"HE PRAYED MORE EARNESTLY." Our Surety suffers for us. Beloved, let us visit Gethsemane this morning and see this strange sight: Jesus, the only begotten Son of God, the brightness of Jehovah's glory and the express image of His person, groans on the cold ground, baptized in blood. He is sore amazed. His heart is filled with horror and His mind with dread. His soul is troubled, tossed with tempests and not comforted. He is exceeding sorrowful even unto death. The sorrows of death compass Him and the pains of hell have gotten hold upon Him. His heart like wax is melted, His whole nature is convulsed. He sweats blood. He cries aloud with an exceeding bitter cry for His heart fails Him. No human hand touches Him, but it is the hour and power of darkness. Our sins heap upon Him; His soul is made an offering for our sins; and it has pleased Jehovah to bruise Him. Was ever sorrow like unto His sorrow? He is in an agony. Here our sins are punished, our iniquities are expiated, and our justification is procured. O to love Jesus, even to an agony!

For Meditation:
Go to dark Gethsemane,
Ye that feel the tempter's power;
Your Redeemer's conflict see,
Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away,
Learn of Jesus Christ to pray.