But that which at present I alone intend, is the joint communion of the whole church in the worship of God in Christ. Were all that die in the Lord immediately received into that state wherein God " shall be all in all," — without any use of the mediation of Christ, or the worship of praise and honour given unto God by him, — without being exercised in the ascription of honour, glory, power, and domi- nion unto him, on the account of the past and present discharge of his office, — there could be no communion between them and us. But whilst they are in the sanctuary, in the temple of God, in the holy worship of Christ and of God in him, and we are not only employed
270 THE PEESON OF CHRIST.
in the same work, in sacred ordinances suited unto our state and con- dition, but, in the performance of our duties, do by faith " enter in within the veil/' and approach unto the same tlirone of grace in the most holy place, there is a spiritual communion between them and us. So the apostle expresseth it, Heb. xii. 22-24.
[3.] It is the way that God hath appointed to prepare the hohj souls above for the enjoyment of that eternal state which shall ensue at the end of all things. As we are here, in and by the Word and other ordinances, prepared and made meet for the present state of things in glory ; so are they, by the temple-worship of heaven, fitted for that state of things when Christ shall give up the kingdom unto the Father, that God may be all in all.
(4.) Respect is had herein unto the faith of the church yet militant on the earth, and that, among others, in two things.
1st, For the encouragement of their faith. God could, as we have observed, upon the supposition of the atonement and reconciliation made by the blood of Christ, have saved the church by mere sove- reign acts of power. But whereas it was unto his glory that we should be saved in the way of faith and obedience, this way was necessary unto our encouragement therein. For it is in the nature of faith, it is a grace suited unto that end, to seek for and receive aid, help, and relief, from God continually, to enable us unto obedience.
For this end the Lord Christ continueth in the discharge of his office, whereby he is able to save us unto the uttermost, that we may receive such supplies by and from him. The continual use that faith makes of Christ unto this purpose, as he gloriously exerciseth his mediatory office and power in heaven, cannot fully be declared. Neither can any believer, who is acted by present Gospel light and grace, conceive how the life of faith can be led or preserved without it. No duties are we called unto, — no temptations are we exercised withal, — no sufferings do we undergo, — no difficulties, dangers, fears, have we to conflict withal, — nothing is there in life or death, wherein the glory of God or our own spiritual welfare is concerned, — but faith finds and takes relief and encouragement in the present mediatory life and power of Christ in heaven, with the exercise of his love, care, and compassion therein. So he proposeth himself unto our faith, Rev. L 17, 18.
2dly, That our faith njay be guided and directed in all our ac- cesses unto God in his holy worship. Were nothing proposed unto us but the immensity of the divine essence, we should not know how to make our approaches unto it. And thence it is that those who are unacquainted with the glory of this dispensation, who know not how to make use of Christ in his present state for an access unto God, are always inventing ways of their own (as by saints, angels, images) for
HIS MEDIATORIAL OFFICE IN HEAVEN. 271
that end ; for an immediate access unto the divine essence they can- not fancy. Wherefore, to end this discourse in one word, — all the pre- sent faith and worship of God in the church here on earth, all access unto him for grace, and all acceptable ascriptions of gloiy unto his di- vine Majesty, do all of them, in their being and exercise, wholly de- pend on, and are resolved into, the continuation of the mediatory actings of Christ in heaven and glory.
I shall close this discourse with a little review of somewhat that passed before. From the consideration of that place of the apostle wherein he affirms, that at the end Christ shall give up the kingdom unto the Father, I declared that all the state of things which we have described shall then cease, and all things issue in the immediate en- joyment of God himself. I would extend this no farther than as unto what concemeth the exercise of Christ's mediatory office with respect unto the church here below, and the enemies of it. But there are some things which belong unto the essence of this state which shall continue unto all eternity; as, —
1st, I do believe that the person of Christ, in and by his human nature, shall be for ever the immediate head of the whole glorified creation. God having gathered all things unto a head in him, the knot or centre of that collection shall never be dissolved. We shall never lose our relation unto hun, nor he his unto us.