§. 94. Of Christs continuing to bring us to Glory.
a 1.1 THe Participle bringing, implies a leading one willingly, not by force, Acts 5. 26. Thus Christ bringeth his sheep into his fold, Iohn 10. 16. for it is thus added, They shall hear my voice.
It implieth also a kinde of tender and gentle leading: It is applied to them that brought sick and weak ones to Christ, Luke 4. 40. and to him that brought one half∣dead to his Inne, Luke 10. 34.
The joyning of this act of b 1.2 bringing, with the end, to glory, setteth out a continu∣ance of Christs act, till he have accomplished his intended end. He ceaseth not to leade and carry us on, till he have set us in glory.
This phrase of bringing to, is oft used to set out the continuance of an act. It is* 1.3 said of the pitifull Samaritan, who had compassion on a succourlesse man, that he brought him to an Inne, Luke 10. 34. and that a Centurion took order that Paul should be brought to a Castle, Acts 23. 10. he feared least Paul should have pul∣led in pieces of the multitude; therefore he would not have him left till he were safe in the Castle.
Thus Christ will not leave us in this world unto our spirituall enemies, till he have brought us to glory. It is his promise, Never to leave us nor forsake us, (Heb. 13. 5.) but to confirm us unto the end, 1 Cor. 1. 8.
On this ground saith the Apostle, I am confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will confirm it unto the day of Iesus Christ, Phil. 1. 6. And Christ saith of himself, Him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out, John 6. 37. In this respect, Iesus is stiled the Author and Finisher of our faith, Hebr. 12. 2. For
- 1. This is the will of the Father, that of all which he hath given unto Christ, he should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day, John 6. 39.
- 2. His love is unchangeable, Iohn 13. 1.
- 3. He is faithfull, and will do what he hath promised, 1 Thess. 5. 24.
Admirable is the comfort and incouragement which hence ariseth, in regard of our own weaknesse and pronesse to come short of this glory: and also in regard of the many stumbling blocks which lie in the way, and of the many enemies that oppose us and seek to hinder us in our endeavour after glory. Our comfort and incouragement is, that Christ hath undertaken to bring us to glory, and none can hinder what he undertakes: so as we may and ought to hope to the end, for the grace that is brought unto us in the revelation of Iesus Christ, 1 Pet. 1. 13. This we may do the more confidently, because the ground of our confidence is not in our selves who are meer sons of men, but in the Son of God.
In regard of our selves, we may not be high-minded, but fear, Rom. 11. 20. but in regard of Christ, we may be perswaded, that neither death nor life, nor any other thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord, Rom. 8. 38, 39.