church here on earth, all access unto him for grace, and all acceptable ascriptions of glory unto his divine majesty, do all of them in their being and exercise, wholly depend on, and are resolved into, the continuation of the mediatory actings of Christ in heaven and glory.

I shall close this discourse with a little review of somewhat that passed before. From the consideration of that place of the apostle, wherein he affirms, that at the end, Christ shall give up the kingdom unto the Father,' I declared that all the state of things which we have described, shall then cease, and all things issue in the immediate enjoyment of God himself. I would extend this no farther than as unto what concerneth the exercise of Christ's mediatory office with respect unto the church here below, and the enemies of it. But there are some things which belong unto the essence of this state which shall continue unto all eternity; as,

1st. I do believe that the person of Christ, in and by his human nature, shall be for ever the immediate head of the whole glorified creation. God having gathered all things unto a head in him, the knot or centre of that collection shall never be dissolved. We shall never lose our relation unto him; nor he his unto us.

2dly. I do therefore also believe, that he shall be the means and way of communication between God and his glorified saints for ever. What are, what will be the glorious communications of God unto his saints for ever, in life, light, power, joy, rest, and ineffable satisfaction (as all must be from him unto eternity), I shall not now inquire. But this I say, they shall be all made in and through the person of the Son, and the human nature therein. That tabernacle shall never be folded up, never be laid aside as useless. And if it be said, that I cannot declare the way and manner of the eternal communications of God himself unto his saints in glory by Christ; I shall only say, that I cannot declare the way and manner of his communications of himself in grace by Christ unto the souls of men in this world, and yet I do believe it. How much more must we satisfy ourselves with the evidence of faith alone in those things, which as yet, are more incomprehensible. And our adherence unto God, by love and delight, shall always be

through Christ. For God will be conceived of unto eternity, according to the manifestation that he hath made of himself, in him, and no otherwise. This shall not be by acting faith with respect unto the actual exercise of the mediation of Christ, as now we cleave unto God; but it shall be by the all-satisfying acting of love unto God, as he hath manifested himself, and will manifest himself in Christ.

3dly. The person of Christ, and therein his human nature, shall be the eternal object of divine glory, praise, and worship. The life of glory is not a mere state of contemplation. Vision is the principle of it, as faith is of the life of grace. Love is the great vital acting of that principle, in adherence unto God with eternal delight. But this is active in it also. It shall be exercised in the continual ascription and assignation of glory, praise, and honour unto God, and the glorious exercise of all sorts of grace therein; hereof the Lamb, the person of Christ, is the eternal object with that of the Father and the Spirit; the human nature in the Son, admitted into the communion of the same eternal glory.

MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES

ON THE

GLORY OF CHRIST,

IN HIS

PERSON, OFFICE, AND GRACE:

WITH

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FAITH AND SIGHT; APPLIED UNTO THE USE OF THEM THAT BELIEVE.