last earthly prayer Christ no longer retired by himself to hold solitary intercourse with the Father. For the first time he then raised his voice to heaven in the presence of his followers, and permitted them to hear him openly making intercession for them. Jesus knew that, as his hour was at hand, it was time that they should partake more largely of the spirit of grace. They were gradually ripening into meet witnesses of his resurrection, and preachers of his kingdom. They were adding day by day to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge for the work of the ministry, and the edification of their fellow-believers in Christ. But the steps by which they rose to this pre-eminence in heavenly wisdom were so progressive as to afford us some insight into the scheme of the divine teacher. Like the man whose sight was gradually restored till his eyes were able to bear the full light of day, so that he who at first saw

men as trees walking,' was finally enabled to distinguish every man clearly, so was the veil which obscured the understanding of our Lord's companions lifted up by degrees, and their dis

cernment rendered imperceptibly more spiritual, till at last they became mighty teachers of the mystery of godliness, in all its purity and power.

In the whole of this considerate management -if such a term may be applied without impropriety to that consummate tenderness which bore so patiently with the natural weakness of the disciples-in the condescension with which their low conceptions were elevated, and their indistinct notions cleared in the measured pace by which all the process of illumination was conducted, and precept was added to precept in proportion as former doctrines had been digested and comprehended, we recognize a familiar feature in the predicted character of the good shepherd, of whom it was foretold that he should carry the lambs in his bosom, and gently lead those who were with young.

We see also a specimen of the wonderful excellence of heavenly wisdom. Man is often precipitate in the conduct of his best measures,

and frequently obstructs, by his inexpedient rashness, the success of his projects.

But God's ways are not as our ways, nor his thoughts as our thoughts. He avails himself of his attribute of omniscience to proportion his revelations to the infirmities of the human mind, and bring out of the storehouse of divine truth things new and old' even as each are needful, giving to every man his meat in due season. The babe and the perfect man are both cared for by him, and provision is made for their several wants with as much personality of application as if each individual were the sole object of his providence, and the single recipient of his favour. There is not one whose own particular experience cannot enable him to testify that known unto the Lord are all his works from the beginning,' and his hand is over all of them.

II. I proceed to examine whether the argument acquires any additional force from the subjects themselves of our Lord's discourses,or in other words, whether there was such a difference between the topics which engaged him

during the first and last years of his ministry, as would indicate an intentional progress from certain elementary truths to the higher mysteries of the Gospel.

Some such gradual developement of heavenly knowledge is probably observable in the course of every pious human minister. As the germ of religious feeling expands within him, it has a corresponding effect upon the tenor of his ministry; and as it is not in the nature of Christianity to be stationary in its acquirements, an enlargement of views, a greater warmth of affections, a more fervent faith, a deeper sense of the guilt and danger of sin, an increased knowledge of the heart of man, obtained by long and patient experience in the school of Christ, all tend to give a gravity and strength to his later efforts in the cause of his master, which could not have been expected at an earlier stage of his labours.

In such a case the change is owing to the progress of a mind under the influence of grace, and we admire the effects of that holy principle

which, like a little leaven, gradually leaveneth the whole lump, and is able to bring to maturity and usefulness what had its origin in a day of small things. But with regard to Christ, there is no reason to suppose that he was filled with a larger measure of the Holy Spirit at the end, than at the commencement of his ministry, or that he was less under the influence of its teaching, when it descended visibly on him from heaven at his baptism, than when he complained in his last hour of the desertion of his Father, and the temporary withdrawing of spiritual support. He and his Father were one from the beginning, and from the beginning also he spoke not of himself, but the Father which sent him; him a commandment, what he should

he

gave

say, and what he should speak 4.

We may believe, therefore, that it was in conformity with the will of his heavenly Father that the language with which Christ commenced his ministry should be so much more easy to be

4 John, xii. 49.