And, Judas, even so, thou mayest still recognize it; thou mayest yet retreat. When the rebuking glance of love smote Peter after his denial, then "he went out, and wept bitterly." And, Judas, thou mayest still do likewise. But, alas! how much more difficult had this become for him now, than it was an hour before; now, there is a host of bailiffs in the rear ; and accomplices in his own crime bar retreat. With every step forward, the path of sin grows more precipitous; each act committed, yea, the very warnings of conscience itself, those good angels of God, turn into avenging furies, which drive the man onwards with increasing velocity. Now, the entire host of the ministers of justice are behind Judas. The very steps which the man has taken in his evil course, become the officers which are to arrest him, if he wishes to turn back; and which now keep urging him to the end, even though it might be against his will. And this involuntariness in iniquity, is it not one of the most fearful aspects of human wickedness?

The fact of Judas betraying the Son of Man with the token of reverence and love, while it testifies to his compunctions at the deed, also gives proof of its deep turpitude. Every step onward in his course of sin-yea, the very means employed to purchase quiet of conscience, becomes even more reprehensible and monstrous. That sweet token, consecrated among all mankind to love to take just this, and use it as a signal for treachery-who does not shudder at the deed? Does not sin appear to us all the more horrible-and justly, too-when it adopts sacred means for its unhallowed objects. Theft, by a reprobate child, assassination in the church, poisoning by means of the consecrated wafer, even such is betrayal by a kiss. It is the deceit, the hypocrisy in the thing, which shocks us, although it must be said in the instance before us, that a rude act of violence perpetrated by a disciple of Jesus, would have been still more revolting. Oh, Judas, what a firebrand to thy conscience must this kiss of thine have become! Thou child of perdition, say, when thou just touchedst those sacred lips, which,

by means of this thy kiss, were seen to turn pale in death, did there not come up to remembrance before thee those precious moments, when thou stoodest listening to words issuing from that holy mouth-such as no other human lips ever spake to thee?-moments when thou couldst look into that holy, mild eye, without fear of conscience, and with a heart most blessed. Ah, yes, that kiss, it could not but have been a firebrand for thy conscience.

Let us now turn our saddened glance away from this deed, to apply the words of our Saviour on the occasion to ourselves. We saw Him arising a few moments before in deepest agitation of spirit from His bitter conflict in the garden. And now mark the deep, divine repose evinced in the language with which He received the traitor. "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of Man with a kiss?" There is no ebullition of anger here; indeed, no ebullition of passion ever disturbed the placid mirror of that holy soul, but there is not even an expression of sorrow over that bitter cup, which, with and through that kiss, was presented to His lips. He looks not at himself, but only at the lost child; He considers not His own suffering, but only the crime of His betrayer. Perceive ye not already in these words what a deep calm had followed upon the loud storm? what undisturbed repose had succeeded to the mighty commotion that had agitated His breast. Here, again, we become impressed with that appearance of mystery, which His wonted repose of manner, and perfect self-possession ever imparted to all His words and deeds through

life.

It is the last word He ever exchanges with this son of perdition, and this is still a word of love. And there had been so many words of love! yet, like drops of water falling on hot stones, they had become dissipated in a moment. Already had Christ bidden him, "What thou dost, do quickly ;" and does it not seem as if with these words Jesus had given up the wretched disciple for lost! as if the Saviour had thereupon dismissed him to hell? But He has for him yet one word of questioning love,

He might, indeed, instead, have hurled into his soul one questioning word of thunder; He might have called down upon him a woe of horror, but, He chides not, He imprecates not, He only asks; and may we not say, that, so long as a question is put to the soul, there is an answer from it possible? that at least some echo of it might be heard in the deep recesses of the heart? That most fearful word in the sinner's life-"Too late ". -even up to this time, the Lord does not seem to have spoken it respecting Judas; although we might have looked for it after hearing that order: "What thou doest, do quickly."

