Chapter VIII. Of Christ the Mediator.

CHAP. VIII.

Of Christ the Mediator.

1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose, to chuse and ordain the Lord Jesus his only begotten Son, according to the Covenant made between them both, ¹²⁶to be the Mediator between God and Man; the ¹²⁷Prophet, ¹²⁸Priest and ¹²⁹King; Head and Saviour of his Church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world: Unto whom he did from all Eternity ¹³⁰give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.

2. The Son of God, the second Person in the Holy Trinity, being very and eternal God, the brightness of the Fathers glory, of one substance and equal with him: who made the World, who upholdeth and governeth all things he hath made: did when the fullness of time was come take unto him ¹³¹mans nature, with all the Essential properties, and common infirmities thereof, ¹³²yet without sin: being conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Womb of the Virgin Mary, the Holy Spirit coming down upon her, and the power of the most High overshadowing her, ¹³³and so was made of a Woman, of the Tribe of Judah, of the Seed of Abraham, and David according to the Scriptures: So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, were inseparably joined together in one Person: without conversion, composition, or confusion: which Person is very God, and very Man; yet one ¹³⁴Christ, the only Mediator between God and Man.

3. The Lord Jesus in his humane nature thus united to the divine, in the Person of the Son, was sanctified, & anointed ¹³⁵with the Holy Spirit, above measure; having in him ¹³⁶all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that ¹³⁷all fullness should dwell: To the end that being ¹³⁸holy, harmless, undefiled, and full ¹³⁹of Grace, and Truth, he might be throughly furnished to execute the office of a ¹⁴⁰Surety; which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto ¹⁴¹called by his Father; who also put ¹⁴²all power and judgement in his hand, and gave him Commandement to execute the same.

4. This office the Lord Jesus did most ¹⁴³willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the Law, ¹⁴⁴and did perfectly fulfill it, and underwent the ¹⁴⁵punishment due to us, which we should have born and suffered, being made ¹⁴⁶Sin and a Curse for us: enduring most grievous sorrows ¹⁴⁷in his Soul; and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead; yet saw no ¹⁴⁸corruption: on the ¹⁴⁹third day he arose from the dead, with the same ¹⁵⁰body in which he suffered; with which he also ¹⁵¹ascended into heaven: and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, ¹⁵²making intercession; and shall ¹⁵³return to judge Men and Angels, at the end of the World.

5. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the Eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, ¹⁵⁴hath fully satisfied the Justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an Everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, ¹⁵⁵for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.

6. Although the price of Redemption was not actually paid by Christ, till after his Incarnation, ¹⁵⁶yet the vertue, efficacy, and benefit thereof were communicated to the Elect in all ages successively, from the beginning of the World, in and by those Promises, Types, and Sacrifices, wherein he was revealed, and signified to be the Seed of the Woman, which should bruise the Serpents head; ¹⁵⁷and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the World: ¹⁵⁸Being the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

7. Christ in the work of Mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to it self; yet by reason of the Unity of the Person, that which is proper to one nature, is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the Person ¹⁵⁹denominated by the other nature.

8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly, and effectually ¹⁶⁰apply, and communicate the same; making intercession for them, uniting them to himself by his spirit, ¹⁶¹revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mystery of salvation; perswading them to believe, and obey; ¹⁶²governing their hearts by his word and spirit, and ¹⁶³overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty power, and wisdom; in such manner, and wayes as are most consonant to his wonderful, and ¹⁶⁴unsearchable dispensation; and all of free, and absolute Grace, without any condition foreseen in them, to procure it.

9. This office of Mediator between God and Man, is proper ¹⁶⁵onely to Christ, who is the Prophet, Priest, and King of the Church of God; and may not be either in whole, or any part thereof transfer’d from him to any other.

10. This number and order of Offices is necessary; for in respect of our ¹⁶⁶ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical Office; and in respect of our alienation from God, ¹⁶⁷and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his Priestly office, to reconcile us, and present us acceptable unto God: and in respect o our averseness, and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue, and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his Kingly office, ¹⁶⁸to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdome.