emanation from the Deity. But Peter and the sons of Zebedee had been eye-witnesses of the transfiguration on the Mount. However perplexed, therefore, they might be, they would not be reduced to despair. They had, at least, wherewithal to satisfy their minds upon this point, since they had heard the Father himself proclaim their Master to be his only begotten Son.-(Matt. xvii. 1; Mark ix. 2; Luke ix. 28.) Thus, then, as they had witnessed the glory of the Son of Man, they were the better qualified to behold the humiliation of the Son of Man.

And when he was at the place, he began to be sorrowful,-(Luke xxii. 40; Matt. xxvi. 27); to feel an unwonted depression of spirit. According to prophecy, "His soul was cast down and disquieted within him."-(Psalm xlii. 3.) His depression increased. He began to be "sore amazed, and to be very heavy,"-(Mark xiv. 33); to be utterly exhausted, and faint with grief. According to prophecy, "He was not only compassed with the sorrows of death, but the pains of hell gat hold upon him."-(Psalm cxvi. 3.) Under these circumstances, how touching, how sublime, how dignified, the only expressions which escaped his spirit, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death!"-(Matt. xxvi. 38.)

And now, turning to his disciples, he said, Tarry ye here." O how the heart of any friend would have melted within him, at such a request, after such a declaration. "Tarry ye here," he exclaimed, "and watch with me." At the same time he added, "And pray that YE enter not into temptation."-(Matt. xxvi. 38; Luke xxii. 40.) Never, thou Blessed One,-never did thy tender mercy, thy loving-kindness, thy consideration for others,

forsake thee! The hour of their temptation was fast approaching: and had they been prepared against the craft and subtilty of the tempter, by watchfulness, precaution, and prayers, how different might have been the event!

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He went forward. He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast. He kneeled down. The agony became more intense. He could not support himself. He fell prostrate: he fell on his face: he fell to the ground. It became almost too much for human nature to bear. He exclaimed, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. All things are possible unto thee: nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done." (Luke xxii. 41, 42; Matt. xxvi. 39; Mark xiv. 35.) This only affliction I would be saved: for the rest I am prepared: but this cup, if thou be willing, this cup I pray thee to remove; "nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done!"

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How great was this agony, we may, in some degree, conceive: since his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling to the ground, if blood did not actually ooze from the pores of his flesh.

After the lapse of some time, our Lord rose up from prayer, supported, strengthened, and consoled. -(Matt. xxvi. 46.) There had appeared unto him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. Then cometh he to his disciples: to those chosen friends, by conversing with whom, he may now have wished to alleviate the pangs, and dispel the horrors, by which he was oppressed. But he findeth them sleeping. (Luke xxii. 45.) At the same time, we ought to observe, that the Evangelist, who never conceals the faults, nor palliates the errors of the apostles, expressly adds, that they were "sleeping for sorrow." And it can be scarcely necessary to

remark, that drowsiness is the natural and merciful effect of extreme grief. Let us, then, while warned by their example to watch as well as to pray, rather sympathize with their weakness, than judge of their conduct with undue severity. Consider all that they had just undergone. It was now late in the night—and the whole evening had been to them one of unceasing excitement, of much mental exertion, and of extreme agitation. They had been partakers in a rite, the full purpose of which they were, as yet, unable to understand: and they had listened to discourses, the meaning of which they could only partially comprehend. Their minds were bewildered by the events that had already taken place: and to the future they looked forward with mingled sensations of apprehension, hope, and doubt. Even now they beheld their Master suffering in a manner which could not fail to awaken their sympathy and compassion; but which seemed to contradict all the prophecies on which they had been accustomed to dwell with rapture, and by which they had been induced to expect the Messiah. It was, then, no wonder, that, while their minds were perplexed by such conflicting sentiments, they suffered sleep to surprise their wearied bodies. Consequently, the rebuke of our Lord, though marked, was gentle. Why sleep ye?" said he. Then turning to Simon Peter, he asked, in a tone that must have struck to his heart, "Simon, sleepest THOU? Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch ye, rise and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: for,"-and how deeply affecting the remark from our Lord in his extremest humiliation,-" the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."-(Matt. xxvi. 40, 41; Luke xxii. 45, 46; Mark xiv. 37, 38.)

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He went away a second time; and his agony

seems to have returned in all its bitterness,-for he prayed a second time, using almost the same words: "Omy Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy will be done."-(Matt. xxvi. 42.) "And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him."—(Mark xiv. 40.) So "he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words."-(Matt. xxvi. 44.)

All this is related in a short space: but it was no short space of time, during which the tremendous reality of this mental anguish was endured by our Redeemer. Such sufferings would have overwhelmed an impostor, and driven an enthusiast to the verge of insanity. But the conduct of the Lord Jesus was such as to confirm our faith, to excite our warmest sympathy, and to command our surprise, our amazement, our admiration. He felt as we might expect the most meek, gentle, and sensitive of mankind to feel; and yet he bore the worst with a degree of resignation, fortitude, and unassuming, unpretending patience, such as no one could have evinced, save the only Being of our species, who was sinless and perfect.

At length the cup was drunk to the very dregs; and our blessed Saviour returned to other scenes of trial. "He cometh to his disciples a third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest:"-as far as I am concerned, your watching can be no longer required—"it is enough"-I will urge you no more: "the hour is come, behold, the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners." -(Mark xiv. 41; Matt. xxvi. 45.) He is calm, he is collected: he knows that the hour, the very moment, to which he has been so long looking

forward, has arrived: he knows that he has already been betrayed: he knows that his enemies are on their way to apprehend him: while he is yet speaking, he hears the step of the Roman cohort approaching, and exclaims, "Rise up, let us go: lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand."

Such is the narrative of our Lord's agony. I have given it in the language of the Evangelists. I have merely endeavoured to harmonize, without attempting-(the attempt would be profane)—to adorn, those short and simple annals, of which, the affectionate nature is as irresistible, as it is inartificial.

As we retire from the contemplation of our Redeemer's agony in the garden, the words which the Church, as a sympathizing mother, addresses to her afflicted children, strikes upon the heart with redoubled force. Though no chastening," as the apostle says, "for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous:" yet, "it afterward yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."—(Heb. xii. 11.) 'We should,' says the Church, 'patiently, and with thanksgiving, bear our heavenly Father's correction, whensoever, by any manner of adversity, it shall please his gracious goodness to visit us. And there should be no greater comfort to Christian persons, than to be made like unto Christ, by suffering patiently adversities, troubles, and sicknesses: for he himself went not up to joy, but first he suffered pain: he entered not into his glory, before he was crucified. So, truly, our way to eternal joy is to suffer here with Christ; and our door to enter into eternal life, is gladly to die with Christ; that we may rise again from death, and dwell with him in everlasting life.'