Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 26:46

46 Rise, let us be going, Behold he is at hand, that doth betray me.

Mark saith nothing of this third Praying, but saith, And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, sleep on now, and take your rest, the Hour is come, Behold the Son of Man is betrayed into the Hands of Sinners, Rise, let us go, lo he that betrayeth me is at Hand; what the meaning of saying the same Words is, we heard before, praying to the same sense, or saying the same thing, or matter, tho using other Words, as it is plain he did, Luke 22.43. tells us, There appeared an Angel to him strengthening him. This is not the first time we read of Angels appearing and Ministring to Christ. They did so, Ch. 4.11. after his Conflict with the Devil, in the Wilderness. Now an Angel appeared to him in the Hour of Temptation. Then he had without, troubles. But now he hath within, Fears, being in a great Agony. Thus it is said, Iohn 12.27. that he being in a conflict, and praying, Father save me from this Hour; but for this cause I came unto this Hour. Father! Glorify thy Name. A Voice was heard, saying, I have both Glorifyed it, and will glorify it again. There the Answer was Testifyed by a Voice from Heaven, Here, it is by an Angel (so God, Dan. 9.21. let Daniel know his Prayer was heard) Hannah knew another way by the Peace of her Spirit after Prayer—her Countenance was no more sad. How the Angel did strengthen him we are not told. Let no Man think that he who was the Son of God needed an Angel to strengthen him: he was not now exerting his Divine Verture, but by his suffering shewing that he was truly Man, and as to that nature, made lower than the Angels. Luke addeth, And being in an Agony he prayed more earnestly, and his Sweat was as it were great drops of Blood, falling down to the Ground, v. 44. These Words are Expre[illegible: 1 letter]sive of the great Conflict of our Saviours Spirit, which was such as thrust out Sweat like great drops of Blood, whether they were very Blood, or Sweat with some mixture or Tincture of Blood, is very hard to determine, nor of any Consequence for us to know, it is no unusual thing for Bodies to breath out Sweat in ordinary Conflicts of Spirit, this was much more than ordinary. Luke saith, that when he rose up from Prayer, and was come to his Disciples, he found them Sleeping, for Sorrow. And said unto them, why Sleep you? Rise and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation. All three Evangelists agree, that Christ coming the third time found them Sleeping, Luke gives one Reason of it for Sorrow. Their sorrow added to their Watching, may be some excuse for their sleeping, tho otherwise it was a time which called for more Waking. The Evangelists do not so well agree in what Christ said to his D[illegible: 1 letter]sciples. Luke saith, Rise up and pray lest you enter into Temptation. Matthew and Mark say, he said, Sleep on now and take your Rest, &c. he might say both. Nor can we determine whether he spake those Words seriously, as willing that they should t[illegible: 1 letter]ke their Rest, for they could be no further useful to him, whose time was now come, he was betrayed, and the Traytor was at Hand: Or, with some Reflection upon them, for their Drowsiness, which the Words going before, what could you not Watch with me one Hour? seem to hint us.