I SHALL take up this subject again, and speak of our priesthood, when we shall be admitted into the immediate presence of God, and praise him for evermore. There is a ministration before the throne of grace, or before the throne of glory; before the throne of grace we minister in this life, before the throne of glory in the life to come. Of the latter I shall now speak, because it is a truth commonly overlooked.
Doct. That the priesthood which we have by Christ concerneth our ministration in the heavenly temple.
I shall prove it by these arguments -
I. Because a Christian is conformed to Christ, and made like him in all things. Christ must prooteuein, first it in all things: Col. i. 18, 'That in all things he might have the pre-eminence;' Rom. viii. 29, 'Whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born amongst many brethren.' Now if I shall prove to you that Christ was not consecrated to his everlasting priesthood till he died, then it is very congruous that it should be so with a Christian; for our office dependeth upon his, and is carried on in a way of conformity to his. Now, that Christ was consecrated at his death, I prove by these places: Heb. v. 9, 'And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;' that is, when he had 'learned obedience by the things which he suffered,’ ver. 8. And Heb. ii. 10, ' The captain of our salvation was made perfect through sufferings;' that is, fully consecrated, and fitted to be a priest, to perform that office to our comfort. His death is expressed by a notion of perfection: Luke xiii. 32, 'Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected;' that is, shall suffer death. It is good to inquire in what sense, in these and in many other places, Christ is said to be made perfect; it is not meant of his personal perfection, but official. As to his person, as he was God, he was perfect from all eternity; as God-man, he was perfect from the first moment of his conception. The word teleiootheis, 'being made perfect,' relateth to his office, and may be rendered 'consecrated,' as well as 'made perfect;' 'being consecrated, he became,' &c.; and 'it behoved the captain of our salvation to be consecrated through sufferings.' The word signifieth, in its first sense, to finish and accomplish a thing. That which is brought to an end is perfected; so was Christ as a priest perfected; that is, fit to minister before God as a priest. But that it should be rendered consecrated I prove-
[1.] Because the word is rendered consecrated elsewhere: Heb. vii. 28, 'Consecrated for evermore.' In the margin, 'perfected,' teteleioomenon. What is in the old testament, 'Thou shalt consecrate Aaron and his sons,' Exod. xxix. 9, the Septuagint render, Kei teleiooseis Aaroonos tas cheiras, thou shall perfect, or fill the hand of Aaron and his sons. And the sacrifice of consecration is called thusia tès teleiooseoos, the sacrifice of perfecting or completing, because the priest was to pass through some ceremonies; and these being done, he is said teleiousthai, to be consummate, or made perfect, or fully authorised to perform the priest's office.
[2.] I prove it from the context in Heb. v. There the apostle is discoursing of Christ's everlasting priesthood, and his being made perfect is with respect to that office. He was not perfect or fitted for that work till he stood before God with a sacrifice in his hand, till he had offered up himself with prayers, and tears, and strong cries, and had learned obedience by the things which he suffered; but then he was made perfect, for the rites of his consecration were over; that is, his agonies and bloody sufferings; then he was fully consecrated and completed to be a priest. So that Christ's solemn consecration was at his death.
[3.] The reason of the thing showeth it Jesus Christ was to be 'a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people,' Heb. ii. 17. These two attributes, 'merciful' and 'faithful,' refer to God and us. Merciful to help and relieve sinful miserable man; faithful with respect to God, in performing all things which belong to his sacerdotal office, and going through with his work given him in charge, till he hath fully finished it. The best and most merciful high priest that ever was must be made in the best and most convenient manner. Well, then, he is made perfect when he hath had a thorough sense of our misery, and took the course prescribed to remove it; when his heart was entendered, and his hand was filled with the purest sacrifice that ever was offered; and so by his agonies and bloody sufferings he was perfected, consecrated, and fully qualified to minister before the Lord, and to intercede for poor creatures, and to bless them with the blessing of eternal life. His priestly actions after the order of Aaron were his consecration to his everlasting blessed priesthood after the order of Melchisedec. Without these sufferings he could neither be a faithful nor a merciful high priest, nor satisfy his Father's justice, nor have a full feeling from experience of the creatures' misery. Well, then, as Christ was consecrated at his death, so is a Christian who runneth parallel with Christ in all his offices. As Christ had an inauguration into that priesthood he executed upon earth at his baptism, so hath a Christian for his spiritual priesthood; as soon as washed in the laver of regeneration, but for his everlasting priesthood at death.
