Chrift, makes for the glory of the Father. God is hone oured, in the honour and glory he confers on Chrift, as the mediator, and redeemer of men. And therefore the apoftle fays, that the exaltation of Jefus Chrift is. to the glory of God the Father. Phil. iì. 11.

And this is to the glory of God the Father, partly, as God herein manifefts the glory of his liberality and juftice, in rewarding that obedience which his Son Jefus Chrift has yielded unto him and alfo the glory of his. love, mercy and grace towards finners, in that he does. fo accept and honour Jefus Chrift, who has undertaken. the work of their redemption. Again, the glorification of Chrift is to the glory of the Father, inafmuch as this makes way for Chrift's glorifying of him. Hence Jefus Chrift prayed, Father, glorify thy Son, that thy Son may. alfo glorify thee. Joh. xvii. 1. Chrift in his exalted state: glorifies his Father, by interceeding with him for the falvation of finners, and by governing all things in a subordination to his glory. As Chrift honoured his Father on earth by his mediatory performances, fo he still hon. ours him in heaven by what he does there as mediator.. Again, the glorification of Chrift is to the glory of God the Father, inafmuch as this is a great and powerful motive to all the faints to give glory to God. They do praise God the Father for this glorious mediator, and for that glory which he has conferred on him, whereby he is capacitated and fitted to fave them to the uttermost. (Luk. i. 68, 69.) So that the Father's glorifying of Jefus Chrift tends greatly to his own glory. And for this reafon God glorifies Jefus Chrift, because his own glory is thereby advanced.

APPLICATION.

USE 1. Hence fee how great a fin it is, to dishonour Jefus Chrift. In the days of his humiliation, he charged fome with difhonouring of him. Joh. viii. 49 Te do difbonour me. And now in his ftate of exaltation, he may lay the fame charge unto multitudes of men.

Many

Many, yea, moft men, do dishonour him. Ex. gr. They do difhonour him, that disbelieve him. Many do not believe or give credit to the great doctrines which he taught, concerning his own perfon, his divine and human natures, his glorious offices, &c. Such as thefe do difhonour him, by reprefenting him as a falfe witnefs, testifying things that were not true. Again, they do difhonour Jefus Chrift, who do diftruft him, refufing to reft in him alone for falvation. Thefe do difhonour. him, by reprefenting him as one that is not able or willing to fave them. Again, they do difhonour him, who difefteem him, making no great account of him, or preferring other things to him. Thefe do difhonour him, by reprefenting him as one that is comparatively vile and bafe. Again, they do dishonour him, who difobey him, refufing to yield fubjection to him. Thefe do difhonour him by reprefenting him as one that is not worthy to be feared and obeyed.

Now, all fuch as thefe are guilty of very great fin.. For they do act contrary to God the Father, who has glorified Jefus Christ. And in thus doing, they do practically charge God, with fhewing fuch refpect to Jefus Chrift as he is not worthy of. And how pro

voking muft this needs be unto God, to tax him with conferring honour upon an unmeet object? In truth, nothing is more difpleafing to God, than dishonour. done to his Son Jefus Chrift, or an imagination that God does not well in putting honour upon him. O Ο then let us beware of difhonouring the Lord Jefus Christ. Let us take heed that we be not, guilty of f great a fin, left we be punished at the laft with the foreft punishment to all eternity.

USE 2. This calls upon us not to be ashamed of Jefus Chrift. God the Father has owned him, honoured him, and highly exalted him. We therefore fhould not be afhamed to own him, and his ways, and his people. The threatnings and feoffs of an unholy and profane world fhould not make us afhamed to confef

Chrift openly, and to give up our felves unto him. This glorious Lord, is one of whom we have not the leaft cause to be afhamed. The day is coming, when this fhall be evident to all the world. When he fhall appear in that glory which the Father has given him, every eye fhall fee, and every tongue fhall confefs, that there was no reafon to be afhamed of him. O let us ferioufly think of that great day, and how unalike it will then fare with thofe that have made fincere confeffion of him, and with those that have been afhamed of him, that fo we may own him, and not be afhamed of him now in this world. Our Lord himfelf fets this before us as a matter of folemn confideration in this cafe, Matth. *. 32. Whofoever ball confefs me before men, him will I confefs alfo before my Father which is in heaven. Mark viii. 38. Whofoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this finful and adulterous generation, of him alfo shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of bis.. Father, with the holy angels. O how great an honour and happiness will it be, to be owned by the Lord of glory in that day! And how great a mifery will it be, to have Jefus Chrift afhamed of us and difown us in that day, and fay to us," Depart from me, for I know you not!" If this thould prove our unhappy portion, then will contempt, and fhame, and wrath be poured out upon us, to the uttermoft, and to all eternity.

