260 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
satisfaction and complacency, and is a gi'eat part of the subject-matter of their incessant praises and ascriptions of glory unto him. Herein lies the concernment of the church above in that here below ; this is the communion that is between them, whereof the person of Christ, in the discharge of his office, is the bond and centre.
5. There is herein a full manifestation made of the wisdom of God, in all the holy institutions of the tabernacle and temple of old. Herein the veil is fully taken off from them, and that obscure repre- sentation of heavenly things is brought forth unto light and glory. It is true, this is done unto a great degree in the dispensation of the Gospel. By the coming of Christ in the flesh, and the discharge of his mediatory office in this world, the substance of what they did pre- figure is accomplished; and in the revelations of the Gospel the nature and end of them is declared. Howbeit, they extended their signification also unto things within the veil, or the discharge of the priestly office of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, Heb. ix. 24. Wherefore, as we have not yet a perfection of light to understand the depth of the mysteries contained in them; so themselves also were not absolutely fulfilled until the Lord Christ discharged his office in the holy place. This is the glory of the pattern which God showed unto Moses in the mount, made conspicuous and evident unto all. Therein especially do the saints of the Old Testament, who were exercised all their days in those typical institutions whose end and design they could not comprehend, see the manifold wisdom and goodness of God in them all, rejoicing in them for evermore.
6. AU that the Lord Christ receives of the Father on the account of this holy interposition and mediation for the church, he is endowed with sovereign authority and almighty power in himself to execute and accomplish. Therefore is he said, as a priest, to be " made higher than the heavens;" and as a " priest to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," Heb. viii. 1. This glorious power doth not immediately belong unto hun on the account of his sacerdotal office, but it is that qualification of his person which is necessary unto the effectual discharge of it. Hence it is said of him, that he should " bear the glory," and " sit and rule upon his throne," and should be " a priest upon his throne," Zech. vi. 13. A throne is insigne regium, and properly belongs unto Christ with respect unto his kingly office, Heb. i. 8, 9. Howbeit the power accompanying and belonging unto his throne being necessary unto the effectual discharge of his priestly office, as he sits and rules on his throne, so it is said that he is a " priest on his throne " also.
This is one instance of the present state of Christ in heaven, and of the work which he doth there perform, and the only instance I shall insist upon. He was made a priest " after the power of an end-
HIS MEDIATORIAL OFFICE IN HEAVEN. 261
less life,"- — the life which he now leads in heaven; — and "lives for ever to make intercession for us." He was dead, but is alive, and lives for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and death, — all power over the enemies of his church. God on a throne of grace ; — Christ, the high priest, so on his right hand in glory and power as yet to be "before the throne" in the virtue of his sacerdotal office, with the whole concernment of the church on his hand, transacting all things with God for them; — all the holy angels and the " spirits of just men made perfect" encompassing the throne with continual praises unto God, even the Father, and him, on the account of the work of infinite wisdom, goodness, and grace, in his incarnation, mediation, and salva- tion of the church thereby ; — himself continuing to manage the cause of the whole church before God, presenting all their prayers and services imto him perfumed with his own intercession, — is that resemblance of heaven and its present glory which the Scripture offers unto us. But, alas ! how weak, how dark, how low, are our conceptions and ap- prehensions of these heavenly things ! We see yet as through a glass darkly, and know but in part. The time is approaching when we shall see these things " with open face," and know even as we are known. The best improvement we can make of this prospect, whilst faith supplies the place of future sight, is to be stirred up thereby unto holy longings after a participation in this glory, and constant diligence in that holy obedience whereby we may arrive thereunto.
What remaineth yet to be spoken on this subject hath respect unto these two ensuing propositions : —
1. All the effects of the offices of Christ, internal, spiritual, and eternal, in grace and glory, — all external fruits of their dispensation in providence towards the church or its enemies, — are wrought by divine power; or are the effects of an emanation of power from God. They are all wrought " by the exceeding greatness of his power," even as he wrought in Christ himself when he raised him from the dead, Eph. i. 19. For all the outward works of God, such as all these are, which are wrought in and for the church, are necessarily immediate effects of divine power, — nor can be of another nature.