in like sort as we are yet without sinne And so forasmuch as Christ Iesus is a man wee may goe boldly unto him and by him have accesse unto the one God he being the only mediator betweene God and man This is the fulnesse of all comfort So this Text is like Iacobs ladder arising step by step till it bring us to comfort My speech then at this time shall as it were climbe up by these sixe staires 1. That there is a God 2. That this God is one 3. That he is made one with us by a mediator 4. That the mediator is one 5. That this one mediator is Christ 6. That Christ Iesus is a man In handling whereof you will perceive me to omit manie points that are incident for I must attend upon the time and aime at the occasion As to the first that there is a God I should spend my breath in vaine if I should labour to prove it for it is ingrafted into every mans heart by nature and plainely taught by all the dumbe and senselesse creatures so that never man denied it but a foole The foole saith in his heart Psal 19.1 Rom. 1.20 there is no God Psal 14.1 Therefore as it is presupposed in my Text so shall it be in my speech The second is that this God is one whereby three things are signified of God that he is indivisible one only not manie that he is immutable and unchangeable one and the same yesterday and to day and for ever and that he is without all respect of persons one and alike to all sorts of men First God is one that is indivisible one only and not manie according to that 1. Cor. 8.6 Vnto us there is but one God So doth the Nicen Creed acknowledge I beleeve in one God For God as Bernard saith is Vnissimus most one Si non est unus non est saith Tertullian either one or none Here wee must take heed of sundry wicked errors and heresies on each side on the right hand we have those who acknowledged manie Gods on the left hand wee have those who doe so farre maintaine God to be one that they fall upon the other extremitie to denie that there are three persons subsisting in this one God or divine nature And of either side there be severall sorts differing one from another as they do all from the truth all which I forbeare to remember as unworthie to be named at all unfit to be mentioned in the Pulpit It is enough for you to know that amids those rocks on everie side our safest course is to hold the middle way so acknowledging God to be one that we denie him not also to be three one in essence but three in person the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost distinct each from other by their personall proprieties the Father being from none the Sonne from the Father the Holy Ghost from them both yet not divided one from another because there is but one divine essence which being infinite is all and whole in the Father all whole in the Sonne all and whole in the Holy Ghost Therefore saith Athanasius in his Creed Deus Pater Deus Filius Deus Spiritus Sanctus tamen non tres Dij sed unus Deus For saith he as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every person by himselfe to be God so are we forbidden by the Catholicke Religion to say there be three Gods So that in all things unitie in trinitie and trinitie in unitie is to be worshipped I cannot stand here to confirme the truth of this by testimonie out of Scripture only to say something in a word for the unitie of Gods nature take my Text for a sufficient proofe There is one God and for the trinitie and distinction of the persons I will onely alledge one instance which I am occasioned by this present feast to remember When the Holy Ghost did descend upon the Apostles on this day there ye have a distinction of all the three persons The third person he is sent and appeares in a visible shape of cloven tongues the first person he sends him and the second by interceding with the first person procureth the third person to be sent So doth our Saviour distinguish them Ioh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter there is the Sonne praying to the Father that the Comforter which is the holy Spirit might be given unto the Disciples and therefore those three must be distinct persons forasmuch as severall actions are ascribed to everie one of them in the same worke that was done on this day The Fathers to expresse this incomprehensible mysterie have used sundry similitudes taken from things naturall as the similitude of the soule of man wherein there be three distinct faculties and yet but one essence of them all The similitude of the fountaine the streame flowing from it and the river flowing from them both which being three distinct things yet for substance are but one water The similitude of a tree wherein there be three distinct things the roote the stocke and the branch the root depending from none the stocke from the root and the branch from them both yet all are but one tree Finally the light of the Sunne the light of the Moone and the light of the ayre are three distinct lights the light of the Sunne is from none the light of the Moone is from the Sunne and the light of the ayre from them both and yet for substance they are but one and the same light Even so the Father the Sonne the Holy Ghost are three distinct persons the Father from none the Sonne from the