Sixteen Sermons Volume 2, Sermon 3
SERMON III. Chriſt Jeſus, the only Mediator between God and Men.
The Second Sermon on 1 Tim. II. 5, 6.
For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Chriſt Jeſus; who gave himſelf a ranſom for all.
IN theſe Words are four Propoſitions; three expreſt, and the fourth implied.
I. That there is one God.
II. That there is one Mediator between God and men; Chriſt Jeſus.
III. That he gave himſelf a ranſom for all.VOL. II.
IV. That the Mediation or Interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, is founded in his Redemption of Mankind: That becauſe he gave himſelf a Ranſome for all men, therefore he, and he only, is qualified to intercede for all Men, in Vertue of that Sacrifice which he offer'd for the Salvation of all Mankind.
The Second of theſe I ſpake to the laſt time, and endeavour'd to ſhew,
1. That God hath appointed but one Mediator, or Advocate, or Interceſſor in Heaven for us; by whoſe Mediation we are to offer up all our Prayers and Services to God.
2. That this Doctrine of one Mediator is moſt agreeable to one main End and Deſign of the Chriſtian Religion, and of our Saviour's coming into the World, which was, to deſtroy Idolatry.
3. That from the Nature and Reaſon of the thing (viz. becauſe Interceſſion for Sinners is founded in the Merit of that Sacrifice, by which Expiation of Sin is made) there can be no other Mediator of Interceſſion, Serm. III.but he who hath made Expiation for Sin, by a Sacrifice offered to God for that purpoſe; and this Jeſus Chriſt only hath done. Thus far I have gone: I proceed now to
The Fourth thing which I propoſed in the handling of this Argument, namely, to ſhew how contrary to this Doctrine of the Chriſtian Religion, concerning one only Mediator and Interceſſor in Heaven for us, the Doctrine and the Practice of the Church of Rome is in this matter; namely, in their Invocation of Angels, and the Bleſſed Virgin, and the Saints, and flying to their help, and making uſe of their Mediation and Interceſſion with God for Sinners.
And that I may proceed more diſtinctly in this Argument, I ſhall handle it under theſe particular Heads.
Firſt, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, That the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter, is contrary to the Doctrine of the Chriſtian an Religion, concerning one only Mediator and Interceſſor in Heaven for us.
Secondly, That it is contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the Chriſtian Church, for ſeveral of the firſt Ages of it.
Thirdly, I ſhall endeavour to anſwer their chief Pretences and Excuſes for this Doctrine and Practice.
Fourthly, to ſhew that this Doctrine and Practice of theirs is not only needleſs, being no where commanded by God, but uſeleſs alſo, and unprofitable.
Fifthly, And not only ſo, but very dangerous and impious; becauſe contrary to the Chriſtian Religion, and greatly derogating from the Vertue and Merit of Chriſt's Sacrafice, and from the Honour of the only Mediator between God and Men.
Firſt, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, that the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this Matter, is contrary to the Doctrine of the Chriſtian Religion concerning one only Mediator and Interceſſor in Heaven for us; namely in their Invocation of Angels, and the Bleſſed Virgin, and the Saints, and flying to their Help, and making uſe of their Mediation and Interceſſion with God for Sinners.
That Jeſus Chriſt is our only Mediator and Interceſſor with God in Heaven, by whom we have acceſs to God in any Action of Religious Worſhip, and that all our Prayers and Services are to be offered up to God only by him, and in his Name and Mediation, and no other, I have plainly ſhewed from Scripture, and proved it by an invincible Argument, taken likewiſe from Scripture; namely, becauſe the Efficacy and Prevalency of his Mediation and Interceſſion is founded in the Vertue and Merit of his Sacrifice; and that he is therefore the only Mediator between God and Men, becauſe he only gave himſelf a Ranſom for all; he is therefore our only Advocate with the Father, becauſe he only is the propitiation for our Sins, and for the Sins of the whole World.
I have ſhewed likewiſe, that the Scripture excludes Angels from being our Mediators with God, from the main Scope and Deſign of the Epiſtle to the Coloſſians; and much more are the Saints departed excluded from this Office, being inferior to the Angels, not only in the Dignity and Excellency of their Beings, but very probably in the Degree of their Knowledge.
