pro L Flacco that many haue friendly and familiar countenances that haue angrie and wrathfull minds and is there not often hidden displeasure where there is open flattery This is a very odious and an abhominable thing c Tuta frequesque via est per amici faâ—ere nomen Tuta frequensque licet sit via crime habet Salomon compareth him that vnder pretence of friendship is an enemie vnto a potshard ouerlaid with siluer drosse Prou 26.23 And Dauid saith that his enemies came about him like Bees Psal 118.12 and very fitly as one obserueth because the Bee hath sweet honey in her mouth and a venomous sting in her taile Yea and such kinde of persons are most dangerous taking away the vse of humane societie For how can a man liue and conuerse safely with that man that bloweth both hot and cold as the Satyre said d Altera manu fâ—rt lap dem altera ostentat panem Pâ—aut Aulular that carieth fire in the one hand and water in the other Though a man be neuer so wary and circumspect yet he can hardly in this case auoide danger e Nullae sunt occultiores Insidiae quam â—e quae latent in simulatione officij aut in aliquo necessitudinis nomine Nam cam qui palam est aduersarius facile cauendo vitare poâ—sts hoc verò occultum intestinum ac domesticum malum non â—â—do tion existit verumetiam opprimit antequam perspiccré atque explorare potueris Cic. in Verr. lib. 1. For there is none more secret and hidden trechery then that which is cloked with pretence of friendship An open aduersarie may easily bee shunned but this close mischiefe will oppresse a man before he can perceiue it As Dauid saith of his enemies Surely mine enemie did not defame me for I could haue borne it neither did mine aduersarie exalt himselfe against mee for I would haue hid mee from him But it was thou O man my guide and my familiar c. Psal 55.12.13 By this meanes it commeth to passe that a man cannot tell whom to trust f Non hospes ab hospite tutus Non socer a genero Ouid. Metam lib. 1. If there bee falshood in fellowship it is not safe for any man to trust his friend Yea hee must keepe the dores of his mouth from her that lyeth in his bosome Mich. 7.5 This doctrine serueth to admonish euery one of vs Vse to take heede of this sinne As we desire to approue our selues to be members of the Church in this life and heires of Gods Kingdome afterwards we must speake the truth in our hearts Psal 15.2 We may not pretend loue to any man in word and in tongue only but we must loue in deede and in truth Especially 1. Ioh 3.18 we must keepe all bonds of friendship inuiolable with those that trust vs and relie vpon vs. Then when he saw that he was condemned Aquinas in locü. Aquinas moueth a question how Iudas could see this when as yet Christ was not condemned For Pilate had not yet examined him much lesse pronounced sentence against him But hee answereth out of Origen that hee easily saw what the end would bee because hee perceiued Vers 1.2 that the chiefe Priests and Elders had taken counsell to put him to death and for that purpose had deliuered him to the Deputy Now when he saw the matter was come to this passe then he beganne to repent himselfe of that he had done It is like that he thought before that Christ might escape and that there was no danger of death But now seeing indeed what the issue would be his conscience is troubled and his heart beginneth to smite him Hee could neuer before see the hainousnesse of his sinne till hee saw that this was the end of his treason that so innocent a person should be put to death And now at the last comming to himselfe he beginneth with sorrow and griefe to waigh the enormitie of his fact and to be displeased with himselfe for it * Doctrine Mens eies are blinded before the coÌ„mitting of sinne and opened afterward Where we may obserue the craft and subtilty of the Deuill that he dazeleth mens eies and blindfolds them that they cannot see the foulenesse of their sinnes till hee haue brought them whether he would but afterward when it is too late he letteth them see what they haue done a Non permittit Diabolus cas qui non vigitant videre malum antequam persiciant Aquinas in locum First he extenuateth a mans sins to draw him on the more easily but afterward he aggrauareth them and maketh them appeare out of measure sinnefull hee seduceth them with a false perswasion as though either no hurt at all or at least not much hurt would follow vpon their sinnes b Malè humanis ingenijs natura consuluit quod plerunque noÌ„ futura sed transacta perpendimus Qu. Curtius lib. 8. Yea there is euen in nature a disposition neuer to waigh the issue of a thing throughly till it be done and past Which being furthered by the Deuill must needes be so much the worse Hence was it that Iudas neuer saw the hainousnesse of his bloudy thoughts against his Master till he was condemned otherwise he would neuer haue done so cruell a deede He had often heard from our Sauiour Christ himselfe that hee must be betrayed and deliuered into the hands of the high Priests and by them be crucified He had heard a grieuous woe denounced against him that should betray him Mat. 26.24 that it had beene good for that man if he had neuer beene borne But the Deuill soone extinguished the remembrance of these things and made them no better then a tale told to a deafe man No doubt he made him beleeue that Christ should neuer be put to death but that hee might enrich himselfe with the money and yet his Master should do well enough He perswaded him that either his owne innocencie would acquite him when he should be brought to his trial or else if his enemies should be so malicious as to condemne him without cause yet by his diuine power he could easily when he listed Mat. 8.26 Luke 8.29.30 rescue himselfe out of their hands It was not likely that he that with a word could still the raging of the Sea and with a word could cast out a legion of Deuils would suffer mortall men to preuaile so farre as to put him to death Besides he had had experience of Christs power in this case When the men of Nazareth Luke 4 29.30 offended at his preaching thought to cast him head-long from the top of an hill hee passed through the midst of them and went his way Yea when himselfe with a rabble of Souldiers came to apprehend him in the garden Joh. 18.6 hee did but speake a word and they all went backward and fell to the ground But now perceiuing contrary to his opinion
in their sins nor cast them off when they fall but mercifully putteth vnder his hand Psal 37.24 as Dauid saith Last of all wee haue here a liuely patterne of true and sound repentance for our direction in the like case All which are most necessarie to be knowne and therefore the Holy Ghost would haue the Story related by all the Euangelists As then it hath pleased the Lord to vse such diligence in setting it down so let vs vse the like diligence in attending to it for our benefit and edification And that we may proceed orderly in the handling thereof let vs consider Two generall partes 1. His falwhere 1. The occasion of it 1. The place the high Priestes Hall 2. The Persons 1. A maide ver 69. 2. Another maide v. 71. 3. The standers by v. 73 2. The sinne it selfe 1. Propounded he denied 2. Amplified 1. By the maner openly Before them all v. 70. 2. By the degrees of it 1. A bare deniall or a dissembling ve 70. 2. An Oath ver 72. 3. An imprecatioÌ„ he cursed himself if euer he knew Christ v. 74. 