CHAP. it. And in this, the great Prefumption and moVII ral Iniquity of Idolatry feems to confift; ninety nine Parts in a Hundred of the Idolatry of the World confifting in the Choice and Worship of a falfe Mediator between God and Man. Such wrong Introduction, or falfe Foundation in coming to God embues the whole Syftem of Worship and Service with falfe Fears, and Hopes; with irregular, impious Prayer, with no Repentance, or that which is fallacious; in fhort, with all Sorts of artificial Methods of making Men religious without Virtue, i. e. without Religion. Idolatry (the fame may be faid of Superstition) being nothing else but an Equivalent, ingented by Men, and encouraged by the Devil, to fatisfy the Conscience, and at the fame Time indulge the Flefh, therefore call'd its Work; because in the Nature of Cause and Effect, a Debauchery of the Morals, follows a Debauchery of the true Mediator. When Man, not God, attempts to appoint and take upon him to affign a Mediator of his own Head, the Intention of ferving, or the pretended relative Worship of the true God, through whatever uncommanded Mediators of Interceffion, or before forbidden Images of any Sort, is equally the Sin of Idolatry, the Thing that God hateth all the World over, in Heathen, or in Popish Countries: For was that Intention, or that relative Worship fufficient to excufe from Idolatry, there could be no fuch Thing as Idolatry in the World; becaufe the Heathens in their Idols, Images, or Statues equally diftinguifh'd and pretended relative Worship ultimately to the Supreme God, as much as the Papifts. BUT when God approv'd the Surety himfelf, he obliged himself to accept him, paying down J VII, down the Debt of our Punishment, (the Mule CHAP.) of Death) purely and absolutely on our Ac count, and to releafe us from it: The Debt of Death being thus paid by the Mediator, Acknowledgments are due both to him who pays it for us, and especially to him who accepts the Tender of fuch Payment, in acquittal of the worst Confequences of that Debt; therein, or, now it is, that the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in bim, John xiii. 31. whilft we ftill are left to pay, and every Man does actually pay the temporary Fine, the Separation of Soul and Body; yet the Redemption of the Body being effected by him, we are juftify'd in the Body from the fecond or everlasting Death, as well as in the Soul from Sin. AND he who was called and made Choice of, was no lefs willing to proffer himself to the Work. It is the Creditor, not the Debtor, who has the Choice of the Surety. Therefore the Mediator of the new and better Covenant, the High Prieft of our Profeffion, was called, confecrated, inaugurated by God himself. In a perfect Reconcilement be, tween such a Superior and Inferior, there must be honourable Terms provided for the former, or none at all. The Propofal of them in all Reafon, Deference, and Decency, must always and only be allow'd to come from the offended Superior: Forafmuah as that is the only Way he can in Honour treat, or be treated with. Having a Right to our Obedience which we continued not in; a Right as our Governor still remain'd in him, to reclaim us to Homage and Duty, by any Methods of Grace he liked beft, without confulting us. BECAUSE CHAP BECAUSE Our Bufinefs, is to obey, not offer to make Amendments in the Terms of an A of Grace; not propound, but receive Conditions of Peace, whatfoever God, or the Mediator fent by him, fhall reveal to be his Will and Pleasure. Thus the Propofal regularly came, as it did, firft from him principally, who was principally offended, i, e. God the Father. For this Reafon the Gospels, especially St. John's, fo very much reprefent Chrift to be the SON OF GOD, fent from God, or the Father, for that Purpose, Shewing the Doctrine to be of God the Father, not from the Meffiah himself; much lefs a Revelation from Flesh and Blood, but from the Fa ther. Though the Gospels and Acts of the Apo ftles don't mention the Word Mediator, they defcribe him in Terms equivalent. As Son of God, and Son of Man; as faving us from our Sins giv ing bis Life a Ransom for many; and his Blood, the Blood of the New Testament for the Remiffion of Sins; and preaching Repentance in bis Name to all the World for Remiffion of Sins; and as procuring all Bleffings to those who pray for them in his Name that all Men Should honour him, even as they bonour the Father, and as they believe in one, fhould believe alfo in the other and the preaching Mat. xvi. 17 This explains John iv. 44. No Man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath fent me, draw him: Because a Mediator or Advocate, in whofe Name all things were to be done, is not an Advocate or Mediator of one; but God [the Father] is one Party, and Man the other; he is not a Mediator between God and God, or Man and Man, but God and Man; for God being neceffarily but one, the other Party must be Man: If you know two Angles of a Triangle, you are confequentially drawn to know the other. See the Reasons why the Gospels were not, could not be fo explicit as the Epiftles. Bishop of London's Paft. 3. pag. ing the Word of Reconciliation, i. e. preaching CHAP Peace by Jefus Chrift, he is Lord of all, that the VII Churches were purchased by his Blood*: And the Epiftles, which very often exprefly mention the Mediator, reprefent God in Chrift reconciling the World to himfelf, when we are faid, to be faved by Grace, through Faith, in this Mediator, not of ourfelves, it is the Gift of God+: For which Reason, Faith is affirm'd to come from Hearing; Hearing from the Word of God; the Word of God from Sending; not of Man, but God's fending his Son, (fo often called the Word) who fent his Apoftles, who fent others to perpetuate the Gofpel of Peace, or the Word of Reconciliation between God and Man, to the End of the World. And because our Lord Jefus Chrift is the undertaking Head of all the Means of Reconciliation and Salvation, therefore are we fometimes faluted and bleffed with the Grace of God; fometimes with the Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift fingly t. What are the Ends propofed from this Appointment, will beft' appear under the Office of our Mediator, as foon as we have previously confider'd, `18, 24, &c. 32, &c. and 78, &c. where the Opinion of those who make the Gospels the only, or chief Rule of Faith, is clearly refuted.. Eph. xi. 8. Heb. x. 10. + Rom. x. 15. + Rom, xvi. 24. 1 Cor. xvi. 24. vi. 24. Phil. iv. Philem. 25. 23. 2 Thef. iii, 16, 18. Gal. vi. 18. Eph. CHAP. CHAP VIII. CHAP. VIII. The Nature and Perfon of the MEDIATOR. I T is neceffary to confider the true Nature of this appointed Mediator, bes cause that is the Ground and Qualification for all his falutary Offices; and the more we are apprized of that, the stronger and more confident will be our Faith in the other. For fuch is the moft admirable Reafon and Wifdom of the Divine Appointments, in laying his general Laws and Commandments fo firmly in the Nature of Things, as to fecure all 'those good Effects, which God, or Man could expect from them. His Providence has frequently. reveal'd and discover'd the Nature of Things for the Benefit of Man, which was unknown before. But the grand View and Project of all his Reve+ lations purposely given to the Children of Men, at fundry Times, and divers Manners, was fully to unfold the Nature, and the Offices of this mighty Perfon, the Captain of Salvation, the Author and Finisher of our Faith, WITHOUT Revelation affifting, our Reafoa could not have found it out, but after it is difcover'd, it needs no Affiftance to perceive it agreeable to the Nature of the beft conftituted Mediator, that the Reafon of Man, or even the Wifdom of God could devife. Thus a Revelation from |