Jiidas Iscariot liad the highest possible religious privi- leges. He was a chosen apostle, and companion of Christ. He was an eye-witness of our Lord's miracles, and a hearer of His sermons. He saw what Abraham and Moses never saw, and heard what David and Isaiah never heard. He lived in the society of the eleven apostles. He was a fellow-laborer with Peter, James, and John. But for all this his heart was never changed. He clung to one darling sin.
Judas Iscariot made a reputable profession of religion. There was nothing but what was right, and proper, and becoming in his outward conduct. Like the other apos- tles, he appeared to believe and to give up all for Christ's sake. Like them he was sent forth to preach and work miracles. No one of the eleven appears to have sus- pected him of hypocrisy. When our Lord said, " One of you shall betray me," no one said, " Is it Judas .?" Yet all this time his heart was never changed.
We ought to observe these things. They are deeply humbling and instructive. Like Lot's w^ife, Judas is intended to be a beacon to the whole church. Let us often think about him, and say, as we think, " Search me, 0 Lord, and try my heart, and see if there be any wicked way in me." Let us resolve, by God's grace, that we will never be content with anything short of sound, thorough, heart conversion.
Let us learn, in the second place, from these verses, that the love of money is one of the greatest snares to a marts sold. We cannot conceive a clearer proof of this, than the case of Judas. That wretched question, "What wiU ye give me ?" reveals the secret sin which was his