2. His Repentance whereof afterward Peter sate without c. It was a dutie of pietie in the Apostle Peter to follow his Master to this place and a great argument of his loue towardes him aboue all his fellowes For it is said before in this Chapter verse 58. that howsoeuer Peter followed a farre off yet hee came after to the high Priests hall and went in and sate with the seruants to see the end It was an honest affection in him that he did not hide himselfe as the other Disciples did verse 56. Who all forsooke their Master and fled but did earnestly desire to see what the issue would bee and what would become of Christ All this I say was commendable in the Apostle But because our Sauiour had forewarned him of the weaknesse of his nature and had plainely told him that before the cocke crowe he should denie him thrice he should rather haue kept himselfe close in some secret place then thus to offer and expose himselfe to temptation and to the occasions of sinne He could not but know that euery body would obserue and take notice of him aboue all the rest because he had bin such a tickler in his Masters quarrell and had cut off one of their eares with his sword that came to apprehend him And besides he had alwayes accompanied his Master whether soeuer he went and therefore there was no hope that he should escape vnknowne Doct. 1. We must carefully auoide all occasions of sinne From hence then wee learne for our first instruction that he that would preserue himselfe from sin must carefully auoid all the occasions thereof It is a true saying He that would no euill doe must doe nothing that belongs thereto The occasion in euery thing is a great matter The occasion of good preuaileth much to draw men to good and the occasion of euill to drawe them to euill euen when before the occasion bee offered there is no great desire to either of them But especially occasions to euill are most forcible The reason is first because of our selues we are so prone to euill Our nature is like drie wood which is apt to kindle assoone as euer fire is put to it So giue a man the least occasion and presently he yeeldeth to sinne There is no speedier coniunction of fire and gunpowder or of fire and towe or tinder or any other such combustible thing then ther is between our corrupt nature and sinne vpon the least occasion vnlesse the grace of God doe preuent it There needeth no Deuill to tempt vs Nemo laeditur nisi à se Nihil mihi contrarium est nisi ego ipse Mecum est quiquied mihi nocere potest Bern. Med. c. 11. let but any occasion be offered and we straight way become tempters to our selues It is a true saying No man is hurt but by himselfe The Diuell and all the Diuels in hell could not preuaile against vs if our owne hartes by yeelding to euery occasion of sin did not betray vs. And this is that which the Apostle Iames saith Euery man is tempted Jam. 1.14 when hee is drawne away and entised by his owne concupiscence Wee harbour a secret enemie in our owne bosomes without which wee could not so easily be ouercome As wee see in our Sauiour Christ who saith of himselfe Iohn 14.30 Diabolus plus confidit in adiutorio carnis quoniam magis nocet domesticus hostis Illa verò ad subuersionem meam â—um illo faedus inijt Bern. Med. cap. 15. Iam. 5.11 that the Prince of this world came to him but he found nothing in him The Diuell tempted and assaulted him with might and maine but because there was no corruption in his nature to worke vpon he could not preuaile Yea holy Iob against whom Heauen and earth might seeme to conspire so long as he hurt not himselfe by impatiency hee was not hurt by all his afflictions but rather became more famous thereby being set forth as a patterne of patience to all posterity So would it be with vs were it not that we are as ready to lay hold vpon euery occasion of sin as the Diuel or the world is to offer the same vnto vs. The truth of this point appeareth in many examples in the Scriptures Gene. 3.6 Euah the Mother of vs all had no sooner an occasion of sin offered her by the beholding the fairenesse of the forbidden fruit but presently shee consented to the suggestions of the Serpent Neither did this corruption rest in her Gene. 6.2 but it hath likewise ouerspread all her posteritie When the sonnes of God saw the daughters of men that they were faire they tooke themselues wiues of all that they liked Gene. 39.6.7 Iosephs Mistris no sooner casther eyes vpon Ioseph and sawe that he was a faire person and welfauoured but straight shee intised him to commit folly with her Gene. 34.1.2 VVhen Dinah the daughter of Iacob in a curious humour beganne to walke out to see the daughters of that countrie though it is like shee went not with any such purpose yet occasion being offered she lost her virginitie Iosh 7.21 VVhen Achan sawe in the spoile a goodly Babylonish garment and two hundred shekels of siluer and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels waight presently he coueted them and tooke them Yea Dauid a man otherwise after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13.14 assoone as euer he saw Bathsheba washing her selfe 2. Sam. 11.2.3.4 by and by lusted after her Diabolus dum decipere quenquam quaerit prius naturam vniuscuiusque intendit inde se applicat vnde hominem aptum ad peccatum inspexerit Bern. de ordine vitae sent for her and lay with her So violent is mans corrupt nature in apprehending euery occasion that may drawe him to sinne Againe
euery day Besides all those spirituall blessings Ephes 1.3 wherewith hee hath blessed vs in heauenly things in Christ Iesus All which as the Prophet calleth them Hos 11.4 are so many bonds of loue whereby the Lord laboureth to drawe and allure vs vnto him As parents labour to winne their young children by promising and bestowing gifts vpon them so dealeth the Lord with vs knowing our weaknesse hee doth as it were woe vs by many benefits Hos 2.8 Ezech. 16.8.9 And therefore Moses telleth the people of Israel that the end why God bestowed so many and so great benefits vpon them was this Deut. 10.12 that they should loue the Lord with all their heart and with all their soule And Nathan being sent to Dauid after his adulterie vpbraideth him with the great kindnesse which the Lord had shewed him Namely that God had annointed him King ouer Israel 2. Sam. 12.7.8 and had deliuered him out of the hand of Saul And had giuen him his Lords house and his Lords wiues in to his bosome c. And would if that had beene too little haue giuen him much more and therefore his vnthankfulnesse was the greater to trespasse so hainously against so good and mercifull a God 1. King 14.7.8 So doth Ahijah the Prophet vpbraide Ieroboam that whereas God had exalted him from among the people and made him Prince ouer his people Israel c. Hee notwithstanding rebelled against him Thirdly the corrections and chastisements which God layeth vpon vs. As the Lord himsele tolde Dauid saying Psa 89.30.31.32 If thy children forsake my lawe and walke not in my iudgments c Then will I visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes And Iob saith that the Lord openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections whâ—ch he hath sealed Job 33.16 Whensoeuer God layeth any rod vpon our backes either in our one persons in our bodies in our goods or in our names or in our wiues and children or any other that are deare vnto vs it is for this end that feeling the smart we may humble our selues vnder his hand And whensoeuer our stubbornesse driueth the Lord to take this course with vs it is not without his great griefe As the Prophet bringeth him in reasoning and debating the matter with the people of Israel How saith he shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim Hos 11.8 how shall I deliuer thee o Israel how shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are rouled together We see how the Lord is perplexed in himselfe when the sinnes of his people stirred vp his displeasure He cannot tell what course to take On the one side the hainousnesse of their sinnes prouoked him to punish them yea to destroy them as once hee did Sodom and Gomorrah and the Cities about them but on the otherside his Fathers loue and tender compassion moued him to holde his hand and to stay his iudgements His mercy did striue against their wickednesse And when indeed he had brought euill vpon them and deliuered them vp vnto the power of their enemies Iudg. 10.16 it is said that his soule was grieued for the misery of Israel as a tender hearted Father many times correcteth his sonne when the teares stand in his owne eyes And therefore these also may bee called bondes of loue For they doe not proceed from the wrath of God neither are they any tokens of his displeasure No he hath promised that though hee whippe and scourge his children peraduenture sometimes till the bloud followe their stubbernesse so requiring it yet his mercy he will neuer take away from them Psal 89.33 And the Apostle saith that whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth Heb. 12.6.11 and scourgeth euery sonne that he receiueth And howsoeuer for the present it be not ioyous but grieuous yet if wee haue