724 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XXII.
Maw. iscomfortedby an Angel. BEDE. In anotherplacewe read
' thatAngelscame and ministereduntoHim. In testimony
then ofeachnature,Angelsaresaidbothtohave ministered
to Him and comfortedHim. For the Creatorneeded not
the protectionof His creature,but beingmade man asfor
our sakes He is sad,so for our sakesHe is comforted.
THEOPHYL. But some say thatthe Angel appeared,glori
fyingHim, saying,O Lord,Thine isthe power,forThou
artableto vanquishdeath,and to deliverweak mankind.
CHRYS. And becausenot in appearancebut in realityHe
tookupon Himselfour flesh,in orderto confirmthe truth
ofthedispensationHe submitsto bearhuman suffering;for
itfollows,And beinginan agonyHe prayed more earnestly.
AMBROSE. Many areshockedatthisplacewho turnthesor
rows of the Saviourto an argument of inherentweakness
from the beginning,ratherthau taken upon Him forthe
time. But I am sofarfromconsideringita thingtobeex
cused,thatI never more admire His mercy and majesty;
forHe wouldhaveconferredlessupon me had He nottaken
upon Him my feelings.For He tookupon Him my sorrow,
thatupon me He might bestowHis joy. "Withconfidence
thereforeI name His sadness,becauseI preachHis cross.
He must needsthenhaveundergoneaffliction,thatHe might
conquer.For theyhaveno praiseoffortitudewhosewounds
haveproducedstuporratherthanpain.Piewishedtherefore
to instructus how we shouldconquerdeath,and whatisfar
greater,theanguishofcoming death. Thou smartedstthen,
O Lord, not from Thy own but my wounds; for He wos
woundedforourtransgressions.And perhapsHe issad,be
causethatafterAdam's fallthe passageby which we must
departfrom thisworldwas such thatdeathwas necessary.
Nor isitfarfrom the truththatHe was sad forHisper
secutors,who He knew would sufferpunishmentfortheir
wickedsacrilege.
Gref;. GREG. He has expressedalsothe conflictof our mind inMor^24. itself}as deathapproaches,forwe suffera certainthrillof
terrorand dread,when by the dissolutionof the fleshwe
draw near to the eternaljudgment; and with good reason,
forthe soulfindsin a moment thatwhich can neverbe
changed.