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and John, those three select disciples, whom he had before chosen to be witnesses of his transfiguration, and now to be eye-witnesses of his passion, leaving the other disciples at the garden-door to watch the approach of Judas and his band.

and consequently enforcing men to acknow- to pray, taking with him, Peter, James ledge the truth and divine authority thereof. For promoting which great end, I have communicated to my apostles the same power and authority of doing mighty works for the confirmation of their doctrine, and the evidence of thy truth, as thou didst communicate to me; that so I working in them, as thou hast done in me, and thus confirming with great efficacy and demonstration of the Spirit, they may establish the same doctrine which I published in person, the world may, by this evidence, be convinced that I was really sent by thee, and that my disciples act by the same divine commission.

Holy and Almighty Father, all those whom thou hast thus given me, who have heartily embraced my doctrine, and sincerely obeyed it, I desire that thou wouldest make them partakers of the same happiness with myself, and exalt them to behold the incomprehensible glory wherewith thou didst originally invest me, in thy eternal love, before the foundation of the world. The generality of mortals, O righteous Father! have not known thee, nor been willing to embrace and obey the revelation of thy will. But I have known thy will, and have made it known to my disciples, men of simplicity and honesty; and they have embraced and obeyed it. And I will continually make it known to them, more and more, that they may grow up and improve in faith, in boliness, and in all good works, so as finally to arrive, and cause others to arrive at that eternal happiness which is the effect of thy infinite love towards me, and through me towards them.

This pious and benevolent prayer being ended, Jesus and his disciples came down from the mount of Olives into a field below, called Gethsemane, through which the brook Gedron ran, and in it on the other side of the brook, was a garden, called the Here he desired garden of Gethsemane. his disciples to sit down till he should retire

The sufferings he was on the point of undergoing were so great, that the very prospect of them terrified him, and made him express himself in this doleful exclamation, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch." On this great occasion he sustained those grievous sorrows in his soul, by which, as well as by dying on the cross, he became a sin-offering, and accomplished the redemption of mankind.

He now withdrew from them about a stone's cast, and his human nature being overburdened beyond measure, he found it necessary to retire and pray, that if it was possible or consistent with the salvation of the world, he might be delivered from the sufferings which were then lying on him. It was not the fear of dying on the cross, which made him speak or pray in such a manner. To suppose this, would infinitely degrade his character. Make his sufferings as terrible as possible, clothe them with all the aggravating circumstances of distress; yet the blessed Jesus, whose human nature was strengthened by being connected with the divine, could not shrink at the prospect of sufferings, or betray a weakness which many of his followers, who, though mere men, were strangers to; having encountered more terrible deaths without the least emotions. He addresses his divine Father with a sigh of fervent wishes, that the cup might, if possible, be removed from him: In the Greek it is, "O that thou wouldest remove this cup from me !" And having first kneeled and prayed, he fell prostrate on his face, accompanying his address with due expressions of resignation, adding, immediately, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt."

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Having prayed, he returned to his disciples, and finding them asleep, he said to Peter, "Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one hour?" Thou, who so lately didst boast of thy courage and constancy in my service, canst thou so soon forget thy Master?

But in his greatest distress he never lost sight of that kind concern he had for his disciples. "Watch ye, (says he) and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." Neither was he, on those extraordinary occasions, in the least chagrined with the offences which they had committed through frailty and human weakness; on the contrary, was always willing to make excuses for them; alledging in their defence, "that the spirit (truly) was willing, but the flesh was weak." It seems, from these particulars, that he spent some considerable time in his addresses; because the disciples fell asleep, in his absence, and he himself retired again to pray; for the sorrows of our Lord continuing to increase upon him, affected him to such a degree, that he retired a second time, and prayed to the same purpose, saying, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done: (after which he returned again to them and found them asleep) for their eyes were heavy."

