Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 22
The betraying of Chriſt.
Math. 27. 1. 2. 3. 4.
When the morning was come, all the chiefe Prieſtes, and the Elders of the people tooke counſaile againſt Ieſus to put him to death:
And led him away bound, and deliuered him vntounto Pontius Pilate the Gouernour:
Then when Iudas which betrayed him ſawe that hee was condemned, hee repented himſelfe and brought againe the thirtie pieces of ſiluer to the chiefe Prieſts and Elders:
Saying, I hauehave ſinned betraying the innocent bloud: but they ſayd, what is that to vsus? ſee thou to it.
THE laſt time you heard how a Publican receiued Chriſt, now you ſhall heare howe an Apoſtle betraieth Chriſt: But firſt, heere is ſet downe what the Prieſts and the Elders did againſt Chriſt, of whom it is ſaid, When the morning was come, all the chiefe Prieſts and the Elders of the people tooke counſaile againſt Ieſus to put him to death. 2. And led him awaie bound, and deliuered him vntounto Pontius Pilate the gouernour. The Prieſts were Eccleſiaſticall perſons, and the Elders were ciuill Magiſtrates: ſo they which ſhoulde hauehave ſtoode moſt for Chriſt,Mar. 15. 5. ſtoode moſte againſt him. Marke putteth in the Scribes too,Luk. 22. 66 & Luke putteth in the whole multitude, as if he ſhould ſay, The Prieſts & the Scribes, and the Phariſies, and the Elders and the people. Hee which ſtood for all had all againſt him. Heere is fulfilled that which was propheſied in the ſecond Pſalme, They banded themſelues againſt the Lord, Pſal. 2. ….& againſt his annonited: But why did they band themſelues againſt the Lord, or againſt his annointed? What was their deſire of him? To hauehave his goods? nay, hee had non for himſelfe, but they were richer than he: To hauehave his libertie? Nay, that would not ſuffice them, for they had bound him before: To bring the people into diſlike of him? Nay, that would not ſerue them, for they had done ſo alreadie, vntill euen his Diſciples were fled from him. What would they hauehave then? his bloud? yea they tooke counſaile (ſaith Mathewe) to put him to death: They had the Diuels minde which is not ſatisfied but with death, and how doe they continue it? Hee ſaith, They tooke counſaile about it.
When Pharaoh did moſt fooliſhlie,Exod. 1. 10. hee ſaid, come Let vsus worke wiſelie. So when they did worſt, then they ſeeme to doe it in beſt maner, for they will not ſinne without counſaile: a wiſe counſaile to couſult of murther, like the Papiſts counſels when they giuegive licence for treaſon. They may be fitlier ſaid to take armes, then to take counſell. For Chriſt ſaith before, that they came with ſwords & ſ…aues to take him.Mat. 16. 25 Dauid ſpeakes of a malignant Church, that is a Church of malicious perſons, ſuch a Church was this, for they called themſelues the Church, and went about to kill the head of the Church. In the beginning of the night Chriſt inſtituted the Sacrament, and conſulted how to ſaue them, and at midnight they inſtitued their treaſon and conſulted how to deſtroy him. The time which they choſe, and the Iudge which they choſe, are ſpecially to be noted, the time, In the morning, &c.
This therefore is not to be expounded of the beginning of their counſell, but of the end of their counſell: for they tooke counſell in the night and executed it in the morning. When they agreed to goe vntounto Pilate it was night, but when they brought him to Pilate it was morning. But marke how vniuſtly they handled him before they brought him to the Iudge. They ſhould hauehave done nothing againſt him before he came to his iudgment: but they did all againſt him except condemning him, and crucifying him, before they came to the Iudge. For all that is ſpoken before of examining him, and mocking him, and reuiling him, and buffeting him, & ſpitting in his face, was done before they came to the Iudge, which ſhewes that they were euen angry that they could not kil him without the Iuge too.
All this was done in the night, and therefore Chriſt ſaide to his Diſciples in the Euening: This night all of you ſhall bee offended for mee: Mat. 26. 31.Shewing that all theſe things ſhould be done in the night.
