Wright - BT300 W8 1788

and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST, and his APOSTLES, &c. 247 going : behold, he is at hand that dòth be- tray me. The owner of the garden, it feems, where he now was, had been our Lord's acquaintance, perhaps his difciple, who believing on him, confidered himfelf as highly honoured in Jesus's frequenting it, for the fake ofretirement or devotion, and, therefore, had given him the free ufe of it whenever he pleafed. We are told that Judas knew the place ; for Jefits oft- tintes reforted thither, with his difciples. The chief priefls and elders being informed by Judas, that the proper time for appre- hending Jesus was now come, fent a band of foldiers with him, and fervants carrying lanterns and torches, to thew them the way ;, becaufe, though it was always full mood at the paffover, the fky might be dark with clouds, and the place whither they were going was fhaded with trees : at the fame time, a deputation of their number accompanied the band, to fee that every one did his.duty. Judas having thus received a band of men and officers from the chief priefts and Pharifees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches, and weapons ; for theywereexceeding anxious to fecure and get him into 'their hands : and the foldiers having perhaps never feen Jesus before, +found it neceffary that Judas thould diflinguifh him, and point him` out to them by fore particular fign. St. Luke kerns to fay, that Judas went before them at a little diflance, to prepare them for the readier executionof their office, by killing his Mailer, the token they had agreed upon, that they might not miftake him and feize a wrong perfon :. And he that was called Judas, one of the twelve, went be- fore them, and drew near unto Jefus to kifs him. Nor can the account which St. John has given us, be underttood on any other fuppofition, who fays, that after Judas was come up with the foldiers, Jesus went out of the garden, and afked them, who it was they were feeking? To which they replied, Jefus of Nazareth. It therefore follows, that they wereat a lofs to know him, which they could not have been, had they feen Judas kifs him : the kifs, therefore, mutt have been given in the garden before the band carne up ; nor is their agreement about the fign inconfittent with this fuppo- fition ; becaufe that confufion which com- monly attends the cömmifon of an evil aflion, might prevent Judas from giving the fign at the proper feafon. He went before the foldiers, on pretence that he would lead them to the place, and thew them the man by killing him : however, to conceal his villany from his Mailer and the difciples, he walked haftily, and, with- out waiting for the band, went up direaly, and faluted him; feigning, perhaps, to ap- prize him of his danger. But JESUS did not fail to convince him that he knew the meaning and intent of his falutation, faying, Betraye thou the Son of man with a ki/3? Judas certainly concealed his treachery fo well, that Peter did not fufpea him, as it is probable, he would have ftruck at him rather than at Malchus, the high-prieft's fervant, if he had. Our Lord's appointed time for fuffering being now come, he did not, as formerly, avoid his enemies ; but, on the contrary, on their telling him they fought Jesus of Nazareth, he replied, I am he; thereby infinuating to them, that he was willing to put himfelf into their hands : at the fame time, to thew them that they could not apprehendhimwithout his own confent, he in an extraordinary manner exerted his divine power, he made the whole band fall back, and threw them to the ground : Jefus, therefore, knowing all things that fhould come upon him, went forth, and Paid unto them, Whomfeek ye? They an- fwered him, Jefus of Nazareth. Jefus faith unto them, I am he. And Judas alfo, which betrayed him, flood with them.. Asfoon then as he hadfaid unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. But the foldiers and the Jews imagining, perhaps, that they had . been. thrown down by fome dwmon or evil fpirit, with whom the Jews laid he was

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