28. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.2

29. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.

30. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.

31. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.

32. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.

33. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John,3 and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy ;

34. And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.

35. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

36. And he said, Abba, Father, All things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.

We are taught by this affecting passage, that a season of special emergency from danger foreseen, or approaching trial, is a fit season for special prayer. Few occasions in our Saviour's life are more suited for our comfort or imitation. Here we contemplate him, in his human nature, ex

2

Keeping up the metaphor of the shepherd, our Lord says, I will go before you into Galilee. I will lead you, and you shall follow me thither. "My sheep hear my voice, and they follow me."

3

"It will be remembered that these had also been his particular companions at other seasons; and recently, at his transfigura

erting no divine power :-for "how then should the Scripture be fulfilled?" We see him, as man, contending against the foreknowledge of bitter suffering, against all that our nature most shrinks from: and we see him, not supported, as many of his disciples have since been in similar trials, by a strength beyond their own, but left, as it appears, to experience all the bitterness of unmitigated anguish. No doubt, for a purpose : that we, for whose instruction it is recorded, may be convinced of the reality of that misery which awaits unrepented, unpardoned sin. The prayer which he utters is of all things most calculated to convince us of that reality. Abba, Father, if it be possible : if it be possible that sin can be remitted without the actual payment of this its penalty or can be remedied without this display of its consequences: -take away this cup from me: let me return in peace to thy bosom, or taste a death more like the ordinary dissolution of the human frame.

The

It were not possible. Father's silence answers that it were not possible. The Son's consent implies that it were not possible. Nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. It is enough; the hour is come; "for this cause came I into the world." Let that be done, which best agrees with thy counsels, and will most effectually promote thy glory, and fulfil the great purpose of my Incarnation.

Here then is an unanswerable reply to the unbelief of men, as to the inevitable result of sin. Apply to the future suffering of the impenitent transgressor, what here belongs to the suffering of Christ. If it be possible, that he can enjoy an eter

nity of happiness, or escape an eternity of miserylet the cup of divine wrath and indignation pass from him. This history proves (whoso readeth let him understand) that it cannot be; that "the wages of sin is death;" and that its recompense must be actually rendered, its consequences really undergone.

37. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?

38. Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

39. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words.

40. And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him.

41. And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of

sinners.

42. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

43. And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief-priests and the scribes and the elders.

44. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.

45. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master: and kissed him.

46. And they laid their hands on him, and took him. 47. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high-priest, and cut off his ear.*

St. John acquaints us, that this was Simon Peter. John xviii. 10.

48. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me?

49. I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not but the scriptures must be fulfilled.

50. And they all forsook him and fled.

51. And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him:

52. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.3

Among the many things which might be attended to in this passage, we will fix on one: on the advice and warning given by our Lord to his disciples before they entered on the approaching scene of trial. From the agony of his own prayer, he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? Couldest not thou watch with me one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. This he said, foreknowing, what they did not equally understand, the temptations to which they would be exposed, and forewarning them that they could only be enabled to overcome such difficulties, by habitual prayer and watchfulness.

So that here a lesson is left for the Christian in all future ages. His spirit is ready. It is implied in his being an intelligent Christian, that his spirit is ready; that he "consents to the law, that it is good;" that he purposes to obey the will of God. But his spirit can hardly be more ready than that of

This circumstance seems to be related, to show the general confusion and alarm of the moment.

the disciples, who had all said, "Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee;" and one of whom drew a sword in his Master's defence, and, surrounded as they were, smote a servant of the high-priest and cut off his ear. Yet there was still something within, which would render them unable to act according to their better purposes, and obey the dictate of their consciences when the trial came. The flesh is weak. So it appeared, too clearly, when they all forsook him and fled; and when Peter afterwards denied that he had ever "known the man."

What is this but a picture of the broken resolutions and repeated transgressions, on which a Christian has too often reason to look back, and which, when it is too late, he laments in vain?

Therefore is he warned to watch and pray, that he enter not into temptation. In actual temptation, there is little opportunity for the exercise of those means by which men are enabled to overcome it. Prayer and watchfulness are the discipline by which they are made capable of resistance; capable of using their arms, when the enemy actually advances and the combat begins. In order to be prepared for that trial, they must use constant vigilance over the besetting sins of their state, habits, disposition must foresee temptation, and habitually pray, that with it "a way be made to escape, that they may be able to bear it ;" that in the hour of danger, such thoughts, such resolution, such inward strength may be supplied by the Spirit, as shall enable them to "withstand in the evil day."

"Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with