[2.] In his rising to glory he still eyed us ; when he went to heaven he went thither on our errand, to seize upon it in our right, and to prepare it for our coming : John xiv. 3, 'I go to prepare a place for you.' Not so much to be glorified himself, as to get us thither : Heb. ix. 24, €fj.(f)avicr9r]vai, ' There to appear in the presence of God for us.' Christ went to heaven that we might have a friend in court. He is entered into the heavens to appear for us ; as if that were all the busi- ness of Christ in heaven, to remain there as our advocate.
Use 1. To show us the great love and condescension of Christ. The cross was sad work ; all the wages was the salvation of our souls. In the eternal covenant he aimed at no other bargain : Isa. liii. 10, ' When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands ;' that he might be eftectual to save souls. They told David, 2 Sam. xviii. 3, 'Thou art worth ten thousand of us: if we flee away, they will not care for us ; neither if half of us die, will they care for us.' Public relation makes kings more valuable. Christ's soul was worth millions of ours ; and his life was more valuable than the life of men and angels ; yet, to save ours, Christ layetli down his own, and he pleased not himself, that the pleasure of the Lord might prosper in our salvation.
Use 2. It teacheth us more self-denial, to do all for God's glory, and the good of the elect, both in life and death : Phil. ii. 17, ' Yea, and if I be offered up on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.' A man that mindeth altogether his own things, liveth but a brutish life, beneath grace and reason. Eeason will tell us that man was made sociable, and not only born for himself : grace raiseth actions to the highest self-denial. To deny ourselves is one of the first and most glorious precepts of Christianity.
2. Observe, that the comfort and salvation of man doth much depend upon the glorification of Christ : ' Glorify me, that I may give eternal life.' The ends of his oflfice are much furthered.
VeR. 2.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 127
[1.] His glorification is a pledge of ours. God would do everything first in Christ ; elect him, adopt him, pour out the Spirit on him, raise him, glorify him, as the scripture everywhere manifests. Our nature is in heaven, as an earnest of our persons being there. He is called our forerunner, Heb. vi. 20, being gone before into heaven as a forerunner and harbinger, to take up room ; and ' the captain of our salvation,' Heb. il. 11. When the head is in heaven, the members will follow. Whole Christ must be there ; he is not content with his heaven without us : John xiv. 3, ' If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also ; ' 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 that thou hast given me."
[2.] His glorification is a pledge of his satisfaction. Our surety is let out of prison ; and when the surety is released, the debt is paid ; all the work is accomplished and effected : John xvi. 10, ' He will convince the world of righteousness, because I go to the Father.' There is enough done to bring souls to glory, for Christ is received to glory ; I am satisfied, I have found a ransom. So John xvii. 4, .5, ' I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work thou hast given me to do. And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine own self. Christ had never come out of the grave, nevei- ascended, if any- thing else had remained to be done.
[3.] Christ glorified is aclearer ground of hope to the creature. When Christ was in the fiesh he was poor, despised, crucified ; the apostle calleth it * the weakness of God.' Many looked for a kingdom from him ; many believed in him when he was upon earth ; the thief owned him upon his cross : ' Remember me when thou comest to thy king- dom.' If the thief could spy his royalty under the ignominy of the cross, what may we expect from Christ in his glorified estate ? When David was hunted as a flea, or a partridge upon the mountains, there were six hundred clave to him, and had great hopes of his future exaltation ; they might look for more from David on the throne. Christ is now exalted, and hath a name above all names ; he still retaineth our nature, and that is an argument of love ; we go to one that is bone of our bone : and he is glorified in our nature ; that is an argument of his power.