gation, with a view to his wordly advantage. The man had long held a subordinate situation in a mercantile concern. His principal had so just a sense of his worth, that they offered him a loan of ten thousand pounds, and desired him to become a partner. But that he strenuously refused. And when the minister was urgent with him, and used such reasons as might be expected to prevail; he silenced him by saying, Sir, I have often heard from you, that it is no easy thing to get to heaven. I have sufficient for my wants. More would embarrass and encumber me, and perhaps bring my salvation into hazard.

So fearful was this Christian, lest he should be overcharged with cares of this life, and that day should come upon him unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. The snare is laid, the net is spread the birds against which it is prepared are in the mean while fluttering in security, seeking provision for themselves or for their young, and enjoying what nature has to allure and gratify them. On a sudden the snare is sprung, and they are in the hands of the fowler. What an exact picture of the busy, careless, fluttering, unconscious world! And suddenly "the soul is required." The summons is issued, and there is neither escape nor interval. A few hours of anguish or of insensibility, and then eternity. Commonly not even time to trim the lamp, which must be kept burning, lest that day come unawares.

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things

that shall came to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. This is the attitude of the Christian. By watchfulness, he is guarding against those evils which might surprise his soul: and by prayer he is seeking strength to resist them. He is not unmindful of the corruption of his nature. He considers the occasions which have fostered it. He considers what ways, what companies, what opportunities, what pursuits and engagements, are unfavourable to his spiritual welfare. He sets himself on the watch against them. The Spirit of God favours such watchfulness, and does not leave him to himself, to fall into sins against which he has diligently laboured: and he is one of the "blessed servants," whom, whenever the master of the house comes, he finds watching, and receives into the joy of his Lord.

LECTURE LXXXII.

THE APOSTASY OF JUDAS.-THE FULFILMENT OF THE PASSOVER IN THE SACRIFICE OF JESUS.

LUKE Xxii. 1—16.

(Matt. xxiv. 1-19. Mark xiv. 10-16.)

1. Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.1

* See Matt. xxiv 42-51.

1 The time answering to our Wednesday, two days preceding the Passover.

2. And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him ; for they feared the people.

3. Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

4. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. 5. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.

6. And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude.

The multitude was at this time favourable to Jesus. They had been enlightened by his doctrine, they had been benefited by the merciful exercise of his power. The chief priests and scribes could not venture to arrest him publicly. This induced them to take counsel with one of his companions"his own familiar friend whom be trusted, who did eat bread with him"-that they might apprehend him without danger of uproar from the people. And Judas was found a proper subject for their purpose. Satan entered into him, and instigated him to become an accomplice in their crime.

How came Satan to enter into Judas? Why was this permission granted him?

We are told, (Luke xi. 24,) "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there, and the last state of that man is worse than the first." The case of Judas exactly

Satan, reluctant to lose a victim,

2

illustrates this. and always "seeking to devour," watches for the season of returning to the soul which he had left, that he may draw it back unto perdition, He finds the house of Judas swept and garnished: i. e. prepared for him, open to his reception: for Judas, with the precepts of holiness in his ears, had been nourishing a secret sin, and in the midst of heavenly discourses he had continued the slave of this world. So he enters in: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. He has sinned against more grace; he has resisted more knowledge. There is less hope of the mercy of God being exercised towards him.

"Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have." 4

7. Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover, must be killed.

8. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go, and prepare us the passover that we may eat.

9. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?

10. And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.

11. And ye shall say unto the good man of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest-chamber where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?

2 The original word, in Matthew xii. 44, σxoλažovтa, more exactly expresses this.

3 See John xii. 6.

4 Luke viii. 18.

12. And he shall shew you a large upper room furnished: there make ready

13. And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.

14. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.

15. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

16. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Long as this ordinance of the passover had been established and observed, even fifteen hundred years; yet, it seems, it was not yet fulfilled: its entire meaning was not yet explained.

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Refering to the original appointment, we find these words of Moses. (Exodus xii. 3-12.) Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. And ye shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire: and ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning. It is the Lord's passover. For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the first-born of the land of Egypt: and the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses were ye are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over