[3.] There is a holy, reverent, though inconceivable adoration of the sovereign majesty of God, whereby the Mediator, now at the Father's right hand, doth in all his appearing for us, as being the head of the
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body, adore the sovereignty, goodness, and wisdom of God with respect to tlie covenant of redemption, and sue out the benefits due to him thereby, namely, the pardon of our sins, and our comfort and peace : ' Ask of me,' Ps. ii. 8. By virtue of his paid ransom he may call for those blessings that are necessary for those that come to God by him. His saying to his disciples oftener than once, 'I will pray the Father for you/ John xiv. 16, ' And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;' this doth imply some address to God, even in respect to peculiar persons and particular cases. It is a suing out of his merit in their behalf. I would add one thing more.
[4.] He presents our prayers and supplications which we make in the behalf of ourselves to God, after he hath set us a-work by his Spirit : Eev. viii. 3, ' And there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne ; ' Heb. viii. 1, 2, ' We have such an high priest, who is seated on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary.' He presents our prayers to his Father, perfumed with his merit. By his Spirit we are furnished with sighs and groans.
II. No other but Christ can procure this benefit for us.
1. Because none else was appointed : Acts iv. 12, ' Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved.' Authorised by the Father: Acts v. 31, ' Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.' This is necessary, because the supreme authority resideth with God, who must and will choose in what way he will be satisfied and reconciled to sinners. Moses, that interposed of his own accord to be a mediator, was refused : Exod. xxxii. 32, 33, * Yet now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Who- soever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.' Christ is authorised to do you good : John viii. 42, ' Neither came I of myself, but he sent me.' Christ had a commission from his Father.
2. Because it needed to appear to us upon good evidence that he is the party whom God sets forth to save sinners. This is opus liheri consilii, an act of God's free grace; and therefore it cannot be determined by natural reason, but we must stand to the way revealed by God. The light of nature may show that man is fallen, but the light of nature cannot show the way of restoration. Heathens could not dream of it. The angels only knew it by the church : Eph. iii. 10, ' To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' Those natural apostles, the sun and moon, are gone up and down the world to preach a God, an infinite and an eternal power ; their sound is gone out into all lands ; and conscience joining with this discovery will easily tell us that this God hath not been glorified as God ; therefore we are obnoxious to him.
3. This appointment needed to be evidenced to the world by some notable discovery, that the world may be satisfied that this revelation
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is from God: John vi. 27, 'For him hath the Father sealed,' Christ hath a commission and letters patent sealed with the broad seal of heaven. As every ambassador hath letters of credence under the hand and seal of that prince from whom he is sent, so Christ working miracles, and giving other demonstrations of the divinity of his person, hath manifested his commission, that he is tlie person authorised to do us good : Acts x. 38, ' How God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him ; ' ver. 43, ' To him gave all the prophets witness, that, through his name, whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins.' He is the pei'son. If you saw none of his miracles, the whole church in all ages and places will come as a witness and deposit for it, and we have the scriptures of the old testament, and many evident principles of natural light, that have a fair correspondence with this mystery. Well, then, God, the supreme judge, hath taken up the controversy l)etween him and us, and appointed Jesus Christ to be the person. His institution is instead of all reasons.