(3.) He was a partaker of the glory to be revealed.

But still farther to add cogency to his exhortation, the apostle styles himself "a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." The glory here spoken of is obviously "the glory of Christ," a state of dignity and happiness contrasted with his suffering state. 'I am not only a witness of his sufferings, but a partaker of his glory, which is to be revealed.' Some have supposed that in these words there is a reference either to our Lord's transfiguration, or to his resurrection state, as if Peter had said, 'I witnessed and shared of his sufferings, and I have witnessed and shared too of his glory. I was "with him in the Holy Mount, when he received from God the Father honor and glory." I, though fearing, entered with him into the cloud of glory, from the midst of which came the voice, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And I too companied with him after his resurrection, when God had "raised him from the dead and given him glory." I am one of those on whom he breathed and said, "Receive ye the Holy Ghost;" and of whom he also said, "The glory thou hast given me I have given them." That glory is as yet in this state veiled. It is "hid with Christ in God," but it will by and by be manifested.'1

It seems to me more natural to consider the glory here referred to as the glory of Christ in the celestial state. That glory at present is concealed, and shall continue so till the close of the present state of things. The glories of the holy of holies are hidden from this outer court of the temple by the veil of these visible heavens, through which our Lord has passed. But this veil shall by and by be rent asunder, and all the splendors of the inner sanctuary burst on the sight of an amazed world. "Christ, the life of his people, shall appear," be manifested to be what he is, and they his people shall be manifested with him in glory. The day of his manifestation as the Son of God shall be the day of their manifestation as the sons of God. He shall be "glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe" and they shall be glorified in him, admired in him. His glories shall be displayed; and it shall be made to appear that the glory his Father has given him he has given to his people.

Of this participation in the revealed glories of Christ, Peter was so persuaded in reference to himself, that he speaks of himself as already a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed. Having the spirit of faith, he was confident, "knowing that he that raised up the Lord Jesus would also raise up him by Jesus," and that he should be forever "with him where he is," beholding and sharing his glory, so far as the thing is possible, being "glorified together with him." But the words are so chosen as, naturally enough, to convey, in addition to this thought, that he should be a partaker of the glory of Christ at the time of its revelation, the idea that even now, amid all the imperfections and sorrows of the present state, Peter considered himself as a partaker of the glory of Christ; that glory now concealed, but one day to be manifested. He considered himself as "planted together with Christ," not only "in the likeness of his death," but also

12 Pet. i. 16-18. John xvii. 22. Col. iii. 4. 2 Thess. i. 10.

2

φανερωθῆ.

42 Cor. iv. 14. John xvii. 24. Rom. viii. 17.

"in the likeness of his resurrection;" as having fellowship with him not only in his death, but also in his life, "sitting with him, reigning with him, in the heavenly places;" already a partaker, though in far inferior measure, of that holiness and happiness, in the enjoyment of the Divine favor and conformity to the Divine image, in the perfection of which Christ's glory consists. Peter was, and every Christian in the measure of his faith is, thus even here "a partaker of the glory which is to be revealed."

The bearing of this statement, as a motive on the apostle's exhortation, is manifest when you look forward to its close, where he points to the crown of glory, which, when the Chief Shepherd comes, that is, at the time of the revelation of his glory, shall be conferred on the faithful under-shepherds. The exhortation of a man, who, under the influence of the spirit of faith, believes, and therefore speaks, and who, when speaking of the future rewards of the faithful minister, speaks of something of which he has already the earnest, and of the full enjoyment of which he is completely assured, is plainly fitted to be peculiarly impressive and persuasive. It is as if he had said, "I speak what I do know. I testify what I have seen."

§ 2.-Motives from considerations referring to the church.

Let us now look at the motives derived from considerations referring to the church. Feed the church; it is the flock of God. Superintend the church; it is the heritage of God.

(1.) It is the flock of God.

