One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 5
SERMON V. Of the Nature and Manifeſtations of that Glory which Chriſt praied for, and is invested with; And how comfortable it is to all his Members,
JOH. 17.1.
Glorifie thy Sonne, that thy Sonne alſo may glorifie thee.
WE take the words as they lie in order, The two former Arguments to enforce Chriſts Petition have been diſpatched, We come now to the Petition it ſelf, Glorifie thy Sonne, and here it will be at firſt objected, How Chriſt who is alſo God can be glorified: It may ſeem that he can no more need glory being the fountain of it, then the Sunne light, or the Sea water.
How Chriſt who is God can be glorified.To open this, Conſider,
Firſt, That to glorifie is taken two waies in the Scripture.
1, By any teſtimony of words, or otherwiſe to acknowledge the greatneſs and honour of another, and in this ſence only are we ſaid to glorifie God, for we cannot indeed adde any thing to his glory, he is eſſentially glorious, though there bad never been any creature to acknowledge it, only we manifeſt and celebrate that glory which God had before, Thus gloria is ſaid to be clara notitia.
2. To glorifie is by reall exhibition and vouchſafing of honour and glory to thoſe who had it not already, and thus God glorifieth us, Whom he juſtifieth, he glorifieth, Rom. 8. 1 Joh. 2. Thoſe that honour me, viz. by declaration or manifeſtation, God will honour by reall exhibition; Now if we look on Chriſt as God, having the ſame honour with him, then when he praieth God would glorifie him, it muſt be only in manifeſtation, That whereas he had been in outward appearance the meaneſt of men, now God would manifeſt that he was the naturall Sonne of God, But this is not all.
In the next place, we may ſay Chriſt hath a twofold glory.
1. That which was eſſentiall and eternall, which he had from the beginning with God, for being God he could not really be diveſted of that glory.
2. There is his Mediatory glory; That which he hath not as God but as Mediatour; This God beſtowed upon him after he had been in the ſtate of humiliation, for after all that debaſement and miſery he willingly undertook, God did exalt him to glory, and gave him a name above all principalities and powers: yea, giving all power in heaven and earth to him; The government of the whole Church, and a command over all Ordinances and duties therein, to bleſſe and give ſucceſſe to them, of which the Scripture ſpeaketh often.
3. It hath been greatly diſputed,Whether Chriſt did merit glory for himſelf. Whether this glory and exaltation was by Chriſt truly merited at Gods hands, whether from his ſufferings he merited at Gods hand all that glory he ſpeaks of; All confeſſe he did not merit to himſelf the hypoſtatical Union nor his habituall grace, or the happineſſe of his ſoul, becauſe no merit could precede theſe, only this is diſputed, Whether all that honour and glory which accrewed to him after his birth, and before and after his death, he did truly merit at Gods hand by his active and paſſive obedience: Some not only of the Papiſts but of the Orthodox, as Zanchy, contend he did truly merit this, though here he praieth for it; Others as reſolutely deny it, becauſe Chriſt had no reſpect to him, but to us only in this work of redemption; Others think it is but raſhneſſe and curioſity to buſie our ſelves in the Point; but I have ſpoken to this more fully in the doctrine of Juſtification, and ſhall ere we come to the end of this Chapter more particularly conſider the Socinian errours in this Point. This is plain, the Scripture affirmeth God hath appointed ſuch an order, that firſt he muſt ſuffer, and then enter into glory, as Phil. 2.8. Luk 24.26. Rom. 5.9▪ Here is an order, but whether it be of meer antecedency, or cauſality and merit, that is not expreſly ſaid, I ſhall not trouble you in it, it's enough, that we ſee God did anſwer this Petition he praieth for, and that in every reſpect to the higheſt degree, Father, glorifie thy Sonne.
