The Humble Advice of the Assembly of Divines/Chapter 8

by Westminster Assembly

Chap. VIII.

Of Christ the Mediatour.

IT pleased God, in his eternall purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to bee the Mediatour between God and Man^[1]; the Prophet^[2], Priest ^[3], and King^[4], the Head, and Saviour of his Church^[5], the Heir of all things^[6], and Judge of the World^[7]: Vnto whom He did from all eternity give a People, to be his Seed^[8], and to be by him in time Redeemed, Called, Justified, Sanctified, and Glorified^[9].

II. The Son of God, the second Person in the Trinity, being very and eternall God, of one substance, and equall with the Father; did, when the fulnesse of time was come, take upon Him mans nature^[10], with all the essentiall properties, and common infirmities thereof, yet, without sin^[11]: being conceived by the Power of the Holy Ghost, in the womb of the Virgin Mary, of her substance^[12]. So that, two whole, perfect, and distinct Natures, the God-head and the Man-hood, were inseparably joyned together in one Person, without Conversion, Composition, or Confusion^[13]. Which person, is very God, and very Man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and Man^[14].

III. The Lord Jesus, in his humane nature thus united to the divine, was sanctified and anointed with the holy Spirit, above measure^[15], having in him all the treaseares of wisdom and knowledge^[16]: in whom, it pleased the Father, that all fulnesse should dwell^[17]: to the end, that being holy, harmlesse unfideled, and full of grace and truth^[18], he might be thorowly furnished to execute the Office of a Mediator, and surety^[19], Which Office he took not unto himself, but was thereunto called by his Father^[20], who put all power & judgement into his hand, and gave him commandement to execute the same^[21].

IV. This office, the Lord Iesus did most willingly undertake^[22]: which that he might discharge, hee was made under the Law^[23], aud did perfectly fulfill it^[24], endured most grievous torments immediatly in his Soul^[25], and most painfull sufferings in his body^[26]: was crucified, and died^[27]: was buried, and remained under the power of death; yet saw no corruption^[28]. On the third day he arose from the dead^[29], with the same body in which he suffered^[30], with which also he ascended into Heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of his Father^[31], making intercession^[32], and shall return to Iudge, men, and Angels, at the end of the world^[33].

V. The Lord Iesus, by his perfect obedience, and sacrifice of himself, which he, through the eternall spirit once offered up unto God, hath fully satisfied the Justice of his Father^[34], and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the Kingdom of Heaven, for all those whom the Father hath given unto him^[35].

VI. Although the work of Redemption was not actually wrought by Christ till after his Incarnation, yet the vertue, efficacy, and benefits thereof were communicated unto 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 bee the seed of the Woman which should bruise the serpents head; and the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world: being yesterday, and to day the same and for ever^[36].

VII. Christ, in the work of Mediation, acteth according to both Natures, by each Nature doing that which is proper to it self^[37]: yet, by reason of the unity of the Person which is proper to one Nature, is sometimes in Scripture attributed to the Person denominated by the Other Nature^[38].

VIII. To all those for whom Christ hath purchased Redemption, he doth certainly, and effectually apply, and communicate the same^[39], making intercession for them^[40] and revealing unto them, in, and by the Word, the mysteries of salvation^[41], effectually perswading them by his Spirit to beleeve, and obey and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit^[42], overcoming all their enemies by his Almighty Power and Wisdome, in such manner, and wayes, as are most consonant to his wonderfull and unsearchable dispensation^[43].

1. Isa. 42. 1
   1 Pet. 1, 19, 20
   Iohn. 3. 16.
   2 Tim. 2. 5.
2. Acts. 3. 22.
3. Heb. 5. 5, 6.
4. Psal. 2. 6.
   Luke 1. 33.
5. Eph. 5. 23.
6. Heb. 1. 2.
7. Acts 17. 31.
8. Iohn 17. 6.
   Psal. 22. 30.
   Isa. 53. 10.
9. 1 Tim. 2. 6.
   Isa. 55. 4, 5.
   1 Cor. 1. 30.
10. Iohn 1. 1, 14.
    1 Iohn 5. 20.
    Phil. 2. 6.
    Gal. 4. 4.
11. Heb. 2. 14, 16, 17.
    Heb. 4. 15.
12. Luk. 1. 27, 31, 35.
    Gal. 4. 4.
13. Luke 1. 35.
    Col. 2. 9.
    Rom 9. 5.
    1 Pet. 3. 1.
    1 Tim. 3. 16.
14. Rom. 1. 3, 4.
    1 Tim. 2. 5.
15. Psal. 45. 7.
    Iohn. 3. 34.
16. Col. 2. 3
17. Col. 1. 19.
18. Heb. 7. 16
    Iohn. 1. 14
19. Act. 10. 38
    Heb. 12. 24
    Heb. 7. 22
20. Heb. 5. 4, 5
21. Ioh. 5. 22. 27
    Mat. 28. 8
    Acts 22 36
22. Psal.. 40. 7, 8 with Heb. 10. 5. to 11
    Iohn 10. 18
    Phil. 2. 8
23. Gal. 4. 4
24. Mat. 3. 15
    Mat. 5. 17
25. Mat. 26. 37. 38
    Luke 22. 44
    Mat. 27. 46
26. Mat. 26, 27 chapters
27. Phil. 2. 8.
28. Acts 2. 23, 24, 27
    Acts 13. 37
    Rom. 6. 9.
29. 1 Cor. 15. 3, 4
30. Ioh. 20. 25, 27
31. Mark 16. 19
32. Rom. 8. 34
    Heb. 9. 24
    Heb. 7. 25
33. Rom. 14. 9, 10
    Acts 1. 11.
    Acts 10. 42
    Mat. 13. 40, 41, 42
    Iude v. 6
    2 Pet. 2. 4
34. Rom. 5. 9
    Heb. 9, 14. 6
    Heb. 10. 4
    Eph. 5. 2
    Rom. 3. 25, 26
35. Dan 9. 24, 26
    Col. 1. 19, 20
    Eph. 1. 11, 14
    Iohn 17. 2
    Heb. 9. 12, 15
36. Gal 4. 4. 5
    Gen 3. 15
    Rev. 13. 8.
    Heb. 13. 8.
37. Heb. 9. 13
    1 Pet. 3. 18
38. Acts 20. 28.
    Ioh. 3. 13.
    1 Ioh. 3. 15
39. Ioh. 5. 37, 39
    Ioh. 10. 15. 16
40. 1 Ioh. 2. 1, 2
    Rom. 8. 34
41. Ioh. 15. 13, 15
    Eph. 1. 7, 8, 9
    Iohn 17. 6
42. Iohn 14. 16.
    Heb. 12. 2
    2 Cor. 1. 13.
    Rom 8. 9. 14
    Rom. 15. 18, 19
    Ioh. 17. 17.
43. Psal. 150. 1.
    1 Cor. 15, 25, 26
    Mat. 4. 2, 3
    Col. 2 15