340 SECT. cixxx. John And that they might be with him to behold his glory. 23 I in them, and may be made perfect hast loved them, as one, and, in consequence of such a blessed union, may dwell together with us, and with each other, in eternal felicity: Thus therefore XVII.23 may it ever be, I dwelling in them, and thou thou in me, that they in me; that they who now enjoy the first be- in one, and that the ginnings of this happy state, may at length be world may know that made completely perfect in one, and be united thou hast sent me, and in the most cordial love, without any jarring thou hast loved me. affection, or the least mixture of sorrow and complaint; that so the clearest demonstration may be given of the efficacy of thy grace, and that the world by this means may know that thou hast sent me, while they perceive them under my forming care to become visibly and justly the favourites of heaven; and it may thus be manifest to all that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me, and hast extended this mercy to them for my sake. 24 25 24 Father, I will am; that they may me before the founda But no improvements, either in holiness or that they also whom comfort, in this world, can completely answer thou hast given me, the purposes of my love, and the promises of my be with me where I grace to them; and therefore, O my Father, behold my glory permit me to say, that I will, that is, I importu- which thou hast given nately ask it, and, in consequence of the mutual me: for thou lovedst transactions between us, I am bold to claim it as tion of the world. matter of right, that they also whom thou hast graciously given me, even all thy chosen and sanctified people, may at length be with me where I am, in that heavenly world to which I am now removing; that they may there behold and contemplate, with everlasting delightful admiration, my glory which thou hast by thy sure appointment given me, and art just ready to bestow; for thou hast loved me before the foundation of the world, and didst then decree for me that mediatorial kingdom with which thou art now about to invest me. 25 O righteous Fa And herein thou wilt not only be merciful, ther, the world hath but faithful and just too, as it is congruous to not known thee; but those essential perfections of thy nature, O most I have known thee, righteous Father, thus to distinguish me and my and these have known followers with a peculiar glory; for though the world has not known or acknowledged thee, yet given them, &c.] As it was plainly in his I have that thou hast sent me d My glory which thou hast given me.] This may express the lustre and beauty of Christ's personal appearance, the adoration paid him by the inhabitants of the upper world, and the administration of the affairs of that providential kingdom, which it is his high office to preside over. e Though the world has not known thee. ] Thus Reflections on Christ's prayer for his people. 26 And I have declared unto them thy clare it that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. name, and will de 341 John I have known thee, and have accordingly direct- SECT. IMPROVEMENT. WE have indeed perpetual reason of thankfulness that our gra- Ver 15 cious Redeemer spake these words in the world, and recalled them thus exactly to the memory of his beloved disciple so many years after, that we in the most distant ages of his church might, by reviewing them, have his joy fulfilled in us. Let us with pleasure recollect that those petitions which Christ offered for his apostles were expressly declared not to be intended for them alone; but so far as circumstances should agree, for all that should believe on 20 him through their word, and therefore for us, if we are real, and not merely nominal believers. For us doth he still pray, not that God would immediately take us out of the world, though for his 15 sake we may be continually hated and injured in it; but that he 14 would keep us from the evil to which we are here exposed. For our sakes did he also sanctify himself as a propitiation for our sins, that we also might be sanctified through the truth; for he gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. (Tit. ii. 14.) 19 May these wise and gracious purposes of his love be fulfilled in us! May we be one with each other, and with him! May that 21 piety and charity appear in the whole scries of our temper and behaviour, which may evidently shew the force of our religion, and reflect a conspicuous honour upon the great Founder of it! And may all concur to train us up for that complete felicity above, in which all the purposes of his love centre! It is the declared will of Christ, and let us never forget it, that his people should be with 342 As Christ is going with his disciples to the garden, SECT. with him where he is, that they may behold his glory which the Fa clxxx. ther has given him. And there is apparent congruity, as well as Ver24 mercy in the appointment: that where he is, there also should his servants and members be. The blessed angels do undoubtedly behold the glory of Christ with perpetual congratulation and delight; but how much more reason shall we have to rejoice and triumph in it when we consider it as the glory of one in our own nature, the glory of our Redeemer and our Friend, and the pledge and security of our own everlasting happiness! Let us often be lifting up the eyes of our faith towards it, and let us breathe after heaven in this view; in the mean time, with all due zeal, and love, and duty, acknowledging the Father and the Son, that the 25 joys of heaven may be anticipated in our souls, while the love of God is shed abroad there by his Spirit, which is given unto us; 26 even something of that love wherewith he has loved Jesus our incarnate Head. SECT. clxxxi. John SECT. CLXXXİ. Jesus retires from the guest-chamber to the garden of Gethsemane, AND [AND] when Jesus words, he [came out, and [went forth [as his disciples, over the 'he was wont,] with brook Cedron, [to the mount of Olives,] had spoken these into the which he en ND when Jesus had spoken these words that are mentioned above, and had concluded his discourse with this excellent prayer to his XVIII.1 heavenly Father, he came out from the guest chamber, where he had celebrated the passover, and, according to his usual custom every night, went forth with his disciples out of the city; and where was a garden, crossing over the brook Kedron which lay on the tered, and his disciples east side of Jerusalem, he came to the foot of the [also followed him.] mount of Olives, where there was a garden be- [LUKE XXII. 39.] longing to one of his friends, into which he had often been used to retire; and though he knew his enemies would come this very night to seize him there, yet he entered into it, and his disciples also followed him. a A garden, into which he entered.] Christ probably retired into such a private place, not only for the advantage of secret devotion, which perhaps he might not so well have enjoyed in the city at so public a time, but also that the people might not be alarmed at his being apprehended, nor, Then, in the first sallies of their zeal and rage, attempt to rescue him in a tumultuous manner.