Further, we read of another glory, which was put from Moses upon Joshua, Num. xxvii. 20, where God said to Moses, that he shall bring Joshua before the priest, and shall put some of his glory upon him, and his Spirit, that he might be honourable before the people : this was the glory of endowments, but it is not that glory we inquire after. "We read of another glory, Prov. xxii. 4, the reward of humility, and the fear of the Lord, is riches, glory, and life ; neither is this that glory we inquire for, ours is of a higher strain. This glory then we speak of, is the reward of goodness, and is ever attended with virtue. For as shame and sin still go together, so do glory and virtue, even by the testimony of the consciences of all good and ill men. The glory then we speak of is an eternal glory.
' Called to gloiy and virtue.'
It is not meant, when he says ' called to glory,' that a Christian is only called unto that, and unto nothing else by the way, but by the way he is called unto virtue, and by occasion unto afflictions. When God will give physic, humble, purge, and fit us by the way, then accidentally come afflictions and crosses, that if there be anything in us which hinders and makes us unfit for glory, these afflictions and crosses scour us, and purge away.
But God's end of calling us is unto glory; as 1 Thes. ii. 12, there they are exhorted to ' walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his king- dom and glory.' Bom. ix. 23, the children of God are called the * vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared to glory.' This glory is only of his mercy, from whence glory floweth unto us; mercy is the ground thereof. "VVTiat shall I say of glory ? See what is written, Rev. xix. 9, when a voice came to him and willed* Write, what doth he M-rite ? * Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.' There was a glorious feast, full of glory; and then it followeth, 'These are the true sayings of God,' for to comfort and assure the faithful, of the excel- lency and truth of this happiness, and to stir them up to a pursuit thereof. Why thus blessed ? Because by this marriage supper is meant that great, » Qu. • called ' ?— Ed.
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general wedding feast in heaven after the resurrection, where the King of glory and the angels are, where the Lamb's wife, as it is in the former verse, and all shall meet, at which all the creatures in their greatest glory, heaven and earth and all, shall put on new habits ; for as a vesture shall they all be changed, Heb. i. 12 ; 2 Peter iii. 7, they shall be renewed. Here shall be glory, and surpassing glory, as it is written, 1 Cor. i. 9, then to be 'called unto fellowship with Christ;' yet more, as Horn. viii. 17, to be heirs; nay, yet a step more, to be co-heirs with him together in glory. Men cannot reward their servants thus, but it is the only excel- lency of our great Master,* that he can make all his servants heu's, and all his sons kings. Thus as it is upon this strong tower, whereupon now we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God ; as it is called the glory of God, so, 2 Thes. ii. 14, we are stirred up to thankfulness for the same, as being called by the gospel to the obtaining of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ; and, 1 Peter v. 4, it is there called a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
And, finally, what use and advantage the faithful make of this glory against all the crosses, afflictions, storms, and tempests of this life, the apostle sheweth ; 2 Cor. iv. 17, saith he, ' For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more excellent and eternal weight of glory.' The more affliction, the more glory. Our thoughts cannot bear nor reach to that exceeding depth of the apostle's conceit of glory.
But perhaps like unto some great glory of a prince, it may continue but for a day, though but a day in this great glory were a wonderful thing, and passing all the glory of this world. No, saith the apostle, it shall be eternal. What more ? It shall be a load, a weight, an exceeding weight, of glory. Oh how the apostle grows full, and lifts himself higher and higher, striving to express a thing unexpressible ! Why doth he thus, but to move our hearts, and ravish us also in exceeding admiration of the greatness of this glory ?
What can be said more ? If yet you desire to hear more of glory, con- sider we, if you will,
1, The place, where; 2, the company, with whom; 3, the title, what; 4, the time, how long.
1. First, For the place. It is heaven, the proper seat and mansion of all glory, where Christ is. So Christ speaketh in that prayer of his : 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.' This needs not much proof. So also 1 Thes. iv. 17, * Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and so shall we ever be with the Lord.' Oh if the outside, skirts, and suburbs of the palace (the stars and planets, chiefly those two great lights, the sun and moon) of this great King be so glorious, that with our eyes we cannot look upon the splendour of the same, what brightness of glory is in the chamber of presence, innermost court, and sanctum sanctorum itself! And. if now, in the state of corruption, where sin hath abated such a deal of their glory, these creatures are yet so glorious, what shall they be when they shall be changed and renewed in that state of incorruptiou ? And if they then be glorious, how much more shall the glory of the Creator ! Yea, when all the creatures shall put on their new habits, gloriously arrayed for this marriage feast ; when the * That is, the ' excellency' of Christ alone. — G.