2. My next argument is, this suiteth with the other privilege of kings. We are made kings as well as priests. Now, as our kingly office is not perfect till we come to heaven, so neither our priestly; and therefore it mainly respecteth our ministration in the heavenly temple. How is a poor Christian a king here, unless in a riddle, en aioomati, as he vanquisheth the devil, the world, and the flesh? as it is a princely thing to be above inferior things, and to trample them under our feet. The heathen could say, Rex est qui metuit nihil, rex est qui cupit nihil - He is a king that is above the hopes and fears of the world, that feareth nothing and desireth nothing. This is indeed, in a metaphor, a kingly spirit, to have our hearts in heaven, and to look upon all sublunary things as beneath our care and affections. Christ's kingdom is not of this world, neither is a believer's. Here upon earth we reign only in a spiritual way; but the privilege cometh fully to be verified when we tread Satan under our feet, and triumph over enemies, and reign visibly and gloriously, sitting upon thrones with Christ at his coming, judging the world and angels themselves: Mat. xix. 28, 'Verily I say unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel;' Luke xxii. 29, 30, 'I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel;' Ps. xlix. 14, 'The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;' and 1 Cor. vi. 2, 'Know ye not that we shall judge the world?' and ver. 3, 'Know ye not that we shall judge angels?' neither will this kingdom be terminated and ended at the day of judgment, but they shall be kings eternal in heaven: Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not, little flock; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom; '2 Tim. ii. 12, 'If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him;' that is, in heaven. With respect to this title, right, and interest, we are said 'to be made kings.' Now proportionably, the other privilege, of 'being made priests,' must be expounded also. We are spiritual priests upon earth; we have our sacrifices of prayers, praises and alms, and devoting ourselves to God; but this office is not completed till we come to heaven, and do immediately minister before the Lord. Then we have entrance into the holiest: Heb. x. 19, 'Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.' Not in spirit, but in person; for if the chief part of our kingly office be yet behind, why not the chief part of our priestly office also?
3. Then we are qualified and prepared. Sanctification must go before consecration; and the more sanctified, the more consecrated; and when our sanctification is finished, then our consecration is consummated, and not till then. Now in this world our justification and sanctification is imperfect; we are not got above our legal fears, and grace is very weak in us. You know before we can serve the living God 'our consciences must be purged from dead works,' Heb. ix. 14, as the high priest was not to approach God without his washings lest he die; and we are bidden to 'draw nigh to God with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water,' Heb. x. 22. If we have the privilege of priests, we must perform the duties of priests. Now we are not perfect as appertaining to the conscience, nor are we fully cleansed and sanctified, till the veil of the flesh be removed, and we be presented to God without spot and wrinkle. Somewhat is begun indeed, that will tend to, and end in, perfect sanctification, enough to qualify us for our ministration at this distance from God. There is enough done on Christ's part, by way of impetration and merit: Heb. x. 14, 'For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified,' or consecrated; he hath paid the price; but as to the application, that is by degrees. The priest under the law was seven days in consecrating; this figured all the time that interveneth before we enter upon the everlasting sabbath. Our whole life is the time of consecration, which goeth on by degrees, and will be made complete, both for body and soul, at the resurrection; for then shall we be made fit to approach the throne of glory, and serve our God in a perfect manner in the eternal temple of heaven. In this life our consecration is not yet finished, we cannot come so near God. We are qualified indeed to come to the throne of grace, but not qualified to come to the throne of glory; but the work is a-doing, and in time it will be accomplished.
