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
Hebrew word Goel which signifieth a Redeemer doth also signifie a Kinsman 5. Because our Mediator and Advocate for as I said before a Mediator is not of one Gal. 3.20 that is he is not of one nature But he that is mediator betweene God and man must be both God and man God that he may speake to God for us man that he may speake to us from God Finally hee must be man because our Physitian for it was fit that our Physitian should be acquainted with our conditions and should have experience in his owne person of our infirmities that being tempted in like sort as we are he might be able to succour us that are tempted Heb. 2.17 So that Christ both is and must have beene a man The consideration hereof serves us for consolation It is the key of all comfort for all true comfort stands in happinesse all happinesse is in fellowship with God and never could there be so great fellowship with God as this for God hath entred in alliance with us sending his Sonne to be made of a woman to become a man and so our brother even Emanuel God with us or in our flesh Hereby God comforted our first parents when they were cast downe with a sight of their sinnes and a feare of punishment Gen. 3.15 Hereby he comforted Iacob Gen. 28.12 by the vision of a ladder reaching from heaven to earth this ladder is the Sonne of God made man Iob 19 2◠Iob comforts himselfe with this that he had a redeemer in his owne flesh By this did Gabriel the Angell comfort Daniel Dan. 9.21 c. and finally by this doe the Angels comfort the Shepheard Behold I bring you good tydings of great ioy which shall be to all people for unto you is borne this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Luk. 2.10 Yea this is that wherwith we must all be comforted for if Christ Iesus be a man then be ye well assured that he will be a mercifull high Priest a favourable Iudge a homely Mediator to whom we may goe boldly as unto a brother of ours This we are to hold fast it being the greatest ground of all comfort and the rather also because the Divell in all ages hath oppugned this doctrine and eyther in whole or in part laboured to obscure the veritie of Christs humane nature and to bereave us of this comfort that Christ Iesus is a man First he raised up some immediatly after the Apostles dayes who taught that Christ was not a true man but onely in shew having a phantasticall bodie against whom Ignatius did write These were first one Cerdon after him Marcion whom Polycarpus called primogenitum Satanae the Divels eldest sonne but since he hath had manie brethren for a short while after came the Manichees maintaining the same Secondly but because this was so notoriously false that it could not take place Satan raised up others to mince and mitigate this blasphemie saying that he had an humane bodie indeed yet not like unto ours not of the substance of the Virgin but either of the substance of God himselfe or of the matter of the heavens or of the starres or finally made of the elements which passed through the womb of the Virgin as water through a conduit-pipe These were the Valentinians whose heresie was renewed of late by the Anabaptists Thirdly because these could not prevaile he raised up others who taught That howsoever hee had a true bodie yet hee lacked a soule these were the Arrians These were condemned in the Councell of Nice Fourthly and therefore Satan raised up others to fyne this heresie better saying That he had the vegetative and sensitive part of the soule but wanted the reasonable part This was Apolinaris Bishop of Laodicea he was condemned in a Synod holden at Rome under Pope Damasus Fiftly arose Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople and taught That howsoever before the union he had a perfect humane nature yet after the union this humane nature was converted consumed and swallowed up by his Godhead He was condemned in the Councell of Chalcedon where it was decreed that the natures of Christ were united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without change and confusion Sixtly but albeit hee was condemned Satan left it not so but raised up others who propounded this heresie in other termes namely Dioscorus who maintained That although his manhood was not consumed of his Godhead by the union yet of both mixed together there was compounded a third nature And to make the same heresie more plausible yet Satan sent forth others to fyne and polish it better to wit the Acephali so called because it was not knowne who was their head affirming That at least the properties of both natures were confounded the properties of the manhood communicate to the Godhead and the properties of the Godhead transfused into the manhood This heresie hath beene renewed in our age first by Hoffmannus an Anabaptist then after by Schwencfeldius and lastly by the Ubiquitaties who falsly boast themselves of the name of Luther Seventhly because this way succeeded not Satan went about another way to