II. That the Lord Jesus Christ is the mediator and deliverer, Ques. tion 18.

III. And that we know this from the gospel, Question 19.

1. The person who shall be the mediator and deliverer, ought, in the first place, to be very man; "because the justice of God requires that the human nature, which hath sinned, should likewise make satisfaction for sin ;" or, as the Latin catechism expresseth it, Ut cadem natura humana, quæ pecavit, ipsa pro peccato dependat ; "that the same human nature, which hath sinned, should make satisfaction for sin." The justice of God requires satisfaction of the sinner himself; but if God will, by a special kindness, transfer his demand to a surety, that surety must be of the same nature with the sinner, in order to become his surety. Therefore Paul saith, Heb. ii. 11, "For both he that sanctifieth, and they who are sanctified, are all of one : for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren." And the righteousness of God, which he hath expressed in his law, demands this; for it demands that "man should love his neighbour as himself.” Luke x. 27, 28, And if he do not, "that he should die." Rom: i. 32. If the mediator should then satisfy the justice of God, according to the demand of the law, he must be "made under the law," which was given to man; "that he may redeem him who was under the law," Gal. iv. 4, 5. He must then also be the neighbour of man, and so ❝ of one blood with him," Acts xvii, 26. And "by the grace of God must taste death," (or the separation of soul and body) "for every man," Heb. ii. 9.

For this reason, God also foretold that the Mediator and Deliverer should be very man; for he promised him formerly, as "the seed of the woman;" Gen. iii. 15: and as "the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;" Gen. xxii.. 18, xxvi. 4, xxviii. 14; and that "he should be the fruit of the body of David,” Psalm cxxxii. 11. This was also typified under the Old Testament by the redeemers, and by the high priests: the Lord had enjoined, that he who was the nearest kinsman, the Goel, should be the person, who should redeem the mortgaged inheritance of another, or his person, if he were imprisoned for debt, or sold for a slave, and that he should be the avenger of his blood. Lev. xxv. 25: Ruth ii. 20, iii. 12, 13. iv. 1-10. Numb. XXXV. 19, 21, 24, 25, 27. He then, who shall be the sinner's redeemer, must also be his kinsman, and therefore the Mediator is called the Goel, the kinsman and "Redeemer, who should come to Zion," Isaiah lix. 20. Paul, having respect to this, saith of the Mediator and Deliverer, Heb. ii. 14, 15, 16." For as much then, as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself like

wise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage. "For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham." This was also typified by the high priests." For every high priest, taken from among men, is ordain ed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself is also compassed with infirmity," Heb. v. 1, 2. Therefore the true High Priest behooved also to be very man, in order that he might offer a perfect sacrifice for sins, and have suitable compassion. Let us hear the same apostle again; he saith, Heb. 1. 17, 18, "Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining unto God, to make reconciliation for the sin of the people: for in that himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. The mediator and deliverer must not only be very man, but also a perfectly holy man ; "because man being himself a sinner, cannot satisfy for others;" for he would then be obliged to satisfy for himself, and nevertheless not be able, much less then for another, as hath been shown on a foregoing Lord's day. He must then be a "holy, harmless, and undefiled high priest, who needeth not to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's," as the text speaks. This was also foretold of old; a the Mediator and Deliverer should be "the Holy One." Psalm xvi. 4 10. "He should delight to do the will of God; and his law should be within his heart," Psalm xl. 8; and "wickedness should be an abomination to his lips," Prov. viii. 7, 8; as this was also typified by the priests, who might not be defiled, when they approached to God, the Holy One; for "God would be sanctified in them that came nigh him;" or he would sanctify himself, by consuming them. Lev. x. 1, 2, 3. Now the mediator and deliverer ought to be also the surety and high priest, and therefore also holy, "that he might draw near to God in those things which pertained to God, in order to make reconciliation." Jer. xxx. 21. Heb. ii. 17. The sacrificial gifts also typified this; for they were to be holy and without blemish, according to Lev. xxii. 22, 25. Mal. i. 7, 8. And therefore the true sacrifice, with which God should be well pleased, behooved also to be holy, and without blemish; "a lamb without blemish and without spot." I Peter i. 19. See also 2 Cor. v. 21. Eph. v. 2. We may add to this that the mediator and deliverer, ought to be

holy, because it was necessary that his human nature should be pere sonally united to his Godhead, and therefore, also holy; for "that holy thing, which should be born, should be called the Son of God," Luke i. 35.

It was necessary that the mediator and deliverer should then, also, be very God.(1) "That he might by the power of his Godhead, sustain in his human nature the burthen of God's wrath." How heavy the burthen of God's wrath is, that it must be sustained, in order to effect a satisfaction, and that no mere creature could sustain it, hath been shown on the fourth and fifth Lord's days. He then who shall sustain it, so as to effect a satisfaction, must be more powerful than all the creatures, and so very God, that he may support his human nature, while he suffers, and sustains the divine wrath that "his own arm may bring him salvation, and his fury may uphold him," Isaiah lxiii. 5.(2) The mediator and deliverer must also be God," that he may obtain for us righteousness and life." The sinner, if he shall stand before God, and live, must have an infinite righteousness, that all his sins committed against the most high majesty of God, may be forgiven him, and that he may be delivered from everlasting death, and obtain everlasting life, in the everlasting favour of God; as it was a'so foretold, that "the Messiah should bring in an everlasting righteousness." Dan. ix. 24. Now it is impossible, that the righteousness of a mere creature should be of infinite dignity; he ought then himself to be the infinite God, if his righteousness shall have such a divine dignity (3) It behooved the mediator and deliverer to restore this righteousness and life to us, to apply and communicate them to us It was not enough to obtain the righteousness and life, but it was recessary to impart them also to the sinner, if he should be delivered. "The shepherd who giveth his life for the sheep," must also, "give them eternal life, and keep them so, that they do never perish, and that none pluck them out of his hand." John x. 11, 28. And therefore the mediator and deliverer must be God; for a man could not appropriate to himself the righteousness, which the mediator obtains, and the life which he merits. There is need here of an "exceeding greatness of God's power, according to the working of his mighty power," Eph. 1. 19.(4) Moreover, the mediator, who should surrender his life to death, behooved to be the lord of his own life, and thus to "have power to lay his life down, and to take it again." John x. 18. Now no mere man hath such power, but he only, who is also very God,(5) Add to this that he who shall deliver sinners, ought also to be capable of being an object of all religious homage,

