OF CHRIST THE MEDIATOR

1.  It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, according to the covenant made between them both, to be the Mediator between God and man; to be Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Savior of His church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world.  To the Lord Jesus God gave, from all eternity, a people to be His seed.  These, in time, would be to be redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified by the Lord Jesus.[1]

2.  The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, being true and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory, of the same substance and equal with Him, who made the world; who upholds and governs all things He has made; who, when the fullness of time was come, did take upon Him man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities, yet 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, so that He was born to a woman from the tribe of Judah, a descendent 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; so that the Lord Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man, yet He is one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.[2]

3.  The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine, once in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, He might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of Mediator and Surety; a position He did not take upon Himself, but was called to perform by His Father; who also put all power and judgment in His hand, and gave Him commandment to execute the same.[3]

4.  This office the of Mediator and Surety the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake.  To discharge it, He was made under the law, and perfectly fulfilled it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and suffered.  He was made sin and a curse for us; enduring the most grievous sorrows in His soul, and most painful sufferings in His body; was crucified, and died, and remained in the state of the dead, yet His body did not undergo any decomposition.  On the third day He arose from the dead with the same body in which He suffered, with which He also ascended into heaven, and there sits at the right hand of His Father making intercession, and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the world.[4]

5.  The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of God, procured reconciliation, and has purchased an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father has given unto Him.[5]

6.  Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ until after His incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefit arising from His payment were communicated to the elect in all ages from the beginning of the world, in and by those promises, types, and sacrifices in which He was revealed and signified to be the seed which should bruise the serpent’s head; and also the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, being the same yesterday, and today and for ever.[6]

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

8.  To all those for whom Christ has obtained eternal redemption, He certainly and effectually applies and communicates this redemption, making intercession for them, uniting them to Himself by His Spirit, revealing to them, in and by His Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and obey, governing their hearts by His Word and Spirit, and overcoming all their enemies by His almighty power and wisdom, in such manner and ways as are most consonant to His wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of this by free and absolute grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.[8]

9.  This office of Mediator between God and man is proper only to Christ, who is the Prophet, Priest, and King of the church of God; and this office may not transferred to any other, either in whole or in part.[9]

10.  This number and order of offices is essential; for because of our ignorance, we need His prophetic office; and because of our alienation from God and the imperfection of the best of our services, we need His priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God; and because of our aversion and utter inability to return to God, and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us until we reach His heavenly kingdom.[10]