Gethsemane-- a Sermon
In pursuing' our remarks on the agony in the garden, a second circumstance deserving- of our attention, is the singular behaviour of our Lord on this interesting occasion. He prayed, as we have seen, three times to his Father, that the cup of suffering might pass from him, if it were consistent with the divine will. Our great High Priest was fully apprised of the nature and extent of his future suiferings, before he undertook the work of our redemption ; and as his mission was entirely voluntary, we are not so to understand this prayer, as if it were expressive of a reluctance on his part, to finish the benevolent undertaking on which he had so graciously entered. The vicarious mediation of the Saviour was dictated by his own gracious will, and executed by his own free agency. A forced death could neither have made any addition to his glory, nor brought any advantage to us. But how, let me ask, could his sacrifice have been other than voluntary ? It was evidently impossible for an...