Obſ.Doct. It was the holy and wiſe will of God to glorifie Chriſt. That it was the holy and wiſe will of God the Father to exalt and glorifie Chriſt. Gods great purpoſe from all Eternity was to give honour and glory to Chriſt: Indeed Chriſt while he was here on the earth, had ſome beamlings of this glory, ſome irradiations now and then, Joh. 12.28. Therefore the Father told Chriſt he had both glorified his Name, and would glorifie it; Gods purpoſe to glorifie Chriſt was above that purpoſe to glorifie men, for they are but members, and he is the head▪ yea, ſome ſay, this deſign to glorifie Chriſt is ſo immutable and abſolutely intended by God, that though man had not fallen, yet they ſay Chriſt would have been incarnated and exalted by the Father: But if we conſult with Scripture we have no other reaſon there aſſigned of Chriſts coming into the fleſh, but of ſaving ſinners: Now leſt it ſhould be thought that while we preach of Chriſts glory,Chriſts being inveſted with glory redounds to the advantage of his members. this is nothing to us, and what comfort or profit is that to us, to hear that Chriſt in his own perſon is inveſted with ſuch glory, you muſt know that this redounds to our profit and advantage much every way; For
1. Chriſts glorification is a plain demonſtration of his Conqueſt over all our Enemies; For had death and the grave, or the Prince of this world been prevailing over him ſtill, he could not have been glorified,1. It's a demonſtration of his conqueſt over all our enemies and ſo that would have been true, he did not ſave himſelf, and therefore could not ſave others; Therefore it's a moſt comfortable ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, to hear that Chriſt is glorified, for this proclaimeth to all, that no enemy could have any power over him, that all our adverſaries are vanquiſht; That our David hath killed the Goliah, ſo then hear this Truth with comfort, with attention, it concerneth all the godly; It's bleſſed news to hear Chriſt is glorified, for then thy ſinnes, thy guilt, thy death, and every thing thou feareſt is conquered; If any of theſe do accuſe thee, ſay, if a diſcharge had not been fully made, how could Chriſt be glorified?
2. Becauſe of rhat near relation that is between us.2. It makes much to our eomfort, becauſe of that near relation which is between us ſo miſerable and afflicted here, and Chriſt our head now glorified: What can be a greater cordiall, then in the midſt of all thoſe exerciſes and trials and reproaches the people of God are debaſed with, then to think they have a glorified head in heaven? Though they be contemptible, he is not: This is but a conformity to him in his ſufferings, that we may alſo reſemble him in glory.
3. His glorification a cauſe of ours.3. It is much to our comfort and advantage to hear of this, becauſe his glorification is a ſure and effectual cauſe of ours, ſo that our hearts may greatly rejoyce at this truth; For as the Apoſtle argueth from Chriſts Reſurrection, If he be riſen then ſhall we alſo certainly riſe; So doth the Argument unavoidably follow, if Chriſt be glorified then ſhall we alſo be glorified with him; ſo that when thoſe innumerable Objections do ariſe, how ſhall theſe vile bodies ever be made glorious? How ſhall theſe corrupt and weak ſouls ever be made happy and bleſſed? The anſwer is eaſie, What is already done to Chriſt glorified, will in time be fulfilled to us; Death and the grave had no dominion over him, no more ſhall it have over us: Hence it is that the Scripture ſaith, We are already ſet down with Chriſt in heavenly places, Eph. 2.6. becauſe he is our head; Fear not then, ſuch a glorified head will not forget his members: He ſaid, He went to provide a manſion place, Joh. 14.2. It cannot then be but that Chriſt will ſet you on Thrones of his glory as well as he himſelf is ſet; So that this doctrine is wholly for thy comfort.
4. In his glorified eſta…e he is pleading for us4. It may much rejoyce us to hear that Chriſt is glorified, becauſe in this state of glorification he is mindeful of us and pleading for us; So that howſoever the greateſt parts or effects of our mediation were ſeen in the time of his humiliation by his life and his death; The Scripture attributeth all the mercies we do enjoy, yet ſince he aſcended into heaven, and is partaker of all this power, he maketh interceſſion for us, his daily will is that the priviledges he purchaſed ſhould be applied to us; He daily acts as a King ſubduing our luſts, conquering our corruptions, applying his comforts and conſolations to his people; Well then, Chriſt is glorified not for himſelf only, neither is he exalted for his own honour meerly, but it is for our glory as well as his, for our honour as well as his; As Joſeph was lifted up in Pharaohs Court, not for himſelf meerly, but for his brethren to ſuccour them in their neceſſities; And as the glorious effects of the Sun are not ſo much for it ſelf as for us the Creatures below; oh then let thy ſoul caſt off all unbelief and trouble when it heareth of Chriſt glorified, for in all this glory he doth not forget thee, he is not aſhamed of thee.
5. It encourageth us to lift up our hearts to heaven.Laſtly, This advantage the ſoul may make of this Truth, thereby to lift up our hearts to heaven, and to deſire to be there where our glorified head is; Thus the Apoſtle he longs to depart to be with Chriſt, Phil. 1.23. and the Church longs for and haſtens the coming of Chriſt, from whence we look for Chriſt, ſaith the Apoſtle, Phil. 3.21. Who ſhall change our vile bodies into his glorious body. Oh this ſhould make us draw off all our affections and deſires from other things, Chriſt glorified ſhould be the loadſtone, we ſhould not be at eaſe or quietneſſe till we come to him, which made Auſtin ſay, That as there were ſome men who needed patience to die, ſo there were others, who needed patience to live, for the love and deſire after Chriſt did ſo burn in their hearts, that having taſted of this honey, they judged every thing elſe gall and wormwood, ſo that this Truth may be like fire burning in our bones.
