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and betrays the Son of Man with a Kifs.

and faith, [Hail Mafter,

Mafter; and kiffed him.
[MAT. XXVI. 49. LUKE
XXII. -47.3
MAT.XXVI.50. [But]
Jefus faid unto him, Friend,
[ Judas, betrayeft thou the
Son of Man with a Kifs?]
[LUKE XXII. 48.]

wherefore art thou come?

JOHN XVIII. 4. Jefus therefore knowing all Things that should come upon him, went forth, and faid unto them, Whom seek ye?

Mark XIV.

507 fairest Appearances of Duty and Friendship, Hail Sect. 183. to thee, Rabbi, Rabbi! May the greatest Pleasure and Happiness continually attend thee! And upon 45. this he killed him. But Jefus, well understand- Mat. XXVI. ing the perfidious Purposes concealed under this 50. fond Addrefs, anfwered with great Mildness, yet with becoming Spirit, and faid to him, Friend, wherefore art thou come? and whence is all this Ceremony and Tranfport? Think of it, Judas! Is this the Friendship thou haft fo often boasted? Alas, doft thou betray him, whom thou canst not but know to be the Son of Man, with fuch a treacherous Kifs (e)? And doft thou think, that he can be impofed upon by this poor Artifice? or that GOD, who has promised him fo glorious and triumphant a Kingdom, will not punish fuch Bafenefs and Cruelty to him?

Then Jefus, tho' he fully understood what John XVIII. was to follow this perfidious Salutation, as know- 4• ing all the dreadful Things that were coming upon him (f), yet did not attempt to escape, or to withdraw himself out of the Power of his Enemies: Nevertheless, he determined to fhew them, that he could eafily have done it; and therefore, as they now, upon the Signal that was given them, were drawing near to feize him, he went forth towards his Enemies, and faid to them, with the greatest Composure of Mind, Whom

(e) Doft thou betray the Son of Man with a Kifs?] There is great Reason to believe, that our Lord ufes this Phrafe of the Son of Man to Judas on this Occafion, (as he had done the fame Evening at Supper twice in a Breath,) in the Senfe here given; (compare Note (h) on Mat. xxvi. 24. pag. 434.) and it adds a Spirit to thefe Words that has not often been obferved, which the attentive Reader will difcern to be attended with much greater Strength and Beauty, than if our Lord had only faid, Doft thou betray me with a Kifs?

(f) Knowing all Things that were coming upon him.] Our Lord not only knew in general, that he should fuffer fome great Evil, or even Death itself; but was acquainted alfo with all the particular Circumftances of Ignominy and Horror, that should attend his Sufferings, which accordingly he largely foretold, (fee Mat. xx. 18, 19. and the parallel Places, pag. 264.) tho' many of thefe Circumftances were as contingent, as can well be imagined. It is impoffible to enter aright into the heroic Behaviour of our Lord Jefus Chrift, without carrying this Circumstance along with us. The Criticks are in Raptures at the Gallantry of Achilles, in going to the Trojan War, when he knew, (according to Homer,) that he fhould fall there: But he must have a very low Way of thinking, who does not fee infinitely more Fortitude in our Lord's Conduct on this great Occafion, when this Circumftance, fo judiciously, tho' fo modeftly fuggefted by St. John, is duly attended to.

Sss 2

(8) They

508

JESUS comes forward, and the Soldiers fall to the Ground.

Sect. 183. Whom do you come to feek here?

JohnXVIII.

5.

And they

5 They answered him, Je

fus of Nazareth. Jefus faith Judas alfo which betrayed him, ftood with them.

unto them, I am he. And

6 As foon then as he had

faid unto them, I am be, they went backward, and

fell to the Ground.

were fo confounded at the Air of Majefty and Intrepidity with which he appeared, that without faying, they were come for him, they only anfwered him, We are come to feek Jefus the Nazarene. Jefus fays to them, You have the Perfon then before you; I am [he.] And Judas alfo who betrayed him, then flood with them; and he who formerly had followed Christ as one of his Disciples, now forted with his open and 6 avowed Enemies. Then as foon as he faid to them, I am [be,] there went forth fuch a fecret Energy of Divine Power with those Words, that all their united Force was utterly unable to refift it; fo that they prefently drew back, as afraid to approach him, tho' unarmed and unguarded; and fell at once to the Ground (g), as if they had been ftruck with Lightning. Yet a few Moments after, recovering from this Confternation, they again, Whom feek ye? And arofe and rallied again; and then as they came up the fecond Time, he asked them again, Whom do you feek? And they said to him as before, Jefus 8 the Nazarene. Jefus answered them, I have already told you that I am [he:] If therefore you feek me alone, you may let thefe my Companions and Friends go their Way in Safety (h); and indeed I fhall infift upon that, as a Condition of furrendering myself to you, which you may easily per

7

ceive:

7 Then afked he them

they said, Jefus of Nazareth.