In ſhort, Prayer is a proper act of Religious Worſhip, and therefore peculiar to God alone; and we are commanded to Worſhip the Lord our God, and to ſerve him only: And no where in Scripture are we directed to addreſs our Prayers and Supplications and Thankſgivings to any but God alone, and only in the Name and Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. Our Bleſſed Saviour himſelf hath taught us, to put up all our Prayers to God our heavenly Father, Luke 11.2. when you pray, ſay, Our Father which art in Heaven. Which plainly ſhews, to whom all our Prayers are to be addreſs'd; and unleſs we can call an Angel or the Bleſſed Virgin, or a Saint, Our Father, we can pray to none of them. And elſewhere he as plainly directs us, by whom we are to apply our ſelves to God, and in whoſe Name and Mediation we are to put up all our Requeſts to him, John 14.6. I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me: And then it follows, Ver. 13, 14. And whatſoever you ſhall ask in my name, that will I do; that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ſhall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. Nothing is clearer in the whole Bible, than one Mediator between God and Men, Chriſt Jeſus, and that he is our only Advocate and Interceſſor with God in Heaven for us.
Secondly, I ſhall endeavour to ſhew, That the Doctrine and Practice of the Church of Rome in this matter, is contrary to that of the Chriſtian Church, for ſeveral of the firſt Ages of it.
As for the Ages of the Apoſtles, it hath been already proved out of their Writings. That it was not practiſed in the three firſt Ages, we have the Acknowledgment of Cardinal Perron, and others of their learned Writers; and they give a very remarkable Reaſon for it; namely, Becauſe the Worſhip and Invocation of Saints and Angels, and addreſſing our Prayers to God by them, might have ſeem'd to have given Countenance to the Heathen Idolatry. From whence I cannot forbear, by the way, to make theſe two Obſervations. 1. That the Invocation of Saints and Angels, and the Bleſſed Virgin, and addreſſing our ſelves to God by their Mediation, was not in thoſe Primitive Ages eſteemed a Duty of the Chriſtian Religion; becauſe, if it had, it could not have been omitted for fear of the Scandal conſequent upon it: And if it was not a Duty then, By what Authority or Law, can it be made ſo ſince? 2. That this Practice is very lyable to the Suſpicion of Idolatry; and ſurely every Chriſtian cannot but think it fit; that the Church of Chriſt ſhould, like a chaſt Spouſe, not only be free from the Crime, but from all Suſpicion of Idolatry.
And for the next Ages after the Apoſtles, nothing is plainer, than that both their Doctrine and Practice were contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of the preſent Church of Rome in this Matter. The moſt ancient Fathers of the Chriſtian Church do conſtanly define Prayer, to be an addreſs to God; and therefore it cannot be made to any but God only: And after the riſe of Arianiſm, they argued for the Divinity of Chriſt, againſt the Arians, from our Praying to him; which Argument were of no force, if Prayers might be made to any but God; and this was in the beginning of the Fourth Age.
And we no where find any mention of thoſe Diſtinctions, of Gods by Nature, and Gods by Participation (as Bellarmin calls the Angels and Saints) or of a ſupream and inferior Religious Worſhip; or of a Mediator of Redemption, and a Mediator of Interceſſion; which are ſo commonly made uſe of by the Church of Rome in this Controverſie.
And, which is as conſiderable as any of the reſt, the ancient Fathers were generally of Opinion, that the Saints were not admitted to the Beatifick Viſion, till after the Day of Judgment; and this is acknowledged by the moſt Learned of the Church of Rome. But this very Opinion, takes away the Foundation of Praying to Saints; becauſe the Church of Rome grounds it upon their Reigning with Chriſt in Heaven, and upon the Light and Knowledge which is communicated to them in the Beatifick Viſion; and if ſo, then they who believed the Saints not yet to be admitted to this Viſion, could have no Reaſon or Ground to pray to them.
