the execution of Christ's mediatorial offices, both in his state of humiliation and exaltation. Let us here consider, first, Christ's offices; secondly, his states.

First, Christ's offices are of three sorts, sacerdotal, prophetical, and regal.

1. As Priest, Christ ensures to us many covenant mercies, for he hath put himself in our stead and offered himself as a propitiatory sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, which is "a sweet smelling savour," and of infinite value; hence it is, that Christ is called "a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.”—Heb. ii. 17. Certainly, remission of sins is one of the grand mercies of the new covenant, and this Christ assureth as Priest.

2. As Prophet he reveals to us the will of his Father, opens to us the sealed book, and anoints our eyes by his blessed Spirit. The Spirit of Christ inspired the prophets of the Old Testament, and the apostles of the New, in writing the Scripture, and ministers in preaching the gospel, and believers in discerning the meaning of the word, and beauty of Christ. † It is Christ as Prophet, that writes his law in believer's hearts which is one of the great mercies of the new covenant, that enlightens dark minds, and unlocks to us divine mysteries, and bringeth us from darkness to light.

3. As King. Christ Jesus doth what he pleaseth for the good of his church, converting and subduing souls to himself, granting to them the spirit of power, love, and of a sound mind, softening their hard and stony hearts, mastering their high and sturdy wills, awing, ordering, and centring their unruly, roving, and raging affections, subduing their strong corruptions, regulating their conversations, begetting and inEph. v. 2. + 1 Pet. i. 10, 11.

creasing their graces, supporting them under and sanctifying their afflictions-all which Jesus Christ, as King, works for his covenanted ones.

Yet more particularly, in the second place, let us consider how our covenant mercies are assured to us by Jesus Christ, with reference to his two estates of humiliation and exaltation.

1. In his estate of exinanition and humiliation. Here I might run through the instances of his humble birth, his despicable life, that is, to a carnal eye, his being in the form of a servant, having no form nor comeliness; his hunger, thirst, wanderings, revilings of men, wrath of God and rage of devils-all these confirm the covenant, if we believe the history of the gospel. But there is one thing more that puts all out of doubt, which is, his real, ready, and voluntary death, for as he had a power, so he had a will, to lay down his life, and he died for the confirmation of this covenant, and all the mercies thereof. A pregnant proof of this you have in Heb. ix. 15; the sum of which text is, that Jesus Christ, the great Mediator of this new covenant, hath suffered death for the sins of his people, that were committed against the first covenant, whereby all true believers might have the benefits of the new covenant more surely and immutably made over to them; and this he further confirms by the parallel case of a testament and the testator even amongst men, ver. 16, 17, "where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator."* No man can challenge a legacy till he prove the death of him that left it, for while he is alive he may alter his will at his pleasure, or as reason requireth; but when the

Thus the apostle argues, Gal. iii. 15, "Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth or addeth thereto."

testator is dead the heirs may look after their legacies. -Jesus Christ is the testator, saints are the heirs, the legacies are these mercies of the covenant. Now the Testator is dead the legacies come clear, and the heirs of promise may claim their interest therein; there is no alteration of the will when the testator is dead, there is no reversing, true Christians now come to enjoy their estates; Christ emptied himself that we might be filled-he lost his life that we might live-" he became poor that we through his poverty might be rich." 2 Cor. viii. 9.

2. Christ's exaltation doth much more assure to us covenant mercies; and this exaltation consists in his resurrection and his ascension, both of which tend to their confirmation.

(1.) Christ's" rising again from the grave," assures us of the certainty of these mercies; for though he was dead, yet he is alive, and so lives to be his own executor: if Christ had been detained prisoner by the king of terrors, we might warrantably have suspected that justice was not satisfied, nor mercies fully purchased; but he was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification," Rom. iv. 25, and now he hath conquered death, and "through death hath destroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil," and so hath delivered the heirs of promise from the fear of death, Heb. ii. 14, 15; nay, and by his resurrection he raiseth us to a new life of holiness here, and a blessed life of happiness hereafter:* compare Rom. vi. 4. with chap. viii. 11. Christ's resurrection abundantly clears the saints from all accusations and condemnation, Rom. viii. 33, 34; in this, therefore, we may rejoice and triumph as the source of our consolation. See Acts ii. 24-26.

* 2 Cor. iv. 14.

(2.) Christ's "ascension into heaven" ensures and secures covenant mercies to us, both as it sets him in the holy of holies, far above the reach of men and devils, and as he went before "to prepare a place for us. He bids Mary, John xx. 17, to go to his brethren the disciples, and say unto them, "I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God;" as if he had said, now you may be assured of your interest in God in a covenant way, for I have on earth completely removed what obstructed your fellowship and obscured your interest; so that now you may call him your God, and come unto him as your Father, without misgivings within or challenges from without.

There are two things in Christ's ascension that assure these mercies to us; first, his session at God's right hand, and secondly, his intercession.

First, Jesus Christ is set at God's right hand in heavenly places, Ephes. i. 20, and the two following verses afford us two choice considerations that tend further to assure us,

1. That "he is far above all principality and power, might, dominion, and every name in this world and that to come," Ephes. i. 21; that is, Christ as man is advanced not only above all states and potentates on earth, but above all angels and archangels in heaven, therefore far above the devils; none can hinder, all are his servants to help forward his design for the good of souls. O what a sweet consideration is this, that our nature is advanced thus high! yea, in the person of the Redeemer there are alike sympathy, ability, and authority; and, therefore, he will effectually manage his glorious undertaking. Yet, that is not all, for

2. In the 22nd verse, it is said, that he "gave him * John xiv. 2.

to be the head over all things to the church," that is, not only to be the head of the church, but to be head and governor over all things for the good of the church, so that now the whole world is subordinate to him for the advantage of his people, and now every thing shall help them forward towards heaven; yet, further there is something more in the phrase, and that is, that as the head is gone before to heaven, so the members shall undoubtedly follow after, and so salvation shall be sure, and this is very clear in that admirable text, Ephes. ii. 6," and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Thus, it is as sure as if we were there already, for we are set there in our representative Jesus Christ, or the holy places and privileges on earth are an earnest of glory, but indeed the saints are already saved, so saith Paul, verse 5, "by grace ye are saved," and elsewhere, "we are saved by hope," so that we have, as it were, taken up our rooms, as one saith, in heaven aforehand, whereunto, we have a just right upon earth by virtue of a union, which is the ground of communion, for "he that hath the Son hath life," † that is, he hath possession of it as by turf or twig, he hath, in a sort, seisin and delivery. Our head is in heaven, and although these things yet appear not in the members, yet because of the hidden union betwixt the head and members, that which is peculiar to the one is appropriated to the other. Hence, saith the apostle again, Col. iii. 3, 4, "Your life is hid with Christ in God, when Christ,

*

who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory,"

* Rom. viii. 24.

when the opaque shell of our

+ Quia nondum hæc, quæ commemorat, in membris apparentpropter arcanam tamen unitatem ad membra certò pertinent.— Calvin in loc.