One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 69
SERMON LXIX. Of the Sonne of Perdition. Shewing more Cauſes and Symptomes of ſuch wretched Perſons that are deſperately bent to damn themſelves.
JOH. 17.12.
But the Sonne of Perdition.
THe Words have been Explained, and the Doctrine gathered, which was,
That there are ſome men wilfully and deſperately ſet to damn themſelves, though they enjoy never ſuch means to the contrary.
We gave in ſome Characters of ſuch wretched perſons, and now proceed to inſtance in ſome more.
And the firſt in order ſhall be,6. Unprofitableneſſe under the means of grace A long and conſtant Ʋnprofitableneſſe under means of Grace; When men have for a long time ſate under the powerfull means of Grace, yet are as ignorant, as prophane and unreformed as formerly; Theſe men commonly are reſolute in their damnation; They have ſo often heard and heard, they are ſo accuſtomed now to the remedies that they deſpiſe them, and get no good by them; This the Apoſtle affirmeth, Heb. 6.8. The ground which often drinketh in rain, and yet bringeth forth nothing but briars and thorns, is nigh unto curſing, whoſe end is to be burnt; This was the caſe even of the whole body of the Jews, they being accuſtomed for many years to the threatnings of the Prophets, were ſo farre from trembling under it, that they made a ſcorn of it, Jer. 23.33. becauſe the Prophet Jeremy did ſo often tell them of the Burden of the Lord, that is the heavy Sentence and Judgement of God threatned againſt them, they did impudently and prophanely make a ſcorn of it; Even as many hardened ſinners will now adaies at the name of hell and damnation; Oh then let all ſuch who for many years together have been under the Sunne of the Goſpel, fear leſt when we ſpeak of a Son of Perdition it be ſaid, Thou art the man, for as when the body that hath been accuſtomed to often Phyſick, doth yet remain diſeaſed, it's a great Argument of its incurableneſſe, Thus it is here, When there are daily importunities of thee, conſtant expoſtulations with thee, and yet thou art averſe and obdurate,7. Taking ungodly prejudices againſt the Miniſters of God. this may prove fatall and dreadful to thee.
2. Sinful and ungodly prejudices taken up againſt thoſe Prophets and Miniſters of God that do in his Name admoniſh thee, and warn thee againſt thy ſinnes: Oh when men inſtead of hearkening to their Counſels, take occaſion to ſlander them, to oppoſe them, theſe men have haſtily tumbled into confuſion, Mat. 23. This Chriſt complained of, O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, thou that killeſt the Prophets, &c. how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldſt not? And it was of old the Jews wickedneſſe to perſecute and oppoſe all ſuch as came from God to admoniſh them of their ſinnes, and therefore at laſt they crucified the Heir, even Chriſt himſelf: The Wiſe man ſpeaks peremptorily to this, Prov. 29.9 He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy: You ſee how ſuch men haſte to their perdition; Know then it comes of the devil who hath a deſire to undoe thee for ever; when thou takeſt up prejudices and wicked diſcontents at ſuch who plainly tell thee of thy ſinnes; This is made an Argument that David in his grievous Fall had not loſt all his grace, that when Nathan told him he was the man, he doth not rage at the Prophet, or threaten to kill him, but immediatly humbles himſelf, and ſaith I have ſinned, and on the other ſide King Aſaph though a good man, yet tranſgreſſed in an high manner, when he put the good Prophet in priſon for reproving of him, what a ſad affliction befell that King even to the end of his daies; Oh then take heed how you entertain prejudices and objections againſt the Miniſters of God who are faithful in their work; The firſt time that we reade Iudas beginning to diſcover himſelf, and Chriſt foretelling what one would prove that was of his choſen Apoſtles, it was upon ſome mutterings and captiouſneſſe that was ſhewed at ſome words in Chriſts Sermon, This might ſeem a little thing, but it proved very dangerous; Obſerve the place, Ioh. 6.60, 61, 64, 67, 70. Our Saviour there ſaid, That his fleſh was meat indeede and his bloud drink indeed, and that he which eateth him ſhould live; This Speech not rightly underſtood offended ſome, and they began to murmure at it, and although our Saviour afterwards explained it, that it was to be underſtood in a ſpiritual ſence, yet they were ſo farre diſcontented, that they quite leave him, yea, the Apoſtles were ſo ſtaggering that Chriſt asked them, Will you alſo go away? Now it appeareth by the Text that Iudas was the chief man that made all this Quarrell at Chriſts Sermon, v. 64. There are ſome of you that beleeve not, for Chriſt knew who would betray him, and v. 70. Have not I choſen twelve of you, and one is a devil; Mark it in the preſent Tenſe, he doth not ſay, he will be a devil, but he is a devil: Our Saviour knew with what a cankered and malicious heart, even then he took occaſion to quarrell at his Doctrine: Let this Example make you afraid how you let ſuch viperous and Serpentine thoughts enter in your breaſt; You think to vex and trouble the Faithfull Miniſter, but thou doſt create the greateſt trouble to thy own ſoul; Many of theſe they would never hear Chriſt more, They would not frequent his Sermons, but what was this, Even to go from him who had the words of Eternal Life; This is to leave and forſake Manna, and to eat that which is preſent poiſon.
