July 26

JULY 26.—“God is glorified in him.”—John 13:31.

To glorify is taken two ways in the Scripture. It sometimes signifies to confer glory on a being destitute of it before—In this sense God glorifies us. At other times it intends acknowledging or displaying the glory of one already possessed of it—and thus God is said to be glorified. And there is no other way in which he can be glorified. As to his essential excellency, it admits of no addition, being infinite: but it allows of manifestation.

And thus the heavens declare the glory of God; and all his works praise him. But he has magnified his word above all his name; and of the work of creation compared with the work of redemption we may say, “even that which was made glorious hath no glory by reason of the glory that excellet.” In every Christian God is glorified, both passively and actively. He even calls his people his glory: “I have placed salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.” But the light of the knowledge of his glory is chiefly seen in the face of Jesus Christ. There we behold the brightness of his glory—the express image of his person. “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” And how has he declared him? Not only by his character, and life, and teaching, and doctrine, but especially in his sufferings and death; and in them not only by the graces which they displayed, but the principles they implied, and the purposes they accomplished.

To these he here refers; and therefore in his last prayer he said, “I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do;” thus intimating the connexion there was between these, and showing that the one resulted from the other—he glorified God by the work he accomplished when he expired on the cross. And truly never was the glory of God so displayed as in this event: and therefore it was typified from the foundation of the world; and therefore the whole Gospel is called the preaching of the cross; and therefore an ordinance is established to show it forth; and therefore the praises of the heavenly state regard the Lamb as worthy, because he was slain; and therefore the angels desire to look into these things, as discovering more of the perfections of deity than is to be seen in nature or providence. The law of God was more magnified and made honourable in the precept and penalty by his obedience and sacrifice, than it would have been by the obedience of all mankind, had they never sinned; and by their sufferings had they all perished. What a display of his wisdom was here! Think of the difficulties to be overcome! The oppositions to be harmonized! The immense interests to be secured! Well does the Apostle speak of the manifold wisdom of God: and of His abounding towards us in all wisdom and prudence. What a display have we here of His holiness and justice! Without shedding of blood there could be no remission. Rather than that sin should go unpunished, he required a surety, and was pleased to bruise him, and put him to grief, and make his soul an offering for sin; thus declaring his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of the ungodly that believeth in Jesus. What a display have we here of his power, in preparing a body for him in raising him up from the grave, and

giving him glory; and in the renovation and resurrection of all his followers! Paul therefore prays that we may know "what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: and hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the Church." What a display have we here of his truth and faithfulness, in fulfilling the assurance given in Paradise four thousand years before, and bringing forth the seed of the woman according to the time, the place, the nation, the tribe, the family, the individual, foretold! This is the theme of Zechariah's song; "He hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he sware to our father Abraham." But above all, "herein is love." Here "God hath commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Every view of this dispensation shows the exceeding riches of his grace, and justifies the all-encouraging conclusion: "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" Here I see that love is not only his attribute—but his character—his nature. "God is love."

What wonder the Christian should say, "God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." He not only derives relief from it, but delight. He is sometimes carried away in his contemplations, till he is enraptured and inspired with the subject, even in this vale of tears, and in this body of death! What will be his views of it, when that which is perfect shall come, and that which is in part shall be done away!

"For ever his dear sacred name Thall dwell upon our tongue; And Jesus and salvation be The close of every song."

JULY 27.—"Thou shalt have treasure in heaven."—Mark 10:21.

We shall not enlarge on the excellency and security of such treasure; but only inquire what is our relation to it, and whether this assurance can be claimed by us. Now there are four classes of persons, under which every individual before God may be comprehended.

There are some who have no treasure either in heaven or earth. They are spiritually and corporeally poor: poor for eternity, and poor for time: in this world they have only a vale of tears; and in another, "lamentation, and mourning, and wo." You cannot suppose, unless you imagine the preacher a barbarian, that he can say this without feeling. But he may feel, and yet be faithful; and how indeed could he express his concern for your welfare if he were to allow you to remain under a delusion the most dangerous?