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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;1 the
prophet,2
priest,3 and
king;4 head and savior of the
church,5 the heir of all
things,6 and judge of the
world;7 unto whom he did from
all eternity give a people to be his seed, and to be by him in time redeemed, called, justified, sanctified,
and glorified.8
1Isaiah 42:1; 1 Peter 1:19, 20 2Acts 3:22 3Hebrews 5:5, 6 4Psalms 2:6; Luke 1:33 5Ephesians 1:22, 23 6Hebrews 1:2 7Acts 17:31 8Isaiah 53:10; John 17:6; Romans 8:30
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 upholdeth and
governeth all things he hath made, did, when the fullness of time was come, take upon him man's nature, with
all the essential properties and common infirmities thereof,9 yet without sin;10 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, and so was made of a woman of
the tribe of Judah, of the seed of Abraham and David according to the Scriptures;11 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 Christ, the only mediator between God and man.12
9John 1:14; Galatians 4:4 10Romans 8:3; Hebrews 2:14, 16, 17; 4:15 11Matthew 1:22, 23; Luke 1:27, 31, 35 12Romans 9:5; 1 Timothy 2:5
3 The Lord Jesus in his human nature thus united to the divine, in the person of the
Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure,13 having in Him all the treasures of wisdom and
knowledge;14 in whom it
pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell,15 to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled,16 and full of grace and
truth,17 he might be
throughly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety;18 which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto called
by his Father;19 who also put
all power and judgement in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same.20
13Psalms 45:7; Acts 10:38; John 3:34 14Colossians 2:3 15Colossians 1:19 16Hebrews 7:26 17John 1:14 18Hebrews 7:22 19Hebrews 5:5 20John 5:22, 27; Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36
4 This office the Lord Jesus did most willingly undertake,21 which that he might discharge he was made
under the law,22 and did
perfectly fulfil it, and underwent the punishment due to us, which we should have borne and
suffered,23 being made sin
and a curse for us;24
enduring most grievous sorrows in his soul, and most painful sufferings in his body;25 was crucified, and died, and remained in
the state of the dead, yet saw no corruption:26 on the third day he arose from the dead27 with the same body in which he
suffered,28 with which he
also ascended into heaven,29
and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father, making intercession,30 and shall return to judge men and angels at the end of the
world.31
21Psalms 40:7, 8; Hebrews 10:5–10; John 10:18 22Galatians 4:4; Matthew 3:15 23Galatians 3:13; Isaiah 53:6; 1 Peter 3:18 242 Corinthians 5:21 25Matthew 26:37, 38; Luke 22:44; Matthew 27:46 26Acts 13:37 271 Corinthians 15:3, 4 28John 20:25, 27 29Mark 16:19; Acts 1:9-11 30Romans 8:34; Hebrews 9:24 31Acts 10:42; Romans 14:9, 10; Acts 1:11; 2 Peter 2:4
5 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 God,32 procured reconciliation, and purchased an
everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven for all those whom the Father hath given unto
Him.33
32Hebrews 9:14; 10:14; Romans 3:25, 26 33John 17:2; Hebrews 9:15
6 Although the price of redemption was not actually paid by Christ till after his
incarnation, yet 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;34 and the Lamb slain from the foundation of
the world,35 being the same
yesterday, and today and forever.36
341 Corinthians 4:10; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:10, 11 35Revelation 13:8 36Hebrews 13:8
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 denominated by the other nature.37
37John 3:13; Acts 20:28
8 To all those for whom Christ hath obtained eternal redemption, he doth certainly and
effectually apply and communicate the same, making intercession for them;38 uniting them to himself by his Spirit,
revealing unto them, in and by the Word, the mystery of salvation, persuading them to believe and
obey,39 governing their
hearts by his Word and Spirit,40 and overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and
wisdom,41 in such manner and
ways as are most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation; and all of free and absolute
grace, without any condition foreseen in them to procure it.42
38John 6:37; 10:15, 16; 17:9; Romans 5:10 39John 17:6; Ephesians 1:9; 1 John 5:20 40Romans 8:9, 14 41Psalms 110:1; 1 Corinthians 15:25, 26 42John 3:8; Ephesians 1:8
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 may not be either in whole, or any part thereof,
transferred from him to any other.43
431 Timothy 2:5
10 This number and order of offices is necessary; for in respect of our ignorance, we
stand in need of his prophetical office;44 and in respect of our alienation from God, and imperfection of the best of
our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto
God;45 and in respect to our
averseness 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 to his
heavenly kingdom.46
44John 1:18 45Colossians 1:21; Galatians 5:17 46John 16:8; Psalms 110:3; Luke 1:74, 75
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