continue with them; that this would be the last passover he should celebrate with them till they should feast with him in the kingdom of heaven; and at last, labouring under great agitation of mind, he informed his apostles that one of them would betray him. This was a very surpri sing arrest upon the reputation of each disciple, except the guilty one; every one but he looking upon himself as innocent, yet liable to the imputation of guilt under so general an accusation. The apostles, with great perplexity of mind, survey each other, but cannot guess at the guilty person; Judas the traitor being the furthest from their suspicion, because he was the Lord's steward, and entrusted by him with the disposal of that little temporal property possessed by the holy family. While they were labouring under this anxiety, Simon Peter thought of a method to come at the truth of this matter; and that was by hinting to John, the favourite apostle, who then sat next to Jesus, that he would prevail upon him to discover the guilty person, that the rest might not labour under the suspicion of such infamous treachery, John being so near Jesus, could ask him unperceived by the rest, whom he meant. He told him, it was he to whom he should give the next piece of bread, which he took out of the dish; and having given him that mark whereby to distinguish him, he presently puts his hand into the dish, and takes a piece of bread, and gives it to Judas.† And notwithstanding Jesus had warned him before of the horrid danger of the sin, telling him, it had been better for that man that he were sunk to the bottom of the sea, than be guilty of

Betray. See John xiii. 2. Jesus made this prediction, that they might not be scandalized at the sadness of his passion, but be confirmed in their belief, seeing a great demonstration of his wisdom and spirit of prophecy, in this very instance of foretelling the treachery of Judas Iscariot.

Judas. The Jews in eating the passover used a thick kind of sauce called Haroseth, made of palm-tree branches, or of raisins, &c. which they mixed with vinegar and other seasoning, to represent the clay whereof their fathers in Egypt made brick. Ito this sauce, it is probable that Jesus dipped a morsel of the meat he was eating, and gave it to Judas.

Warned. See Mark xiv. 21. John xiii. 27.

such treacherous ingratitude, yet by his not relenting, the devil entered more forcibly into him than before,* hurrying him to a speedy execution of his wicked designs; which Jesus knowing, said to him accordingly, "What thou dost, do quickly." Now, none of the rest that were at supper, understood the meaning of this, unless perhaps John, to whom he had given the token;† they apprehending, that because he was almoner, Jesus had ordered him to distribute something to the poor. However, he had no sooner received the sop, but the devil immediately, took possession of him; and taking the advantage of the night, the better to conceal his villainous designs, he withdraws from his master and joins his enemies; who having bargained with him for a certain price, to betray him, impatiently expected a performance of his promise; which they were not long disappointed of; for Jesus never after saw him as a disciple, but as a traitor, when he came with an armed force to seize him in the garden; which was shortly after.

While these things passed, the old topic of supremacy is again revived; which Jesus suppresses, as he had done before, to prevent any misunderstandings among them, which are too apt to be the consequences of emulation; promising them a kingdom, upon the same terms that his Father had promised him one; adding, that they should be next to him, and at his departure have the government of the church.

Then Jesus began his farewel sermon, which was mixed with sorrow and joy, and interwoven with mysteries, as with rich jewels-the discourses of the glorification of

*Before. See John xiii. 2. Luke xxii. 3.

tToken. Ibid. v. 26.

Disciple. Luke xxii. 47.

of the twelve."

Night. Ibid. v. 30.

Judas is called, "He that was called Judas, one

Supremacy. Some time before this, viz. before his departing from Jericho, Matt. xx. 25, 29, nay, before he came hither, Mark x. 42, 46, there had been a contention among the disciples (occasioned by the request of Zebedee's wife for her two sons, Matt. xx. 20,) which of them should be looked upon as the worthiest, and so be preferred before the rest.

God in his Son, and of those glories which the Father had prepared for him; he also mentions his sudden departure, and his going to a place whither they could not follow him yet, but afterwards should; meaning first to death, and then to glory; commanding them to love one another.

