XCI. CHRIST BETRAYED. SO obnoxious was CHRIST who raised Lazarus, and Lazarus whom CHRIST raised, to the envious priefts, and scribes, and elders, that they confult to murder both. While either of them lives, the glory of that miracle cannot die, nor the fhame of its opponents. Affembled in the palace of Caiaphas, they caft their heads together with one confent, and are confederate against the Son of GOD. Eager as they are for the deftruction of the innocent, their prudence fuggefts to them, that open violence will be fruitless. Sub tilty and treachery muft do that, which would be vainly attempted by power. A FIT inftrument is speedily pitched upon for this accurfed purpofe. Among the chofen followers of CHRIST one is found, who was in his heart the fervant not of GOD, but of Mammon. Of what arts is not that foul capable, which is enslaved by the hateful power of avarice? Judas, who heard CHRIST daily, whom others heard preach CHRIST daily, who witneffed the miracles of his Mafter, and doubtlefs fhared thofe miraculous gifts bestowed on his companions, is firft a thief, and afterwards a traitor. "What will ye give me, and I will de❝ liver him unto you?" O WRETCHED Judas, what will they, what can they give, of equal value with Him, whom thou offereft as a victim to their malice? Were they able to pay, or thou to receive, all the precious treafures of the world, how were this price equivalent to that WORD of GOD, by whom all things were made? Could they have bestowed on thee the empire of the universe, or given thee fupremacy over the bright luminaries of Heaven, thy folly would still have kept pace with thy prefumption. Alas, what had they, miserable men, to offer for such a purchafe? The time was, when he who inftigated thee to this treafon, could say to thy Master, "All the kingdoms "of the world, and the glory of them are mine-all these will I give thee." Had he attempted to fhake thy fidelity by a fimilar propofal, the bafe worldling might have found fome excufe for thine apoftafy-but when we behold thee giving up thy bleffed Lord and Saviour to his enemies for thirty filverlings, we know not, whether more to abhor thy treachery, or to wonder at thine infatuation. THE THE price was not more defpicable, than the undertaking was audacious. Had all the powers of hell combined with their emiffary, they could not have delivered our Saviour into the hands of men. "No man taketh my life from "me," faith CHRIST, "but I lay it "down of myself." Had he been pleased to refift, his word would at once have configned the traitor and his accomplices to their just punishment. O blessed LORD, all our fafety, all our happiness depends not so much upon thine act, as upon thy will. In vain might we expect benefit from thy paffion, if thou hadft undergone that by constraint, which thou didst voluntarily fustain for our falvation. -- THE Compact is made the price is given-Judas returns, and with unblushing effrontery looks on his Master, and on his companions. His heart told him he was falfe-but he was in pof feffion feffion of the price of blood. He was not now for the first time an hypocrite. The paffover is at hand-Judas is no lefs diligent to make preparation for it, no less ready to receive it, than the most faithful and zealous of the apoftles. How many proofs had this traitor received of his Mafter's omniscience! Every day afforded fresh demonftration, that the thoughts and intents of the heart were under the cognizance of CHRIST-nay, while Judas attempts to conceal his bafenefs, our Saviour conceals not his own knowlege of it. "Ve rily I fay unto you, that one of you "fhall betray me." Who would not think that wickednefs, fo difcovered, would be full of fhame? Did not Judas blush, and grow pale again, and cast down his guilty eyes, and turn away his troubled countenance? Alas, that brow is fteeled against every generous feeling; that heart knows neither pity, nor reVOL. IV. M pentance. |