SERMON X. OBSERVATIONS UPON THE CHARACTER AND CRIME OF JUDAS. PART THE FIRST. MATTHEW, Xxvii. 3. Then Judas, who had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself. THE character and fate of this false and traitorous apostle suggests to a serious and thinking mind many useful reflections, and the case does not appear to me to be commonly regarded in its true and proper light. I propose, therefore, to offer to your attention some general observations upon the character of Judas Iscariot-upon his call to the apostolic office-upon his crime in betraying his master-upon our Lord's prediction of this event-and upon the guilt imputable to the traitor, notwithstanding the predestination of the crime. I shall inquire, whether he was admitted to the participation of the eucharistic ordinance— and likewise into his penitence—and his death. I propose also, to make some observations upon the value of his testimony to the character of Christ-and, lastly, to point out the proper improvement of his melancholy history. 1. The character of Judas was plainly that of an avaricious man, in whose breast the love of money was the predominant passion. Of this we have two proofs upon record. The first is John, xii. 2. When Mary, the sister of Lazarus, in grateful veneration anointed the feet of Jesus with a costly perfume, and wiped them with the tresses of her hair, Judas reproved her for it; "Why," said he, "was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" Upon which the evangelical historian remarks, that "he said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein." The second is the memorable instance of delivering up Jesus for thirty pieces of sil ver. It is plain, therefore, that the love of money prompted this base man both to rob the poor, and to betray his master. And that he was an avaricious man before he became an apostle, is evident from the consideration, that avarice is a passion that does not start up instantaneously, but is generated by slow process, and requires length of time to raise it to that degree in which it manifested itself in him. It does not, however, appear, that Judas was a man of a sanguinary disposition. Had this been his known character, he never would have been joined to the college of apostles. And it does not often happen that lovers of money are men of blood. Avarice is a timid vice, and though it prompts men to trick, and shuffle, and over-reach, and steal, and even to betray. their best friends, it generally shrinks from carnage and blood. It is further evident, that though the love of money was the governing principle in the heart of Judas, he was not openly profligate and rapacious, but must have maintained a decent external character, and have preserved himself in a great measure free from suspicion, at least, of any dishonesty; for otherwise he never would have been associated among the followers of Jesus, and least of all would he have been entrusted with the care of the common purse. And during the whole of his connexion with the apostles, his conduct was so guarded that when Jesus directed him to finish his business quickly, meaning his traitorous design, the apostles themselves had no suspicion of it, but thought that their master's words were either a direction to prepare for the feast, or to distribute something to the poor. 2. It may be asked, What could induce Jesus to introduce a person of this character into the society of his apostles? And the most obvious answer to this question would be, that our Lord himself might think too favourably of his character, and might admit him into his society, not know ing the sordidness of his mind till it was afterwards revealed to him. But we seem precluded from this answer by an observation of the evangelist John, ii. 24, 25. “ He knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man, for he knew what was in man." And many instances occur in his history, in which it appears that our Lord was acquainted with the thoughts and purposes of his apostles, of his enemies, and of all who were about him; and what is still more to the present purpose, the apostle John assures us (vi. 64), that Jesus, very early in the course of his ministry, while he was yet in Galilee, declared the faithlessness, and predicted the treachery of Judas; "for," adds the sacred historian, "Jesus knew from the beginning," that is, from the beginning of his ministry, as this phrase almost universally signifies in the writings of this apostle, "who they were that believed not, and who should betray him." It seems, therefore, upon the whole, reasonable to conclude, that having a distinct |