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CHAPTER XIV.

VERSE 1.-That little flock being now purged of all impure and profane mixture, by the absence of the traitor Judas, how freely did our Saviour pour forth all the refreshing streams of heavenly comforts in sweet promises, affectionate exhortations to mutual love and charity, gracious assurances and well grounded encouragements, fervent prayers to His Heavenly Father for them, and a most invaluable legacy of Peace here, and Heaven hereafter! These four chapters are entirely taken up in recording the last discourses of our dying Lord to His faithful friends. And what He said to them, or in prayer, for them, He still saith to us, and for us, and for all the sincere members of His Church, to the end of the world. 1 Cor. v. 7, 13; 2 Cor. vi. 14–18.—Wogan.

The man, who always lives in this disposition of a firm reliance on God, has not the same dark and melancholy views of human nature, as he, who considers himself abstractedly from this relation to the Supreme Being. At the same time that he reflects upon his own weakness and imperfection, he comforts himself with the contemplation of those Divine attributes, which are employed for his safety and his welfare. He finds his want of foresight made up by the Omniscience of Him, who is his support. He is not sensible of his own want of strength, when he knows that his Helper is Almighty. In short, the person, who has a firm trust in the Supreme Being, is

powerful in His power, wise by His wisdom, happy by His happiness. He reaps the benefit of every Divine attribute, and loses his own insufficiency in the fulness of Infinite Perfection. Ps. xxiii. ; Phil. iv. 12, 13.—Addison. ;

V. 2. We must of necessity suppose, that there is a perfection, blessedness, and reward, that will be appropriated to every saint, according to his attainments and performances here below. If a thousand vessels, of a different capaciousness, be thrown into the sea, all of them will be equally full of water; the least, as well as the biggest yet each of them will not contain the same quantity of water: so also will it be in glory. Every saint shall be, if I may so say, brimful, though each of them will not receive so much, as another. Communications there, as well as here, must be supposed to be dispensed according to the capacity bestowed. And yet the difference of degrees of glory do not hinder, but the least saint in glory is as really happy, as the highest there. Ps. lxxxi. 11; Dan. xii. 2, 3; S. Luke xxii. 28-30; Col. i. 16.-R. Fleming.

If it were not so, &c. "No consideration would have induced me to fill your minds with vain hopes; on the other hand, I would have told you the plain truth, how unwelcome soever it might be to you." Here we have, from the mouth of Christ Himself, an express disavowal of religious fraud, or imposture; and that, in a point, where wise men have sometimes thought themselves at liberty, nay, under an obligation, to lie for the public service; and, in a conjuncture, too, when, if ever, it might seem allowable for a good man to deceive his friends on a mere principle of compassion.-Bp. Hurd.

V. 3.-He, who prepares the place for us, must also prepare us for the place, by forming in us that "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." Augustine writes, "In a certain sense, He provides mansions, when He provides inhabitants for such habitations ;" and one of our own Fathers has well observed, that "Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people." Prov. xvi. 1.-J. Ford.

Let men rest assured of this, that God has so ordered the great business of their eternal happiness, that their affections must still be the forerunners of their persons; the constant harbingers, appointed by God, to go and take possession of those glorious mansions for them: and, consequently, that no man shall ever come to Heaven. himself, who has not sent his heart thither before him. For, when this leads the way, the other will be sure to follow. S. Matt. vi. 21.-Dr. South.

Unto Myself-where I am. Heaven itself further, than as we and perfect enjoyment of God. Caryl.

We should not prize have there a more full xii. 26; xvii. 24.

V. 4. Our mortal life, says S. Basil, is nothing else, but a passage, and this world a thoroughfare; therefore the Schools, distinguishing between those, that are departed, and those, that live, call the living viatores, wayfaring men; and those, that are dead, comprehensores, such as are at their journey's end. Heb. xi. 14.—Bp. Lake.

V. 5. The Spirit of Christ is sometimes present with us, and within us, helping our infirmities, albeit we have

Truth itself

little sight or sense thereof. He is a secret friend, and doth us often most good, when we least perceive it. S. Thomas saith, We know not, &c.; and yet avowed the contrary, " Whither I go," &c. They knew the way; but they did not know, that they knew it, saith S. Augustine. xx. 14.-Dean Boys.

Pilate's haste lost him the answer; for, when he had asked, he "went out" (xviii. 38). Truth is a subject worthy of our inquiry and attendance, and not to be found without both and therefore our Blessed Saviour, who would not answer Pilate's hasty curiosity, doth, in the same question, answer S. Thomas his humble doubt: I am the Truth. Prov. viii. 34.-Ch. Herle.

V. 6.—I am the way, leading to the truth; I am the truth, promising life; I am the life, which I give.-S. Augustine.

The true way to Eternal life.-Dr. Whichcote.

No man cometh, &c. Few are our thoughts, concerning God and returning to Him; but, if we have any, this is our unhappiness, that naturally we are subject to leave out Christ in them. We talk of repentance, of prayer, and of amendment, though we have not these neither. But, if we had these, there is yet one thing necessary, above all these, which we forget; there is absolute need of a Mediator to make our peace, and restore us into favour with God; One, who must for that end do, and suffer for us, what we can neither do, nor suffer. Though we could shed rivers of tears, they cannot wash out the stain of any one sin; yea, there is some pollution in our

very tears, so that they themselves have need to be washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ. Eph. ii. 13-18; 1 Tim. ii. 5.-Abp. Leighton.

V. 7.-Christ opens heaven; knowledge opens Christ. Christ is the door; knowledge is the key. iv. 10; S. Luke xi. 52.-Gurnall.

V. 8. From this place you may learn what contentment is, and where this fulness and sufficiency is to be found; even in God Himself, in the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God alone, who calls Himself all-sufficient, can fill the soul of man; and there is no such satisfying sight of Him, as that, which we have in His Son, our Saviour, who hath revealed His Blessed nature and will to our great contentment. To Him, therefore, we must go; for "He, that hath the Son, hath the Father also ;" and he, that hath Him, hath all things. 1 Tim. vi. 15; 1 Cor. iii. 21, 23; S. Matt. xi. 28-30.-Bp. Patrick.

Miracles do not still continue, because there are no persons, employed to teach any new doctrines, and no promise of Scripture doth imply any more; for “The signs, which were to follow them that believe" (S. Mark xvi. 17), were such, as tended to the first confirmation of the Christian faith; which being effected, their use ceased and so to ask, why God doth not continue a gift of miracles to convince men that the former were true, is to the same purpose, as to ask, why God doth not make a new sun, to satisfy atheists, that He made the old. Acts viii. 5, 6; 1 Cor. xiv. 12.-Bp. Stillingfleet.

V. 9.-He, that sees the character, never desires to see