At  the  entrance  of  this  garden  the  suffering  Redeemer  left  eight  of


470  JUDAS  BETRAYS  HIS  MASTER.  [noT.  6

his  apostles  :  the  other  three  he  chose  as  the  witnesses  of  his  agony.
They  were  the  three  that  had  been  the  witnesses  of  his  glory  on  the
Mount  of  transfiguration.  No  doubt  he  had  designed  to  prepare  them
by  that  enchanting  sight  for  the  awful  scene  of  Gethsemane.  Had
they  not  beheld  his  countenance  when  it  shone  as  the  sun,  their  faith
might  have  been  shaken  by  the  sight  of  his  face  marred  with  anguish,
and  bathed  in  blood.
These  apostles  must  have  esteemed  it  an  honor  to  accompany  their
Lord  to  his  sorrowful  retreat ;  but  this  honor  proved  to  be  the  occa-
sion of  their  humiliation.  Though  they  had  said  they  would  die  with
him,  they  failed  to  watch  with  their  suffering  Master,  even  for  one
hour.  Three  times  he  rose  from  prayer  to  rouse  them  from  sleep.
How  gentle  his  reproof!  "  Could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one  hour?"
How  wise  his  caution,  "  The  spirit  truly  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is
weak."  He  knew  what  sharp  trials  were  coming  upon  them,  therefore
he  said,  "  Pray  that  ye  enter  not  into  temptation."  How  often  shall
we  find,  when  we  look  back  upon  our  past  lives,  that  we  received
warnings  before  we  fell  into  sin.  The  remembrance  of  these  warnings
makes  us  feel  that  we  are  without  excuse,  and  that  we  are  guilty  in
the  sight  of  God.
