intellectualism will never force the locks of the palace of
Divine truth; but they that come there must have clean hands and a pure
heart; and only those who have the love and the longing for goodness
will be wise scholars in Christ's school."--MACLAREN.

XII.

_THE VINE AND THE BRANCHES._

"Arise, let us go hence. I am the true Vine, and My Father is the
Husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit, He taketh it
away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He cleanseth it, that it
may bear more fruit. Already ye are clean because of the word which
I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; so neither
can ye, except ye abide in Me. I am the Vine, ye are the branches:
He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit:
for apart from Me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in Me, he is
cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and they gather them, and
cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in Me, and
My words abide in you, ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done
unto you. Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
and so shall ye be My disciples. Even as the Father hath loved Me, I
also have loved you; abide ye in My love. If ye keep My
commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My
Father's commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I
spoken unto you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be
fulfilled. This is My commandment, that ye love one another, even as
I have loved you."--JOHN xiv. 31-xv. 12.

Like a friend who cannot tear himself away and has many more last words
after he has bid us good-bye, Jesus continues speaking to the disciples
while they are selecting and putting on their sandals and girding
themselves to face the chill night air. He had to all appearance said
all He meant to say. He had indeed closed the conversation with the
melancholy words, "Henceforth I will not talk much with you." He had
given the signal for breaking up the feast and leaving the house, rising
from table Himself and summoning the rest to do the same. But as He saw
their reluctance to move, and the alarmed and bewildered expression that
hung upon their faces, He could not but renew His efforts to banish
their forebodings and impart to them intelligent courage to face