222 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD they might take 3'efus by fubtilty, and kill him. But theylaid, Not on the feafi day, l there be an uproar among the people, Matt. xxvi. 1 -5. Our bleffed Saviour, with his difciples, repaired to Bethany in the evening, and entered the houfe of Simon the leper, pro- bably one who had experienced the healing efficacy of his power. But while he fat at meat, a woman, who had alto doubtlefs been an objea of his mercy, poured a box of precious ointment upon his head. This anion difpleafed the difciples, who knew their Mailer was not delighted with luxuries of any kind ; and therefore they rebuked the woman, imagining that it would have been more acceptable to the Son of God, if the ointment had been fold, and the money difiributed amongli the fons and daughters of poverty and afflibtion. But their benevolent Matter faid, that it had pleated the Divine Providence to order, that there fhould always be perfon in nece fitous circumftances, that the virtuous might never want occafions for exercifing their charity; but that thofe whodidnot now teftify their love to him would never more have an opportunity of doing it, as the time of his miniftry was near it's period, when the king of terrors fhould enjoy a fhort triumph overhis body ; and therefore this woman had feafonably anointed him for his burial. And to make them fenfible of their folly, in blaming the woman for this her token of love to him, he affured them, that her memory fhould live to the latefl period of time, and that the fhould be highly celebrated for this anion in every part of the world. But Judas Ifcariot, one of the twelve, having been more forward than the refl, in condemningthe woman, thought the rebuke was peçuliarly direaed to him. Stung with the guilt of his own confcience, he role from table, went immediately into the city, to the high-prieft's palace, where he ,found the whole council affembled. His paflion would not fuffer him to reflefl on the horrid deed he was going to com- mit ; be immediately promifed to betray into their hands his Lord and Mailer, for the paltry reward of thirty pieces of filver. Thus having engaged with the rulers ofIfrael, to put into their hands a perfon who had been long labouring for their falvatione and had often invited them in the moll pathetic manner, to embrace the benevolent terms of the gofpel offered by the Almighty, he fought an opportunity to betray him in the abfence of the mul- titude. Ye monfters in the human form, how could you plot fo deteflable a crime ! Surely, you have forgot how mercy, with her charming voice, fpake in all he ut- tered ! How did benevolence pour her ehoiceff ffores in all his llions ! Ye rulers of Ifrael, did ever compaffion look fo amiably foft, as in thofe melting tears, which (welled his eyes and poured down his cheeks, to foften your hard and ftony. beasts? Was itpoflible for patience to af- fume a form, fq lovely, as that fweetly winning condula, that endured the con= tradilaion of finners ; which befought the guilty not to die, and entreated the obfli- nate to be reconciled. The apoflate Judas was thus bargaining with the chief plats and elders, to betray his Mailer, while the benevolent Jesus was preparing to celebrate the paffover, before he fuffered, with his difciples. He was now going to finifh the mighty work for which he came into the world ; and there- fore would not neglela to fulfil the fmalleft part of the law of Mofes. He there- fore fent two of his difciples into the city, to prepare a lamb and make it ready, for eating the paffover ; telling them that they fhould . meet a man, bearing a pitcher of water, who would condu& them to his houle, and (hew them a large upper room furnithed, where they were to make ready for him. He, waswilling, in this laft tranf- alìì.ion, to convince his difciples, that he knew every thing which fhould befal him ; that his fufferings were all premeditated by the Almighty ; and that they were all fub- tnitted unto voluntarily, onhis ownaccount. As
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