Father the Holy Ghost from them both yet all three are but one God But for all these similitudes we must acknowledge with Cyprian Nulla creatura talis esse potest qualis est creator ideo sicut sine exemplo est divina essentia ita sine exemplo est divina majestas as there is no creature such as is the creator so there is no example can expresse either the essence or the maiestie of GOD. For this is a mysterie of mysteries farre surpassing the reach of the understanding of anie creature which the Seraphims professe Esai 6.2 when at the presence of this one God they cover their faces with their wings acknowledging their inabilitie to behold much lesse to comprehend so glorious a maiestie Secondly by this that God is one is signified that hee is immutable and unchangeable Heb. 13.8 one and the same as saith the Apostle yesterday and to day and the same for ever In this sense it may be God is called one Gal. 3.20 But God is one He is one or immutable in his nature in his decrees in his actions His nature or essence is one and the same immutable and unchangeable because he is voyde of all kinde of composition both physicall and metaphysicall and as wee speake in the Schooles actus
who are in authoritie would alwayes have before their eyes that charge which Iehoshaphat gave unto his Iudges 2. Chron. 19.6 And he said to the Iudges Take heed what yee doe for yee execute not the judgement of man but of the Lord Wherefore now let the feare of the Lord be with you take heed and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lord our God neyther respect of persons nor receiving of reward The scond use is generall for all Christians If God be one the mediator one then should we likewise be one So the Apostle reasoneth Eph. 4.4 There is one bodie one spirit one hope one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all whereupon followeth the conclusion set downe vers 3. that we should endevour to keepe the unitie of the spirit in the bond of peace So say I There is one God and one Mediator and therefore should wee who worship this one God through this one Mediator be one as they are one But how should we be one One in opinion one in affection First I say one in opinion all holding rhe same things beleeving the same things teaching the same things worshipping God after the same maner for looke how commendable varietie is in all other things it is as much to be abhorred in religion even those who have held the greatest falsehoods hold that there is but one truth I never read of more then one hereticke that held all heresies true Philastrius relateth the opinion of one Rhetorius who said that all religions did well and which is much like unto this there was in the same age a foolish franticke fellow named Postellus wrote a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein hee taketh upon him to reconcile all the religions of all nations and calleth it Concordiam Orbis Yea and little better are those who would make a reconciliation betweene the Papists us being altogether indifferent in things most different They are kind-hearted Philistims that would bring the Arke of God and Dagon under one roofe they are of his mind that Turonensis writeth of who said It is best of all si illa illa colantur neque esse noxium si inter gentilium aras Dei ecclesiam quis transiens utraque veneretur They are as one saith the ghosts of that heretick Apelles whose speech it was That it is sufficient to beleeve in Christ crucified and that there should be no discussing of the particular warrants and reasons of our faith Or the brood of Leonas one of the Courtiers of Constantius and his Deputie in the Seleucian Councell who when the Fathers hotely contended as there was good cause for the consubstantialitie of the Sonne Get you home said be and trouble not the Church with these trifles These things seemed but trifles unto carnall men yet were they matters of great importance and so be the differences betweene us and the Papists of such weight as thereupon dependeth the truth of Gods worship the life of his Church the salvation of our soules And therefore no hope of peace but though manie meanes of reconciliation have beene used yet never anie could prevaile The Emperours Ferdinand and Maximilian travelled painfully herein and by their appointment Cassander a great and learned Papist drew a proiect to shew his iudgement so did Fricius and the Interimists but all was in vaine for Babylon could not be cured her grapes were become as the grapes of Admah and her vine as the vine of Tseboim And as she could not be reformed so we could not admit of anie agreement by meeting in a middle course For the truth it is on high saith Leo they may ascend to us but for us to goe downe to them it is neyther safe nor honest Now it is no more plaine that the Citie of Rome hath descended from the seven hills on which it was seated in old times unto the Martian plaines that lye below than it is that the Church of Rome hath fallen away from that faith which once was commended in her Bethel is become Bethaven the faithfull citie is become an harlot her silver is turned into drosse so that unlesse wee would betray the truth wee we cannot yeeld to them in anie thing wherein they