And Laſtly, The ancient Church prayed for Saints departed, and for the Bleſſed Virgin her ſelf; and therefore could not pray to them, as Interceſſors for them in Heaven, for whom they themſelves interceeded upon Earth. And therefore the Church of Rome, in complyance with the change which they have made in their Doctrine, have changed the Miſſal in that Point, and inſtead of praying for St. Leo (one of their Popes) as they were wont to do in their ancient Miſſal, in this form, Grant, O Lord, that this Oblation may be profitable to the Soul of thy Servant Leo; the Collect is now changed in the preſent Roman Miſſal into this Form, Grant, O Lord, that by the Interceſſion of Bleſſed Leo, this Offering may be profitable to us. And (as the Gloſs upon the Canon Law obſerves) this change was made in their Miſſal upon very good Reaſon; becauſe anciently they prayed for Leo, but now they pray to him; which is an ingenuous Acknowledgement, that both the Doctrine and Practice of their Church are plainly changed, from what they anciently were in this matter.
What the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome are in this matter, all the World ſees, and they themſelves are ſo aſhamed of them, that of late all their endeavours have been, to repreſent them otherwiſe than in truth they are, and to obtrude upon us a new Popery, which they think themſelves better able to defend than the old; which yet they have not ſhewn, that they are ſo well able to do; and therefore now, inſtead of defending the true Doctrines and Practices of their own Church, they would fain mince and diſguiſe them, and change them into ſomething that comes nearer to the Proteſtant Doctrine in thoſe Points: As if they had no way to defend their own Doctrines, but by ſeeming to deſert them, and by bringing them as near to ours as poſſibly they can.
But take them, as they have mollified them and par'd them, to render them more plauſible and tenable; that which ſtill remains of them, I mean the ſolemn Invocation of Saints and Angels, as Mediators and Interceſſors with God in Heaven for us, is plainly contrary both to the Doctrine and Practice of the Primitive Ages of Chriſtianity.
As for the Age of the Apoſtles, I have already ſhewn it; and the matter is as clear for ſeveral of the next following Ages, as I ſhall briefly ſhew, from a few very plain Teſtimonies.
In the Age next to the Apoſtles, we have an Epiſtle of one of the Seven Churches, (I mean the Church of Smyrna) in which, in Vindication of themſelves from that Calumny which was raiſed againſt them by the Jews, among the Heathen, That if they permitted the Chriſtians to have the body of the martyred Polycarp, they would leave Chriſt, to worſhip Polycarp; I ſay, in vindication of themſelves from this Calumny, they declare themſelves thus, Not knowing (ſay they) that we can neither leave Chriſt, who ſuffered for the Salvation of the World of thoſe that are ſaved, nor Worſhip any other; or, (as it is in the old Latin Tranſlation) nor offer up the Supplication of Prayer to any other Perſon; for as for Jeſus Chriſt, we adore him, as being the Son of God; but as for the Martyrs, we love them, as the Diſciples and Imitators of the Lord. So that they plainly exclude the Saints from any ſort of Religious Worſhip, of which Prayer or Invocation was always eſteemed a very conſiderable part.
Ireneus likewiſe tells us, (l. 2.) That the Church doth nothing (ſpeaking of the Miracles which were wrought) by the Invocatin of Angels, nor by Inchantment, nor by any other wicked Arts; but by Prayers to the Lord who made all things, and by calling on the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Here all invocation of Angels, and by the ſame or greater Reaſon, of the Saints, is excluded. And Clemens Alexandrinus delivers it as the Doctrine of the Church; That ſince there is but one good God, therefore both we and the Angels pray to him, both for the giving, and the continuance of good things.
