Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/170

 His holy  inspirations,  good  books,  sermons,  and  instructions! Endeavor, therefore,  to  know  the  time  of  your visitation. " To-day,  if  you  should  hear  His  voice, harden  not  your  hearts"  (Ps.  xciv.  8).,  but  follow  the  divine call. Deplore the  general  depravity  of  mankind, and especially  your  own.

I. Christ  might  have  been  delivered  into  the  hands  of the  Jews  by  various  ways,  but  for  His  greater  ignominy He would  be  sold,  and  that,  too,  by  His  own  disciple,  to teach  you  to  bear  with  false  brethren,  and  to  convince you that  there  is  no  state  nor  place  so  holy  as  to  exclude the danger  of  falling. Christ foreknew  that  it  would  be deemed  a  foul  disgrace  to  His  Apostolic  school;  he nevertheless  chose  Judas  for  an  Apostle  for  our  instruction. " In  that  point,"  observes  St.  Ambrose,  "  He  chose rather  to  have  His  judgment  called  in  question  by  us than  His  affection  for  us."

II. To what  excess  of  crime  does  the  spirit  of  avarice lead its  votaries! "What will  ye  give  me,  and  I  will  deliver  Him  unto  you?" (Matt. xxvi.  14.)  Ponder  who  it is  that  is  to  be  sold. The great  God  of  all  things. For how much? For thirty  pieces  of  silver,  for  which  a  laboring beast  could  hardly  have  been  procured. So vilely is the  Sovereign  of  the  world  undervalued! By whom  is He  sold? By His  own  disciple. To whom? To His mortal and  sworn  enemies. Compassionate your  insulted Lord, and  never  disdain  the  idea  of  being  treated  below your deserts  or  quality.

III. How often  have  you  sold  the  same  Lord  for  some smaller trifle,  some   transitory  pleasure,  some  sinful