grace to submitte our selues vnto it it bringeth with it the quiet fruit of righteousnesse Yea therefore doth the Lord nurture and Discipline vs here with one rod or other that wee may not bee damned with the wicked world 1. Cor. 11.32 Fourthly priuate and gentle admonitions either by a mans friends or any other that haue authoritie ouer him as the Magistrate in the common-wealth the Minister in the Church the father or Master in the family And this our Sauiour Christ sheweth when he saith that if a man vse a kinde admonition to his brother in priuare Mat. 18.15 if it bee done with godly discretion and holy grauitie it may bee a meanes to winne him Iam. 5.20 And Saint Iames saith that if a man by good counsell shall conuert a sinner from going astray he shal be an instrument to saue his soule Dauid knew the benefite of this full well and therefore hee so much desireth it Psal 141.5 Let the righteous smite me saith he for that is a benefit let him reproue me and it shal be a precious oyle c. Fiftly the reuilings and backbitings of a mans enemies which howsoeuer they proceede of malice in them and a desire to reuenge Amor caecutit in eo quod amat yet there may bee a good vse made of them For our friends either for the loue they beare vs doe not see our faults or if they doe in a kind of nicenesse they dissemble them and will not reproue them Sicut amici adulantes peruertunt sic inimici plerumque litigantes corrigunit Aug. confes lib. 9 Iob. 31.36 But our enemies will not halt with vs in this case but will aggrauate all our faults against vs as much as they can And though peraduenture wee bee not guilty of that particular crime which they charge vs withall but that with Iob wee may take it vpon our sholders and weare it as a crowne yet it may bee we are faultie in other things which God would chastise in vs by this meanes 2. Sam. 16.7.11 And this vse did Dauid make of Shemei his rayling against him For howsoeuer that hee most vniustly accused him to haue beene a bloudy man against the house of Saul yet Dauid bad let him alone For the Lord had bidden him doe that he did Sixtly the publike iudgements which God exerciseth in the world Though peraduenture we feele them not our selues yet if we either see them or heare of them they are so many warning peales to call vs to repentance as the Prophet saith Isa 26.9 Seeing thy iudgements are in the earth the inhabitants of the world shall learne righteousnesse Last of all the inward motions which the holy Ghost raiseth vp in vs and the good desire which God putteth into our hearts 2. Sam. 24.10 As we see when Dauid had sinned God caused his owne heart to smite him And therefore he saith that the Lord did giue him counsell Psal 16.7 and caused his reines to teach him in
though there be an Hyperbolicall excesse of speech for it is not possible for men to fill buckets with teares nor to cause themselues to swimme in their beds yet it signifieth that there was an exceeding great and vnspeakeable measure of griefe a Cura dolorque animi lacrymaque alimenta fuere Ouid. Met. li. 10 Againe he saith his teares were his meate day and night Psal 42.3 And in an other place hee saith hee was bowed and crooked together and made euen blacke with mourning all the day Psal 38.6 hee was naturally of a very good complexion ruddie and of a good countenance and comely visage 1. Sam. 16.12 but his continuall mourning had so changed bim as if he had beene disfigured with sickenesse Isa 38.3 And good Iosiah that his very heart did melt within him for griefe And that poore penitent woman in the Gospell 2. King 22 19. Luke 7.38 shed such plenty of teares as she washed our Sauiour Christs feet with them And indeed it is no small measure of sorrow that is sufficient in respect of the greatnesse of our sins For if we had an hundred eies and should weepe them all out and if wee had a thousand hearts and they should all breake a sunder with remorse and sorrow for our sinnnes it were too little b Lacrymae nobis doerunt antequam causae dolendi Senec. de breuit vitae and we should sooner want teares then matter of mourning Neither must this sorrow bee onely for feare of punishment For such kind of sorrow proceedeth from selfe loue and may bee in the reprobate As wee see in Saul Ahab Iudas and others In regard whereof the Lord told the Iewes that when they fasted and humbled themselues they did it not to him neither did he approue it Zech 7.5 But this sorrow must onely bee for the displeasure of God And therefore the Apostle calleth it godly sorrow 2. Cor. 7.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a sorrow according to God namely such a sorrow as respecteth no other thing but this that a man hath by his sinnes displeased and offended so good a God and so mercifull a Father And indeed Estque pati paenam quam meruisse minus Ouid. de Ponto to an ingenuous nature it is a greater griefe to deserue them to suffer punishment As appeareth plainely in the example of Dauid and other of Gods children But wee shall haue occasion to speake more of this point when wee come to intreat of the repentance of Iudas Last of all this sorrow must not be for a time Stella in Luc. 22.26 but it must be perpetuall Stella reporteth of the Apostle Peter vpon what ground or by what authoritie I knowe not that in all the rest of his life it was his manner to rise out of his bed euery night at the crowing of the cocke and to spend the time till morning in prayer weeping so abundantly that his face was withered with teares Whether this bee true or no it is not much materiall But howsoeuer wee are to knowe that forasmuch a Est paenitentia assiduè peccantibus assiduè necessaria Aug. de vera falsa panit cap 8. as wee sinne euery day therefore repentance is necessary euery day b Quid praeter plorare restat quid nisi semper dolere in vita vbi enim dolor finitur deficit paenitentia ibid cap. 13. And indeed what can a man doe in regard of his manifold sinnes but weepe and mourne all his life for where sorrow ceaseth there repentance faileth c Sit paenitentia continua amara comes aetatis meae Aug. de contrit cordis in oratione ad finem Psal 6.6 Iere. 9.1 And therefore let vs make repentance a continuall and sorrowfull companion vnto vs through our whole life as Dauid did who did not onely weepe now and then for his sinnes but it was his continuall practise Eeuery night he caused his bed to swimme And the Prophet Ieremie wisheth that he could weepe day and night for the sinnes of his people Much more no doubt would he doe it for his owne sinnes And as there is required this sorrow for sinnes past and present so there must bee also a forsaking of sin for the time to come As wee doe not read that euer this Apostle denyed his Master any more after this but as it is euident in the Acts hee was most bolde and constant in confessing him and his truth euen to the beardes of the greatest enemies thereof It is not sufficient for vs to bee inwardly sorrowfull but withall wee must put away our sinnes and testifie the inward repentance of our heartes by the outward reformation of our liues a Frustra dolemus praeterita nisi iusta accedat emendatio Aretius proble loc 34. de paeuit Nay it is in vaine for vs to bewaile our sinnes past vnlesse there follow a due amendment afterwardes As Bernard writ to Eugenius the Pope b Non ambigo te quoque ista deplorare at frustrà istud si non emendare studueris Bern. de Considerat l. 1 I make no question saith hee but thou bewailest these things but that is to no purpose vnlesse thou doest also labour to reforme them c Vera confessio vera paenitentia est quaendo sic paenitet hominem peccasse vt crimen non repetat Bern. de cons aedif ca. 53. And therefore hee describeth true repentance to bee this when a man so repenteth that he hath sinned as he will doe so no more And in his meditations hee hath a sweet saying to this purpose d Verus penitens semper est in labore dolore Dolet de praeteritis laborat pro futuris eauendis Sic plangit commissa vt non cōmittat plangenda Jrrisor enim est non verus paenitens qui adhuc agit quod paeniteat Sergiò vis esse verus paenitens cessa a peccato noli amplius peccare quoniam inanis est paenitentia quam sequens coinquinat culpa Meditat. cap. 4. A man saith hee that truely repenteth is alwayes in labour and sorrow hee is sorrowfull for his sinnes past and laboureth to take heed of sin to come he doth so bewaile the sinnes he hath committed as he will no more commit things that are to be bewailed For he is but a mocker and not truly penitent that still doth that whereof hee repenteth If therefore thou wilt be a true penitent person cease from sinne and sinne no more for that repentance is vaine which after-sinnes doe defile e Si permanent opera frustra voce assumitur paenitentia Mag. sentent lib. 4. Dist 15. G. Yea so long as a mans former euill deedes doe remaine it is in vaine for him to talke of repentance f Qui agit penitentiam non solum diluere lacrymis debet peccatum suum sed etiam emendatioribus factis operiro tegere delicta superiora vt
