and, on the contrary, that all the contempt || then having received the sop, wentimcast upon them, reflects upon themselves: mediately out: and it was night. He that receiveth you, receiveth me: and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent

me.

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, That one of you shall betray 22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

me.

Observe here, 1. The character of St. John the beloved disciple: he leaned on Christ's bosom: that is, he had most intimate converse with Christ, one whom Christ treated with greater freedom and familiarity than the rest, and one that knew more of his heart than most of his disciples.

We commonly call a very near friend a bosom friend. Learn, That although Christ had an endeared love for his disciples and followers, yet there were O what an astonishing word was this, degrees in Christ's own love, and he had One shall betray me! one of my disciples a familiarity with some disciples beyond shall betray me! yea, one of you, my dis-others, whilst he was here upon earth, ciples and apostles, shall do it! Well even as now in heaven: though his heart might they look one upon another with be towards all his children here on earth, sorrow and amazement, to hear that their yet he is pleased to let out more kind Master should die; that he should die by manifestations of himself, and more sentreason, and that the traitor should be one sible evidences of his love, towards some of themselves; yet do they not censure than towards others. John was the discione another, but suspect themselves, say- ple that lay in Jesus's bosom. Observe, ing, Master, is it 1? not, Master, is it Judas? || 2. The way which our Saviour took to Learn hence, 1. That it is possible for discover Judas to the rest of his disciples, secret wickedness to lurk, yea, for the not by naming him, but by giving him a greatest villainy to lodge, in the hearts of sop; partly because he would not give professors, in whose conversation ap- Judas any provocation by mentioning his peareth nothing that may give just suspi- name, and partly because this sign of eatcion to others. Learn, 2. That it is both ing the sop was most agreeable for the the duty and property of the disciples of prophetical prediction, Psal. xli. 9. Mine Christ, to have so much candour and own familiar friend, who did eat of my brotherly love, as not rashly to censure bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. and judge one another, but to hope the Observe, 3. The time when Judas received best of others, and to fear the worst of the sop, and the consequence that followthemselves. ed upon his receiving of it; it was at that time when he had, with an unbeliev ing heart, and an unthankful spirit, been Christ: Now Satan enters into him; that eating the passover, which was a type of is, takes fuller possession of him, and he gives himself up more freely and fully to the devil's conduct and suggestion. Satan gets possession of wicked men gradually and by degrees; not all at once.

The on

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25 He then, lying on Jesus' breast, saith unto him, Lord who is it? 26 Jesus answered, He it is to ly way to be safe, is to resist the begin whom I shall give a sop, when I have nings of sin; for when Satan once gets dipped it. And when he had dipped footing, it is hard to prevent a more full the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, possession. Observe, 4. The place where the son of Simon. 27 And after the Judas now was; namely, at Bethany, sop, Satan entered into him. Then some miles from Jerusalem, and it was said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, now night; yet so intent he was upon the devil's work, that away he trudges to Jedo quickly. 28 Now no man at therusalem, and at that time of night repairs table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 He

to the high priests, and sells his Saviour into their hands. O, what a warmth and zeal was here in the devil's cause! men given over by God, and possessed by Satan, are so restless and unwearied in sin,

that neither by day nor by night can they cease from the contrivance and execution of it.

Observe here, 1. Our blessed Lord calls his death his glory: Now is the Son of man Our Saviour having mentioned his deglorified; that is, now is the time at hand parture from his disciples in the former when I am to die, and shall by my death verse; I go away, and whither I go ye ear finish the work of man's redemption, and not come; in this and the following verses, thereby eminently glorify God. God the he gives them a strict charge that in his Father was eminently glorified in the obe- || absence they should love one another. dience and sufferings of his dear and only This he calls a new commandment: not Son. It is true that the sufferings of Christ that it was new in regard of institution, were ignominious in themselves, yet were but of restitution; not new in regard to they the way to his own glory, and his the substance of it, for it was a branch of Father's also; for by them he redeemed a the law of nature, and a known precept of lost world, trampled upon Satan, triumph- the Jewish religion; but he calls it a new ed over sin; and the Father was exceed- commandment, 1. Because purged from ingly glorified by the Son's giving obedi- the old corrupt glosses of the Pharisees, ence to his will, and so cheerfully suffering. who had limited this duty of love, and conNow is the Son of man glorified, and God is fined it to their own countrymen; whereas glorified in him. Christ enlarges the object, and obliges his

