About five years after they had been married, one morning in bed Judas’s shirt bosom lay open, when she saw under his left breast the marks he was born with; upon which she waked him in an agony, and told him the whole story of his birth, and the part she had acted therein. Judas heard this with wonder and astonishment, and on his part confessed to her the many crimes he had been guilty of; after which she desired him to depart from her, and seek mercy of God in another country; protesting she would never be carnally known to him any more.
Judas full of grief and remorse of conscience, left Joppa, and wandered about like a pilgrim, till he heard of a mighty prophet, called Jesus of Nazareth, in the land of Judea, who wrought many miracles, and wonderful works; to him he went, and liking his doctrine and seeing his miracles, he begged of our Lord to be admitted one of his followers: Our Saviour chose him to be one of his disciples, and gave him the charge of what money or provision he carried about with him. There is no evidence that his religious instructions, or his preaching the word, or miracles, were inferior to those of his brethren: but covetousness still reigned in his heart. Notwithstanding all this Judas could not forget his covetousness, for when Mary Magdalene brought a box of costly ointment, to anoint our dear Lord’s feet, at the house of Simon the Leper, Judas was highly offended thereat, because the value thereof was not put into his bag. But our Lord knowing his covetous and wicked heart, sharply rebuked him; at which he was so enraged, that he in revenge premeditated, and put into execution, the worst action of all his life, and going to the chief priests and elders, he said unto them, what will you give me, and I will betray him they call Jesus into your hands? And they agreed with him for thirty pieces of silver; or £3, 8s. 5d. English money.
The love of money is a rock
Which causes care and trouble,
And he that hasteth to be rich,
He makes his sorrows double.
Money’s a most alluring bait,
Conducive unto evil,
For this base Judas sold his God,
Himself unto the devil.