USE 3. This doctrine affords abundant confulation to all true believers in Jefus Chrift. God the Father's glorifying Chrift, efpecially now in heaven, adminifters great matter of comfort, to fuch as are interested in Jefus Chrift by faith in him. For,

r.

1. It may affure them of the faving vertue of Christ's Jufferings and death for them. Here it is to be confidered, that God laid their iniquities upon Jefus Christ. Hence he was to answer for them, and pay their debt to the juftice of God, by making full fatisfaction for ' their fins. This he undertook the doing of, by making himfelf a facrifice for their fins in his death upon

the

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the crofs.---Now, that this death of his was of fufficient value to fatisfy for their fins, is most evident, in that God has glorified him in heaven, after his oblation of himfelt on earth. Had he not fully anfwered all the demands of divine juftice, he had never been raised from the dead, and received up into glory. His glori fication, is a clear demonftration, of the fulaefs of his fatisfaction, and that he has paid our debt. to the utmoft farthing. Heb. i. 3. When he had by himself purged our fins, he fat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. His fitting down at the right hand of God above, or his high dignity and advancement in heaven, is a full proof that he has purged our fins, or made perfect atonement and fatisfaction for them. And how comforting a meditation is this, to all true believers, for whom Chrift died! When they confider, that God the Father has glorified Jefus Chrift their furety, they may be affured, that the guilt of all their fins is removed from them, fo as that they fhall never be condemned for them. Thus the apoftle argues, unto the confolation of all true believers, Rom. viii. 33, 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juftifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Chrift that died, yea, rather that is rifen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alfo maketh interceffion for us. Chrift's being at the right hand of God in heaven, is a comforting evidence to believers, that Chrift by dying for them has exempted them from condemnation, and obtained a difcharge for them.

2. It may affure them, that they thall alfo be glorified with Jefus Chrift in heaven. Here we are to confider that God has glorified Jefus Chrift, not meerly as a fingle individual, or private perfon, that acted for himfelf alone; but as a common or publick perfon, that reprefented, and acted for others. He is glorified, in the quality of the bead, furety, and reprefentative, of all that belong to the election of grace. The glorification therefore of Jefus Chrift in heaven, is a certain pledge and affurance, that God's elect, the chofen generation

of believers, Thall alfo be glorified in heaven. If the head be glorified, fo fhall likewife all the members.. If the bridegroom be advanced, fo fhall the bride. He is therefore gone before to prepare a glorious place for them in his Father's houfe, (Joh. xiv. 2.) and he has prayed for them, that they may be with him where he is, to fee, and fhare in, the glory God has given to him, (Joh. xvii. 24.) and he will at last come again, to carry them to his glorious kingdom, and to make them partakers of his glory. Col. iii. 4. When Chrift who is our life fhall appear, we shall alfo appear with him in glory. O what comfort is this!

USE 4. Let us alfo glorify Jefus Chrift. If God the Father has glorified him, this fhould be an inducement to us, to glorify him, as far as we are capable of doing it. Herein we shall act in a conformity to God, which is our duty and honour. There fhould be in us an holy ambition to resemble God, as much as we can. And in this point we fhould imitate God, by honouring those whom he honours, especially Jefus Chrift, whom he most honours. If we are the dear children of God, we fhall in this cafe be followers of God. Him whom the great King and God of heaven delights to honour, we should alfo delight to honour.--But befides this motive to glorify Chrift, which our doctrin & fuggefts unto us, I may here fet before you feveral other confiderations, to excite hereunto.

1. God the Holy Ghoft does alfo glorify Jefus Christ. Thus Jefus Chrift faid of the holy Spirit, Job. xvi. 14. He shall glorify me...He glorified Chrift, by infpiring the penmen of the holy fcriptures, wherein the glory of Chrift is revealed to the world. The fcriptures alone do declare unto men, what a glorious perfon the Lord Jefus Chrift is. Therein the wonderful glory of Jefus Chrift is clearly manifefted. Now it was the holy Spirit, who infpired and guided them in this infallible revelation of the glory of Chrift. And herein, the holy Spirit has glorified Jefus Chrift.It is alfo the holy