exercise of prayer-the Saviour seems to rejoice in spirit over those chosen ones whom his Father had given him; seeing as it were already the travail of his soul in their simple reception of the truths he had spoken to them. There seems to be the same holy joy now in the Saviour's mind, as when he said, "Father, I thank thee that thou hast revealed these things unto babes." And his joy at their receiving him, and "knowing that he came out from the Father," increased the earnestness of his prayer, "I pray for them." Though he rejoiced to see the work proceeding in them, he was not satisfied; he knew that they had not yet attained, that they were not yet perfect; and, therefore, while he looks with complacency on their first steps in the heavenward pilgrimage, he hastens to establish their goings by instant prayer.

How delightful is the view of our Master's character thus brought before us, looking down with satisfaction on the progress of his children, acknowledging even the least of their attainments, and yet pleading their cause with emphatic earnestness. Not despising the "day of small things," and yet eagerly pressing on for the time when the top-stone shall be placed on the spiritual temple: "I pray for them, I pray not for the world." As long as we remain of the world, we cannot be the subjects of Christ's intercessory prayer;-"but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine; and all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them."

This passage affords a remarkable, though indirect, evidence of the great doctrine of the divinity of Christ. Deny this doctrine-and what impiety is here ?—what contradiction? "for them which thou gavest me," and yet they are (not they were) thine." And "all mine are thine, and thine are mine." But apply the light of this

doctrine to it, and all is clear and consistent.

"All that the Father hath are mine," was the declaration of our Lord to his disciples, and on this rests all the hope of the believer, this is the hinge on which his confidence moves— this is the rock of his faith, and the fulness of his joy—that his Master and his Lord extends to him blessings from the Godhead-that whatever the Father, the Son, or the Spirit hath to bestow, he may claim. This is his everlasting refuge, where no enemy can reach him, whence no power in the universe can move him, that as he is the Son's so also is he the Father's. And thus he is able to extract the full comfort from his Master's declaration, "I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.”

"And I am glorified in them." When the hard heart of the sinner is softened, and made to receive the impression of the gospel seal, then Christ is glorified in him,— the image of Christ is formed in the soul-the character of Christ is manifested above the natural character-the holiness of Christ casts out the corruption and the sin of the natural mind. Every step in this progress is an increase of Christ's glory, not only in the result of the process, inasmuch as it is his likeness which is produced; but also inasmuch as it is his power alone which from day to day, and moment to moment, is changing him who "wears the image of the earthly," to "wear the image of the heavenly."

But, beloved, if Christ is " glorified in us" at all, is he glorified as much as he ought to be, or as he might be, if we used the means he has given us for our growth in grace? Alas, how must our hearts condemn us here!

in us.

our closets, our families, or before our fellow-creatures, how partial, how feeble are the marks of Christ's glory How little respect and reverence do we call forth towards him, by our consistency of conduct, our adorning of Christ's doctrine, our entire consecration to his service. Oh, that there were more watchfulness on the part of every one who names the name of Christ, "in departing from iniquity;"—that there were more abiding zeal and love manifested towards him, that we might so, "put on Christ," and "put off the old man, which is corrupt;" -that before all, "our clothing" might appear "of wrought gold," that our "garments might smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia:" and thus that our King, who hath made us honourable, might be abundantly honoured by the clear and full reflection of his glory upon us.

"And now," adds the Saviour, "I am no more in the world." The time of his departure was so nigh at hand, that he considered himself as already removed; "But these are in the world," these sheep whom thou hast given me; they are still to be left in the midst of dangers and enemies, "and I come to thee." This latter expression seems to stand isolated from the rest of the passage in which it is found, and it is generally supposed that it was the sudden utterance of the glorious anticipation which shone into the Saviour's mind when he thought of the near approach of the time when he should be in "the bosom of the Father." His mind seems to bound upward with the fulness of unutterable joy: "I come to thee," not only as about to enjoy the glory with thee which I had before the world was, but also that from the throne of heaven I may look down, and see of the travail of my soul, and be satisfied. "I come to thee," but not alone; I come to thee, with all the ransomed ones whom thou

hast given me; I come to thee, with the multitude whom no man can number; I come to thee, that the notes of a new song may be learned in heaven; I come to thee, to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be made known the wisdom, and the love, and the glory of God.

Believer, has not the heaven of heavens attraction for you? Your Master is there; He is "set down with his Father on his throne." Have you no uplifting of the heart, no breaking forth of the desire, "I come to thee." You are passing through a world of trial. Comfort your heart by this prospect, "I come to thee." You are a pilgrim in the wilderness of this world; rejoice that at every step you can cry, "I come to thee." You love your Master-you mourn over your lack of service to him, your want of conformity to him. Lift up your head with joy, as you feel, "I come to thee," where there can be no half-service and partial conformity, but where you shall not only see him as he is, but be altogether like him, who is "altogether lovely." Let, then, your eye "be ever toward the Lord;" live above this world while you are in it; let your high calling give an energy to your faith, and a buoyancy to your love, which will bring the brightness of heaven over your earthly path; thus your life will be "hid with Christ in God;" and then, when he who is "your life shall appear, you also shall appear with him in glory."

And now, observe, with what touching earnestness our beloved Lord returns, as it were, from the glorious contemplation of his departure to the Father, to pray for the little flock he left on earth: "These are in the world:" "Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me." How cheering is the reflection,

that for us who are now in the world, the same deep, holy, powerful intercession is proceeding from our great High Priest to the throne of our Father. We are set in the midst of many and great dangers, but he who dispenses all things according to his will has promised to listen to His intercession:-whom, then, shall we fear of what shall we be afraid?

66

Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me." Defend, guard, protect these sheep of my pasture. Let thy fatherly care ever be over them. This, doubtless, has reference to all the wants of God's people, both outwardly and inwardly. The rage of man and the wrath of man can alone be warded off by our heavenly Father; and our spiritual enemies, and our own corrupt passions, can only be turned aside and baffled by the watchful care and almighty power of our good Shepherd, "who keepeth Israel," and who never slumbereth nor sleepeth.

"Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me." Guard by all the glorious perfections of thy character, and all thy mighty attributes, and all thy powerful acts, those whom thou hast given me. Oh! what a view of the believer's safety does this bring before us! The perfections of Jehovah placed between him and every thing which might hurt him. The justice of God is manifested in the protection of his people; because the Saviour, having paid the full penalty for sin, that justice which was before against, must now plead for the sinner. The love of God stands engaged for their protection, because by the atonement of the Redeemer his anger is turned away, with all its terrible fierceness, and his love and mercy have free scope in the preservation of those who have been redeemed. The truth of God is pledged