Chapter 8: Christ the Mediator

← Back to Table of Contents

1. It pleased God in his eternal purpose to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, in accordance with their eternal pact, 1to be the Mediator between God and man; the 2Prophet, 3Priest and 4King; Head and Savior of his Church, the heir of all things, and judge of the world: unto whom he did from all eternity 5give 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 Father’s glory, of one substance and equal with him; who made the world, who upholds and governs all things he hath made; did when the fullness of time was come take unto him 6man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof, 7yet 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, 8and 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 9Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.

3. The Lord Jesus in his human nature thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed 10with the Holy Spirit above measure; having in him 11all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that 12all fullness should dwell; to the end that being 13holy, harmless, undefiled, and full 14of grace and truth, he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and 15Surety; which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto 16called by his Father; who also put 17all power and judgement in his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same.

4. This office the Lord Jesus did most 18willingly undertake, which that he might discharge he was made under the Law 19and did perfectly fulfill it, and underwent the 20punishment due to us, which we should have born and suffered, being made 21sin and a curse for us; enduring most grievous sorrows 22in his soul and most painful sufferings in his body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead; yet saw no 23corruption; on the 24third day he arose from the dead with the same 25body in which he suffered; with which he also 26ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of his Father 27making intercession; and shall 28return to judge men and angels at the end of the age.

5. The Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, 29hath fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and purchased an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven 30for 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, 31yet the virtue, 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 serpent’s head; 32and the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world; 33being the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

7. Christ in the work of mediation acteth according to both natures, by each nature doing that which is proper to itself; yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the person 34denominated by the other nature.

8. To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly and effectually 35apply and communicate the same; making intercession for them, uniting them to himself by his Spirit, 36revealing unto them, in and by the word, the mystery of salvation; persuading them to believe and obey; 37governing their hearts by his word and Spirit, and 38overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom; in such manner and ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and 39unsearchable 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 40only 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 transferred from him to any other.

10. This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our 41ignorance, we stand in need of his prophetical office; and in respect of our alienation from God 42and imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and in respect of our averseness and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need his kingly office 43to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to his Heavenly Kingdom.

  1. Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19,20 ↩︎
  2. Acts 3:22 ↩︎
  3. Hebrews 5:5,6 ↩︎
  4. Psalm 2:6; Luke 1:33; Ephesians 1:23; Hebrews 1:2; Acts 17:31 ↩︎
  5. Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30 ↩︎
  6. John 1:1,14; Galatians 4:4 ↩︎
  7. Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14,16,17, 4:15 ↩︎
  8. Luke 1:27,31,35 ↩︎
  9. Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5 ↩︎
  10. Psalm 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34 ↩︎
  11. Colossians 2:3 ↩︎
  12. Colossians 1:19 ↩︎
  13. Hebrews 7:26 ↩︎
  14. John 1:14 ↩︎
  15. Hebrews 7:22 ↩︎
  16. Hebrews 5:5 ↩︎
  17. John 5:22,27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36 ↩︎
  18. Psalm 40:7,8; Hebrews 10:5-11; John 10:18 ↩︎
  19. Galatians 4:4; Matthew 3:15 ↩︎
  20. Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18 ↩︎
  21. 2 Corinthians 5:21 ↩︎
  22. Matthew 26:37,38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46 ↩︎
  23. Acts 13:37 ↩︎
  24. 1 Corinthians 15:3,4 ↩︎
  25. John 20:25,27 ↩︎
  26. Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9,10,11 ↩︎
  27. Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24 ↩︎
  28. Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9,10; Acts 1:10 ↩︎
  29. Hebrews 9:14, 10:14; Romans 3:25,26 ↩︎
  30. John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15 ↩︎
  31. 1 Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:10,11 ↩︎
  32. Revelation 13:8 ↩︎
  33. Hebrews 13:8 ↩︎
  34. John 3:13; Acts 20:28 ↩︎
  35. John 6:37, 10:15,16, 17:9; Romans 5:10 ↩︎
  36. John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20 ↩︎
  37. Romans 8:9,14 ↩︎
  38. Psalm 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25,26 ↩︎
  39. John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8 ↩︎
  40. 1 Timothy 2:5 ↩︎
  41. John 1:18 ↩︎
  42. Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17 ↩︎
  43. John 16:8; Psalm 110:3; Luke 1:74,75 ↩︎