way of danger, but leave to others the accomplishment of the prophecy. He was not to seek his

enemies, but to be betrayed into their hands. He was not to be executed by his countrymen, but to be condemned by them to death, and then to be delivered over to the Gentiles for punishment. These are the two chief heads or divisions of his prediction.

I. Now, when we come to compare the events with the prophecy, we find them corresponding in the following minute particulars and wonderful order.

On our blessed Lord's arrival in the metropolis of Judea, "all the city was moved." His entry into it partook of the nature of a triumph, and the commotion excited by his presence was very great. The Chief Priests and the Elders took the alarm. They had heard much of his character, his fame they knew to be rising, and they were apprehensive that his popularity would lead to some tumult injurious to themselves. Christ was undoubtedly expected at this feast. He had already attended at least two anniversaries of it. The people had begun to talk among themselves, "What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?" His arrival, therefore, in so public a manner, and on so great an occasion, attended by a vast concourse of persons, and those persons crying out, "Hosanna: blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord," might well disturb and alarm the Jewish leaders. But what bespoke still more the dignity of his cha

racter and the importance of his pretensions, was his proceeding directly to the holy Temple, and there, with an authority which no one but himself could have ventured to assume, driving out the money-changers and traders who held a market within its precincts, and saying, "My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves;" thus intimating that himself was the Divinity to whom that sacred edifice was raised. Yet a restraining awe forbade his worst enemies from laying hands upon him. How exasperated they were, and how anxious to get possession of his person, we may learn from St. Matthew, who says, "Then assembled together the Chief Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people, unto the palace of the High Priest, who was called Caiaphas, and consulted how they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. But they said, Not on the feast-day, lest there be an uproar among the people." It was, therefore, nothing but the popularity of Jesus which saved him from violence at this time. They dared not to attack him in the presence of the people. And this affords one, of many instances, in which the providence of God is seen overruling ordinary means to serve particular purposes. His hour was not yet

come.

Hitherto nothing particular had occurred to verify the prediction which announced his sufferings. But now the crisis was coming on, and this important prophecy was to receive its amplest fulfilment. The first signal of this awful accomplishment was

announced at a supper* where he sat with his disciples. Jesus, with evident emotion, and in words which went to the hearts of his company, said, "Verily, verily," (a very earnest form of expression,) "one of you shall betray me." Let it now be

remembered that he had twice before declared to them, that he should be betrayed into the hands of the Chief Priests and Scribes, and be put to death, but he had not named either the person or the manner.

You will then see how natural it was

* According to St. Luke this supper was two days before that at which Christ was betrayed. The history seems to be (see St. Luke, chap. xxii.) that Judas at a supper, two days before the Passover, was pointed out by Jesus as the traitor; that he then went and communed with the Chief Priests and Elders in council, how he might betray him, and a bargain was struck for his services; that he thenceforward sought a proper opportunity to fulfil his agreement, but could not do it on account "of the people" and other concurring causes, till the Paschal supper; and then it was, that by Jesus going to the garden, a retired place, and it being night, and dark, the wished-for occasion presented itself. It was, therefore, a very deliberate act in Judas, revolved well in his mind, formed with caution, and executed with prudence and despatch; not a hasty thought or sudden yielding to temptation, but the cool and crafty policy of a knave.

St. Matthew likewise gives much the same account, chap. xxvi., where he states, that two days before the Passover Jesus declared, he should at that feast be betrayed to be crucified: That then, on the day he said this, a council was held at the palace of Caiaphas for the purpose of concerting measures to destroy him, that Judas went to that council and made his terms with them, and that it was not till the first day of the feast that he executed his design.

that they should be staggered and overwhelmed with this unexpected charge. "One of you shall betray me." Well might each of them say for himself, "Lord, is it I?"

Jesus soon points out the

after which that mise

traitor by giving him a sop, rable disciple went out to accomplish his design. The Chief Priests and others to whom he offered his services were glad, and readily accepted them, and having agreed with him for a price, in the night, when all was still, the people dispersed and gone home, and the rest of the disciples, unaware of the impending danger, were with their Master in a retired garden whither he frequently resorted, lo! Judas, with the officers and guard of the Temple, came and seized him. Our blessed Lord made no resistance, nor would he suffer his attendants to stand up in his defence. It was no part of his religion to resist lawful authority, but, however misused or partial in its operation, to submit quietly to it.

Here, then, we have the first part of his pre-. diction literally fulfilled. He was betrayed into the hands of his enemies without either courting the danger, or, in the smallest particular, giving assistance to the execution of their scheme. His conduct was just the same as if he had been entirely ignorant of the conspiracy against him. Of all the parti

culars of our Lord's remarkable life and character, that is not the least deserving of notice, which shows the perfect concurrence of natural causes, with his own free and voluntary actions, to give fulfilment

to prophecy, and to bring about events which seemed to depend upon a regular chain of contrivances.

II. The next particular in the prophecy, was, that although he should be condemned to death by his countrymen, yet he should be delivered over to the Gentiles for suffering and punishment. By these he was to be scourged and mocked and spitted on and crucified.

Accordingly, no sooner was Jesus seized by the officers and guard which accompanied Judas, than he was carried directly before the Sanhedrim. This was the supreme Jewish council, and consisted of the High Priest and seventy Elders. It was now sitting at the palace of the High Priest, waiting the result of the expedition which had been sent out under Judas. Here he was immediately put upon an examination or trial, and false witnesses were suborned to give evidence against him. But their witness agreed not together. At length, finding no way to convict him by the testimony of others, they endeavoured to raise an accusation out of his own mouth. But Jesus made them no answer. The High Priest then put him upon his oath, saying, "I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of the living God." To this solemn and sacred interrogatory Jesus thought it right to make a reply, and from his doing so, we may gather the lawfulness of administering oaths on suitable occasions. His answer is striking, "Thou hast said:" that is, thou speakest the fact; I am indeed the