42. THE SUFFERING AND BETRAYAL OF

OUR HOLY SAVIOUR IN THE GARDEN.

As

WHEN Our Lord had spoken these solemn words, they sang a hymn, and then went out to the Mount of Olives. they were going, the Lord Jesus said to them, " All ye shall be offended because of me this night; for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee." St. Peter was angry when the Lord told him that he would forsake Him; and he said, "Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended."

St. Peter would not have said so if he had known his own weakness. But our Lord knew what he would do; and He warned him, saying, "Verily I say unto

thee, that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."

Peter could not believe that he should be so ungrateful-for he loved his Saviour; and he replied, "Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee." All the disciples said the same; but before the next day they forsook their Lord and Saviour.

When they came to the garden of Gethsemane, the Lord Jesus said to the eleven apostles, "Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder." He then took Peter, James, and John, and went into the garden. His pure and loving heart was full of sorrow; and He spoke these sad words, which should make all sinners weep, saying, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." The Lord Jesus then went a little way from the disciples,

and fell down on His face, and prayed to His heavenly Father, saying, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

After this prayer He came to the three disciples, and found them sleeping; and He spoke in a kind and gentle manner, saying, "What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." The Lord then went and prayed as before; and when He returned, the disciples were again asleep.

With a heart full of the deepest sorrow, because of our sins, our Saviour prayed the third time, saying, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, Thy will be

done." The punishment which our Lord Jesus Christ bore for our sins, and the agony He suffered, were so great, that His precious Blood ran from His body like great drops of sweat. And an angel came to comfort Him.

Oh, how dreadful is sin! and how full of love and mercy our blessed Saviour is, to suffer so much that we might go to heaven! Should we not hate sin very much when we see what misery it caused to that Saviour, who loves us more than Himself? Let us think of this when we feel any naughty, wicked tempers.

When our Lord rose from prayer, He went to His disciples, and said, “Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me."

As soon as He had said this, the wicked Judas came with a number of

men bearing torches, swords, and staves. It was about midnight, but Judas knew where to find our Lord; and he had promised to deliver Him to the chief priests and Pharisees for thirty pieces of silver; for Judas loved money more than he did that kind and gracious Lord, whose miracles of love he had so often seen. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew that these men were come to take Him, to put Him to death. But so ready was He to die for us, that He went up to them, and said, "Whom seek ye?" They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." He said, "I am He." At these words the men went backward, and fell to the ground. Again the Lord asked the same question; and after telling them that He was the person, He said, "If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way"-meaning the disciples.

Judas then went up to our Lord, and