and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. When they arrived at the place which was to be the fcene of his fufferings, he defired them to fortify themfelves by prayer, and forwarned them of the ter- rible effeas his fufferings would have upon them ; they would make them all fiumble that very night, agreeable to the prophecy of Zechariah : I will finite the fhepherd, and the fheep of the flock fliall be fcattered abroad. Therefore, he not only men- tioned his own refurreaion, but told them they fhould fee him in Galilee, after he was rifen from the dead, in order to firengthen their faith. Peter, on our bleffed Saviour's mention- ing the offence that his difciples would take at his fufferings, recolleEled what had been faid to him in particular, before they left the houfe. Grieving therefore afrefh, to find his Matter entertain fuch thoughts of him, and being now armed with a fword, the vehemence ofhis temper urged him to boaft a fecond time of his couragious and clofe attachment to his Matter : Though all men, Paid he, /hould be ofended becaufe of thee, yet will I never be ofended. But Jesus, knowing that confidence and fecu- rity are great enemies to virtue, thought proper to forewarn him again ofhis danger, and told him, that the cock lhould not crow before he had denied him. Peter, however, full continued to repeat his con- fidence, I will die with thee, but never deny thee. The difciples all joined with Peter in profeffing their fixed refolution of fuffering death, rather than they would deny their Mailer ; but the event fully con- firmed theprediaion of our Saviour. From whence we may learn, how ignorant men are of themfelves. Our dear Lord, not willing to lofe one Tingle moment of the fhort time of his minifiry that yet remained, continued to infirua his difciples in the great truths he came into the world to ex- plain; and from the vines, which, were growing round him on the Mount of Olives, he began his excellent difcourfe with the parable of the vine, which I No. zo. 237 fhall endeavour to explain in the follow- ing manner. Hitherto, Paid the compaffionate Re- deemer of mankind, the Jewifh church and nation have been the peculiar care of Providence; as a choice and goodly vine, likely to bring forth much fruit, is the efpe- cial care of the hufbandman : but from henceforth, my church, my difciples, and the profeffors of my religion, of what- foever country or nation they be, !hall be- come the people of God, and the peculiar care of Divine Providence : I will be to them as the root and flock of a vine, of which my Father is the hufbandman and vine dreffer, and they are the branches. As the fkilful vine- dreffer, in the ma- nagement of a choice vine, cuts off all barren and fuperfluous, branches, that they may not burden nor exhauft the tree, and prunes and dreffes the fruitful branches, that they may grow continually, and bear more fruit: fo in the government of my church, all ureters, wicked, and incorrigible members, my Father, by his juft judgment, cuts off and defiroys ; but thofe who are fincerely pious and good, he, by the vari- ous and merciful difpenfations of his pro- vidence towards them, tries, purifies, and amends, that they may daily improve, and be more and more abundant in all good works. Now ye, my apofiles, are fuch members as thefe, being purified in heart and mind, and prepared for every good work, by your lively faith in me, and fin- cere refolutions, to obey my commands. Continue ftedfafily in this 'late, and then you may be, fure of deriving all fpiritual bleffings from me, as the branches receive tap and nourifhment from the vine: but as a branch, without continuing in the vine, cannot bear any fruit, but prefently dries up and perifhes ; fo ye, unlefs ye continue ftedfaft in your communion with me, by a lively faith and fincere obedience, fo as to receive grace and fpiritual bleffings, can never bring forth any good fruit of true holinefs and righteoufnefs, but will fall into vanity, fuperftition, and wickednefs, and 3 M will
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