to unfold this so necessary and always advantageous a truth, and would
help to write of and explain this truth by faith in him who is here said
to be the Truth, then should we have cause to bless and magnify his
name. But if he, because of sin, shall hide himself, and not let out
these beams of light, whereby we might discover light, we shall but
darken counsel with words without our knowledge, and leave the matter as
unclear as ever. Therefore is it necessary, there be both in him that
writeth, and in such as read, a single dependence on him, who "is for a
leader," Isa. lv. 5, and hath promised to "bring the blind by a way
which they know not, and to lead them in paths they had not known, and
to make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight," Isa.
xlii. 16, that thus by acting faith on him we may find, in so far, the
truth of this verified, viz. that he is the Way, the Truth, and the
Life. Now, for clearing up of this matter, we would know, that our Lord
Jesus, from the beginning of this chapter, is laying down some grounds
of consolation, sufficient to comfort his disciples against the sad news
of his departure and death; and to encourage them against the fears they
had of much evil to befall them when their Lord and Master should be
taken from them; which is a sufficient proof of the tender heart of
Jesus, who alloweth all his followers strong consolation against all
fears, hazards, troubles, and perplexities which they can meet with in
their way. He will not leave them comfortless, and therefore he layeth
down strong grounds of consolation to support their drooping and
fainting hearts; as loving to see his followers always rejoicing in the
Lord, and singing in the ways of Zion: that the world may see and be
convinced of a reality in Christianity, and of the preferableness of
that life, notwithstanding of all the troubles that attend it, unto any
other, how sweet and desirable soever it may appear to flesh and blood.

In prosecution of which design, he told them, verse 4, that they "knew