nd he sets him
forth as Mediator between God and us. Hitherto we have been taught
that we should call upon the saints; that they are our intercessors
with God, while, moreover, we have had recourse to our dear Virgin,
and have set her up as Mediatress, and have let Christ go as an angry
judge. This the Scripture does not do; it goes further, and exalts
Christ; teaching that he is our Mediator, by whom we come to the
Father. Oh! it is a blessing infinitely vast that is bestowed upon us
through Christ, that we may go into the presence of the Father and
claim the inheritance of which St. Peter here speaks.

These words also well exhibit the feelings which the Apostle had, as
with the deepest reverence he begins to praise the Father, and would
have us adore and bless Him for the sake of the infinite riches which
He has bestowed upon us, in that He has begotten us again, and this,
too, before we had desired or sought it; so that nothing is to be
praised but pure mercy, in order that we may not make our boast of
any works, but confess that we hold all that we have of God's
compassion.

There is no more the law and vengeance before us, as heretofore, when
He affrighted the Jews so that they were forced to flee, but dared
not go toward the mount. He vexes and chastises us no more, but shows
us the greatest friendship, creates us anew, and appoints us, not to
do some work or works, but produces within us an entirely new birth
and new being, that we should be something different from what we
were before, when we were Adam's children,--namely, such as are
transplanted from Adam's heritage into the heritage of God; so that
God is our Father, we are His children, and thus also heirs of all
the good which He possesses. Observe with what emphasis the
scriptures present this matter; it is all a living, not a vain,
matter in which we are concerned. Since we are thus begotten again
the children and heirs of God, we are equal in honor and dignity with
St. Paul, St. Peter, our blessed Virgin, and all the Saints. For we
have the treasure and all good things from God just as richly as
they; for it is just as necessary for them to be begotten again as
for us,--therefore they have nothing more than all other Christians.

_To a living hope._ That we continue to live on earth is mainly to
this end, that we should be of service to others. Otherwise, it were
better that God should have taken away our breath and let us die as
soon as we were