fade in that you commnnicate to him what you keep bidden from others, and who, while you still think well of him, ueos his knowledge of you to blacken your character, damage your prospects, and ruin your family,-thie man is a criminal of a different dye. So Judas used hie knowledge of Christ's habits-his hour and place of prayer, etc. The circumete.nco, too, that ho made money by hie treachery is an aggravation. The beet use he could think of to put Jesus to we.s to sell him for five pounds. After all he had seen and known of Jesus, this was e.J.l the benefit he thought he could derive from him. IIL ATTEMPTED PALLIATIONS OF BIB OBIME. So diabolical does the crime seem, so difficult is it to believe that e.ny one who had known and lived with Jesus could find it in his heart to give him up to his enemies, that attempts have been made to account for the act on less de.mning motives. Especially it has been urged that it was the purpose of Judas merely to force the hand of Jesus-to compel him to resort to force in self-defence, and erect the standard of the new kingdom. He was weary of the inac- tivity of J esue, and sought to bring matters to a crisis. Some plausibility is given to this view by the subsequent remorse and suicide of Judas. This, it is said, proves that he did not intend the death of bis Master. But to argue thus is to forget that in all cases sin committed looks very different from sin in prospect. Doubtless Judas did not clearly foresee the terrible guilt of giving up his Master to death; but this does not imply that he did not intend to give him up to death. Before we sin, it is the gain we see; after we sin, the guilt. IV. SoUBCES OF THE CRIME. His discipleship bad put him in the way of tempta- tion. He had carried the bag of the small community. His covetousness bad increased upon him. And now he saw clearly that no great scope for money-making was to be found in the company of Jesus. He was a disappointed, embittered man. He felt he must break with Christ, but in doing so would win what be could, and would revenge himself on those who had kept him poor, and at the same time, by exploding the society and annihilating it, would justify his own conduct in deserting the cause. Infer: 1. The power and danger of the love of money. All that we do in the world day by day has a more or less direct reference to money. This passion of covetousness il1 therefore always appealed to. Other evil propensities allow intervals of freedom, periods of repentance and amendment; but this is constant. Judas's fingers were always in the bag; it jingled as be walked; it lay under bis pillow as he slept. 2. The enormous growth a sin makes when committed age.inst light. Everything in Jndas's position to win him from worldliness. But the unworldliness of his company only led him to take greater advantage, and did not infect him with generosity. Had he passed his days e.s a small trader in Keriotb, he could only have reached the minor guilt of adulterating bis goods and giving them out in false measures; but in Christ's company his sin acquired abnormal proportions. Inducements to righteousness and opportunities of good provoke in the sinner a strong and determined bent to sin.-D.
Vere. 46-56.-The arrest. The words, "Rise, let us be going," are not inconsistent with those just uUered, "Sleep on now, and take your rest." 'l'hese latter words bad rather a moral significance than a physical. They meant, "I have no longer any need of your watching." But just as he utters them, be catches the gleam of arms through the trees, and exclaims, "Rise." Describe the scene-the measured tread of the Roman oohort; the glare of torches and lanterns, and the swarming rabble come out to see an arrest and take part in a riot; the traitor in front, guiding the party to the well-known retirement of Jesus; the kiss indicating the Person of the Lord, lest be should escape or lest some of the disciples should give themselves up in his stead; the reply of the Lord, the emphasis being on the words," Betrayest thou P" the sudden panic among the captors; and the violence of Peter. I. This arrest is THE RESULT OF CHRIST'S EFFORTS TO DO GOOD. His conduct bad been conciliatory to the point of meekness. He had been wise, gentle, patient, and persistently beneficent. And this is the result. And every one who has new truth to declare, new methods to employ, reforms to introduce, should recognize that he will be opposed by the combined forces of ignorance, pride, self-interest, and sloth. It is the consolation and encouragement of those who endeavour to improve matters around t,hem, and meet with contempt and ill-treatment for doing so, that they share the lot 568 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [oH. xxv1. 1-75.