A General View of Papistry, Book 2 · Controversy 10
THE TENTH GENERALL CONTROVERSIE CONCERNING THE INTERCESSION AND MEDIAtion of Christ, whether he be onelyonly our Mediatour and Intercessor.
The Papists.
THey seeme in these very words to confesse, that Christ is the onelyonly singular error 86 aduocate and patrone of mankinde, that by himselfe alone, and by his owne merites procureth all grace and merciemercy, none asking or obtaining either grace in this life, or glorie in the next, but by him. But this letteth not, but that there may be other inferiour mediatours, though not in that singular sense, Rhemist. annot. 1. Timoth. 2. sect. 4.
Argum. Christ is the only Sauiour and Redeemer of the world, yet the name of Sauiour and Redeemer is giuen to men in the scriptures, as Iud. 3.9. Othniel is called a Sauiour, Act. 7.35. Moses a Deliuerer or Redeemer: and all this without derogation to him, that in more excellent manner is the onelyonly Sauiour of the world: Ergo, there may be also many mediatours, in an inferiour degree to that singular mediatour, to offer vp our praiers, Rhemist. ibid.
Ans. 1. If Christ be sufficient to procure all grace and merciemercy vntounto vsus, what neede then the mediation or inuocation of Saints? for wee must either doubt of his power, in ioyning other helpers with him, or make question of his good will and readines to helpe vsus, in making other mediatours vntounto him.
2. They make other mediatours and intercessors beside Christ, euen in that high and singular degree: for not onelyonly Christ by their doctrine, by his merites procureth grace, but other Saints also by their merites are our mediatours: as it is plaine to see in that popish praier, Tu per Thomae sanguinem, &c. By the blood of Thomas, which for thee he did spend, make vsus, Christ, to climbe, whither Thomas did ascend. In this blasphemous prayer and a thousand such, they pray only to Christ as God, not as mediatour, men departed, and many of them no Saints, they make their onelyonly mediatours by their owne proper merites. See Fulk. ibid.
Againe, their Saints are not onelyonly intercessors for grace, but conferrers of grace and helpe, which is the highest degree of mediation. They appoynt seuerall patrones amongst the Saints for all purposes: S. Apollonia for the toothach: Saint Rooke for the pestilence: Saint Petronill for the ague: Saint Gregorie for Schollers: Saint Morris for Souldiers: Saint Luke for Painters: Saint Crispin for Shoomakers: Saint Nicholas for the sea: Saint Iodocus for corne: Saint Vrbane for wine. And thus doe they not onelyonly (as they beare vsus in hand) pray for these graces and blessings, but they hauehave power themselues to bestow them.
Ans. 3. Concerning the name and title of Sauiour and Redeemer, we answere: first, men are called in the Scripture, Deliuerers and Sauiours, in respect of some temporal deliuerance, not of the spiritual or eternal redemption, which belongeth onelyonly to Christ: but you make your Saints mediators of eternall redemption. Secondly, they whom the Scripture calleth Redeemers and Sauiours, were appoynted by God for such temporall deliuerance: but you cannot shewe the like appoyntment for Saints to be mediators of eternall saluation, though in an inferiour degree to Christ. Thirdly, seeing the name of God and Christ is giuen to men in the scriptures, as to Princes and Prophets: why may you not as well say, that there may be many Gods and Christs properly, though in an inferiour degree to him which is only God and Christ, as to appoynt other inferiour Redeemers, Sauiours and Mediators?
The Protestants.
WE acknowledge but one onelyonly Mediatour as well of intercession as redemption, euen Iesus Christ our Lord: to whom and through whom all our praiers & supplications ought to be made: to him we only pray, as being one God with the Father and the holy Ghost: by him and through him we only pray, as being the only Mediatour betweene God and man.
Arg. 1. S. Paul saith, There is one mediatour of God and men, the man Iesus Christ, 1. Tim. 2.5. Hence we doe frame this argument: The mediator betweene God and men, must himselfe be both God and man: but so is none but Christ: Ergo, he is the onelyonly Mediatour.
Arg. 2. He is onelyonly the aduocate and mediatour for our sinnes, that is the propitiation for our sinnes, 1. Ioh. 2.1. Christ only is the propitiation for our sinnes: Ergo, the onelyonly mediatour.
Augustine thus writeth vponupon this place: Si Apostolus ita diceret, &c. If the Apostle had sayd thus: If any man sinne, you hauehave me a mediatour with the father,Cont. Parmen. lib. 2. cap. 8. and I doe by my praier obtaine pardon for your sinnes (as Parmenianus in a certaine place maketh the Bishop a mediatour betweene the people & God:) Quis sicut Apostolum Christi, & non sicut Antichristum intueretur? Who would behold him as an Apostle of Christ, and not as Antichrist? It is then Antichristian doctrine, in Augustines iudgement, to make any other mediators or intercessors beside Christ.