Therefore Saint Marke ſaith, that Peter and Iames and Iohn where a ſleepe, when Iudas and his companions came againſt him, which ſheweth that it was the time of ſleep: and in the one and fiftieth verſe, hee ſayth, that a yong man ran after with a linnen garment vponupon his bare bodie: which ſheweth that hee hearing a tumult and an vprore to grow in the night, ran forth of dores in great haſt without his clothes, as they doe in a fire (to ſe what was doone) and it is added that they ſtroue to take him, and that hee was fayne to ſlippe of his Linnen and runne away from them naked, as Ioſeph did when hee left his Cloake with his light Miſtreſſe, when he ſlipt from her, which ſheweth how voyde of ſhame and modeſtie they were to offer ſuch violence to a ſtraunger, that hee coulde ſcarſe ſcape their handes naked, although they had nothing againſt him. This I note to ſhew that their conſpiracie againſt Chriſt was a night worke, like them which hate the light becauſe they doe euill. It was not their woont to ſit in counſayle in the night but in the day. It would hauehave troubled them to watch ſo long for a good cauſe. but it was fit that the worke of darknes ſhoulde be done in draknes, & therefore Chriſt ſaith, This is the houre of darkneſſe: Luk. 22. 53.the houre of darkenes, and the power of darknes, and the worke of darknes met together. When they ſhould reſt, malice would not ſuffer them to reſt, but they became like Owles which watch in the night and cannot ſleepe. Heere was fulfilled Salomons ſaying,Pro. 4. 36. They cannot ſleepe before they hauehave done euill, ſo eagre wee are vponupon reuenge more than anie thing elſe. They ſay that hee cannot ſtay which rideth vponupon the Diuell: for malice draweth him, and furie ſpurres him. Therefore Zacheus went not ſo haſtely to receiue Chriſt, as his enemies haſt to deſtroy him. Nay rather I may ſay, to deſtroy themſelues.
For as they prayed at Chriſtes death, ſo it came vponupon them. They ſayed, his bloud be vponupon vsus and vponupon our children, Mat. 27. 29ſo his bloud is vponupon them and vponupon their children, which hauehave beene Vagabonds ouer the earth euer ſince and hauehave no countrie of their owne: for if they be curſed which do the Lords buſines negligently, they muſt be curſed too which doe the Diuels buſines diligently.Iere. 16. If men were ſo haſtie in executing Iuſtice, as they were in executing malice, ſo many mē ſhould not be vndone by ſutes of Lawe: for in one day they could apprehend, & accuſe, and examine, and condemne, and execute him which was Innocent: but hee which is iuſt cānot be quit in one terme nor two: nay if he hauehave right in a yeare, it is counted quick diſpatch, and hee is glad that hee met with ſuch a ſpeedie Lawyer.
How then when they take a bad cauſe in hand, and prolong it too, which keeps their Clients in ſuſpence from day to day, and from weeke to weeke, in great charge and ſinne together. I would to GOD that ſome did not ſit in counſaile againſt good Chriſtiās, as theſe Prieſts did againſt Chriſt, but GOD in his merciemercy dooth daily confounde and bring to nothing the accurſed counſailes of the wicked Antichriſt, and all his rebellious confederates. So when the wicked tooke counſaile together, wickedneſſe was the ende of their counſayles: for there is nothing woorſe to the vngodlie than to meete together: for before they meete, their wickednes is a little hid like the poyſon in a Serpent: but when they meete together, one ſetteth on another, and the poyſon breakes forth into vile ſpeeches, and deteſtable workes, and vngodly practiſes, as we ſee in Tauernes and ſuch like aſſemblies as this.
For now they are met together, they hauehave conſpired amongſt themſelues to accuſe vntounto the Gouernour the moſt innocent man in the world, as if he were the worſt man liuing, they abuſed him, and mocked him, and reuiled him, and buffeted him, before they brought him to the Gouernor, which ſheweth that they woulde hauehave killed him too, if they durſt without the Gouernour, but ſin is craftie, and therefore they obſerue the order of lawe, and forme of iudgement, leſt they ſhould be takē in the ſnare which they made for him.