4. We have not the full privileges of priests till then, which is intimacy, full communion, nearness of access to God, and ministration before him. This is the privilege we have as priests. The apostle telleth us, Heb. ix. 8, 'The Holy Ghost signifieth that the way to the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.' How did the Holy Ghost signify this? I answer - By the whole economy and frame of that dispensation. God kept state and majesty then, and his people must not come too near him; the common Israelite must not come too near the sanctuary; they were not to camp or pitch their tents round about it, but only the Levites, lest they die: Num. i. 52, 53, 'And the children of Israel shall pitch their tents every man by his own camp, and every man by his own standard throughout the host. But the Levites shall pitch round about the tabernacle of testimony, that there be no wrath upon the congregation of the children of Israel.' It was a dangerous thing for the common Israelites to be too near the symbols of God's presence; to teach us the distance between God and men, and their unworthiness to come near him and his holy things. But though the Levites might encamp near it, yet none but the priests must enter into the tabernacle: Num. iv. 18-20, 'Cut ye not off the tribe of the family of the Kohathites from among the Levites; but this do unto them, that they may live, and not die; when they approach unto the most holy things, Aaron and his sons shall go in, and appoint them every one to his service, and to his burden: but they shall not go in to see when the holy things are covered, lest they die.' They were to keep near the tabernacle, and the Kohathites to bear things which they must not see and touch, upon pain of death. And this was not only threatened, but executed on the Bethshemites, which was a city of Levites, when they looked into the ark: 1 Sam. vi. 19,20, 'And he smote the men of Bethshemesh, because they had looked into the ark of the Lord, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men. And the people lamented, because the Lord had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter. And the men of Bethshemesh said, Who is able to stand before this holy Lord God? and to whom shall he go up from us?' Well, God kept at a distance from that people, and would not have them too familiar with him; but the priests might come near and minister before the Lord, but not till they were consecrated, and till they had cleansed themselves: Exod. xxx. 20, 21, 'When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; and when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire unto the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not.' But though an ordinary priest might come to the altar of burnt-offering, yet the high priest was only to enter into the sacrary, or holiest of all; and that not when he pleased, but only once a year: Lev. xvi. 2, 'And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the veil, before the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark, that he die not.’ The high priest was a solemn type of Christ, yet he was not to be too familiar with God. The people were sensible of this state and distance which God kept, and murmured at it: Num. xvii. 12,13, 'And the children of Israel spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, we die, we perish, we all perish; whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of the Lord, shall die: shall we be consumed with dying?' What did the Holy Ghost signify by all this? That the way of the holiest of all was not yet made manifest. But now God is more familiar with his people; a Christian hath the privilege of the high priest, a privilege which the most eminent person of that dispensation could enjoy but once a year, in the most solemn service which ever he performed, and that not till after many washings and purifications. In every time of need we may come to the throne of grace. It was dangerous heretofore to thrust themselves upon God, but now the Lord is willing to admit us into his presence; gospel-believers may come to him, the fountain of grace is not inaccessible. Well, but though we may come to the throne of grace, we cannot come to the throne of glory, thence we are all shut out; no man can immediately approach the throne of glory till he be both fully and perfectly justified and sanctified; for the present we are not fit to come nigh him; as Absalom, when his peace was made, and he was permitted to come home to Jerusalem, yet he was not admitted to his father's sight and presence: 2 Sam. xiv. 24, 'The king said, Let him turn to his own house, and let him not see my face.' And Esther, when chosen for a spouse for the great king Ahasuerus, yet she was to 'accomplish the months of her purification,’ Esther ii. 12. We have access to the throne of grace, that is all we can have in this life; but hereafter we shall have access to the throne of glory, then we shall have full communion with our God, and a clear vision of his eternal beauty, and as great a fruition of his godhead as we shall be capable of, in a state of full contentment, joy, and blessedness.