8 Jefus answered, I have

let

told you that I am be. If thefe go their Way:

therefore ye

feek me,

(8) They drew back, and fell to the Ground.] As there were Stribes and Priests among them, they must have read of the Deftruction of thofe Companies, which came to feize the Prophet Elijah; (2 Kings i. 10, 12.) a Fact, which bore fo great a Resemblance to this, that it is an amazing Inftance of the moft obdurate Wickedness, that they should venture to renew the Affault on Chrift, after fo fenfible an Experience both of his Power and Mercy. Nothing feems more probable, than that thefe Wretches might endeavour to perfuade themfelves and their Attendance, that this ftrange Repulfe was effected by fome Damon, in Confederacy with Jefus, who oppofed the Execution of Juftice upon him; and they might, perhaps, afcribe it to the fpecial Providence of GOD, rather than to the Indulgence of Jefus, that they had received no farther Damage. The most corrupt Heart has its Reasonings to support it, in its abfurdeft Notions, and moft criminal Actions.

(b) Let thefe go their Way.] What Tenderness was here towards thofe, who had fo lately neglected him, (leeping while he was in fuch an extream Agony,) that yet he would not fuffer them to be terrified by fo much as a fhort Imprifonment? And the Words alfo intimate, that he intended prefently to difmifs them, as probably not thinking it convenient to appear before his Judges with fuch an Attendance. His Difciples, perhaps, might confider this Speech as an Excufe for their forfaking him; but had they viewed it in a juft Light, it would rather have appeared a strong Engagement upon them to have waited for that fair Difmiffion, which our Lord feemed about to give them.

They feize upon JESUS, and Peter cuts off Malchus's Ear.

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509

And Sect. 183.

ceive I could refufe, if I thought fit.
this he faid, that the Saying he had uttered before,
Of Joh. XVIII.
might farther be illuftrated and accomplished, 9.
thofe whom thou, my Heavenly Father, baft
"given me, I have loft, and will lofe, none (i).”
(See John xvii. 12. pag. 487.)

And then, as he was fpeaking this, they that Mat. XXVI.
were fent to apprehend him came, and laid their 50.
Hands upon Jefus, and took him Prisoner, without

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his making any Manner of Resistance. Now Luke XXII.
upon this, when his Difciples faw that they had 49.
feized him, and began to apprehend what would
be the Confequence of thefe Things, they faid to
bim, Lord, hall we fmite thefe impious Wretches
with the Sword? for we doubt not, but as few
as we are, thou canst render. us victorious over
this armed Multitude. And without ftaying Mat. XXVI..
for his Anfwer; behold, one of them that were 51.
with Jefus, [even] Simon Peter (k), having a
Sword, stretched out his Hand, and drew it with a
rafh inconfiderate Zeal, and fmote a Servant of the.
High-Prieft, whofe Name was Malchus, and who
feemed peculiarly officious in feizing Chrift (1) ;,
and he ftruck full at his Head, intending to cleave
him down, but the Stroke glanced a little on one
Side, fo that he only cut off his Right Ear..

Then Jefus being determined to furrender him-
felf into the Hands of his Enemies, and ftill to
fhew that fuch a Surrender was the Effect, not
of Compulfion, but of Choice, faid unto Peter,
Return

(i) I have loft none.] Fanfenius juftly obferves, that it was a remarkable Inftance of the Power of Christ over the Spirits of Men, that they fo far obeyed this Word, as not to feize Peter, when he had cut off the Ear of Malchus, or John while he ftood by the Cross, tho' they must know them to have been of the Number of his most intimate Affociates.

(k) Even Simon Peter.] None of the Evangelifts, but John, mentions the Name of Peter on this Occafion; which, perhaps, the others omitted, left it fhould expofe him to any Pro-fecution; but John, writing long after his Death, needed no fuch Precaution.

(1) Smote a Servant of the High-Prieft, &c.] One would have thought, as Bishop Hall obferves, he should rather have ftruck Judas; but the Traitor, perhaps, on giving the Signal had mingled himself with the Croud; or Peter might not understand the treacherous. Defign of his Kifs; or feeing Malchus more eager than the reft in his Attack on Christ, he might poftpone all other Refentments, to indulge the prefent Sally of his Indignation. Tho' this might feem a couragious Action, it was really very imprudent; and had not Chrift by fome fecret Influence over-awed their Spirits, it is very probable, (as the pious Sir Matthew Hale obferves,) that not only Peter, but the reft of the Apostles, would have been cut to Pieces. (Hale's Contemplations, pag. 254.)

(m) More

52

510

Mat.XXVI. 52.

Peter is rebuked for ufing his

Sect. 183. Return thy Sword into the Sheath again; for I will not have Recourfe to this, or any other Method of Defence: And indeed, all that take the Sword, shall perish by the Sword, and they that are most ready to take up Arms, are commonly the first that will fall by them; thereby, perhaps, intending farther to intimate, that the Jews, who were now drawing the Sword againft him, fhould e'er long perifh by it in a very miferable Manner, as they quickly after did in the Roman War; and that the Sword of Divine Vengeance, in one Form or another, would quickly 53 find out all his implacable Enemies.

And

Sword.

