When he was actually come to Jerusalem, and was fenfible that his Sufferings were at Hand, he continued to teach daily in the Temple, with the fame Freedom as before, though he knew that they only waited for an Opportunity to deftroy him. And whofoever impartially confidereth his Conduct, the very Night in which he was betrayed; his inftituting the Sacrament of the holy Supper for the folemn Commemoration of his Sufferings and Death; his excellent valedictory Difcourfes to his Difciples, and his incomparable Prayer to his heavenly Father; will find Reafon to admire the great Compofure of his Mind in thofe Circumftances. He was perfectly in Poffeffion of himfelf: Nothing that he did or faid was abject or mean; all was great, folemn, and divine; and fhewed a fteady Resolution becoming the Saviour of Mankind, when he was about to leave the World, and go to the Father. After his Difcourfes and his Prayer, he went forth into the Garden which was to be the Scene of his dolorous Agonies, and where he knew Judas would look for him, that he might apprehend him: For it is obferved that Judas knew the Place; for Jefus oft-times reforted thither with his Difciples. John xviii. 1, 2. And, when accordingly he came with a Band of Men and Officers from the chief

2

Priefts,

7,

Priests, the Evangelift informs us, that Jefus, knowing all Things that should come upon him, went forth, and faid unto them, Whom feek ye? They answered him, Jefus of Nazareth. Jefus faith unto them, I am he. And Judas alfo which betrayed him flood with them. As foon then as he faid unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the Ground. Then afked he them again, Whom feek ye? And they faid, Jefus of Nazareth. Jefus anfwered, I have told you, that I am be. If therefore ye feek me, let thefe go their Way. John xviii. 4, 5, 6, 8. It appeareth from this remarkable Paffage that he was far from endeavouring to hide himself from his Perfecutors: As he went to the Place whither he knew they would come to feize him, fo, when they were coming, he himself went forth to meet them, and, upon their declaring that the Perfon they fought for was Jefus of Nazareth, he faid to them, with a noble Fortitude, I am he. Thus he went to meet his Death, with an unfhaken Steadinefs of Refolution; and at the fame Time gave a manifeft Proof how eafily he could, with one powerful Word or Look, have struck them with Confternation or Difmay, and have delivered himself out of their Hands, if he had been fo minded. Upon his only telling them that I am be, they went back

ward, and fell to the Ground: But he checked and reftrained his Power, after having given this Specimen of it, and freely furrendered himself, because he knew it was neceffary, for important Ends, that he should do fo. A farther Proof of this he gave, immediately after, when he healed the Ear of Malchus, which Peter had cut off, by only touching it: And what he said to Peter on that Occafion deferveth special Notice: Put up thy Sword into the Sheath: The Cup, which my Father hath given me to drink, fhall I not drink it? Thinkeft thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and be fhall presently give me more than twelve Legions of Angels? But how then Shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? John xviii. 11. Matt. xxvi. 53, 54. This plainly fheweth, that, if he fuffered himfelf to be apprehended and crucified, it was not through Want of Power to have prevented it; but it was what he voluntarily fubmitted to, because he knew it was the Father's Will, and made a Part of the Divine Scheme for the Salvation of Mankind, and which had been foretold by his Servants the Prophets. It also appeareth, that, if he had prayed abfolutely to the Father, and it had been his own pofitive and peremptory Defire to be freed from those Sufferings, it had been granted him; but

that,

that, all Things confidered, it was his own Will and Purpofe, in Compliance with that of his heavenly Father, to undergo them, notwithstanding all the grievous and shocking Circumftances wherewith they were to be attended.

Another Thing to be obferved in the holy Jefus is his exemplary Sincerity, Integrity, and Truth, in Opposition to all Disfimulation, Deceit, and Guile. He had not a double Heart and a double Tongue; all was open, candid, and fincere. His Words and Actions agreed with one another, and with his Heart: He was full of Grace and Truth. John i. 14. And there was no Guile found in his Mouth. 1 Pet. ii. 22. He never flattered the Rich and Great, nor endeavoured artfully to accommodate himfelf to the Prejudices and Paffions of the People, or to foothe them in their wrong Notions of Religion : His Conduct was fo remarkable this Way that even his Enemies bore him this Teftimony: Mafter, we know that thou art true, and careft for no Man; for thou regardeft not the Perfon of Man, but teacheft the Way of God in Truth. Mark xii. 14. What is faid of him in his exalted State was also really applicable to him in the Days of his Flesh. Rev. iii. 7. Thefe Things faith he that is boly, he that is true. And again, Thefe Things faith the Amen, the faithful and

A a 4

true

That

true Witness. Ver. 14. In Conformity to this great Example the Apoftle Paul declareth concerning himself, that in Simplicity and godly Sincerity be bad his Converfation in the World, 2 Cor. i. 12. he did not walk in Craftiness, nor handle the Word of God deceitfully; but as of Sincerity, but as of God, in the Sight of God Spake be in Chrift. 2 Cor. ii. 17. And it is reprefented as the Duty of all Chriftians in general to endeavour to lay afide all Guile and Hypocrify. 1 Pet. ii. 1. That, fpeaking the Truth in Love, they may grow up into him in all Things, which is the Head, even Chrift. Eph. iv. 15.

I fhall only obferve one Thing more, which occurs to finish our Saviour's Character, and to fhew that Nothing was wanting in it; and that is his admirable Prudence and Difcretion. His Sincerity was not a difobliging Roughness of Temper and Conduct, nor was his Fortitude a rath Forwardness in needleffly expofing himself to Dangers: A calm Prudence fhone in his whole Deportment, his Words and Actions. As he recommended it to his Difciples to be wife as Serpents, and fimple, or innocent, as Doves; fo in him there was an admirable Conjunction of great Wisdom and Circumfpection with the most perfect Innocence and Purity: At the fame Time that he

was