5. If there be a temple in the other world, then there are priests, and there will be a ministration; but now heaven is often represented as a temple. As the temple under the law was a type of Christ, in whom the fulness of the godhead dwelt bodily, and a type of the church, in which God manifesteth his power and presence; so also it was a type of heaven, and so frequently applied. As in the temple there were three partitions, the outward court, the holy place, and the holy of holies; so is there the airy heaven, the starry heaven, and the heaven of heavens, as it is called, Acts iii. 21, 'Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things;' and the third heaven: 2 Cor. xii. 2, 'I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, such an one caught up to the third heaven.' This third heaven, the seat of God and of the blessed saints, is often called 'the holiest,' with respect to the type in the temple or sanctuary. Therefore that is called 'a worldly sanctuary,' Heb. ix. 1, and 'holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true;' that is, heaven itself, ver. 24. The earthly or worldly sanctuary was the throne and palace of God, residing as a king in the midst of his people, which figured or shadowed a more excellent throne and palace, which is heaven, where God doth manifest his presence in a far more glorious manner. Well, then, in this temple must we minister, and be admitted to a nearer attendance upon God
6. One great part of our sacrifices and oblations remaineth everlastingly to be done by us, and that is the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; it is a great branch of the thank-offerings of the gospel: Heb. xiii. 15, 'By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.' And in heaven they cease not. Prayer suiteth more with our imperfect state, when we are compassed about with divers infirmities and necessities; but the angels praise God, and so do the blessed spirits. We shall then have a fuller sense of the mercies and goodness of God, when our redemption is full and complete, and a clearer sight of his excellencies when we see him face to face. Here we do but tune our instruments, and prepare for the work of heaven, but then we perform it. We are here but as learners, when we see God by faith, and understand a little of the love of Christ, but then as practisers. Therefore certainly to be kings and priests unto God doth not respect the present life only, but our ministration in the heavenly temple. There is a 'for ever' always affixed to the doxologies of the saints, to show that now they do but begin in the work which they shall complete hereafter.
7. The scriptures do plainly express that our service is not ended with our lives, but, as we still stand in the relation of creatures to God, so we still glorify him and serve him: Rev. vii. 14-16, 'And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in the temple. And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them, and they shall hunger no more, nor thirst any more,' &c. There is the explanation of the mystery of being washed in Christ's blood, and made kings and priests unto God. This office they chiefly perform when they come to enjoy their happiness before the throne of God and in the heavenly temple. And what is the work there? They serve him day and night; they do not their service then by fits and starts, but constantly. A type whereof were the priests under the law, who, in their courses, were admitted day and night to be in the temple: Ps. cxxxiv. 1, 'Bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.' But what was done by many in their turns is now done by the same persons continually; for they are never weary, and there is no intermission in their service. And God always dwelleth amongst them; they shall not be at a distance from God, nor he at a distance from them; but they shall still enjoy his company, as dwelling in one house with him; for there shall not be sin nor sorrow any more, and then shall they praise God cheerfully. This will be our work when we are admitted into the most holy place.
8. As heaven hath the notion of a place, a temple, so our estate in heaven hath the notion of a day or time wherein our priesthood is to be solemnly exercised; for it is called sabbatismos, a sabbath or rest: Heb. iv. 9, 'There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.' A sabbath is for holy rest, not a time of idleness, but to be religiously employed; so this glorious eternal rest, which is prepared for and promised to believers, is not passed over in ease and idleness, but in acts of worship and adoration. It is a rest from toil and labour, but not from work and service. On the sabbath-day the sacrifices were doubled; the priest had more to do upon that day than any other; so in our everlasting sabbatism, we serve God after a more perfect manner than now we do. On the sabbath, a special delight and rejoicing in God was to be raised: Isa. lviii. 13,14, 'If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable, and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord, and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.' So in our eternal rest shall we delight ourselves in his presence.
