think that he doeth God service. This passage would have been better translated, "Whosoever killeth you will believe himself to be offering sacrifice (religious worship to God)." Here an important question might be asked. Did Christ teach that these Jews, who believed they were offering an acceptable sacrifice to God by putting the apostles out of the synagogues, were to be excused for their act? Were they right in doing what they believed to be just? To answer this, we must bear in mind that every man is bound to inform his judgment as to the truth or error of what is told him. It is his duty to examine into the correctness of doctrines. Thus the people of Berea "were more noble than those in Thessalonica," because "they searched the Scriptures daily" to learn whether "those things were so" which St. Paul and Silas taught them (Acts xvii. 11). Did the Jews who persecuted the apostles strive to inform their judgments as to the truth which was preached in their ears? They did not consequently they are not excused for putting the apostles out of the synagogues.

Ver. 3. These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father nor Me. We learn from this that the true reason why men persecute each other is, because they know not the loving-kindness and mercy of God and His Son. They have not learnt the spirit of Christ, but of Satan. They do not imitate the love which led the Father to send His Son to die for a sinful world. Their feeling is like that of Cain. It may be noticed here that the persecutions which Christians have in later times brought upon each other have given occasion to infidels to despise and ridicule Christianity. Of old it was not so. In St. John's days a common saying among the heathen was, "See how these Christians love one

another."

*We may notice too that the celebration of the Lord's Supper was originally accompanied by meetings expressly termed Feasts of Love, by which the Christians showed their affection for each other by a solemn act, viz. the partaking of a frugal repast of bread and wine after they had performed the more solemn act of receiving the Sacrament. Each Christian brought with him bread and wine; and when that which had been consecrated for the Sacrament by the bishop had been distributed, the remainder was partaken of in common.

Ver. 4. That when the time shall come ye may remember that I told you of them. All who have ever been forewarned of their trouble or pain must have felt while they were enduring it that the load seemed lighter by their having been prepared for it? Why is this? It is because we have an intense longing for sympathy in our grief. We cannot endure the thought of being alone-of finding every heart closed against us. When we are weighed down by sorrow or pain, the bare knowledge that a friend, although he has not himself experienced our grief, has nevertheless foreseen it all, and gone before us in mind, gives us comfort. Jesus read the human heart; He knew what was in man. Therefore He tells the Apostles that when the times of suffering came they must not forget that He had foretold their pain and grief.

Questions.-What is the week sometimes called which begins with this Sunday? Notes."] Why is it called "Expectation

Week"? ["Notes."]

Ver. 26. Of whose coming does Christ speak in this verse? Who is meant by the Comforter? [The Holy Ghost.] For what two reasons is He called the Comforter? [" Notes."] What other name does Jesus give to the Comforter? [" The Spirit of Truth."] Why is He called the Spirit of Truth? [(1.) Because He is Himself the truth, even as Jesus is; (2.) Because He guides men into truth; St. John xvi. 13.] From whom does Jesus say in this verse the Holy Ghost proceeds? Prove from Scripture that He proceeds from the Son also. ["Notes."] Of whom does Jesus say the Holy Ghost would testify when He came ? What is meant by His testifying of Jesus? ["Notes.]

Ver. 27. What did Jesus tell the apostles they themselves should do? What are Christ's two natures called? [(1.) His divine nature; (2.) His human nature.] And to which of these natures would the apostles bear witness? [" Notes."] What reason did Christ give why they would testify of Him? What did He mean by their having been with Him "from the beginning"? [They had been with Him from the beginning of His ministry.] How long did His ministry last? [Three years.] How old was He when He began it? [Thirty] What had they seen Him do during His ministry? [Work miracles.] What had they heard Him do? [Instruct men.]

Chap. xvi. 1. Why had Jesus spoken those things unto the

apostles? What is meant here by their not being "offended"? ["Notes."] What does the word "offended" mean in St. Matt. xi. 6? ["Notes."] In what light did the Jews regard Christ? [1 Cor. i. 23.]

