hands, it sighs and looks up for the key to unlock and show forth this and that truth in its spiritual glory, or at least in some such beams of it as it is capable of; the Original Languages will not serve its turn, without the Original Author; nor the Learned Commentators, without the great Interpreter: that only wise God who indited the Scripture, can illustrate the heart; and whilst the believer reads the one, he waits for the other. Is there a practical case dubious and perplexed, like an intricate Labyrinth or way-less wilderness? and when the believer goes about to put all circumstances into the balance, doth he tremble and demur like Origen at the Idol-incense, and cannot be satisfied? In such a case Faith runs, and Esra-like hangs upon God for a right way; the All-wise can make a way in the wilderness, and guide thee with his eye, saith Faith: one cast or glance from his wisdom will disintricate thy doubts, and make thy way plain before thee. Doth the outward world grow stormy and tempestuous? is the sky of the times overclouded with troubles and dangers?
Secondly, In and through Christ the Mediator, faith yields up the soul to God to be taught by the spirit. I say, in and through Christ the Mediator: Without a Mediator God will not speak to a sinful creature, unless out of the fire, in words of wrath, like those at the last day, Go, thou cursed one. If he speak and commune with us in words of peace and salvation, it must be from the mercy-seat, that is, through Christ, who is called Gods 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 or propitiatory, Rom. 3.25. Hence Christ is called the wisdom of God, because through him that wisdom doth manifest it self; and as God speaks, so faith hears and resigns, both are in and through the Mediator. I say, in and through the Mediator, faith yields up the soul to God to be taught by the spirit, the very same teaching spirit; as it was procured by the Mediator, so it is given out by God. Therefore faith, for the teaching thereof, resigns up the soul as to the Mediator the procurer, so to God the donor of it: And in this resignation faith climbs up to him by that noble Attribute of his infinite wisdom. Are there transcendent mysteries in Scripture? Faith will resign and cry out ⟨p. 90⟩with Zophar, Oh! that God would speak and shew me the secrets of wisdom. Whilest the Scripture is in its hands, it sighs and looks up for the key to unlock and shew forth this and that truth in its spiritual glory, or at least in some such beams of it as it is capable of; the Original Languages will not serve its turn, without the Original Author; nor the Learned Commentators, without the great Interpreter: that only wise God who endited the Scripture, can illustrate the heart; and whilest the believer reads the one, he waits for the other. Is there a practical case dubious and perplexed, like an intricate Labyrinth or way-less wilderness? and when the believer goes about to put all circumstances into the ballance, doth he tremble and demurr like Origen at the Idol-incense, and cannot be satisfied? In such a case Faith runs, and Esra-like hangs upon God for a right way; the All-wise can make a way in the wilderness, and guide thee with his eye, saith Faith: one cast or glance from his wisdom will disintricate thy doubts, and make thy way plain before thee. Doth the outward world grow stormy and tempestuous? is the sky of the times overclouded with troubles and dangers?
