SECT. He takes Peter, James, and John, with him into the garden. 315 Shepherd and Bishop of souls, who gave himself to be smitten for his flock when they had forsaken him; and then returning, sought them out again, and fed them in richer pastures than before! clxxxi. Mat. How reasonable is it that our hearts should be fixed in the most XXVI. inflexible resolution for his service! How fit that we should every one of us say, with the utmost determination of soul, Lord, though 35 I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee! For how could death wear a more graceful, or a more pleasing form, than when it met us close by our Saviour's side, and came as the seal of our fidelity to him? Surely this is the language of many of our hearts before him, especially when warmed and animated by a sense of his dying love Yet let us not be high-minded; for Peter, after this decla- 34, 35 ration, denied his Master; and the same night in which they had protested they would never leave him, all the disciples forsook him and fled. (Mat. xxvi. 56.) Nor, on the other hand, let the view of that frailty discourage, though it ought to caution us; for the time came when each of them behaved as they here spoke; and they who in his very presence acted so weak a part, through the influences of his strengthening spirit, resisted unto blood, and loved not their lives unto the death, for the testimony of Jesus. (Rev. xii. 11.) SECT. CLXXXII. Jesus enters the garden of Gethsemane, and falls into his agony there; during which his disciples fall asleep, for which he gently reproves them, and warns them of the enemies' approach. Mat. XXVI. 36-46. Mark XIV. 32-42. Luke XXII. 40—16. MAT. XXVI. 36. THEN cometh Jesus with them unto a MAT. XXVI. 36. clxxxii. Mat. THEN, after this discourse with his disciples, SECT. place called Gethse- Jesus comes with them to the place we menmane; and [LUKE, tioned above, which was called Gethsemane, as when he was at the being a very pleasant and fertile garden: and XXVI. place, he] saith unto [his] disciples, Sit ye when he was arrived just at the entrance into the 26 here, while I go and place whither he was used to retire, he says to prav yonder. [MARK eight of his disciples, Sit ye down here a while, and observe what passes abroad, while I go and pray in yonder retirement. XIV. 32. LUKE a Called Gethsemane, as being a very pleasant and fertile garden.] It is well known that signifies the valley of Fatness. The garden probably had its name from its soil and situation, and lay in some little valley between two of And 346 SECT. clxxxii. Mat. Jesus is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. the two sons of Zebe very heavy. 38 Then saith he to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, And, as this was a very extraordinary passage 37 And he took of his life, he took along with him Peter, and the with him Peter, and two sons of Zebedee, James and John, who had dee [James and John], XXVI. been witnesses of his transfiguration, and were and began to be sur37 now chosen by him to be witnesses of his agony. and rowful [sore amazed], And as he went on with them towards a more [MARK XIV. 33.1 retired part of the garden, he began to be in a very great and visible dejection, amazement, and anguish of mind, on account of some painful and dreadful sensatious which were then impressed upon his soul by the immediate hand of God. 38 Then, turning to his three disciples, he says to them, My friends, you never saw me in so great distress as now; for my soul is surrounded on all even unto death: tarsides with an extremity of anguish and sorrow, ry ye here, and watch which tortures me even almost unto death; and with me: [LUKE, and pray, that ye enI know that the infirmity of human nature must ter not into temptaquickly sink under it, without some extraordi- tion.] [MARK XIV. nary relief from God; to him therefore I will 34. apply with the greatest earnestness: and do yon in the mean time continue here, and watch with me, considering how liable we are to be surprised; [and] let me remind you also to pray for yourselves, that you may not enter into that dangerous temptation of which I have just been bHe began to be in great dejection, amaze- giving 40.) LUKE XXII Works, p. 38.