These Sections proceed to teach —

1st. That the effect of this hypostatical union upon the human nature of Christ, although not deification, is an incomparable exaltation and glorification.

2d. That Christ is Mediator, and discharges all the functions of that office, not as Lord nor as man, but as God-man.

3d. That he was appointed to this office by the Father, and acts in it upon an authority derived from the Father.

4th. That nevertheless he took this office upon himself, and all involved in it, voluntarily.

5th. That he discharged its functions in his estate of 17*

humiliation, which consisted (a) in his being born, and that in a low condition ; (6) his being made under the law and rendering perfect obedience to it; (c) undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross ; (d) in his being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time.

6th. He discharged the functions of the mediatorial office, also, in his estate of exaltation, which consisted in (a) his rising from the dead on the third day, (6) in his ascending up into heaven, (c) in his sitting at the right hand of God the Father, where he intercedes for and reigns over all things in behalf of his people, and {d) in his coming to judge the world at the last day.

1st. The effect of this hypostatical union upon the human nature of Christ was not to deify it, since, as we saw above, the human nature as well as the divine nature remains pure, separate and unchanged after as before. But the effect of this union was (1) to exalt the human nature of Christ to a degree of dignity and honour greatly beyond that attained by any other creature. (2.) To fill it with a perfection of intellectual and moral excellence beyond that of any other creature. The Father gave not the Spirit by measure unto him. John iii. 34. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell. Col. i. 19.

His person, therefore, possessed all the properties belonging to absolute divinity, and an all-perfect and incomparably exalted manhood, and was thoroughly furnished to execute the office of Mediator and Surety.

2d. Hence Christ was Mediator, and discharged all the functions of that office, not as God, nor as man, but as God-man. As this point is more directly called up

by the seventh Section of this Chapter, it will be considered in that place.

3d. That Christ was appointed to this office by the Father, and acts in it upon an authority derived from the Father, is very prominently as well as clearly set forth in Scripture : " As no man taketh this honour upon himself, but he that was called of God as was Aaron, so also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he was called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedec." Heb. v. 4-10. Christ constantly affirms that he was "sent by the Father;" that the Father has given in him " a commandment ;" that the ** works" which he performed and the "words" which he spoke were not his, but the Father's that sent him. " I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear I judge; and ray judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me." John v. 30. " Jesus answered and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me." John vii. 16. " If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father, for my Father is greater than I." John xiv. 24, 28, 31 ; x. 18 ; xii, 49 ; iv. 34.

The Eternal Word is of the same identical substance with and equal to the Father in power and glory. But the God-man, in his official relations and works, is officially, and as far as concerns these relations and actions alone, inferior to the Father — sent by his authority, acting for him, returning and accounting to him.

4th. That nevertheless Christ took this office and all it involved upon himself voluntarily is very evident, because (1) otherwise being absolute God it could never have been imposed upon him. (2.) Because otherwise

his obedience and suffering could not have vicariously availed for us. (3.) Because otherwise the execution of the law upon him would have been outrageously unjust. (4.) Because it is expressly declared. Speaking of his life, he said, " No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.'' John x. 18. The motive which impelled him to the self-sacrificing undertaking was a personal love for his people '• that passeth knowledge.'' Gal. ii. 20 ; Eph. iii. 19 ; v. 2.

5th. Christ discharged the functions of the mediatorial office in his estate of humiliation, which consists — (1.) In his being born and that in a low condition. It is evident that nothing could be added to the divine perfections by the assumption of a human nature into a personal relation. On the other hand it is an act of infinite condescension on the part of the Godhead of Jesus, and of transcendent and permanent benefit to the whole intelligent creation, that all the fulness of the Godhead should be contained in him bodily, and so revealed under the limitations of a finite nature. For it is only thus that the infinite can be "seen and known," "' tasted and handled," and that of its " fulness we may all receive, and grace for grace." John i. 16, 18 ; 1 John i. 1.

(2.) In his being made under the law, and rendering perfect obedience to it. The law lays its claims not upon natures, but upon persons. The person of Christ was eternal and divine. Personally, therefore, he was the norm, the Author and Lord of the law, his divine perfections being the necessary and supreme law to himeelf and to the universe he had made. Therefore he

owed Dothing to the law, since the law was conformed to him, not he to the law.

But, as we have seen chap, vii., § 3, in the covenant of grace the Mediator assumes in behalf of his elect seed the broken conditions of the old covenant of works precisely as Adam left them. In that covenant punishment was conditioned upon disobedience, and life and blessedness upon obedience. Therefore it was necessary that the "second Adam" should render vicarious obedience in order to secure for his people the promised reward, as M^ell as that he should suffer the penalty in order to secure for them the remission of sins. By Christ's suffering (passive obedience), our Confession teaches, he purchases for us reconciliation, while by his fulfilling the precepts of the law (active obedience) he purchases for us "an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven." Chap, viii., § 5.

Christ, therefore, was " made under the law," Gal. iv. 4, 5, {a) not as a rule of righteousness but as a condition of blessedness, "to redeem them that are under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (b.) Not for himself, but officially as our representative, (c.) His whole obedience of that law was vicarious — instead of our obedience and for our sakes. " By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Rom. v. 19.

(3.) His undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God and the cursed death of the cross. Christ was the representative of his people, and all his obedience and suffering was vicarious from his birth until all the conditions of the covenant of life were fulfilled. All his earthly career was in one aspect suffering, in another aspect obedience. As suffering, it was a vicarious endurance of the penalty of sin. As obedience, if was the discharge in the stead and behalf of his people of that condition upon which their eternal inheritance is suspended. The two were never separated in fact. They are only the two legal aspects presented by the same life of suffering obedience. The essence of the penalty vicariously borne by Christ was the " wrath of God." The incidents of it were " the miseries of this life." The culmination of it was " the cursed death of the cross." Gen. ii. 17 ; Heb. ix. 22.