Firſt becauſe Pilate had the authoritie ouer iudgements of death, and not they: Therefore they are inforced to ſeeke vntounto his iudgement ſeat to ſaue themſelues from blame, and to be deliuered out of trouble, if they did vſurpe any thing vponupon the Magiſtrates, Office.
Then becauſe they might not runne vntounto the gouernour before daye without ſuſpition of tumult, they ſtaide vntill it was morning: but ſo ſoone as they coulde come, they came poſt haſt, for the Sunne did no ſooner peepe, but euen at the verie breake of day, they were all readie to flocke vntounto the Iudge againſt him.
This they did without knowledge: but God directed eueryevery thing vntounto a right end. For it was meete that the Sonne of GOD ſhoulde bee cleered in a ſolemne manner, by an earthlie Iudge, to ſhewe how wee ſhalbe cleered by the heauenlie Iudge: and therefore, as it appeareth in the ſeuen and twentieth Chapter, and foure and twentieth verſe of Saint Mathewes Goſpell, Pilate ſaide: that he found no euill in him before he gaue ſentence againſt him, which ſheweth that he died not for his owne ſinnes but for our ſinnes, and therefore though they went to the Iudge to ſaue thēſelues from blame, yet God ſent them to the Iudge, that his worde might be fulfilled.
Laſtly, this Pilate was a Roman gouernour, which ruled for Caeſar, as Zacheus was a Romane collectour which gathered for Caeſar: For at that time the Romanes had brought much of the worlde vntounto their ſubiection: as ſince that time, they hauehave brought much of the worlde vntounto Idolatry: and therefore God would hauehave his ſonne to be iudged by the Romane policie, and to be condemned by a Romane Iudge, and to be ſlaine with a Romane death, as it were ioyning the Iewes and the Romans in impietie together, to ſhewe, that theſe two Nations ſhoulde be the odiouſt people vntounto him in all the worlde, and how his ſeruaunts ſhould be crucified there, where hee was crucified himſelfe: for as the Romanes then did crucifie Chriſt vponupon a Croſſe, ſo they crucifie him nowe vponupon their Altar, and reſemble the Dragon,Rom. 12. which when he could not preuaile againſt Michaell himſelfe, then hee fought againſt the woman and her ſeed, that is, the Church and her children, which are ſlaine in Rome, as the Prophets were in Ieruſalem. Thus Rome began with the heade, and ends with the members. So much of the Prieſts and the Scribes, and the Phariſies, and the elders & Pilate, what they did againſt Chriſt,Sam. 15. 31. of whome was fullfilled Dauids praier: Lord turne the counſell of Achitophell vntounto follie: So their counſell was turned vntounto follie. For as Paule reuiued when he was ſtoned, ſo Chriſt roſe againe when he was buried, to ſhewe, that there is no counſell againſt God, and therefore let all our counſels be for God.
Now we come to Iudas to aggreuate this tragicall counſell. The Euangeliſt annexeth vntounto it, the deſperate end of the curſedſt mā that euer was. Three things are ſpeciallie noted of this Traitor: his death, the cauſe of his death, & the confeſſion which hee made before his death. His death in the fift verſe: Hee went & hanged himſelf: The cauſe of his death in the 3. verſe: For that hee had betrayed his Lord, & now did ſee him condemned & had no ioy of the money which was giuen vntounto him for his Treaſon. His confeſſion in the thirde verſe: I hauehave ſinned betraying innocent bloude. I will ſpeake of euerie worde as they lie for your memorie. Therefore, firſt of his Treaſon. When Iudas the traytor: before hee was called Iudas the Apoſtle, now he is called Iudas the traitor, to diſtingiſh him from other of that name, leſt anie of his name ſhoulde be defamed for him, a brand is ſet in his forehead like the letter Tau, Gen. 4.or Caines marke, to make him hatefull like a rogue which is burned in the eare: ſo Eſau was called Edom which ſignifieth Redde, to keep his wickednes in remembrance, becauſe hee, ſolde his birth-right for a meſſe of red pottage.Act. 8. So Simon is called the Sorcerer, as though GOD would note him for the worſt of that name: So God knoweth Simon Peter from Simon Magus: and Iudas his brother, from Iudas his betrayer: and therefore, as Ieroboam comes in with his trayne after him:…. King. 22. …2. Ieroboam which made Iſrael to ſinne: So Iudas comes in with his trayne after him: Iudas, which betrayed the Lord: For when God ſayde: I will honour them which honour mee, hee ſignified how hee woulde diſhonour them which diſnour him, and therefore this name is a word of reproach vntill this day: and all Traytours are called Iudaſſes for his ſake: that the Propheſie might bee fulfilled: The names of the wicked ſhall rot: Pro. 10. 7.that is, they ſhall be named with lothſomnes, and remembred with diſdayne, as a man paſſeth by a rotten carrion, and ſtoppeth his noſe vntill hee be paſt it: This is the iuſt wrath of God. As Chriſt promiſed that Maries good worke ſhoulde bee ſpoken of to the worldes ende: So hee hath cauſed Iudas euill worke to bee ſpoken of vntounto the worldes ende too. For there were three euilles in one: Firſt his practiſe was impudent, becauſe hee offered himſelfe to bee a Traytour before he was asked. Then it was Couetous, becauſe hee was contented to betray his Lord for 30. pence. And laſtly it was craftie, becauſe hee betrayed him with a kiſſe, which is a ſigne of louelove. Like this traitour do all other traitours, and therefore are all called Iudaſſes, that is, impudent, and couetous, and craftie like their maſter.
The next conſideration is: how Iudas his repentance came vponupon him, in theſe wordes: When hee ſawe that Ieſus was condemned, &c. Peter heard three crowes before he felt any remorſe, ſo Iudas ſaw his Lord apprepended, & yet he repented not, then he ſaw him accuſed, and yet he repented not, then he ſawe him mocked, & yet he repented not, then he ſawe him buffeted, & yet he repented not, at laſt he ſawe him condemned, and then ſaith Mathew he repented, like one which ſlayeth his friend in his rage, and ſorroweth when it is paſt. In the ſixt of Geneſis, God is ſaid to repent, but GOD repenteth not like men: ſo here the wicked are ſaid to repent, but the wicked repent not like the faithfull: But as it is ſaid of Eſau, that he ſought repentance, ſo they may bee rather ſaide to repent, than to repent in deede. For if Iudas had repented like Peter, he ſhould hauehave been forgiuen like Peter: but to ſhewe that hee did not repent well, when he had cōmitted one ſinne, he addeth another to it: for when he had murthered his maiſter, hee murthered himſelfe too. Therefore, if you aske how hee repented? I thinke he repented ſo as moſt vſurers repent vponupon their death-beds. There is a ſhame of ſinne, & guilt of conſcience, & feare of iudgement, euen in the reprobate, which is a foretaſte of hell which the wicked feele: euen as peace of conſcience & ioy in the holy Ghoſt is a foretaſte of heauen, which the godly feele before they come thither. So Iudas was diſpleaſed with the vglines of his trecherie, and had a miſhapen ſorrowe like a Beares whelp, but without any conuerſion to God, or hope of merciemercy, or praier for pardon, or purpoſe to amend. OnelyOnly hee felt a ſhame and guilt, and anguiſh in his heart: which was rather a puniſhment of his ſinne, than a repentance for his ſinne, and a preparatiue to Hell which he was going vntounto: for hardnes of heart, and deſpaire of merciemercy are ſinnes & puniſhments for ſinne too: but true repentaunce is ſuch a ſorrow for one ſinne as breedeth a diſlike of all ſinnes, and mooueth to pray, and reſolueth to amende, which falleth vponupon none but the elect, and therefore Paule calleth the heart of the reprobate,Rom. 2. 