* All the intercourse and communion between the gods and men is by means of demi-gods. Pint.
T Ovo/xa srsgov, other name, i. e. other power, or authority of any whatever. By name, the thing itself is understood, even Christ himself; UVO rov Zgaimf, under heaven, i. e. any where ; for heaven is not here opposed to earth, as if there were other saviours besides Christ in heaven, but not on earth ; but in the Htbiew the expression is a pleonasm. Beza on this place.
J The sun, before he is seen, illuminates the world.
114 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SEKM. VIII.
ever; so that he is the true and only Mediator betwixt God and men r no other is revealed in scripture ; no other is sufficient for it ; no other needed beside him.
Fourthly, The last thing to be explained is, in what capacity he executed his mediatory work.
About which we affirm, according to scripture, that he per- forms that work as God-man, in both natures*. Papists, in de- nying Christ to act as Mediator, according to his divine nature, do at once spoil the whole mediation of Christ of all its efficacy, dignity and value, which arise from that nature, which they deny to co-operate, and exert its virtue in his active and passive obedience. They say, the apostle, in my text, distinguishes the Mediator from God, in saying, " there is one God and one Me- diator." We aptly reply, that the same Apostle distinguishes Christ from man, Gal. i. 1. " Not by man, but by Jesus Christ.'" Doth it thence follow that Christ is not true man ? Or that ac- cording to his divine nature only, he called Paul ? But what need I stay my reader here ; Had not Christ, as Mediator, power to lay down his life, and power to take it up again? John x. 17, 18. Had he not, as Mediator, all power in heaven and earth to insti- tute ordinances, and appoint officers ? Matt, xxviii. 18. to baptize men with the Holy Ghost and fire ? Matt. iii. 11. to keep those his Father gave him in this world? John xvii. 12. to raise up the saints again in the last day ? John vi. 54. Are these, with many more I might name, the effects of the mere human nature? Or, were they not performed by him as God-man ? and besides, how could he, as Mediator, be the object of our faith, and religious adoration, if we are not to respect him as God-man ? • But I long now to be at the application of this : and the first inference from it, is this,
Inference 1. That it is a dangerous thing' to reject Jesus Christ the only Mediator betwixt God and man. Alas ! there is no other to interpose and screen thee from the devouring fire, the everlasting burnings ! O it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God! And into his hands you must needs fall, without an in- terest in the only Mediator. Which of us can dwell with devour- ing fire? Who can endure the everlasting burnings? Isa. xxxiii. 14. You know how tlrey singed and scorched the green tree, but wrhat would they do to the dry tree? Luke xxiii. 31. In- deed, if there were another plank to save after the shipwreck ;
* The divine, without the human nature, or the human nature without the divine, is not mediatorial ; but between the divine alone, and the human nature alone, the human divinity, and divine humanity, is mediatorial. Aug. Horn. 2. The appellations respecting his office, are due to Christ according to both natures. Ames. Bellarm, Enerv. chap. 5.
SEltM. VIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 115
any other way to be reconciled to God, besides Jesus the Medi- ator, somewhat might be said to excuse this folly ; but you are shut up to the faith of Christ, as to your last remedy, Gal. iii. 23. You are like starving beggars, that are come to the last door. O take heed of despising, or neglecting Christ ! if so, there's none to intercede with God for you ; the breach betwixt him and you can never be composed. I remember* here, the words of Eli, to his profane sons* who caused men to abhor tlie offerings of the Lord, 1 Sam. ii. 25. " If one man sin against another, the judge " shall judge him ; but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall " intreat for him ?v The meaning is, common trespasses betwixt men, the civil magistrate takes cognizance of it* and decides the controversy by his authority, so that there is an end of that strife ; but if man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat or ar- bitrate in that case ? Eli's sons had despised the Lord's sacrifices *, which were sacred types of Christ, and the stated way that men had then to act faith on the Mediator in. Now, (saith he) if a man thus sin against the Lord, by despising Christ shadowed out in that way, who shall intreat for him ? what hope, what remedy remains ?
I remember, it was the saying of Luther, and he spake it with deep resentment, Nolo Deum absolutum, " I will have nothing to " do with an absolute God," i. e. with God without a Mediator. Thus the Devils have to do with God: but will ye, in whose nature Christ is come, put yourselves into their state and case ? God forbid !
Inf. 2. Hence also be informed, how great an evil it is to join any other Mediators, either of reconciliation, or meritorious inter- cession with Jesus Christ. O this is a horrid sin, and that which both pours the greatest contempt upon Christ, and brings the surest and sorest destruction upon the sinner ! I am ashamed my pen should English what mine eyes have seen in the writings of Pa- pists, ascribing as much, yea, more to the mediation of Mary than to Christ, with no less than blasphemous impudence, thus commenting upon scripture : " What is that which the Lord " saith, I have trod the wine-press alone, and of the people " there was no man with me ? True Lord, there was no man " with thee, but there was a woman with thee, who received all " these wounds in her heart which thou receivedst in thy body-" I will not blot my paper with more of this, but refer the learned reader as under f, where he may (if he have a mind to see more)
* They had trampled on sacrifices, and all the laws of God : and thus, as far a* in them lay, had taken away all relief and means of safety. Grotius on this place. f Martialis Argentinensis, lib, 1. cap. 4. fol. 15. Vincent, Brun. in meditat.fest.
116 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE.
be informed, not only what blasphemy hath dropped from single pens, but even from councils, to the reproach of Jesus Christ, and his blood.
How do they stamp their own sordid works with the peculiar dignity and value of Christ's blood ; and therein seek to enter at the gate which God hath shut to all the world, because Jesus Christ the prince entered in thereby, Ezek. xliv. 2, 3. He entered into heaven in a direct immediate way, even in his own name, and for his own sake ; this gate, saith the Lord, shall be shut to all others ; and I wish men would consider it, and fear, lest while they seek entrance into heaven at the wrong door, they do not for ever shut against themselves, the true and only door of happi- ness.