their strife about who seemed the greatest: the one arising out of pride, and leading to quarrels and hatred, the other dictated by lowly kindness, and calling forth tenderness and love. It matters not who is great; but it is of the utmost consequence who has the mind of Christ, and can take upon him the form and duty of a servant, putting far away from him all contention for the high and proud places of the world; or can fill the noblest station to which he may be called, in the spirit of 'one who serveth.'

As they were eating, a deeper sorrow than any which he had before felt swelled the heart of Jesus, and he said, ' One of you shall betray me.' They eagerly asked, Is it I?' all of them, except Judas, feeling sure that they could not willfully betray him. Judas kept secret his guilty purpose: and though our Lord pointed him out as the person who should deliver him up to his enemies, yet the others do not appear to have thought that he would do it intentionally; they could not believe that he would be guilty of such base ingratitude and wickedness; for when Jesus, reading the dark soul of Judas, said to him, 'That thou

doest, do quickly,' they thought that he was to give something to the poor out of their common stock, or to purchase some necessaries for themselves. Judas went out upon his wretched errand, having learned what our Lord intended to do for the remainder of the evening. He found that there would then be an opportunity of delivering him up in the absence of the multitude.

Jesus conversed most affectionately with his disciples, bidding them now love one another more than ever, since he was about to be taken from them; and telling Peter that strong temptations were about to try his faithfulness. Peter could not endure the thought that in any thing he could be unfaithful, and declared that he was ready to go with his master to prison and to death. Jesus told him that before the morning should come, he would three times deny that he knew him. Peter would not believe it possible.

As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, 'Take, eat: this is my body which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.' After the same manner also he took the

is

cup, when he had supped, saying,' This cup the new covenant in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.' The apostle John, who reclined next to our Lord at this supper, or, in the words of Scripture, 'leaned upon his breast,' records a very beautiful discourse of Christ's which he addressed to his disciples after the preceding words. In this he promised them a helper and comforter after his departure, that is, the Holy Spirit, by which all things that he had taught them should be brought to their remembrance. This promise was plenteously fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, when such a wonderful outpouring of the spirit took place. The apostle also records a prayer which Christ offered for his disciples, full of tender kindness, of earnest desire for their spiritual welfare, and of trustful piety toward the Eternal Father.

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CHAPTER XXIII.

THE BETRAYAL.

AFTER they had sung a hymn, they went out to the garden of Gethsemane, upon the mount of Olives. On their way Jesus told them that they would all fall away from him that night. Again Peter denied that he could be guilty of such faithlessness, and all the rest joined in the denial. When they came to the garden, our Lord left the other disciples at the entrance, and took in with him Peter, James, and John. When they had retired to a sufficiently private place, he bade them sit down and watch: and he went a short space from them, and fell on the ground, and prayed, saying, 'O my Father! if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will but as thou wilt.' Then being in an agony he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When his prayer was ended he went to his disciples, and found them sleeping; and he said to Simon Peter, who had boasted of what

he would do for his master, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.' He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, 'O my Father, if this cup cannot pass away from me, unless I drink it, thy will be done.' He went and found, them asleep again; and he left them, and prayed a third time, saying the same words. He then returned, and said, ' Do ye still sleep and take your rest? Behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go: behold he is at hand that delivereth me up.'

While he was yet speaking, Judas came with a great band, armed with swords and staves, from the Chief Priests and Elders; and, in agreement with the plan which he had proposed for pointing out Jesus in the darkness, he went up to him, saying, Hail, master!' and kissed him. Jesus answered, 'Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?' and then suffered himself to be taken by the officers. Some of the disciples would have defended him by force; and Peter even cut off a man's