2. There is no station so private but thou mayest do something for Christ, to bring up thy children in the nurture of the Lord, to instruct thy servants, thy neighbours, thy fellow-servants. Zeal is like fire or like leaven, it will spread and diffuse itself
Object. 3. I have laboured, but to little purpose.
Ans. Success is not thy work, but God's. We must mind our duty, and leave the success to God ; we shall not be responsible for lack of success, but want of endeavours : Isa. xlix. 4, ' Then I said, I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vain ; yet surely my judgment is with the Lord, and my work with my God.' It was a complaint of Christ himself ; his ministry was without fruit, yet not without reward. We may have the crown of faithfulness, if not the fruit. A minister is like a fountain that always runneth, ' whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.' So you must act in your families.
Object. 4. I was never called to martyrdom. I doubt I shall not gloriiy him.
Ans. 1. Wish not for troubles, but leave them to God; and when they come, take up his cross. Simon of Cyrene was compelled ; we must not choose our cross, but bear it. Christ himself did not carry his cross till it was laid upon him ; we must not seek it, but take it up ; not brew our cup, but drink it. When a cross meeteth us in our way, which we cannot escape without sin or breach of conscience, we must bear it.
2. There is seldom a time when religion is not difiicult, and doth not put us on some inconvenience, if not upon the displeasure of a magistrate, yet of carnal friends ; if not for some main truths of chris-
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tianity, yet for some of Christ's lesser institutions ; present truths usually go cross to interests.
3. The less trouble abroad, the more at home ; if you do not conflict with a naughty world, yet with a naughty heart. There are doubts in point of comfort, difliculties in point of obedience. A christian, in good earnest, never meeteth with a sleepy lazy time, all calm and rest. It is good to be jealous of ourselves ; it doth not weaken our confi- dence in Christ, but our fleshly security.
Object. 5. But I have many self-ends, and do what I can, they will be interposing ; and I can do nothing for Christ, but am ready to be biassed by some carnal aims.
Ans. It is impossible to think to be without failings, as to our ends and principles, as well as the manner of duty ; but a christian is judged by his main scope and purpose of his life. If this be the main thing, Christ will own you, and intercede with God for you.
SEEMON XIV.
And noio I am no more in tlieioorld, hid these are in the ivorld, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine oion name those whom thou hast given me, that they may he one, as we are. — John XVII. 11.
Hitherto Christ had argued with the Father, and showed many reasons why he would pray for the disciples. Now he cometh from arguments to requests. Here the prayer itself beginneth. His first request is, that God would have a care of them when he was gone from them ; as a father, when he is about to die, commendeth his children to the care and tutelage of a near friend ; so doth Christ commend his disciples to God : ' And now I am no more in the world,' &c. The circumstances notable in the verse are these —
1. The occasion of the prayer, wherein there is a new cause and reason why he commendeth them to the Father, ' And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee.'
2. The compellation of the party to whom the prayer is made, 'Holy Father.' Titles are suited to requests : Kom. xv. 13, ' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.'
3. The matter of the prayer, for perseverance in grace, ' Keep through thine own name.'
4. The parties prayed for, ' Those which thou hast given me ; ' an argument often urged before.
5. The end of the prayer, or of the blessing asked in prayer, ' That they may be one ; ' which is amplified by the exemplary pattern, ' as we are one.' Or rather, the whole is a new request ; two matters are prayed for — conservation from evil, and perfection in good. Christ prayed for conservationem a mcdo, et perfectioncm in bono.
In this verse there is a large field of matter. Let me explain the words, and then raise some practical observations. First, I begin with the occasion.
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' I am no more in the world ; ' that is, by and by I shall be no more. Christ was yet in the M'orld ; for he saith, ver. 13, ' These things I speak in the world ;' still subject to the miseries of it ; his passion was not over, his sorest combat was at last, and that was nigh at hand ; but Christ went to it with such a resolved mind, that he seemed already to be exempted from a worldly condition. But how ' no more in the world,' since he saith, ' I am with you to the end of the world' ? He is spiritually still with us, but he was about to withdraw his cor- poral presence.