"23. Jefus anfwered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: " and my Father will love him, and we "will come unto him, and make our "abode with him.

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24. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my fayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's "which fent me.

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25. These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

"26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghoft, whom the Father will send “in my name, he shall teach you all "things, and bring all things to your "remembrance, whatsoever I have faid 66 unto you.

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27. Peace I leave with you, my peace "I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your "heart be troubled, neither let it be "afraid."

Our bleffed Lord, who was all patience and benignity, encouraged his disciples to

afk

afk explanations, whenever they did not clearly comprehend him. Their humility (a quality which always attends true piety) would not let them imagine any peculiar diftinction intended to them: this feems to have been the cause of the question now afked. Our Saviour replies, That their love and obedience, manifested to him, would ensure them the favor of God who, with himself, would make abode' with them: that is, that the holy spirit of God would ever be present to their minds.

Let us, then, to whom the promise is equally made, fanctify our bodies, as living temples worthy to become the abode of fuch heavenly guests. The apostles, for want of a due attention, or right understanding of fome of our Saviour's discourses, had fuffered them to flip out of their memories; but our Lord, who was ever indulgent to the frailties of human nature, promises them, through the influence of the Holy Ghoft, a perfect recollection of all things he had taught them, that a word of his might not be lost.

Peace

Peace be with you, or, Peace go along with you, was a very common falutation amongst the Jews; as we learn from many parts of Scripture. This was often faid, when nothing was further from the wish of the speaker. Such was not the manner in which our Lord's peace was given. These words from him were of efficacy fufficient to remove both the fears and troubles of the apostles. We are affured that this peace, which paffeth all understanding, in a particular manner attends his faithful fervants, at the blessed facra

ment.

"28. Ye have heard how I faid unto "you, I go away, and come again unto

you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, "because I faid, I go unto the Father: "for my Father is greater than I."

The moft convincing proof we can give of fincere and difinterested affection, is to prefer the good of another to our own pleasure or gratification: our Lord, therefore,

fore, tells his difciples, That they ought to rejoice at his departure when they reflected on the glory which awaited him on his return to his Father. They had also an additional motive for joy, although they did not then clearly perceive or know it; it being more for their intereft, as well as honor, that he should leave them; and of this bleffed truth they were foon convinced, and greatly rejoiced in knowing that their beloved Mafter's human nature was exalted to the regions of immortality. The latter part of the aforegoing verse, in which Christ says, That his Father is greater than he, has given rife to various opinions, because, upon other occafions, he speaks of himself as equal: I and my Father are one; All men must honor the Son, even as they honor the Father; with many others, equally ftrong. The paffage, however, feems perfectly reconcileable with those I have juft quoted, and the sense to be this that altho' equal to the Father, in his divine nature, yet, for the redemption of mankind, he had voluntarily fub

mitted to humiliation, by taking on himfelf the human nature, and in that nature making himself subject to all the duties required of man by God his creator: of course, in this character, he was inferior to the Father.

29. And now I have told you before "it come to pass, that when it is come to pafs, ye might believe.

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30. Hereafter I will not talk much "with you for the prince of this world

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:

cometh, and hath nothing in me.

31. But that the world may know "that I love the Father; and as the Fa"ther gave me commandment, even so I "do. Arife, let us go hence."

Our Lord, who knew the frailty of our nature, and the unfteadiness of our best refolves, thought it neceffary to prepare the apostles for the indignities and sufferings which he was fo fhortly to undergo, by foretelling them, left (had they not known that the facrifice of himself, though

neceffary