there likewise as a Priest, a Priest for ever, Psalm cx. 4. Heb. vii. 17. He hath an unchangeable priesthood, ever living to make intercession for them who come unto God by Him, ver. 24, 25. For them He intercedeth, but for none else. Though we often read that He died for all: it is no where written, that He maketh intercession for all. But He Himself saith, He doth not where speaking to His Father of such as believe in Him, He saith, I pray for them, I pray not for the world, John xvii. 9. see also Matt. x. 32, 33. And that is the reason, why though He died for all, yet all are not saved by His death, because they will not believe in Him, nor come unto God by Him, and therefore He doth not apply the merits of His death to them by making intercession for them: but for all true believers He intercedes with the Father, that they may be justified and saved by virtue of that great propitiation which He hath made for the sins of the world. And the Father always hearing Him, John xi. 42. they are all accordingly justified and saved by Him, or through His mediation and intercession for them, who is the only Mediator between God and men, 1 Tim. ii. 5.

Where by His mediation or intercession, I do not understand any formal request or supplication that He maketh to the Father for us, but His appearing before Him in our nature, and in our behalf. As it was typified in the old law, when the high-priest went on the day of expiation into the most holy place, he only carried some of the blood of his sacrifice with

him, and sprinkling it about, he thereby made atonement and reconciliation for himself and the people, Lev. xvi. 15, 17. so Christ, having offered up Himself in our nature for the sins of the world, He in the same nature entered into Heaven, and in it appeareth there in the presence of God for us, Heb. ix. 24. and thereby maketh atonement, reconciliation, and intercession for us, His body being there a standing monument of the great propitiation that He hath made for our sins. So that God the Father, having that always in His eye, is pleased to receive us into His grace and favour, only upon His Son's appearing so before Him in our behalf, and willing to have the merits of His death applied to us for our pardon and salvation. According as He prayed also when He was upon earth, Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am, John xvii. 24.

This intercession I believe Jesus Christ is continually making in Heaven for all His faithful people upon earth. For He was not only set there at first, but, as it is in the Creed, He sitteth at the right hand of God: He sitteth there at this time, and at all times continually: and so never ceaseth to make intercession for us, but we may always say, He now appeareth in the presence of God for us, Heb. ix. 24. Hence it is, that although the Almighty Creator and Governor of the world be continually offended by all men upon earth; yet He is good and kind unto them all: but infinitely gracious and merciful to such as

repent, and believe the Gospel, because thay have a Mediator or Advocate sitting continually at His right hand, and interceding there so effectually for them, that their sins are all pardoned, and God is perfectly reconciled to them, Acts v. 31. 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. They are justified or accounted righteous in His sight, Rom. iv. 25. viii. 33, 34. Their prayers are heard, and whatsoever they ask in His name, if it be good, it is certainly done for them, John xiv. 13, 14. xvi. 23. They are continually sanctified, directed, and assisted by His Holy Spirit; so that they can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth them, Phil. iv. 13. And all the good works they do, though imperfect in themselves, yet are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 15. Who therefore is able to save to the uttermost them who come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them, Heb. vii. 25. and is preparing a place for them in His Father's house, John xiv. 2. where they will all join together in praising Him for bringing them thither, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, Rev. vii. 10. The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world, John i. 29.

QUESTIONS.

54 What do ye mean by Christ's rising from the dead?

How do ye prove He did so ?

In what sense did He rise the third day?

For what purpose did He rise again?

What part of Him went up to Heaven?

Where did He sit when He came there?

What do ye understand by His sitting at the right hand of God?

What power hath He there?
To what end is it given Him?
What doth He do there?

For whom doth He intercede ?

What do ye mean by His mediation or intercession ?
How doth He make it?

How often doth He intercede for us?

What benefits do we receive thereby ?

From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

It is now [A. D. 1704.] about 1670 years since Jesus Christ ascended into heaven, where He hath been ever since, and is now, sitting at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. But He shall one day come from thence, that is, He shall come from heaven to earth again. As the two Angels acquainted His Apostles at His ascension, saying, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven, Acts i. 11. He went to heaven in a cloud, ver. 9. with an innumerable company of holy Angels surrounding and attending upon Him. And so He will come again from thence in great glory. For all the holy Angels shall come along with Him, Matt. xxv. 31. He shall come again with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, 1 Thess. iv. 16. for He shall send His Angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall

gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other, Matt. xxiv. 31. Then the dead shall be raised, and all mankind shall see the Son of man thus coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory, ver. 30. What a glorious sight will that be!

But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the Angels of heaven, but the Father only, Matt. xxiv. 36. God hath been pleased to conceal it from all the world, that all the world may be in daily expectation of it. But this we know, that it shall be at the end of the world, Matt. xxiv. 3. It shall be the last day that the world shall continue in that state and form it is now in. For the heaven and the earth which now are, by the same word whereby they were made are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men, 2 Peter iii. 7. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up, ver. 10.

At that day the Lord Jesus shall come from heaven to judge the world, as He came at first to save it. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son, John v. 22. and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man, v. 27. Yea, He hath appointed a day in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained;