chofen me, but I have chofen you: that is, in making them his conftant Difciples and Friends.

Again, Secondly, In difcovering the moft gracious and admirable Purposes of Almighty God, particularly to them. For Men are not wont to reveal their fecret Intentions,and weightier Matters, to Strangers, and Servants, but to fome special Confidents and Friends: fo did the Son of God, our Bleffed Saviour,declare and manifeft the good Will of his heavenly Father, and unfold to his Difciples, that Mystery which had lain hid for several Ages, namely, the Redemption of Mankind, which he came to procure by his own Sufferings and Death: This being an evident Act and Demonftration, of peculiar Friendship and Affection, he tells them, Verse the 15th, Henceforth I call you not Servants, for the Servant knoweth not what his Lord doth ; but I have called you Friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father, I have made known unto you.

Again, Thirdly, In dying, and fuffering a moft painful and ignominious Death for their fakes. In this particular cafe of Suffering, indeed,

Chrift

Chrift was not only their Friend, but alfo a Friend to all thofe, who embrace his Holy Religion, and live up to the Divine Rules and Precepts of it: And therefore to fuch may the Words of the Text be extended: but I am confidering them, at present, with refpect only to his firft and immediate Disciples. This is the higheft Inftance of his wonderful Love and Friendship, for a higher and greater proof it was not poffible he could have fhewn, than to lay down his Life for them; no Man, as him felf acknowledgeth, being able to exceed it.

Again, Fourthly, In committing to their charge the Difpenfation of the Gofpel, and the Authority of publishing it to the World. They had the Honour to be imployed in this glorious Defign; to be the Embaffadors of God, for the Salvation of Men; and therefore they were endued with extraordinary Gifts and Abilities, for the discharge of that great Trust. It was indeed a Province that required much Pains, and expofed them to very great Jnjuries and Sufferings; but that was no dimunition at all to the

Dignity

Dignity of the Employment: for they had the very fame Commiffion from the Son of God, that himself had received from his Father: As my Father, fays he, hath sent me, fo fend I you. And therefore it was a peculiar Mark of Honour and Friendship, to go upon that Meffage and Business, which he appointed them. And thus much, I think, will ferve for a Proof of that Character, that our Blessed Lord gave to his Disciples; Te are my Friends.

I proceed now to the fecond Particular, and that is, The Condition upon which that Title and Character is grounded; If ye do whatsoever I command you. The fingular Marks of Favour, which, as I have fhewn, our Saviour expreffed to his Difciples, are manifeft Proofs of the Character that he gives them. And now their Obfervance of what he injoyns them, would fhew they took him to be their Friend, and that they had a just fense of Gratitude, and their Duty to fo great a Benefactor. He declares to them, Verse the 9th, As the Father hath loved me, fo have I loved you; continue ye in my love: that is, con

tinue to deserve my Love; take heed that ye lose and forfeit not my Friendfhip: And then he goes on, and fhews them how they may preserve and fecure it, If ye keep my Commandments, ye shall abide in my love. Having faid this by way of Preface and Introduction, he commands them feveral practical Precepts, the Performance of which, would be the best Demonftration of their Love to him, and would maintain and continue, that happy Friendship that he had made with them. To name a few of them.

First, then, He prescribes mutual Love to one another, Ver. 12. This is my Commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. And this furely was a very good Reason, among others, why they fhould: his Example ought to be a ftrong Engagement and Motive, to the like Practice among themselves; and they could not do a more grateful Act, to the Memory of their Lord and deareft Friend, than by being united hear. tily to one another, and diftinguishing themselves to all the World, by an infeperable Tie of Love and good

Affection;

Affection; Hereby, fays our Lord, Chap. 13. 35. shall all Men know that ye are my Difciples, if ye love one another.

39.

Secondly, He requires them not to refift Evil; that is, when any Affront St. Mat. 5. or Injury has been done them, to bear it with Patience; not to render evil for evil, (as the Apoftle well interprets the Senfe of our Lord's Precept) to overcome evil with good, Rom. 12. 21, Moreover, he injoyns them, to bless thofe that curfe, to do good to thofe that hate, and to pray for those that despitefully use and perfecute them. For fuch Treatment, he declares, they muft expect to meet withal in the World, and to be hated of all Men for his Name's fake. We fee how like a faithful Friend, he, acquaints them with the barbarous Ufage they fhould find; tells them plainly, the very worst of their Undertaking; but yet, that it was no more then what he, their gracious Mafter, fhould fuffer before them. If the World hate you, fays he, Verse the 18th, je know that it hated me, before it hated you. And thus he proceeds to reafon with them about it; If ye were of the World, F

the