of the PERSON Of CHRIST. 167 Wherefore heaven is now principally reprefented unto us as the place of the refidence andglory of Jefus Chrift in the adminiftrationofhis oflìce, and our bleffednefs to confift in a participation thereof, and communion with him therein. So he prayes for all them who are given him ofhis Father, that they may be wherehe is, to behold his glory,. John xvii. zq., It is not the effential glory of his divine perfon that he intends, which is abfolutely the fame with that of the Father : But it is a glory that is peculiarly his own ; a glory which the Father hath given him, becaufe he loved him. My glory which thou gavefi me, for thou lovedfl me. Not is it meerly the glorified ftate of his humane nature that he intendeth; as was before declared in the confideration of the fifth verfe of this chapter, where he prayeth for this glory. However this is not excluded. For unto all thofe that love him, it will beno fmall portion oftheir bleffèd refrefh- ment, to behold that individual nature wherein he fuffered for them, un- dergoing all forts ofreproaches, contempts and miferies, now unchangeably Rated in incomprehenfible glory. But theglory which God gives unto aryl, in thephrafe of the fcripture, principally is the glory ofhis exaltation in his mediatory office. It is the allpower that is given him in Heaven and earth; the name that he hath above every name, as he fits on the right hand of the majefty on high. In the beholding and contemplation Hereof, with holy joy and delight, confifts no fmall part of that bleffednefs and glory which the faints above at prefent enjoy, and which all others of them shall fo do who depart this life before the confummation ofall things. And in the due confideration hereof confifis a great part ofthe exercife of that faith, which is the evidence ofthings notfeen, and which by making them prefent unto us fupplies the room of fight. This is the ground whereon our hope doth anchor; namely, the things within the vail, Heb. vi. 19. which direft us unto the temple adminiftration of the mediatory office of Chrift. And it is for the ftrengthening of our faith and hope in Cod through him ; that we do, and thatwe ought to enquire into thefe things. The confideration of the prefent state of Chrift ill heaven, may be re- duced unto three heads. r. The glorification of his humane nature; what it bath in common with, and wherein it differs in kind from the glory of all faints whatever. 2. His mediatory exaltation; or the efpeciai glory of his perfon as mediator. 3. The exercife and difcharge of his office in this {fate of things ; which is what at prefent I fhall principally enquire into. I lhall not fpeak at all of theglorified bodies, nor of any thing that is common untothe humane na- ture of Chrift, and the fame naturein glorified faints; but onlywhat is pe- culiar unto himfelf. And hereunto I shall premife one generalobfervatión. Obferv. All perfe&ionswhereofhumane nature is capable, abiding what it was in both the effential partsof it, foul and body, do belong unto the Lord Chrift in his glorified Efate. Toafcribeunto itwhatis inconfiftent with its effence, is not an affìgnation of glory unto its ftate and condition, but a deftruflionof its being. To affix unto the humane nature, divine properties, as ubiquity or immenfity, is to deprive it of its own. 'theeffence of his body is no more changed, than that of his foul. It is a fundamental article of faith, that he is in the fame body in heaven, wherein he converfed here on earth; as well as the faculties of his rational foul are continued the fame in him. This is that holy thing which was framed immediately by the Holy Ghoft in the womb of the virgin. This is that holy one which when it was in thegrave law no corruption. to
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