When James and John would have called down fire from heaven to consume a village of the Samaritans, at a time when its inhabitants had refused them the common rights of hospitality, because they were on their way to Jerusalem, his reply was not such as the prejudiced Samaritans merited; but it was such as became the lowly Jesus, and as his indignant disciples deserved. He turned, in all the benignity of his character, and rebuking them, said, "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."* On the night on which our Lord instituted the ordinance of the supper; at a time when his disciples so unseasonably contended about superiority, what a lesson of humility and meekness did he give them! Having conversed with them about the difference between the kingdoms of this world, and the kingdom of grace, in which humility only could exalt the subject, he took a towel and girded himself; and having poured water into a bason, he washed his disciples feet. Having done this, he said unto them, "Know ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me Master and Lord: And ye say well: For so I am. If I. Luke ix. 55. 56. your then, your Lord and Master, have washed feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord: Neither he that is sent, greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things;-if ye understand these my instructions of humility and meekness; happy are ye if ye do them."* But the meekness and humility of Jesus, was more remarkably displayed towards Judas, than in his treatment of any other of his Apostles. Judas was a man wholly devoted to avarice; at all times ready to sacrifice every thing to the gratification of this inordinate passion. Yet, what was the conduct of his Master towards him? When Jesus, with his disciples, on a visit to Lazarus and his sisters, was sitting at supper, Mary, as an act of pious gratitude and respect, anointed his feet with costly ointment, and wiped them with her hair. Judas, beholding this act of the pious Mary, and, through his avarice, interpreting it into a wasteful extravagance, exclaimed, Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?" 66 Luke xxii. 24-30. and John xiii. 1-17. re And this he said," states the Apostle," not hat he cared for the poor; but because he vas a thief, and had the bag, and bare what vas put therein.” Behold the conduct of Jeus on this occasion! Did he reprove the irrogance of Judas, or reproach him with his varice? He did neither. He meekly and calmly replied, “Let her alone. Against the day of my burying hath she kept this. The poor ye always have with you; but me ye have not always."* Happy would it have been for Judas, had he profited by this mild reproof, so full of instruction. But he was too much under the dominion of his predominant passion, to learn wisdom from such tender admonition. A more fatal display of his disposition was yet to occur, in which he was to be forever branded with the hateful epithet of traitor; and in which the meekness of Jesus was to reign triumphant over the basest ingratitude, and most aggravated insult. Yielding to his fatal passion, he was yet to commit an act of the foulest treason. According to an arrangement made with his murderous confederates, Judas was to designate his Master, by saluting him with a kiss. This he ac * John xii. 1—8. cordingly did; and thus converted into a sig nal of the basest treachery, what in every age had been respected, as the emblem of homage and love. Yet what was the conduct of him, who was ever meek, and ever lowly in heart; who, when he was reviled, never reviled again? Did he upbraid the deluded Judas with his vile ingratitude? Not a word of severe rebuke, which such conduct so highly merited, was heard from his lips. He simply let the traitor know that he was not ignorant of his dark design, and that he was not to be deceived by his feigned appearance of benevolence. “Judas,” said he, "betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss ?"* 2. But let us witness the meekness and placability of disposition, which our Lord exercised towards his enemies. If he met with gentleness the inconsistency and absurdity of his friends: If the ingratitude and treachery of those whom he had taken to his bosom and his confidence, could not move his indignation to wrath, what are we to look for in his treatment of his enemies? He opposed mildness to their fury gentleness to their violence.When the Jews, filled with the rage of bigotry, were about to stone him, what did he do? * Luke xxii. He, who commanded the winds and the waves, did not call down the thunders of Heaven to blast them in their sinful folly, and to avenge his cause; but, with all the meekness of a defenceless lamb, he said; "Many good works have I shewn you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?"* And when he was arraigned before the High Priest; and an infuriated officer, in violation of all rule, and all usage, barbarously struck him with the palm of his hand, with what condescending mildness did he reprove him! "If I have spoken evil," said he, "bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" But it was while suspended upon the cross, in the midst of insults, and racked with torture, that this lovely and pious disposition of Jesus was most wonderfully displayed. It was when the railing accusations of slanderous tongues were uttered against him when the nails were piercing his hands and his feet; when his friends had forsaken him, and Jews and Romans were accomplishing his death, that the blessed Jesus chose neither to defend his innocence, nor to revenge his sufferings. Then that he chose rather, beyond all that had ever been heard of men, to set a lasting it was, : |