heart, as tho seat or emotion, ie the most vulnerable avenue to these foes. They were rushing in torrents upon the disciple& alreeily. The mere talk of hie departure hrvl filled tholr heart with sorrow. It was hie chief aim to strengthen their heart. 3. This aim he accomplished by the bestowment of his own peace. "Peace I leave with y011," etc. He prescribes and fumiehes the remedy-" peace.n 'l'he Divine element which l:.ad been so infallible against fear a.nd trouble in himself. "My peace I give unto you."' 'fhis Divine pence is the only element which ca.n succeesfully cumbat trouble and fear. H sets the whole soul to music; a.nd the music of the soul, like the music of heave□, makes sorrow nnd sighing to flee away. Filled with Christ's peace, like him, they would be calm in the storm, joyful in tribulation, patient in suffering, and jubilant in death. LEBSONB. 1. .Lill the movement, of Jesus were in O'l"der to bless. He came to the world to bless. He was in it for a. while to bless, and left it in order to bless his people all the more. The legacy of peace could not be fully enjoyed while the testator was alive. 2. When Jesus left his disciples, he left the best part of himself with them. "My pence I give," etc. Ho left infinitely more than be took away. He took himself personally away, but left his peace-the cream of bis life, and the life of his death. 3. To enjoy his peace is to enjoy him in the highest sense, and to enjoy all we re']'uire in this WO'l"ld. It will raise us above our troubles and fears, into the calm sphere of Divine love, fellowship, and protection.-B. T. Ver. l.-7rouble on the surface, peac8 in the depths. I. AN APPEAL TO A FAMILIA!! EXPEBmNcE. Most of the disciples, perhaps all of them, were well acquainted with the sea of Galilee. Some of them had earned their livelihood on its waters. The.v knew it in calm and in storm; and when their Master spoke of hearts being troubled, there was everything in this word "troubled" to make them think at once of the sea they had so often to do with. Their hearts were not to be as the waters of the lake, instantly responding to every breeze that set them in agitation. The surface is a mass of tossing billows; it cannot for a moment resist the wind; but the wind tries in vain to blow its turmoil down into the depths. So we cannot help the surface-trouble ; but, whatever the changes of life, our hearts are kept in peace. II. FuTURE TRIALS FORESEEN. We must recollect a little of the after experience of those whom Jesus here addresses. They were nearing a time of tempest and troubling, well perceived by him, altogether unexpected by them. They were to lose the visible presence of their Master. Persecution awaited them. They would have to go far from familiar and secluded Galilee out into all the world, to preach the gospel to every creature. So far the disciples had been like mariners, dropping down the harbour and making seaward under One whom they reckon as Captain. He is still with them, and they reckon on his continuing with them. .A.nd so he will, but in another guise from that which they expect. 'l'hus Jesus would do his best to make them ready. The greatest of all dangers is that which for a while they will think of least, even the danger of trouble penetrating to the heart, and leaving not one single calm and blessed region in the whole of their experience. III. THE BURE WAY TO UNDR0KEN CALH. It is well for us when we come to estimate the perils of life according to the standard of Christ. Some people get no enjoyment out of life from their nervous apprehension concerning all sorts of temporal dangers. They o.re ever mounting sentinel against foes that no sentinel can keep out. But here is a peril only too easily overlooked-that of neglecting a real faith in God and in Christ. Remember the story of the man who was running full speed across a field to escape a thunderstorm. .A.11 a.t once he was gored by a. bull, whose presence in the field he bad altogether forgotten. This is a sample of the prudence of some people. The ma.n had no certainty of escaping the lightning wherever he might go. But he could easily have escaped the bull by keeping out of the field where it was. Thus men thinking to save their lives, lose them. If the roots of our life are deepening and extending and intertwining into the life of God, then the fabric of our best interests cannot fall. We must be careful, too, to act on the double reference. Jesus does not stop with saying, "Believe in God." Nor does he begin with saying, "Believe in rue." Josue opens up a.11 the resources at once. Jesus himself bad believed in his Father. The disciples ha.d to pa.ss through tempests; Jesus himself had to pass through burri- THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 81', JOHN. [on. xiv. 1-31.
canes nncl tornadoes, and l'l&Y to himself, '' Let not thy heart be troubled , believe in God." Believe in J81lu8 for the very works' BIika. They will take him to prison I they will crc>wn him with thorns; they will fasten him to the oroes, and he will die. and still believe. Ilelicve in Jesus, who himself bas trod all the path, from earth's d~epeet sorrows to heaven's fullest joys. Who has better right to BBY, "Lot not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me" ?-Y,