MAY WE NEVER FORGET THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH JESUS DESIRED TO BE GLORIFIED.-See ver. 2, p. 398.

JOHN xvii. 3-6.

power over-all flesh, that he-should-give eternal life to-as-many as thou-hast-given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they-might-know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, 4 whom thou-hast-sent. I have-glorified thee on the earth: I-have-finished eTeλeiwσa 5 the work which thou-gavest me to do iva Tonow. And now, O Father, glorify thou me 6 with thine-own-self with-the glory which I-had with thee before the world was. I-have

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

That the trial of your faith, being much more pre- | cious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:-2 Th. i. 10, When he shall come to be glorified,' &c.

Jno. xvii. 2. power over all flesh, &c.-Which is especially to be manifested in the bestowment of resurrection life, ch. v. 19-29, § 23, p. 177-and, even in the present life, his power is so exerted, Rom. viii. 28, that all things work together for good to them that love God,'-All power for christian edification belongs to him, 1 Co. iii. 21-.3, Let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; 22, whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; 23, and ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.'

knowledge implies fellowship with the Father and the Son, who is eternal life, 1 Jno. i. 1-3-v. 20, And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.' 4. I have glorified thee-By the works of mercy performed through his Divine power, he had led multitudes to glorify God, Mt. ix. 8, § 22, p. 167; xv. 31, § 46, p. 25; Lu. xviii. 43, § 78, p. 240; Jno. xi. 4, 40, § 58, pp. 127, .31. finished the work, &c.ch. iv. 34, § 13, p. 95, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.'-v. 36, § 23, p. 179, The works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.'- See also his last words upon the cross, xix. 30, § 91, p. 468-Ph. ii. 8, Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.' had with thee, &c.-The pre-existence of the Son, and his oneness with the Father, is frequently inti§ 55, p. 108; Ph. ii. 6; Col. i. 15-.7; He. i. 3-10. mated in scripture, as ch. i. 1, 2, § 7, p. 46; viii. 58, 6. I have manifested, &c.-Ps. xxii. 22—He. ii. 12, NOTES.

hast given him-see ver. 6, 9, 24, infra; vi. 37, § 43, p. 329,All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;'

3. life eternal,.... know thee, &c.-Je. ix. 24, Let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me,-This knowledge is revealed in Jesus, He. i. 3, ' the brightness of his [the Father's] glory, and the express image of his person,' - And it is as being taught of the Spirit, 1 Co. ii. 10-2, and knit together in love,' that this knowledge is made to abound in believers, Col. ii. 2-This

[Jno. xvii. 3. This is life eternal. A life never to end; | hence called alános tan, a life ever living; from_ast, always, and wv, being or existence. And indeed no words can more forcibly convey the idea of eternity than these. It is called alávios (on, THAT eternal life, by way of eminence. There may be an eternal existence without blessedness; but this is that eternal life with which infinite happiness is inseparably connected.]

idols; and of me as the anointed Saviour and the only Mediator, in opposition to all others.'-Brown. The only true God. Jesus is so called by John, in 1 Ep. v. 20.

4. I have glorified thee. rò Epуov-Tоhow. Not the work of teaching only, but also that of atonement by his death and passion, which was then near commencing. [5. Glorify thou me. dózacóv μs où, &c. Here again our Lord sets forth his Divine majesty as the Son of God. 1. He professes that he had dóžav (Heb. 71), i.e., the Divine majesty, embracing the whole comworks..... 2. He makes the asseveration, "I had pass of the Divine nature, attributes, counsels, and this glory, rapà aoi, i.e., with God in heaven." Therefore he was in heaven before he came into the world, or was in the bosom of the Father, ch. i. 18, § 7, p. 48. before he came to the earth; nay, before the world 3. He professes that he had glory with the Father was; or, as St. John expresses it, iv dex, i.e., from eternity. 4. He prays that the glory and majesty which, as Son of God, he enjoyed from all eternity, the Father would now invest him with, as Son of mun, What is meant by and Saviour of the human race. this glorifying of Christ by the Divine Father, is well shewn in vol. ii. p. 141, of Dr. Pye Smith's Scrip. Test. It may be briefly explained (with him) the manifestation of his name, the unveiling of the same moral and spiritual excellence, the same absolute and infinite perfection, in the person and character of the Son of God, to be effected by the extension and success of the christian religion.'-Bloomf.] 6. I have manifested thy name. All thy attributes; and in particular, thy paternal relation to believers; to the men whom thou hast given me-the apostles. And so ver. 12, p. 401. They were thine-by creation and by descent from Abraham. And thou hast given PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

