The con[5.] The perpetuity of this office. tinuance of Christ for ever in an unchangeable priesthood, makes him able to save to the uttermost in spite of all men and devils: "But this man, because he continueth for ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood: wherefore he is able," &c. Heb. vii. 24, 25. If he continues for ever in this office, he will then be for ever able to perform the business pertaining to the office, which is to save to the utmost, perfectly, from all kind of sins and corruptions, though ever so powerful: none can deprive him of his office, because none can deprive him of his life. God neither can nor will, because he hath consecrated him by an oath to be a priest or officer upon this account for ever. And this office being conferred upon him on purpose for the salvation of believers, the ends and effects of this office are of as long a continuance as the office itself: for if Christ did not perform the end of his office, it would be but an empty title: and this life which is for ever, Christ doth intend to use for the standing and perfection of the weakest grace; so that as long as that endures, the grace and happiness of a christian stands immovable. "Because I live, ye shall live also," John xiv. 19; you shall live a spiritual life here, and an eternal life hereafter; all my life shall be employed for you, to communicate a gracious life to you, and preserve it in you, till it come to be swallowed up in a life of glory with me for ever. If the spring of Christ's life fail, then and not till then may the stream of ours; grace cannot be destroyed while Christ's life is continued, which will be for ever: "I am alive for evermore," Rev. i. 18. A creature under the full beams of the sun, cannot be

cold, till the light and heat of the sun are extinguished.

[6.] Honour. By this God encourageth Christ in this business; Christ hath his honour to this end. Places of trust among men, are places of honour. Will Christ be careless of his own happiness and glory? He was exalted to give repentance and forgiveness of sin, Acts v. 31. The grace of repentance is only mentioned, but by consequence all the rest which accompany remission of sins, are intended. What was the reason he had so great a glory conferred upon him? Because he loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, Heb. i. 9. Psa. xlv. 7. Because he manifested this love and hatred, by vindicating the righteousness of God, and setting up an everlasting righteousness, and taking away iniquity. Now this disposition of loving righteousness, and hating iniquity, must needs be as powerful in him in heaven, as it was before nay he must needs love this disposition the better, which was the cause of so great an exaltation. And if this disposition was the reason of his advancement, should this disposition languish in him, his very advancement would decay with it. If it were the reason why he was exalted, it must then follow, that he was exalted that he might still love righteousness, and hate iniquity; for this end, for the exercise of this he was anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. Since therefore this affection continues in him, is it possible he should endure to see that iniquity which he hates, prevail over that righteousness which he loves, after he hath planted one in the heart, and subdued the other? The apostle prays, that God would fulfil the work of faith with power; "that the name of

:

our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you,” 2 Thess. i. 11, 12. The name of Christ is glorified in a believer, when the work of faith is fulfilled with power. It makes his crown shine the brighter. What hopes then have the devil and corruption, of ever regaining their former standing in a believing soul? None, till the glory of Christ become vile in his own eyes.

(3.) As there is a charge and office given by God to Christ, and an ability to perform, so there is a compliance of Christ with it; which appearsIn his faithfulness in the discharge of it to this

end. He promiseth this; he promised it to his Father in their agreement, else he had never been sent. He promises it to us. In John vi. 39, there is God's charge to him, that he should lose nothing of what he had given to him, but raise it up. In ver. 40, there is his own absolute promise: "I will raise them up at the last day," that is, every believer; where he engageth himself to be faithful in the performance of God's will. He hath given a full evidence of it already, in finishing the work God gave him to do upon the earth: "I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do," John xvii. 4. For he appeals to God for his faithfulness in this particular. And he will be no less faithful in finishing the work, which is to be yet done by him in heaven, in the behalf of his people, and their graces; for such a work he hath to do: A finisher of faith, in his sitting at God's right hand, Heb. xii. 2. His faithful care extends to all his subjects, even the weakest, as well as the highest believer, as God's providence doth to every creature, the lowest worm, as well as the highest angel. They are all

one in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, bond or free, Gal. iii. 8. They are all one to him, for he is faithful in the exercise of his office to every one.

Christ's compliance in his affection (and that a strong one) to this office, besides his faithfulness, such as,

[1] His stirring compassions to weak grace. These were great in him before the assumption of our nature: "I will send an angel before thee, for I will not go up in the midst of thee, for thou art a stiff-necked people, lest I consume thee in the way," Exod. xxxiii. 2, 3. They will give me so many provocations, that it shall be as a consuming fire; as God must needs be in a way of justice, when he treats with a sinful people himself. But I will send an angel; what angel was this? It is called his presence, ver. 14. Isaiah puts them both together, Isa. lxiii. 9, and calls him the angel of God's presence or face. Jesus Christ the messenger of his favour; he shall go up, for he hath compassion; therefore it is said: "In his pity he redeemed them," Isa. lxiii. 9. The antithesis doth easily manifest this sense. He shall go up with thee, and he shall not consume thee, though thou art a stiff-necked people, because he is Mediator, and hath undertaken to satisfy my consuming justice, and being designed by assuming of your nature to be akin to you, hath great compassion towards that nature, his delights are among the sons of men. For God here is considered as a Judge, and the angel of his presence as a Mediator. The government of them by Christ, is here appointed for their security, which they could not have under the immediate government of God. His compassions are in some sense greater now than they were then,

since he hath been made like unto us, and compassed with our infirmities, and hath learned obedience (the necessity of obedience to the mediatorial law) by the things which he suffered. Infirmity is the object of compassion, and the more pressing the infirmity is, the more stirring is the pity. As God pities men the more, when he remembers they are but dust, and knows their frame, Psa. ciii. 13, 14. So doth Christ know thy frame, thy believing frame, how weak it is; thy sinful frame, how strong it is; he knows thy enemies, and he knows thy indigence, and how unprovided thou art of thyself to make a stout resistance; and this awakens his compassion; as the sickly faint child hardly able to go, and not the strong one, is the object of the father's pity. The weaker thy faith, which lies mixed with a world of strong corruptions, the more will Christ be affected with thy case, and pity that grace of his own, which suffers under them; for to this end his heart was stored with compassion to be exercised upon such occasions. He cannot have a greater object of pity, than his own grace at the lowest ebb, nor a fitter opportunity to show what a priest he is, how merciful to man in his misery, how faithful to God in his interest, which was the end of his being clothed with our infirmities, Heb. ii. 17. That very sin which he hates, which is a burden, a grief, a trouble to him, shall rather excite, than damp his compassion. It shall draw out his pity to thy person and thy grace, and his anger only against thy sin. If he hath any compassions in heaven, they are for those that are his own, and for that grace which he loves, when it is shot at by powerful corruptions.