-Kedron was, as its name significs, a dark shady vale between Jerusalem and the mount of Olives, through which a little brook ran which took its name from the place. (Compare 2 Sam. xv. 23.) b He He tells them they would all be offended and leave him. MAT. XXVI. 31. Then saith Jesus unto 343 clxxxi. Then, as they were on the way thither, Jesus SECT. them, All ye shall be says to them, Notwithstanding all the faith you offended because of me have professed in me, and all the affection which Mat. this night: for it is I know you bear me, yet not only one or an- XXVÌ. written, I will smite other, but all of you shall be offended because of me 31 the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall this very night; and the hour is just at hand, be scattered abroad. when you will be so terrified by the distress be[MARK XIV.27.] falling me in your presence, that it shall prove the sad occasion of your falling into sin, by your forsaking me, your Master and Friend, and leaving me in the hands of the enemy: for it is written (Zech. xiii. 7.) " I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered:" I am that Shepherd, and you the timorous sheep, to be dispersed by the assault made on 32 But after [that] your Keeper. But, as it is afterwards added 32 I am risen again, I there by way of encouragement, "I will turn will go before you in- hand to Galilee. [MARK my upon the little ones," to reduce and XIV. 28.] recover them from this dissipated state; so likewise I assure you for your comfort, that after I am risen from the dead, as I shall soon be, I will go before you into Galilee, and there give, not only you, my apostles, but all my disciples, the amplest demonstration both of my resurrection and my love; whereby your hearts shall be established in the firmest adherence to me: and upon this he named the particular place where he would meet them ". 33 [But] Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended bc-* cause of thee, [yet] will I never be of fended. [MARK XIV. 29.1 But Peter was so grieved to hear him say that 33 they should all be offended, and be scattered from him, that, with a confident assurance of his own stedfastness, he answered and said to him, My dearest Lord, there is no trial can surmount the love I bear thee! and whatsoever danger or distress may be at hand, I am absolutely resolved and determined upon it, that though every one besides, and even all the rest of these my brethren, should be offended because of the calamities that are coming on thee, and upon this account should be induced to forsake thee, yet will I never be offended, but will follow thee even to the last. He named the particular place where he would meet them.] An appointment to meet in so large a region as Galilee would without this have been of very little use; and Mat. xxviii. 16. (sect. ccii.) expressly declares such an appointment. We do not know the exact place, but we there learn from Matthew it was a certain mountain: probably it might be near the sea of Tiberias; not only because we find Christ on Jesus the borders of that sea after his resurrection e After 344 SECT. clxxxi. Mat. Reflections on a resolution to suffer for Christ. him, Verily I say un- shalt deny me thrice. Jesus said to him, Peter, this confidence does 34 Jesus said unto not at all become thee, especially after the warning I gave thee at supper; but I repeat it again, XXVI. and verily I say unto thee, That to-day, yea, [even] 34 this very night which is now begun, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt repeatedly deny me in the most shameful manner; for after thou hast heard it once, thou shalt not be admonished; but before it crow a second time, thou shalt repeat the fault; nay, thou shalt do it thrice, and every time with new aggravations. 35 But Peter upon this, instead of being awaken- 35 [But] Peter ed to a humble sense of his own weakness, spake hemently, and ] said [spake the more vethe more eagerly [and,] with a mixture of grief unto him, Though I and indignation at the thought, said to him, should die with thee, Lord, no danger whatsoever can induce me to get will I not deny thee [in any wise). be guilty of such baseness; for such is the sin- Likewise also said all cerity and strength of my affection to thee, that the disciples. [MARK though I should die with thee on the place, yet I XIV. 31.] will not deny thee in any manner or degree, but would a thousand times rather fall by thy side in a brave and resolute defence, than so much as seem to neglect thee, or in any respect to fail of the strictest and most affectionate fidelity. Likewise also said all the disciples, with equal sincerity of present intention, though neither he nor they had courage enough to abide by that resolution. Jesus therefore insisted no farther on the matter, but left them to be taught by the event. IMPROVEMENT. XXVI. Mat. So feeble is the heart of man, and yet so ready to trust to its 31, 32 own strength! So gracious is the Lord Jesus Christ, that great e After the warning I gave thee at supper.] See Luke xxii. 34, and John xiii. 58, p. 293, 294. I persuade myself that an attentive comparison of those texts with these before us in Matthew and Mark will convince the reader that these admonitions were first given at the table, and now repeated as they went out: nor can I find any way of forming them all harmoniously into one compound text, without such a supposition. d Spake the more eagerly,I will not deny thee in any manner or degree.] Ex ρίσσα ελεξε μάλλον, τε μη σε απαρνησομαι, I think the energy of these original expressions cannot be reached in a version: I have therefore attempted it in the paraphrase; Shepherd and must observe that, if Mark's gospel was reviewed by Peter, as the ancients say (and particularly Clemens Alexandrinus, as quoted by Eusebius Hist. Eccles. lib. ii. cap. 15, on which see Dr. Lardner's Credibility, part ii. Vol. II. chap. 22, § 5), it is peculiarly worth our notice that the aggravations attending Peter's denial of our Lord should be more strongly represented by Mark than by any other evangelist; which, in that case, probably was done by his own particular direction, and may be regarded as a genuine proof of his deep humiliation and penitence. Compare Mark xiv. 66-72, with Mat. xxvi. 69-75; Luke xxii. 54-62. and John xviii. 2527, sect, clxxxiv. a Called |