CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH ST. JOHN, CHAP. XII. 66 1. σε THEN Jefus, fix days before the paffover, came to Bethany, where "Lazarus was, which had been dead, "whom he raised from the dead. "2. There they made him a fupper; "and Martha ferved: but Lazarus was one of them that fat at the table with ❝ him. 66 3. Then took Mary a pound of oint "ment of spikenard, very coftly, and "anointed the feet of Jefus, and wiped "his feet with her hair; and the house "was filled with the odour of the oint "ment. 66 4. Then 4. Then faith one of his difciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's fon, which fhould betray him, "5. Why was not this ointment fold "for three hundred pence, and given to "the poor? "6. This he said, not that he cared for "the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. 66 7. Then faid Jefus, Let her alone: "against the day of my burying hath she "kept this. "8. For the poor always ye have with "you; but me ye have not always." We are here furnished with another inftance of the humility, love, and attention of Mary to our bleffed Lord, and of her difregard to expence, while it was to fhew him respect, or do him honor. Not fo thought Judas: the reigning paffion of his heart was avarice; a vice which poimind where it is admitted, and up the fource of every virtue. He fons dries every could not fee this wafte, as he termed it, without indignation; and, under the cloak of charity, condemned the conduct of Mary for extravagance; when his only regret, in fact, was, that he was prevented from appropriating a part of it to his own use; as he would have done, had the value of it been deposited in the poor's purse, of which he had the charge. The him of opportunities which this trust gave enriching himself at the expence of the poor, must have been his only inducement for following a master whose kingdom was not of this world, and who was even frequently deftitute of a place where to lay his head. It feems ftrange, nay fcarcely poffible, that one who was in daily habits of intercourse with our Lord, and was a witnefs of his miracles; who faw him feed five thousand people with five loaves and two fmall fishes; open open the eyes of the blind; give feet to the lame; cure all manner of diseases; and, above all, caufe the dead to arife from their grave and return to human fociety, fhould doubt doubt of his divine commiffion. Yet that Judas did not believe in our Saviour, but was only a nominal difciple, is evident from his conduct; for had he believed in him, he could never have strayed so widely from his precepts. This may ferve to fhew us the danger of encouraging evil habits: which, like noxious weeds, choak the good feed and render our minds unfit for the reception of the truth. It may also point out to us how weak and impotent is human reason, when unaffifted by the divine grace. Judas had rendered himself unworthy of the bleffing: he never folicited the divine grace; and therefore never felt it. When we reflect on the fatal confequences which followed, how careful ought we to be not to refift the holy fpirit of God in our hearts, left we also become castaways! Our Saviour reproves Judas, and defends the conduct of Mary: not that he was an encourager of extravagance; which, if not equally bad with avarice, is still a vice, as it deprives us of the power of Ggg 2 affifting affifting our diftreffed brethren, by fquan dering a property we hold in charge for them; but because Mary was actuated by a religious principle, and anointed him with this precious ointment preparatory to his burial, which fhe feems to have known to be at hand. They might always have the opportunity of exercising the virtue of charity objects of it were never wanting; but an opportunity of fhewing perfonal respect and honor to the Son of God, they were not much longer to enjoy. "9. Much people of the Jews, there"fore, knew that he was there; and they 66 66 came, not for Jesus' fake only, but that they might fee Lazarus alfo, whom he "had raised from the dead. 66 10. But the chief priests confulted, "that they might put Lazarus alfo to "death; 66 "11. Because that by reafon of him many of the Jews went away, and be "lieved on Jesus.” The |