that the raising of Christ is ascribed to God as reconciled; "Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant," Heb. xiii. 20. The divine power was not put forth till God was pacified. Justice incensed, exposed him to death; and justice appeased, freed him from the dead. And his resurrection is attributed to his blood, that being the full price of his and our liberty. In short; when inflexible justice ceases to punish, there is the strongest proof it is satisfied.

(2.) His ascent into heaven, and intercession for us, prove the completeness and all-sufficiency of his sacrifice. If he had been excluded from the divine presence, there had been just cause to suspect that anger had been still remaining in God's breast; but his admission into heaven is an infallible testimony that God is reconciled. This our Saviour produces as the argument by which the Holy Ghost will overcome the guilty fears of men, "He shall convince the world of righteousness, because I go to my Father," John xvi. 10. Christ in his suffering was numbered among transgressors; he died as a guilty person, not only in respect of the calumnies of men, but the curse of the law, and the wrath of God, which then appeared inexorable against sin; but having overcome death, and broken through the weight of the law, and retired to his Father, he made apparent the innocency of his righteous person, and that a complete righteousness is acquired by his sufferings, sufficient to justify all that shall truly accept of it.

This will be more evident, by considering his entry into heaven as the true High-Priest, who carried the blood of the new covenant into the celestial sanctuary.

For opening this, we are to consider there are two parts of the priestly office-to offer sacrifice to make intercession for the people by virtue of the sacrifice. This was performed by the high-priest in the feast of atonement, which was celebrated in the month Tisri, Lev. xvi. 14, 15. The oblation of the sacrifices was without, at the altar: the intercession was made in the holy of holies, into which none might enter but the high-priest once a year. And first he must expiate his own sins and the sins of the people by sacrifices, before he could remove the veil, and enter into that sacred and venerable place, where no sinner had right to appear. Then he was to present the precious incense, and the blood

of the sacrifices, to render God favourable to them. Now these were shadows of what Christ was to perform. The holy of holies was the type of the third heaven, in its situation, quality and furniture. It was the most secret part of the tabernacle, separated by a double veil, by that which was between it and the first sanctuary, and by another that distinguished the first from the outward court. Thus the hea

ven of heavens is the most distant part of the universe, and separated from the lower world, by the starry heaven, and by the airy region which reaches down to the earth. Besides, the most holy part of the tabernacle was inaccessible to sinners; as heaven is styled by the apostle the place of inaccessible light. And it was the throne of God where he reigned; according to the language of the Psalmist, he dwelt "between the cherubims," Psalm lxxx. 1. The figures of the cherubim represented the myriads of holy angels that adore the incomprehensible Deity, and are always ready to execute his commands. The tables of the law were a symbol of that infinite wisdom and holiness which ordained them: and the high-priest's entering with the blood of the sacrifice, and carrying with him all the "tribes of Israel" upon his breast, signified that Jesus Christ, the true High-Priest, after he had really expiated sin by his divine sacrifice in the lower world, should enter into the eternal sanctuary with his own blood, and introduce, with him, all his people. Of this there was a marvellous sign given; for in the same moment that Christ expired, the veil of the temple that separated the oracle from the first part, was rent from the top to the bottom, to signify that the true High-Priest had authority and right to enter into heaven itself. And the special end of his ascending is expressed by the apostle, "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us," Heb. ix. 24. As the high-priest

might not enter into that sacred and terrible place, nor could propitiate God without sprinkling the blood of the slain sacrifice; so our Redeemer first performed what was necessary for the expiation of sin, and then passed through the visible heavens, and ascended before the throne of God to appear as our Advocate. He made an oblation of himself on the earth before he could make intercession for us in heaven, which is the consummation of his priestly office. The first was a proper sacrifice, the secor. is a commemoration of it;

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therefore he is said to appear before his Father by sacrifice, Heb. ix. 23-26.

Besides what hath been discoursed of the order and dependance of these parts of his priestly office, which proves that he had accomplished the expiation of sin before he was admitted into heaven to intercede for us, there are two other considerations which manifest the completeness of his satisfaction. The manner of it. He doth not appear in the form of a supplíant upon his knees before the throne, offering up tears and strong cries as in the day of his flesh, but he sits at God's right hand making intercession for us. He solicits our salvation, not as a pure favour to him, but as the price of his sufferings, and as due to his infinite merit. His blood in the same manner pleads for our pardon, as the blood of righteous Abel called for vengeance against the murderer; not by an articulate voice, but by suing to justice for a full recompense of it. In short; his intercession is the continual representation of his most worthy passion.-The omnipotent efficacy of his intercession proves that God is fully satisfied. He frees us from the greatest evils, and obtains for us the greatest good, in quality of Mediator. "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ_the_righteous; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world," 1 John ii. 1, 2. He disarms the anger of God, and hinders the effects of his indignation against repenting sinners. Now the prevalency of his mediation is grounded on the perfection of his sacrifice. The blessedness of heaven is conferred on believers according to his will; "Father, I will that these also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory," John xvii. 24. His request is effectual, not only because he is God's Son and in highest favour with him, but for his meritorious sufferings.