5. A heart which cannot repent. But if the Papiſtes doctrine of repentance be true, there is nothing wanting in Iudas repentance: for in him may bee found all the partes of their repentance. For we ſee in this reprobate, contrition of heart, confeſſion of mouth, and ſatisfaction of worke which is all the Papiſtes repentance: For contrition it is ſaide, Hee repented: For Confeſſion, he ſaith, I hauehave ſinned: For Satisfaction, hee reſtored his money againe, and yet he is Iudas the ſonne of perdition: and therefore, as Chriſt tolde the Lawyer, that one thing was wanting in his obedience: ſo Iudas telleth the Papiſtes, that one thing is wanting in their repentance, that is the conuerſion of a man to God, & change of mind: when a ſinner renounceth himſelf for ſhame of his ſinne, and yeeldeth to righteouſneſſe with as great louelove as euer hee loued wickednes: If Iudas had repented ſo, he would rather hauehave ſuffered paine like Iob, than by vnlawfull meanes ridde himſelfe out of paine, like Caine which thought to preuent Gods iudgments againſt him. This was not a ſigne of repentance, but a ſigne of deſpaire. Therefore let euerie one learne this, that ſo long as Gods merciemercy is greater than mans iniquitie, there is no cauſe to deſpaire, but to hope▪ For why did our Sauiour ſaue Marie Magdalen, which had ſeuen deuils, and ſpare the theefe which neuer did good, but leſt as great ſinners as they ſhould deſpaire of merciemercy, if they repented. If thou canſt knocke, his promiſe bindeth him to open. Therefore ſay not, God will not giuegive, but, I doe not aske: for God is readier to giuegive then wee to aske. The next conſideration is, how Iudas reſtored his bribe againe. In the firſt of the Prouerbes 31. Salomon ſaith, The wicked ſhall bee filled with their owne deuiſes. And in the 14. Chapter 14. verſe, hee ſaith, They ſhall be ſatiat with their owne wayes: For Iudas hath ſinned ſo long, that now he is wearie of his ſinne, & would reſtore his bribe againe, euen the ſame daie that he tooke it. It was giuen him in the night, and in the morning hee brought it backe: So ſoone is the pleaſure of ſinne ecclipſed. Euen nowe his thirtie pence was the ſweeteſt ſiluer that euer hee fingured, and now it is the bittereſt money that euer he purſed. Therefore let all conſider what Abner ſayde vntounto Ioab, Knowest thou not that it will bee bitternes in the latter end? 2. Sam. 2. 26. The ſting of the Serpent is in his ta…le: ſo the taile of ſin hath the ſting that is the ende. There is no ſinne but it hath three puniſhmentes which followe it like bondmaides: Feare, Shame and Guilt: Feare of iudgement, ſhame of men, and guilt of conſcience. All theſe did ſurpriſe Iudas at once, ſo ſtuddenlie as Adam ſpyed his nakednes: and though they come after euerie ſinne, yet they are neuer looked for. Geheſi tooke his bribe merrilie, but hee did weare it heauilie. Iezabel thought that ſhee had got a Vineyarde for nothing,1. King. 21. but ſhee payed more for it than ſhee woulde giuegive for all the world. So Iudas thought that hee was made for euer, when hee was vndone for euer. Heere was the ſcripture fulfilled: The bread of deceit is ſweete to a man, Pro. 20. 17.but his mouth ſhall be filled with grauell: So this gaine of treaſon was ſweete to Iudas, but when hee digeſted it, it cracked like grauel in his teeth. Who woulde ſuffer for millions of gold that which Iudas ſuffereth for thirtie pence? and yet manie are contente to ſinne for leſſe, Iudas was a traitour for thirtie pence, but a thouſand are liars, and deceiuers, and ſwearers for a penie. If they can get anie thing by lies, or oathes, or wiles, it is like the miſterie of their occupation. Bee not deceiued, the time commeth, when you would reſtore this gaine againe, as Iudas did, and peraduenture you ſhall not find the owners where to make reſtitution. How many at the houre of death hauehave offered their praiers and their ſupplications, and ſeruice vntounto God, as Iudas offred his money to the Prieſts, and God woulde not accept it: but they dyed as they liued, and went from deſpaire vntounto deſtruction? Therefore, to day heare his voyce. If you will not be ſo good as Zacheus to reſtore foure folde for all that you hauehave gotten by vſurie, or briberie, or extortion, or deceite, yet be ſo good as Iudas to bring againe ſo much as you hauehave taken, and if you doo it not with Iudas minde, but with Zacheus minde, it ſhall be accepted as Zacheus was.