Use 1. It informeth us -
1. That our service is an honour, and worship a privilege; for it is not only a way to heaven, but a beginning of heaven. Our work there is a part of our reward. The priestly ministration is so the work of heaven, that it is also a reward for our present diligence. Well, then, it is the most blessed life we can live upon earth, to be serving God and ministering before the Lord, and to be employed in any nearness about him; his people desire no sweeter work. Alas! what is the work of all the world to this but a toilsome drudgery or base servility? Go to the brutish world, what is the work of the drunkard, glutton, gamester, or fornicator, compared with that of the spiritual priest? They are priests to feed the belly, that base dunghill-god: Phil. iii. 19, ‘Whose god is their belly.' Their business is to provide for and please the flesh. Nay; go to the more refined part of the world, the covetous and ambitious worldlings; they aim at nothing beyond this life; but the spiritual priest continueth for ever; his service is begun, and will ever last; his work is his wages.
2. That it is no easy matter to be familiar with God, and to draw nigh to him in worship. We are stupid, and therefore not sensible of it. You see what distance God kept under the law, and what distance he yet keepeth as to his immediate presence. Surely 'God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all that are about him,' Ps. lxxxix. 7. The redeemed are honoured to have access to God with boldness, yet they ought to be humbly sensible of the privilege. Every nearer approach to God is an enlargement of honour. We must keep an even hand between natural bondage and irreverence. Natural bondage; we are sometimes afraid to come into God's presence, and doubt of access, being so unworthy to come before the Lord; but we are privileged by our calling; Christ by his death hath made us kings and priests. The priests were sanctified to draw nearer unto God than the common people, and to be employed in his most holy service; so if we be cleansed by the blood of Christ, we are separated from the ungodly world, and may acquaint him with all our desires, griefs, and fears. On the other side, against irreverence. It is no easy matter to come before the Lord as we ought to do; and we must be sure to bless and thank the Redeemer for this favour, that we are made priests of God and Christ, that we are freed from the fears of the second death: Rev. xx. 6, 'Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ;' and we may hope for a more solemn service.
Use 2. To exhort the children of God -
1. To long and hope for the time of their ministration in the heavenly temple. When the time of our consecration is finished, then we shall be admitted into this blessed estate. Oh, comfort yourselves with the forethought of it! There are many reasons to induce us -
[1.] Because then we shall see him whom we worship, and stand before his throne. This is often promised: Ps. xvii. 15, 'As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness;' 1 John in. 2, 'When he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' So 1 Cor. xiii. 12, ‘Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face;' John xvii. 24, 'Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me.' Now it is a blessed thing to see what we love, and possess what we see. The priests here, though they do not worship an unknown God, yet they worship an unseen God. The Romans, when they brake into the sanctum sanctorum, and saw no image there, gave out that the high priest did worship the clouds. The world suspecteth the God whom we worship; but there we see him face to face, with a clear and distinct vision: 2 Cor. v. 7, 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.' There vision succeedeth in the room of faith, fruition of hope, and perfect love of that weak adherence which now we put forth towards God. If God should suffer himself to be seen by his creature in the condition to which sin hath reduced him, it would prove rather a ground of fear and astonishment than of love and fruition; or else the majesty must be clouded with some allay of condescension, which would not sufficiently reveal him to us. The immediate presence of God, which is our felicity in heaven, would be our misery upon earth. The scripture telleth us, Exod. xxxiii. 20, 'No man shall see him and live.' And Manoah, Judges xiii. 22, 'We shall surely die, because we have seen God.' We cannot look upon this glorious sun but we are in danger of losing our life together with our sight. The scripture sometimes maketh God to dwell in darkness, sometimes in light inaccessible, to note the incapacity of our faculties, and the incomprehensible splendour of his glorious majesty. We are not able to pierce through this darkness or endure this light. But the majesty of God is not there formidable, but comfortable; for we shall behold the glorious God in a glorified estate, both of soul and body.
[2.] We shall serve him perfectly, and without weakness, weariness, and distraction.