It is for this reason that the office of Mediator is incommunicable to any creature. "There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all,” 1 Tim. ii. 5. The apostle makes a parallel between the unity of the Mediator and of the Deity, which is most sacred and inviolable. For the right of intercession, as it is an authoritative act, is founded in redemption; they cannot be divided. And we may observe, by the way, how the popish doctrine that erects as many advocates, as angels, or saints, or whoever are canon

ized, is guilty of impiety and folly:-of impiety, in taking the sovereign crown from the head of Christ to adorn others with it, as if they had more credit with God or compassion for men ;—and of folly, in expecting benefits by their intercession, who have no satisfactory merit to purchase them. The numerous advocates that are conceived by superstitious persons in their fancies, are like the counterfeit suns, that are drawn in the clouds by reflection as in a glass, which although they shine with a considerable brightness, yet they are suns in appearance only, and derive no quickening influences to the earth. The blessed spirits above, who enjoy a dependant light from the Sun of righteousness, yet convey no benefits to men by meritorious interceding for them. We obtain grace and glory only upon the requests of our Redeemer. Briefly, the acts of his priesthood respect the attributes, which in a special manner are to be glorified in our salvation. By his death he made satisfaction to justice, by his intercession he solicits mercy for us; and they both join together with the same readiness and warmth to dispense the benefits which he purchased for his people.

(3.) The completeness of his satisfaction is fully proved by the glorious issue of his sufferings. This will be most evident by considering the connexion and dependance which his glory hath upon his humiliation: and that is twofold.A dependance of order. His abasement and sufferings were to precede his majesty and power; as in nature things pass from a lower state to perfection. This order was necessary: for being originally "in the form of God," it was impossible he should be advanced, if he did not voluntarily descend from his glory, that so he might be capable of exaltation. He was first made "a little lower than the angels," and after raised above them.-A dependance of efficacy. Glory is the reward of his suffering. This is expressly declared. by the apostle; Christ "hunibled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow;" the mark of that homage that all creatures pay to him, Phil. ii. 8, 9. This exaltation is correspondent to the degrees of his abasement. His body was restored to life and immortality, and ascended on a bright cloud. God's chariot being attended with angels, and the everlasting gates opened to receive the king of glory, he is

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set down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;" Heb. viii. 1; this signifies that divine dignity to which he is advanced, next to his Father; for God being an infinite spirit, hath neither right nor left hand in strict sense. Our Redeemer's honour is the same, and his empire of the same extent with his Father's. Thus the apostle interprets the words of the Psalmist, Psalm cx. 1: that the Messiah should sit at the right hand of God, till he made his enemies his footstool, by reigning; "for he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet," 1 Cor. xv. 25. And St. Peter tells us, "that the Father hath made him Lord and Christ :" that is, by a sovereign trust hath committed to him the government of the church and the world; not divesting himself of his essential dominion, but exercising it by Christ. The height of this dignity is emphatically set forth by the apostle, Eph. i. 21; the Father hath seated him "at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion," (which titles signify the several degrees of glory among the angels,) " and every name that is named not only in this world, but also, in that which is to come:" that is, hath given him a transcendent and incommunicable glory, the use of names being to signify the quality of persons. In short; he is made the head of the church and judge of the world: angels and men shall stand before the tribunal, and receive their eternal decision from him.

Now in the economy of our Mediator, his humiliation was the cause of his exaltation upon a double account;— as the death of Christ was an expression of such humility, such admirable obedience to God, such divine love to men, that it was perfectly pleasing to his Father, and his power being equal to his love, he infinitely rewarded it; the death of Christ was for satisfaction to justice, and when he had done that work he was to enter into rest. It behoved Christ to suffer, and "to enter into his glory," Luke xxiv. 26. It is true, divine honour was due to him upon another title, as the Son of God; but the receiving of it was deferred by dispensation for a time. First he must redeem us, and then reign. The scripture is very clear in referring his actual possession of glory, as the just consequent to his complete expiation of sin; "When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Heb. i. 3. "After he had offered one sacri