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None of them was loft, but the Son of Perdition.

12 While I was with them in the World, I kept them in thy Name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is loft, but the Son of Perdition: that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

12.

487 each other, in cordial Affection, and may be one, Sec. 179. even as we [are] one. Do not, oh gracious Father, forget these my Friends, in whofe Caufe John XVII. I have fo affectionately engaged; for thou art Witnefs, that while I was with them in the World, I kept them in thy Name, and thro' the Influences of thy Grace; [yea,] Iguarded them whom thou gavest me with a moft conftant Care, and none of them is loft, unless it be counted as a Kind of Exception, that the Son of Perdition perishes by his Iniquity; that wretched Creature, who in a lower Senfe was indeed given to me, but never, like the reft, was taken under my fpecial Care (f); but is left to fall into deferved Ruin (g), that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which foretold it as the dreadful Confequence of his Treachery. (See Pfal. cix. 8, & feq. compared with Acts i. 20.)

(f) Unless it be the Son of Perdition.] I am furprized that so many very learned Divines, and amongst the reft even Bishop Burnet himself, (whom I cannot mention but with the greatest Honour,) fhould fo roundly infer from thefe Words, that the giving to Chrift in the preceding Claufes, cannot imply an Election to Glory, fince it is here intimated, that Judas who perifhed, was given as well as the reft. (See Burnet on the Articles, pag. 160.) The Objection to a mere English Reader might appear unanswerable; but thofe fo converfant in the Original might eafily have obferved, that if this Text will prove, that Judas was in the Number of thofe given to Chrift, in the fame Manner Luke iv. 26, 27. will prove, directly contrary to plain Fact and the whole Tenor of the Argument, that the Woman of Sarepta was a Widow in Ifrael, and Naaman the Syrian a Leper in Ifrael too; John iii. 13. that Chrift afcended into Heaven before he began his Miniftry; Rev. ix. 4. that the Men who had not the Seal of GOD in their Foreheads were either Grafs, or Trees; and Rev. xxi. 27. that there are some of the most abominable of Mankind, whofe Names are written in the Book of Life. See also Mat. v. 13. xii. 4. 1. Cor. vii. 5. 2 Cor. xii. 13. In all which Places, as well as the preceding, it is plain that es un is not used ftrictly as an Exceptive Particle; and that, if it has any thing like that Force, it is only to intimate, that what it introduces may, in a lefs proper Senfe, be reduced to the Number of Things mentioned before it. And this I take to be its precife Senfe in this Text; for which Reason I render it [unless it: be,] tho' in fome of the former Inftances it has not fo much Signification as that; but is. used with as great a Liberty, as except by Milton, when he fays of Satan,

GOD and his Son except,

Created Thing nought valued he nor fhunn'd.

The Words before us.

Thus likewife av un is ufed, Gal. ii. 16. John v. 19. xv. 4.
might indeed refer to the Apostles, (compare John xviii. 8, 9. Sect. 183.) but I do not
fee any Neceffity of confining them to Chrift's Care for their Prefervation, for the Reason
given above.

(g) Is left to fall into deferved Ruin.] The Son of Perdition fignifies one who defervedly. perishes; as a Son of Death, 2 Sam. xii. 5. Children of Hell, Mat, xxiii. 15. and Children. of Wrath, Eph. ii. 3. fignify Perfons justly obnoxious to Death, Hell, and Wrath.

IMPROV E

488

Sect. 179.

Reflections on CHRIST's Prayer for his People.

IMPROVEMENT.

WITH Pleasure let us behold our gracious Redeemer in this Posture W of humble Adoration; lifting up his Eyes to GOD with folemn John xvii. I. Devotion, and pouring out his pious and benevolent Spirit in those Divine Breathings which are here recorded. From his Example let us learn to pray; and from his Interceffion to hope. We know that the Father beareth him always; (John xi. 42.) and fingularly did he manifeft, that he heard him now, by all that bright Affemblage of Glories, which shone around him in the concluding Scenes of his Abode on Earth, and in those that attended his Removal from it: And in all this too did the Bleffed Jefus manifeft his Zeal for the Glory of the Father. May we emulate that holy Temper! and when we pray even for our own confummate Happiness in the Heavenly World, may we consider it as ultimately centering in the Honour and Service of GOD!

