Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Thirdly, the ministry of a Mediator, namely, Moses, who¹ was Mediator in the Law, with reference whereunto Christ is called Mediator of a better Covenant, and was² ⟨p. 138⟩faithful as Moses. Now where there is a Mediator appointed,³ therein God declares his purpose to enter anew into a treaty with men, and to bring them to terms of agreement and reconciliation with him. Men were rebels against God, held under the sentence of death and vengeance; they are in darkness, know not whither they go, are well pleased with their own estate, give no heed to any that would call them out. For this reason, because God is willing to pull men out of the fire, he sends first Moses armed with thunder, and brightness, which⁴ can not be endured (for the shining of Moses his face, which the people could not abide, denotes the exceeding purity and brightness of the Law, which no sinner is able⁵ with peace to look on) and he shows them whither they are hastening, namely to eternal death, and like the Angel that met Balaam in a narrow room shuts them in, that either they must turn back again, or else be destroyed: and in this fright, and anguish, Christ, the mediator of a better covenant, presents himself, as a Sanctuary and refuge from the condemnation of the Law. Secondly, there is universality of men, and in men universality of parts, All men, and every part of man shut up under the guilt and power of this sin. Both these the Apostle proves at large, Jews, Gentiles, all under sin, none righteous, ⁶no not one, all gone out of the way, altogether become unprofitable, none that doth good, no not one; Every mouth must be stopped, all the world must be guilty before God, all have sinned and come short or are destitute of his glory. God hath concluded all in unbelief, the Scripture hath shut up all under sin; this shows the universality of persons.