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 I 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 suf

fer 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 continue with them to the very last; for when Christ spake of leaving them, by ascending into heaven, Peter understands him of a removal that was earthly, from one place to another, whereas Christ intended it of a removal from earth to heaven. The opinion, that the Messiah was to be a temporal prince, and that his kingdom should be of this world, was so deeply rooted in the minds of the Jews, that they stumbled at it fatally; and Christ's own disciples had so drank in the notion, that they wondered to hear Christ say, that he was going from them, and that whither he goes they cannot come. Observe, 2. That Christ's disciples shall certainly follow their Master afterwards, and be for ever with the Lord; but they must wait their Lord's time, and finish their Lord's work they must patiently wait for their change, and not peevishly wish for it for, though they do not follow Christ presently to heaven, they shall follow him afterwards. Observe, 3. The greatness of St. Peter's confidence: I will lay down my life for thy sake. Good man! he resolved honestly, but too, too much in his own strength. 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 men knows not his own trial. Observe, lastly, how detestable St. strength till temptation brings him to the Peter's presumption and self-confidence was to Christ, and how fatal and pernicious to himself: Wilt 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 selfconfidence 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.

CHAP. XIV.

LET 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.

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Our blessed Saviour in the foregoing chapter, having acquainted his disciples with his approaching death, by the treachery of Judas, their hearts were thereupon overwhelmed with grief and trouble. Accordingly, in this chapter, by sundry arguments he comforts his disciples against the perplexity of their fears and sorrows. serve, 1. How Christ addresses himself to his disciples in a very endearing and affectionate manner: Let not your heart be troubled. Whence learn, I. That the best and holiest of God's children and servants, whilst here in an imperfect state, are subject to desponding and disquieting and distrustful fears. 2. That no work is more delightful to our Saviour, than to comfort the troubled and perplexed spirits of his servants. Observe, 2. The remedy which Christ prescribes for the calming their present fears, and for arming them against future troubles, and that is, faith in the Father and in himself: Ye believe in God, believe also in

in the accomplishing of his promise, is the security of believers. Learn, 2. That Christ, as Mediator between 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 happiness 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 friends on earth, yet his love to them is not ceased, nor will he rest satisfied till he and they meet again, eternally to solace themselves in each other's company: I will come again, and receive you to myself, that where I am, there ye may be also. A third argument for consolation is, that, notwithstanding Christ was to leave them, yet they knew whither he went, namely, to heaven, and which was the way thither: Whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. It

contributes much to the comfort of believers, as to know God and heaven, so to know the way that leads thither, that so they may be armed against all the difficulties of that way.

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 temporal 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 prayer, or any other act of religious worship here on earth, or any access to God in beaven, 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.”

7 If ye had known me, ye should 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 bow 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 Fa

ther in me or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Observe here, 1. What a gross conception the apostles had, and St. Philip in parif God the Father could be seen with morticular, of the divine nature and being, as tal eyes: Shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. It is not easy to determine what

degrees of ignorance may consist with saving grace; doubtless, as the degrees of revelation and means of knowledge are more or less, so a person's ignorance 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.

Here Christ gives his disciples a promise of enduing them with power after his departure, to work miracles in some respects greater than what he wrought himself; not greater in regard of the manner, for he wrought by his own power, and they wrought all in his name, but greater in regard of the matter of them; particularly, their speaking with strange tongues, their giving the Holy Ghost by laying on of hands, their healing diseases by the very shadow of their bodies, but especially by their wonderful conversion of the Gentiles from idolatry to serve the living God. When St. Peter converted three thousand at one sermon, then Christ made good this promise, the disciple at that time appeared to be above his Master; Christ all his time was angling for a few fishes, and catched but an hundred and twenty, Acts i. 15. whilst Peter comes with his drag-net, and catches three thousand at one cast. The reason might be, because Christ was not properly to be the builder, but the foundation itself. He subjoins the reason of all this: Because I 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.