[Might know thee. The word know here, as in other places, expresses more than a mere speculative acquaintance with the character and perfections of God. It includes all the impressions on the mind and life which a just view of God and the Saviour is fitted to produce. It includes of course love, reverence, obedience, honour, gratitude, supreme affection. To know God as he is, is to know and regard him as a lawgiver, a sovereign, a parent, a friend. It is to yield the whole soul to him, and strive to obey his law.] 1-3. O Father, the time fixed in thy eternal counsel for completing my course of obedience on earth is now come. Own and support me as thy Son under my sufferings, that, in finishing all righteousness, triumphing over sin, Satan, and death, and in as cending to heaven, I may manifest and spread the honour of all thy perfections in the world; that in the exercise of that mediatorial authority over all mankind which thou hast allotted me as the reward of my obedience, I may freely and effectually bestow the great blessing of eternal life upon all those whom thou hast, in thy great love, committed to me as my peculiar property, trust, and treasure. And the way to, the beginning, earnest, and evidence of right to, this eternal life, and even the complete enjoyment of it, is by an approving and fiducial knowledge of thee as the only true and faithful God, in opposition to all

[Jno. xvii. 2. As the great purpose for which Christ exerts his wonder-working power is that he may give eternal life to those whom the Father hath given him, may we earnestly seek to derive spiritual good from all that he does, as well as from all that he says.]

3 ver. May we enjoy that assured pledge of the life everlasting which indeed will constitute the joy of eternity, the knowledge of the only true God, and Jesus Christ,' in whom and by whom the Father is revealed.

VOL. 11.]

4 ver. Let us be earnest in our endeavours to glorify God upon the earth, as well as desirous of enjoying his glory in heaven; and let us not seek to escape from the work unto which we are appointed until, with our Lord, we can say, I have finished,' &c.

[5 ver. The Son of God did not begin to exist when he became the Son of the Virgin. He enjoyed the glory of the Father before the world was. Our Instructor knows both time and eternity, the lowest condition upon earth, and the highest in heaven.]

THY TESTIMONIES ARE WONDERFUL:-Psa. cxix. 129.

DEAL WITH THY SERVANT ACCORDING UNTO THY MERCY, AND TEACH ME THY STATUTES.-Psa. cxix. 124.

[399

EVERY TRUE DISCIPLE OF CHRIST IS DEVOTED UNTO GOD, AND BY EVERY TRUE WORSHIPPER OF THE FATHER THE SON IS GLORIFIED.

JOHN Xvii. 7-10.

manifested thy name unto-the men which thou-gavest me out-of the world: thine they7 were, and thou-gavest them me; and they-have-kept thy word. Now they-have-known 8 that all-things whatsoever thou-hast-given me are of thee. For I-have-given unto-them the words which thou-gavest me; and they have-received them, and have-known surely 9 that I-came-out from thee, and they-have-believed that thou didst-send me. I pray epwτ for them: I-pray not for the world, but for them-which thou hast-given me; for 10 they-are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I-am-glorified in

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Jno. xvii. 6. thy name-The name of the Father, which the Son especially manifested, was Love-1 Jno. iv. 8-10, He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 9, In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10, Herein is love,' &c.-This love Jesus had manifested to those who were constantly with him, and that in circumstances the most discouraging: as when he washed his disciples' feet, Jno. xiii. 1—5, p. 365, supra-Ac. x. 38, He went about doing good,'

gavest me out of the world-see on ver. 2, p. 399, supra; x. 29, § 56, p. 122; xv. 19, p. 390-Although we are to do good unto all as we have opportunity, and especially unto those who are of the household of faith; yet, in the providence of God, there are those given to each of us who have special claims upon our attention, 1 Ti. v. 8-who are to be received as gifts from God; and by kindness to whom we are to express the gratitude we feel towards our Great Benefactor, Mt. xviii. 2, 5, § 53, p. 82.

through him might be saved."

