SERM. righteousnesse. This is very encouraging to XIII. all who are well disposed. And let us confider what the Apostle adds in this exhortation to Timothie: that he had made a good profession. Which may be also faid of most of us. We have been taught, and we have acknowledged, the principles of the Christian religion. And we have engaged, to fulfill it's obligations. Let not expected good fruits be loft, for want of perseverance. How great is the reward set before us! How great will be the honour, and the joy, to receive a crown of righteousnesse from the righteous judge! How sad, how afflictive, beyond all expreffion, to lose this reward! It is proposed to us. We may obtain it. But we must now work the works of rightcousnesse, and persevere therein. Whenever floth and indolence, wearinesse and fainting of mind, are ready to prevail, and gain ground on us; let us recollect this, or some other like quickening admonition of holy Scripture: Exercise the good exercise of faith. Lay hold Gal. vi. 9. on eternal life. And, Let us not be wearie in well doing. For in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. SER SERMON XIV. The Power and Efficacie of Chrift's doctrine. JOHN xv. 5. For without me ye can do nothing. UR Lord in this context compares himself to a vine, and his followers to branches. Some think, that these words were spoken upon occasion of things recorded in the other Gospels, after eating the paschal supper, and Christ's instituting a memorial of himself, to be observed among his peo- Matt. ple: where he speaks of the fruit of the xxvi. 29. Mark xiv. vine, 25. SERM. vine. Others think, that our Lord was i XIV. Jer. il 31. now retired with the disciples to the mount of Olives, which is said to have abounded with vines. Whether either of those conjectures be right, or not, unquestionably the affecting discourses recorded here, and in the adjoyning chapters, are such as our blessed Lord had with his disciples, at the paschal supper, and after it, the night in which he was betrayed, and a little before he was taken from them. Those discourses had made deep and lafting impressions upon the minds of the Apostles. We may suppose, that St. John had often repeated them in his public preaching, and in conversation, in the historie he had given of his Lord and Master, by word of mouth. And now that he was induced to publish a writen Gospel, in which he defigned to infert some particulars, omitted by the former Evangelists; he determined to record those discourses somewhat at length : being perfuaded, that they would be of fignal use to all that would seriously attend to them. Ver. 1. I am the true vine: a right and generous vine. Or, as the phrase is in one of the Prophets, a noble vine. In this Gospel of St. John St. John our Lord, at several places, stiles SERM. himself the true light, the true bread, the XIV. good Shepherd. He is all these by way of excellence. He is himself faithful: his words are most true, and sure. And his doctrine is most excellent and powerful: fuited to cherish the spiritual life, and to afford genuine fruits of righteousnesse and true holinesse. And my Father is the husbandman: or the proprietor, who cultivates it in the best inan ner. Ver. 2. Every branch in me, that beareth not fruit, he taketh away : and every branch that beareth fruit, be purgeth, or pruneth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. " All " who make a profession of faith in me, are " disciples by name, and visible members of " my Church. But there are methods of "Providence, that will shew, who are true " and fincere. In time of temptation, when 66 any extraordinarie offers of worldly good, " or dangers of evil, are presented; some " will fall away, whilst others will be puri"fied and emproved by the same events." Ver. 3. Now ye are clean, through the word, which I have spoken unto you. "As it is meet " for me to encourage, as well as to warn " and U XIV. " SERM. " and admonish you; I readily own, that you have received my word, and have shewn " a great regard to it. And it has had good " effects upon you." Ver. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me. " And I recommend it to you, " as what will answer the best purposes, ta " retain your present esteem and affection for me, and regard to my words." Ver. 5. I am the vine: Ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit. For without me ye can do nothing. Let me inculcate this upon you under the fimilitude, which I " have mentioned. You will find the cafe " to resemble that of a vine and it's branches. "If you are my disciples indeed, and "throughout: if you always maintain your " respect for me, and confider my words as "true and divine, the rule of your conduct, " and the ground and measure of your hopes; you will abound in the practise of all virtue, " and will be stedfast and unmoved. But if you neglect me, and my words; you will " not any longer bear that good fruit, but |