For the discharge of this work, he hath a sovereign power over all things in heaven and earth committed unto him. Herein he doth and must reign. And so absolutely is it vested in him, that upon the ceasing of the exercise of it, he himself is said to be made subject unto God. It is true that the Lord Christ, in his human nature, is always less than, or inferior unto, God, even the Father. In that sense he is in subjection unto him now in heaven. But yet he hath an actual exercise of divine power, wherein he is absolute and supreme. When
THE STATE OF CHEIST IN HEAVEN. 237
this ceaseth, he shall be subject unto the Father in that nature, and only so. Wherefore, when this work is perfectly fulfilled and ended, then shall all the mediatory actings of Christ cease for evermore. For God will then have completely finished the whole design of his wis- dom and grace in the constitution of his person and offices, and have raised up and finished the whole fabric of eternal glory. Then will God " be all in all." In his own immense nature and blessedness he shall not only be "all" essentially and causally, but "in all" also; he shall immediately be all in and unto us.
This state of things — when God shall immediately " be all in all" — we can have no just comprehension of in this life. Some refresh- ing notions of it may be framed in our minds, from those apprehen- sions of the divine perfections which reason can attain unto ; and their suitableness to yield eternal rest, satisfaction, and blessedness, in that enjoyment of them whereof our nature is capable. Howbeit, of these things in particular the Scripture is silent ; however, it testifies our eter- nal reward and blessedness to consist alone in the enjoyment of God.
But there is somewhat else proposed as the immediate object of the faith of the saints at present, as unto what they shall enjoy upon their depaiture out of this world. And Scripture revelations extend unto the state of things unto the end of the world, and no longer.
Wherefore heaven is now principally represented unto us as the place of the residence and gloiy of Jesus Christ in the administra- tion of his office; and our blessedness to consist in a participation thereof, and communion with him therein. So he prays for all them who are given him of his Father, that they may be where he is, to behold his glory, John xvii. 24. It is not the essential glory of his divine person that he intends, which is absolutely the same with that of the Father ; but it is a glory that is peculiarly his own, — a glory which the Father hath given him, because he loved him : " My glory, which thou hast given me ; for thou lovedst me." Nor is it merely the glorified state of his human nature that he intendeth ; as was be- fore declared in the consideration of the 5th verse of this chapter, where he prayeth for this gloiy. However, this is not excluded ; for unto all those that love him, it will be no small portion of their blessed refreshment, to behold that individual nature wherein he suffered for them, undergoing all sorts of reproaches, contempts, and miseries, now unchangeably stated in incomprehensible glory. But the glory which God gives unto Christ, in the phrase of the Scripture, principally is the glory of his exaltation in his mediatory office. It is the " all power" that is given him in heaven and earth; the "name" that he hath " above every name," as he sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high. In the beholding and contemplation hereof with holy joy and delight, consists no small part of that blessedness and glory which
238 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
the saints above at present enjoy, and wiiicli all others of them shall so do who depart this life before the consummation of all things. And in the due consideration hereof consists a great part of the exer- cise of that faith which is " the evidence of things not seen/' and which, by making them present unto us, supplies the room of sight. This is the gTound whereon our hope doth anchor, — namely, the things "within the veil," Heb. vi. 19, which directs us unto the temple administration of the mediatory office of Christ. And it is for the strengthening of our faith and hoj^e in God, through him, that we do and that we ought to inquire into these things.
The consideration of the present state of Christ in heaven may be reduced unto three heads: —
I. The glorification of his human naturae; what it hath in com- mon with, and wherein it differs in kind from, the glory of all saints whatever.
II. His mediatory exaltation; or the especial glory of his person as mediator.
III. The exercise and discharge of his office in this state of things: which is what at present I shall principally inquire into. I shall not speak at all of the nature of glorified bodies, nor of anything that is common unto the human nature of Christ and the same nature in glorified saints; but only vvdiat is pecidiar unto himself And here- unto I shall premise one general observation.