Ver. 2.

Ver. 3.

Ver. 4.

Ver. II.

Ver. 12.

Well may we be encouraged to hope for that Happiness, fince Chrift has an univerfal Power over all Flesh, and over Spirits fuperior to those that dwell in Flesh; with which he is invefted on Purpose, that he may accomplish the Salvation of those whom the Father has given him, even of every true Believer. We fee the certain Way to this Life, even the Knowledge of GOD in Chrift: Let us blefs GOD, that we enjoy so many Opportunities of obtaining it; and earnestly pray, that he who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness, would by his Divine Rays fine forth on our benighted Souls; and fo animate us in his Service from the noblest Principles of Gratitude and Love, that we may be able to say, even in our dying Moments, with fomewhat of the fame Spirit as our Lord expreffed, Father, we have glorified thee on Earth, and finished the Work which thou gavest us to do; and therefore, being no more in the World, we come unto thee. Then may we hope, in our humble Degree, to partake of that Glory to which he is returned, and to fit down with him on bis victorious Throne.

In the mean Time, may our Faith fee, and our Zeal confefs Chrift! Ver. 7, 8. May we acknowledge his Divine Authority, as having come out from the Father! May we be united in Love to him, and to each other; and be kept by that Divine Word, which is the Security of his People, that none of them fhall be loft! Let the Son of Perdition, who perished even from amongst the Apostles, teach us an humble Jealousy over our own Hearts, whatever external Privileges we enjoy; and engage us to maintain a continual Regard to him, who is able to keep us from falling, and to prefent us faultless before the Prefence of his Glory with exceeding Joy! (Jude, ver. 24.)

SECT.

He prays, that his Apoftles might be kept from Evil:

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Our LORD concludes his Prayer, recommending his Apostles, and fucceeding Chriftians in every future Age, to the favourable Regards of his Father, and praying for their Union on Earth, and Glory in Heaven. John XVII. 13, to the End.

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JOHN XVII. 13.

489

UR Lord proceeded in that excellent Ad-Sect. 180. drefs to GOD, which he had begun in the former Section, in fuch Words as thefe: And

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now,

13.

John XVII. oh my Heavenly Father, I come unto thee with unutterable Pleasure; and thefe [Words] of this Prayer 1 Speak thus openly in the Hearing of my Difciples, while I as yet am with them in the World, that they who now hear me, and thofe too for whose Benefit it may be afterwards recorded, may have my Joy, even that holy Confolation of which I am the Author and Support, abundantly fulfilled in them. And it indeed becomes me to be thus 14 folicitous for their Comfort and Happiness; for I bave given them thy Word, which they have faithfully received: And in Confequence of this, tho' they are indeed the greatest Friends and Benefactors of Mankind, yet the World has ungratefully hated them, and will be fure to perfecute them with the utmost Violence, because they are not of the fame Spirit with the World, even as I myself, in whofe Caufe they are engaged, am not of the World, fo as to conform to it in my Temper and Conduct., Since therefore for my fake they 15 ftand thus expofed to Hatred, Injury, and Oppreffion, I most affectionately bear them on my Heart before thee, oh my Heavenly Father: Yet I do not pray, that thou shouldst take them immediately out of the World, bad as it is; fince I know, the Purpofes of thy Glory, and their own Improvement and Usefulness, will require their longer Continuance in it; but I pray, that thou wouldst preferve them from being either cor-' VOL. II. Q ૧૧

rupted

490 Sect. 180. rupted or overwhelmed by the Evil which perpetually furrounds them, and that the Subtilty John XVII. and Malice of the Evil One may never over16 power them. For I well know, that they will meet with many Trials which will bear hard upon them; becaufe (as I have faid,) they are not of a Temper fuited to the common Sentiments and Practice of the World, even as I their Lord and Master am not of the World.

And that they might be fan&tified thro' the Truth.

17

16 They are not of the World, even as I am not

of the World.