bereave us of Christs manhood he sent out Macarius Patriarch of Antiochia and Honorius Bishop of Rome who taught That Christ as hee was man wanted some part of his reasonable soule namely a will who for this cause were called Monotheletae They were condemned in the sixt generall Councell which was the third holden at Constantinople Eighthly he stirred up others whose doctrine was more plausible teaching That hee had a perfect humane nature yet could not properly be called a man for the humane nature was assumed by him onely as a man doth a vesture by an accidentall not by an essentiall union against whom Damascen doth prove that Christs natures were united 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 essentially Ninthly because all these heresies did oppugne the substance of Christs humanitie in whole or in part or else the properties thereof and so could not take place in the Church therefore the Divell stirred up others at least to take away the infirmities of his manhood these were the Aphthardokitae teaching That Christs body was not subiect to anie passions And albeit this was resisted when it came by them yet Satan advanced his purpose mightily by some others being otherwise good men and orthodox who taught That Christ had corpus ad patiendum sed non naturam ad dolendum Finally the last who have fought in this quarrell under the Divels Banner are the Papists And they are most dangerous because they doe not directly denie his manhood for then few would beleeve them but by way of consequence depriving his bodie of the essentiall properties of a true bodie while they teach that his bodie is not visible nor sensible nor circumscribed in one place but an invisible insensible uncircumscribed bodie which is present with all dimensions in ten thousand places at once This is as much as to say that it
is no bodie nor Christ himselfe a true man Against all these heresies the verie naming of my Text is a sufficient refutation that Christ Iesus is a man There be other heresies on the other hand which seem to accord better with my Text as first That Christ is not God but onely man which was the blasphemie of Ebion Cerinthus Carpocrates Photinus Samosatenus and the rest of that damnable crew 2. That though he both be God and man yet he is mediator only as man which is the doctrine of the Papists Both claime this Text for a warrant and ground of their opinion but in vaine for the Apostle calls him not a man to signifie that hee is a meere man for that were contrarie to his own doctrine nor yet doth he call him man to shew that he is mediator only as man for that were as contrarie to the truth it being plaine that Christ wrought the worke of mediation according to both natures by a different act and operation And therefore Damascen learnedly distinguisheth foure things in the mediator 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the agent or worker which is the person of Christ 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the beginning from which the action doth proceed which is twofold his divine and his humane natures 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the action it selfe 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the externall worke of our redemption called by Dyonisius Areopagit opus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it doth proceed from him who is both God man and to the effecting of it both the natures with their distinct actions in one and the same person did concurr According to that of Leo approved by the whole Councell of Chalcedon Vtraque forma agit quod suum est cum communione alterius verbo scilicet agente quod verbi est carne exequente quod carnis est This he manifesteth by examples In his humane nature saith he he wrought our salvation by keeping of the Law suffering and dying in his divine nature by giving strength unto his manhood to endure death and worth to his blood to be a sufficient satisfaction Therefore S. Austin concludeth well Non mediator homo preter divinitatem divina humanitas humana divinitas mediatrix It is the divine humanitie and humane divinitie that is our mediator But why then is he called a man I answer for manie reasons 1. To insinuate unto us a reason why he is one and alike to all because he took upon him the common nature of men he is a man alike neare to all that bee men 2. To expresse the perfection of his mediatorship he was our mediator from the beginning but never a complete mediator till he became man for there are manie workes of his mediatorship which could not bee performed but in our nature 3. To signifie the order by which wee are conioyned with God We are ioyned to God by a mediator and forasmuch as this mediator is both God man we are united first into his manhood and thereby unto his Godhead We must fasten the eyes of our faith first of all upon the flesh of Christ as it were upon the vaile by which the entrance was into the Sancta sanctorum where the glorie of God shined and then after that enter