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.

Christ does not pray the Father to take away his cup of passion, but of desertion. It seems to me that this was rather the expression of what he felt than what he desired; the cry of nature under intolerable anguish, and not the act of his will. For he therefore came into the world that he might suffer; and could not desire to be excused from it. And the passage plainly speaks thus to us; how can we endure, what we here see lay so heavy upon Christ? The passage forces us to say, in spite of ourselves, Lord, keep us from it, and from the sin which will bring us to it.

37. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest thou not watch one hour? How many such well-spent hours do you suppose we shall have to think of when we come to die?

38. Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

This is Christ's remedy in all straits, yet alas! it is but little applied by us.

38. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

This is not spoken as any ground of excuse, if we do fall; but to prevent it, by showing us how we are to be supported. And this saying from the mouth of him, who knew what was in man, is much to be observed. There may be discernment of what is right, with a real purpose and willingness of spirit to do it; but the flesh, that is, man, with his pride of reason, and boasted abilities, fails wretchedly in the execution. Grace must do what nature cannot. We have full warning given us of our weakness; and like men who are surrounded with powerful enemies, and in continual danger of being surprised, must not only be always upon our guard, but have the necessary aid at

hand, by looking up to heaven for it in prayer. Put this in practice, be humble, be vigilant, be a man of prayer, and thou mayest defy the world, the flesh, and the devil.

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.

Alas! when Christians sleep in the season of temptation, they awake too late when their feet are already in the snare which Satan has laid for them -Edit.

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.

When Christ said, "sleep on now," he meant that they had lost their opportunity of watching and praying, and with it their strength also, as it soon appeared. The watching and praying of the disciples was not for ('hrist, but for themselves. Whether they watched and prayed, or not, to him it was all one: he was sufficient for himself: the hour for which he longed was come. Blessed Jesus! and blessed hour for us!

42. Rise up, let us go: lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. Here is another instance of the foreknowledge of Christ, and therefore an evidence of his divinity.-Edit.

SECTION XLIX.

Chap. xiv. ver. 43-65.

CHRIST IS BETRAYED, AND IMPIOUSLY CONDEMNED BY THE JEWISH COUNCIL.

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.

May God grant that we may not be so base towards our blessed Saviour, and that he may not have any such treacherous friends among us.

46. And they laid their hands on him, and took him.

Go along with all that is said in this manner. My sins made his soul sorrowful unto death; my sins betrayed him; my sins laid hands on him. All this he willingly endured for my sake; and I am resolved they shall grieve him no

more.

47. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.

This was Peter. He was ready enough to do what he was not bidden, and that for which Christ would give him no thanks.

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.

They must be fulfilled in every tittle concerning Christ. See Psalm xxii. and Isaiah lii. They will also be fulfilled concerning us, either in our salvation, or in our destruction. Let us hear and fear, and do no more wickedly.

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.

This flight he chose rather than to fall into their hands. This shows the great fright into which they were all thrown.

53. And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests, and the elders, and the scribes,

54. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest; and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire.

55. And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

56. Form any bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together.

57. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,

58. We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

59. But neither so did their witness agree together.

60. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee ?

61. But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?

Christ stood in the place of sinners, and he bare their sins in his own person, and therefore he would not maintain his innocence, because we, whom he thus represented,

cannot.

62. And Jesus said, I am : and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

Christ would not deny that he was the Son of the blessed God, because it was the truth, though he knew that it would cost him his life. He however adds, that they should see him appearing in human flesh, like the Son of man, and in the power of God they should behold him coming to judge the quick and the dead.

we

63. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need any further witnesses ?

64. Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

Think not so much of the Jews as of your own sins: they condemned him,-they exposed the Son of God to this opprobrious usage.

65. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy; and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.

Christ hid not his face from shame and spitting for our sakes may we through his grace be partakers of his sufferings, that we also may be sharers with him in his glory, in heaven.-Edit.

SECTION L.

Chap. xiv. ver. 66-72.

PETER DENIETH CHRIST.

66. And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest:

67. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth.

68. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch, and the cock

crew.

In Peter's denial of Christ we have a lamentable instance of human frailty, and of what we are when left to ourselves. Who so stout as Peter but an hour or two before, and here he is fallen into no less a sin than that of denying his Master? The advice to all is, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Be not highminded, but fear." And, especially, remember that Peter would not have fallen thus shamefully if he had taken Christ's advice, to watch and pray.

69. And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them.