(1.) Here is weakness. What dull and low conceptions have we of God! What heartless, irreverent, and poor expressions of his glorious excellency whenever we come to worship before him! such as should make us ashamed to open our lips before the Lord: Isa. vi. 5, 'Woe is me, for I am undone,’ saith the prophet Isaiah, 'for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts,’ Or as Job, chap, xl. 4, 'Behold I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth,’ The best of God's servants, when their eyes are but a little opened to see the glory of that God they speak to, how sensible would they be of the shortness of their apprehension and expressions of that God they speak to! Alas! how can such narrow hearts frame an apprehension, or receive an impression of such an infinite greatness and eternal goodness as there is in God! But when we shall see him as he is, then we shall better praise him, and conceive more suitably of him.
(2.) Here is weariness, and we cannot endure long under our weak duties, neither as to the frame of body nor mind; but there God in communion is always new and fresh to us every moment. And the more we look upon the object, the more is the faculty fortified and strengthened in conversing with God: Mat xviii. 10, 'In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven,’ The blessed spirits are never weary of beholding God, and enjoying his glorious presence.
(3.) Here is distraction. We pretend, when we worship God, to leave the world, and turn the back upon all things else, and to set ourselves before the throne of God; but alas! we bring the flesh along with us, and that will have its excursions, and so our hearts are stolen away from under Christ's own arm. We mingle sulphur with our incense, groan under divers infirmities: 'We cannot do what we would do,’ Gal. v. 17. But there is nothing to divert us from thinking of God; there is no blemish in priest or sacrifice; nothing will appear in us displeasing unto God, which is a comfort in our present weaknesses.
[3.] We shall then serve God uninterruptedly; for there shall be no impediment of business, nor need of sleep. Here earthly occasions straiten Christ, and crowd up his interest in the soul, and we spend almost half our time in sleep, not showing one act of thankfulness to God; but then 'we shall be ever with the Lord,’ 1 Thes. iv. 17. We shall always stand before his throne of glory, and abide in his blessed presence. Our labour shall not need repose, nor shall the night ever draw a curtain upon that day. There will be no miseries, wants, and necessities to distract us, and take off our minds. The whole strength of our souls is carried out to God, and our time is spent wholly and only in worshipping and serving God. Constant and perpetual solemn service is a celestial privilege, and they that serve God most uninterruptedly come nearest heaven, for there Christ is ever with us, and we ever with him: 2 Cor. v. 8, 'We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.' When absent from the body, we are present with the Lord, and shall follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth.
[4.] There we are admitted into a nearer communion with God than now in this mortal estate. We draw nigh to him now, but we are not so nigh but there is some distance; but in the palace of glory our approach will be so near as to take away all distance, and we shall have immediate and full communion with God. Now God is in heaven and we upon earth, we receive no more of God than an ordinance can convey to us. Here and there he droppeth in a little comfort and quickening into the soul; the pipe cannot convey much, and the vessel can hold less; the means are narrow, and the person is not capacitated to be filled up with all the fulness of God; but then the Lord will do his work by himself, the means shall not straiten him; God will communicate himself without means, and be instead of all means; he will be all in all, and therefore will communicate his grace in full perfection. The more we draw nigh to God here, the more like him. Moses, while he conversed with God in the mount, his face shone. Christ was transformed in his prayers: Luke ix. 29, 'And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.' So by proportion in heaven; the nearer we draw to God, the more we enjoy of him: 1 John iii. 2, 'When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.' Perfection of holiness is the glory and happiness of the saints in heaven; as iron by lying in the fire seemeth to be all fire; when it is red-hot the qualities of fire are imprinted on it; so we, by being ever with the Lord, and ministering in his presence, have more of the divine nature communicated unto us.
[5.] There is the unanimous conjunction of all the saints in the praises of God, or a joining in comfort, without jarring or difference. The apostle biddeth us, Rom. xv. 6, 'With one mind and with one mouth to glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ It is our duty, but never performed to the full, but when we meet together in that great panèguris, that council of souls, or 'the general assembly and church of the first-born,' which the apostle describeth, Heb. xii. 23, 'The spirits of just men made perfect,' or consecrated. It is comfortable to join in worship with the people of God now. Moses preferred it, with afflictions, before all the riches, and honours, and pleasures he enjoyed in Egypt: Heb. xi. 24, 'Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.'
