• LXXI.

SERM. ways to have laboured under, and concerning which they were at so great a loss, viz. an effectual expiatory facrifice for fins upon earth, and a powerful mediator and intercessor with God in heaven: and both these by the same person, " JESUS CHRIST, who appeared in the end of the world, to take away " fin by the facrifice of himself;" and in the merit and virtue of that facrifice, "appearing in heaven " in the prefence of God for us," is become a perpetual advocate, and a most powerful interceffor with God in heaven for us. So that instead of the endless sacrifices of the Jewish religion, which were ineffectual to the real expiation of fin, and only types and shadows of the true expiatory sacrifice; and instead of the bloody and inhuman facrifices of the heathen idolatry; the Son of God hath " by one facri"fice for fin once offered, perfected for ever them " that are sanctified, and obtained eternal redemp"tion for us." And instead of the mediation of angels, and the fouls of their departed heroes, which the heathen made use of to offer up their prayers to the gods; we have " one mediator between GoD " and men," appointed by God himself, " JESUS "the Son of God," who in our nature is afcended into heaven, " to appear in the prefence of God for " us." And who fo fit to be our patron and advocate, as he who was our facrifice and propitiation?

Thus the method of our redemption, as it was by the wisdom of God admirably suited to the common apprehenfions of mankind, concerning the neceffity of a facrifice to make expiation of fin, and of a mediator to intercede with GOD for finners; so was it likewife excellently fitted, not only to put an end to the Jewish facrifices, but likewise to abolish the barbarous facrifices and rites of the heathen idolatry, and

:

LXXI.

and to cashier that infinite number of mediators and SERM. interceffors, by whom they addressed their prayers to the deity; and instead of all this, to introduce a more reasonable and spiritual worship, more agreeable to the nature and perfections of God, and the reason of mankind; which was one of the main and principal designs of the christian religion: and therefore to bring in any other mediators, to intercede in heaven for us (whether angels or faints) and by them to offer up our prayers to God, is directly contrary to the design of the chriftian religion.

Thirdly, it is likewise evident from the nature and reason of the thing itself, that "there is but one me"diator" and intercessor in heaven, who offers up our prayers to GOD, and that there can be no more. Because under the gospel there being but one high priest, and but one facrifice once offered for fin, and intercession for finners being founded in the merit and virtue of the sacrifice, by which expiation for fin is made, there can be no other mediator of intercefsion, but he who hath made expiation of fin, by a sacrifice offered to God for that purpose; and this JESUS CHRIST Only hath done. He is both our high prieft, and our facrifice; and therefore he only, in the merit and virtue of that facrifice, which he offered upon earth, can intercede in heaven for us, and offer up our prayers to GOD. Others may pray to God for us; as our brethren upon earth do, and perhaps the angels and faints in heaven; but none of these can offer up our prayers to God, and procure the acceptance of them; for that can only be done in virtue of a facrifice first offered, and by him that offered it; this being the peculiar office and qualification of a mediator or interceffor, properly fo

SERM. It is the plain design of the author of the epiftle LXXI. to the Hebrews, to prove that CHRIST is our only

mediator in heaven, in virtue of that sacrifice for fin, which he offered upon earth; and that he alone

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appears in the prefence of God for us," to present our requests to him, and obtain a gracious answer of them; and he shews at large, how this was particularly typified by the Jewish high priest, who upon the great day of expiation, after the sacrifice was slain without, " entered alone into the holy of holies, " with the blood of the sacrifices," in virtue whereof he " made intercession for the people." Answerably to this, "JESUS the high priest of our profef"sion, offered himself a facrifice for the sins of

men, and, in virtue of that sacrifice " is entered into "the high place not made with hands, that is, into "heaven itself, there to appear in the prefence of "GOD for us, where he lives for ever to make inter" cession for us," in virtue of that "eternal redemp" tion, which he hath obtained for us," by the price of his blood, as the apostle declares in several chapters of that epiftle. So that this intercession being founded in the merit of a facrifice, which he alone offered, he is of neceffity, "the only mediator be"tween God and men."

And for this reason it is, that the mediation and interceffion of CHRIST, is so frequently in fcripture mentioned together with the expiation which he made for the fins of men, or, (which is the fame,) with the price which he paid for the redemption of mankind; because the one is founded in the other, and depends upon it. So we find, 1 John ii. 1, 2. " any man fin we have an advocate with the Father, "JESUS CHRIST the righteous, and he is the pro" pitiation for our fins; and not for ours only, but "alfo

"If

"alfo for the fins of the whole world." And here SERM. likewise in the text, "there is one mediator between LXXI.

"God and men, the man CHRIST JESUS, who gave "himself a ransom for all;" therefore " the only me"diator between God and men;" because " he only

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gave himself a ransom for all" men. The efficacy and prevalency of his mediation, being founded in the merit and virtue of the ransom of his blood.

And the force of these texts, and this reasoning from them, is not to be avoided and turned off, by diftinguishing between a mediator of redemption and of interceffion, and by faying, that it is true, that CHRIST is the only mediator of redemption, but there may be many mediators of interceffion: for if the force of his being advocate or intercefssor be founded in the virtue of his ransom and propitiation (as I have plainly shewn, to the conviction of any that are not strongly prejudiced, and that will read and confider what the fcripture says in this matter without prepoffeffion,) then it is plain, that none can be a proper mediator of interceffion, but he that paid the price of our redemption: so that the mediator of our redemption, and our mediator of interceffion, muft of necessity be one and the fame perfon; and none can appear in the quality of "our "advocate with the Father," but he only who is "the propitiation for the fins of the whole world." I should now have proceeded to

The fourth thing 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 practice of the church of Rome is in this matter; namely, in their invocation of angels, and the blessed virgin, and the faints, and flying to

their help and making use of their mediation and interceffion with God for finners: as likewise how contrary all this is to the doctrine and practice of the christian church, for several of the first ages of it. And then I should have answered their chief pretences and excuses for these things, and shewed that this practice of theirs is not only needless (being no where commanded of God) but useless also, and unprofitable; and not only so, but very dangerous and impious, being contrary to the christian religion, and highly derogating from the virtue and merit of CHRIST's sacrifice, and from the honour of "the only mediator between God and men." But of this another time.

SERMON LXXII.

CHRIST JESUS, the only mediator between God and men.

SERM.
LXXII.

The

ITIM. 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.

N these words are four propositions; three expressed, and the fourth implied.

I. That there is one GOD.

II. That there is one mediator between God and

fecond

fermon on men; CHRIST JESUS.