XIV.

SUCCESSORS TO JUDAS.

THE crime of Judas was one of the deepest dye. A kiss and a betrayal stand at opposite extremes, and cannot be made to meet, except by bending back Nature, and making her cry out for agony.

Was Judas, then, a monster of iniquity such as the world had never seen before, nor is likely to sce again? Is his crime unparalleled in kind, as well as unequalled in degree? Is there little danger of any one following his footsteps at however great a distance? The danger is extreme. The world is full of men who have more or less of the spirit of Judas; men who, professing to show the highest kindness to a friend, are designedly inflicting on him the deepest injury. Christian society, as it is called, abounds in Joabs, who say to Amasa, "Art thou in health,

my brother?" and kiss him, and with a hidden sword smite him in the fifth rib.

What is the name of the man who, with flattery on his lips, lust in his eyes, and guile in his heart, dares to betray bright young innocence with a kiss of spurious love?

"One saw her loveliness, and, with desire
Unhallowed burning, to her ear addressed
Dishonest words: Her favour was his life,

His heaven; her frown his woe, his night, his death.'
With turgid phrase, thus wove in flattery's looin,
He on her womanish nature won, and age
Suspicionless; and ruined and forsook;

For he a chosen villain was at heart,

And capable of deeds that durst not seek repentance."

Or, take the companion picture which the pencil of inspiration has painted. What is the name of the woman who, when a young man void of understanding passed through the street, near her corner, going the way to her house in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night-met him with the attire of a harlot, and caught him and kissed him, and with her much fair speech caused him to yield; with the

flattering of her lips forced him, till he went after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks? What is the name of the man who, greedy of gain, and reckless of all interests except his own, tempts the widow and the fatherless to place their scanty all in his remorseless hands; and then, without a qualm, beholds his victims plunged in poverty and ruin? Or, what is that man's name who, to advance his selfish ends or forward his base purposes, leads his unsuspecting, confiding neighbour on the ice, and, when sign of danger appears, deserts and leaves him to his fate? A monarch and a man of God could at one time have given the reply.

the same time more

Deeper treachery, and at concealed, there could not

be than that which David practised toward the brave Uriah, when, through his own hands, he sent a letter to the commander-in-chief, to this effect: "Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten and die."

At first sight, an important element may

appear to be wanting which entered into the crime of Judas. In these cases it is transgression between man and man; in the case of Judas it was transgression between man and God. The special element, however, may not be wanting. For, not to speak of the general principle that all transgressions against God's creatures are transgressions against Himself, it is a fundamental law of Christ's kingdom that He and His subjects are one. He identifies Himself with even the least of them. Saul may persecute the Christians; but the question which Christ puts to him is, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" How many betrayers of fellow-men through this law become betrayers of the Son of man, and bring their betrayal, in this respect, up to the level of the crime of Judas! Over all that obey Him, when they suffer, Christ throws the shield of His traitor puts the question,

protection, and to the "Betrayest thou the His warning still is,

Son of man with a kiss?" "Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that

a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the midst of the sea."

But there is more. With the Son of man we have directly to do. By our profession of Christianity we say to Christ, "Hail, Master!" and kiss Him. In private devotions, in public ordinances, in holy sacraments we are perpetually repeating this. And we are doing only what we should do. The gospel is summed up in the sentence, "Kiss ye the Son;" and obedience to that invitation is the reception of the gospel. Our Christianity thus places us in perilous circumstances by making it possible for us to do what Judas did-to betray the Son of man, and to betray Him with a kiss. If we betray Him at all, it must be with a kiss.

What is it, then, to betray the Son of man? Every transgression is not betrayal. The sleeping apostles were transgressors, but not traitors. To call every transgression by that name would be, either to make little of betrayal, or to charge ourselves or others foolishly. A Christian is guilty of sin when at any time he is less loyal