dissent from us but if there be anie agreement amongst us they must come out of Babell that is wholly renounce their owne parts and ioyne hands with us whereof there is but little hope when we consider what small effect Reformation hath taken in this kingdome these yeares past As king Ioash asked Iehoiada the high Priest 2. King 12.7 and the other Priests why they did not repayre the ruins of the Temple so may our truly religions King question us that are the Priests why the Temple of the Lord is so long in repayring in this land nay what is the cause that the ruines of the Temple grow greater everie day more falling away from the truth than that are reclaymed from errour Surely the causes hereof are manifest give me leave to observe unto you such as I hold to bee the chiefe things that continue this people in their blindnesse and hinders reformation The first is their custome and long continuance in errour there being nothing harder than to breake an ignorant man of his custome De doctrinâ Christ l. 4. c. 24. S. Augustine comming to Cesarea where the people had an ancient custome once a yeare for certaine dayes together to divide themselves into parts and throw stones one at another whereby manie were slaine found it an exceeding hard matter to disswade them from it This is noted by that Father to have hindred the reformation of the Donatists Some were bound not by truth but by an hard knot of obdurate custome Epist 48. c. And surely this is a people of all other most zealous of their ancient customes Secondly the societie and alliance whereby they are linked one to another restrayneth them being ashamed and afraid to part with their acquaintance This is noted by S. Basil to be the thing that hindred the conversion of the Arrians in his time Epist 70. There is saith he small hope of reducing them to the truth who are linked to hereticks with the band of long amitie and S. Austin yeeldeth the same reason why the Donatists in his age could not be reclaimed Epist 48 ad Vincent How many saith he being moved with the truth would have beene good Catholicks and yet deferred it fearing the offence of their friends So have I heard manie say in this kingdome If such and such men would goe to Church I would goe also but if I should begin I should have the ill will of all the country Thirdly the busie trafficking of Priests and Iesuites for the maintenance of their great goddesse Diana by whom they have their living What skilfull workemen they are and how cunningly they keep them in blindenesse were long to relate this I hope is sufficiently knowne
manner as upon this day Thirdly God is said to be unchangeable in his actions because when he beginneth a good worke he never leaves it till he bring it to an end Whom hee elected them he calleth whom hee called them he iustifieth whom he iustified them he sanctifieth whom he sanctified them he glorifieth For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 This serves mightily to confirme us in the certainety of our salvation for howsoever we be changeable readie to fall away from God at everie occasion yet God is one and the same and doth alwayes perfect the good worke which he hath begun and we keepe not him but he keepeth us Because I am not changed therefore yee are not consumed O yee sonnes of Iacob Mal. 3.6 So you see that whether you consider God in his nature or in his decrees or in his actions it is alwayes true that the Apostle Iames saith With him there is no variablenesse neyther shadow of turning Iam. 1.17 Thirdly by this that God is one hee will signifie that he is without all respect of persons one and alike to all In this sense God is called one Rom. 3.29.30 God Is he the God of the Iewes onely and not of the Gentiles also yes even of the Gentiles also For it is one God who shall justifie circumcision of faith and uncircumcision through faith And this is the intent of the Apostle in this place for these words are an argument to confirme his exhortation set downe in the beginning of the chapter where the Apostle requires that without limitation wee pray and give thankes for all men To stirre us up to the practise hereof hee propounds unto us the pleasure and will of God vers 3.4 and next the dealing of God of Christ and their equall respect unto all vers 5. There is one God and one Mediator As if he should say God is one to all both to Iewes and Gentiles and all sorts of men so is the Mediator one and alike to all men and therefore should we carrie our selves equally towards all secluding none from the benefite of our prayers Now that ye may perceive how God is one and alike to all we will consider him in a foure-fold respect according to the diverse persons which he carrieth and according to which he worketh Some things hee doth as a free Lord having power over all some things as God creator and conserver of all things and some things hee worketh as the God of his owne people onely the father of his children and other things as hee is the Iudge of the whole world As Lord of all when all were sinners guiltie before him he ordained some for life others for destruction he loved Iacob he hated Esau he hath mercie on whom he will and whom hee will hee hardneth some he maketh