the Apostle Peter and as in his fall wee haue seene the Image of a greiuous sinner so in this wee haue seene the picture of a true Conuert Many will fall with Peter and other of Gods children but they will not rise with them by repentance These men deceiue themselues such examples as this will doe them no good Thou seest that Peter was as ready to repent of his sinnes as he was to commit them Let me say to thee as our Sauiour Christ said to one in another case Luke 10.37 Ipsi Petro statim dimisit quia amarissimè sleuit Et tu si amarissimè fleas Christus ad te respiciet culpa discedet Ambros Ser. 46. Luke 13.3 Goe and doe thou likewise then may the comfort of this example appertaine vnto thee If thou canst weepe bitterly with Pettr and forsake thy sinnes as hee did then God will haue mercy vpon thee as well as vpon him Otherwise that sentence of our Sauiour Christ remaineth true Except ye repent ye shall all perish Now howsoeuer there be not any plaine story of Peters repentance either in the Gospels or in the Acts besides this mention of his teares yet it is most certaine that hee did truely and vnfainedly repent Our Sauiour assured him of it before his fall when hee said I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luke 22.32 Againe as here hee denyed Christ thrice a Quia dominum tertiò negauerat tertiò confitetur quoties culpam delinquendo contraxerat toties gratiam diligendo conquirit Qui ante lacrymas praeuaricator extitit post lacrymas pastor assumptus est alios regendos accepit qui prius se non rexit Ambros ibid. Marke 16.7 so after his resurrection hee confesseth him as oft And hee that before became a reuolter is now made a Pastor of the Church And the woman to whome the resurrection of Christ was first made knowne are commaunded by the Angell to goe and tell Peter by name that as he was most afflicted by reason of his sinne so he might be most comforted Besides the holy Ghost hath vsed him as a penman in writing the sacred Scriptures which he would neuer haue done if hee had continued impenitent And therefore let our repentance be vnfained as his was and we shall obtaine the pardon of our sinnes as hee did THE REPENTANCE OF IVDAS MAT. 27.3.4.5 3 Then Iudas which betrayed him when hee saw that hee was condemned repented himselfe and brought againe the thirtie peices of siluer to the cheife Priests and Elders 4 Saying I haue sinned in betraying the innocent bloud But they sayd what is that to vs see thou to it 5 And when he had cast downe the siluer peices in the Temple he departed and went and hanged himselfe WE haue handled before the repentance of the Apostle Peter in whose conuersion we haue seene a notable token of Gods mercy towardes repentant sinners We are now to intreat of the repentance of the traytour Iudas in whose wretched end wee haue a fearefull example of Gods wrathfull iudgement against wicked hypocrites In the former chapter the Euangelist hath declared the obstinate and wilfull malice of this damnable traytour namely how first of all hee conspired with the high Priests Vers 14.15.16 and compacted with them for a summe of money to deliuer his Master treacherously into their hands And afterwardes when our Sauiour made it known to his disciples that one of them should betray him how impudently he carried himselfe not once blushing at the matter Vers 25. but setting as good a face on it as any of the rest and lightly passing by the good admonition that our Sauiour gaue him not suffering it to preuaile with him to repentance or to bring him to any detestation of his fact Vers 47. And last of all how he came as the Captaine and leader of that rabble of souldiers that were sent to apprehend him Vers 49. and how with a false kisse in token of friēdship he betrayed him into their hands And now in this chapter hee setteth out his miserable end well beseeming so vile and wicked a life And he describeth it very diligently First because it serueth to illustrate and set out the innocency of our Sauiour Christ and also that it may bee an example to others wherein it may appeare what an end they are to looke for that are not afraid for loue of money to betraye the knowne truth And therefore it shall not be vnprofitable throughly to discusse that which the Euangelist hath written concerning Iudas In whose repentance there are many good thinges to bee seene though it want the cheife and principall namely faith in Christ Iesus which onely if if it had beene added we should scarce haue found so notable an example of repentance in all the Scriptures For in outward appearance it excelleth the repentance of Peter by many degrees But for our better direction in the profitable handling of it let vs consider in it Two generall parts 1. His repētāce where 1. The circumstances of it viz. 1. The person described 1. By his name Iudas 2. By the hainousnes of his sinne that betraied him viz. Iesus 2. The time when it was too late viz. When he saw that he was condemned 2. The parts of it which are three 1. His contrition Hee repented himselfe 2. His confession which is first in order though set after And it is 1. Propounded viz. he confessed his particular sinne I haue sinned in betraying innocent bloud 2. Amplified by the answere of the high Priest What is that to vs See thou to it 3. His satisfaction wher 1. He brought againe the money he had receiued 2. When they would not take it he cast it downe in the Temple 2. His miserable end where 1. His preparation to it He departed viz. into some secret and solitarie place 2. The manner of it He hanged himselfe Iudas This is the first thing to bee considered according to the order propounded to wit his name Iudas which was one of the twelue Which affordeth vnto vs this first instruction namely Doctrine No outward thing can mak a man a good Christian with out inward sincerity that no outward thing can make a man a good Christian without the inward sincerity of the heart It is not a mans calling though neuer so diuine and honourable it is not his company though neuer so godly it is not his learning though neuer so great it is not his ciuill honesty though he carry himselfe so as no man can iustly blame him it is not any other priuiledge in the world that can commend a man to God vnlesse withall he be sincere and sound hearted Iudas here had all these and yet we see he is a damnable hypocrite For his calling he was an Apostle as St. Peter saith Act. 1.17 He was numbred with vs and obtained fellowship in this ministration