sent,

'I will declare thy name unto my brethren,'-Jno. i. | 9. I pray for them-Here Jesus is praying for the 18, § 7, p. 48, The only begotten Son, which is in disciples who had accompanied him in his public the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.' ministry and private walk; and unto whom more the more intimate relations of life, ch. xiii. 13, .4, p. particularly he had performed the duties of some of 367, supra-and especially that for which the father of the faithful was distinguished, Ge. xviii. 19-comp. others beside these, ver. 20, p. 403, infra. with Jno. xvii. 6-12-Afterwards Jesus prays for not for the world-Although Jesus does not here pray for the world, yet he afterwards does so when he prays that his people may, in love, be brought into the manifestation of the truth, so that the world may believe that Jesus is the Sent of God, ver. 21, infra-see the purpose for which he was ch. iii. 16, .7, § 12, p. 86, God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world hast given me-see on 'gavest me,' &c., ver. 6, supra. for they are thine-Jesus said of them, ver. 6, Thine they were,' He now speaks of them as having been kept in the name of the Father, and says, They are thine.' 10. And all mine are thine-It is as being made Christ's, and as being conformed to his image, that we truly fulfil the purpose of our first creation, which was to glorify God, Ps. cxlv. 10; 2 Co. iii. 18; Col. iii. 10; Rev. i. 5, 6; iv. 11; v. 9, 10. and thine are mine-Jesus has a claim, not merely upon the obedience of a few, but upon the homage of the whole creation-Ph. ii. 10, .1,At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'-Comp. Rev. and I am glorified in them-It was through the word ministered by the apostles, as sanctified unto NOTES.

kept thy word-The word, which by the gospel is preached, is that which teaches the brethren to love one another with pure hearts fervently, 1 Pe. i. 22, .5. 7. are of thee-From God, as a Father manifesting his love, should we receive all things, through the Son of his love, and thus in every thing give thanks,' Eph. v. 20; 1 Th. v. 18.

8. words which thou gavest me-The words promised, De. xviii. 18, .9; Jno. xv. 15, p. 389, supra. known surely-so Peter confessed, ch. vi. 69, § 43, p. 334, We believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.'-Mt. xvi. 16, § 50,

p. 36.

v. 13, .4.

Tittman) we must be careful to distinguish the proceeding of Jesus from God, ch. xvi. 28, p. 397, and coming to the earth, ver. 3, from his being sent by God as the Messiah. It should, however, seem that Eov here includes both these particulars; one referring to his Divine nature, as SON OF GOD, the other to his office of Messiah, or Son of man, as commissioned from the Father, and sent to redeem mankind. The best comment on this passage is ch. viii. 42, ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐξῆλθον καὶ ἥκω (scil. εἰς τὸν κόσμον).

[Thine they were. σοὶ ἦσαν. Thine, l, by right of creation and preservation; and 2, by the bond of sin--Bloomf.] cere attachment to thee.

[Have kept thy word. Tov λóyor TOU TET. means the doctrine of the gospel, delivered to them through Christ by God the Father.'] 7. That all things, &c. That is, as appears from the next verse, that all "the words" [the doctrines] whatsoever thou hast commissioned me to speak, are indeed from thee. There is nothing in the original answering to the word things.'-Lonsdale and Hale. [8. That I came out from thee. Here (observes

These

9. I pray not for the world, &c. Not at present. For they are thine. ori ooi aloi. Here is added a reason why God should protect them; for they are thine;' i.e., now by adoption (see 1 Jno. iii. 2), as heretofore by creation, &c.-See NOTE, supra, ver. 6. This special prayer of Christ for his disciples is continued to the end of ver. 19. 10. All mine are thine, and thine are mine. are very high and strong expressions, too grand for PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS. [Jno. xvii. 6. How much ought we to be above the of our High Priest be effectual, in his putting upon common motives of worldly men! We were, in our the children of Israel the name of the Lord.] fathers, separated from among the nations, to be unto the Lord a peculiar people' above all the 7 ver. May we know that all things are of God, who hath reconciled us unto himself by Christ Jesus nations of the earth; and having thus been chosen our Lord. of the Father, we have been given by Him to the Son of his love.] [8 ver. It is not enough that the words of God [Let us never forget that the purpose for which are given unto us, we must also receive them. Soon the disciples were given unto the Son was that he may Jesus be practically acknowledged by his people might manifest unto them the name of the Father-Moses, De. xviii. 18, .9.1 as THAT PROPHET' of whom the Father spoke by and that it is as keeping his word that we are profited by this manifestation. Soon may the ministry 9 ver. Jesus, our great High Priest, hath given us 400] OUR GOD IS MERCIFUL.-Psa. cxvi. 5

[VOL. II.

WHILE WE CONTEMPLATE THE GRACE OF GOD IN OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, LET US NEVER FORGET THAT THE LORD OUR GOD IS HOLY.

JOHN xvii. 11-.3.

