Father in my name he will give it you. These things I com-mand you, that ye love one an-oth-er."

QUESTIONS.

To what did our Lord compare himself in this lesson ?

To a vine.

To what did he compare God the

Father?

To the husbandman.

To what did he compare his people?

To the branches.

What does the husbandman do with the unfruitful branches ?

He taketh them away.

What is the meaning of this?

That God will cut off the wicked and unprofitable servant.

What does the husbandman do with the good branches that they may bear fruit?

He purgeth them, that they may bring forth more fruit.

What may

be understood by this? That the best Christians must be purified by trials and afflictions.

What may we learn from what our Saviour says about abiding in him?

That if we do not care for our Saviour, God will withdraw his grace from us.

What is meant by our bearing much fruit?

Showing our love to Christ by keeping his commandments, and doing good works. If we do keep his commandments, what does Christ say we shall abide in ?

His love.

What did our Saviour say was his commandment?

That we love one another as he has loved us.

What great love did he show for us?
He laid down his life to save us.

What did our Lord say he would call his apostles if they kept his commandments?

His friends.

From the beginning of this chapter, we learn that every idle, nominal professor will be cast off by God, and that the children of God must be tried by afflictions and troubles to purify their hearts, which is the reason they often suffer so much in this world. We should learn to bear with patience the sorrows we meet with in our Christian course, as they are sent for our benefit. Our blessed Saviour tells us that if we keep his commandments we shall abide in his love. How comforting is it to think how Christ has loved us, even as the Father loved him; and we see how repeatedly he commands us to love one another : let us be most careful not to be guilty of unkindness to each other, in thought, word, or deed. Only let us have the love of Christ glowing in our hearts, and the love of those around us for his sake, and behold all things we have to do, will be easy and pleasant to us. God will love us, abide with us, and consider us as his

friends; what then need we fear?

Help us, O Lord, to do thy will,
As long as we have breath.
Keep every wayward passion still,
And be our Guide till death.
For thou to all wilt be a Friend
Who love and serve thee to the end,

All selfishness and pride subdue,
All vain desires lay low;
A spirit right within renew,

That will in meekness bow;
For thou to all wilt be a Friend
Who love and serve thee to the end.

Increase our love to thee, O Lord; Make firm our trust and sure, For thou art the unfailing Word That ever shall endure;

And thou to all wilt be a Friend

Who love and trust thee to the end.

LESSON TWENTY-EIGHTH,

MATT. XXVI. 36–46. LUKE XXII. 43, 44.

THEN com-eth Je-sus with his dis-ci-ples un-to a place call-ed Geth-se-ma-ne, and saith un-to his dis-ci-ples, "Sit ye here, while I go and pray yon-der ;" and he took with him Pe-ter and the two sons of Zeb-edee, and be-gan to be sor-row-ful and ve-ry heav-y. Then saith he un-to them, "My soul is ex-ceed-ing sor-row-ful, e-ven un-to death; tar-ry ye here, and watch with me;" and he went a lit-tle far-ther and fell on his face, and pray-ed, say-ing, "O my Fa-ther, if it be pos-si-ble, let this cup pass from me; nev-er-the-less, not as I will, but as thou wilt." And he com-eth un-to the dis-ci-ples, and find-eth them a-sleep, and saith un-to Pe-ter, "What! could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye en-ter not in-to temp-ta-tion;