Knights of the Post who for a small matter may be hired to giue testimonie any way of that which they neuer knew Thus we see what a spawne of sinne is engendred of this one vice of couetousnesse Besides euery calling both in Church and commonwealth is corrupted with it For Ministers I feare me we may ouer iustly renue the complaint of Bernard d Ipsa quoque Ecclesiasticae dignitatis officia in turpem quaestum transiere nec in his animarum falus sed lucrum quaeritur diuitiarum Jn ps 91. serm 5. Ezech. 34.3 that the duties of the Ecclesiasticall dignity are turned into filthy lucre and they seeke not the saluation of soules but the gaine of riches We haue too many that care more to eate the fat and cloth themselues with the wooll then to feede the flocke committed vnto them Insomuch as there is a very reprochfull prouerbe spoken of our calling and I would none of vs had giuen occasion of it That if couetousnesse were lost it would be found in blacke coates And are not many of our Magistrates like the sonnes of Samuel 1. Sam. 8.3 that turned aside after lucre and tooke rewards and peruerted iudgement Doe not many of them loue gifts and follow after rewards Isa 1.23 5.23 that they cannot iudge the fatherlesse c. Doe they not many times iustifie the wicked for a reward and take away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him Amos. 5.12 And doe they not oppresse the poore in the gate Let a man that is neuer so wicked take a gift out of his bosome and may hee not with many Officers of iustice wrest the waies of iudgement Prou. 17.23 as Salomon saith b Pecuniosum hominem quamnis fit nocens neminem posse danari Cic. in Verrem Proem primae act Ierem. 5.27 2. Pet. 2.15 Isa 5.8 Act. 1.19 Nay may not that auncient prouerbe bee renued againe That a Money-man can hardly bee cast in his cause though it bee neuer so badde And is it not true of many that the Prophet spake of some such in his time that as a Cage is full of Birdes so are their houses full of Bribes and of the wages of vnrighteousnesse whereby they are become great and waxen rich ioyning house to house and land to land But let them take heede that their fields proue not like that which was bought with Iudas his money Aceldama euen a field of bloud And as couetousnesse preuaileth with Magistrates so also with all sorts of people It maketh Landlords rack their rents so vnmercifully that the poore Tenant cannot liue in any comfortable sort It maketh Lawyers defend many bad causes and set faire colours on false matters to delude the right It maketh tradesmen to vse false ballances Micah 6.11 and deceitfull waights which are abhomination to the Lord Prou. 11.1 or if they haue true waights yet to falsifie them by deceit Amos. 8.5.6 Yea to make the Ephah that is the measure small and the shekel that is the price great and to sell euen the refuse of their wares So true is that saying of Ecclesiasticus Eccles 10.9 There is nothing worse then a couetous man there is not a more wicked thing then to loue money for euen such an one would sell his soule And therefore to make vse of this doctrine Vse Math. 7.17 let vs be admonished to bee out of loue with this corrupt tree which bringeth forth such euill and cursed fruit Let vs follow the counsell of our Sauiour Christ Take heede Luke 12.16 and beware of couetousnesse And as much as lyeth in vs let all our conuersation bee free from it Coll. 3.5 But because it is an hereditary euill bred in the bone and therefore will hardly out of the flesh We must vse all holy meanes to mortifie and subdue it that it may not haue Dominion ouer vs Especially Psal 119.36 wee must continually vse the prayer of Dauid Incline my heart vnto thy testimonies and not to couetousnesse Betrayed him The qualitie of Iudas his sinne is treason euen high treason against the King of glory Christ Iesus A sinne most hainous if wee consider the circumstances of it Mat. 16.16 Hee knew that Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God as Peter had confessed him Hee had heard many sweete and gracious Sermons of our Sauiour wherein many terrible iudgements were denounced against sinne and many comfortable promises made to them that repent He kept company with Christ and saw his kindnesse towards all his Disciples He was imployed in as honourable a calling as any of the rest Mat. 26 21 25. John 13.26.27 6.70 as we haue heard before In a word Christ had diuerse times admonished him and vsed meanes to bring him to repentance and yet all this could not keepe him from betraying his Master whom he should haue loued and his God in whom hee should haue beleeued Doct. No sinne so hainous but an hypocrite may fal into it VVhereby wee are taught that there is no sinne so hainous nor so grieuous but an hypocrite may fall into it If a man in hypocrisie make much of one sinne though neuer so small he is easily drawne to any sinne if occasion be offered Gene. 4.8 If the heart be not found the Deuill will preuaile with a man in whatsoeuer hee list Kain being an hypocrite how easily was he brought to a most unnaturall sinne euen to embrue his handes in his brothers bloud Marke 6.27 Herod counterfeiting onely a loue to the word was soone brought to put innocent Iohn Baptist to death Acts 5.1.2.3 Ananias and Saphira pretending holinesse which they neuer had did most impudently lye against the holy Ghost So Iudas in this place Nothing at all could doe good on him They that of purpose came to apprehend Christ returned conuerted by his doctrine affirming to the high Priestes Iohn 7.45.46 that man neuer spake like him But this hypocrite nothing could moue It is reported of Darius Aelian var. Hist lib. 6. cap 14. that when some of no meane place about him had conspired to kill him as hee was an hunting hee was not a whit afraid but commaunded them to bend their weapons against him and looking sternely vpon them he asked them why they did not execute that they came for But they when they saw his vndaunted courage did not onely leaue off their enterprise but also were so stricken with feare that they cast away their speares and alighting from their horses with all humilitie yeelded themselues vnto his mercy Our Sauiour Christ did more to Iudas and yet coul not reclaime him Iohn 13.27 For after hee had vndertaken to betraye him hee putteth him in minde of the greuiousnesse of the fact and biddeth him to doe quickly what hee meant to doe And when hee came to put his treason in execution Mat. 26.50 hee spake to him in the mildest manner that
could bee Friend saith he wherefore art thou come And againe when hee came neere to him to kisse him Iudas saith he Luke 22.48 betrayest thou the Son of man with a kisse words which might haue broken an heart of Adamant and yet they could not mooue him Now the reason why hypocrites doe make no bones of any sinne is first because howsoeuer they dissemble holynes 1. Tim. 1.19 yet they haue made shipwracke of a good conscience as the Apostle saith and therefore rush headlong vpon euery occasion into any wickednesse Againe they are in subiection to Sathan who hath them in his snare as a dogge in a chaine and therefore 2. Tim. 2.26 2. Pet. 2.19 hee leadeth them whether hee list Hee can no sooner bid them goe but they are ready to runne And hence is it that the Prophet ioyneth an hypocrite and a wicked man together Euery one saith he is an hypocrite and wicked Isa 9.17 because he that is an hypocrite will easily yeeld to any wickednesse And indeed it is iust with God that hypocrites should be giuen ouer in this maner to notorious sins whereby they may come to open shame that so they may either bee brought to repentance or else receiue a more iust condemnation Vse Let this therefore be a warning for vs to make vs take heede of hypocrisie There is farre more hope of a notorious wicked man that neuer made profession of Religion then of a dissembling hypocrite that hath a shew of godlinesse 2. Tim. 3.5 Luke 23.40.41 but denieth the power of it That theefe that was crucified with our Sauiour Christ had led a most dissolute life all his dayes and yet hee was at the last conuerted Whereas this hypocrite Iudas liuing long disguised in the habite of holinesse could neuer bee reclaymed but perished miserably in his sinne And therefore let vs bee carefull as wee professe our selues to bee Christians so not to harbour the least guile in our spirits Psal 32.2 2. Cor. 1.12 Acts 24.16 but in all simplicitie and godly purenesse to haue our conuersation in the world and to keepe alwayes a cleare conscience towardes God and towardes men And this will minister more sound comfort to vs both in life and death then all the world is able to affoord Betrayed him As the fact it selfe was hainous for the seruant to betray his Lord and the Disciple his Master so the manner of the treason doth make much to the aggrauating of it For hee did it dissemblingly vnder colour and pretence of loue and duty First hee saluted him kindly God saue thee Master Mat. 26.49 and then as though he had ment him no hurt he came to him and kissed him Doctrine A shame to pretend friendship and intend hatred Psal 12.2 From whence ariseth this doctrine that it is a shamefull thing for a man outwardly in words and gestures to pretend freindship and inwardly in heart to conceiue hatred and intend mischeife to bewray one thing with