13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

ers.

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 prayObserve 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 sees good for us. To pray in Christ's 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 grace is open for us. 2. To pray in the name of Christ, is to pray in the strength of Christ and by the assistance of the Holy Spirit of Christ. 3. To pray in the name of Christ, is to pray in the virtue of the present mediation of Christ; believing that what we ask on earth, Christ obtains in heaven. To pray thus is no easy matter; yet unless we do pray thus, we do not pray at all. Observe, 2. The promise made to such prayers: Whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do. He saith not, That will my Father do; but that will I do, to testify his divine power and oneness with the Father. This evidently proves him to be God. Observe, 3. The repetition of the promise for the further confirmation of it: If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. The promise is doubled for the confirmation of it, that so we might be free from all fears and doubts of being heard, when we put up our prayers to God, in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ, for things agreeable to his will. Learn hence, That although the children of God have sometimes many jealousies and fears arising in their mind concerning the answer of their prayers, yet they are altogether groundless; for it is most certain their desires shall be granted them, so far as the wisdom of God sees fit and convenient for them; and for that

reason our Saviour redoubles the promise, If ye will ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

In these words our Saviour implicitly reproves his disciples for their fond way of expressing their love to him, by doting upon his bodily presence, and sorrowing immoderately for his absence, and he expressly warns them to evidence their love to him by their obedience to his commands: If ye love me, keep my commandments. Where observe, Christ requires an obedient love, and loving obedience. Love without obedience is but dissimulation; obedience without love, is but drudgery and slavery, Such a love as produces obedience, must be a dutiful love; a love of reverence and honour to him as a commander, and an operative and working love, a labour of love, as the apostle calls it: not waiters, but workers, are the best servants in Christs esteem. And such an obedience as is the product of love, will be a willing, easy, and cheerful obedience, a pleasing and an acceptable obedience, a constant and abiding obedience; all other motives without love are servile and base, and beget in us the drudgery of a slave, but not the duty of a son. He that fears God only, is afraid of smarting; but he that loves God is afraid of offending. Learn hence, That the best and surest evidence we can have of our love to the Lord Jesus Christ, is an humble, cheerful, universal, and persevering obedience to his commands: Keep my commandments; that is, endeavour it without reserve; for though we cannot keep the commandments to a just satisfaction, yet we may perform them to a gracious acceptation. And the word my, my commandments, is a sweetening and alleviating word. Moses' law, an unsupportable load; but Christ's law an easy burden. The law from Sinai, dreadful; the law from Sion, gracious; it pardons weakness, and accepts sincerity.

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Christ comforteth his disciples here, with a promise of the mission of the Holy Spirit, to supply the want of his bodily presence. Where observe, 1. The procurer of this blessing, and that is Christ, by his prevailing prayer, and powerful intercession: 1 will pray. It runs in the future tense; and so it is a promise of Christ's continual intercession. As long as Christ is in heaven, a christian shall not want a supply of comfort and consolation here on earth. Observe, 2. The author and donor of the blessing, and that is God himself: I will pray the Father, and he shall give. The Father, that is, my Father, your Father, and he that is the Father of comfort and consolation: I will pray, and he will give. It is an expression of great assurance. serve, 3. The blessing itself, the Holy Ghost, called here another comforter. Where note, 1. The divinity of the Holy Ghost; he that will supply the comforts of Christ's presence, must be as Christ is, the God of all comfort. Note, 2. The person of the Holy Ghost: he is a divine person, not a divine quality or operation; then we might call him a Comfort, but not a Comforter. Note, 3. The office and employment of the Holy Ghost: He is a Comforter; that is, an advocate, and intercessor to sue for us; an encourager, and one that administers consolation to us; and as he is an holy Spirit, so are his comforts holy comforts. Observe, 4. The stability of this blessing: That he may abide with you for ever. The best of our outward comforts are sudden flashes, not lasting flames; but the consolations of the Holy Spirit are strong consolations, they are abounding consolations, and everlasting consolations; especially the Holy Spirit will be the comforter of good men in the day of affliction, in the day of temptation, and at the hour of death, when all other comforts flag and fail. Observe lastly, The additional title given to the Holy Ghost, he is called the Spirit of truth: partly in opposition to Satan, who is called a lying spirit; partly because he teacheth and revealeth the truth, leadeth his people into all truth, and sealeth and confirmeth truth to the souls of believers; he is the Spirit of truth, both in his essence and in his operations. Learn hence, That as nature, so is he true in his office as a comthe Holy Spirit is true in his essence and forter to good men: all his consolations being real and solid, and free from impos

