Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

am the true spiritual Vine-stock to my faithful branches, and my Father is as the careful owner and dresser of this vine, in that he is ready to tend it at all assays, and to lop off all those superfluous twigs that yield no fruit answerable to the nourishment received. Every branch therefore, that is professedly in me, and yet bears not fruit, but is utterly barren, he taketh away by his just censures and judgments.

XV. 3. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Ye, my disciples, have had experience of this spiritual husbandry, and the efficacy thereof: for now ye are pruned and purged from your evil and corrupt affections, through the power of that word, which I have spoken unto you; and of my Spirit working therewith.

XV. 4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Hold fast the grace that ye have received: be careful that no inconstancy or weak fears slacken your hold on me: abide ye in me, and be firm to me; for I am stedfast unto you, and will abide in you for ever.

XV. 6. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

If any man, that professeth my Name, shall revolt from me, and abandon that grace which he hath received, not persevering therein unto the end; he is justly cast forth, in a deserved punishment of his levity and unthankfulness, as a superfluous and sear branch, that is lopped from the stock, is cast aside for the fire.

XV. 10. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

I would not have you propound any other pattern to follow, than mine: ye see how studiously and exactly I have kept the commandments of my Heavenly Father, and with how infinite love he embraceth me; do ye so therefore: there is no way to continue in my love, but by keeping of my commandments; thus do ye, and ye shall be sure never to fail thereof.

XV. 11. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

These things have I spoken unto you, that the joy of my Holy Ghost might remain in your hearts, constantly; and that your joy in me might be exquisite and perfect.

XV. 15. For all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

For all that part of my Father's counsel, which it concerns you to know, and all that is in any way requisite to your salvation, I, as the only Doctor of my Church and the Word of my Father, have imparted unto you.

XV. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

It is their obstinate infidelity and wilful contempt, that shall procure their just and deep damnation: if they had not had means sufficient offered unto them, yea if I had not come to them in person and spoken unto them and tendered to them the means of salvation, their sin had been the less; but now, they have no excuse for their sin, no colour of extenuation. So also verse 24.

XV. 24. But now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

But now, have they seen in me the clear proofs of the Godhead of my Eternal Father, with whom I am one; and have maliciously opposed themselves against me, and that Divine Power whereof they have been convinced.

XVI. 5. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou ?

But now, I am going to heaven from whence I came, to the repossession of my Father's glory; and none of you so asks after the issue and success of my departure, as to establish his heart with abundance of comfort, in the assurance of that happy provision, which I shall there make for him and my Church.

XVI. 7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

It is for your benefit and advantage, that I remove my bodily presence from you; for, except I go away from you, ye shall not have the Holy Ghost, who is the True Comforter of my Church, sent down upon you in that abundant measure, which you shall shortly find: for it is the decree of mine Eternal Father, which in all things must be obeyed and fulfilled, that, until mine Ascension into heaven, the Holy Spirit shall not, in the plentiful store of his graces, be sent down upon the earth.

XVI. 8. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

And this Spirit, which I will send, shall, in the powerful preaching of that Gospel which shall be committed unto you, and by his secret co-operation therewith, convince this wicked and sinful world, both of their own sin, and of my righteousness and judgment:

XVI. 9. Of sin, because they believe not on me;

Of their Sin, wherewith they abound every where, and which shall be most justly imputed to them, because of their unbelief; for could they believe in me, that faith would work repentance, and that faith and repentance would have purged them from all their sin:

XVI. 10. Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more.

Of my Righteousness, wherein both I have approved myself perfectly answerable to the will of my Heavenly Father; and whereby only I do and can justify all that believe in me, notwithstanding all their unworthiness; because, as having overcome sin and death, I ascend triumphantly to the glory of my Father:

XVI. 11. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

Of my righteous Judgment, in the moderation of the world, and ordering all the affairs of my Church; redressing the enormities thereof, suppressing and punishing the enemies of it, maintaining and vindicating the truth professed in it, and reducing all things therein to a right order; because Satan, the Prince of the World, is by me despoiled of his power, and restrained, and confounded in his devices and attempts.

XVI. 12. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

I have yet many things to speak unto you, concerning the future estate of my Church, which, through your weakness, ye are not as yet meet to receive.

XVI. 13. For he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things

to come.

