him, Whither he was going? To this our Saviour replies by the comfortable affurance, That, although he could not accompany him then, he fhould furely 'follow him' nor is this promise con fined to Peter and the reft of the apostles, but is extended to all his true and faithful difciples, from one generation to another, to the end of the world. With what cheerfulness and refignation ought we then to submit, to whatever trials and sufferings his wisdom has appointed for us, in this life; when we are affured that, if we act properly under them, we shall be received into his kingdom, and be partakers with him of everlasting happiness!

St. Peter, ftill mistaking our Lord's meaning, and fuppofing that he was about to engage in fome dangerous undertaking, in which he did not wifh to invalye his difciples, with all the zeal of true friendship and affection, preffes to be admitted to fhare his mafter's danger; affuring him that he would willingly facrifice his life in his fervice. We have every reason to

tq

suppose

suppose that Peter was fincere in this declaration, at the time he made it; and, there can be no doubt, that Jefus was pleased with such a proof of the warmth of his affection; but perceiving, probably, that Peter was too confident in his own ftrength, our Lord took the opportunity of checking his prefumption, by telling him, that, firm as he then thought himself, within a very few hours, he should be guilty of the meanness of denying all knowledge of him.

The event, as we fhall fee hereafter, proved the truth of our Lord's prophecy, and the weakness and unfteadiness of human nature when left to itself.

Let this serve as a warning to us, to guard against every species of arrogance, or presumption, in relying on our own ftrength alone for the performance of our duty; let us, with true humility and meeknefs of heart, addrefs ourselves to the throne of grace; that we may receive affiftance from above, and be daily improved in charity and all other Christian

virtues ;

virtues; endeavoring, in our every thought, word and action, to follow the example of our blessed Lord. To whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be all honor and glory, world without end! Amen.

SUPPLEMENT TO CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH.

ON THE LORD'S SUPPER,

BEFORE I proceed to comment upon the fourteenth chapter of St. John, I must repeat a practice which I have frequently found it neceffary to adopt, and for which I prepared my readers in an early part of this work-that of fupplying, from the other evangelists, such information as is not to be found at all in this gospel; or which, if found, is not treated on fo largely as the nature of the subject may feem to require. This is particularly the cafe with respect to the inftitution of the Lord's fupper: a facrament of fuch general and infinite importance to all Chriftians, that it well deferves their most ferious confideration.

Should

Should it be asked how it happened that St. John fhould omit altogether, or only flightly touch on, subjects which the other evangelifts thought of fo much confequence? I anfwer, that the other three had, many years before, written complete hiftories of our bleffed Saviour, from his birth to his ascension into Heaven; including all the remarkable occurrences of which they had been witnesses: as these were well known in the world, it was totally unneceffary for St. John, after such a distance of time had elapsed, to repeat, in the fame order, the fame facts and occurrences which they had recorded.

It is evident, that St. John did not mean his Gospel to be confidered as a complete history of Jefus Chrift; but, rather, as a fucceffion of proofs of his divinity. He himself expreffes this, in the latter part of the twentieth chapter of this book: "And many other figns truly did Jefus, "in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: but these

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are written, that ye might believe that "Jefus