And so much concerning Mary's Action: So much I mean as I fhall fay of it in this place; but there will be occafion of speaking a little more of it anon, when I come to speak of our Saviour's Apology for her.

I now go on to the Second Thing confiderable in the words, namely, the Offence that Judas took at Mary's Action, and the Exception which he made against it: Then faith one of his Difciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's fon, which Should betray him, Why was not this Oyntment fold for Three Hundred Pence, and given to the Poor? 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. In these words we have feveral Things.

Firft, A Defcription of the Person that took Offence at what Mary had done. Then faith one of his Difciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's fon, which should betray him.

Secondly, The Exception that he took at Mary's Action, and the pretended Ground or Reason thereof : Why was

not

not this Oyntment fold for Three Hundred Pence, and given to the Poor?

Thirdly, The true Reason of his excepting against her Action: This he faid, not that he cared for the Poor, but because he was a Thief, and bare the Bag, and what was put therein. I fhall fpeak a little of every of these.

And First, of the Description of the Perfon that took Offence at Mary's Action, and excepted against it. In the Defcription there are four Characters by which he is fet forth.

1. He is faid to have been one of Christ's Difciples. A Difciple he was that had learnt little from his Master's Teaching and holy Example. And fuch Disciples of Chrift there are, and ever will be, in the visible Church. No Congregation or Society of Chriftians is without fuch as profeffing themselves to be Followers and Difciples of Chrift, refufe to be taught or governed by him; fuch as would have a name that they live, but are dead, Rev. 3. 1. whỏ profess that they know God, but in their works they deny him, Tit. I. 16. If there were one fuch in Chrift's own retinue

retinue that confifted but of Twelve Perfons, what Society of Chriftians can pretend to that Purity, as to have no fuch Mixture. The Church Triumphant confists of fuch only as are true Saints, but the Church Militant is made up of fincere Christians and Hypocrites, Wife Virgins and Foolish, Matth. 25. 2. Good and Bad, Tares and Wheat, Matth. 13. 29, 30.

But how is it that St. John here Reports one of Chrift's Difciples to have taken this offence at Mary, whereas St. Matthew chargeth more of them with it. When his Difciples faw it, faith he, they bad Indignation, saying, to what purpose is this waste? Matth. 26. 8. And fo St. Mark much to the fame effect, Mark 14.4. There were fome that had Indignation within themselves. But this difference of the Evangelifts is eafily reconciled. Judas it feems was he that first began to take offence at Mary, and then fome of the rest of the Disciples did the like: and Judas from a wicked Principle; from his Covetous and Thievish Difpofition; but the other Disciples as we may Charitably fuppofe, in the fimplicity of their Hearts, and with no ill meaning. Wherefore though the

C c

Two

Two other Evangelifts mention the Dif ciples, yet St. John names Judas, and him only, because he was the principal Offender, and chiefly to be blamed.

The next Character of the Perfon that took offence at Mary, follows; Judas Ifcariot; Iscariot is added no doubt to diftinguish him from another Judas, namely Judas the Brother of James, another of the Twelve Difciples, Luke 6. 16. who was the fame with Lebbeus firnamed Thaddeus, Matth. 10. 3. But why this Judas fhould be called Ifcariot is uncertain. I might be large in rehearsing the feveral conjectures of Learned Men concerning it, but it would fcarce be worth the while to do it, and therefore I forbear to trouble you with them.

The third Character given him is, that he was Simons Son; and by this again he was distinguished from the other Judas. What is here faid of him was ignominous and reproachful, and therefore by all these Characters the Evangelift provides that the reproach might stick to the Perfon to whom it did belong, and not by any mitake light upon another. Whence we may learn how careful we ought to be, as at any time there may be just

caufe

cause of reporting things of a reproachful Nature, fo to distinguish Perfons, as the innocent may not fuffer. Through want of the Evangelifts exact care this way, it often comes to pass that the miscarriages of one Perfon are afcribed to another, and in common Fame which ftays not to enquire into things, and examine them, he often fuffers most that least deserved it, or perhaps that did not at all deserve it.

The Fourth and Laft Character is, that it was he that should betray Christ, and afterwards did. A Character very pertinently and seasonably added in this place; to intimate to us by what fteps and degrees of Wickedness he at length proceeded to act that horrid and execrable Villany. The Devil made Choice of a fit Inftrument to be imployed in that his Service; he made use of one whom he had been long a Training up for fuch a Diabolical imployment. He had taught him to play the Thief already, and that qualified him to play the Traytor in the end. For the fame bitter Root of Covetousness that disposed him to the one, put him upon the other. Had it not been for his inordinate Love of Money, he had Cc 2 nei