them, for their apparent careleffness and indifference; warning them of the neceffity of guarding against temptation; lest, (as afterwards actually happened, in their defertion of him,) they should be furprized and overcome by it: but, at the fame time, with his ufual benignity, he himself finds an excuse for them, in the weakness of their nature. He now retires; repeats his fupplications to his Father: again returns, and warns his difciples. Then, addreffing himself a third time to the throne of grace, to be spared, if poffible, from agonies which exceeded human fortitude to bear, is (as we are told by St. Luke) ftrengthened by an angel from Heaven; when, knowing that the hour of man's redemption was now arrived, he calls up all his refolution to support him on that trying occafion; and, returning to his difciples, tells them They may now take their rest; that the struggle is over, and he who should betray him is at hand.

As our bleffed Lord was ftrengthened under his fufferings by an angel, let us not doubt but we also, when overwhelmed by calamity from which no human power can relieve us, fhall, if we place our dependance upon God, receive affiftance from him, who alone is able to fave us.

3. Judas then, having received a "band of men and officers from the chief

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priefts and Pharifees, cometh thither "with lanterns, and torches, and weapons.

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4. Jefus, therefore, knowing all things "that fhould come upon him, went forth, "and faid unto them, Whom seek ye?

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5. They answered him, Jesus of Na"zareth. Jefus faith unto them, I am "he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, flood with them.

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"6. As foon then as he had faid unto "them, I am he, they went backward, "and fell to the ground.

"7. Then asked he them again, Whom "feek ye? And they said, Jefus of Na❝zareth.

" 8. Jefus

you

"8. Jefus answered, I have told "that I am he. If, therefore, ye feek me, "let these go their way:

"9. That the faying might be fulfilled "which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none."

We have here an inftance of the excess of depravity to which human nature may be impelled, by the base paffions of avarice and refentment: the man who had been admitted as an inmate of his master's family, a guest at his table, and treated as a friend rather than a fervant, takes advantage of the knowledge he had thereby gained of his places of retirement to betray him, for a paltry bribe, or in revenge for his having detected him in his fraudulent practices. If any thing could add to the guilt of fo foul a transaction, it would be the ftrictness with which the laws of hofpitality were observed amongst the Jews, (with whom the partaking of the fame meal was regarded as a secure bond

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of friendship,) and the hypocritical manner in which, as we are told by St. Mark, it was effected: namely, under the mask of a friendly falutation. The majestic conduct of our bleffed Saviour upon this occafion, cannot escape our obfervation : firm in confcious rectitude, he at once declares himself to be the perfon they are in fearch of. Struck with awe at fo uncommon a declaration, and at the noble steadiness of his conduct, they for awhile forget their guilty purpose, and fall proAtrate on the ground: but it being our Lord's most gracious defign to give himfelf up to their power, for the accomplishment of man's redemption, (for, unless he had voluntarily fubmitted, no force could have prevailed against him,) he permits them to rife, and again questions them Whom they feek? and when they repeat that it is Jefus of Nazareth,' he again declares himself to be the person; reminding them that their commiffion extended only to the securing of his person,

and

and that therefore they could have no pretence to moleft his disciples.

"10. Then Simon - Peter, having a "fword, drew it, and fmote the high priest's "fervant, and cut off his right ear. The "fervant's name was Malchus.

"11. Then faid Jefus unto Peter, Put འ up thy fword into the fheath: the cup "which my Father hath given me, fhall "I not drink it ?" And it is added in the gospel by St. Matthew: "For all they "that take the fword, fhall perish with the "fword. Thinkeft thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he fhall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall "the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it "must be ?" In the relation of these tranfactions, St. Luke tells farther, that " he touched his ear and healed him."

Peter's zeal for his master's fervice here again manifests itself: his present conduct shews, that his former profeffions of readi

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