The lying spirits of false teachers speak, as of themselves, their own vain imaginations and erroneous doctrines; but the Holy Spirit, which I shall send, as he proceeds from the Father and Me his Eternal Son, so he speaks also as from God the Father and the Son: and whatsoever he hath from us received, that will he inspire you with, and inform you in; and shall reveal unto you those things, which concern the future condition of my Church.

XVI. 14. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

He shall not set up any new kingdom, different from mine; but shall establish that glory and government, which is put upon me by the Father: he shall confer the blessings and benefits, that arise from my incarnation, suffering, redemption, justification, sanctification, upon you my faithful ones; and shall reveal unto you the knowledge of those things, which I have willed ye should be informed in; and shall enrich you with those heavenly treasures of wisdom and knowledge, which are laid up in me.

XVI. 15. All things that the Father hath are mine : therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

All things that the Father hath are mine, by the right of that Godhead, which is one and the same, in both; and to me also, as Mediator, hath he communicated all that power, which may serve for the administration and happiness of my Church: therefore said I, that he should impart the treasures of my wisdom and knowledge unto you.

XVI. 16. A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. Now it shall not be long, ere I be removed from you, in respect of my bodily presence; and again it shall not be long after that, ere I comfort you with the gracious presence of my Spirit; because I go to the Father.

XVI. 20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

Ye shall, after my departure, be put to great extremities, for many grievous persecutions shall befal you: in the mean time, the world shall insult upon you, and shall cry you down as miserable men, and magnify their own ease and happiness; but be not herewith discomforted, for this sorrow of yours shall end in unspeakable joy and blessedness.

XVI. 21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, &c.

Yea, ye shall find cause of exceeding joy, in that, which was the occasion of your sorrow; even your sufferings, for my Name's sake: even as a woman in travail is extremely afflicted with her painful throes, but as soon as &c.

XVI. 23. And in that day ye shall ask me nothing.

In that day, when I shall have sent my Holy Spirit upon you, ye shall not need to ask any questions for the gaining of further knowledge; for all things, meet for you to know, shall be clearly revealed unto you.

XVI. 24. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name : ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Ye have not hitherto taken so express notice of my Mediatorship, as to propound your suits to my Heavenly Father in my Name; though the types and figures of the Law and the plain intimations of the Prophets have directed you to this practice: but now, ever hereafter make this use of my Name in your prayers, and ye shall be sure to obtain that which ye sue for, to the unspeakable joy and comfort of your souls.

XVI. 25. These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but &c.

I have hitherto delivered divers doctrines to you in dark and mystical manner, as ye have thought, through the weakness of your apprehension: but henceforth, &c.

XVI. 26. And I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you.

I shall not need to encourage you with the assurance of my praying for you; for such is the gracious propension of my Heavenly Father toward you, that he will, in his wonderful mercy, prevent you with his goodness, and give you all blessings unasked.

XVII. 1. Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.

O Father, as thou hast hitherto mightily declared me for thy Son, by those wonderful miracles that have been wrought by me; so now, that the hour of my suffering and death approacheth, do thou more glorify thyself by me, in that, by this bitter passion of mine, mankind shall be redeemed, Satan and all the powers of hell defeated: even while I must undergo this pain and ignominy, do thou shew forth thy almighty power, in acknowledging and magnifying the infinite virtue of this my allsufficient redemption; that herein I, thine Eternal Son, the Mediator betwixt thee and mankind, may also glorify thee in this work of atonement, which I shall make betwixt thee and men, and the full glorification of all mine with thee.

XVII. 3. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

And this is the sure and certain way to attain eternal life : even this, to know thee, who art the Only True God; and Jesus Christ thy Son, whom thou hast sent into the world, to be the Redeemer thereof.

XVII. 4. I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.

I have, by my doctrine and miracles, made thee known to men on earth; and now I am upon the point of finishing that work of man's redemption, by my death and passion, which thou hast enjoined me to do.

XVII. 7. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.

And now they have known, both by my information and by their own experience, that all the power that I have, and all the great acts that I have done, are from thee, and from that perfect and indivisible union which I have with thee.

XVII. 9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.

O Father, I require nothing of thee, but what I know may and doth well stand with thine eternal counsel: I pray not therefore for the world of unbelievers, and rebellious wicked men; I pray for that special charge, that peculiar flock, which thou

« AnteriorContinuar »