(4.) In his being buried and continuing under the power of death for a time. In the Creed commonlycalled the Apostles' Creed, and adopted by all the churches, this last stage of the humiliation of Christ is expressed by the phrase, *^ He descended into hell" (Hades, the invisible world). This means precisely what our Confession affirms, that while the body of Jesus remained buried in the sepulchre his soul remained temporarily divorced from it in the unseen world of spirits.

Some (as Pearson on the Creed, pp. 333-371), have* held that as Christ died vicariously as a sinner, so, in order to fulfil the law of death, his soul went temporarily to the place where the souls of those who die for their own sins die the second death for ever.

The Lutherans teach that the descent of the God-man into hell, in order to triumph over Satan and his angels in the very citadel of his kingdom, was the first step in his exaltation. Form, of Concord, Part II., chap. ix.

The Romanists teach that Christ went, while his body was in the grave, to that department of Hades (invisible world) which they call the Limhus Fatrun,

where the believers under the old dispensation were gathered, to preach the gospel to them, and to take them with him to the heaven he had prepared for them. Cat. of the Coun. of Trent, Part I., art. 5.

6th. He executed the functions of his mediatorial office, also, in his estate of exaltation, which consisted — (1.) In his rising from the dead on the third day. The fact of his resurrection is proved, (a.) Predicted in Old Testament. Compare Ps. xvi. 10; Acts ii. 24-31. (6.) Christ himself predicted it. Matt. xx. 19 ; John x. 18. (c.) The witness of the eleven apostles. Acts i. 3. (d.) The separate testimony of Paul. 1 Cor. xv. 8; Gal. i. 12; Acts ix. 3-8. (e.) He was seen by five hundred brethren at once. 1 Cor. xv. 6. (/.) The miracles wrought by the apostles in attestation of the fact. Heb. ii. 4. (g.) The witness of the Holy Ghost. Acts v. 32. (h.) The change of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week.

The importance of the fact is proved to be fundamental, (a.) The resurrection of Christ is the pledge for the fulfilment of all the prophecies and promises of both Testaments. (6.) It proved him to be the Son of God, because it authenticated his claims, and because he rose by his own power. John ii. 19 ; x. 17. (c.) It was a public acceptance of this mediatorial work in our behalf by the Father. Rom. vi. 25. (d.) Hence we have an advocate with the Father. Rom. viii. 34. (e.) "If Christ lives, we shall live also.'' John xiv. 19; 1 Pet. i. 3-5 ; 1 Cor. xv. 21, 22. (/.) His resurrection secures ours. Rom. viii. 11; 1 Cor. vi. 15; xv. 49; Phil. iii. 21 ; 1 John iii. 2.*

* Dr. Charles Hodge.

(2.) In his ascending up into heaven. This took place forty days after his resurrection, from a portion of the Mount of Olives near to Bethany, in the presence of the eleven apostles and possibly other disciples. He ascended as Mediator, triumphing over his enemies and giving gifts to his friends (Eph. iv. 8-12) to complete his mediatorial work, as the forerunner of his people (John xiv. 2, 3 ; Heb. vi. 20), to fill the universe with the manifestations of his power and glory. Eph. iv. 10.

(3.) In his sitting at the right hand of God the Father, where he intercedes for, and reigns over all things in the behalf of, his people. The passages which speak of this session of the Mediator at the right hand of the Father are, Ps. xvi. 11 ; ex. 1 ; Dan. vii. 13, 14 ; Matt. xxvi. 64; Mark xvi. 19; John v. 22; Rom. viii. 34; Eph. i. 20, 22; Phil. ii. 9-11 ; Col. iii. 1 ; Heb. i. 3, 4 ; ii. 9 ; x. 12 ; 1 Pet. iii. 22 ; Rev. v. 6. This right hand of God denotes the official exaltation of the Mediator to supreme glory, felicity and dominion over every name that is named. It is, moreover, a definite place, since the finite soul and body of Christ must be in a definite place, and there his glory is revealed and his authority exercised. There he intercedes for his people, a priest upon his throne (Zech. vi. 13); and hence he effectually applies to his people, by his Spirit, that salvation which he had previously achieved for them in his estate of humiliation.

With the presentation of "his own blood" (Heb. ix. 12, 24) he pleads for those who are embraced in his covenant, and for those blessings in their behalf which, in that covenant, were conditioned upon his obedience and suffering. John xvii. 9; Luke xxii. 32; see John xvii.

His intercession is always prevalent, and successful. John ii. 42 ; Ps. xxi. 2.

(4.) In his coming to judge the world at the last day This will be discussed in its proper place under Chapter x:xxiii.

This section relates to the qualification of Christ for his mediatory work. The Father, who called him to this work, furnished him with all requisite qualifications for its performance. Not only did he " prepare a body for him," that he might be capable of suffering and dying ; he also conferred upon his human nature tlie gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit in an immeasurable degree, that he might be thoroughly furnished to execute his mediatorial office. " God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him." — John iii. 34.

* On this subject the reader may consult Hurrion's Sermons, vol. i. ; and Owen on th/L- Person of Christ, chap, xviii.

102 CONFESSION OF FAITH. ^CHAP. Vltl.

In his miraculous conception, his human nature was formed by the Holy Spirit with initial grace in its highest degree of perfection ; and when about to enter upon his public ministry in our nature, to seal his commission, and to qualify him in that nature for his work, the Spirit descended upon him in a bodily shape.* — Luke iii. 21, 22.