the mouth and to conceale an other in the heart Dauid complaineth of his times that men did flatter with their lips and spake with a double heart or with an heart and an heart making shew of that which they neuer purposed And againe hee saith they speake freindly to their neighbours when malice is in their heartes Psal 28.3 a Simulatores mali adâ—ungentes se ficta charitate captantes omnes motus omâ—ia verba sanctorum in omnibus laqueos inquirentes Aug. in Psal 41.6 And thus dealt Dauids enemies with him that came when he was sicke vnder pretence of kindnesse to visite him but their heartes heaped iniquitie within them and whatsoeuer infirmitie they saw in him when they came forth they told it and blased it abroad Psal 41.6 Such were the false brethren which the Apostle speaketh of that came in priuily onely to spie out their libertie Gal. 2.4 Iere. 9.5.8 Thus was it in the time of the Prophet Ieremiah Euery one saith he will deceiue his freind and will not speake the truth Yea one will speake peaceablie to his neighbour with his mouth but in his heart he layeth waite for him They couer the venome of their heartes with the honny of their tongues As Dauid saith a Mel in ore verba lactis fol in corde fraus in factis The wordes of his mouth were softer then butter yet warre was in his heart his wordes were more gentle then oile yet they were swordes Psal 55.21 The Scripture is full of examples in this case The Deuil when he came to tempt our first parents to sinne hee gaue them sweete wordes and pretended a great care of their good estate when his purpose was to bring them to confusion Gene. 3.4.5 4 8. 1. Sam. 18.17 And Kain with faire speeches enticed his brother Habel into the fieldes and then rose vp and slew him Saul pretended great loue to Dauid in offering him his daughter in marriage 2. Sam. 3.27 but his intent was to make him perish by the hand of the Philistims Ioab spake peaceably to Abner with his tongue but with his hand hee wounded him to death So likewise 20.9 â—0 hee saluted Amasa as kindly as might bee and tooke him by the beard to kisse him but secretly hee smote him with his sword in the fifth rib and shed out his bowels to the ground 13.26.27.28 Absalom earnestly inuited his brother Ammon to his sheep-shearing feast as though hee had loued him intirely but most treacherously he caused his seruants to kill him Mat. 22.15.16 as he sate at table The Herodians came glauering and flattering to our Sauior Christ as if they had had a reuerent opinion of him Luke 20.20 Master say they we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God truely c. But for all this they came as spies if it had beene possible to entangle him in his talke And thus did Iudas as we haue heard betray his Master with a kisse that his treason and falshood might be the lesse suspected Stella in Luc. cap. 22. Whereupon one saith he came neare him as a seruant but he was a theefe hee saluted him as a Disciple but hee was a traytour and last of all hee kissed him as a friend but hee 〈…〉 a traitour and last of all he kissed him as a friend but hee was a deadly enemie a Amoris pignore vulnus in flixit charitatis officio sanguinem fudu pacisque instrumeÌ„to moâ—tem â—rogauit Ferus in Math. 26. By the pledge of loue hee gaue him a wound by the duty of charitie he shed his bloud and by the instrument of peace he procured his death Neither doe we want experience hereof in our daies as the Apostle prophecied of the last times 2. Tim. 3.4 For doe wee not daily see b Frons omnium familiaris multorum animus iratus iracundiae occultae insidiae apertae Cic.
must humble our selues euen belowe the ground in the acknowledgement of our sinnes comming to the Lord as it were with ropes about our neckes as Benhadad did to the King of Israel 1. King 20.32 But yet withall wee must craue the pardon of them And to this doth the Prophet exhort vs saying Hos 14.3 Take vnto you wordes and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquity and receiue vs graciously And boldly may wee doe this because the Lord hath proclaimed himselfe to be so mercifull Exod. 34.7 that hee forgiueth iniquitie and transgression and sinne that is sinnes of all sorts though neuer so hainous in their nature Now this could not Iudas performe Hee confessed and aggrauated his sinne against himselfe but hee had not the heart to giue one rappe at the dore of Gods mercy for the pardon of them And therefore the Lord might iustly say to him as once hee said to an other Of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee O thou euill seruant Luke 19.22 Last of all we must confesse our sinnes with a purpose to forsake them As the Prophet exhorteth Isa 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vngodly his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord c. There must bee a desire to part with any sinne whatsoeuer else there is no true repentance But of this point enough hath beene spoken before in the repentance of Peter Vse 1. This doctrine serueth first for our instruction that if wee hope to speede better then Iudas did wee must confesse our sinnes better then hee did And that wee may doe it wee must first labour to see and acknowledge our sinnes a Quomodo culpam suam coÌ„fitebuntur quam nec essè putant Bern de grad humilit For how can a man confesse his sinnes when he thinketh them not to bee sinnes And therefore Dauid saith I know mine iniquities and my sinne is alway before mee Psalme 51.3 wee are apt to flatter our selues through self-selfe-loue and hardly are wee brought to take notice of our sinnes As wee can not see the spots that are in our owne faces so wee cannot discerne the sinnes of our owne soules In other mens sinnes wee are very quicke-sighted but in our owne wee are as blinde as Beetles And therefore in this case wee stand in neede of a glasse As proude persons vse their glasses to see their beautie so must wee vse the glasse of Gods law but to another end to shewe vs our deformitie VVee must therefore duely examine our selues by euery one of the Commandements that so wee may come to the sight of our sinnes And when once wee knowe our sinnes then without all dissembling wee must confesse them vnto God b Apparet toties opus miseraÌ„tis quoties fit coÌ„fessio poenitentis Aug. de vera falsa poenitent cap. 5. cap. 10. Quanto pluribus quis confitebitur in spe veniae turpitudinem criminis tanto facilius coÌ„sequitur misericordiam remissionis Homo per veritatem stimulatus peccata sua confitetur Deus autem per misericordiam slexus confitenti miseretur Omnis enim spes veniae misericordiae in confessione est Nec potest quis iustificari à peccato nisi prius fuerit confessus peccatum Bern. de conscien edif cap. 1. And so much the rather because otherwise there is no hope of pardon For this is the condition annexed vnto the promise of the pardon of our sinnes If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.9 And Salomon saith Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall haue mercy Prouerb 28.13 And the Apostle telleth vs that if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 1. Cor. 11.31 It is not with the Lord as it is in earthly Courts Confesse and be hanged No the Lord will not take vs at the aduantage and condemne vs by our owne confession but if wee confesse hee will forgiue if wee iudge and condemne our selues hee will acquite and discharge vs. To which purpose Bernard hath a sweete saying a Video Dauidem dicentem peccaui audientem Dominus transtulit peccatum tuum Considero Mariam si non verbis tamen operibus sua publicè crimina consitentem dominum pro ea raspondentem dimissa sunt ei multa peccata Respicio principem Apostolorum negantem timidè stentem amarissimè Dominum respicientem Iâ—â—um felicem Latronem intueor se accusantem Christum Dominum promittentem Hodie mecum eriâ— in Paradise O quam sublimis ista confessio per quam de patibulo ad regnum de terra ad caelum de cruce ad paradisum latro daÌ„natus crucifixus ascendit Ber. de vijs vitae Est apud Deum pium iudicem ipsa agnitio culpe impetratio veniae Bern. Meditat. cap. 11. Ante Dei conspectum cuncta peccata sunt scripta sed quod tibi scribit transgressio hic delet confessio Bern. de consc aedif cap. 38. I see Dauid saith hee saying I haue sinned and receiuing answere from the