He had washed His disciples' feet, and bid them remember to be like humblyminded, like affectionately disposed one towards another. The traitor Judas had left his Master and brethren, and gone forth to commence his accursed work. And, "when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him, God also shall glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say unto you." As if He had said, "There is much for Me to bear, much for Me to endure, and it shall end in glory, yea, itself shall be glory. But seek not to follow Me now; be not impatient; leave the matter with God; when He sees fit, He will call you to participate in My suffering, and in My triumph and exaltation : but now, Whither I go, ye cannot come. One thing, however, you can do, that whenever God calls, you may be found watching and ready. You can keep my commandments, and a new commandment I give unto you, that

ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye love one another."

S. Peter is much moved at our Lord's word's, and can we wonder that he should be? His feelings are, as we should say, much excited, and, as ever the first to speak and to act, impatient even for good, "Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, whither goest Thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now: but thou shalt follow Me afterwards. Peter saith unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake." But his Master knew better than he did, for what he was prepared, and for what he was not, how much of this readiness to suffer all things was the result of mere excited feeling, and how much came from deep-seated practical religion within, and so He tells him how unmeet he as yet is for the Martyr's Crown, who dared not even confess his Lord. "Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied Me."

Now, it is plain that we may learn very much from this affecting history, and especially we may learn by the way, how very useless, how worse than nothing, mere excited feeling is in religion. When our affections are roused, we are ready, as we fancy, for anything; but Christ knows better.

66

Thou canst not follow Me now." Ever remember, dear brethren, that if our religion has no better stay than excitement and feeling, it will not stand the hour of trial. The fire shall try every man's work, and such religion will not stand the fire.

"Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me afterwards." I think we may learn from these words (and the whole context as you have heard it) to see the hand of God in all things guiding and leading us, if only we will be led. He tells us not all we must endure for His sake, for who could bear it all at once? He brings it not upon us all at once, for we are not yet sufficiently tried and trained for the struggle. We cannot follow now. But by little and little He educates us for another world, gradually sanctifying us, gradually purifying

us by affliction, by suffering, by such trials as in His wisdom are most adapted to our case, in order that, trusting ourselves to His almighty guidance, we may in the end be brought to glory. We should sink perhaps now under much we must afterwards bear, and faint, it may be, but to know it. But let us be patient, and look to God and the present duty only: we shall be allowed to follow afterwards, to follow Christ in suffering, to follow Him in glory. God shall guide us here by His counsel, step by step, as you lead a little child with its tottering paces and uneven tread,-" Thou shalt guide us here by Thy counsel, and after that Thou shalt bring us to glory."

Young people especially have for the most part cheerful spirits and bright anticipations, and with consciences undefiled and hearts true to God, they sing merrily as they travel along the road of life. And it is good that it is so. Mirthful innocence is one of the fairest flowers that grows amidst the thorns and thistles with which sin has cursed the world, and tells us somewhat beforehand of the better scenes of heaven. And I know

not, that we should seek to destroy this happiness, or wither this joyous hope by telling them all, which yet, as sinful children of Adam, born to an inheritance of woe,which yet, as followers of Him, who was a Man of Sorrows, they must pass through. When God says peace, let there be peace, until such time as He sees fit to disturb it. It is God's way in general to nurture gently at first, that we may be the better able to endure hereafter. Thus was the youthful Joseph happy at home in a father's love, rejoicing in his many-coloured coat, and the fondness of paternal preference, and the gay visions of pre-eminence which his dreams predicted. Thus was Moses, when young, educated affectionately, as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Thus did the boy David tend peaceably his father Jesse's sheep, practising himself, in boyish delight at his skill, with the sling and the stone, unconscious the while of the high destinies for which he was intended. And thus were the early days of our Lord's earthly course spent quietly at home, in subjection to His parents, until the time should come, when He should go forth