But then is the communion of saints completed, when all are admitted to the vision and clearest knowledge of God, and have the most perfect adherence and love to him. Now what an happy time will that be, when we and all the holy ones of God shall, with the same enlarged affection, set about the same work! as our groans here made but one sound, and our conjoined tears but one stream, and our united desires but one prayer, so all our praises then shall make but one melody and harmony. If it be an happiness to live with the saints in their imperfection, when sin doth often embitter their society, surely it is an happiness to live with them for ever when they are purged and freed from sin, and fully consecrated and fitted to minister before the Lord.
[6.] To think of God, and to rejoice in his glory, and to love and praise him, will be our great employment There we shall be intent upon our choice and noble work, which is praising and lauding God: Ps. lxxxiv. 4, 'Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they are still praising thee.' Praises now are a part of our sacrifices, and must be mingled with our prayers: Phil. iv. 6, 'In everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known unto God.' So Rev. v. 8, 'The four beasts and four-and-twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of the saints.' Harps signify their praises and thanksgivings. Here it cometh in by way of mixture, but there it is our sole employment. There is no need of prayers, for there are no sins, nor wants, nor necessities there; all is praise. David calleth upon the angels 'to bless the Lord,' Ps. ciii. 20, to tell us what they do. And when a multitude of them descended at Christ's birth, Luke ii. 13,14, they presently fell a-lauding and praising God, 'Glory be to God in the highest.' It is the opinion of the ancient Hebrews that every day they sing praises to God, and that in the morning; this they gather from Gen. xxxii. 6, 'Let me go, for the day breaketh;' which place the Targum of Jerusalem thus explaineth, 'Let me go, for the pillar of the morning ascends; and behold, the hour approacheth that the angels are to sing.' This was their opinion. Sure we are that the angels bless God, and that in an eminent manner, as appeareth by frequent passages of scripture, where they are called upon to bless the Lord; for though the speech be in the imperative mood, as if it were hortatory, yet it is to be expounded by the indicative, as narrative of what the angels do. Particularly we read they blessed God for his own excellence: Isa. vi. 1-3, 'In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims; each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.' For the creation: Job xxxviii. 4-7, 'Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner-stone thereof, when the morning-stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?' For the nativity of Christ: Luke ii. 13,14, 'And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.' So they blessed Christ: Rev. v. 11, 12, 'I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.' Though they cannot fully comprehend God, yet they do it far more clearly than we. They apprehend God's excellency and perfection in himself; they know also the excellency of his works, creation, and providence, and the redemption of mankind. 'Then we shall know as we are known,’ 1 Cor. xiii. 12, and understand the faithfulness of God's conduct in bringing us to glory. O blessed time when we shall fall upon the work of angels, when we shall have a sublime understanding to know God, an heart to love him, and a mouth to praise him for evermore! We shall not need any excitement, but be willing and ready to do it. We have greater cause of blessing God than the angels have. It is a question whether an innocent or a penitent person is more bound to thank God? An innocent man is bound to praise God in respect of the greatness of the benefit, and the continuance of it; but a penitent man in respect of the freeness and graciousness of it. The freeness and graciousness is much more conspicuous towards men. God was indeed good and bountiful to the angels, creating them out of nothing, endowing them with many excellent gifts; but to man sinful was God good indeed; he loved us as enemies; when his justice, offended by sin, put a bar to our salvation, he spared not his beloved Son, but delivered him to a cursed death in our room and stead.