To arm them therefore against fo formidable 17 Sanctify them thro' an Attack, and to maintain and cultivate this holy thy Truth: thy Word is Truth. Temper in them, I would intreat thee to compleat the Work that is fo happily begun, and to fanctify them more and more thro' thy Truth (a): And as thy Word and Gofpel which they are to preach, is the great Syftem of fanctifying Truth, whereby real Holiness is to be for ever promoted; may thefe thy Servants therefore feel more and more of its vital Energy on their own Souls, to qualify them for the important Office of difpenfing it to others. 18 For as thou haft fent me into the World to be the Meffenger of this Grace, I also have fent them into the World on the fame Errand, to publish and 19 proclaim what they have learnt of me. And it is in fome measure for their fakes, as well as for the Salvation of all my People, that I now fanctify myself, or fet myself apart as an Offering holy to thee, that they alfo, taught by my Example, and animated by my dying Love, may be truly fanctified thro' the Truth, and be compleatly fitted for that important Office.

20

I

And when I lay fuch a Strefs on this, and offer thefe Petitions for them, I am not chiefly influenced by the perfonal Attachment of private Friendship, but I confider them under their publick Character'; nor do I pray for these my Apoftles alone, or offer myfelf merely for them; but

for

18 As thou haft fent me

into the World, even fo the World.

have I alfo fent them into

19 And for their fakes I

fanctify myself, that they alfo might be fanctified thro the Truth.

20 Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them

allo

(a) Sanctify them thro' thy Truth.] I fee no Reafon to conclude, with Mr. Mede, that EV Tn antea must be put for es Tondelav, i. e. for the Service of the Gospel. That was indeed the remote End which our Lord had in View; but the more immediate was, that their own Souls might be transformed and purified by it.-To fanctify fignifies in general, to fet apart to any appropriate Ufe; and is ufed with peculiar Propriety, with Reference to a Sacrifice; which feems to be the Senfe, in which our Lord applies it to himself, in ver. 19. Compare Exod. xiii. 2. xxix. 1. and Lev. xxii. 2.

(b) That

He prays, that all Believers might be One in them:

me thro' their Word:

491

alfo which fhall believe on for them alfo who shall hereafter believe on me thro' Sect. 180. their Word, whether it be preached or written ; John XVII.

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20.

even for those, who are yet unborn, and on
whom the Ends of the World fhall come :
That being animated by the fame Spirit, and in- 21
fpired with the fame Love, they all may be truly
and intimately one, as thou, Father, [art] in me,
and I in thee; that they alfo may in Friendship
and Happiness be one in us, united to us and to
each other, and deriving from us the richest Sup-
plies of Divine Confolation; that fo the World,
feeing their Benevolence, and Charity, and holy
Joy, may believe that thou haft fent me, and that
a Religion productive of fuch amiable Fruits is
indeed of Divine Original (b). And the Glory, 22
which by the Covenant of Redemption thou gavest
unto me, I have, as authorized by thee, given
unto them, by my faithful and invariable Promise,
as the great Encouragement of their Faith and
Hope (c); that they may all be one, even as we
are one, and in Confequence of fuch a blessed
Union may dwell together with us, and with each
other, in eternal Felicity : Thus therefore 23
may it ever be, I dwelling in them, and thou in
me; that they, who now enjoy the first Begin-
nings of this happy State, may at length be made
compleatly perfect in one, and be united in the
most cordial Love, without any jarring Affection,
or the leaft Mixture of Sorrow and Complaint;
that fo the clearest Demonstration may be given
of the Efficacy of thy Grace, and that the World
may know, that thou haft fent me, while they
perceive them under my forming Care to become
visibly and justly the Favourites of Heaven; and

may

(b) That the World may believe that thou haft fent me.] This plainly intimates, that DifJentions among Chriftians would not only be uncomfortable to themfelves, but would be a Means of bringing the Truth and Excellence of the Chriftian Religion into queftion: And he must be a Stranger to what hath paffed, and is daily paffing in the World, who does not see what fatal Advantage they have given to Infidels, to mifreprefent it as a Calamity, rather than to regard it as a Bleffing to Mankind. May we be fo wife as to take the Warning, before we are quite deftroyed one of another! (Gal. v. 15.)

(c) The Glory which thou gavest me, I have given them, &c.] As it was plainly in his Father's Name, and by the Authority of his Commiffion, that Chrift had given them this Promife, which with a lively Faith they had affectionately embraced; fo this was one of the ftrongest Arguments that could be urged, for the compleat Accomplishment of it. ૨૧૧ 2

(d) My

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