11 them. And now I-am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own nanie those whom thou-hast-given me, 12 that they-may-be one, as we are. While I-was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those-that thou-gavest me I-have-kept, and none of them is-lost, but the son 13 of-perdition; that the scripture might-be-fulfilled. And now come-I to thee; and these

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

NOTES.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

THY LAW IS THE TRUTH.-Psa. cxix. 142.

AS NEWBORN BABES, DESIRE THE SINCERE MILK OF THE WORD, THAT YE MAY GROW THEREBY:-1 Pet. ii. 2.

IT IS NOT THE DESIRE OF CHRIST THAT HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD BE TAKEN OUT OF THE WORLD;

SECT. LXXXVII. PRAYER FOR SANCTIFICATION THROUGH THE TRUTH.

JOHN xvii. 14-.9.

14 things I-speak in the world, that they-might-have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have-given them thy word; and the world hath-hated them, because they-are not of the 15 world, even-as I am not of the world. I-pray not that thou-shouldest-take them out-of 16 the world, but that thou-shouldest-keep them from the evil Toυ Tоvηρou. They-are not 17 of the world, even-as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through ev thy truth: thy 18 word is truth. As thou-hast-sent me into the world, even-so have- I also-sent them into 19 the world. And for their-sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might-be sanctified

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

NOTES.

PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS.

[17 ver. As without holiness no man can see the Lord, so only by the cleansing word of God can this holiness be wrought within us. Not by any beggarly elements of human consecration, but by the cleansing word of God, can we be sanctified unto the holy service of God.]

18 ver. The mission of Christ was to be carried forward by the apostles, whose true successors those are who, being called by the grace of God, act as if they were sent into the world, not to do their own will but the will of Him who sent them.

16 ver. The separation from the world which the disciples of Christ are to seek after, is that which 402] THE CARNAL MIND IS ENMITY AGAINST GOD:-Rom. viii. 7.

[19 ver. Christ separated himself unto the work of our redemption, that we might be sanctified by [VOL. II.

AND STILL

LESS THAT THEY SHOULD AT THEIR OWN PLEASURE GO OUT OF THE

WORLD.

AFTER PRAYING FOR OURSELVES INDIVIDUALLY, OUR FIRST DESIRE SHOULD BE FOR THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.

JOHN Xvii. 20-.2.

20 through the-truth. Neither pray-I for these alone, but for them also which-shall-believe 21 on me through their word; that they-all-may-be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and-I in thee, that they also may-be one in us: that the world may-believe that thou hast-sent 22 me. And the glory which thou-gavest me I have-given them; that they-may-be one,

SCRIPTURE ILLUSTRATIONS.

Jno. xvii. 20. these the first disciples, more especially the apostles, to whom were fulfilled the immediately preceding petitions-see on ver. 6, 9, 11, .2, p. 400. for them also, &c.-ch. x. 16, § 55, p. 116, Other sheep I have,' &c.-xi. 52, § 58, p. 133, The children of God that were scattered abroad.'

through their word-Those unto whom the apostles were especially sent, were the lost sheep of the house of Israel,' Mt. x. 6, § 39, p. 295-The ultimate destination of the apostle of the Gentiles was to the children of Israel,' Ac. ix. 15; unto whom, as having come to the glorious consummation of the christian dispensation, is the epistle to the Hebrews, xii. 22-9; and unto them in their scattered condition, those of James and Peter are sent, Ja. i. 1; 1 Pe. i. 1-so also the Apocalypse, Rev. vii. 2-4-The word, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord,' He. ii. 3, was not to return void,' Is. lv. 11-The word was to find them in the islands,' and 'the ends of the earth,' xli. 1, 5, 9; xlii. 10; xlv. 22-.5; Je. xxxi. 10; and they are, from all quarters, to flow together, Is. xlix. 18; lx. 4, 5, 9; Je. xxxi. 10-.4-ver. 12, They shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD,'-The good Shepherd, Eze. xxxvii. 21, 2, will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: and I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all:'

They shall be my people, and I will be their God: 39, and I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them,' &c.

as thou, Father, &c.- see as to the unity of the Father and the Son, ch. x. 38, § 56, p. 123; xiv. 11, p. 382. one in us-Zec. viii. 23, Ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him [Christ, Ge. xlix. 8, 10] that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.'-Comp. Mt. i. 23, § 2, p. 14; xxviii. 20, § 96-It is as being joined to the Lord in an everlasting covenant, that the tribes 'scattered abroad' are to be gathered into oneness, Je. xxxi. 31-4; xxxii. 40-2-After the utter deIsolation of the land, this union is to be realized, 1. 3-5-This oneness in Christ is the consummation of the christian ministry, which is, Eph. iv. 11—6— ver. 13, till we all come in [marg. into] the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God,.... 16, from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.' that the world, &c.-It is when the gathering of the election of Israel hath taken place, Is. xliii. 5-7, that all the nations will indeed be called upon to acknowledge the truth of the gospel testimony, 8, 9, &c. 22. the glory which thou gavest me-2 Pe. i. 17, 'He received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son,' &c.-Jno. i. 12, § 7, p. 47,As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,' NOTES.