In like manner, the merifcul heart of the Saviour still interrogates every child of perdition-even though he may be standing on the very verge of destruction; and so long as Jesus continues to question, so long then is an answer possible—a way to return open. Oh, ye who have not hitherto hearkened to his questions, would that ye might, even at the last moment, give ear to them. But alas ! it happens, that for those who have heard, again, and again-but all to no purpose-the very ability to hear grows so dull-so dull that the questions of Jesus sound in the soul only as muffled thunder-peals. And these questions of love have no more the power to waken-but only to alarm. And how sad is the impression, when we recount those affectionate appeals, which, from the beginning onward, God addresses, during a whole life, to the heart of one who has wandered from the path of righteousness, and become apostate. At the outset there was the modest, and partially-decided "Yes, Lord," audibly responded; then in proportion as sin became bolder, this "yes" would grow more uncertain and feeble, and at last, how it dies away altogether, or is changed into a defiant "No." When the Lord, on an earlier occasion, put the question to the disciples, "Will ye also go away?" then Judas could understand it, and could give it the right answer. That was the first question of love. Oh, how did his heart appear at this LAST!

It was no thunder tone of denunciation-it was no imprecation of woe, which the Lord poured forth on Judas. There was

love with him still-nay, if you please, a certain degree of confidence preserved in this warning question. But along with this, how distinctly also is wounded majesty heard to speak. There is here no weak, sentimental love. Jesus does not say, "Oh, thou dear disciple, how could you do this to your dear Master?" The words are few and earnest, and they bear the impress of a majestic, yet dishonored, royal love-" Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" That which we just now perceived to be the height of enormity in this act of treachery, viz.: the desecration of the universally consecrated token of love into a cover for treason—this in particular is it which the Saviour here seizes upon and holds up to view; and still further, he alludes to the special dignity of Him, who was given over to death by this token. Human relations here receded into the back-ground. Though it is the Friend-the public Benefactor, who is betrayed -yet of all this not a word. "Thou hast betrayed the Son of Man"-the man without spot or sin-Him through whom alone human nature obtains its proper humanity.

See with what majesty the Lord speaks of himself. He plants the traitor, not before a human tribunal, but before the throne of God; for it is not merely against human hearts, and human feelings that he is transgressing, but it is against the heart of God himself since he was betraying the only begotten of the Father. Just at the moment when human feelings in the Saviour might have obtained the readiest utterance-then spake out in Him only the feeling of violated majesty. Ah, that word could be for Judas no more an angel of deliverance: for this it was too late; and because it could not be for him an angel of deliverance, it became for him an angel of vengeance. It brought the entire weight of his guilt down upon his conscience at once-even the guilt of treason against the great King. When that conscience cried, "Thou hast betrayed innocent blood"—then was he forced to add, "and that innocent blood was the blood of the Son of man- -the Saviour of Israel; and under the garb of love didst thou betray him"

And what does all this teach us? Does it apply only to criminals, and not at all to such righteous people as we are? Is there, then, no one among us who is seeking to betray his conscience? Have you never discovered that, as with Judas, so with you, every step in sin turns behind you into an executioner of Justice, which draws you onward in your headlong course? Have you not heard those questions of love from Jesus, which follow the sinner even until he stands but one remove from the abyss? Are there none here who have become-and are daily acting the part of traitors to the love of the Son of Man? We may not, perhaps, have approached so near the abyss, upon that precipitous path along which Judas plunged-yet it must be said that every man is on that path, who betrays his conscience, or is wittingly a traitor against the love of the Son of man. Oh, ye secure ones-ye who, as often as the divine call, "Today if ye will hear his voice," presses on your heart, begin to storm, and say, "To-morrow will be time enough,” oh, let that word of alarm, "Too late," fall with fresh force on your conscience. Learn from the instance of Judas, how when a man despises the grace of Jesus, God's angels of deliverance become to his hardened heart the ministers of vengeance. Behold in his example, how a sinner, who has rushed onwards, careless, and secure, without reflection, when he comes to the precipice and desires to retreat, can go back no more, but is hurried over into the abyss below, by the very despair of his own conscience. He that hath ears to hear let him hear! He that hath ears to hear let him hear!