that the very Christians would make of all his sufferings; to see their blindness and hardness of heart, by which they would pervert this antidote into a mortal poison, and tread under their feet his precious blood; and the eternal loss of so many millions of souls, for which he was to die. All these sad and melancholy thoughts, attacking at once the soul of our Redeemer, cast him into that mortal agony, and forced from him those streams of blood. Christians, pity now your Saviour's anguish, and resolve never more to have any hand in afflicting his tender soul by sin.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH DAY.
On our Saviour in the court of Caiphas.
CONSIDER how our Saviour arising from his prayer, having conquered all his fears, comes to his disciples, bidding them now sleep on and take their rest; for that his hour was come, and the traitor was just at hand. But thou, dear Lord, when wilt thou rest or sleep? Not till the last sleep of death, on the hard bed of the cross. Contemplate, Christians, with the eyes of your souls, the courage and readiness to suffer for you, which your Saviour shews on this occasion, by going forth to meet the traitor and his band; see with what meekness he receives the treacherous kiss of peace. And yet to make it evident that no power upon earth could take him but with his own free will, with two words: Ego sum, I am he, he struck down the whole multitude that was come to apprehend him, making them all reel back and fall to the ground. After this he delivered himself into their hands: and they having bound him, dragged him along into the city, whilst his disciples all abandoning him, ran
