VERS. XLVII.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
To kiss him.
OUR Saviour had to do with a frightful and terrifying Devil, but this Traytor seems possest with a tame and gentle one. He converses with the Apostles, and there is no token of a Devil dwelling in him. He is present at the Passover, at the Eu∣charist, and the very lips of Christ, and still no sign of Satan being his inmate. But when once the Devil hath done his work by thee, then Judas, take heed of thy Devil.
As to this treacherous contrivance of Judas, let us frame the most gentle opinion of it that the matter can bear. For instance, that he might perhaps think with himself, that it was not possible for Christ to be apprehended by the Jews, having already seen him working such stupendious miracles, and more than once strangely delivering himself from them. And be it further, that when he said to them, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he, lay hold of him. He said it scoffingly, as believing they could not be able to lay hold on him. Grant we, in a word, that when he saw him condemned he repented himself, ha∣ving never suspected that matters would have gone so far▪ presuming that Christ would easily have made his escapes from them, and himself should have got thirty pieces of sil∣ver by the bargain: Let us grant (I say) that this was his contrivance, and colour it over with as plausible excuses as we can; yet certainly was there never any thing could be more impiously done by mortal man, than for him thus to play with the Holy of holies, and endeavour to make merchandize of the Son of God. However, I suspect much worse things hatcht in the breast of this Traytor: viz. that Christ did really not please him, and with the great cheifs of that Nation though he supposed him the true Messiah: Yet not such ••n one as answered their carnal expectation.
The Rabbins dinstinguish between lawful kisses, and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 kisses of folly: Say∣ing that all kisses are kisses of folly excepting three n 1.1: which they there reckon up. But what kind of kiss was this? a kiss of folly? Alas it is too low and dwarfish a term for this gygantick monster.