Nor are the two natures of Christ more apparent in his death than thej' are in the intercession which he ever liveth to make in behalf of all who come unto God by him (Ileb. vii, 25). The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews teaches us (chaps, vii, ix) that the high-priest under the Levitical dispensation typified Christ in his intercessory character: as the high-priest entered alone within the holiest place of the tabernacle once a year with the blood of the sacrifice in his hands, and the names of the twelve tribes upon his heart, .'o Christ, having offered up himself as a lamb without spot unto God, has gone into glory bearing on his heart the names of his redeemed. We may then ask with the apostle (Rom. viii, 33), " Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth, who is he that condemncth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of (Jod, who also maketh intercession for us." In this jiart of his mediatorial work God's incomnwvicahle attributes of omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence are seen. He must therefore have been God, and on the ground of his being able from personal experience to sympa- thize with the suffering members of liis mystical body, he must have been man ; being perfect God and perfect man, he is tlien a perfect intercessor.
(3.) We come, lastly, to notice Christ's mediatorial character as kinrj. The limits of this article will not admit of our even alluding to the varied and multiplied passages of Scripture which delineate Christ as '• Head over all things to the Church" (see Psa. ii. G; Ixx; Isa. xxxii, 1: Dan. ix. 2.5; Col. i, 17, 1«, etc.). Suffice it here to say that Christ could not, without the concur- rence of his divine nature, gather and govern the Church, protect and defend it against all assailants open and secret, and impart to it his Holy Spirit, to enlighten and renew the minds and hearts of men and subdue Sa- tan—all these are acts of his kingly office.
Such, then, is the work of Christ's mediatorship — salvation revealed by him as prophet, procured by him as priest, and applied by him as king — the work of tlie whole person wherein both natures are engaged. Hence it is that some of the ancients speaking of it, designate
it GeavcpiKt] ivipyiia, "a divine-human operation" (see Dionjs. Areopag. Epist. I V ad Cuiam Damascenum, iii, 19).
Thus Jesus Christ is the mediator between an offend- ed God and sinfid man (1 Tim. ii, 5). Both Jews and Gentiles have a notion of a mediator: the Jews call the Messiah XriirS?, the Mediator, or Middle One. The Persians call their god Mithras fiiairtjc, a mediator ; and the diemons, with the heathens, seem to be, according to them, mediators between the superior gods and men. Indeed, the whole religion of paganism was a system of mediation and intercession. The idea, therefore, of salvation by a mediator is not so novel or restricted as some imagine ; and the Scriptures of truth inform us that it is only by this way human beings can arrive to eternal felicity (Acts iv, 12; John xiv, G). Man, in his state of innocence, was in friendship with God ; but, by sinning against him, he exposed himself to his just displeasure; his powers became enfeebled, and his heart filled with enmity against him (Kom. viii, G) ; he was driven out of his paradisaical Eden, and was totally' in- capable of returning to God, and making satisfaction to his justice. Jesus Christ, therefore, was the appointed mediator to bring about reconciliation (Gen. iii, 12; Col. i, 21); and in the fulness of time he came into this world, obeyed the law, satisfied justice, and brought his people into a state of grace and favor ; yea, into a more exalted state of friendship with God than was lost by the fall (Eph. ii, 18).
We have seen above some of the reasons why in or- der to accomplish this work it was necessarj- that the IMediator should be (iod and man in one person. We may specify the following in addition. («) It was nec- essary that he should be man : 1. That he might be re- lated to those to whom he was to be a mediator and re- deemer (Phil, ii, 8; Heb. ii, 11-17). 2. That sin might be atoned for, and satisfaction made in the same nat- ure which had sinned (Kom. v, 17-21 ; viii, 3). 3. It was meet that the mediator should be man, that he might be cai)able of suffering death , for, as Gcd, he could not die, and without shedding of blood there was no remission (Heb. ii, 10, 15; viii, 3-6; ix, 15-28; 1 Pet. iii, 18). 4. It was necessary that he should be a holy and righteous man, free from all sin, that he might of- fer himself without spot to God (Heb. vii, 26; ix, 14; i, 19; 1 Pet. ii, 22. (b) But it was not enough that the mediator should be truly man, and an innocent person; he must be more than a man ; it was requisite that he should be really God. I. No mere man could have entered into a covenant with (Jod to mediate between him and sinful men (Pom. ix. 5 ; Heb. i, 8 , 1 Tim. iii, 16; Tit. ii, 13). 2. lie must be (iod, to give virtue and value to his obedience and sufi'erings (John xx, 28; Acts XX, 28; 2 Pet. ii, 1; Phil, ii, 5-11). 3. The Me- diator being thus God and man, we are encouraged to hoj)e in him. In the person of Jesus Christ the object of trust is brought nearer to ourselves. If he were God and not man, we should approach him with fear and dread ; and if he were man and not (iod. we should I be guilty of idolatn,' to worship and trust in him at all j (Jer. xvii, 5). The plan of salvation by such a Medi- I ator is therefore the most suitable to human beings; i for here "Mercy and truth are met together, righteous- ness and peace have kissed each o; her" (Psa. Ixxxv, 10). I The properties of Christ as Mediator are these : 1. He I is the only Mediator (1 Tim. u.-i). Praying, therefore, I to saints and angels is an error of the Church of Home, I and has no countenance from Scripture. 2. Christ is a IMediator of men only, not of angels; good angels need not any; and as for evil angels, none is provided nor admitted. 3. He is the ^lediator both for Jews and (ientiles (Eph. ii. 18; 1 John ii.2). 4. He is the Medi- ator both for Old and New Testament saints. 5. He is j a suitable, constant, willing, and prevalent jNIedialor; his mediation always succeeds, and is iufallilile.