In the next place let us conſider the nature of this glory,The nature of this glory which Chriſt praied for. There were three degrees to it. which Chriſt praied for.
And 1. There were three degrees to it.
The firſt and immediate beginning of this glory, was upon his Reſurrection: After the black and diſmall clouds this Sunne had been in, the firſt glory of it began to appear in its Reſurrection from the grave: By this he was conqueror of death and the grave; By this he judged the Prince of the world; Till this was, in all mens thoughts Chriſt ſeemed to be overcome, in all appearance he was now brought under the power and command of death and Satan. He was judged weak till this power diſcovered it ſelf, and this reſurrection being not only by the Fathers power but his own. He being the Sampſon that brake the barres and bonds of death, it was thereby made manifeſt to all the world, that he was the Sonne of God; Reſurrection is ſuch an impoſſible thing to humane reaſon, and ſo incredible, that Paul was cried down, for a vain babler, Act. 17.18. in promulging ſuch doctrine, and only in the Church of God, Was ever ſuch a thing heard of? But this Reſurrection was remarkable in Chriſt who not only raiſed himſelf from the dead, but alſo cauſed many others to riſe with him, here was the firſt degree of his glory.
2. The ſecond degree was his aſcenſion into heaven, and this did exceed his Reſurrection, for though he was riſen, yet he converſed with his diſciples, did eat and drink with them occaſionally, ſo that he was to partake of greater and fuller glory, when he aſcended into heaven. This Aſcenſion of his into Heaven was great matter of wonderment and aſtoniſhment to his Diſciples; They all ſtood admiring when he was carried up thither, Act. 1.
3. The laſt and chiefeſt degree of this glory, was ſitting down at the right hand of God; By which expreſſion is meant that great and wonderfull honour which God put upon him, he ſitteth at the right hand, that demonſtrateth a full and compleat victory over all his enemies, and a quiet poſſeſſion of this glory: In theſe three things lieth all the glory Chriſt praieth for, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, and ſitting down at Gods right hand, all which immediatly followed his paſſions and ſufferings, and God had appointed ſuch an order, that one muſt be before the other, and ſuch a way God alſo doth take with his people: They muſt have a Crown of thorns before they have a Crown of glory.
In the third place let us conſider ſome of the moſt eminent and chiefeſt particulars, wherein this glory of Chriſt doth manifeſt it ſelf.Wherein this glory of Chriſt doth conſiſt.
And 1. It lieth in that ſpirituall command and authority which he hath in his Church; This is expreſſed when he ſaith, All power is given to me in heaven and earth, therefore go make diſciples, and baptize. Here you ſee the Inſtitution of Sacraments is founded upon that power given to Chriſt, and from this it is Eph. 4, That upon his Aſcention, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men: By this power the Church of God is like Solomons Queen richly attired in all curious needle-work; It's from this glory of Chriſts that he putteth ſuch glory on the Church, ſo that for all the Ordinances and diſpenſations thereof, for all the ſucceſſe and benefit to be reaped by them, We are to look up to Chriſt, hereupon we ſay, that to bring any other doctrine, any other Sacrament or worſhip then Chriſt hath appointed, is a capitall crime; It's to invade the Jura regalia, which Chriſt hath obtained of God, and therefore to deſpiſe the Ordinances, the gifts, the Miniſtery that Chriſt hath appointed in his Church, is to neglect and contemn a great part of that glory God put on Chriſt for this end Col. 3. You have the Apoſtle running out into ſuch full and large expreſſions concerning Chriſt, making him the head of the Church, in whom God hath put all fulneſſe, that he is to have the preheminence in all things; Let us not then deſpiſe but magnifie all the Ordinances, Offices, and gifts Chriſt hath appointed, for when he aſcended in his triumph to heaven, he ſcattered theſe gifts as great Emperours do uſe to do large bounties to their people, and they are for heavenly and ſpirituall advantages, All power he hath is to bleſſe, to convert. to comfort, to ſanctifie every Ordinance about which we are emploied.
2. Another particular of his glory, is to make all things ſubject to him; whatſoever dignities or principalities there are, that all ſhould acknowledge and bow to him; This is the Sunne to which all the Stars do their obeiſance; This is the name that God gave him above all Names, that every knee, every creature ſhould ſubmit to him, Phil. 2. By name is not meant bowing the knee at the name of it, that was never heard of till many years after Chriſt in the Church, but by name according to Scripture cuſtome is meant Chriſt himſelf; Even as the Name of God is God himſelf, glorious, manifeſted, beleeved on, and every way exalted; Now this ſubjection all give to him as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, is twofold, in ſome it is voluntary and willing, Pſa. 110. Thy people ſhall be willing in the day of thy power, Chriſt doth by his glorious power change and alter their natures, whereby they are full of love and chearfulneſs in taking him to be their Lord and King; They do readily obey his commands, ſo that the glory of Chriſt is magnified by all his Children; But then there is a neceſſitated and forced ſubmiſſion, ſuch whom he is ſaid to rule with a rod of iron, and the devils who are under the earth, they by conſtraint ſubmit unto him.