He returned thus frequently to his disciples, that they by reading his distress in his countenance and gesture, might be witnesses of his passion; which proves that his pains were beyond description intense, and complicated: for he went away the third time to pray, and notwithstanding an angel was sent from heaven to comfort and strengthen him, yet they overwhelmed him, and threw him into an agony: upon which he still continued to pray more earnestly.

But the sense of his sufferings still inereasing, they strained his whole body to so violenta degree, that his blood, as it were, was No. 15.

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pressed through the pores of his skin, which they pervaded, together with his sweat, and fell down in large drops on the ground. "And he left them and went away again. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And be ing in an agony, he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Thus did he suffer unspeakable sorrows in his soul, as long as the divine wisdom thought proper.

At length he obtained relief, being heard on account of his perfect and entire submission to the will of his heavenly Father. "And when he arose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow." This circumstance

shews how much the disciples were affected with their Master's sufferings. The sensations of grief which they felt on seeing his unspeakable distress so overpowered them, that they sunk into sleep.

Our blessed Saviour, for the last time came to his disciples, and seeing them still asleep, he said, "Sleep on now, and take your rest; behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; behold, he is at hand, that doth betray Matt. xxvi. 45, 46. The event will soon be over, which causes your sorrow: I am betrayed, and ready to be delivered up to death.

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the usual time of his Master's repairing thither, informed the chief priests and elders that the proper time for apprehending Jesus was now come. They, therefore, sent a band of soldiers with him, and servants carrying lanterns and torches to shew them the way; because, though it was always full moon at the passover, the sky might be dark with clouds, and the place whither they were going was shaded with trees. At the same time a deputation of their, number accompanied the band to see that every one did his duty.

He went before the soldiers, on pretence that he would lead them to the place, and shew them the man by kissing him: howeyer, to conceal his villainy from his Master and the disciples, he walked hastily, and without waiting for the band, went up directly, and saluted him; wishing, perhaps, to apprize him of his danger. But Jesus did not fail to convince him that he knew the meaning and intent of his salutation,

at saying; "betrayest thou the Son of man,

Judas having thus received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and pharisees, they went thither with lanterns and torches, and weapons: for they were exceeding anxious to secure and get him into their hands and the soldiers having, perhaps, never seen Jesus before, found it necessary that Judas should distinguish him, and point him out to them by some particular sign.

St. Luke seems to say, that Judas went before them, at a little distance, to prepare them for the readier execution of their office,

kissing his Master, the token they had agreed upon, that they might not mistake hin and seize a wrong person. " And he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him." Nor can the account which St. John has given us be understood on any other supposition. He says, that after Judas was come up with the soldiers, Jesus went out of the garden, and asked them, who it was they were seeking? To which they replied, Jesus of Nazareth. It therefore follows, that they were at a loss to know him, which they could not have been, had they seen Judas kiss him; the kiss, therefore, must have been in the garden before the band came up, nor is their agreement about the sign inconsistent with this supposition; because that confusion which commonly attends the commission of an evil action, might prevent Judas from giving the sign at the proper season.

with a kiss?" Judas certainly concealed his treachery so well, that Peter did not suspect him, as it is probable he would have struck at him, rather than at Malchus, the high priest's servant.

The appointed time of our Lord's sufferings being now come, he did not, as formerly, avoid his enemies; but, on the contrary, on their telling him they sought Jesus of Nazareth, he replied, I am he; thereby insinuating to them, that he was willing to put himself into their hands. At the same time to shew them that they could not apprehend him without his own consent, he in an extraordinary manner exerted his divine power; he made the whole band fall back, and threw them to the ground. "Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, whomseek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am he. And Judas also who betrayed him, stood with them. As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." But the soldiers and the Jews, imagining, perhaps, that they had been thrown down by some demon or evil spirit with whom the Jews said he was in confederacy, advanced towards him a second time "Then asked he them again, whom seek ye? and they said, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he, (expressing again his willingness to fall into their hands.) If, therefore, ye seek me, let these go their way." "If your business be with me alone, suffer my disciples to pass: for the party had

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