go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou 37 shalt follow me afterwards.* Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I 38 will lay down my life for thy sake.t 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.

1

CHAP. XIV.

LET not your heart be troubled: ye believe 2 in God, and ye believe in me.‡ In my Father's house there are many mansions: If not, I would have told you. I go to prepare a 3 place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, ye may be also. 4 And whither I go, ye know, and the way ye 5 know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we

know not whither thou goest; and how can 6 we know the way ? Jesus saith unto him, I

The disciples were still ignorant that their Lord was to be taken and crucified.

↑ Vain, presumptuous man! as his faith failed him when the waves arose, so did his resolution, when his Lord was taken by the Jews.

The disciples certainly believed in Christ as the Messiah. See chap. xvii. 8. They need not then be exhorted to believe in Christ. But their belief in him would supply them with reasons for hope and comfort. The original will also but bear this construction.

Thomas was possessed of a strong curiosity; and was free and explicit in his inquiries.

am the way, and the truth, and the life: no 7 man cometh unto the Father but by me.* If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know, him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it will sat9 isfy us. 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, Shew 10 us the Father? Dost thou not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words which I speak unto you, I speak not of myself: but the Father, that dwelleth 11 in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or believe me for the very work's sake. § 12 Verily, verily I say unto you, he who believ eth on me, the works which I do, he shall do also and greater works than these shall he do: 13 because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever

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

15

If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give

So also, he is the light of the world: the resurrection and the life. For by him God has revealed his will, and made known the way of pardon and immortality.

Moses also was desirous to see the glory of God.

See chap. i. 14. 18. and v. 37. I am his Messenger and Representative. By me his wisdom, power and grace are displayed.

That is, on account of the miraculous works.

you another comforter,* that he may abide 17 with you forever even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeeth him not, neither knoweth him; but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall 18 be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I 19 will come to you. Yet a little while, and the

world will see me no more: but ye will see me : 20 because I live, ye shall live also. At that dayt

ye shall know that I am in my Father, and you 21 in me, and I in you. He who hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is who loveth me: and he who loveth me, shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and 22 will manifest myself to him. Judas (not Iscariot,) saith unto him, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the 23 world? Jesus answered 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 24 him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings and the word which you hear, is not mine, but the 25 Father's who sent me. These things I have *spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said un27 to you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I

* Or advocate, or monitor, as some render it.
† After his resurrection.

unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, 28 neither let it be afraid. Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my 29 Father is greater than I.† And now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is 30 come to pass, ye might believe. Hereafter I will not talk much with you; for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in met 31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence.

CHAP. XV.

1 I AM the true vine, and my Father is the 2 husbandman.§ Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit, he purifieth it, that it 3 may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are

Peace of conscience, not external and temporal peace. + Though I exercise a divine power in performing miraeles, and claim great authority, yet I derive all this power and authority from God. He is Almighty. In him ye believe. Be certain, then, of his favor and aid in support of my cause, and in the fulfilment of my promises.

I am soon to be tried by worldly power, though nothing can be alleged against me. However, the world will know that I love the Father.

§ See Jeremiah ii. 21.

I am the Head of the church: The root, from which every good man is to derive spiritual

instruction and comfort.

Those who improve their privileges will receive aid and assistance from God.

4 unto you.

clean through the word which I have spoken Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye 5 abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches. He who abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye 6 can do nothing.* If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered : and men gather them, and cast them into the 7 fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.t 8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear

much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. 9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved 10 you; continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's command 11 ments, and abide in his love. These things' have spoken unto you, that my joy might n main in you, and that your joy might be co 'go 12 plete. This is my commandment, theyou 13 love one another, as I have loved you.

man hath greater love than this, that a man lay 14 down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Christ here teaches the necessity of considering him a divine teacher, and his doctrines as essential to uniform virtue. If we set aside his gospel, we have no support to virtue, and no assurance of divine favor.

+ If ye are faithful to me, whatever ye may ask of God, he will hear and answer you. See Acts iv. 31.

It is by our virtues, then, and not by our sins, as some

vaiuly pretend, that we honor and glorify God.