2

The church is the flock of God, and every true member of it is one of his sheep. This is one of the figurative expressions by which Jehovah's peculiar property in, and care for, ancient Israel is often expressed." Ye, my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God." Like most expressions of the kind, it is employed in an extended and elevated sense to describe the peculiar relation in which the true spiritual church stands to God. They are his peculiar property, separated from the rest of mankind, saved from destruction by the good Shepherd laying down his life for them; protected by his peculiar providence, and blessed with the tokens of his special love. The good Shepherd, who laid down his life to save them from destruction, took it again to complete their salvation : He gathers the lambs in his arms, he carries them in his bosom;" "He feeds them, and causes them to lie down. He seeks that which was lost, and brings again that which was driven away; and binds that which was broken, and strengthens that which is sick." Hear what he himself says, "I give unto my sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them me, is greater than all; and none can pluck them out of my Father's hand."3 Should not we count it a great honor, and feel it a most responsible trust, to have

1 Rom. vi. 5.

Isa. xl. 11.

Eph. ii. 6.

Ezek. xxxiv. 11-14. John x. 28.

Ezek. xxxiv. 31.

those who stand in so close a relation to God, in whom he takes so peculiar an interest, committed to our care? Should we not care for those for whom he cares? Should we not watch for those for whom his Son died?

(2.) It is God's heritage.

Substantially the same ideas with regard to the church are suggested by its being termed God's heritage. The term here used has a reference to the manner in which the Israelites obtained their possessions, which were heritages transmitted from generation to generation. It is borrowed from the fact that these possessions were originally fixed by lot, so that lot and possession are often, in Scripture, convertible terms. Like the former figure, it is often used to express Jehovah's peculiar relation to Israel, "The Lord's portion is his people; Israel is the lot of his inheritance;" and both designations are transferred to the spiritual church under the new economy. Christians. are called "the purchased possession," the peculiar property of God, "the chosen generation, the holy nation, the peculiar people." To be employed to take care of his ancient people was a great honor. To be the king of Israel was greater honor than to be king of Egypt, Assyria, or Babylon. How far above all Pagan legislators stands Moses the servant of the Lord! How low the rank of heathen sages compared with that of Hebrew prophets! The most honorable and responsible situation man can occupy, is that of a teacher and ruler in that spiritual family of which God is the head, Jesus Christ is the elder brother, and holy angels the willing ministers. Should not God's most valued property be well cared for? Should not the education of his children be well attended to? Is there not great honor involved in the charge being intrusted to us? Must there not be high responsibility incurred by our undertaking it? Such seems the force of the motives derived from a reference to the church.

It is but right to remark, before leaving this particular, that the precise meaning of the expression, rendered "God's heritage," is somewhat doubtful. You will observe the word God's is in italics, which, as you know, indicates that there is no term answering to it in the original. The word is in the plural, the lots or possessions. Not lording it over "the lots."3 The term lot or possession, in the singular, is applied to the church, as the lot or possession of Jehovah; but nowhere else in the plural. This has led some to suppose that it refers to the possessions, the property, of the church; not treating the church property, as if it were their own, as if they were the proprietors of it. There is no reason to think that at this early period the churches had anything like fixed property; and there is no proper contrast in this case between the two obviously antithetic clauses of the sentence. It is a much more probable opinion that considers the lots or possessions as referring to the separate flocks of different elders or elderships. Not lording it over the (or their) lots or possessions, the flocks allotted to them by the great Shepherd, but showing them an example. In this case, the motive folded up in the phrase Eph. i. 18. 1 Pet. ii. 9. • See note B.

1 Deut. xxxii. 9.

2

is, You have had a specific work assigned you by the great Shepherd. Each has his appointed sphere of labor. Let the laborers see that their own vineyard be well kept, and their own flock be well shepherded. Yet a little while, and the great Husbandman will take account of his servants, and then woe to the unprofitable, double woe to the unfaithful servant.

§3.-Motives from considerations referring to the Office-bearers

themselves.

It only remains now that we attend a little to the motives derived from a reference to the office-bearers themselves. The words of the apostle express much; they suggest more. They describe the reward of the faithful christian elder; they dimly shadow forth the punishment of the unfaithful christian elder.

(1.) The reward of the faithful christian elder.

