SECT. CXLII.—Judas receives a Band of Soldiers from the Chief Priests.-John xviii. 3.

JUDAS sat at supper with the rest; for it was most unusual, if indeed it were lawful, for any one to depart from that supper before it was concluded: but now Christ rose up, and proceeded to the Mount of Olives. The villanous traitor might at such a time readily slip away from the company of the disciples unperceived, and hasten to warn his confederate employers that they might now seize on Him in a garden, called Gethsemane, without the city, which Judas knew; "for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with His disciples:" and where, by reason of the solitude of the place, and the silence of night, and more especially at a moment when every one would be occupied with the paschal supper, they would be secure from any multitudinous congregation around Him'. The Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the elders did not, however, come themselves, but sent with Judas a band of Roman soldiers and officers, which, during the Passover feast, were stationed by the governor of Judæa, before the Temple, to prevent disorder, and who were thus at their command 3.

" Dr. Lightfoot.

* Mant and D'Oyly.

SECT. CXLIII. Christ forewarneth Peter. - Matt xxvi. 31-35; Mark xiv. 27-31; Luke xxii. 31-38; John xiii. 36-38.

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As Christ now goes forth over the brook Cedron," He tells the eleven of their approaching trouble. There is now coming upon you, He says, a time of very great affliction and extreme distress, in which Satan will strongly tempt you all, on the occasion of My agony and approaching death, to forsake and deny Me; but I have prayed for you, and for thee,Simon in particular,-that God would deliver thee; "that thy faith fail not:" and, when thou hast escaped, remember and use thy best endeavours to "strengthen thy brethren." He moreover tells them, that they would all fall away from Him, and be afraid to own Him', fulfilling a prophecy of the prophet Zechariah, of the scattering of the sheep of the flock from the smitten shepherd'. But He tells them, in order to comfort and support them under the approaching trial, that they should all meet again in Galilee. On this Peter, though admonished of what was to happen, with a trust and confidence that is always a most unpromising sign of stedfastness in religion, declared his readiness to attend Him through all dangers, even to the death itself. The boasting Apostle was

reproved, and informed that, before the morning light, his strong confidence should be so shaken, that he (more particularly) should not only forsake and flee from Him, but deny, in the most shameful manner, all connexion and acquaintance with his Lord and Master. Such was the solemn caution given to Peter. He then reminded them all that when He had previously sent them forth to preach, they lacked nothing; but now they would require both money and food, and even the means of defence; and that due care must therefore prudently be taken to provide against the approaching time. The disciples understanding their Master to mean literally that they should arm themselves for their defence, said to Him, "Lord, behold, here are two swords;" but Jesus, who really meant only to signify to them the greatness of their approaching distress and temptation, and to warn them against surprise, replied, "It is enough:" ye need not trouble yourselves for any more weapons of this nature for your defence. The Apostles had hitherto been comparatively secure; they had been supported by their Master's presence, and strengthened by His advice and example. This calm was now at an end. Of this He now forewarns them, and forewarns them also that Satan would agitate and harass them by Bishop Mann.

5 Dr. S. Clarke.

inward doubts and outward difficulties, as when corn is winnowed or shaken in the sieve. Here, then, was their danger. Satan would take advantage of their circumstances, and strive to overthrow their faith. Exposed, as they would be, to all the reviling, persecution, and cruelty, He had foretold, He assures them that they should not lose their reward. A kingdom was appointed for them, but not a kingdom of this world".

SECT. CXLIV.-Christ's Agony in the Garden.-Matt. xxvi. 36-46; Mark xiv. 32--42; Luke xxii. 39, 46; John xviii. 1, 2.

THE garden of Gethsemane is almost a tautology. The Greek word employed means the place of the olive-presses. It might consequently be taken to mean an olive-yard. There were no gardens, properly so called, within the city, excepting some few plots of roses, which had existed from the days of the prophets'. The gardens in Syria are a compound of the orchard, blended with herbs, vegetables, and flowers, without grass-plats. These grounds are planted with various fruit-trees that the country produces sometimes planted in groves; but, for the most part, crowded close together, without symmetry, forming wild and shadowy thickets, which, uniting their branches at top, give shelter to roses, and wild aromatic herbs, which, thus " Dr. Lightfoot.

Archbishop Sumner.

protected from the sun, retain a pleasant fragrance. But flowers contribute little to the beauty of these gardens, being neither regularly displayed nor disposed with any art, and often only cultivated at all for sale. The olive is still found very generally at the foot of the Mount, to which it gives its name, as a spontaneous produce uninterruptedly resulting from the original growth. For two thousand years the olive has still vindicated its paternal soil, and is found at this day upon the same spot which was called by the Hebrew writers Mount Olivet, and the Mount of Olives, eleven centuries before the Christian era'. The garden of Gethsemane is one of the sacred places, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, which is visited by every Christian pilgrim. This deeply interesting spot is situated between the foot of the Mount, and the brook Kedron. Eight olivetrees are still standing in it, and are said to have been in existence ever since the time of Jesus Christ. It is true that Titus ordered all the trees to be cut down within a certain distance of the city; yet it is not improbable that these trees (which are unquestionably of very remote antiquity) may have arisen from the roots of the ancient trees; because the olive is very long lived, and possesses the peculiar property of shooting up again, however frequently

Kitto's Palestine.

Modern Traveller.