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Q. 41. Why was our Mediator called Jesus?

A. Our Mediator was called Jesus, because he saveth his people from their sins (q).

Q. 42. Why was our Mediator called Christ?

A. Our Mediator was called Christ, because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost above measure (r); and so set apart, and fully furnished with all authority and ability (s), to execute the offices of prophet (t), priest (v), and king of his church (w), in the estate both of his humiliation and exaltation.

Q. 43. How doth Christ execute the office of a prophet? A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet, in his revealing to the church (x), in all ages, by his Spirit and word (y), in divers ways of administration (z), the whole

Corner-stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.

(9) Mat. 1. 21. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

(r) John 3. 34. For he whom God hath sent, speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. Psalms 45. 7. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

(8) John 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. Mat. 28. 18. And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

(t) Acts 3. 22. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.

(v) Heb. 4. 14. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

(w) Psal. 2. 6. Yet have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion.

(x) John 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

(y) 1 Pet. 1. 10, 11. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired, and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified before-hand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

(z) Heb. 1. 1, 2. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.

will of God (a), in all things concerning their edification and salvation (b).

Q. 44. How doth Christ execute the office of a priest? A. Christ executeth the office of a priest, in his once offering himself a sacrifice without spot to God (c); to be a reconciliation for the sins of his people (d), and in making continual intercession for them (e).

Q. 45. How doth Christ execute the office of a king? A. Christ executeth the office of a king, in calling out of the world a people to himself (ƒ), and giving them officers (g), laws (h), and censures, by which he visibly governs them (i); in bestowing saving grace upon his elect (k), rewarding their obedience (1), and correcting them for their sins (m), preserving and supporting them

(a) John 15. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.

(b) Acts 20. 32. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

(c) Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

(d) Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

(e) Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.

(f) Acts 15. 14. Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

(g) Eph. 4. 11, 12. And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

(h) Isa. 33. 22. For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King; he will save us.

(i) Mat. 18. 17, 18. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man, and a publican.

(k) Acts 5. 31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

(1) Rev. 22. 12. And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

(m) Rev. 3. 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten be zealous therefore and repent.

under all their temptations and sufferings (n), restraining and overcoming all their enemies (o), and powerfully ordering all things for his own glory (p), and their good (q); and also in taking vengeance on the rest who know not God, and obey not the gospel (r).

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Q. 46. What was the estate of Christ's humiliation?

A. The estate of Christ's humiliation was that low condition, wherein he, for our sakes, emptying himself of his glory, took upon him the form of a servant, in his conception and birth, life, death, and after his death, until his resurrection (s).·

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Q. 47. How did Christ humble himself in his conception and birth?

A. Christ humbled himself in his conception and birth, in that, being from all eternity the Son of God, in the bosom of the Father, he was pleased, in the fulness of time, to become the Son of man, made of a woman of low estate, and to be born of her; with divers circumstances of more than ordinary abasement (t).

(Isa. 63. 9. In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them :in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them, and carried them all the days of

old.

(o) 1 Cor. 15. 25. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

(p) Rom. 14. 10. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. v. 11. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

4) Romans 8. 28. And we know that all things work together for good, to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

(r) 2 Thess. 1. 8. In flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey

not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(8) Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: v. 7. But made himself of no repu tation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: v. 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Luke 1. 31. And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. 2 Cor. 8. 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. Acts 2. 24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

(1) John 1. 14. And the

Q. 48. How did Christ humble himself in his life? A. Christ humbled himself in his life, by subjecting himself to the law (v), which he perfectly fulfilled (w); and by conflicting with the indignities of the world (x), temptations of Satan (y), and infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly accompanying that his low condition (2).

Q. 49. How did Christ humble himself in his death? A. Christ humbled himself in his death, in that having been betrayed by Judas (a), forsaken by his disciples (b), scorned and rejected by the world (c), condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his persecutors (d); having also conflicted with the terrors of death, and the powers

Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begot ten of the Father), full of grace and truth. v. 18. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. Gal. 4. 4. But when the fulness of the time was ome, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law. Luke 2. 7. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling elothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

(v) Gal. 4. 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law.

(Mat. 5. 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil, Rom. 5. 19. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. (x) Psalms 22. 6. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

(y) Mat. 4. 1. to verse 12.

Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness, to he tempted of the devil, &c. Luke 4. 13. And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

(z) Heb. 2. 17. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

(a) Mat. 27. 4. Saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

(b) Matthew 26. 56. But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him and fled.

(c) Isa. 53. 2. For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness: and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

(d) Mat. 27. 26. to verse 50. Then released he Barrabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be erucified, &c. John 19. 54. But

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of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath (e), he laid down his life an offering for sin (ƒ), enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the cross (g).

50. Wherein consisted Christ's humiliation after his

death?

2. Christ's humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried (h), and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day (i); which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.

Q. 51. What was the estate of Christ's exaltation?

A. The estate of Christ's exaltation comprehendeth his resurrection (k), ascension (1), sitting at the right hand of the Father (m), and his coming again to judge the world (n).

one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

(e) Luke 22. 44. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood fall ing down to the ground. Mat. 27. 43. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, caying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

(f) Isa. 53. 10. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his band.

(g) Phil. 2. 8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

(h) 1 Cor. 15. 3, 4. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins, according to the scriptures. And that he was buried, and that he

rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

(i) Acts 2. 24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. Rom. 6. 9. Knowing that Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Mat. 12. 40. For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

(k) 1 Cor. 15. 4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

(1) Mark 16. 19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.

(m) Eph. 1. 20. Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places.

(n) Acts 1. 11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?

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