ward gifts of GOD are not always proofs of his love-riches, pleafures, honours, may be either withholden from us in mercy, or difpenfed in juft indignation. How groundless had been the jealousy of that difciple, who envying the favour done to Judas, had deemed himself treated with undue neglect! So vain are they, who meafuring God's affection by temporal benefits, are ready to applaud fuccefsful wickednefs, and grudge them their fhort-lived happinefs, who are incapable of any better. FAVOURS ill-ufed make the heart capable of any evil. Judas, comparing his Master's action with the geftures of Peter, and the recent conference (unheard by himself) between JESUS and the fon of Zebedee, is now more irritated. to perform what he had wickedly promised. But, O LORD, how fhall we find words in which to exprefs our sense of thy meeknefs, thy divine long-fufferM 4 ing? ing? No angry word efcapes thy lips, even when addreffing the moft cruel of thine enemies-" That thou doeft, do quickly." Why are Why are we inflamed by our petty wrongs? why do we fwell with anger, and fly to revenge on every occafion, when the great Example of all patience will not revile even the foul and bloody traitor?. The difciples yet remain in ignorance-they know not for what intent our Lord haftens the departure of this abandoned confpirator. The deed was every way villainous: but if it must be done, delay is only an aggravation of mifery. The innocent victim, already doomed to die, speaks as · one prepared for fuffering, and meekly refigns himself to all the malice of his enemies. THAT obdurate heart will not relent. The traitor knows his way to the palace of the High Prieft, and points out the time, the place, the manner in which he he will give effect to his perfidy. "Whomsoever I shall kiss, that fame is "he." Yet more hypocrify? Yet more prefumption on fuch unparallelled lenity? Shall that facred cheek be contaminated by thine unhallowed touch? The tongue of him who has agreed to fell his Mafter, dares fay "Hail"; the lips which have paffed the compact of his death, dare to kifs Him whom they had covenanted to murder. O Saviour, the fcourge, the thorns, the cross, the spear of thy perfecutors were not fo painful, fo piercing, as this kifs of Judas. The stabs of an enemy could not be fo griev-, ous, as the treacherous embrace of a difciple. XCII. THE AGONY. WHAT a prelude do we find to our Saviour's paffion! An hymn, and an agony. A chearful hymn, and an agony no less forrowful. An hymn begins, both to raise, and to teftify the courage of the divine fufferer-an agony follows, to fhew that he was truly sensible of those extremities of pain and forrow, which he was about to endure. All the apostles (the perfidious Judas excepted) bore their part in that hymn. It was fit they fhould all fee that heroic magnanimity with which he entered into the lifts with his mighty enemies. Only three shall be allowed to be witneffes of his agony thofe thofe chofen difciples, who had seen his glorious transfiguration. That fight had well fore-armed and prepared them for the scenes which fhould follow. How could they be disheartened at the fpectacle of his forrows, who had contemplated his Mount Tabor? and conftancy be fplendid Majefty on How could their faith fhaken by his fufferings, who had been prefent at the manifeftation of his celeftial radiance, when his face did fhine as the fun, and his raiment was bright as the light? How could they be offended, at feeing him encompaffed by Judas and his train, whom they had feen receiving homage from Mofes and Elias? How could they be discouraged at hearing the reproaches of base and flanderous men, when they had heard the voice of GoD bearing witnefs from that excellent glory, "This is my beloved Son, in "whom I am well pleased?" Now, |