About this time, Christ addressed himself particularly to Peter, saying, "I tell thee, Simon, that upon the occasion of some sin committed by thee, Satan has accused thee before God, and desired that he may have the shaking of thee, to drive thee from the faith of Christ: this is granted him, and the danger consequent upon it is great; but I have prayed for thee that thou mayest not be conquered by him and his terrors, so as utterly to forsake the faith; and for the sins thou shalt be guilty of in this combat, let this use be made of them: when by repentance thou art recovered out of them, be more careful to strengthen and confirm others, that they fall not in the like manner." Peter, who thought himself endued with strength of faith sufficient to resist any temptation, and sustain any trial however great, confidently protests his readiness to suffer the worst, even death itself with his master. But the blessed Jesus, who knew his weakness, foretels his denying him before the second crowing * of the cock that night. Then foretelling the imminent dangers that threatened them, he admonishes them to provide spiritual armour against them.

Formerly," says he, "I sent you out without any provision, and ye wanted nothing; but now distresses are like to come upon you, and ye will first see them fall most sharply on me."

But lest he should afflict them with too sad a representation of his present condition, he relieves their drooping spirits with the comforts of faith; tells them their faith in him would afford them effectual consolation and support under the troubles of the present world: cheers them with the object of his removal to heaven,

Crowing. See Matt. xxvi. 34. Luke xxii. 34.

† Faith. See John xiv. 1, 2, &c.

where he was to become their harbinger, which office he would in all parts execute, by returning again to receive them, and to introduce them to mansions of eternal bliss in his Father's house. And to confirm their faith the more, he tells them; "You know the place to which I go, and the way which will bring you thither; I am the true and living way, sent by my Father to direct all men, and to reveal his will to you, who have known him, as he is revealed in me. Though ye have never seen my Father, yet having seen and known me, who am his image, ye have both seen and known him." Here Philip, not considering in what sense his master spake, saith to him, "Lord shew us the Father, and that will convince us beyond any other argument." Jesus answers, "I tell thee again, Philip, I am the image of my Father, and he that hath seen me, and heard my doctrine, hath seen my Father; why then this unnecessary question? Do you not believe that whatsoever I do or teach, I do by my Father's appointment? Take my word for it; or if you will not do so, let my miracles, which have been wrought before your eyes, convince you; and be assured, that you who have been my disciples, shall be able to do the same miracles that I do, nay greater, upon my sending down the Holy Ghost upon you." Then adding a promise, in order to their present support and future felicity, he assures them, that if they should ask of God any thing in his name, they should receive it; and that he would pray to his Father to send the Holy Ghost to them, to supply his place, to furnish them with proportionable comforts; to qualify them with great gifts; to lead them into all truth; and to abide with them for ever.

As he was going on the way he continued his sermon,

On the way. The author supposes that this discourse was delivered by our Lord while walking to the garden; but it is not at all probable that so solemn and important an address should be given to eleven persons, while walking through the streets of Jerusalem. It is far more likely that after our Lord had said, "Arise, let us go hence," some circumstance might occasion a delay, which our Lord improved by uttering this admirable sermon and prayer.

exhorting them to perseverance in the faith, and to mutual love." I am," says he, "the true, generous, fruitbearing-vine, and my Father is the husbandman, who has planted this vine, and by whom it is cultivated for his service. And every branch that is in me by an external profession, but yet is found to be barren, he cutteth off; but every member that is fruitful he pruneth, and maketh more fruitful. You are already sanctified by the operation of my doctrine and Spirit upon you; though you may need further pruning to render you more fruitful. Continue therefore in me, by the exercise of faith and love, and I will train you, to nourish and supply you as from a living root; for as, in the natural world, the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, but must presently wither, unless it continue united with the vine, so neither can you produce the fruits of acceptable obedience, unless you continue in me. As long as ye continue obedient to me and my doctrine, all your prayers shall be heard; which will bring glory to my Father, and give you a true title to my discipleship. I have very much enlarged upon these things to you, that the comfort you have taken in my presence, may in my absence continue with you, and that by the addition of that comfort of the Spirit, who will visit you when I am gone, your joy may abound. I charge you to imitate my love to you in mutually loving one another; a great instance of which I shall shortly give you in laying down life for my have given you the greatest demonstrations of my love and friendship; for I have treated you as friends, far above the condition of servants, who use not to know their master's intentions or counsels, but only to do his commands; but I have received you as friends and confidants into my bosom, and make known all my Father's will to you. If ye shall meet with infidelity and persecutions, let this give you no discouragement, but arm yourselves against it with this consideration, that they thus treated me before you. The hatred of the world to you will be a comfortable symptom, that you are a peculiar people of mine, dignified above and distinguished from the rest of mankind. You must not think it strange to be thus abused by the world; for if they persecuted

you.

I