3. This glory vouchſafed unto Chriſt is, that all things ſhould be done in his Name; All Church-meetings, all Church-cenſures, all Church-duties, ſhould be wholly performed in and by him; Thus for praier, whatſoever ye ſhall ask in my name, Joh. 14.13. For Church-meetings, when two or three are gathered together in my Name, Mat. 18.20. For Church-cenſures, When you are met together in Chriſts Name to deliver ſuch an one to Satan, 1 Cor. 5. Thus the glory of Chriſt is wonderfully magnified in the Aſſembly of the Saints, for every thing that is due is accepted of in Chriſts Name; No praier is received but in Chriſts Name, no performance hath its due effect, but in Chriſts Name; This heavenly and holy Court is kept in Chriſts Name only; We are to preach in his Name, we baptize in his Name, all things have their ſucceſſe and efficacy, as they come out in his Name; Thus (beloved) you ſee that all our thoughts and deſires ſhould be to glorifie Chriſt, If it be the Fathers will to glorifie him, it ſhould be ours much more.
4. This glory given to Chriſt will be wonderfully expreſſed in the day of judgement, for 1. then he ſhall make known his power and majeſty to all the world; what glorious deſcriptions have we in the Scripture of Chriſt coming to judge? with what terrour and trembling to all beholders? what great alterations and changes will be upon the whole world? What a glorious train of Angels accompanying him? never was ſuch a ſight ſeen, No words can expreſſe it; Now all this is to be managed by the Sonne. The Fathar hath given all judgement to him, and he hath appointed to judge the world by that man Chriſt Jeſus, Act. 17.21. Howſoever then while he was in the fleſh, he was judged by others, he was as a worm and no man, yet then a great alteration will be made; He that was a Lamb ſhall then be like a roaring Lion; The day of Judgement is the greateſt day that ever was or ſhall be, called therefore the day and that day, and the day of the Lord, and the judgement of all things and perſons in the world is given to Chriſt the Sonne of God, and this tends to his exceeding great glory, for then his friends and loyall Subjects ſhall receive their full and finall reward, and then his ſtubborn and obſtinate enemies ſhall receive their compleat puniſhments, all the honour Ahaſhuerus could put on his favorites was nothing to this ſpiritual and heavenly glory, which the Father will put on the Son, for it is a ſpiritual glory, that was a temporall in earthly things only; There are thoſe who would make the kingdom and glory of Chriſt to be in a great manner temporall, and conſiſting in a Monarchy here on earth, but as Chriſts Prieſthood was wholly ſpiritual, ſo alſo is his kingly glory, for as he hath made the godly Kings and Prieſts only in a ſpiritual ſence, thus was he alſo; Here then is work for the eyes of Faith, Come with the Queen of Sheba to ſee all the glory Chriſt hath, not with a bodily eye, but an eye of faith, and thy admiration will be greater then hers was.
2. This glory is eternall, not like the glory of the world, which the devil ſhewed in a moment, it quickly paſſed away, but this will abide for ever; not but that Chriſt ſhall at laſt give up this Kingdome into his Fathers hands again; He ſhall no more diſcharge the acts of an Advocate or Interceſſor for us in heaven, only the glory of this ſhall alwaies continue; It ſhall to all Eternity be recorded, that he was the Mediatour; That he is the Saviour who hath brought us to life and immortality; Thus to all eternity the tongue of all the Saints ſhall be employed in celebrating this glory.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, Is Chriſt thus glorified by the Father? then take this as a ſure pledge of thy glorification in time; It cannot be that he ſhould have glory alone himſelf; No, in this praier he ſaith, Father, I will, that they be where I am; Oh let this comfort and animate thee, my glorified head is in heaven, and will in time make a glorified member ſutable to him.
2. Is it Gods purpoſe to glorifie the Sonne? then let us alſo glorifie him, our hour is continuall, we have occaſion every day, we glorifie him.
1. By bleſſing and praiſing God for him, God never did ſo much for us, as when he gave Chriſt.
2. We glorifie him when we live to him, when we wholly ſet up Chriſt, give him the glory of all the comfort and grace we doe partake of.
3. We glorifie him when we can part with and leave all things for his ſake, when we can ſay, All things are but droſſe in compariſon of him.