expectation with which the eleven, the traitor having departed, listened to this prayer. It had been preceded by consolation and warning, and heavenly words of peace, for his peace Jesus gave unto them, "not as the world giveth.' Many instructions also, he vouchsafed amid the affecting circumstances of what he declared was his "Last Supper :" for he said, "I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you, in my Father's kingdom.' Precious were the promises he made: "In my Father's house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you." "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the spirit of truth." May we be among those whose hearts are consecrate, the temple of the Holy Ghost:

Thou, who didst taste

Of man's infirmities, yet bar his sins

From thine unspotted soul, forsake us not

In our temptations; but so guide our feet,

That our Last Supper in this world may lead

To that immortal banquet, by thy side,

Where there is no betrayer.

And when they had sung the Paschal Hymn, they went

forth into the Mount of Olives.

XXIX.

Che Trial of Christ.

Jesus passed with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into which he entered. It was a place to which he had often resorted with them. Often had it been hallowed with his prayers-often in sweet converse had he there passed the hours: often the traitor, whose perfidy was that night to betray him to his persecutors, had there hung upon his words. He delivered to his disciples the solemn charge, "Pray that ye enter not into temptation," and withdrawing with Peter and James and John, unbosomed himself to them, in the saying, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death." He went forward about a stone's cast, and prayed. In that hour no less than in the after scenes of grief and suffering, he bore the burden of our peace. While his soul laboured in prayer, the whole weight of the mighty sacrifice was before him; the disciples were in a stupor, and, "He trod the wine-press alone." As he prayed, "Let this cup pass from me!" even then he tasted it to its bitter dregs. Before his eyes passed the whole approaching sacrifice; in his ears rang the shout of the infuriate crowd. He returned to the disciples, and finding them sleeping, gently reproved them, and again repeated his admonition to watch and pray.

Their's was the weari

The disciples slept for sorrow. ness of undefined fear, the grief of uncertainty. But the night-winds whispered to Jesus, as they stirred the olivetrees, "crucify him! crucify him!" He heard the voice of rejection-he heard the taunts of malice. Twice he returned from the agony of solitude to seek support of his disciples. What," he said, "could ye not watch one hour? The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Oh love divine! how in every act, in every word, do we find the compassionate Saviour: the Intercessor who can feel for our infirmities, and who, himself being tempted, knoweth how to succour them that are tempted.

And he went away a third time and prayed, using the same words: "Oh my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be done!" As Jesus prayed, an angel appeared strengthening him. The cup could not pass; the Son of Man must be lifted up, that he should draw all men unto him; but though the hour could not be averted, an angel strengthened Jesus to support the agony. Sweat, as it were great drops of blood, mantled upon the brows which had been so often damp with the dews of Gethsemane, and moistened the earth, as the Son of Man fell upon his face and prayed. In the garden Jesus taught us resignation: and as an angel strengthened him, so will God strengthen those who pray in his spirit. If we cannot escape adversity, he will aid those who pray as Christ prayed to endure affliction. And in the garden of Gethsemane-blessed above all for the lesson-we are taught in our own sorrow to remember our

friends. Even in Christ's agony he remembered his disciples. In the extremity of his suffering he pitied man's infirmity. In the glory of the Father, he remembereth it still.

"Rise up," said Jesus to his sleeping disciples, "lo he that betrayeth me is at hand." And while he yet spake, came the minions of a cowardly and wicked faction, armed with swords and staves, as against a thief. As soon as Jesus answered them, that he was him whom they sought, on the threshold of the performance of their wicked design, they went backward. They fell to the ground. They had stolen covertly out of the city in the nightand they trembled at their deed of darkness while it was yet unperformed. But the traitor was firm to his purpose, and consummated his act with a kiss. The Son of Man was bound and carried away; and the work of his enemies was hurried through with all the haste of fear-fear of the people by the priests-fear of a commotion by Pilate-fear of man, the fear which bringeth a snare, on the part of all engaged-fear, perhaps, of the strength of their own determination-fear of every kind except that which would have preserved them from all other-the fear of God, which is safety. The disciples would have contended with the sword; and Peter indeed smote off the ear of one of the multitude. But Jesus healed the wound. "The cup," he said, "which my Father giveth me shall I not drink of it?"

Predetermined upon his death, the Jews led Jesus first before Annas, and then before Caiaphas, the high priest,

who had already declared that "it was expedient that one man should die for the people." Caiaphas examined him, that he might find a pretext upon which he should be arraigned before the Sanhedrim. He asked him of his disciples, and of his doctrine of the first perhaps that he might find occasion to accuse him of sedition before Pilate; and of the second, that he might be accused of blasphemy to the Sanhedrim. Jesus rebuked the malice of his questioner, by referring him to the people; and one who stood by, exasperated at his wisdom, smote him on the mouth. But Jesus had a deeper grief than the malice of his enemies. He turned and looked upon Peter, who had followed, with another disciple, to the house of Caiaphas: and Peter went forth and wept bitterly for thrice, and with an oath, had he denied that he knew the Lord, for whose sake he had declared himself ready to lay down his life. As the descent into the sea had been too much for his faith, so the temptation of fear before the enemies of his Master, defeated his courage.

As soon as it was day the Sanhedrim was assembled. They sought for false witnesses, but found none which agreed together-nothing which even they, eager to condemn, and thirsting for his blood, could offer as a pretext for his death. At length the high priest, standing forth, adjured Jesus, in the name of the living God, to answer, "Tell us whether thou be the Christ." To remain silent would have been wrested into a denial, and then the tribunal would have assumed that he was an impostor. To assert his divinity, was to give them occasion to