120 TIIE EXALTAT All things fell by sin into an eñmily unto the glory of God, and the salvationof the church. The removal of this enmity, and the destruction of all enemies, is the work that God committed unto his Song inhis incarna- tion and mediation, Eph. i. to. This he was variously to accomplish in the administration of all his offices. The enmity between God and us immediately, he re- moved by the blood of his cross, hemade peace, Eph. ii. 14, 15, 15. Which peace he continues and preserves by his. intercession, Heb. vii. 20. 1 John ii. 2. The e- nemies themselves ofthechurch's eternal welfare, name- ly, sin, death, the world, Satan, and hell, he subdues by his power. In the gradual accomplishment ofthis work; according as the church of the elect is brought forth in successivegenerations- (in every one whereof the same work is to be performed), he is to continue unto . the end and consummation of all things. Until then, the whole church will not be saved, and therefore his work notbe finished,. Hewill not cease his work whilst there is one of his elect to be saved, or one enemy to be subdued. He shall not faint norgive over until he bath sent forth judgment unto victory. For the discharge of this work, he Math a sovereign power over all things in heavenand earth committed un- to him. Herein he doth and must reign. And so ab- solutely is it vested in him, thatupon the ceasing of the exercise of it, he himself is said to be made subject upto God. It is true, that the Lord Christ in his human na- ture 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 hebath an actual exercise of divine power, wherein he is absoluteand supreme. When this ceaseth, he shall be subject unto the Father in that na- ture, and only so. Wherefore when this work is per- fectly fulfilled and ended, then shall all the mediatory actings ofChrist cease for evermore. For God will then have completely finished thewhole design of his wisdom and grace, in the constitution of his person and offices, and have raised up and finished the whole fabric of e- ternal 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 imme- diately 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 We.. Some refreshing notions of it may be framed in ION OF CIIEISTI; our minds, from those apprehensions of the divine per- fections which reason can attain unto; and their suita- bleness to yield eternal rest, satisfaction and blessedness in thatenjoyment of them, whereof our nature is capable. Howbeit, of these things, in particular, the scripture is silent; however it testifies our eternal reward and bles- sedness to consist alone in the enjoyment of God. But there is somewhat elseproposed, as the immediate object of the faith- of the saints at present, as unto what they shall enjoy upon their departure out of this world. And scripture revelations extend unto the state of things unto the end of the world, andno longer. Wherefore, heaven is now principally representedun- to us, . as the place of the residence and glory of Jesus Christ in the administration ofhis office, and our bles- sedness to consist in a participation thereof, and com- munion with him therein. So he prays for all them who aregiven 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 in- tends, which is absolutely the samewith that of the Fa- ther; but it is a glory that is peculiarly his own; a glo- ry which the Father hath given him, because he loved him. is My glory which thou hast given me, for than lovedst me." Nor is it merely the glorified state of his human nature that he intendeth; as was before declared in the consideration of the fifth verse of this chapter, where heprayeth forthis glory. However this is not ex- cluded. For unto all those that love him, it will be no small portionOf their blessed refreshment, to behold that individual nature wherein he suffered for them, under- going all sorts of reproaches, contempts, and miseries, now unchangeably stated in incomprehensibleglory. 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 bath above every name, as he sits on the right hand of the Majes- ty on high." In the beholding and contemplation here- of, withholy joy and delight, consists no small part of' that blessedness and glory which the saints above at pre-' sent enjoy, and which 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 exercise of that faith, which is the evi- dence of things not seen, and which by making them
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