November 19

critical hour when a word spoken in our favour may gain for us a friendship we otherwise should not have known, or an office we should not otherwise have filled; yea, it may decide the whole of our future life. The Lord Jesus does not leave his people without witness now. In various ways he confesses them even here. But in these words he refers to his confessing them before his Father "at the last day," when he has summoned together the whole universe, and is distributing endless disgrace or honour, happiness or misery. They will have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

Let this reconcile them to their present comparative obscurity. The world knoweth them not. It is not proper, it would not be safe for them to have all their distinctions here. Their day is coming. It is called the manifestation of the sons of God. "Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."

NOVEMBER 19.—"I am a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed."—1 Peter v. I.

This is one of the three characters by which Peter describes himself to enforce his "exhortation." In the two former, wherein he calls himself "an elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ," there is something personal to him: but in the third designation there is nothing peculiar—any further than all real religion is a peculiar thing in our world, where the multitude are evil, and thousands among those who wear the form of godliness are strangers to the power of it. But all who are born of the Spirit stand upon the same ground with Peter with regard to eternity. They are heirs together with him of the grace of life, and each of them is authorized to say, "I am a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." Hence three things are observable.

First, The destination of Christians is "glory." The radical idea of glory is brightness, splendour. The secondary notion is excellency displayed—and this is what the Scripture intends when it so frequently expresses heaven by the term glory. We think more of the happiness of the state than of the glory. But it will display all kinds of excellency—natural—corporeal—intellectual—moral—social excellency—and the excellency of pleasure, called "the joy of their Lord," "joy unspeakable and full of glory."

Secondly, This glory is for future development—It "shall be revealed." It has in a degree been revealed from the beginning. The Jews partially knew it; and as to a clearer discovery of the nature of it, and the way of obtaining it, life and immortality were brought to light through the Gospel. But as yet it has not been revealed externally to all; or internally to many; or completely to any: "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." Believers indeed have the advantage of something in addition to testimony; and they know more of heaven from what they experience than from what they read or hear. They have

certain views and feelings which raise their sentiments more than any thing else—"O if these were rendered permanent and perfect!" But who can imagine what the perfection of them includes? Flesh and blood can no more comprehend than they can inherit the kingdom of God. The full disclosure would be too much for our physical powers to bear, and would subdue all the interests we feel in a thousand things which claim a share in our present attention. The degree of information is wisely adapted to our present state, and while it prepares us for our end does not disqualify us for the way. But we shall not always walk by faith. The object will not always be veiled. "It doth not yet appear what we shall be; but this we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is"—It "shall be revealed."

And, thirdly, it admits of present participation—"I am," says the Christian, "a partaker of this glory." This seems strange, and we are ready to exclaim, Is then his warfare accomplished? Has he finished his course with joy? Has he passed the valley of the shadow of death? Does he not daily groan, being burdened with afflictions and infirmities? Yet, according to the Scripture, by grace he is saved; he is come to the new Jerusalem; he hath everlasting life; he is a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. He is so by union with Christ, his head and representative, who procured it, and has prepared it for him, and has taken possession of it in his name, and holds it on his behalf—"He hath quickened us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." And he is so by the certitude and appropriation of faith: for faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The believer can realize as sure and as present whatever God has engaged to give. He is so by actual possession in the foretastes, the earnest, the beginnings. Under whatever representations heaven be held forth the Christian has it in quality, and in degree. He is a partaker of it as the bud partakes of the flower, and the dawn of the day, and the child of the man. The believer's anticipations are not confined to any particular season or condition, but he is often peculiarly a partaker of this glory in four cases—In the seclusion and liberty of the closet—In the ordinances of the sanctuary—In the supports and comforts of affliction—And in the elevated experience of a dying hour.

Is this your attainment? Can you say, "I am a partaker of the glory which shall be revealed?" How ought you to feel and to demean yourself? Walk worthy of God who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. Let your conversation become your condition—Let it be dignified, cheerful, and especially grateful. You were children of wrath, but are now heirs of glory, yea and even partakers of it—What should you render for blessings so great, and obtained by means so infinitely expensive?

And if you are not partakers should you not lay it to heart? Should you not seek after an interest in it? Whatever else you possess you must soon leave; and no abundance of it can afford you satisfaction even in the enjoyment. But here the object will relieve every want, it will fill up every desire. And success is sure

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