Sword into [the Sheath ;] for all they that take the Sword, fhall perish with the Sword. [JOHN XVIII. 11,—]

53 Thinkeft thou that I cannot now pray to my Fa give me more than twelve ther, and he fhall presently Legions of Angels?

54 But how then shall that thus it must be?

befides, Peter, dost thou think, that I want the Aid of thy feeble Arm, and that I cannot now pray to my Father, and have fuch Intereft with him, that he would prefently furnish me with a Celestial Army for my Guard, marshalled in dreadful Array, and confifting of more than 54 Twelve Legions of Angels (m)? But how then, if I fhould thus ftand on my Defence, hall the Scriptures be fulfilled, the Scriptures be fulfilled, even the very Prophecies which I came to accomplish, which have so exprefsly foretold, that thus it must be? Or how should I approve my Submiffion to him that sent Joh. XVIII. me? You only look at Second Causes, and have but an imperfect View of Things; but I confider all the Sufferings I am now to meet as under a Divine Direction and Appointment, and regard them as the Cup which my Father has given me; and when confidered in that View, fhall I not willingly fubmit to drink it? Shall I not acquiefce in what I know to be his Will? or would it be the Part of a dutiful and affectionate Son, to difpute the Determinations of his Paternal Wisdom and Love?

II.

Then

JOHN XVIII.-11.The Cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it ?

(m) More than Twelve Legions of Angels.] The Roman Armies were composed of Legions, which did not always confift of the fame Number of Men, but are computed at this Time to have contained above Six thousand; and Twelve Legions were more than were commonly intrufted with their greatest Generals. (See Note (e) on Luke viii. 30. Vol. i. pag. 426.) How dreadfully irrefiftible would fuch an Army of Angels have been, when one of thefe Celestial Spirits was able to deftroy 185,000 Affyrians at one Stroke? 2 Kings xix. 35

() He

JESUS fubmits to his Enemies, and cures Malchus's Ear.

12 Then the Band, and the Captain, and Officers of the Jews, took Jefus, and bound him.

LUKE XXII. 51. And Jefus answered and faid, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his Ear, and healed

him.

52 Then Jefus faid [in that fame Hour] unto the

Chief Priefts, and Captains of the Temple, and the Elders which were come to him, [and to the Multitudes, Be ye come out as against a Thief, with Swords and Staves [for to take me?] [MAT. XXVI. 55.MARK XIV. 48.]

12.

511 Then without any Oppofition he furrendered Sect. 183. himself into the Hands of thofe that came to apprehend him: And all uniting in their Enmity Joh. XVIII. against him, the Band of Roman Soldiers, with the Captain at their Head, and the Jewish Officers that came with them, feized Jefus as a Malefactor, and bound him to prevent his Escape. And as they were binding him, Jefus answered Luke XXII. and faid, Suffer ye me at least to have my Hands 51. at Liberty thus far, and ftay but for a Moment, while I add one Act of Power and Compaffion to thofe I have already done: And calling Malchus to him, he touched his Ear, and immediately bealed him (n).

Then fefus faid in that fame Hour, to the 52. Chief Priefts, and to the Captains of the Temple Guard (0), and to the Elders of the People, or to thofe Members of the Sanhedrim, who (as was: faid before, pag. 506.) were fo forgetful of the Dignity of their Character, as to come to him themfelves [with] the Dregs of the Populace at this unseasonable Time, and on this infamous Occafion; For what imaginable Reafon are you come out" against me, as against a Robber that would make a defperate Refiftance, armed in this Way with Swords and Staves, as if you came to feize me at the Hazard of your Lives? When I was with you 53: every Day, as I have been for fome Time paft, [and] publickly fate teaching in the Temple, you had Opportunities enough to have fecured me, if is there was any Crime with which you could have charged me; yet then you did not apprehend me, [or] offer to ftretch out [your] Hands against me.

53 When I was daily with you [and fat teaching] in the Temple, ye [MAR. took me not, and] ftretched forth no Hands against me: but this

But

(n) He touched his Ear, and bealed him.] As this was an Act of great Compaffion, fo likewife it was an Inftance of fingular Wifdom; for it would effectually prevent thofe Reflections and Cenfures on Jefus, which the Rafhnefs of Peter's Attack might otherwife

have occafioned.

(0) The Captains of the Temple.] There was indeed a Roman Guard, and commanding Officer, which attended near the Temple during the Time of the great Feafts, in order to prevent any Sedition of the fews. (See Ads xxi. 31, & feq. Jofeph. Antiq. lib. xviii. cap. 4. [al. 6.] §. 3. and Bell. Jud. lib. v. cap. 5. [al. vi. 6.] §. 8.) But it is to be remembered, that as the Priests kept Watch in three Parts of the Temple, and the Levites in twenty-one, fo their Leaders were called Captains of the Temple; and Jofephus more than once fpeaks of one of the fewish Priests by this Title. (Antiq. lib. xx. cap. vi. [al. 5.] §. 2. cap. 9. [al. 8.1 §. 3. and Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 17. §. 2.) See Dr. Whitby in loc. and Mr. Lardner's Credib. val, i, book i. ch. 2. §. 15.

(p) That

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