to the ground, as lifeless branches; and are fit only for the burning. This truth is very generally acknowledged by Christians, but not always felt and acted upon. Men do not feel, as they ought to do, in daily life, their entire and only dependence upon the Saviour's grace and mercy; do not continually draw from Him, do not seek or care to draw, those spiritual supplies, of light and holiness and strength, which are actually necessary for their spiritual existence. For want of this, many "have a name to live who are dead." (Rev. iii. 1.) They have no true faith; nothing but an outward belief, the "form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." (2 Tim. iii. 5.) An unfruitful professor is an unfaithful professor. Be it our constant care and concern, to abide in the true vine; to satisfy our conscience of this, by our decided christian character; by the consistency and abundance of our spiritual fruit; by our bringing forth grapes, and not wild grapes; by our walking holily and obediently "in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." (Luke i. 6.) Thus we shall ever be growing in grace; our fruit will increase more and more; the Lord, by the dealings of His providence, by the power of His word, by the working of His Spirit, will gradually purge away our earthly affections, our corrupt humours and dispositions, our evil habits, yea whatsoever offendeth Him; thus will our prayers be more largely answered, our hearts more fully changed, our graces and virtues multiplied, our heavenly Father glorified in us, and we by Him. LECTURE LV. The disciples are further instructed in the necessary duties required of them, as believers in their Lord, and inheritors of His kingdom. CHAP. XV. 9. 9. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you continue ye in my Jesus is pleased to represent His love for the disciples as a source of joy to Himself, and desires that His joy in them may continue by their continuing faithful: and that thus there might be nothing to hinder or abate their joy in Him. 13. Thess. 4.9. Ch. 13. 34. 12. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. This was another intimation of His approaching death upon the cross, for them His friends; 1 Peter 4.8. Eph. 5. 2. and O much more, for His enemies also. Such Rom. 5. 7, 8. Matt. 12. 50. Matt. 28.19. love as this was never before known, or heard of. Jesus then shews the character of those, whom He honours and blesses with His friendship: 14. Ye are my friends, If ye do whatsoever I command you. 15. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. The master gives his servants their orders, without explaining the reason of them, without informing them what he is about to do; but Jesus had made known to His disciples His own will and the will of His Father (which were one and the same) and all things thereunto belonging; and thus had treated them not as servants, but as familiar and confidential friends. ye 16. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained that you, should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17. These things I command you, that ye love one another. It is very clear that these words are addressed to the apostles; they had not chosen Jesus to be their Lord and Master, but He had chosen them, by His free grace, in His unsearchable wisdom and love, as hearers of His word, as witnesses of His miracles, as ministers of His gospel; He had chosen them to labour and to bring forth fruit; and thus as heirs ofEph.1.1-12, eternal life. The labour and the fruit were altogether indispensable; but it is certain that they could have no means or opportunity of labouring, had not the Lord called them into His vineyard; to Him therefore they were indebted for all their privileges; and they must watch and pray, they must live and love, they must see that their high character was maintained, and their great duties faithfully performed. But the truth and import of the words before us, do undoubtedly denote the state and condition of other Christians also, as well as of the apostles. To all of us may the Lord truly say, 66 ye have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you." With this St. Peter's description of the converts exactly agrees: "ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvellous light.— Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy." God 1 Pet. 2. 9, spake of His people of old in like manner; and instead of any further reading, at present, in St. John, we may read a passage in Deut. vii. which will shew the privilege of the Israelites, 10. and that of Christians also; together with the duties required both of the one and the other, Deut. 7.6. in order to their acceptance with God. "Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth." 7. The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because you were in number more than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: 8. But because the Lord loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations; 10. And repayeth them that hate Him to their face, to destroy them: He will not be slack to him that hateth Him, He will repay him to his face. Ex. 19.5, 6. 11. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them." It is plain therefore, that, as members of Christ and children of God, we are freely chosen; but let it not be supposed, that we have no choice to make, and no duty to perform; we must |