Ver. 2. What did Jesus say the Jews would do to the apostles? Describe the synagogues. Mention the chief point of distinction between the Temple and a synagogue. [See footnote to "Notes on ver. 2.] What is meant by their being put out of the synagogues? ["Notes."] What did Jesus say those who killed the apostles would think they were doing? What is meant here by the words "doing God service"? ["Notes."] Did Jesus mean that the Jews who believed they were doing God service by persecuting the apostles were therefore to be excused for their act? [No.] May a man do a bad act be ause he believes it to be right? What is every man bound to do before he acts? [Inform or instruct his judgment by examining what he hears.] Did the Jews, as a nation, do this with reference to Christ's religion? [No.]

Ver. 3. What cause did Jesus mention for the bad treatment which the Jews visited on the apostles? If they had known the Father and Christ, what virtues belonging to both would they have imitated? [Their mercy and loving-kindness.]

Ver. 4. Why did Jesus tell the apostles about the things which they would suffer? Is it a source of comfort to a person in trouble to know that his trouble was foreseen by his friend? Why did Christ tell the apostles He had foreseen their trouble? [To give them comfort.]

Application.-Did Christ prepare the apostles for the persecution which they were afterwards to endure? Why did He so prepare them? [That they might feel their persecution less when it came.] What does this prove with reference to Christ's nature? [That He felt for the suffering of His friends, and was anxious to lessen it.] Does He know what will happen to you before you leave the world? Will He help you to bear your trouble? How so? [By the comfort which the Holy Ghost gives.]

Jesus promised to send the Comforter to His apostles: was the presence of the Comforter to be vouchsafed only to the apostles? With whom does He dwell now? [With every Christian.] But is it possible for the Christian to forfeit the presence of the Comforter? How so? [By continuing in sin.] Where has God declared that His Spirit will not always strive with man? [Gen. vi. 3.] Then when you have a good desire what ought you to do? [Endeavour to put it into practice and cherish it.]

WHIT-SUNDAY.

St. John xiv. 15-31.

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me : because I live, ye shall live also.

20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. 22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?

23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

24 He that loveth me not keepeth

not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.

30 Hereafter I will not talk much with you for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

31 But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do.

Notes.-Ten days after the Ascension of Christ the Holy Ghost came down upon the apostles, who at that time were celebrating the Feast of Pentecost at Jerusalem. Whit-Sunday (which was anciently called Pentecost) has from the earliest ages been kept by the Church, to com. memorate the descent of the Comforter.

"Various reasons have been assigned for the name by which this Christian Festival is known. The ancient mode of spelling Whit-Sunday (Wit-Sunday) favours the notion that it was so-called in memory of the wit or wisdom bestowed this day on the apostles. It is supposed, however, by many persons to have derived its name from

Whit-Sunday

an ancient custom of the early Church. was a special season for the baptism of catechumens,' that is, of those who had been for some time under instruction, previous to their being admitted into the Church of Christ. These, as well as all who had been baptized at Easter, were required to appear in white garments. Hence it is said the festival was called WhiteSunday, and the octave White-Sunday-tide; or, by contraction, Whit-Sunday, and Whitsuntide." *

Mr. L'Estrange supposes the name to be derived from the French word huict, which signifies eight, Whit-Sunday being the Huict-Sunday, that is, the Eighth Sunday from Easter.

The student of English history should not forget that on Whit-Sunday, A.D. 597, Ethelbert, King of Kent, having been instructed by the preaching of Augustine the monk, was baptized, and thus prepared the way for the conversion of his kingdom to the faith of Christ.

Whit-Sunday comes fifty days after Easter, corresponding in time to the Jewish Feast of Pentecost.

Ver. 15. If ye love Me, keep My commandments. Obedience to Christ's law is to be the proof and fruit of our love. It is by a child's obedience to rules that parents measure his love towards them.

Ver. 16. And he shall give you another Comforter. Christ had hitherto been the apostles' Comforter, but He was about to leave them, and to send them another. The word "another shows that the Holy Ghost is a person distinct from the Son. They are mentioned as distinct persons in 2 Cor. xiii. 14, and were proved to be such when Christ was baptized. The Son was coming out of Jordan when the Holy Ghost descended upon Him (St. Matt. iii. 16). That He may abide with you for ever. From this we learn that the Holy Ghost will abide with the Church until the end of time. He takes up His abode in the Christian's heart at baptism; for it is then that a person is baptized of water and the Spirit. It is then that he is taken into God's family, and receives "the Spirit of Adoption," whereby he may cry Abba, Father

* See Collect for Whit-Sunday, in Notes, Questions, and Answers on the Collects. (National Society's Depository.)