2. It is an holy and religious rest, a perpetual sabbatising, Heb. iv. 9, aa/3l3drLa/j,o<; ; a celebrating of an eternal sabbath to God. A sab- bath is an holy rest, not a time of idleness, but to be religiously spent and employed ; so this rest and sabbatism, which is promised to believers, is not passed over in ease and sloth, but in acts of worship and adora- tion. It is a rest from toil and labour, but not from work and service. On the sabbath-day the sacrifices were doubled, Num. xxviii. 1. In our everlasting sabbatism we serve God after a more perfect manner, especially delighting and rejoicing in God, and praising his name. The place agreeth with this notion as well as the time. Heaven is repre- sented under the notion of a temple, as the state of glory by a sabbatism. There were three partitions in the temple — the outward court, the holy place, and the holy of holies ; as there is an airy heaven, and the starry heaven, and the heaven of heavens, Acts iii. 21 ; and sometimes the third heaven, 2 Cor. xii. 2. This heaven of heavens is the seat of God and the blessed saints, often called the holiest, with respect to the type of the temple or sanctuary, Heb. ix. 24. The apostle tells you that the earthly or worldly sanctuary was a type of the true holy place, heaven itself, the throne and palace of God, where his people are admitted into a nearer attendance upon God. Well, then, if the state of glory be a sabbath and heaven a temple, we have but one thing to do more, that is, to find out a priest. So christians are ; that is their quality and function ; for it is said, Rev. i. 6, ' He hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father.' Now all the difficulty is whether this
228 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. [SeR. IV.
priesthood relateth to our spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praise, which we offer upon earth, or to our worship in heaven when we are admitted into the immediate presence of God, and praise him for evermore ; whether it concerneth our ministration before the throne of grace, or before the throne of glory. I do not exclude the former ; but because the latter is a truth commonly overlooked, I will prove that the priest- hood which we have by Christ concerneth our ministration in the heavenly temple. I prove it —
[1.] From our conformity to Christ. If Christ were not consecrated to his everlasting priesthood till he died, the like is to be presumed of a christian. But so it is that this is clear of Christ : Heb. v. 9, TekeicoOeU. 'Being made perfect through sufferings/ &c. At his death the rites of his consecration were over ; therefore a christian, who runneth parallel with Christ in all his offices, is fully consecrated and fitted to officiate before God.
[2.] This suiteth with the other privilege ; we are made kings as well as priests. Now our kingly office is imperfect till we come to heaven. A poor christian is but a king in a riddle; as he vanquisheth the devil, the world, and the flesh, in some weak manner, he hath a princely spirit. The kingdom of which we partake by Christ is mainly hereafter, Luke xii. 32 ; 2 Tim. ii. 12, ' If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him.' So proportionably the other privilege of being made priests must be expounded also. We have our sacrifices now, but this office is not completed till we enter into the holiest, Heb. x. 19 ; not in spirit only, but in person.
[3.] If our consecration be not consummated till death, our office is not perfect till then. Our consecration to the spiritual priesthood consists in our justification and sanctification, both which are now imperfect : Heb. x. 22, we are bidden to ' draw nigh to God ' (which is a priestly notion), 'having our hearts sprinkled from an evil con- science, and our bodies washed as with pure water.' Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the conscience, and can hardly get above our legal fears, nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified ; but when our consecration is perfected, then are we fitted to serve God in his heavenly temple.
[4.] Nearness of access to God, and ministration before him, is the privilege of priests. Now we are kept at a distance ; all that we can have in this life is to draw nigh to the throne of grace ; but we are not admitted to God's immediate sight and presence. But when we minister before the throne of glory, then we have full communion with our God, and a clear vision of his blessed face; and then we are priests indeed when we come into the heavenly sanctuary.
Well, then, our service is not ended with our lives. As we still stand in the relation of creatures to God, so we must still glorify him and serve him : Rev. vii. 14, 15, ' And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and have made them white with the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple ; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them ; and they shall hunger no more, and thirst no more,' &c. Then we shall not serve him by fits and starts, but constantly. We shall not