-Dr. Whitby will not allow that these agonies arose from the immediate hand of God upon him; which he thinks not to be the case, even of the damned in hell. But it seems impossible to prove that it is not. He rather thinks it might arise from a deep apprehcusion of the malignity of sin, and the misery brought upon the world by it. But, considering how much the mind of Christ was wounded and broken with what he now endured, so as to give some greater external signs of distress than in any other circumstance of his sufferings, there is reason to conclude there was something extraordinary in the degree of the impression: and it surely comes much to the same, whether we say that God, by his own immediate agency, impressed some uncommon horrors on his mind, or that the strength of his spirits, and perhaps the tone of his nerves, were so impaired, that the view he had of these things should affect him to a degree of exquisite and uncommon sensibility. & Watch with me.] Had they done this carefully they would soon have found a rich equivalent for their watchful care, in the eminent improvement of their graces by this wonderful and editying sight. Take And prays, MARK XIV. 35. And he went forward Abba, Father, all that if possible, the cup might pass from him. 347 giving you notice, or may be kept from falling SECT. by it. See Mat. xxvi. 31, sect. clxxxi. clxxxii. And going on a little way from thence into a Mark a little, [LUKE, and more retired part of the garden, when he was XIV.35. was withdrawn from now withdrawn about a stone's throw from the them about a stone's place where he left them, he first humbly knelt cast, and kneeled down,] and fell on his down, and then, as the ardour of his devotion face] on the ground, increased, he prostrated himself on his face to the and prayed, That if it ground, and prayed, That if it were possible, that were possible, the hour dreadful season of sorrow, with which he was might pass from him. [MAT. XXVI. 39. then almost overwhelmed, might be shortened, LUKE XXII. 41.] and pass from him. And he said, Abba, Fa-36 And he said, ther, I know that all things proper to be done are possible to thee; and, O my Father, if it be so far possible, as to consist with what thy wisdom has appointed for the advancement of thy glory, and the salvation of thy people, I earnestly be seech thee, that thou immediately wouldest take away this cup of bitterness and terror; [yea,] let [it] now pass from me, and let comfort and peace return to my soul: nevertheless, if thou seest it necessary to continue it, or to add yet more grievous ingredients to it, I am here ready to receive it in submission to thy will, and resolutely say upon the whole, Not as I will, but as thou wilt; for though nature cannot but shrink back from these sufferings, it is the determinate purpose of my soul to bear whatsoever thine infinite wisdom shall see fit to appoint. things are possible unto thee; [O my Father, if it be possible, [and let it pass] from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt. [MAT. XXVI.-39.] take away this cup, 37 And he cometh ing; and saith unto And upon this, rising up from the ground on 37 [unto the disciples], which he had lain prostrate, he comes again to and findeth them sleep- the three disciples, and, notwithstanding the disPeter, Simon, sleepest tress that he was in, and the command that he thou couldst not thou had given to them to watch, he finds them all watch one hour?] [What, could ye not asleep: and he particularly says to Peter (who had but lately made such solemn protestations of his hour?] MAT. XXVI. peculiar zeal and fidelity), What, Simon dost thou sleep at such a time as this? and after thou hadst just declared thy resolution to die with me, couldst thou so soon forget thy promise to stand by me, and not so much as watch or keep awake watch with me one 40.] 313 He repeats his prayer with submission to his Father's will. Mark 38 Watch ye, and pray, lest ye enter into is weak. SECT. but for one hour, when I was in such an agony clxxxii. And you that were so ready to join with him in the same profession, could neither of you be XIV.37. mindful of me; and in this time of my extreme distress were ye all so unable to perform your resolution as not to watch one single hour with 38 me? I must again exhort you to watch and pray with the greatest earnestness, that ye may temptation: the spirit not enter into and fall by that dangerous temp- truly is [willing], but tation which is now approaching the spirit the flesh indeed is forward, and ready to express the duti- [MAT. XXVI. 41.] ful regard that you have for me, and I know your resolutions of adhering to me are very sincere; but yet, as your own present experience may convince you, the flesh is weak; and as you have been so far prevailed upon by its infirmities, as to fall asleep at this very unseasonable time, so if you are not more upon your guard, and more importunate in seeking for assistance from above, it will soon gain a much greater victory