[Notwithstanding this most awful warning, they still per- sisted in their intention to apprehend Jesus. If the eyes be blinded and the heart hardened, it is in vain to expect any great benefit either from judgments or mercies. Like Pharaoh we may be affected for a moment, but shall soon " return with the dog to his vomit." No sooner had they recovered a little from their surprise, than they resumed their purpose. But O! who would have conceived that the ministers of religion should be so employed, and that an Apostle too should be found standing in such company, and on such an occasion ? Con- template him one moment as rising from the ground, and instantly leading on again the murderous band ; what an awful picture of human depravity ! Lord, what is man ! What a monster of iniquity, if left to follow the dictates of his own heart.
Our Lord, having thus demonstrated his power to resist, surrendered up himself into their hands. Our Lord had before affirmed that no man could take away his life, but that he would lay it down of himself0. Before his hour was come he repeatedly withdrew himself both from injudicious friends and from incensed enemies'1. But now he proceeded to fulfil his word, and willingly gave up himself into the hands of his
a Luke xxii. 52. b 2 Kings, i. 9 — 14.
c Jolmx. 18. d Luke iv. 29, 30. and John vi. 15.
enemies. As, when first he undertook our cause, he said to the Father, Lo, I come, I delight to do thy will, O Gode ; so now, at the close of his undertaking, he went up to his enemies again, and asked, Whom seek ye? and replied again as before to the answer given him. Now he suffered himself to be bound as a criminal, and yielded up himself to all those indignities and miseries, which, as our surety, it became him to endure. This voluntary surrender of himself was necessary in order to his being a sacrifice for us ; and it was one principal circum- stance that rendered his sacrifice so peculiarly acceptable to God ; " He loved us," says the Apostle, " and gave himself fox us, an offering and a sacrifice to God of a sweet-smelling savourV
Nevertheless, even while he thus humbled himself, he further evinced his power by,]
3. His dignified capitulation — [He did not see fit to let his Disciples participate yet in his bitter cup. He had ordained that they should be con- formed to him in their death as well as in their life. But they were yet but weak in the faith, and not able to encounter great difficulties. A premature discouragement might prove fatal to them. Our Lord therefore would " not put new wine into old bottles," or suffer his Disciples to be tried beyond their strength. On this account he stipulated with his enemies that they should not molest any of his adherents. He did not make a request to his enemies, for there was no probability that they would listen to it for one moment. He imposed it on them with authority, that they should let his Disciples go ; and, by his invisible agency, he constrained them to obey him. And so effectual was his command, that they could not even retaliate upon Peter, whose temerity had exposed both himself and his fellow-disciples to most imminent hazard. Jesus had just before declared to his heavenly Father, that he had preserved all whom the Father had committed to himg. He was therefore peculiarly solicitous for their welfare in the hour of danger: and shewed that, though he saved not himself, he was both able and determined to save those who had put their trust in him.]
From these striking incidents we shall be led to notice,
II. The light which they cast on the general charac- ter of our Lord — Behold him here, 1. As a surety for sinners — [What he did on this occasion is precisely what he has done with respect to all the enemies of our salvation. Does