ture and delusion.

Here observe, 1. The condition which the disciples were in upon the account of Christ's removal from them, and that was, sad and comfortless, fatherless or orphans, as the word signifies. Learn hence, That Christ's departure, or the loss of his gracious presence, is very sad and comfortless to a pious soul; well might the disciples here lament and mourn, upon the occasion of Christ's leaving of them, seeing thereby they should be deprived of his doctrine and instructions, of his advice and counsel, and of the benefit of his holy and instructive example. Observe, 2. The care of Christ for his disciples, in reference to this their sad and disconsolate condition: He would not leave them comfortless. Where note, He doth not say, I will not suffer you to be comfortless, but I will not leave you so: that is, he will not desert or disown them in their comfortless condition; he will not leave them, either in point of affection, or in point of activity: he will not cease to love them, nor cease to bestir himself for them. Learn hence, That Christ will not leave his friends in a sad and comfortless state and condition, though for a time they may be brought into it: I will not leave you comfortless. I will come unto you. Christ's coming here unto them, is to be understood of his coming to them by his Holy Spirit; in the gifts of it, in the graces of it, and in the comforts of it; thus he did not long leave them comfortless, but at the feast of Pentecost came to them again.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me : because I live, ye shall live also. 20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you.

Here our Saviour foretells his approaching death, that within a little time the men of the world should see him no more; for though he rose again, the world saw him no more after his death; for we read of no appearance of him after his resurrection to any, but to his disciples only. Indeed the hour is coming when the world shall see him again; namely, at the day of judgment, when every eye shall behold him with terror and amazement. Observe farther, The consolation given to his disciples, Ye shall see me; and because I

Ob.

raised from the grave, I will quicken your dead bodies in the grave, and ye shall live also; and as I live by my ascension into heaven, so shall you my disciples live a life of grace here, and a life of glory with myself hereafter. Learn hence, That a believer's spiritual life is derived from Christ, who by his Spirit communicates a quickening virtue to all his members: Because he lives, ye shall live also. See how Christ binds up their life together with his own! As if he had said, "Whilst there is vital sap in the root, you that are branches in me shall not wither and die." serve lastly, A farther privilege insured to believers after Christ's ascension, and the Spirit's mission; they should more perfectly understand the essential union betwixt Christ and his Father, and the mystical union betwixt Christ and his members: At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, &c. The knowledge which the saints now have of the mysterious and mystical union, is but dark and imperfect; but in heaven they shall understand these things clearly: then and there the essential union of Christ and his Father, and the mystical union between Christ and believers, will be more clearly understood, than we are capable to understand them in this our imperfect state.

ments, and keepeth them, he it is 21 He that hath my commandthat loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Our blessed Saviour in these words repeats what he had before enjoined at ver. 15. namely, to evidence the sincerity of our love to him by the universality of our obedience to his commands: He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. Where note, 1. The necessity of knowledge in order unto practice. 2. The necessity of practice in order unto happiness. We must first have Christ's commandments, before we can keep them; we must have them in our understandings and judgments, in our wills and affections; not have them only in our eyes to read, in our ears to hear, or in our mouths to talk of them, but to hide them in our hearts, that we may not sin against Christ, in the wilful violation of them. Farther, we must keep, as well as have, these commandments. This denotes an universal, diligent, and perse