faith, love and gratitude; for those whom he delivers from temporal and eternal punishments, whom he reinstates into favour, and for whom he obtains, and to whom he restores righteousness and life, owe him such service. See Titus ii. 14. Now such honour cannot surely be offered to one who is no more than a man, but he must be "God also, who is over all, blessed for ever," if he shall be honoured thus, Rom, ix. 5. See Isaiah xlv..21, 25.(6) Finally, we say also, that it was foretold, that the mediator and deliverer should be "Jehovah, the Lord our righteousness," Jer. xxiii. 6. Ho sea, i. 7.

It was necessary that the mediator and deliverer should be not only very man, and holy, and very God, but also," at the same time God and man in one person." For (a) since the human nature can+ not of itself sustain the wrath of God, and its sufferings cannot be of an infinite dignity, and since the incorruptible Godhead cannot suf fer, therefore his Godhead must have its proper human nature, in order to suffer therein; and the human nature and the Godhead must be united, that the Godhead may support the human nature under its grievous sufferings, and that its sufferings may be of infi nite dignity, being "the proper blood of God,”. Acts xx. 28; and "the blood of the Son of God," 1 John i. 7. We cannot say that there could be two mediators, one of whom should be man, that he might suffer, and the other God. in order to add an infinite dignity to the human sufferings of the other; for no human sufferings can ever be of infinite dignity, unless the suffering person himself be also very God, and suffer in his own human nature. (b) We may al so say, that it behooved him to be God and man in one person, be cause he who shall be the mediator, must be equally near to both parties, even to God and the sinner, that he may unite and appease both in himself; and he must thus be a "mediator between God and man, that he may give himself a ransom for many, and thus bring them to God," 1 Tim. ii. 5. 6. 1 Peter iii. 18.

II. Must the sinner now have such a mediator and deliverer, in order that he may escape temporal and eternal punishment, and be again received into favour, he must then be exceedingly distressed; for he himself cannot find such a mediator, much less procure him; neither can any creature, angel, or man, do this: but the door of hope, which was hitherto shut to the concerned sinner, is opened to him by the instructor, when, upon this question of the distressed person, "Who then is that mediator, who is in one person both very God, and a real righteous man?" He answers, Our Lord Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us, &c. He doth not say, nor prove now, that he is very God, and real righteous man in one person, because

he will do this hereafter; but he only shows that he is a sufficient mediator and deliverer, through whom the sinner can escape punishment, and be again received into favour, since "he is made of God to us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption," according to 1 Cor. 1. 30.

He is given to be (1) "wisdom." The sinner is blind and foolish, and he knoweth nothing of his spiritual and eternal happiness, "his understanding is darkened, he is alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in him," Eph. iv. 18, but our Lord Jesus Christ is "the wisdom of God," 1 Cor. i. 24. "In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge," Coll. ii. 3. As the great prophet he makes known by his word, and by his Spirit to the elect sinner, "all that he hath heard of the Father," John xv. 15, and thus he leads the blind by a way which they have not known," &c. Isaiah xlii. 16. See Luke xxiv. 44, 46. Acts xv.i 14. xxvi. 18.

2. That it may not seem unjust, that the guilty sinner finds favor, therefore he becomes also " righteousness" to him, since he procures and restores to him an infinite righteousness by his sufferings and obedience, whereby, being justified before God, he is delivered from his guilt, and obtains a right to life: "For him who knew no sin hath God made to be sin for us, that we might be the righteousness of God in him," 2 Cor. v. 21.

3. Doth he leave the sinner in and under the filth and dominion of sin? No; but he becomes also "sanctification" to him, by which he cleanses him from his loathsome impurity, subdues the power of his corruption, transforms him into the image of God, and renders him a partaker of the holy nature of God, which he doth first by the new birth, and then by an increase of God, "changing him from glory to glory," 2 Cor. iii. 18. Which sanctification he procures by his blood, and communicates by his Spirit; "Ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God," saith the apostle, 1 Cor. vi. 11. 1 Peter i. 2. 4. And since sinful man is holden captive in the share of the devil with the cords of his sins and misery, on account of the justice of God, therefore Christ becomes also redemption to him, by which he delivers him from all that renders, or can render him miserable, and bestows all kinds of happiness upon him, partly in, and perfectly after this life for when "the Son makes him free, then he is free indeed," John viii. 36.

He " is made" such great benefits to us "of God," saith the apostle, 1 Cor. i. 30. He was not this, by the nature of his essence, but