370 Of COMMUNION with Our bleffed Saviour being to leave the world, having acquainted his difciples, among other things, what entertainment in general they were like to find in it, andmeet withal, gives the reafon why he now gave them the doleful rydings of it, conudering how fad and difpirited they were upon the mention ofhis departure from them. v. j. Thefe things have I faid untoyou, that youfhoerld not be offended. I have, faith he, given you an acquaintance with theft things, that is, tl1 things which will come upon you, which you are to fuller,, before-hand:left you who, poor fouls, have entertained expeftations`of another State of affairs, íhould be .fur- prized, fo as to be offended at me, and my do&rive, and fall away from me. You are now forewarned, and know what you have to look for. Yea, faith he, v. 2..having acquainted you in general, that you {hall he perfecuted, I tell you plainly, that there Mall he a combination of all men againft you, and all forts of inen will put forth their power for; your ruin. They fball call you out of the fynàgogue, and the time füall come, that whofoever kills lam, will think that he doth God good fervice. The ecclefiaftical power {Fall excommunicate you , they Mall put you out of their fynagogues; and that you may not expe& relieffrom the power of the magiftrate agaihft their perverfity, they will kill you; and that you may know that they will do it to the purpofe, without check or controul, they will think that in killing you, they do God good fervice, which will caufe them to aet rigoroufly, and to the uttnoft. But this is a{baking trial, might they reply: -is our condition fuch, that men inkilling us, will think to approve their confciences to God ? Yea, they will,faith our Saviour ; but yet thatyou be not mistaken,_ nor trouble your confciences about their confidences, know that their blind and defpe- rate ignorance is the caufe oftheir fury and perfuafion, v. 3. Theft things they do unto you, becaufe they bave not known the Father nor me, - - This then was to be the {tote of the difciples; but why did our Saviour tell it them at this feafon, to add fear and perplexities to their grief and forrow ? what advantage Gould they obtain thereby, faith their bleffed mallet, v. 4. There are weighty reafons why I should tell youthefg things ;'chiefly, that as ou may be, provided for them, fo when they do befal you, you may be fopported with the confidération of my Deity and Omnifcience, who told you all thefe things before they came to pals, v. 4. But theft things have I toldyou, that when the timeßiall come, you may re- memberI told you of them. But if they be fo néceilary, whence is it, that thou haftnot acquainted us with it all this, while? Why not in the beginning, at-our lint calling? Even, faith our Saviour, becaufe there Was no need of any fuch thing; -for, whilft I was with you, you had protec- tion and direction at hand. And theft things Ifold not at the beginning, becaufe Iwasprefent withyoú ::but now the State ofthings is altered ; I leoft leaveyou v. 5. And for your parts, fo are you- aftonithed with furrow,; that ye donot ask me whether I go, the consideration whereofwould certainly relieveyou, feting I go to take poffeflion of my glory and to carryon,the work of your falvation but your Hearts are filled with forrow and fear, and you do not fo much as enquire after relief, v. 5, 6. whereupon he adjoins that wonderful affertion, V. 7, Neverthelefs I tellyou the truth, it is expe- dient fin'you, that I goaway; for ifIgo not away, the comforter will not come untoyou, but if Idepart, Iwill fendhim unto you. Thisverfe then being the peculiar foundation ofwhat Gallafterward be declared, inuft particularly be confidered as to the words of it, and their interpretation ; and that both with refpeft to the preface of theft, and the alfeveration in them, with the reafon annexed thereunto. (t.) The
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