JOHN XVII. 24.

Father I will that they aljo whom thou bast given me, be with me, where I am, that they may behold my Glory, I which thou haft given me.

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HE Son of God Incarnate is the Author and the Pattern of our Religion and of our Happiness and we muft pafs, as he did thro' a Religious Life, and a Temporary Death; to a Bleffed Immortality.

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The Text appointed for the Subject of my Difcourfe on this Occafion, contains the Words of Chrift, in.. which he Addreffed himself unto his Father and John 10. our Father; his God, and our God. And as all his 17 Requests were perfectly according to the Will of God; So He never miffed Obtaining those things which he requested. And this is the Confidence we × Fohr 5 ... have in him, that if we ask any thing according to 14, 15. his will, he beareth us. And if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we defired of him.

This Prayer of Chrift was made for his Difciples, before his Paffion. The Character of fuch is, Those whom the Father had given him; as at the 20th v. Those that Believe on Him: Thofe who did at

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that time believe on Him; and those who at any time afterward fhould believe on Him, v. 12. He calls his Twelve Difciples, Those whom thou hast given me; and fays, that of them he had lost none but Judas. The fame Defcription of his Difciples we find v. 11, &v. 9. where they are diftinguished from Infidels, who are called The world.

will.] This expreffion does not import a Command, but a Request: 'tis not an imperious Demand, but a fubmifs Petition. In fuch a Form HeMar.6.25. rodias is reprefented as making her Petition to Herod. And the Sons of Zebedee fo made their Peti34.37.tion to Chrift; Mafter, we would that thou shouldest 38. do for us whatsoever we fall defire. So the Petition of Chrift is made for his Difciples, i.e. Those who have learned of Him to be Religious.

Mir. 10.

Matt. 13.

And the Matter of that Petition is, That they may be with me, where I am.] i. e. where thou haft defigned I fhould be, &c. after this Paffion and Death. Chrift tells the Pharifees (his Enemies) John 7.34. where I am (or where I fhall be when I go unto Him that fent me, v. 23.) thither ye cannot come. Fok.12.26 But he fays, where I am there shall alfo my Ser4.14.2, 3. vants be. And, In my Fathers houfe are many manfions, I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you I will come again, and receive you unto my self, that where I am there ye may 2 Tim.2.12 be alfo. We shall Reign with him. And we shall be ever with the Lord.

1 Tb.4.17.

That they may behold my Glory] i. e. That they may be Witneffes and Partakers of it. And what is the Glory of Chrift, but the Glory of God? For as Chrift is God manifefted in the flejb, fo the Glory of Chrift is the Glory of God: the Brightness of his

Fathers

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Fathers Glory, and the exprefs Image of his Perfon. Heb.1.3. And as the Effential Glory of God belongs unto Chrift, so the External Glories are conferred on Him. St. Stephen faw the Glory of God, and Jefus stand- A&.7.55. ing on the right hand of God: for Jefus was received 1Tm.3.16 up into Glory; and the Son of Man fball come in his Matt. 25. Glory to Judge the world, and then shall he fit upon 31. the throne of his Glory.

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2fet.1.17.

Chrift fays of this Glory;.'Tis that which Thou haft given me.] And there was an Anticipation and Specimen of That, at his Transfiguration; where, Matt. 1. as St. Peter fays, He received from God the Father Honour and Glory. The Son of God was then glorified and he is now fo in the fulleft degree. His Body is now a Glorious Body: and that will be ma- Phil., 1. nifeft at the Glorious appearing of the great Cod, and Tü1.2. 13. our Saviour Jefus Chrift.

The Servants of Chrift fhall be Glorious as He is; and Chrift is Glorious as God is. and God is Glorious in Holiness.

Ex.15.11.

There is a Senfible and a Spiritual Glory: but the Spiritual is Tranfcendant; and that is the Glory of Holiness. So that, Underftanding by Glery here, the Perfection of Holinefs (which is often called Glory) we are by this, to conceive of the Exaltation of the Difciples of Chrift together with Him. The Expectation of this is called The Hope of Glo- Col. 1. 27. ry: the Hope of the Glory of God: Eternal Glory: Komi. 5. 2. an eternal weight of Glory: The Riches of the Glo- 200.4.1. ry of his Inheritance among the Saints in Light. The Truth thus cloathed with Luftre, is plainby this,

Fpb. 1. 18.

That

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That those who are Religious, by an Imitation of Christ, upon Earth; fhall be Happy, by a Commu-> nication from Christ, in Heaven.

Thofe whom God has given him fhall Behold his 2 Cor. 3. Glory and we all with open face Beholding as in a glass the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame Image from Glory to Glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. This is True, and this is Intended concerning this world, as well as concern ing the Other: for Religion is Glory as well ass Happiness; and the Glory of both is a Derivative from Chrift. But the One is Primary and Funda-t mental to the Other; fo that none can Behold that Glory of the Lord Jefus, and be changed: into the fame Image, which is Happinefs; unless He first Behold that Glory of the Lord Jefus which is Religion, and be Changed into the fame Image. For, every One must pass from Glory to Glory: And there is no coming at the confequent and Finals Glory but by that which is Original and antecedent Glory. I fhall therefore fhew

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I. How the Difciples of Chrift are Prepared for that Glory, which is the Enjoyment of Happiness; by the Practice of that Holiness which is the Glory of Religion.

II. How the Practice of that Holinefs which is Religion in the Difciples of Chrift, is Rewarded with the Enjoyment of Happiness in the Glory of Hea

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I. I fhall fhew how the Difciples of Chrift are Prepared for that Glory which is the Enjoyment of Happiness; by the Practice of that Holiness which is the Glory of Religion. This Glory of Religion is a Derivation from Chrift, as well as the Glory of Happiness is: and the Excellency of Religion is moft properly a Divine Glory.

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This is manifeft 2 Cor. 3. in which place the Apoftle compares the Religion of Mofes, and the Religion of Chrift calling the One the Letter; and the Other the Spirit, v. 8. he fpeaks of both as Glorious, and takes his expreffion from the Hiftory of Fact, Ex. 34. where we are told That when Ex. 34.29, Mofes had received the Law of God (which was 30. the Record of that Religion) his Face fhined with fuch a Glory, that the Jews could not bare the divine Splendor; and therefore (while He converfed with them) it was neceffary to cover his Face with a Vail. This was a fenfible Figure of that Spiritual Glory which is upon true Religion, the Image of the Glorious God. But v. 8. we are told by the Apoftle that the Miniftration of the Spirit is rather Glorious. Judaifm was Glorious: but Chrifianity is more Glorious. If the Miniftration of Con- 2 Cor.3.9. demnation be Glory, much more doth the Miniftration of Righteousness exceed in Glory. The Glory of Christianity is fo Tranfcendant, that comparatively the Glory of Judaifm is nothing. For even that which was made Glorious had no Glory in this refpect, by reafon of the Glory which excelleth. And as the Glory of God is upon the Perfection of Religion; fo the Glory of that Religion is upon thofe who are truly Religious. Thus the Righteous is more excel - Pro.12.25

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V. 10.