vessels of mercie and others vessels of wrath some he calleth but draweth not others he both calleth and draweth and others hee neither calleth nor draweth and yet in so doing hee is without all respect of persons one and alike to all For hee is a respecter of persons who in iudgement contrarie to law distributes unto equals unequally that which is equally due unto them or hee who gives not alike unto equalls when of right he is bound to give them alike but so gratifyeth the one that he wrongeth the other and that for some outward condition in the partie besides the iustice of his cause as either for his kinred or his country or carnall propinquitie or his dignitie or his riches or some other office he hath done and such like externall qualities by which men in iudgement are moved to favour one partie more than another Now God electing one reiecting another while all were alike even sinners in Adam cannot be said to be guiltie of this first because the mercie he shewes unto some is not debt but a gift of his free grace and it is Austins rule Ibi esse acceptionem personarū ubi quae aequalibus ex aequo debentur inaequaliter distribuuntur But where the things given are not due but free gifts there albeit there be not an equall distribution towards them who in themselves are equall yet it is no respect of persons nor anie iniustice at all S. Austin cleareth this reason by two examples the first is of a man that hath two debtors and forgives the one but exacts it of the other This is not respect of persons because hee is not bound to forgive either of them and forgiving the one out of his owne good will he wrongeth not the other for he is free to dispence his owne gifts as he will Heare S. Austin in his owne words Si autem quispiam duos habeat debitores alteri vellet dimittere Ad dua◠Epist Pelagian l. 2. cap 7. ab altero exigere cui vult donat sed neminem fraudat nec acceptio personarum dicenda est quando iniquitas nulla est His second instance is of the Housholder in the Gospell who paying labourers who had wrought in his Vineyard Matth. 20. gave as much unto them that had wrought but one houre as unto them that had borne the burden and heate of the day and when they murmured against him for his partialitie he answered and said Friend I doe thee no wrong diddest thou not agree with mee for a pennie Verses 3 14 15. Take that thine is and goe thy way I will give unto this last even as unto thee Is it not lawfull for me to doe what I will with mine owne On which words S. Austin doth paraphrase after this maner Volo autem huic dare sicut tibi c. nempe hic totae justitia est hoc volo tibi inquit reddidi huic donavi neque ut huic darem tibi aliquid abstuli aut quod debebam vel minui vel negavi c. The summe is He freeth himselfe from iniustice for that unto them all he had given as much as hee was bound to give and to some he had given more than he was bound wherein he was gratious unto them but not uniust towards the others for that it is lawfull for him to doe what he will with his owne Hence S. Austin inferreth That as there was no acception of persons in this man distributing his owne favour unequally so neither in God electing one reiecting another while all were alike for his election is no debt but a gift of his free grace which he may bestow as he pleaseth either on all or on none or on some and not on others As the one have cause to extoll his mercie so the other cannot accuse his iustice for hee might have past by them all and appointed them for damnation all being guiltie And therefore that he hath mercie on some he is freely good because he gives that which he is not bound to give that he passeth by others he is not uniust because he oweth them
mediator making them two persons He was condemned in the third generall Councell at Ephesus where it was decreed that the blessed Virgin was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God because there was but one person that was both God begotten of the Father and man borne of his mother and in the Councell of Chalcedon which was the fourth generall to shew that his person was but one against Nestorius they used two adverbes saying that his natures were united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without division without separation which the Fathers expresse by sundry similitudes Iustin useth the similitude of the soule and the bodie which are so united that they make but one person Damascen the similitude of an hote iron which being but one thing subsisting hath in it two distinct natures the fire and the iron everie one whereof hath his severall action concurring to one worke the heate burneth the iron cutteth Even so the mediator being one person hath two distinct natures everie one whereof hath his severall action concurring to the work of mediation But the most significant similitude is that of a Vine tree and a bough graffed into the Vine for even as that bough hath no being or subsistence of it selfe but both groweth and liveth in the stocke of the Vine so the humane nature of our mediator having no subsistence of it selfe is as it were ingraffed into the person of the Sonne who is the true Vine and is wholly supported and susteined by it therefore there