… The laſt conſideration, is the confeſſion …ich he makes before his death. I hauehave ſinned &c. Oh Iudas (ſaith one) doeſt thou know that thou haſt ſinned, and diddeſt not knowe that thou ſhouldeſt ſinne? it is not enough to ſay, I hauehave ſinned: So ſaid Saul, and Caine and Pharaoh, I hauehave ſinned: But who ſaith, I will not ſinne? When ſin is paſt, then wee knowe it: but if wee did looke to it before, then we neede not ſay, I hauehave ſinned: for ſin is choſen in the darke, like bad wares, when the faults are not ſeene. Sinne ſeemes no ſinne vntil it come to I hauehave ſinn…d, that is, vntill it be paſt. If Iudas had ſhewed his repētance to God, as he ſhewed it but to men, happily his offence might hauehave founde mercy. But he did ſeparate himſelfe further from God by his deſpaire, than he was ſeparated before by his treaſon, & choſe rather to run vntounto them which would mock him than vntounto him which ſhould ſuccour him. Therefore his confeſſion was without remiſſion: and though he ſaide, I hauehave ſinned, yet God aunſweres not, I hauehave forgiuen, to ſhew that except our repentance be better than his, it ſhal not weigh againſt one ſinne. Yet Iudas doth not onelie acknowledge himſelfe a ſinner, which is the moſt that manie of vsus confeſſe, becauſe hee woulde not be counted worſe than other, but reckoned his ſin without an accuſer, as if one ſhould come forth and … I hauehave ſtolen an horſe, ſo he ſaith, I hau… … trayed my maiſter. In what did Iudas ſinne? in treaſon: then treaſon is ſinne, and yet the Papiſtes counte it a merite, as though they ſhould merite by ſinne. There was neuer any heretike which maintained treaſon but the Papiſt. Touch not mine annointed (ſaith God,) nay kill his annointed (ſay they.) How farre are they from Dauid which would not laie his hand vponupon Saul. If hee were a man after Gods heart, as hee is called, then they muſt be men after the diuels heart.
After that Iudas had reciued meate of Chriſt, he went about to betray him: So after they hauehave receiued Peace and Plentie, and proſperitie of their Prince, they goe about to betray her. As Dauids enemies longed and ſaide, When will Dauid die, and the name of Dauid periſh? So they long and crie, when will Elizabeth die, and the name of Elizabeth periſh? But Elizabeth liueth, and they die which ſeeke her death. Iohn cals the Phariſies a generation of Vipers, which neuer are borne, but their mother dyeth for it.
How right this fitteth with the papiſtes, for they cannot liue without the death of their mother. For the Spaniard which would ſlaughter them, they woulde ſlaughter the Nurſe which cheriſheth them. Had Zimri Peace (ſaith Iezabel) which …lue his maiſter? So I may ſay, hauehave they died in peace which would hauehave ſlaine their miſtreſſe? they which hauehave not hanged themſelues like Iudas, hauehave beene hanged by others like Hammon, as though they had beene ſent ouer but to viſite Tyborn. So God hath bleſſed them that bleſſe her, and curſed them which curſe her. Therefore ſome Traitoures hauehave confeſſed, that they had ſinned in betraying the Lords annointed, as Iudas confeſſed that hee had ſinned in betraying the Lord himſelfe. He betraied him, as though he had not beene innocent, and nowe hee muſt die, he ſaith, I hauehave betraied innocent bloud. Innocent in deede: For when he asked his enemies which of them coulde accuſe him of ſinne? they had nothing to anſwere: Innocent in life: Innocent in ſpeech: and Innocent in thought. The infants which be called innocents were not ſo innocent: therefore howe ſhould he bee innocent which betraied the innocenteſt of all? We are taught to be good vntounto al, but eſpecially to the good: but Iudas was naught to all, but worſt to the beſt. If he had betraied anie, he might ſay, I hauehave ſinned, becauſe all diſſimulation and guile is condemned. 1. Pet. 2. 