9. The Work of the Mediator (Qs 46-56)
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.(1)
(1)Phil 2:6,7,8; Luke 1:31; 2 Cor. 8:9; Acts 2:24.
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.(1)
(1)John 1:14,18; Gal. 4:4; Luke 2:7.
48 How
did Christ humble himself in his life? A. Christ humbled himself in his life, by
subjecting himself to the law,(1) which he perfectly fulfilled,(2) and by
conflicting with the indignities of the world,(3) temptations of Satan,(4) and
infirmities in his flesh, whether common to the nature of man, or particularly
accompanying that his low condition.(5)
(1)Gal. 4:4.
(2)Matt.
(3)Ps. 22:6;
Heb. 12:2,3.
(4)Matt.
4:1-12; Luke 4:13.
(5)Heb. 2:17,18; Heb. 4:15; Isa. 52:13,14.
49 How
did Christ humble himself in his death? A. Christ humbled himself in his death,
in that having been betrayed by Judas,(1) forsaken by his disciples,(2) scorned
and rejected by the world,(3) condemned by Pilate, and tormented by his
persecutors,(4) having also conflicted with the terrors of death and the powers
of darkness, felt and borne the weight of God's wrath,(5) he laid down his life
an offering for sin,(6) enduring the painful, shameful, and cursed death of the
cross.(7)
(1)Matt. 27:4
(2)Matt.
26:56.
(3)Isa.
53:2,3.
(4)Matt.
27:26-50; John 19:34.
(5)Luke
22:44; Matt. 27:46.
(6)Isa.
53:10.
(7)Phil 2:8; Heb. 12:2; Gal. 3:13.
50
Wherein consisted Christ's humiliation after his death? A. Christ's humiliation
after his death consisted in his being buried,(1) and continuing in the state of
the dead, and under the power of death till the third day;(2) which hath been
otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.
(1)1 Cor.
15:3,4.
(2)Ps.
51 What was the estate of Christ's
exaltation ? A. The estate of Christ's exaltation comprehendeth his
resurrection,(1) ascension,(2) sitting at the right hand of the Father,(3) and
his coming again to judge the world.(4)
(1)1 Cor.
15:4.
(2)Mark
(3)Eph. 1:20
(4)Acts 1:11; Acts 17:31.
52 How
was Christ exalted in his resurrection? A. Christ was exalted in his
resurrection, in that not having seen corruption in death (of which it was not
possible for him to be held(1)), and having the very same body in which he
suffered, with the essential properties thereof,(2) (but without mortality, and
other common infirmities belonging to this life), really united to his soul,(3)
he rose again from the dead the third day by his own power;(4) whereby he
declared himself to be the Son of God,(5) to have satisfied divine justice,(6)
to have vanquished death, and him that had the power of it,(7) and to be Lord of
quick and dead:(8) all which he did as a public person,(9) the head of his
Church,(10) for their justification,(11) quickening in grace,(12) support
against enemies,(13) and to assure them of their resurrection from the dead at
the last day.(14)
(1)Acts
(2)Luke 24:39
(3)Rom. 6:9;
Rev. 1:18
(4)John 10:18
(5)
(6)Rom.
(7)Heb. 2:14.
(8)Rom. 14:9
(9)1 Cor.
(10)Eph.
1:20,22,23; Col. 1:18.
(11)Rom.
(12)Eph.
2:1,5,6; Col. 2:12
(13)1 Cor.
(14)1 Cor. 15:20.
53 How
was Christ exalted in his ascension? A. Christ was exalted in his ascension, in
that having after his resurrection often appeared unto and conversed with his
apostles, speaking to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God,(1)
and giving them commission to preach the gospel to all nations,(2) forty days
after his resurrection, he, in our nature, and as our head,(3) triumphing over
enemies,(4) visibly went up into the highest heavens, there to receive gifts for
men,(5) to raise up our affections thither,(6) and to prepare a place for us,(7)
where himself is, and shall continue till his second coming at the end of the
world.(8)
(1)Acts 1:2,3
(2)Matt.
28:19,20.
(3)Heb. 6:20.
(4)Eph. 4:8.
(5)Acts
1:9,10,11; Eph. 4:10; Ps. 68:18.
(6)Col.
3:1,2.
(7)John 14:3.
(8)Acts 3:21.
54 How
is Christ exalted in his sitting at the right hand of God? A. Christ is exalted
in his sitting at the right hand of God, in that as God-man he is advanced to
the highest favour with God the Father,(1) with all fulness of joy,(2) glory,(3)
and power over all things in heaven and earth,(4) and doth gather and defend his
church, and subdue their enemies; furnisheth ministers and people with gifts and
graces,(5) and maketh intercession for them.(6)
(1)Phil. 2:9.
(2)Acts
(3)John 17:5.
(4)Eph. 1:22;
1 Pet. 3:22.
(5)Eph.
4:10,11,12; Ps. 110:1 (see the Psalm throughout).
(6)
55 How
doth Christ make intercession ? A. Christ maketh intercession, by his appearing
in our nature continually before the Father in heaven,(1) in the merit of his
obedience and sacrifice on earth,(2) declaring his will to have it applied to
all believers;(3) answering all accusations against them,(4) and procuring for
them quiet of conscience, notwithstanding daily failings,(5) access with
boldness to the throne of grace,(6) and acceptance of their persons(7) and
services.(8)
(1)Heb
9:12,24.
(2)Heb. 1:3.
(3)John 3:16;
John 17:9,20,24.
(4)Rom.
(5)
(6)Heb. 4:16.
(7)Eph. 1:6.
(8)1 Pet. 2:5.
56 How
is Christ to be exalted in his coming again to judge the world? A. Christ is to
be exalted in his coming again to judge the world, in that he, who was unjustly
judged and condemned by wicked men,(1) shall come again at the last day in great
power,(2) and in the full manifestation of his own glory, and of his Father's,
with all his holy angels,(3) with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and
with the trumpet of God,(4) to judge the world in righteousness.(5)
(1)Acts
(2)Matt.
24:30.
(3)Luke 9:26;
Matt. 25:31.
(4)1 Thess.
(5)Acts 17:31.