Further, he was to introduce and establish a new dispen- sation. And this, too, he did ; fulfilling and abrogating every part of the Mosaic Law : and erecting " a kingdom, which consisted not in meats and drinks and carnal ordinances, but. in righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghostg."
In a word, there was not any one part of his mediatorial work, so far as it could be completed at this time, that had not been accomplished : so that our Lord's appeal, in relation to it all, was just and true.]
From this appeal we proceed to notice,
II. His petition, founded upon it —
He had, in the commencement of this prayer, de- sired to be glorified on earth h : and now he requests that he may be glorified in heaven. He had from all eternity possessed a glory with the Father —
[From eternity had he " been in the bosom of the Father1." In truth, he was one with the Father: for that very " "Word which was made flesh, was in the beginning with God, and was Godk." Yes ; " being in the form of God, and thinking it not robbery to be equal with God, he made him- self of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men : and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross1." This he did for the purpose of accomplishing the work he had undertaken, the work of redeeming and saving a ruined world. But, having done all that was necessary for the effecting of this great purpose,]
He desired to resume the glory, which for a season he had laid aside —
[Not only did he desire that his humiliation, as God, should cease ; but that his exaltation, as man, should com- mence ; and that, in his human-nature, he might possess all the dignity and glory to which it was entitled by its union with the Godhead. It had been the instrument of effecting Jehovah's purposes ; and therefore it was right that it should participate the glory of that divine nature to which it was united, and in connexion with which it had accomplished this great work. And now, agreeably to this request, that God- man, who died upon the cross, is " highly exalted, and has a name given to him above every name, that at the name of .lesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things
fc' Rom. xiv. 17. h ver. 1. ' John i. IS.
* John i. 1, 14. " Phil. ii. 6—8.
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in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father111." On the very throne of God the human-nature sits : for Jesus there appears as "a Lamb that has been slain" :" and there does he receive the praises both of men and angels, on a perfect equality with the Father0. And though the time will come when the mediatorial office will cease, and the kingdom established by means of it will be given up to the Father1* ; yet to all eternity will Jesus be the Head of his elect people, the acknowledged Author of all their bliss, and, to- gether with the Father, the object of universal adoration.]
Whilst we thus view the Saviour in his last moments, we may learn from his dying words much which respects his followers :
1. The ground of their hopes —
[What hope has any man but what is founded altogether on the finished work of Christ ? Had he left any part of his work undone, not a human being could ever have been saved. What if his atonement had been incomplete ? What if he had not wrought out a perfect righteousness? What if he had not gone to heaven to carry on the work which he began on earth ? Is there one amongst us that could have supplied the least deficiency ? But, thanks be to God ! there is no need of any thing to be added to His all-perfect work. There is in Christ a sufficiency, not for us only, but also for the whole world: nor shall any soul that relies on Him ever perish. Only let our reliance on him be simple, and without the least mixture of self-dependence, and we have nothing to fear ; for " He is able to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by Him."]