Prophet The Lord hath taken away thy sinne thou shalt not die I consider Mary Magdalen if not in word yet in deede confessing her sinne and the Lord answering in her behalfe Many sinnes are forgiuen her for shee loued much I behold the chiefe of the Apostles denying fearefully weeping bitterly and Christ looking backe vpon him with the eye of his mercie I see that blessed theefe accusing himselfe and Christ the Lord promising him This day shalt thou bee with me in Paradise Oh how notable was this confession wherby the theefe that was condemned and crucified ascended from the gallowes to a Kingdome from earth to heauen from the Crosse to Paradise This then is an high commendation of Gods mercie that when a man layeth open his sinne God couereth it when a man acknowledgeth his sinne God pardoneth it Besides if wee doe often confesse our sinnes vnto God it will not suffer us to goe farre nor to lye long in any sinne but will hunt it out before it be warme and setled in vs yea it will chaine vp the the vnrulinesse of our nature that it shall not breake out to the dishonour of God as otherwise it would Let vs therefore pursue our sinnes by this meanes and if wee desire to come to perfect health of our soules b Quicquid conscientiae stomachum grauat totum vomitu purae confessionis euomere ne differas Bern. ibid. cap. 56. whatsoeuer sinne doth surcharge the stomacke of the soule let vs not deferre to cast it vp by the vomit of a pure confession * Vse 2. Secondly this serueth for the iust reproofe of all those that will not confesse their sinnes Many will not confesse before God It is a corruption that wee all haue by kinde to dissemble our sinnes and to excuse our selues for them As Adam when he was examined posted the matter from himself to his
baptized of thee and commest thou to me There were other causes therefore besides sinne for which it pleased Christ to bee baptized First as himselfe saith that he might fulfill all righteousnesse Mat. 3.15 As in his Circumcision hee had fulfilled the law of Moses so hee was also to submit himselfe to Baptisme which hee knew to bee the ordinance of God Secondly that hee might sanctifie the element of water for our sanctification and for the washing away of our sinnes d Christi care ipso Iordane sanctior invenitur vt magis aquam ipsa descensu suo mundauerit quā ipsa mundata sit Opt. in Donar lib. 1. Christs flesh saith one was holier then Iordan it selfe so as it rather cleansed the water by going downe into it then was cleansed by it And Bernard saith e Baptizatus est Christus non se in aquis led aquas in se Sanctificans vt per cas Sanctificaret nos Bern. Ser. 6. in Parase Christ was baptised not to sanctifie himselfe in the waters but to sanctifie the waters in himselfe and in them to sanctifie vs. Thirdly to commend vnto vs this humility As St. Augustine saith c Christus de Spiritu Sācto generatus regeneratione no eguit In aqua autem voluit baptizari à Ioanne non vt eius iniquitas vlla dilueretur sed vt magna commendaretur humilitas Aug. Enchir. cap. 48. Christ being begotten of the holy Ghost needed no regeneration And yet hee would bee baptised of Iohn not that any iniquity of his might be washed away but to commend vnto vs his great humility Last of all he was baptized for our example that wee might not shunne baptisme which our Sauiour was content to vndergoe As the same Father saith d Baptizatus est Dominus propter superbiam futurorum vt nemo aspernaretur baptizari Aug. in Psal 91. The Lord was baptized to preuent the pride of them that were to come that no man might thinke scorne of baptisme This serueth first to commend the exceeding loue of Christ towards vs that hee would bee contented to suffer such vnspeakeable torments for our sakes Greater loue saith he then this hath no man that a man bestoweth his life for his friends And yet this loue of his was greater for we were not friends but enemies to him And therefore the Apostle saith Herein God setteth out his loue to vs that when we were sinners and enemies Christ dyed for vs. When the Iewes saw our Saviour Christ shedde a few teares for the death of Lazarus his friend * Vse 1. Joh. 15.13 Rom. 5.8.10 Ioh. 11.36 Rom. 12.1 Demus illi vitā nostram qui nobis dedit vitam suam Behold say they how he loued him But farre greater was his loue to vs which caused him to shed euen the dearest drop of bloud in his heart for vs his enemies And therefore we should be carefull to loue him againe and to testifie the same by consecrating our selues an holy and an acceptable sacrifice vnto him as the Apostle exhorteth Vse 2. Secondly it setteth vs see the hainousnesse of our sinnes in that nothing in the world could satisfie the wrath of God conceiued against vs but only the sufferings of Christ which should make vs mourne for our sinnes aboue all things and for euer after detest and abhorre the same When wee shall consider that our sinnes did pierce the very heart of Christ Iesus and shed his bloud it will make our hearts rise within vs at the committing of the least sinne whatsoeuer What is that to vs. This was the answere which the high Priests made to the confession of Iudas In the distresse and discomfort of his soule he came to them For he knew that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge Mat. 2.7 and that men should resort to them for comfort and direction he knew that they sate in Moses his seate Mat. 23 ◠Luke 11.52 and that they had the key of knowledge as our Sauiour Christ saith and therefore should be able to relieue men that stood in neede of comfort But see how little they respected him What is that to vs say they see thou to it As if they should say In that thou hast sinned in betraying innocent bloud it is nothing to vs but thou art too blame for it And therefore there is no reason why thou shouldest obiect the matter to vs. Looke thou to it how thou maiest escape it is thy sinne it is none of ours Here was cold comfort These were miserable comforters as Iob saith Iob. 16.2.5 They should rather haue strengthened him with their mouth and the comfort of their lips should haue asswaged his sorrow But let vs a little consider this speech of theirs It is strange they should make so light of the matter as they doe for it is most certaine their hand was deeper in the fact then his Ioh. 7.1.11.32 Mat. 26.3.4 Ioh. 11.47.53 Mat. 26 15. Luke 22.4.5 Ioh. 18.3 They often laid wait for innocent bloud sometimes seeking for him themselues and sometimes sending their Officers to take him And before hee was apprehended they had consulted and determined to put him to death They had couenanted with Iudas for money to betray him into their hands They receiued a band of Souldiers of Pilate and appointed them to Iudas for the apprehending of him They suborned and produced false witnesses against him that they might seeme to obserue some shew of iudgement Mat. 26.59.60 At the last when by a solemne oath they had extorted from him a confession of the truth namely Mat. 26.63.64.65.66 that he was Christ the sonne of God without any further examining of the cause they condemne him most guiltlesse And hauing rashly condemned him they deliuer him ouer to the Deputie Mat. 27.1.2 that hee might put him to death How then doth all this nothing concerne them But be it so Let it be graunted that they are without blame in this case and that Iudas only was the cause of betraying of him why then doe they not reuoke the iudgement and deliuer the innocent person from condemnation why doe they not reuerse that which they had corruptly iudged why doe they not now that they know the truth alter their wicked sentence Moreouer being Priests of the Lord to whom it appertained by their sacrifices to purge the sinnes of the people why doe they thus scornefully reiect this confession of a sinner especially considering that themselues had caused him to sinne why doe they not comfort him in his repentance and by their expiations procure him the pardon of his sinne Or if his sinne be vnexpiable as it is why doe they not being Iudges and Elders of the people punish him according to the law for being guilty of innocent bloud Here are then diuers sinnes bewrayed in this answere of theirs a Accusatio Sacerdotum est quod poenitētiam non egerunt etiā Iuda poeaitente Hugo Cardin.
