And it was the Father's doing, as, at a future, an appointed period, he will reaffume the reigns of government into his own hand. Though they are now laid on the fhoulders of Chrift, it is only for a time; in the language of infpiration, "until "the mystery of God be finished," Rev. x. 7. "when (as Paul expreffeth it) the kingdom shall "be delivered up to God, even the Father, and "he be all in all," 1 Cor xv. 24, 28. The Father's committing all things into the hand of Christ, fays, they were, originally, in his own; and the kingdom's being delivered up to the Father, fays, it was formerly under his perfonal management, as was obferved above.

The change in our Lord's circumstances now, compared with what they were, in the days of his humiliation, is truly wonderful. Who would

think, that the Glorious Man, in the midft of the throne, fhining with a fplendour which far outdoes the fun in his brightness, was the poor, afflicted and defpifed Jefus of Nazareth, who tabernacled, above thirty years, with men upon earth? who would think that the diftinguished Perfon, enthroned with the Father, and encompaffed with the praifes of eternity, was the fame Galilean, who was panneled before a heathen tribunal, and treated, by Jews and Gentiles, with unfufferable contempt? who would take the living Lamb, in Immanuel's land, to be the very perfon, who bled, was torn, panted, and expired on the accurfed tree? who could know that exalted Redeemer, as he appears in his Father's kingdom, to be He whom Jofeph of Arimathea wrapped in clean linen, and . interred in his garden at Jerufalem? Nothing will

either furprise or delight the ransomed ones more, than the view of Jefus Chrift as he is. For, after all they hear, read, think and believe, concerning his perfonal excellence and glory; upon feeing him, they will, as the queen of Sheba refpecting Solomon be obliged to fay, "the one half was never "told," 1 Kings x. 7. the one half did we fay? nay, in respect of what they will then fee him to be, all their former difcoveries will appear to have been but darknefs, grofs darkness and ignorance. The view of this heavenly Man will not only justify all they ever did and fuffered for him, but probably fill them with wonder and furprife, because they will not then be capable of fhame and remorse, that they loved, adored and ferved him fo little; that they were fo averfe to fuffering in his caufe, and fo unforward in fuch work and warfare as were connected, infeparably connected, with his honour and glory. The heavenly vifion of Jefus Chrift will fill the redeemed with delightful, rapturous amaze, that ever fuch an immaculate, matchlefs and glorious Mafter as he, took, and put up with, fuch low, ignoble, pitiful and worthlefs fervants as they. But, if the view of this change in our Lord's circumftances will be fuch an agreeable and delightful furprise to the excellent ones of the earth; what, fay my brethren, what will be the thoughts, and what the feelings, of unbelievers, upon this difcovery! Thofe who now treat his authority in the gofpel with the highest contempt; look on his fervants and followers, as filly, credulous fouls; confider his yoke, as an unfupportable burden; count his day, inftitutions and ordinances, a wearinefs fcarce to be born; ftill more, who, avowedly act in oppofition to him, his interests and people; 0, what tongue can exprefs, or thought conceive, the horror with which the first

view of the exalted Man will strike fuch infatuated creatures !

Our Lord's exaltation is an undoubted evidence, that all the family of faith shall likeways, in due time, have their feet fet upon a rock, and, as far as they are capable of it, be made partakers with him of his glory. Your future circumstances, believers, of which your Lord's exaltation is the earnest, will be fo different from your prefent, that you will not only, in a manner, be mifkenned by others, but, one would think it almoft poffible, you will then mifken yourselves. When fet on the rock of glory and triumph, no remainders of your prefent imperfection, guilt and grief, pain and difcouragement, temptation, fear and diftrefs, fhall have place; and, when fet there, your conformity to the glorious Man, in his exaltation, will be fo great, as it is impoffible for us now to fay. Were you to have a prefent view of the appearance you will then make, it would certainly be more than the earthen veffel could well hold. If John, acquainted with the vifion of the Man Chrift, was in danger of falling down to worship at the feet of his fellow fervant; what ftrange impreffions might fuch a discovery be fuppofed to have upon you? Though it doth not yet appear what ye fhall be," let it fuffice, that "when Chrift, who is your life, "fhall appear, ye fhall be like him, for ye fhall "fee him as he is," John iii. 2.

"it

Moreover, the exaltation of Chrift is a fure proof, as to his enemies, that they fhall, in no ways, efсаре. The God-Man, whom ye now defpife, is fet above you, is conftituted and appointed your Judge; and will, fooner or later, have an awful reckoning with you. Every degree of oppofition to him, and rebellion against him, will caft up. in that final, decifive procefs; when, to your utter confufion

confufion and despair, you fhall be obliged to ftand and receive your condemnation from that very mouth, from which you will not now embrace the offers of life and indemnity. What will the Atheist, who treats all religion with ridicule and fcorn, think, when the reality of the whole fhall appear, to the conviction of affembled worlds? What will the Deift fay, when the truth of revelation fhall, as with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond, be written on h's confcience, at the bar of Chrift? What will the Arian, Socinian, and other enemies of our Lord, in his Divine Nature, do; when panneled before him, as God-Man? with what face will the Arminian, and other fuch enemies of an imputed righteoufnefs, appear, without the wedding garment? How will the fwearer fhrink, on the citation to answer for all the impious words fpoken against this Judge? How will the drunkard Stagger, under the influence of the wrath of God? How will the fabbath-breaker tremble, in the view of no fabbatifm, no reft day nor night, for ever? Where will prayerlefs perfons, then, hide their guilty heads? In what confternation must the defpifers of thofe ordinances, wherefore Chrift is the fum and substance, stand, to answer for their conduct? Will whore mongers, adulterers, and other unclean perfons, then, venture to make a mock at fuch fins as, once, coft their Judge his precious blood? In fine, what will all unbelievers, all hypocrites, all unholy, all immoral and profane, wretches, do, at the coming of this Jefus, in his glory, whofe calls, by the gospel, they now, fo fhamefully flight? O firs, put not the evil day far off; becaufe judgment is not speedily executed, for the Lord's fake, do not dream of exemption from it Believe the truth of the doctrine respecting Chrift's exaltation; realize his fitting in judgment; think on the impor

tant

tant confequences of that trial to you. Be concerned to have provision for the time to come. Delay not, in a matter of fuch everlafting moment. The door of mercy is open; this Jefus ftretcheth out his arms of grace in the gofpel, to receive you : fly, fly, to him, as the ordinance of God for falvation. "Acquaint yourselves with him, and be at peace; "that fo good may come unto you." But, "be"caufe there is wrath, beware left he take you away, with a stroke, when a great ransom shall "not deliver you."

CHA P. IV.

Of the Father's eftablishing the Mediator's goings.

WITHOUT impropriety, this might be viewed as a phrafe intirely fynonymous with the former for, as a rock is a folid bottom; when one's feet are set upon it, his goings, at the fame time, are established; or, as fome read it, made firm. However, we fhall, in the following fections, confider this part of our Lord's exaltation in a different point of light, as expreffive of the sphere in which he now moves, the capacity in which he now acts.

In our Lord's goings, he acts a part in heaven, where his refidence, as the glorified Man, now is; and acts a part respecting the church militant below, and refpecting the church triumphant above. As to the church, or churches, on earth, the part he acts in heaven, is as their Advocate and Interceffor with the Father. "If any man fin (fays the apoftle)

D

"we