disciples. The false apostle, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him.
We ought to mark, firstly, in this passage, to what lengths a man may go in a false profession of religion.
It is impossible to conceive a more striking proof of this painful truth, than the history of Judas Iscariot. If ever there was a man who at one time looked like a true disciple of Christ, and bade fair to reach heaven, that man was Judas. He was chosen by the Lord Jesus Himself to be an apostle. He was privileged to be a companion of the Messiah, and an eye-witness of His mighty works, throughout His earthly ministry. He was an associate of Peter, James and John. He was sent forth to preach the kingdom of God, and to work miracles in Christ's name. He was regarded by all the eleven apostles as one of themselves. He was so like his fellow disciples, that they did not suspect him of being a traitor. And yet this very man turns out at last a false-hearted child of the devil — departs entirely from the faith — assists our Lord's deadliest enemies, and leaves the world with a worse reputation than any one since the days of Cain. Never was there such a fall, such an apostacy, such a miserable end to a fair begin- ning— such a total eclipse of a soul !
And how can this amazing conduct of Judas be ac- counted for ? There is only one answer to that question. " The love of money" was the cause of this unhappy man's ruin. That same grovelling covetousoess, which enslaved the heart of Balaam, and brought on Gehazi a leprosy, was the destruction of Iscariot' s soul. No other explanation of his behavior will satisfy the plain
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statements of Scripture. His act was an act of mean covetousness, without a redeeming feature about it. The Holy Ghost declares plainly " he was a thief." (John xii. 6.) And his case stands before the world as an eternal comment on the solemn words, " the love of money is the root of all evil." (1 Tim. vi. 10.)
Let us learn from this melancholy history of Judas, to be "clothed with humility," and to be content with nothing short of the grace of the Holy Ghost in our hearts. Knowledge, gifts, profession, privileges, church- member-ship, power of preaching, praying, and talking about religion, are all useless things, if our hearts are not converted. They are all no better than sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, if we have not put off the old man, and put on the new. They will not deliver us from hell. — Above all, let us remember our Lord's cau- tion, to " beware of covetousness." (Luke xii. 15.) It is a sin that eats like a canker, and once admitted into our hearts, may lead us finally into every wickedness. Let us pray to be " content with such things as we have." (Heb. xiii. 6.) The possession of money is not the one thing needful. Kiches entail great peril on the souls of those who have-them. The true Christian ought to be far more afraid of being rich than of being poor.
We ought to mark, secondly, in this passage, the in- tentional connection between the time of the Jewish passover and the time of Christ 's death. We cannot doubt for a moment that it was not by chance, but by God's provi- dential appointment, that our Lord was crucified in the passover week, and on the very day that the passover lamb was slain. It was meant to draw the attention of