Of Christ the Mediator

It pleased God, in his eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, his only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and men,163 the prophet,164 priest,165 and king;166 the head and Savior of the Church,167 the heir of all things,168 and judge of the world;169 unto whom he did, from all eternity, give a people to be his seed,170 and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified, and glorified.171

The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance, and equal with the Father, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature,172 with all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof; yet without sin:173 being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance.174 So that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion.175 Which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man.176

The Lord Jesus in his human nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure;177 having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge,178 in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell:179 to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth,180 he might be thoroughly furnished to execute the office of a Mediator and Surety.181 Which office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father;182 who put all power and judgment into his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.183

This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,184 which, that he might discharge, he was made under the law,185 and did perfectly fulfill it;186 endured most grievous torments immediately in his soul,187 and most painful sufferings in his body;188 was crucified and died;189 was buried, and remained under the power of death, yet saw no corruption.190 On the third day he arose from the dead,191 with the same body in which he suffered;192 with which also he ascended into heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father,193 making intercession;194 and shall return to judge men and angels, at the end of the world.195

The Lord Jesus, by his perfect obedience and sacrifice of himself, which he through the eternal Spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father;196 and purchased not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him.197

Although the work of redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his incarnation, yet the virtue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated into 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, and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world, being yesterday and today the same and for ever.198

Christ, in the work of mediation, acteth according to both natures; by each nature doing that which is proper to itself;199 yet by reason of the unity of the person, that which is proper to one nature is sometimes, in Scripture, attributed to the person denominated by the other nature.200

To all those for whom Christ hath purchased redemption he doth certainly and effectually apply and communicate the same;201 making intercession for them,202 and revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation;203 effectually persuading them by his Spirit to believe and obey; and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit;204 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.205