rect this unchristian spirit. He writes to the Corinthians, (1 Cor. i. 11,) "It hath been declared unto me that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas." And again, to the Philippians, (Phil. i. 15,) "Some indeed preach Christ of envy, and strife, and contention." It was an evil which would arise, in part, even from the esteem in which the Christian teachers were held on account of the benefits which they conferred. Therefore he proceeds, (ii. 3-7,) "Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory: but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." With what force does this exhortation come, when the apostle adds, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant;" nay, took upon him the office of a servant towards the disciples whom he had chosen, and left a standing example to all that should believe in him through their word, that they should do as he had done. But there are many who neither regard the precept nor the example. Many are "hearers, and not doers of the word: deceiving their own souls." If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. Nay, even among the twelve, there was one who hearing the words and seeing the works of divine goodness, still remained the slave of sin and Satan. 18. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen : but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. 2 19. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. 20. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 21. When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26. Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop,3 when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. 28. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. 2 See Ps. xli. 9, where David thus speaks of the traitor Ahithophel. The metaphor is taken from the restive horse or ox which lift their heel against their feeder. 3 wμov. More properly a slice, or morsel. God has mercifully provided that we know the steps which led to the treachery of Judas, as well as the crime itself. The steps by which he came to this last bad act, were covetousness and fraud habitually indulged: long practised in despite of all that might have raised his heart from earth to heaven. The occasion was now offered, by which he might still further gratify his ruling passion. "The chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that if any man knew where he were, he should show it, that they might take him." He was now within their reach: and Satan entered into his heart, and instigated him to fulfil his agreement with the chief priests, and claim the "thirty pieces of silver," for which he had covenanted with them." Thus was the scripture fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. And thus also is the whole of scripture fulfilled, which teaches us that the heart is deceitful above all things: which warns us to watch and pray that we enter not into temptation which assures us that our adversary the devil is always on the watch, seeking whom he may devour and that when he finds a heart open and ready for his reception, he enters in and dwells there; and "the last state of that man is worse than the first." Truly "the Son of man goeth, as it is written of him but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed." See Matt.xxvi. 14--16. Luke xxii. 22. Luke xi. 24---26. LECTURE LXVIII. THE APOSTLES WARNED OF CHRIST'S REMOVAL AND EXHORTED TO MUTUAL LOVE. JOHN xiii. 31-38. 31. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 33. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. The time was now close at hand when the dis ciples of our Lord should be left without the guardian who had hitherto directed them. He prepares their minds for this. Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. The glory which he sought in taking man's nature, the glory of "bringing many sons to glory," is now about to be secured by his death upon the cross. The ran som will be soon paid, which shall set free the prisoners of Satan, and exalt his Conqueror to ever lasting honour. And so likewise shall God be glorified in him: his justice, his holiness, his goodness, will be made manifest to the world. 66 But the disciples, as he had before said, would weep and lament." They would seek him to instruct, to direct, to encourage them, and seek him in vain for whither he was going, it was not yet their time to come. One thing, and only one, would be a bond of strength and consolation; -mutual love. And this he presses upon them. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. It appears strange that this should be called a new commandment. Moses had enjoined it, in his law: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." And even perverted as his law had been by the corruptions of the Jewish teachers, they still retained the precept, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour." True. They retained the precept. But they did not observe the practice. Self-importance, self-love, self-interest prevailed over it; and there wanted a sufficient motive to overcome these selfish feelings. St. Paul could reflect upon his past life as a Pharisee, and say that he had "lived according to all the commandments of the law blameless." But he is conscious of the change which had taken place in his feelings towards other men, since he had become a disciple of Christ. From the ground on which he was then standing he looks back upon his former state, the way he had passed over, and says, "We ourselves also were |