There is none of all the things we have insisted on— neither the resignation of a departing soul into the hand of God, nor a willingness to lay down this flesh in the dust, nor a readiness to comply with the will of God, as to the times and seasons, or the way and manner of the approach of death — that can be attained unto, with- out a prospect of that glory that shall give us a new state ftir more excellent than what we here leave or depart from. This we cannot have, whatever we pretend, unless we have some present views of the glory of Christ. An apprehension of the future manifestation of it in heaven will not relieve us, if here we know not what it is, and wherein it doth consist, — if we have not some previous discovery of it in this life. This is that which will make all things easy and pleasant unto us, even death itself, as it is a means to bring us unto its full enjoyment.
Other great and glorious advantages, which may be ol^tained in the diligent dis- charge of the duty here proposed, might be insisted on, but that the things them- selves discoursed of will evidently discover and direct us unto the spring and rea- sons of them ; besides, weakness, weariness, and the near approaches of death do call me off from any farther labour in this kind.
MEDITATIONS AND DISCOURSES
THE GLORY OF CHEIST.
CHAPTER I.
The Explication of the Text.
" Father, I will that they also wliom thou hast given me be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me." — John ivii. 24.
The high priest under the law, when he was to enter into the holy place on the solemn day of atonement, was to take both his hands full of sweet incense from the golden table of incense, to carry along with him in his entrance. He had also a censer filled with fire, that was taken from the altar of burnt- offerings, where atonement was made for sin with blood. Upon his actual entrance through the veil, he put the incense on the fire in the censer until the cloud of its smoke covered the ark, and the mercy-seat. See Lev. xvl 12, 13. And the end hereof was to present unto God, in the behalf of the people, a sweet-smelling savour from the sacrifice of propitiation. See the de- claration of these things in our exposition of Heb. ix.
In answer unto this mystical type, the great High Priest of the church, our Lord Jesus Christ, being to enter into the " holy place not made with hands," did, by the glorious prayer recorded in this chapter, influenced from the blood of his sacrifice, fill the heavens above, the glorious place of God's residence, with a cloud of incense, or the sweet perfume of his blessed intercession, typed by the incense offered by the high priest of old. By the same eternal fire wherewith he offered himself a bloody sacrifice to make atonement for sin, he kindled in his most holy soul those desu'es for the application of all its benefits unto his church which are here expressed, and wherein his intercession doth consist.
It is only one passage in the verse above named that at present I design an inquiry into. And this is the subject-matter of what the Lord Christ here desires in the behalf of those given him by the Father, — namely, THAT THEY MAY BEHOLD His GLORY.
286 THE GLORY OF CHEIST.
It is evident that in this prayer the Lord Christ hath respect unto his own glory and the manifestation of it, which he had in the en- trance asked of the Father, verses 4, 5. But in this place he hath not so much respect unto it as his own, as unto the advantage, benefit, satisfaction, and blessedness of his disciples, in the beholding of it. For these things were the end of all that mediatory glory which was given unto him. So Joseph charged his brethren, when he had re- vealed himself unto them, that they should tell his father of all his " glory in Egj^t," Gen. xlv. 13. This he did, not for an ostentation of his own glory, but for the satisfaction which he knew his father would take in the knowledge of it. And such a manifestation of his glory unto his disciples doth the Lord Christ here desire, as might fill them with blessed satisfaction for evermore.
This alone, which is here prayed for, will give them such satisfac- tion, and nothing else. The hearts of believers are like the needle touched by the loadstone, which cannot rest until it comes to the point whereunto, by the secret virtue of it, it is directed. For being once touched by the love of Christ, receiving therein an impression of secret ineffable virtue, they will ever be in motion, and restless, until they come unto him, and behold his glory. That soul which can be satis- fied without it, — that cannot be eternally satisfied with it, — is not par- taker of the efficacy of his intercession.
I shall lay the foundation of the ensuing Meditations in this one assertion, — namely, That one of the greatest privileges and advance- ments of believers, both in this world and unto eternity, consists in their beholding the glory of CHRIST. This, therefore, He desires for them in this solemn intercession, as the complement of all his other requests in their behalf; — " That they may behold my glory," — ^"iva ^supuffi, — that they may see, view, behold, or contemplate on my glory. The reasons why I assign not this glorious privilege only unto the heavenly state, which is principally respected in this place, but apply it unto the state of believers in this world also, with their duties and privileges therein, shall be immediately declared.