Christians love one another! Here ob- ascending into heaven, Peter understands serve, 1. Our Saviour doth not say, By him of a removal that was earthly, from this men shall conjecture and guess that one place to another, whereas Christ inyou belong to me, as being my disciples;|| tended it of a removal from earth to heabut they shall certainly know it. 2. He ven. The opinion that the Messiah was doth not say, By this shall you know your- to be a temporal prince, and that his kingselves to be my disciples, and one another dom should be of this world, was so deeply to be so; but by this shall all others know rooted in the minds of the Jews, that they it as well as yourselves. 3. He doth not stumbled at it fatally; and Christ's own say, By this shall all men know that ye disciples had so drank in the notion, that look like my disciples; but that you are they wondered to hear Christ say, that he indeed what you pretend to be, namely, by was going from them, and that whither he your loving one another. 4. Christ doth goes they cannot come. Observe, 2. That not say, By this shall all the world know Christ's disciples shall certainly follow that you are my disciples, by your assem- their Master afterwards, and be for ever bling often together in my house of prayer, with the Lord; but they must wait their by your frequent fastings, by your reading Lord's time, and finish their Lord's work: the scriptures daily, by your hearing ser- they must patiently wait for their change, mons weekly, by your receiving sacra- and not peevishly wish for it: for, though ments monthly; all these, put together, they do not follow Christ presently to hea will be no sufficient evidence of your dis- ven, they shall follow him afterwards. cipleship, if you keep up a secret grudge Observe, 3. The greatness of St. Peter's in your hearts one towards another: but confidence: I will lay down my life for by this shall all men know that ye are my thy sake. Good man! he resolved honestdisciples, if ye love one another. Learnly, but too, too much in his own strength. hence, That one of the best proofs and evidences we can have of our relation to Christ, as his sincere disciples, is an hearty love and good will one towards another.

36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards. 37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake. 38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice.

Here we find Peter reflecting upon what, our Saviour had said just before, ver. 33. Whither 1 go ye cannot come; he is inquisitive to know of Christ whither he went. Our Lord tells him, that for the present he could not follow him, but should hereafter; he was not yet strong enough to suffer for him, as he should and did afterwards. St. Peter, grieved at this, rashly resolves to follow him, though he should die for his sake. Christ advises him not to be over confident of his strength and standing, for he should deny him thrice, within the time of cock-crowing. Observe here, 1. How that fond conceit, which our Lord's disciples had of his temporal kingdom here in this world, did abide and con-1 tinue with them to the very last; for when Christ spake of leaving them, by

Little, O little did he think, what a feather he should be in the wind of temptation, if once God left him to the power and prevalency of his own fears! The holiest of tation brings him to the trial. Observe, men knows not his own strength till templastly, How detestable St. Peter's presumption and self-confidence was to Christ, and how fatal and pernicious to himself: Will thou lay down thy life for my sake? as if Christ had said, "Peter, thou sayest more than thou canst do; thine own strength will fail thee, and thy self-confidence deceive thee; I know thy heart better than thou dost thyself; and I foresee that before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice." Thence learn, That none are so near falling as those that are most confident of their own standing.

L

CHAP. XIV.

ET not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Our blessed Saviour in the foregoing chapter, having acquainted his disciples with his approaching death, by the treach

ery of Judas, their hearts were thereupon || friends on eartn, yet his love to them is overwhelmed with grief and trouble. Ac- not ceased, nor will he rest satisfied, till cordingly, in this chapter, by sundry argu- he and they meet again, eternally to solace ments he comforts his disciples against themselves in each others' company: 1 the perplexity of their fears and sorrows. will come again, and receive you to myself, Observe, 1. How Christ addresses him- that where I am, there ye may be also. A self to his disciples in a very endearing third argument for consolation is, that not. and affectionate manner: Let not your withstanding Christ was to leave them, heart be troubled. Whence learn, 1. That yet they knew whither he went, namely, the best and holiest of God's children and to heaven, and which was the way servants, whilst here in an imperfect state, thither: whither I go ye know, and the way are subject to desponding and disquieting ye know. It contributes much to the com and distrustful fears. 2. That no work is fort of believers, as to know God and hea more delightful to our Saviour, than to com- ven, so to know the way that leads fort the troubled and perplexed spirits of thither, that so they may be armed against his servants. Observe, 2. The remedy which all the difficulties of that way. Christ prescribes for the calming their present fears, and for arming them against future troubles, and that is, faith in the

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest: and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.

Observe here, 1. How Thomas, and probably divers others of the apostles, notwithstanding all that Christ had said to the contrary, did still dream of a tem poral kingdom, and supposed him to speak of some earthly palace which he was going to, and therefore he tells our Saviour, he knew not whither he was going: but Christ, meaning not a temporal, but a heavenly kingdom, tells them, that if they intended to follow him, and be with him in heaven, he himself was the only way thither: I am the way, and the truth, and the life; that is, I am the true and living way to the Father: and no man cometh to the Father but by me; that is, no man can have any access to God by pray