In the next Age, Origen is ſo full and expreſs in this matter, that it is not poſſible for any Proteſtant to ſpeak more poſitively and clearly, l. 8 cont. Celſum, where he does on ſet purpoſe declare and vindicate the Chriſtian Doctrine and Practice in this matter; We worſhip (ſays he) the one only God, and his one only Son, and Word, and Image, with our utmoſt Supplications and Honours, bringing our Prayers to the God of all things, through his only begotten Son; And afterward, Away (ſays he) with Celſus his Counſel, that ſays, we muſt pray to Demons (or Angels) for we muſt pray only to God who is above all; we muſt pray to the only Begotten and firſt Born of every Creature, and we muſt beſeech him to offer up our Prayers which we make to him, to his God and our God: and again, (ſpeaking of Angels) As for the Favour of others (if that be to be regarded) we know, that Thouſands of Thouſands ſtand before him, and Ten Thouſand times Ten Thouſand miniſter unto him; theſe are our Brethren and Friends, who when they ſee us imitating their Piety towards God, work together to the Salvation of thoſe who call upon God, and pray as they ought to do, that is, to God only; and (l. 5.) where Celſus urges him with this, That the Scriptures call Angels Gods, he tells him, that the Scriptures do not call the Angels Gods, with any Deſign to require us to worſhip and adore them inſtead of God, who are Miniſtring Spirits, and bring Meſſages, and Bleſſings down to us from God; for (ſays he) all Supplication, and Prayer, and Interceſſion, and giving of Thanks, muſt be ſent up to God, who is above all, by the High Prieſt, who is above all Angels, and is the living Word and God. And though Angels be only here mentioned, yet by the ſame Reaſon, all other Creatures are excluded, from being the Objects of our Religious Worſhip and Invocation, or, Mediators of Interceſſion with God for us; becauſe all Supplication and Prayer, and Interceſſion, and Thanksgiving, muſt be ſent up to God by our High-Prieſt, who is the living Word and God. Let us then alſo (as he goes on) make Supplication to the Word himſelf, and Interceſſion, and giving of Thanks, and Prayer: But to Invocate Angels is not reaſonable; ſince we do not comprehend the Knowledge of them, which is above us; and if we could comprehend the Knowledge of them, which is wonderful and ſecret, this very Knowledge which declares to us their Nature and Office, would not allow us to preſume to pray to any other, but to the God who is Lord over all, and abundantly ſufficient for all, by our Saviour the Son of God. Where he gives Two plain Reaſons, why we ought to Pray only to God, and to offer up our Prayers only by the Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, the Son of God and our Saviour: Firſt, Becauſe he only is Lord over all, and therefore the Worſhip of Prayer is to be given to him only. And then, Secondly, Becauſe we have no need of any other Patron and Benefactor, or of any other Mediator and Advocate, he is abundantly ſufficient for all, by our Saviour the Son of God.
In the ſame Age Novatian, in his Book concerning the Trinity, makes uſe of this argument, to prove the Divinity of Chriſt; becauſe he hears our Prayers, when we call upon him. If Chriſt (ſays he) be only a Man, how can he be preſent every where to thoſe that call upon him? ſince this is not the Nature of Man, but of God, to be able to be preſent every where? If Chriſt be only a Man, why do we in our Prayers call upon him as Mediator; ſince prayer to a Man is deemed ineffectual to help or ſave us? If Chriſt be only a Man, why do we put our hope in him; ſince Hope in Man is accurſed in Scripture?
In the IVth. Century, the Apoſtolical Conſtitutions, under the Name of Clemens Romanus (but undoubtedly written in that Age) give us a pregnant negative Teſtimony in this matter; for though a great many of the publick Prayers are there ſet down at large, yet they are all directed to God alone, and not the leaſt Intimation there of any Prayer made to the Angels, or Saints, or even to the Virgin Mary; nor of their Interceſſion or Aid; which now makes ſo great a part of the Publick Devotions of the Church of Rome.
Athanaſius, in his Fourth Oration againſt the Arians, proves the Unity of the Father and the Son, from 1 Theſ. 3.11. Now God himſelf, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, direct our way unto you. From whence he argues thus, One would not pray to receive any thing from the Father and the Angels, or from any other Creature; nor would one ſay, God and the Angels give thee this; but one would pray to receive any thing from the Father and the Son, becauſe of their Ʋnity and Ʋniform Gift; for all things that are given by the Father, are given by the Son, and there is nothing which the Father doth not work by the Son; and then concludes, that it doth not belong to any, but to God alone, to Bleſs and grant Deliverances. This I take to be a very remarkable Teſtimony againſt the Church of Rome, who in their Publick Offices joyn the Bleſſed Virgin with God, and our Saviour, in the ſame Breath, and ſometimes put her before her Son; Let Mary and her Son bleſs us; as it is in the Office of the Bleſſed Virgin; in direct contradiction to what I juſt now cited out of Athanaſius: and nothing ſo common in their Mouths, as Jeſu Maria, Jeſus and Mary; nothing more frequent in their moſt eminent Writers, than to joyn them together in their Doxologies and Thankſgivings. Glory to God, and the Bleſſed Virgin, and to Jeſus Chriſt, ſays Gregory de Valentia. And Bellarmin himſelf concludes his Diſputations concerning the Worſhip of Saints; in theſe Words, Praiſe be to God, and to the Bleſſed Virgin Mother Mary; likewiſe to Jeſus Chriſt, the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father, be Praiſe and Glory. And in the very Roman Miſſal it ſelf, they make confeſſion of their Sins to God Almighty, and the Bleſſed Virgin Mary, to St. Michael the Archangel, and to all the Saints. And in their Abſolution, they join together the Paſſion of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and the Merits of the Bleſſed Virgin, and of all the Saints, for the Remiſſion of Sins. And is not this the very thing which Athanaſius doth ſo ſeverely condemn?