as it were into the Sanctuarie it selfe to behold his Godhead 4. Hee calleth him a man for our comfort There is a certaine basenesse of an abiect mind and slavish feare which the Divell worketh in men perswading them that it were great boldnesse to goe directly unto Christ as if he were of that austeritie and statelinesse that earthly Princes are and therefore wee must send the Saints unto him to solicite him in our behalfe This is all the ground the Papists have for their invocation of Saints but the Apostle calls it voluntarie or slavish humilitie Col. 1.18 and here hee meeteth with it directly calling Christ a man he is a man and therefore as neare unto us and hath as compassionate bowels as any Saint Indeed if wee consider Christ as he is God dwelling in light unaccessible I know not what confidence we can have to goe unto him but when wee cast our eyes below upon his manhood how that he is like unto us in all things except sinne tempted in all sort as we are that he might be able to succour us when wee are tempted Heb. 2.17 18. and such a one as can be touched with the sense of our infirmities 4.15 16. then as saith the Apostle wee may go boldly unto the throne of grace we may cast the anchor of our hope within the veyle 6.19 20. then may wee be bold to enter into the holiest of all 10.19 20. through his blood by the new and living way which hee hath prepared for us through the vaile that is his flesh I doubt not now but that these things have been sufficiently cleared by way of explication That there is a God That this God is one That he is made one with us by a Mediator That the Mediator is one That this one Mediator is Christ Iesus That Christ Iesus is a man But as these things are sufficiently cleared so I beseech you suffer them to be effectually enforced The point which I will presse for use and application is that which is both the scope and the thread of this Text namely the unitie of God and of the Mediator The use we should make hereof is for instruction and imitation and it is twofold speciall for Magistrates generall for all Christians First I say for Magistrates God is said to be one to all that is without all respect of persons and therefore forasmuch as Princes Magistrates and Iudges are stiled Gods in Scripture Psal 82.6 as being the Lievetenants of God upon earth and as it were the finger of that hand that ruleth the whole world they should imitate him be one to all as he is one be no respecters of persons as there is no respect of persons with him as they stand in Gods place so should they walke in Gods path Ephes 5.1 being followers of him as deare children To this purpose there are manie precepts in the Law Deut. 1.17 Yee shall heare the small as well as the great Deut. 16.9 Wrest not the Law nor respect anie mans person neyther take reward Levit. 19.15 Thou shalt not favour the person of the poore nor honour the person of the mightie but thou shalt judge thy neighbour uprightly For it is not good to have respect of anie person in judgement Prov. 24.23 The Thebanes hereupon portured their Iudges blinde with eates and without hands blinde that he might not distinguish persons friend from foe with eares that he might heare both parties indifferently without hands that he might not receive gifts to corrupt iustice For the gift blindeth the wise and perverteth the words of the righteous Exod. 23.8 To conclude this point I could wish that all
A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE IN A SERMON PREACHED AT DROGHEDAH ON WHITSVNDAY being the ninth of Iune 1622. before the Kings Majesties Commissioners for IRELAND By Henry Leslie Quoties dicimus toties judicamur Hierom. DUBLIN Printed by the Societie of Stationers 1623. TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD CHRISTOPHER by Gods providence Archbishop of Ardmagh Primate of all Ireland and Metropolitan and one of his Maiesties most honourable Privie Councell MOST REVEREND IT was by your Graces direction that this Sermon was preached and now by the same appointment it is published that the world may see it contayneth nothing but truth and is free from undiscreet raylings wherewith it was charged by them who dare adventure to censure us before they heare us Now these my small labours and the labours of some few dayes being the first fruits of my weake engine I here present unto your Grace to whom I owe my selfe and all I have much more my service with the labour of my hands head and heart as most bounden Indeed this small offering is no more equivalent to my debt than a mole-hill is to a mountaine But whatsoever my barren ground can afford shall be ever at your Honours command to which most humbly I prostrate my selfe praying alwayes that God would be pleased to continue your Grace long unto this poore Church of Ireland that like another Nehemiah you may build up the walls of this decayed IERUSALEM Your Graces most bounden Chaplaine HENRY LESLY A TREATISE TENDING TO VNITIE I. TIM II. V. