`Ter., 1. the 17th Chapter of St. J O H N. '53 SERMON XVIII. JOHN XVII. It. :find now I am no more in the World, hut thefe are in the World, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine Own 11,ame tit *e whom thott haft givers ,tie, that they may be one, as we are. Fourthly, E are now come to the fourth Circumflance, the Per - Ions for whom he prayeth, [ chafe which thou haft gi- t eis me. Some ancient Copies read, ö dé2oKct twc, thy Name which than haft given me, but I will not trouble you with that : molt read as we do, s, thofe zwhïch thou haft given me. But who are they ? and What is meant by God's giving us to Chrift ? and why is it mentioned here ? The Phrafe is often repeated, and ufed in many Verts of this Chapter. I fhall now explain it once for all. I. Who are the Perlons that were given to Chrill ? I Anfwer, Generally the Elea, particularly the Alxíflles. The Elea are and may be comprifed within the Expreffion ; for, b'er.9. it is put in contradifliríaion to the Re- probate World, for whom Chrift will not pray; I pray for them, I pray not for the World, but for them that thon bait given me, for they are thine. But in the principal (cope of- this Verfe, the Difciples of that Age are intended, and among them chiefly the Apoflles, who are rneAÉe ee ¿teNew rdzfogy the Elea of the Elea : For he doth princi- pally pray fat Others afterward ; Vere ao. Neither pray I for thefe aloíie, bet for thofe which fliall believe on me through their Word. But after that again, both the Difeiples, and all others that belong to the purpofes of God's Grace, are folded, or bound to- gether up in this one Expreffion ; Verf. 24. Father, 1 will that they alfa Whom than haft given me, be with me, where I am, that they may behold my Glory. All which fhewèth, that this Expreffion, thofe Which are given to Chrift, is a Charaaer proper and peculiar to the Elea, and fo Chrift meaneth it in this place. Nothing can be objeeted againft this, but that in the Verfe next my Text, erf 52. Thofe that thou gaheft me, I have kept, and none of them is lift, but thé Son of Perdition. So that either we mull take this giving in a larger fenfe, or allow, that force of thofe given to Chrift may be loft. I Anfwer; I might take the word in a larger fenfe indeed, as it is fometimes sited in Scripture, for thofe given to Chrift only by way of Reward, tho not by way of Charge, as I (hall diftinguifh by and by. Hypocrites, becaufe of their external Vocation, are Paid to be given to Chrift by way of Minifiry and Service, but not by way of fpecial Charge. And it is notable what Chris faith of Judas, john 13. 18. I fpeak not of you all, I know whoss I have chafen : but that the Scripture might be fu filled, He that eateth Bread with me, hash lift up hie Heel againf me. Where he Iheweth plainly, that one of them was not of the number of the Elea, and fhould not receive the Privileges of his efpecial Charge; Sib he was chofen to the Calling of an Apoflle,yet not to Eternal Life,but òn= ly given by way of Miniftry and Service. But this would teem to cross the confiant ule of the Phrafe in this Chapter. I Anfwer, Therefore by interpreting the Phrafe; r * d tiós zïís ohnAdag, but the Son of Perdition ; the words are not exceptive, but ad- verfative, and mutt be thus confirued, None of them which thou haft given rte is loft but the You of Perdition it loft : And mark ir, we do not render it, Except the Son of Perdition; but Brit the Son of Perdition; it is not nifi, but fed; there is no excep- tion made of judos, as if he had been given to Chrift, and afterward had fallen away; V v v but
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