over you. 39 40 a 39 And again he went away [the second time], and prayed, and spake the same words, [saying, O my Father, pass away from me, if this cup may not And when he had thus gently admonished them, he went away again the second time, to little distance from them, and prayed as he had done before, speaking much the same words, or expressing himself to the like effect, with the same ardour and submission, saying, O my Fa- except I drink it, thy ther, if it be necessary, in pursuance of the will be done.] [MAT great end for which I came into the world, that XXVI. 42.] I should endure these grievous sufferings, and this cup cannot pass from me without my drinking it, and wringing out, as it were, the very dregs of it, I will still humbly acquiesce, and say, Thy will be done, how painful soever it may be to flesh and blood. 40 And when he re And returning back to his three disciples, he found them asleep again; for the fatigue and turned, he found them trouble they had lately undergone had exhaust e Watch and pray, &c.] How poorly is The spirit indeed is forward and ready, ed asleep again (for their eyes lotson very justly and beautifully observes), were the more remarkable, as our Lord's mind was now discomposed with sorrow, so that he must have the deeper and tenderer sense of the unkindness of his friends. (Sce Tillots. Works, Vol. II. p. 435.)— How apt are we to think affiction an excuse for peevishness! But how unlike are we to Christ in that thought, and how unkind to ourselves, as well as our friends, to whom, in such circumstances, with our best temper, we must be more troublesome thaq we could wish! · Speaking An angel appears to strengthen him in his agony. 349 SECT. Mark eyes were heavy); nei- ed their spirits, and their eyes were quite weighther wist they what ed down with weariness and sorrow: and he ad- cixxxii. to answer him. [MAT. XXVI. 43.] monished them again as before; and they were so thoroughly confounded, that they knew not xiv.40. what to answer him; and yet immediately after they were so weak and senseless as to relapse into the same fault again. MAT. XXVI. 44. And be left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, but thine be done. XXII.42 And, having roused them for the present from Mat. their sleep, he left them; and went away again, XXVI. and prayed the third time, speaking much the 44 saying the same words; same words as before, or offering peritions to the LUKE XXII. 42. same effects: Saying, Father, if thou pleasest Luke Saying, Father, if thou to take away this cup from me, and to excuse be willing, remove this cup from me; never- me from the continuance of this bitter anguish theless, not my will and distress, it is what would greatly rejoice me, and with due submission I would humbly ask it; nevertheless, as I said before, not my will, but thine be done. And, in this last address, his 43 combat was so violent and severe, that he was almost overwhelmed; and therefore, for his assistance against the powers of darkness, which united their force against him in the most terrible manner, there appeared to him an angel from heaven, standing near him in a visible form, strengthening him by that sensible token of the Father's protection and favour, and suggesting such holy consolations as were most proper to 44 And, being in animate his soul in such a struggle. Yet, with an agony, he prayed all these assurances that he was still the charge more earnestly: and his sweat of heaven, and quickly should be made victori 43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. Speaking much the same words.] It is plain, by comparing ver. 39 and 42, that the words were not entirely the same; and it is certain that often signifies matter; so that no more appears to be intended than that he prayed to the same purpose as before. h If thou pleasest to take away this cup from me.] The observing reader will easily perceive by the paraphrase, that I do not suppose our Lord here prayed to be excused entirely from sufferings and death. Such a petition appears to me so inconsistent with that steady constancy he always shewed, and with that lively turn (John xii. 27, 28, p. 170) in which he seems to disown such a prayer, that I think even Hooker's solution, though the best I have met with, is not satisfactory. (Hooker's Eccles. Polity, lib. v. § 48.) It appears to me much safer to expound it, as Sir Matthew Hale does (in his Contemplations, Vol. I. p. 59), as relating to the terror and severity of the ous combat in which he was now actually en- Since the former editions I have had the i An angel from heaven strengthening & His 44 |