blc~~cd truth the.t II if e.ny man ain, we have an Advocate with the Fe.ther, Jesus Christ th~ Righteous" (1 John ii. 1, 2). (b) Yet it would not be ncc~esary, e.a he here e11,ye, to inquire (,,,.,.,.,~)what we.e the Fatber's will, with the view of h1ying the cn.se before him. (2) The Father's own love, without any plee.ding on the Son's part, would seclln) every blessing for them. "The Father himself Joveth you, because ye have loved me and have beJie,.ed that I ce.me out from Goo." (a) The Father's love is connected 'with t.be disciples' love to Jesus. "He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father" (eh. xiv. 21). (b) Their love was connected with their faith. They believed (ea) in ChrisL's Divine mi~sion, as well as in (~) the unity of his essence with the Father. " I came out from God." (;,) Jesus 1tssures them of his e.pproaching ascension. "I leave the world, and go to the F11ther." The Ascension is explained by the Ince.rnation. Four facts are plainly revealed-his mission, incarnation, death, ascension. IV. THE SATISFA<m:ON OF THE DIScr.>LEB. "Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and spee.kest no proverb." 1. They 'l'eCOgniu his Divine mission in their experience of hia omnis~. "Now we know that thou knowest all things." 2. This experience wa., enough/or their t»ant; for the Lord would satisfy it in his own time and wo.y. Vers. 31--33.-The/ai'th now acknowledged was destined to be severely tried. I. THE FAITH OF THE DISCIPLES WAS GENUTh'E, BUT INCOMl'LETE. .. Now ye believe." 1. Trial is needed to test the existence and strength offaith. 2. It was a mark of our Lord's low and icisdom to warn the di,sciples of coming trial. 3. Their desertion of their Master here foretold must have been incredible to their minds. "Behold, the hour cometh ... that ye sho.11 be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me a.lone." (L) The thought must have been painful to our Lord. (2) The desertion was foretold in Old Testament Scripture (Zech. :xiii. 7). (3) The prediction almost implies in it the pardon beforehand of their weakness and unfaithfulness. 4. Our Lord had a consolation in prospect of their desertion. "And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me." II. 'l'HE DESIGN OF OUR LORD'S PA.BTING ADDRESS TO ms DISCIPLES. "These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace." 1. The precious legacy of Christ to hill people is peace. (1) It is peace by the cross (Col. i. 20). (2) It is pea~e perfectly consistent with severe trial, sore affliction, o.nd bloody persecution. " In the world ye shall have tribulation." (3) It is peace in himself. 2. The guarantee of peace. "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (1) The world is the centre of disturbance to the peace of God's people. It is the sphere of tribulation. (2) The summons to have "good courage" suggests the faith which is to have overcoming power. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John v. 4)~
HOMILIES BY V.ARIOUS AUTHORS. Vere. 2, 3.-PerstJCUtionforeseen am,d foretoW,. The great aim of the Lord Jesus, in his final conversations with his apostles, was to convince them of their perfect union with himself. '.l.'hey were 1he branches of the living Vine; they were his beloved and confidenti.e.l friends. Were these revelations made merely to assure them of privilege, merely to make them h&ppy in the consciousness of an honourable and inseparable relation? Certainly not. 'fhis spiritual fellowship was to •be the power for holy service and the motive to patient endurance. It is in this last rel!J)ect that, in the verses before us, our Lord relied upon the revelation already ma.de as sufficient to secnre his disciples from being "offended." with him. He felt that, having explained the community of life and interest subsisting between himself and his own, he might open up before them the prospect of persecution. Forewarned, they would thus be fore-· armed. He treated them herein not as children, but a1 soldiers in a spiritual war, whose allegiance he did not doubt, and of whose fortitude he was perfectly assured. I. TRE NATURE OF PERSECUTION. It was no new thing in the world tliat men should be pursued with bitter hostility for their devotion to truth, to duty, to righteousness, to God. The history of Israel contained but too many illustrations of ·the enmity with which the good have been assailed by those to whom their life and testimony were a rebuke. And Jes111 foresaw that confessors and martyrs were td render o. service in hlB kingdom, ho~ b7 establishing the faith upon a b&Birl of hard trial and proof, and en. xvr. 1-33.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN.