MO TUT; EXERCISE OF T in presence of God, taking care of their salvation that not one of them shall perish. This continually fills them with an holy satisfaction and complacency, and is a great part of the subject matter of their incessant praises and ascriptions of glory unto him. Herein lies the concernmentof the church above in that here be- ]ow; this is the communion that is between them, where- of the person of Christ in the discharge of his office is the bond and centre- Fifthly, There is herein afull manifestation made of the wisdom of God, in all the holy institutions of the tabernacleand temple of old. Herein the vail is fully taken offthem, and that obscure representation of hea- venly things is brought forth unto light and glory. It is true, this is done unto a great degree in the dispen- sation of the gospel. By the coining of Christ in the flesh, and the discharge of his mediatory office in this world, the substanceof what they did prefigure is ac- complished. And in the revelation of the gospel, the nature and end of them is declared. Howbeit, they extended their signification also unto things within the rail, or the discharge of the priestly office of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary, Hob, ix. 24. Wherefore, as we have not yet a perfection of light to understand the depthof the mysteries contained in them; so them- selves 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 shewed unto Moses in the mount, and made conspicuous and evident unto all. Therein especially do the saints ofthe Old Testa -. tuent, who were exercised all their days in those typical institutions, whose end and design they could not com- prehend, see the manifold wisdom and goodness of God in them all, rejoicing in them for.evermore. Sixthly, All that the Lord Christ receives of the Fa- ther on account of this holy interposition and mediation for the church, -he is endowed with sovereign authority and almighty power in himself to execute and accom- plish. Therefore is he said, as a Priest, to be made higher than the heavens, and as a a, Priest to sit down at the right hand of the Majesty on high," Heb. viii. 2. This glorious power cloth not immediately belong unto him on the account of his sacerdotal office, but it is that qualification of his person which is necessary un- to the effectual discha. ge of it. Hence it is said ofhim thathe should It bear the glory, and sit and rule upon HE SIEDIATORY OFFICE his throne and should be a priest upon his throne," Zech. vi. 13. A throne is insigne a e;iuon, and proper.. ly belongs unto Christ with respect unto his kingly office, Heb. i. 8, 9. Howbeit, the power accompany- ing and belonging unto his throne, being necessaryms to 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 loth there perform, and the.only instance 1 shall insist upon. He was made.. a Priest after the power of an endless life, the life which he now leads in heaven, and lives for ever to make inter- cession for us. He was dead, but is alive, and lives' for evermore, and bath the keys of hell and of death, all power over the enemies of his church. God on a thrope ofgrace; 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 thewhole con- cernment of the church on his hand, transacting all things with God for them: all the holy angels, and the spirits ofjust men made perfect encompassing the throne . with continual praises unto God, even the Father and Min, on the account of the work of infinite wisdom, . goodness, and grace, in his incarnation, mediation, and salvation of the church thereby; himself continuing to manage the cause of the whole church before God, presenting all their prayers and services unto him, per- fumed with his own intercession, is that resemblance of heaven and its present glory, which the scriptures offer unto us. But alas! how weak, howdark, how low are ,our conceptions and apprehensions 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 offuture sight, is to be stirred up thereby unto holy longings after a participation in this glory, and constant dill-. gence in that holy obedience wherebywe may arrive. thereunto. What remaineth yet to be spoken on this subject bath 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
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