SERMONS upon Serlrì. I, Signification of the Divine Power in his Death, to'undecei -ve the World ; and that the Difciples might receive no Scandll by his Croe. 2. Glory after Death; fo iris Paid, John 7. 39. That the Spirit was not yet given, be- caafe Chrif was not yet glorified. Till his Refurre &ion and Afcenfion into Heaven, he was not inaugurated into the Headfhip of the Church, and gave -not out thofe Royal Largefles and Gifts of the Spirit. So that by this Prayer Chrift intendeth the Refur- re&ion, and all the Confequents of it. His ReCurre &ion, by which his Divinity was. declared; Rom. t. 4. And declared to be the Son of God, with Power, according to the Spirit of Hálinefs, by the Refsrrellion from the Dead. His Afcenfion, and invifible Triumph, Col, a. t 5. Having #oiled Principalities and Powers, he made a fliew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. EpheC 4.8. When he afeended on High, he led Capti- vity captive, and gave Gifts unto Men. The Reception of his Humanity to Heaven, and his fitting down at the right Hand of God : Phil. 2. 9, lo, 1 T. Wherefore God alfo bath highlfexalted him, and given him a Name above every Name : That at the Name of efs every Knee Amid bow, of things in Heaven, and things in Earth, and things under the Earth : And that every Tongue fhould confer, that plus Chrifif is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. His Inauguration into the Throne, and Authority over all Things. The preaching of the Gofpel in his Name, together with the fuccefs of it. Ifa. 55. 4, 5. Behold, I have given him for a Witnefs to the People, a Leader and Commander to the People. Behold, thou (halt call a Nation that thou knemefi not ; and Nations that know not thee, (hall run unto thee ; becaufe of the Lord thy Gad, and for the Holy One of grad for he bath glorified thee. His Return at the Day of Judgment, with Power and great Glory. The Petition mull be explained, according to the Event of all the Glory that God put upon Chrilt after his Paffion. The meaning of the whole is, Hitherto I have laid afide my Glory, and now lay down my Life; fuftain me by thine Arm, that I may overcome Death ; and raife ,me again with Triumph and Honour, that I may go into Glory, leading Captivity captive, and receive the Principality 5 that by the Re- furre&ion, publication of the Gofpel, and Taft Judgment, the Glory of my Divinity may be known and acknowledged. . But how doth.Chrifl pray, Glorify me;-when he faith elfewhere, John 8. 5. 'lick not nay own Glory ? I Anfwer, Chrift fpeaketh there of himlelf, in the Judgment of his Adverfaries, who thought him a meer Man, and Iheweth that he came not as an Impoftor, to Peek himfelf: God would well enough provide for his Glory and Efteem. There he dilclaimeth all particular, privat Aims, Affe &ions, and Attempts ; here he fueth out his Right, according'to his Father's Promife. Obferve hence; r. Chrilt faith, The Hour is come ; and then, Father glorify me. The true Remedy of Tribulation, is to look to the fucceeding Glory, and to counter-ballance future Dangers with prefent Hopes. In this Prayer, Chrilt reviveth the Grounds of Confidence: One is, Father, glorify me : This was Comfort againfl that fad Hour ; and fo it mutt be our courfe, Not to look to things which are fen, but to things that are not fen, 2 Cor. to defeat Senfe by Faith. When the Mind is in Heaven, it is fortified againft the Pains which the Body feeleth on Earth. Strong Affe&ions give us a kind' of Dedo- lency ; a Man will venture a knock, that is in reach of a Crown, t Tim. 4.8.' It is the folly of Chriltians, to let Fancy work altogether upon prefent Difcouragements. Faith thould be fixed in the contemplation of future Hopes: It is a fad Hour, but there is Glory in the blue and dole. a. Obfrve again ; Firft, Chrift had his Hour; then he faith, Glorify me. Luke 24. 26. Ought not Chrifi to f ffèr, and then to enter into his Glory ? Shame, Sorrow, and Death,is the Road -way to Glory, Ìoy and Life; The Captain of our Salvation was thus made perfeêr, Heb. a. to. and all the Followers of the Lamb are brought in by that Method. It is the folly of fome, that think to be in Heaven, before they have done any thing for God's Glory.upon Earth. You would invert the Method, and ftated courfe of Heaven. None is crowned, except he ftrive lawfully, 2 Tim. 2. 5, 6. and Verf s t, t 2. It is a faithfulflying : for if we be dead with him, we (ball alfo live with him : If we Her, we fbball alfa reign with him. Ie hath the Seal of a conftant Difpenfation, it is a faithful Saying. All the Promifes run, To him that overcometb. We mull have Com- munion with Chrift in all Elates. Rom. 8. a7. If fo be that ye fufer with him, that ye may be alto glorified together. It is a neceffary Condition: We are Heirs, if fo be that we fifer with him, &c. We are too delicate, we would have our Path ftrewed with Rotes, and do not like this Dífcipline. Abel fignifles Mourning, and Stephen a Crown, they
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