I have mentioned before the Council of Laodicea, which about the middle of this Century condemns the Worſhip of Angels, and Praying to them, as down-right Idolatry: And towards the end of this Fourth Age, and in the beginning of the Fifth, when it is pretended that praying to Saints did begin (though it was rather by way of Apoſtrophe and Rhetorical Addreſs, than of formal Invocation) there are expreſs Teſtimonies againſt it of the moſt eminent Fathers of that time. I will inſtance but in Three, Epiphanius, St. Chryſoſtom, and St. Auguſtine.
Epiphanius, in his Confutation of the Hereſie of the Collyridians (which he calls the Hereſie of the Women, becauſe they firſt began the Worſhip of the Virgin Mary) declares moſt expreſly againſt the Worſhip of any Creature whatſoever; For neither (ſays he) is Elias to be worſhipped, though he is reckoned among the living (meaning that he was taken up into Heaven, Body and Soul) nor John, nor any other of the Saints: And as for the Virgin Mary, he particularly adds, that if God will not have us to worſhip the Angels, how much more would he not have us to worſhip her that was born of Anna? And concludes, let Mary be had in Honour; but let the Lord be worſhipped.
St. Chryſoſtom, in a long Diſcourſe, perſuades Men to addreſs their Prayers immediately to God, and not as we addreſs our ſelves to great Men by their Officers and Favourites; and tells us, that there is no need of ſuch Interceſſors with God, who is not ſo ready to grant our Petitions, when we entreat him by others, as when we pray to him our ſelves.
Laſtly, St. Auguſtine, becauſe the Scripture pronounces him accurſed, that puteth his truſt in Man; from thence he argues, that therefore we ought not to ask of any other, but of our Lord God, either the Grace to do well, or the Reward of it. The contrary to which I am ſure is done in ſeveral of the Publick Prayers uſed in the Church of Rome. And, l. 12. de Civ. Dei, he expreſly tells us, that the Names of the Martyrs were recited in their Prayers at the Altar; but they were not invocated by the Prieſt, who did celebrate Divine Service. And in the Third Council of Carthage (which was in St. Auguſtin's time) it is enjoined (Can. 33.) that all Prayers that were made at the Altar, ſhould be directed to the Father. Which how it is obſerved in the Church of Rome, we all know.
To conclude this matter, it cannot be made appear, that there were any Prayers to Saints, in the Publick Offices of the Church, till towards the end of the Eighth Century. For in the Year 754. the Invocation of Saints was condemned by a Council of 338 Biſhops at Conſtantinople, as is acknowledged by the Second Council of Nice, which firſt eſtabliſh'd this Superſtition, in the Year 787; and this very Council was condemned Seven Years after, in a Council at Frankfort, and declared void, and to be no otherwiſe eſteemed of, than the Council of Ariminum.
Thus you ſee, when this Doctrine and Practice, ſo contrary to the Doctrine and Practice of a great many of the firſt Ages of the Chriſtian Church, was firſt eſtabliſhed, namely, at the ſame time with the Worſhip of Images, and when the firſt Foundation of Tranſubſtantiation was laid; which as they began at the ſame time, ſo they are very fit to go together.
I ſhould now have proceeded to the next thing which I propos'd, namely, to anſwer the chief Pretences which are made for this Doctrine and Practice. But of That in the following Diſcourſe.