21. That they all may be one-Ge. xlix. 10, Unto him [Shiloh, the Sent of God] shall the gathering of the people be.'-Ps. xlvii. 9, The people of the God of Abraham:'--spoken of, Ge. xlviii. 14-.9-Zec. ix. 16, They shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon his land.'-Je. xxxii. 38-40,

[Jno. xvii. 20. But for them also, &c. Not only for the first believers, who were together with one accord, and one mind, at Jerusalem, and who were chiefly of the Jewish fold; but for the other sheep, especially the lost sheep of the house of Israel, unto whom the word spoken by the apostles was to go forth, and who were ultimately to be gathered into such oneness, as to convince the world that Jesus is indeed the Sent of the Father.]

21. That they all may be one. One in every desire to glorify thee by faith in me; loving as brethren; united in soul and spirit, to serve thee with all their heart, with all their mind, and with all their strength. See ver. 11, supra, p. 401.

As thou, Father, art in me. This also is to be understood in a way of similitude, and not of sameness or equality.

That the world may believe. Here Christ prays for the world. Observe the sum of his whole prayer1. Receive me into thy own and my glory. 2. Let my apostles share therein. 3. And all other believers. 4. And let all the world believe.'- Wesley. PRACTICAL the truth: the truth of those shadowy rites and sacrifices of which he was himself the substance. He put an end to the typical priesthood, that he might make his disciples a royal priesthood,' who should offer up spiritual sacrifices-the sacrifice of prayer and praise, acceptable unto God through Jesus Christ.] [Juo. xvii. 20. In praying for others besides his immediate followers, Jesus prays for them as those who are his, not according to the word of the fathers, the councils, or the popes. It was through the words of the apostles, as contained in the New Testament, that we came to a knowledge of the truth. as it is in Jesus. Blessed be God, we are so far in the very condition of those for whom more especially intercession is made by our one Mediator. He does not pray for those who believe in his blessed mother, or in holy mother church, or in the bishop of Rome: but for those who are simply believers in VOL. II.]

20, .1, may be paraphrased-Nor do I only pray for such preserving, supporting, sanctifying, and comforting influences to my apostles; but to all who, in this and the following ages, shall be brought to a saving faith in me by means of their publication of the gospel; that the whole number of believers in all generations may be joined together as one body, in faith and love, worship and obedience, by one Spirit, in as near a resemblance as possible to that union which we have by our mutual in-being; and that, in their measure, they may be united to us; that others, beholding the powerful effects of the gospel on them, may be induced to believe in me as the promised Messiah.'-Brown.

[22. And the glory, &c. The sense appears to be, And I have given to them a portion of that glorious Spirit, which thou gavest me.--See ch. iii. 34, § 13, P. 91: 2 Co. iii. 18. Christ here, as in ver. 18, speaks of that which he would surely do, as if it were already done.]

May be one, even as we are one. Evincing, as the Father and the Son had always done, the same REFLECTIONS.

Christ, who claim a right to receive instruction immediately from the apostolic writings, and who hold the great Protestant doctrine of justification by faith-who, in opposition to the church of Rome, hold that other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus.'] [21 ver. The recognition of our case is not more distinct than the prayer is suited to our necessities. Through the apostolic testimony we are believers in Christ; but we are so divided into sects and parties, that our power for good has been greatly weakened, and our enemies laugh among themselves. Our wants are known to the Saviour-He prays that our contentions may cease, that we all may be oneHe prays for a unity of which Rome cannot boast. Our Exemplar is Divine, 'as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us:'] [The unity for which our Redeemer prays is desirable, not for its own sake alone, but on account QUICKEN THOU ME-Psa. cxix. 25. [403

LET US PRAY THAT THE PEOPLE APPOINTED TO ENLIGHTEN THE WORLD MAY SOON BE RENDERED WORTHY OF THEIR CALLING.