The words describe the reward of the faithful christian elder: "He shall receive a crown of glory, which fadeth not away, when the chief Shepherd shall appear." Jesus Christ is the chief Shepherd; he is the Shepherd of the sheep, the good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, the proprietor Shepherd, whose own the sheep are; the Shepherd of the shepherds as well as of the sheep. He is even now really present in his church. The faithful Witness did not lie when he said, "Lo, I am with you alway." " Where two or three are met in my name, I am in the midst of them."

His presence, however, is spiritual, not bodily. The heavens have received him, and we see him no more. But when he disappeared, the most explicit declarations were given that he should re-appear. "I will come again," said he himself; "and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also." "This same Jesus," said the angels to the apostles, when they stood gazing up towards heaven, in the clouds of which their Lord had just disappeared, "This same Jesus who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him into heaven." 2 This re-appearance, which is to be a glorious manifestation of what he is, both essentially and officially, a revelation of his glory, is a leading subject of the apostolic testimony, and has been all along the great object of the church's hope. Their "blessed hope" is, and has all along been," the glorious appearing of Him who is the great God and their Saviour." The day of his coming is to be the day of their "gathering together to him."

go

When He shall come, he shall come in his character of the chief Shepherd, to collect his flock together, and to conduct them all in a body into the heavenly fold. One purpose of his coming shall be to take account of his under-shepherds, and to render to them according to their work. To the faithful, laborious servant, who has affectionately and wisely shepherded and superintended, fed and guided, the flock committed to him, not grudgingly, but cheerfully; not merce

1 Matt. xxvii. 20; xviii. 20.

" Acts i. 10, 11.

3 Tit. ii. 13.

narily, but disinterestedly; not ambitiously, seeking to be a lord, but humbly, striving to be an ensample; "he will then give a crown of glory which shall never fade."

The language is figurative, but the meaning is plain. He will visibly reward his faithful services, by bestowing on him a large measure of the highest kinds of happiness and honor of which his nature is capable; blessings which shall endure forever, and forever retain undiminished their power to satisfy their possessors. In what the peculiarity of the rewards of the faithful christian elder shall consist, we can form but inadequate and indistinct ideas. There is much, however, to lead us to believe, that a portion, and probably no small portion of it, is to consist in witnessing the holy happiness of those to whose spiritual interests he ministered on earth; and to know most certainly, that to his labors and instrumentality their happiness has been owing. Such is the view which the apostle's words naturally lead us to take, when he calls the Philippian Christians his "joy and his crown;" and when to the Thessalonians he says, "What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? for ye are our glory and our joy."

The christian pastor will, according to his measure, be admitted into the joy of his Lord, when he sees the travail of his soul, and is satisfied. This is an exceeding great, and a peculiarly appropriate reward; a reward which will be enjoyed just in proportion as the individual christian pastor has been filled with the spirit of his office, and discharged its duties. What a high, what a holy satisfaction to know, that we have efficiently co-operated towards the accomplishment of the favorite purpose of Deity, to reconcile all things to himself by Jesus Christ; that we have been the means of saving souls from death, of covering multitudes of sins, of increasing the joys of angels, of ministering to the satisfaction of Him who loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood! What a reward!

To borrow the words of the holy Leighton, "It is a crown of glory, pure, unmixed glory, without any ingrediency of pride or sinful vanity, or any danger of it; and a crown that fadeth not, formed of such flowers that wither not; not a temporary garland of fading flowers, as all here are. Though made of flowers growing in a rich valley, their glorious beauty is fading; but this is fresh, and in perfect lustre, to all eternity. May they not well trample on base gain, and vain applause, that have this crown to look to? Joys of royal pomp, how soon do they vanish as a dream? But this day begins a triumph and a feast, that shall never either end or be wearied of. All things here, even the choicest pleasures, cloy, but satisfy not. Those above shall always satisfy, but never cloy. What is to be refused in the way to this crown? All labor for it is sweet. And what is there here to be desired to stay our hearts, that we should not most willingly let go, to rest from our labors, and receive our crown? Was ever any man sad that the day of his coronation drew nigh? In that day when he on whose head are many crowns, shall bestow many crowns, there

1 Phil. iv. 1. 1 Thess. ii. 19.