2. To exhort us to prepare ourselves for this estate; and let us labour that we may be such as may be counted meet to minister before the Lord in his heavenly temple. To this end -
[1.] Let us hasten the acts which belong to our consecration, and attend upon them with more seriousness, which is the cleansing of the soul from the guilt and stain of sin. From the guilt of sin: Rom. v. 1, 2, 'Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access by faith unto this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God,’ Comfortable access to God here in the world depends upon our justification; the more clear that is, the more we are fitted to come before the Lord. From the stain of sin: Mat v. 8, 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Though all see enough of God to satisfaction, these see more than others do. Therefore the more we cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, the more of God shall we see, and the sooner shall we be admitted into his blessed presence. It was an old observation, even among the heathens, hon filei Theos, apothnèskei neos, that he whom God loveth dieth young. Not that all that die young are beloved of God; but ordinary observation will teach you this; that let a man more than ordinarily improve in purity of heart, though God may lend him to the world for an example for some time, yet they are taken to God sooner than others; or if they are continued in the world, they are continued under more weaknesses, and do with more earnestness expect their translation to the everlasting priesthood.
[2.] Let us begin our sacrifices, and discharge our priestly office now, perform all the duties which belong to our ministration with more fidelity. Some of our duties are proper only to the present state, as consecrating ourselves to God, and using ourselves for God; that is out of date then, for our consecration is over before we come there. It is undeniable that the blessed spirits all live to God: Luke xx. 38, 'He is not a God of the dead, but of the living, for all live unto him.' But there is no need of giving up ourselves to God, for then we possess God. Mercy is useless in an estate where misery cannot approach; therefore now it must be exercised. None are priests in heaven but those that have acted the priest's part upon earth. But praise holds good now, and then too: Ps. cvii. 22, 'Let us sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.' This is to tune our instruments, and to be fitting ourselves for our everlasting work.
[3.] Let us be more frequent and often with God; for the throne of grace is the very porch of heaven; by it we pass to the throne of glory. Surely that life upon earth is best which is likest to the life of heaven: Ps. lxxxiv. 10, 'For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand: I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.' Prayer giveth us the nearest familiarity which a man in flesh can have with God, and is the best preparation for our entrance upon our everlasting priesthood. A man acquainted with a God beforehand is not to seek for a God to pray to when he cometh to die, nor for a mediator to intercede for him, nor for a spirit of adoption to fly to God as a reconciled Father. Having been frequently entertained and accepted by God, he can the better resign his spirit into his hands, and with more confidence wait for this nearer attendance. Alas! to go out of the world into unknown and unseen regions, where we are wholly strangers, how sad is that! Who will venture into the ocean who hath not learned to swim in the shallow brooks and streams? Communion with God in a way of grace is the way to communion with him in a way of glory. We go to see him face to face whom we have seen by the eye of faith, to live with him in heaven with whom we have lived upon earth. Species non laetificat in patria, quem fides non consolatur in via - Sight will not be joyful to him in heaven whom faith hath not comforted upon earth. He that hath often heard and accepted us will not reject us.
3. Let us be more apprehensive of the greatness of the privilege of drawing nigh to God, that we may improve it accordingly. The priests were sanctified to draw nearer to God than the common people, and employed in his holy service. Yea, nearness of ministration before the Lord is the felicity of the glorified. How must we improve it?
[1.] Partly to be ashamed of our loathness to draw nigh to God, and our weariness of his special service. Oh, let us not shun God as an enemy, and be loath to come into his special presence, or backward to converse with him.
[2.] To thankfulness to our Redeemer. It was purchased by the blood of Jesus: Heb. x. 19, 'Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.' We may be the more confident of drawing nigh to him in a way of grace, for he hath purchased also our entrance into glory: Eph iii. 12, 'In whom we have boldness, and access with confidence by the faith of him.'
Use 3. Comfort
1. Against present weaknesses in duty. There will be a time when, we shall more perfectly express our thanksgiving to God.
2. Against troubles and sufferings. It must be so now, that we may be conformed to our head; but no molestation should be an impediment in our work.
3. Against death. It should make us willing to die, that we may minister before the Lord. If David so longed for the enjoyment of God in the earthly temple: Ps. lxiii. 1,2, ‘O God! thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary;' how much more cause have we to long for the time when we shall be made priests to him for ever?
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