7t1 THE EXALTATION OF CHRIST. hear the voice of the $on of God, and live: The grave shall re- sign its prisoners at his command : He has the keys of death, and the gates of eternal life are inhis keeping. And as his promises are worthy of our trust, so are his laws of our obedience: for in this exalted state, he can enforce them powerfully with temporal and eternal rewards, with temporal and eternal punishments. Heaven, earth, andhell, with all that belong;to them, beingplaced in his power, the blessings and the vengeance arc within the reach of his hand ; he shall distribute eternal recompences to men and angels, as the righteous and mighty Judge of all. Ps. ii. 11, 12. Serve the Lordwith fear, kiss the Son, or adore hirn with love, lest you perish upon the spot, if his wrath be kindled but a little: But blessed are all they that put their trust in him. III. Is Christ exalted? Then "his faithful followers have a pledge and pattern of their own exaltation, though not to equal degrees of pleasure, honour or power." It is as their forerun- ner he is entered within the veil, and is dignified with many glo- ries, as their great representative. Is his body of flesh and blood by some glorious change made fitter for the heavenly world, and better suited to be the mansion or instrument of a glorified Spi- rit? Such shall be the bodies of all his people, for they must be likehim : Hewill change theirvile bodies till they aremade like his own glorious body ; Phil. iii. 21. Is his holy soul filled with all joy and blessedness in the presence of God, and in the review of his past labours and sufferings ? Such, shall be the felicity of their souls, for they must be like him when they see him as he is; 1 John hi. 2. They shall rejoice for ever, and their joy shall no man take from them ; John xvi. 22. Is he exalted to power and dominion, to a crown and a throne, and to royal honours?' His followers also must have a crown of life and righteousness, they shall sit upon thrones tojudge the tribes of Israel, they shall have power over the nations, and share according to their mea- sure and capacity inthe honours of an exalted Saviour. Rev. ii. 10, 26. and iii. 2I. Mat. xix. 28. Fix the eye of your faith on 'a glorified Jesus, and behold there a pattern of your own joys and glories ; such honour have all his saints ; Ps. cxlix. 9. But again I say, remember that your character and your share is far inferior to his ; you are but members, he is the head : You are but winners saved, he is the Saviour and without sin : You are but adopted children, he is the original Son : You are but crea- tures made in time, he is the Son of Godbefore the creation : In the beginning hewas with God, and he was God; John i. 1. In all things he must have the pre-eminence; Col. i. 18. IV. Is Christ exalted ? " Thenhecan secure to himself and to hispeople whatsoever honours or blessings his humiliation has
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