A Comment Upon Christs Last Prayer, Verse 24
Verſe 24.
Father, I will that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, be with me, where I am; that they may behold my Glory, which thou haſt given me: for thou loved'ſt me before the Foundation of the World.
IN this Prayer of our Savior, two things were eſpecially attended.
1. He prayeth for himſelf, to verſe 6.
2. The for his Children, from thence to the end.
And that, Either eſpecially for his Apoſtles, becauſe the greatneſs of the Work now under their hand, their preſſures and difficulties that would neceſſarily attend them therein, the large meaſure of Grace and Abilities that might ſuit them to ſo weighty and Spiritual employment, together with the need of more than an ordinary preſence and aſſiſtance of the Lord, without which, they would not only be unfitted for a buſineſs of that worth, but wholly diſcouraged in it. Therefore the Lord Jeſus laies in for a larger meaſure of Spiritual ſupply and relief for them in the firſt place, and here he is marvelous importunate, to verſe 20.
Or elſe for al the Faithful, that ever did, or for the future ſhould beleeve in him unto the end of the World, whoſe caſe he commends from Verſe 20. and the things he begs, are partly ſuch which might concern their Spirittual good in an eſpecial manner in this Life; and becauſe that was the Root and Treaſury of al the reſt of their good things, in which they were contained, and from whence they might be received, he propounds and purſues with much inſtancy of deſire, That they might be one, as the Father and Son were one. Partly ſuch as did concern their everlaſting welfare in the world to come; and this our Savior (as though he would carry them to Heaven, being preſently to aſcend himſelf) ſeeks to the Father for, here in the cloſure of his Prayer: that ſo nothing might be wanting, that either they did need, or could deſire; but that they might be fully furniſhed with a ſufficiency of ſupply, for whatſoever concerned either Grace or Glory; the preſent comfort of this, or the happineſs of a better life.
Thus the Lord laies in Proviſion, and that in a plentiful manner:
1. That which might fit them for their way and Voyage, while they are travelling towards their home.
2. That which might give them ſweet welcome when they came at the end of their Hopes.
Our Savior is not ſatisfied until he ſee them in the Haven, ſafely arrived in Heaven with himſelf, beyond al the rage of Devils, and malice of Men, dangers of Sin, or the ſorrows of the Grave, and Death.
In this 24. Verſe, and Prayer of our Savior, we may attend Four Things:
1. A Deſcription of the Parties for whom Chriſt praies, from that Spiritual reſpect and relation they had to him, Thoſe that thou haſt given me, together with the cauſe of it; his Father gave them.
2. The thing he deſires, That they might be where he is, namely, That they might enjoy a likeneſs Condition with our Savior, in regard of the glory and ſecurity of the place, and mutual ſociety of each others preſence: or elſe a Parity, if we look at the kind. That they, who had been in the ſame Storms, might be in the ſame Haven, enjoy the ſame eaſe, and honorable ſafety, ſhare in the Society of that glorious and ſafe Condition, when their hearts ſhal be raviſhed with the remembrance of the wonderful Salvation and Deliverances that have been wrought for them, the ſurpaſſing excellency of Grace and Glory that hath been purchaſed and beſtowed upon them ſo unworthy: Swallowed up with the admiration of the ſight and preſence of our Savior, who hath ſuffered, aſcended, ſits at the right hand of the Father, and hath taken poſſeſſion of al Glory, that they may be poſſeſſed of the ſame by him, and with him. And the alſo ſolacing himſelf with the ſight and preſence of thoſe whom he hath ſo loved, ſo redeemed, ſo graced, ſo advanced, as himſelf, as though he could not have been in Heaven, unleſs they might come to Heaven.
3. The End why he begs this: That they might be with him, that they might ſee the Glory of Chriſt which hath been given him of the Father. Not that they might have any Glory in themſelves, or ſee, or ſatisfie themſelves with their own glory: but that they might gaze upon the Glory of the Lord Jeſus through al Worlds, and that's al they have to do in Heaven.
4. We have the firſt Fountain whence this Glory proceeds, to wit, hence; Becauſe the Father hath loved him, before the Foundation of the World was laid.
In the General, from the Scope of the whol, obſerve: