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Being so near his departure from them, he once more bids them farewell in these terms: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you." It is thought that this was very nearly the usual form of farewell amongst the Jews. It was only a civil expression with them; but, on the part of the Saviour, it was a real present. He actually gave what they could merely wish; and the peace which he gave was much more genuine and precious than that which they wished each other. It is on this account that he adds: "Not as the world giveth do I give unto you."

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But the apostles were not then in a condition to relish the sweetness of that peace. The idea of the separation-which separation these words forcibly recalled to their mind-caused them at this moment a sadness and trouble which the Saviour condescended to soothe by these words: "Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it · be afraid. You have heard that I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you." The assurance of my return should enable bear my absence. You would even desire it if you were more enlightened than you are, and if you had for me the love which you ought to have. Yes, "if you loved me, you would indeed be glad, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greater than I (18)," and he calls me to himself solely for the purpose of associating me in his dominion, and sharing with me his power. If he wishes that I should reach it by the way of sufferings and opprobrium, far from being scandalized thereat, remember ye that "now I have told ye before it come to pass, that when it shall come to pass, you may believe. I will not now speak many things to you; for the prince of this world cometh, and in me he hath not any thing (19). But that

(18) Jesus Christ spoke thus because of his humanity, according to the common explanation, which is quite sufficient to silence Arians. The ancient fathers, and especially the Greek fathers, thought that the Saviour might have also said this with reference to his divinity, on account of a certain superiority, which we fancy to ourselves, according to our own conceptions, in him who is the principle, over him who proceeds from him, in him who engenders, over him who is engendered, in the Father, over the Son. This was, as we see, without prejudice to the equality and identity of nature, so that heresy could derive no advantage from this explanation; but heresy might make a bad use of it, and it is always safe to confine ourselves to the former.

(19) It is sin which has given to the devil the empire of death; he therefore had no right over him who never sinned, who could only die voluntarily and of his own free-will.

the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father hath given me the commandment, so do I: Arise, let us go hence (20)."

CHAPTER LXI.

SEQUEL OF THE DISCOURSE. JESUS CHRIST IS THE TRUE VINE.-WE ARE TO PERSEVERE IN CHARITY.—PERSECUTIONS FORETOLD.-TESTIMONY OF THE HOLY GHOST.

It is not easy to say very exactly in what place Jesus Christ spoke, and from whence he then departed. Many think that he was still in the supper chamber, where he had eaten the paschal lamb, and that it was from it he now went forth. Others think that he did not leave it at this moment; and although he had said, “Arise, let us go hence," that he remained there, notwithstanding, until he had concluded the long discourse which he had commenced, and a great part of which was yet unspoken: this supposition is very improba ble. As for us, confining ourselves to the letter, we have already stated that, immediately after the supper, they all joined in the canticle of thanksgiving, and that they immediately set out, taking the way towards Mount Olivet. We must, therefore, infer that the discourse was pronounced upon the way, partly while walking on, and partly whilst stopping, either upon the road itself, or under some shelter which they met. We shall find no difficulty here if we remember that they walked outside of the city, and during nightthat is to say, in a time and in a place where the Saviour could not

(20) There is a colon in the text after these words: "But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I." This colon, in the place where it is, renders the phrase imperfect, and has caused some to think that there was a deficiency here; but by changing this punctuation, and joining what precedes to these latter words, "arise, let us go hence," we have this natural sense, so conformable to the Saviour's mode of thinking and of speaking: "But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father hath given me commandment, so do I arise: let us go hence," in order to proceed to that death to which he sends me. However, we would not have taken this liberty, had we not been authorized to do so by the example of skilful interpreters.-(Père De Ligny.)

be interrupted by the throng of passers-by. Wherefore, after having stopped a while, he arose with his disciples, and resumed his journey and his discourse.

Nothing had greater interest for them than the new mystery which he was about to disclose to them. It is that of the union, and, if we may dare to use the expression, of the incorporation of all the faithful with the Man-God, by which he makes himself their head, and they become his members, constituting but one body with him, animated by the same spirit, and living by the same life. Thus is formed the entire Christ, composed of the head and members, as branches, attached to the trunk, springing from the same root, and nourished by the same sap, form with it but one and the same tree, for such is the comparison which the Saviour makes, pursuing thus his discourse:

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman (1). Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he will take away (2); and every one that beareth fruit, he will purge it (3), that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean by reason of the word which I have spoken to you (4). Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abide in the vine, so neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit; for without me you can do nothing (5). If any one remain

(1) Jesus Christ is also the husbandman, but he speaks of this with reference to his Father only, because it was proper that, in the parable, the vine-dresser should be distinguished from the vine. He calls himself the true vine, in order to signify that the union of the vine with the branches is still but an imperfect figure of the union of Jesus Christ with his members, and of the admirable manner in which he communicates to them life and fecundity.

(2) It shall be separated, in this life, from my mystic body, by heresy or by excommunication; or, if it still remain attached by faith, it shall be separated in the other life at least by reprobation.

(3) He will prune them. If the branch were sensitive, what would it not say against the hand who prunes it without mercy? But if it were rational, could it complain of those salutary wounds which procure for it glory and fruitfulness, and which preserve it from the fire to which it had been justly condemned on account of its sterility?

(4) We have in the text, by reason of the word which I have spoken to you. This is the evangelical word, the preaching of which produced faith which was followed by justification.

(5) This expression, and we might, indeed, say the whole of this parable, gives a mortal blow to Pelagianism; it was the fundamental dogma of that heresy that grace is not

eth not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither. They shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth (6). If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, you shall ask whatever you will, and it shall be done to you. In this is my Father glorified, that you bring forth very much fruit, and become my disciples."

This parable could not have a more suitable place than that wherein Jesus Christ proposed it. His disciples, who were upon the point of being deprived of his sensible présence, might easily forget him, and detach themselves from him. It was, therefore, necessary that they should be aware how closely it concerned their own interest to remain always united to him by faith and charity. This is the import of the parable, in which, besides several incidental truths, we find associated all the motives capable of inducing the apostles to rivet as closely as they can the bonds which unite them to their Divine Master-to wit, that of honor; it concerns them to avoid the shame of sterility, and to procure for themselves the glory of a happy fecundity: that of fear; if they detach themselves from this mystic vine, or if they deserve to be cut off therefrom, fire shall be their inevitable lot and their eternal punishment: that of self-interest; for the Saviour, being sensible of their attachment, makes them deposi taries of his power and arbiters of his graces; all they require is, to

necessary in order to perform good actions, and that at most it only facilitates the performance thereof. No, says Jesus Christ, without me, that is to say, without my grace, you can absolutely do nothing; and, in point of fact, it is not in order to fructify more easily or more abundantly that the sapling is attached to the vine-it is simply in order that it may fructify; without this union it would be equally impossible for it to bear fruit, either more or less.

This expression, you can do nothing, does not exclude all actions, but only such as are conducive to salvation. It would be an abuse of the expression to conclude therefrom that all the acts of the unfaithful are sins Between sins and actions meriting eternal life there exists a medium, viz., actions morally good, but which, in the order of salvation, have neither value nor merit. Saint Paul said well, that all that he could do without charity would profit him nothing, but he does not say that it would be hurtful to him.

(6) In the text it is in the present, and he burneth (P. De Ligny translates the phrase into the future of the French verb "bruler," et il brulera); this is in order to signify the incredible activity of this devouring fire, which burns in an instant all that it touches. We also find its infinite duration expressed here by this present, always to come and always present, and he burneth.

desire and to ask, and their wishes shall be instantly accomplished: lastly, that of gratitude; God shall be glorified by the fruits of justice and holiness which they shall produce, as the fruits whereby a tree is crowned are at the same time the glory of the tree and of him who cultivates it. This is only a figurative repetition of what the Saviour had said to them long before, viz., that seeing their good works, men would refer the glory thereof to their heavenly Father, as the author of all the good which might be in them.

The Saviour again reverts to what he had already said to them, in order to impress it still more deeply upon their minds. He repeats to them, therefore, that they must always remain united to him, by the observance of his commandments, and inasmuch as all the commandments are comprised in charity, which comprises the love of God and of our neighbor: "As the Father hath loved me," he said to them, "I also (7) have loved you. Abide in my love, If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, as I also have kept my Father's commandments (8), and do abide in his love (9). These things I have spoken to you (10), that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled; this is my commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends (11).

(7) That is to say, gratuitously and without there being on your part any preceding merit which bound me to it: it is thus that the Father loved the Saviour's holy humanity, when, in advance of all merit, he chose it to be united to the Word by unity of person. Jesus Christ speaks here as man, and the comparison which he draws between his love for his disciples and the love which his Father has for him, should be understood as indicative of similar gratuitousness, and not of love equal in its degrees and effects. (8) By making himself obedient unto death, even unto the death of the cross. He undoubtedly received the commandment to do so, since where there is no commandment there is no obedience,

(9) The love of the Father was for the Son an inalienable good which he could never lose; nevertheless, the Son has done more in order to preserve it, than he requires from us in order that we may retain his love. The condition is similar, and it is less rigorous : who would dare to complain of it?

(10) That joy of complacency which a good father feels when he sees his children docile to his salutary advice. You yourselves rejoice to know that I rejoice in you, and this holy joy, which shall be henceforward the fruit of your docility, shall one day receive from your perseverance its plenitude and its perfection.

(11) Such has been my love for you-such is that which you ought to have for one another. This conclusion is here understood; Saint John elsewhere expresses it formal

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