betrayed it had beene good for that man if hee had neuer beene borne Doct. It is a grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie From whence wee may gather this inctrustion that it is a most grieuous sinne to despaire of Gods mercie As that wretched Kain did when hearing the iudgement which God had denounced against him for killing his brother hee cryed out in the horrour of his soule My sinne is greater then can bee pardoned Gen. 4.13 And indeede a Quid aliud est desperare quam Deum sibi comparare August de vera falsa paenit ca. 5. he that despaireth of the forgiuenesse of his sinnes what doth hee else but compare God to himselfe Which is a great derogation from the Lord that his high and glorious Maiestie should bee likened vnto a vile and sinnefull man Besides hee doth offer horrible indignitie and notorious iniurie vnto the Lord. For as much as in him lyeth hee denyeth many of his most glorious attributes and properties as namely his loue his truth his power his iustice and his mercie For his loue If it were such as our sinnes could hinder it it should bee inferiour to the loue of man For what offence can bee so great from one man to another but loue will easily procure the pardon of it As wee see especially betweene parents and children It is not possible for a childe to commit any offence so great but vpon his submission and reformation his Father will forgiue him Though his affection bee for a time estranged yet hee will easily receiue him into fauour againe And therefore the Prophet saith Can a woman forget her childe and not haue compassion on the Sonne of her wombe Isa 49.15 as if he should say it is not possible But the loue of the tenderest and dearest mother in the world is but like a droppe of water to the maine Ocean in respect of that loue wherewith the Lord our heauenly father loueth vs that are his children So that wee may say of our greatest sinnes as the Apostle saith of all outward afflictions Rom. 8.39 they are not able to separate vs from the loue of God that is in Christ Iesus If the loue of the church to Christ Iesus her blessed spouse Cant. 8.8 be so strong as much water cannot quench it neither can the flouds drowne it 1. Pet. 8.8 much more is his loue to vs so feruent as an Ocean of our sinnes cannot quench or drowne it If the loue of men doe couer euen a multitude of sinnes 1. Pet. 8.8 yea all trespasses that can be committed Prou. 10.12 surely the infinite loue of God will couer our sinnes be they neuer so many Besides the Lord is no changling in his loue to loue a man to day and vpon some dislike to cast him off to morrow but whom he loueth once to the end he loueth them Job 13.1 and it is not our sinnes though many and great that can alienate his affection Nay hauing out of the abundance of his loue giuen vs his owne sonne Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him giue vs all things necessarie for our saluation Secondly for his truth He hath made many gracious promises vnto vs that if we confesse and forsake our sinnes Prou. 28.13 we shall haue mercy Ezech. 18.21.22 that if we returne from all our sinnes which we haue committed c. all our transgressions which we haue committed shall neuer be mentioned vnto vs c. but as the Prophet saith God will haue mercy vpon vs Isa 55.7 2. Tim. 2.13 1. Ioh. 1.9 for hee is very readie to forgiue Now hee is faithfull in the performance of his promises as the Apostle saith Hee abideth faithfull hee cannot denie himselfe But if wee confesse our sinnes as he requireth he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes And therefore for a man to distrust the forgiuenesse of his sinnes after he hath truly repented of them is to make God a lyer If we haue but the word of an earthly Prince it is a disgrace not to trust vnto it Much more is it a disgrace vnto the King of heauen and earth not to stay and relie our selues vpon his word For as St. Paul saith Let God be true and euery man a lyer Rom. 3.4 Thirdly for his power Wee know it is infinite And though our sinnes were as crimson yet hee is able to make them white as snow and though they were red like skarlet yet he is able to make them as white as wooll Isa 1.18 Hence is it that the Lord himselfe saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloude and thy sinnes as a mist Isa 44.22 insinuating that though our sinnes bee neuer so many yet he can as easily take them away as he can scatter the clouds with the wind or disperse the thickest mist with the heat of the Sunne And the Prophet Micah expresseth the same with great force of wordes saying Hee will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the bottome of the Sea cap. 7.19 where he alludeth vnto that great ouerthrow which the Lord gaue Pharaoh and his host in the red Sea Giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that though our sinnes did march neuer so furiously against vs and exercise most cruell tyrannie in our soules and consciences yet the Lord is able to subdue them as hee did Pharaoh and his host whom he ouerwhelmed in the bottome of the Sea To this purpose St Augustine hath a good saying a Qui de Deo non praesumit veniam non animadvertit plus peccato suo Dei posse clemētiam Si enim sentiret Deum magis bonum quam se malum quicquid in se iustitia non inueniret à Deo magis bono expectaret Et quidem diffidit qui summi boni bonitatë maiorem sua nequitia non sentit Ille enim solus diffidat qui tantum peccare potest quantum Deus bonus est Cum sit autem nullus qui hoc possit qui timet de se malo praesumat de meliore Adbuc qui diffidit suam nequitiam Dei pietati comparat finem imponit diuinae virtuti dans finem infinito perfectionem diuinitatis auferens deo Aug. de vera fall poenit c. 5. 1. Pet. 2.24 Isa 53.5.6 Collos 2.14 1 Iob. 1.9 that hee that hopeth not for pardon at Gods hands doth not consider that Gods mercy is more powerfull then his sinne For if he thought that God is more good then himselfe is euill whatsoeuer righteousnesse hee findeth not in himselfe hee would expect him from God that is better And surely he is distrustfull that doth not thinke the goodnesse of the Lord to be greater then his wickednesse For let him only distrust that is able to sinne so much as God is good But seeing there is none that can doe this let him that feareth because himselfe is euil presume of him that is better Moreouer