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men the man Christ Iesus VNder the Old Testament they observed the Feast of Pentecost in remembrance of the Law given at Sinai so it hath beene the practise of the Church under the New Testament to keep the like Feast at the same time in remembrance of the Gospell which came from Ierusalem For if the Law should be thus honoured which is the ministration of death 2. Cor. 3.7 how much more the Gospell which is the ministration of life and that not written in tables of stone as was the Law but in the tables of our hearts by the holy Spirit for this Spirit did descend upon the Apostles in a visible shape on the day of Pentecost Act. 2 according to Christs promise that hee would send unto them another comforter Ioh. 14.16 17 26. even the Spirit of truth Ioh. 16.13 1. Cor. 2.10 to leade them into all truth to teach them all things even the deepe things of God So that those great and secret mysteries which under the Old Testament were shut up from the people like unto the Sanctuarie into which entrance was seldome made are now made open to the understanding of all the faithfull for this Spirit hath revealed them unto the Apostles and the Apostles in their writings have cleerely taught them unto us Even in these few words which I have read behold a bundle of these mysteries but obscurely known in former times now plainly set forth unto us as the mysterie of the Godhead of our reconciliation to God of Christs mediation and of his incarnation There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus The words containe the summe of the Gospell and chiefe heads of our Christian faith catechising us plainly in sixe maine grounds and principles of Religion I. That there is a God else how should he be one II. that this God is one there is one God III. that this one God is reconciled and made one with us by a mediator for there is a mediator betweene God and men IV. that this mediator is one and one mediator V. that Christ Iesus is this one mediator VI. that Christ Iesus is a man the man Christ Iesus There is one God and one mediator betweene God and men the man Christ Iesus Thus hee leadeth us by the hand from those things which are most commonly knowne and received to these that be lesse manifest everie one of these principles revealing unto us a greater mysterie and further degree of knowledge For the first that there is a God is acknowledged by all men The second that this God is one is not so commonly knowne as the former for the Gentiles worshipped a multitude of gods yet is it generally confessed not only by the Church but also by the wisest of the Heathen The third that this God is reconciled to us by a mediator exceeds the knowledge of all Gentiles whatsoever who had nothing but the light of nature for it is not knowne by nature but by revelation from God yet is it granted by manie false teachers Papists Iewes and also others who receive but a parcell of Gods word But the fourth that this mediator is one is lesse manifest yet for it is refused by the Papists yet received by the Iewes But the fift that Christ Iesus is this one mediator doth exceed their faith also yet is it acknowledged by manie Heretickes who notwithstanding denied the humane nature of Christ So that the sixt and last that Christ Iesus is a man is most hid and privie as being the proper faith of the true Church As every one of these principles revealeth a further degree of knowledge so also a greater measure of comfort The first that there is a God to whom wee may have recourse in the day of trouble is a great comfort to us but if there were manie Gods so that wee knew not to which of them we should runne for help our comfort were but small therefore the second principle shewes that this God is onely one But albeit there be a God and onely one God yet if we be at enmitie with him wee have greater cause to feare than to reioyce in the third place therefore hee removeth this feare shewing that there is a mediator by whom man is reconciled unto God But yet if there were not one but manie mediators and wee knew not to whom rather to betake us what better should we be therefore in the fourth hee taketh away this doubt also affirming that there is one mediator But though there be but one mediator yet what if he be unknowne to us wee are still as before therefore the fift position leades us by the hand unto the particular person Christ Iesus who is this one mediator But what of all this if Christ Iesus be only God and so as strange to us as the pattic it selfe with whom we are at enmitie therefore to make our ioy full the sixt principle tells us that hee is a man A man and so neare unto us not in place for hee is contayned within the heavens according to his manhood but neare unto us in blood for he is a brother of ours bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh and neare unto us in affection for he hath compassionate bowels he is touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 and was in all sorts tempted