1. But when the innocents are betrayed, nay when the innocenteſt is betraied, it ſeemeth more than ſinne, becauſe neuer any betraied innocent Chriſt but Iudas. Thus Chriſt was iuſtified of his Diſciples, and his enemies. He which betrayed him ſayd, he was innocent. He which condemned him ſaid hee was innocent. And the Diuels which made Iudas betray him, & Pilate condemne him, ſayde before, that hee was the ſonne of God, and called him holy. Thus eueryevery ſinner ſhall bee condemned of himſelfe before hee be condemned of God that the Lord may bee iuſtified when he iudgeth. If Iudas coulde hauehave ſayde, I beleeue, when hee ſaide, I hauehave ſinned: God woulde hauehave aunſwered him as Nathan aunſwered Dauid: Thy ſinne is forgiuen: But hee confeſſed and amended not. What ſhall be to them which doe not confeſſe, but defende their ſinnes? Is not thy ſinne worſe then Iudas? when Iudas ſaith I hauehave ſinned, and thou ſaiſt, I hauehave not ſinned. This is our manner to pleade not guiltie ſo long as we liue. Sinnes and excuſes are twinnes, borne at a birth, & one followeth the other, Zarah came after Phares out of the wombe. Gen. 38. 30. Iudas ſayth, I hauehave ſinned, but wee ſay, I hauehave not ſinned, or I hauehave ſinned but a little, or I hauehave ſinned againſt my will, ſo wee minſe our ſinnes, as though they needed no forgiuenes. Salomon ſayd, I am more fooliſh then anie man: but wee would bee counted wiſer than anie man.Pro. 30. 2. Paul called himſelfe the greateſt ſinner, but we would be iudged the leaſt ſinners: ſo we are aſhamed of ſinne, and yet not aſhamed to ſinne. If we would iudge our ſelues wee ſhould not be iudged. Be not deceiued, for ſinne doth not ende as it begins. When the terrours of Iudas come vppon the ſoule, the tongue cannot hide his ſinne: for deſpaire and horror will not bee ſmothered: But hee which hath Sauls ſpirite haunting him, will rage as Saul did. There is a warning conſcience, & a gnawing conſcience. The warning conſcience commeth before ſinne: The gnawing conſcience followeth after ſinne. The warning conſcience is often lulled a ſleepe: but the gnawing conſcience wakeneth her againe. If there bee anie hell in this world: they which feele the worme of conſcience gnawing vponupon their hearts, may truely ſay, that they hauehave felt the torments of hell. Who can expreſſe that mans horror but himſelfe? Nay, what horrors are they which he cannot expreſſe himſelfe? Sorrowes are met in his ſoule as at a feaſt: feare, thought, & anguiſh, deuide his ſoule betweene them. All the furies of hell leape vponupon his heart like a ſtage, Thought calleth to Feare: Feare whiſtleth to horror: horror beckeneth to deſpaire, and faith; come and helpe mee to torment this ſinner. One ſaith, that ſhee commeth from this ſinne: and another ſaith, that ſhee commeth from that ſinne: ſo he goeth through a thouſand deaths & cannot die. Irons are laid vponupon his bodie like a priſoner. Al his lightes are put out at once: hee hath no ſoule fit to be comforted. Thus he lieth, as it were vponupon the racke & ſayth, that he beares the world vponupon his ſhoulders, and that no man ſuffereth that which he ſuffereth. So let him lye (ſaith God) without eaſe vntil he confeſſe & repent, & call for merciemercy. This is the goodlie waye which the Serpent ſayde would make you Gods, and made him a diuel. Therefore at laſt, learne the ſleight of Sathan in this wretched traytor. His ſubtilties are wel called the depth of Sathan:Ap. 2. 24. for is ſo deepe, that few can ſoūd him. Now he lets Iudas ſee his ſinne, before he hid it from him. Vntil he had ſinned, hee made as though it were no ſinne, but with promiſes and bribes mufled his face and couered the vileneſſe of his fact, leſt ſhame ſhould keepe him frō it. But whē he had done, he made it ſeeme as vile as hee could, to make him deſpaire for it. All his baites are made of this faſhion, that the ſinne is done before the puniſhment bee conſidered. Let vsus not looke for Iudas to come out of hell to warne vsus, for this is written for our learning: & therefore, Be as wiſe as Serpentes, that the Serpent may not deceiue you.