March 25

“Betray est thou the Son of Man with a hies?” — Luke xxii. 48.

HE kisses of an enemy are de.ccitful. Let me bo on my guard when the world puts on a loving face, fcr it will, if possible, betray me, as it did my Master, with. a kiss. Whenever a man is about to stab religion, he usually professes very great reverence for it. Let me beware of the sleek-faced hypocrisy which i« armor-bearer to heresy and infidelity. Knowing the deceivableness of unrighteousness, let me be wise as a serpent to detect and avoid the designs of the enemy. The young man, void of understanding, was led astray by the kiss of the strange woman: may my soul be so graciously instructed all this day, that “the much fair speech” of the world may have no effect upon me! Holy Spirit, let me not, a poor frail son of man, be betrayed with a kiss!

But what if I should be guilty of the same accursed sin as Judas, that son of perdition? I have been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus; I am a member of His visible Church; I sit at the communion table: all these are so many kisses of my lips. Am I sincere in them? If not, I am a base traitor. Do I live in the world as carelessly as others do, and yet make a profession of being a follower of Jesus? Then I must expose religion to ridicule, and lead men to speak evil of the holy name by which I am called. Surely if 1 act thus inconsistently, I am a Judas, and it were better for mc that I had never been born. Dare I hope that I am clear in this matter? Then, 0 Lord, keep me so. 0 Lord, make me sincere and true. Preserve me from every false way. Never let me betray my Saviour. I do love Thee, Jesus, and though I often grieve Thee, yet I would desire to abide faithful even unto death. 0 God, forbid that 1 should be a high-soaring professor, and then fall at last into the lake of fire, because I betrayed my Master with a kiss.