Use 1. To ravish your hearts with the contemplation of this happi- ness. Oh 1 what an affective sight is Christ's glory !
1. The sight itself is a privilege.
2. That we shall be able to see it with comfort.
1. The sight itself is a privilege. Abraham had a sight of his incarnation, when it was a thing long after to come, and it filled him with joy : John viii. 56, ' Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw it, and was glad.' Simeon saw him when he was a child, and then said, ' Now it is enough ;' Luke ii. 29, 30, ' Now, Lord, lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word ; for
lOG SERMONS UPON JOHN XYII. [SeR. XLII,
mine eyes have seen thy salvation.' Zaccheus climbed up into a tree to see him. When he was grown up, Luke xix. 4, yet then he went up and down as the carpenter's son. Many saw Christ in person that had no benefit by him. So to see him by faith and spiritual illumin- ation fills the soul with joy : 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom having not seen, we love ; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.' To know Christ by hearsay is lovely and glorious ; but now what will it be to see Christ in the midst of angels and blessed saints face to face ? He is another manner of Christ than ever we thought him to be. It is ravishing to behold him in ordinances ; feasts are poor things to be spoken of to that ; but yet there is a veil upon his glory. Oh ! that there should be such a glorious spectacle provided for us ! It is God's own blessedness to see himself and enjoy himself.
2.. That we are able to behold it, and that with comfort. That we are able to behold it : The world is a dark place, and we are weak creatures ; our eyes now are like the eyes of an owl before the sun ; we cannot take in a full representation of his greatness, nor bear the lustre of his majesty. God is sometimes represented as dwelling in light, to show the lustre of his majesty : 1 Tim. vi. 16, ' Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.' And sometimes as dwelling in darkness, as noting the weakness of our apprehensions : Ps. xviii. 11, ' He made darkness his secret place ; his pavilion round about him were dark waters, and thick clouds of the sky.' We are dark creatures, and can but guess ; all is mystery and riddle to us. The children of Israel cried out, ' We cannot see God and live ;' Deut. v. 25, ' Now therefore why should we die? for this great fire will consume us ; if we hear the voice of the Lord our God any more, then we shall die.' God is fain to dwell in the heavens, and fix his throne there ; his glory would drive us to our wits' end, the very happiness of heaven would not be a mercy upon earth. And then, that we may behold it with comfort. God in Christ is not formidable. Wicked men shall see Christ, but they shall see him as a judge ; but, saith Job, with these eyes shall I see my redeemer : Job xix. 25-27, ' I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God ; whom mine eyes shall behold, and not another's.' Every time we look upon Christ, we have the liveliest and sweetest sense of God's love, it bringeth to remembrance his passion and sufi'erings. Wicked men shall see him as a judge to their terror, as Joseph's brethren were ashamed to look on him, they cannot hold up their guilty heads ; but we come to behold our best and beloved friend, to see him that laid down his life for us : John xv. 13, * Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.^ To see such a friend will be comfortable.
Use 2. Strive to get an interest in so great a privilege. Who are those that shall hd,ve an interest in it ?
1. They that are careful to serve Christ here : John xii. 26, ' If
any man serve me, let him follow me ; and where I am, there also
. shall my servant be ;' ' His servants shall serve him, and they shall see
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VeR. 24.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 107
his face,' &c., Eev. xxii. 3, 4. Those that have suffered with him and sighed with him, that have owned him now, a hidden Christ, shall have the honour to behold him a glorious Christ ; they that encourage themselves with these hopes, One day I shall see Christ : Ps. xxvii. 13, ' I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the good- ness of the Lord in the land of the living.' The true land of the living is heaven ; the world is but the valley of the dead, or the place of mortality. The queen of Sheba took a long journey to behold the glory of Solomon, which yet was but a temporal, fading, and earthly glory.