be not two persons but one the humane nature being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 void of all personalitie or subsistence and assumed by the Sonne of God who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a person subsisting of himselfe and by himselfe Againe as his person so likewise his office is indivisible for he received an unchangeable Priesthood which cannot passe from him unto any other Heb. 7.24 So that besides him there is no other mediator neyther can be For in a true and sufficient mediator there must be foure properties which are not to be found in anie but him 1. The word of God must reveale and propound him to the Church that in conscience wee may be assured that praying to God in his name we shall be heard but there is no Scripture that mentioneth anie other mediator but onely one 2. Hee that is mediator betweene God and man must partake of both natures for a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 So then he that is Mediator betweene God man must not be of one nature he must be both God and man hee must be God that hee may speake to God for us he must be man that hee may speake from God to man Mediatorem inter nos Deum saith S. Austin mortalitatem habere opportuit transeuntem beatitatem permanentem but there is only one that is both God and man 3. A mediatour must be perfectly iust for such an high Priest became us who is holy blamelesse undefiled separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens Heb. 7.26 As the Apostle shewes that they could not be high Priests who had need to offer for their owne sinnes as well as for the sinnes of the people Heb. 7.27 so they cannot be mediators who had need of a mediator for themselves Now none is perfectly iust but onely one The Saints in heaven howsoever they be fully iustified sanctified glorified yet in themselves they are sinners and therefore must needs stand before God by the mediation of another So that S. Austin reasoneth well that he is the only true mediator pro quo nullus interpellat sed ipse pro omnibus 4. A mediator must be a propitiator that is bring something to God that may satisfie his iustice for our sinnes therefore S. Iohn having told us that we have an advocate with the Father he addeth and he is a propitiation for our sinnes 1. Ioh. 2.2 But there is none other that is a propitiation for our sinnes therefore but one Mediator But the Papists thinke to escape this by a rotten distinction of mediators of redemption intercession There is but one mediator of redemption say they but manie mediators of intercession even all the Saints in heaven Whereunto I say 1. That these foure properties are especially required in an advocate and mediatour of intercession rather then in a redeemer but they are not to bee found in anie but in one 2. The Apostle here affirming that there is one mediator meaneth rather a mediator of intercession for throughout this whole chapter hee is speaking of prayers and intercessions 3. And this distinction is idle because none can bee an advocate or mediator of intercession but he that is our redeemer for the word Advocate is borrowed of Lawyers and signifieth him onely that doth pleade the iustice of his clients cause A stranger in the Court may become a petitioner to the Iudge and entreate favour for the guiltie person but advocates are Proctors and patrons of their clyents therefore he alone is our advocate who being our redeemer can pleade his iustice bestowed upon us and Saints though they be petitioners to God in our behalfe yet because they redeemed us not they cannot be our advocates to pleade the iustice of our cause It is sure that Ministers pray for the people and that ex efficio yet S. Augustin reproveth Parmonian Lib. 2. cont ep Parm. c. 8. for placing the Bishop mediator betweene God and the people 4. The Saints do not so much as intercede for us namely particularly for it is as impossible for them to be intercessors as redeemers for he who is an intercessor for us must heare our prayers know what things we stand in need of and understand our verie secret wants and groanes But this none but God can doe as Salomon confesseth 1. King 8.39 Thou only knowest the heart and Eccles. 9.5 The dead know nothing at all Therefore is it said of Iosiah that he was taken away by death that he might not see the evill that was to come which cannot be true if so be that Iosiah being a Saint in heaven did see and know the particulars that were done upon the earth Finally this the Church doth acknowledge unto God Esa 03.16 Abraham is Ignorant of us and Iacob knoweth us not Upon which place S. Austin reasoneth verie well If so great Patriarches were Ignorant what became of the people which were borne of their loynes how is it like that other dead can be present to understand mens affaires Lastly this distinction is overthrowne by themselves for they make Saints mediators of redemption as well as of intercession Aquinas doth avow a. 2â—â— q 83. ar 4. that our prayers are effectuall by the merits of Saints And yee know what is the doctrine of their whole Church for humane satisfactions namely passionibus sanctorum expiari delicta as Bellarmine saith Bellar de indulgen l. 1. c. 2. which is