Father and in himself: Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Hence learn, 1. That God is the supreme object of faith; his unchangeable life and faithfulness, with his infinite power in the accomplishing of his promise, is the security of believers. Learn, 2. That Christ as Mediator be tween God and guilty creatures, is the immediate object of our faith. Learn, 3. That Christ's being the true and proper object of our faith, is a proof of his being truly and really God. Christ doth here assert his own deity in the substance of the command, in making himself an object of faith in conjunction with God the Father: Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Observe next, The arguments of consolation which Christ propounds for the support of his disciples under the sorrow which they had conceived for his approaching departure. 1. He tells them That heaven, whither he was now going, was his Father's house, a place of happier, or any other act of religious worship ness, not designed for himself alone, but for many more to enjoy a perpetual rest and abode in, as in everlasting mansions: In my Father's house are many mansions. Heaven is God's house, in which he will freely converse with his domestics, his children and servants, and they shall enjoy full glory there, as in a quiet and capacious habitation. A second ground of

comfort is, that he assures them, he will come again and receive them to himself,

that they may live together with him in the heavenly mansions. This promise Christ makes good to his saints, partly at the day of their death, and perfectly at the day of judgment, when he shall make one errand for all, and take up all his children to himself, and make them completely happy, both in soul and body, with himself. Learn hence, That though Christ has removed his bodily presence from his

here on earth, or any access to God heaven, but by me as Mediator. As if Christ had said, "I am the author of the way that leadeth unto life, the teacher of the truth which directs to it, and the giver of that life which is to be obtained by walking in it: I am the way, and the truth, and the life."

should

7 If ye had known me, ye have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. 8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10

Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

511

and twenty, Acts i. 15. whilst Peter comes
The reason might
with his drag-net, and catches three thou-

sand at one cast.

be, because Christ was not properly to be the builder, but the foundation itself. He subjoins the reason of all this: Because 1 go unto my Father: that is, to send down and pour forth upon you, my apostles, the Holy Ghost, on the day of Pentecost; which was the great cause of the apostles' miraculous operations. Hence learn, That it pleased the wisdom of Christ to do greater things by the hand of his weak servants here in the world, than he was pleased to do himself, who was God over all, blessed for evermore.

Observe here, 1. What a gross conception the apostles had, and St. Philip in particular, of the divine nature and being, as if God the Father could be seen with mortal eyes: Shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. It is not easy to determine 13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in what degrees of ignorance may consist with saving grace; doubtless, as the de- my name, that will I do, that the Fagrees of revelation and means of know-ther may be glorified in the Son. ledge are more or less, so a person's igno- If ye shall ask any thing in my name,

rance is more or less excusable before God. Observe, 2. How meekly our blessed Saviour reproves their ignorance: Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? and then proceeds to instruct them in, and farther acquaints them with, the oneness of himself with the Father, and the personal union of the divine and human nature in himself. Learn hence, That the Father being invisible in his essence, to know or see him with mortal bodily eyes is impossible; but he was seen in his Son, who is the express image of the Father, being one in essence with him, and one in operation also: He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.

12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also: and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

I will do it.

14

In these words our Saviour produces another argument to quiet his disciples" hearts under their perplexity and trouble for the loss of his bodily presence; he assures them, that whatever comforts they enjoyed by his presence, they shall obtain by their prayers. Observe here, 1. The qualification requisite in prayer: we must pray in Christ's name, that is, for the sake of his merits and mediation, in obedience to God's command, and with an eye to his glory, and for things agreeable to his will, and for things which his wisdom To pray in Christ's sees good for us. name, is more than to name Christ in prayer. It implies three things: 1. To look up unto Christ as having purchased for us this privilege, that we may pray; for it is by the blood of Christ that we draw near to God, and that a throne of 2. To pray in the grace is open for us. Here Christ gives his disciples a pro- name of Christ, is to pray in the strength mise of enduing them with power after of Christ, and by the assistance of the his departure, to work miracles in some Holy Spirit of Christ. 3. To pray in the respects greater than what he wrought name of Christ, is to pray in the virtue of himself; not greater in regard of the man- the present mediation of Christ; believing ner, for he wrought by his own power, that what we ask on earth, Christ obtains and they wrought all in his name, but in heaven. To pray thus is no easy matgreater in regard of the matter of them; ter; yet unless we do pray thus, we do particularly, their speaking with strange not pray at all. Observe, 2. The promise tongues, their giving the Holy Ghost by made to such prayers: Whatsoever ye shall laying on of hands, their healing diseases ask in my name, that will I do. He saith by the very shadow of their bodies, but es- not, That will my Father do; but that will pecially by their wonderful conversion of I do, to testify his divine power and onethe Gentiles from idolatry to serve the ness with the Father. This evidently living God. When St. Peter converted proves him to be God. Observe, 3. The three thousand at one sermon, then Christ repetition of the promise for the further made good this promise, the disciple at confirmation of it: If ye shall ask anything that time appeared to be above his Mas-in my name, I will do it. The promise is ter; Christ all his time was angling for a doubled for the confirmation of it, so that few fishes, and catched but an hundred we might be free from all doubts and fears