8. Often rebelling againſt the Light of Conſcience.3. Often rebelling againſt the Light of Conſcience whether it be naturall or ſupernatural, This proveth very deſtructive in the latter end, Rom. 1. Thoſe Heathens who had a natural Knowledge of God, and yet detained the Truth in unrighteouſneſſe; They lived againſt what they knew, and committed thoſe very ſinnes, their Conſciences condemned them of, what was the iſſue of it, but to be given up to unnatural affection, and to work all iniquity with greedineſſe; This was the fruit of rebelling againſt meer natural Light, but the ſinne grows higher, when the Spirit of God by the Word doth convince thee, and inform thee, yet for all this thou wilt go on, and thou wilt accompliſh thy luſts, This will make way for a man to fall irrecoverably; Thus the Jews, they are come to have a Veil upon their eyes, and hardneſſe upon their hearts, and why? becauſe they alwaies reſiſted the Spirit of God speaking by his Prophets, Act. 7.51. This daily reſiſting of the holy Ghoſt made them come to the top of all their wickedneſſe, which was to Crucifie the Lord of Glory; As the continuall looking into the Sun doth at laſt blinde the Eyes, ſo thoſe by a frequent beholding of Light in the Word come at laſt to all Heavenly ſight; As men with frequent labour get ſuch a callouſneſſe upon their hands that they have no feeling; Thus do many men by a daily rebelling againſt the Light, at laſt turn ſo ſtupid and ſottiſh, that ſinne and no ſinne, hell and no hell, is all one to them; Oh then if thou wouldſt not be a Son of perdition nouriſh all the motions of Gods Spirit, take heed of quenching the Spirit, If this be chaſed away, thou maiſt all thy life be like an Adamant, and never have more relentings.
4. Then men are likely to be Sons of perdit…n when they have been under divers and frequent afflictions, yet are not preſerved but grow worſe and worſe under them, 9. That are worſe by afflictions.as the Prophet Iſaiah tels the Jews, Chap. 1.5. Why ſhould I ſmite you any more? your wound is incurable; God he ſmiteth to awaken men that they ſhou…d repent and turn unto him; But when this rod makes them more ſtubborn, and they will hold their ſinnes, though they coſt them never ſo dear, this is a ſad Forerunner of perdition; Ahaz becauſe in his diſtreſſe he grew worſe and worſe, therefore the Scripture giveth him this brand, This is that King Ahaz: The Judgements and Chaſtiſements of God are medicinal in their Inſtitution, but if they do not kindely purge from ſinne, they become penal and deſtructive: They do hurt if they do no good; Oh then let ſuch perſons remember this, that have many times been under Gods Chaſtiſements; They have been often in the fiery Furnace, and then with Pharaoh they cry out, They will ſinne no more, They will let their Iniquities go, but when they ſee reſpite, and the Cloud is over, they begin with all greedineſſe to fullfill their ſinnes, as if they were delivered that they might tranſgreſſe the more; Oh Conſider that thy afflictions riſe not out of the duſt, God hath wiſely ordered them againſt thee but take heed how they leave thee; Doſt thou (as Iob ſaid) come out of them as Gold out of the fire; Canſt thou ſay, that before thou waſt afflicted thou wentſt aſtray, Theſe Rods have brought thy ſins to Remembrance, then bleſſe God for it, but if thou art recovered from the Grave, and withall delivered from the bitter pangs and terrours of Death, thou ſhalt again return to thy folly, then know aſſuredly a foul Leproſie hath ſpread it ſelf over thee.
5. Succeſſe and proſperity in the way of our ſinnes; When we offend God,10. That proſper in a way of ſin and get all that our hearts can deſire, this makes a man like the fatted Oxe to go leaping to the Stall, even to hell, Pſal▪ 73.6. When David had complained of the proſperity of the wicked, they offended God as they pleaſed, and yet had as much outward happineſſe as if they were the onelyonly perſons that pleaſed God; He ſaith therefore, Pride compaſſeth them about as a Chain, and Violence covereth them as a garment, They were full of violence and bold preſumption, like the Unjuſt Steward, neither fearing God nor man, and this boldneſſe in ſin was from outward proſperity: Hence the heart of ſuch ſinners is Iſa. 6. called a fat heart, from Cattell that doe grow fat in Fruitfull Paſtures; But above all places there is one more remarkable, Eccleſ. 8.11. Becauſe Sentence is not ſpeedily executed againſt the ſinner, Therefore the heart of the Sonnes of men is fully ſet in them to do evill; Fully ſet, There is nothing can divert them, they are reſolved, come hell, and come devils, they will have their way.
6. Hypocriſie or a deceitfull pretending to matters of Religion, 11. Hypocriſie.when yet at the ſame time their hearts are carnal, vile, and unſanctified, this was the Caſe of Iudas, he never from the beginning did truly love Chriſt, or in a ſaving way beleeve in Chriſt, as appeaſeth, Ioh. 6.64. It's true his hypocriſie was the more wonderful becauſe they left all, and followed Chriſt; They were expoſed to all hardſhip, and hatred from the world, who would not think that only pure ends had moved Iudas? but yet you ſee that even in the poor and low way Chriſt was in, yet Iudas could have falſe ends and there were temptations to draw out his carnal worldly heart, whether he was a convinced hypocrite that lived in ſins againſt conſcience at firſt is hard to ſay; But after he became the Bag-bearer, and did daily ſteal from that publike ſtock which Chriſt had for the maintenance of himſelf and his Apoſtles, then no doubt, but he knew he did not walk uprightly, and ſo was a groſſe hypocrite; Now this hypocriſie all along he diſcovers eſpecially Mat. 26.7. in this Hiſtory of Mary, who anointed Chriſts feet with precious Oyntment at a dear rate, Iudas murmured at this, Iohn the Evangeliſt mentioneth him only; …e other make all the Apoſtles to murmure, but either it is an E…allage, the plural for the ſingular number, or elſe Iudas was the beginning of the Sedition he was Ringleader, and put others on it; But in this complaint of this, See how ſpeciouſly and religiouſly be covered his wickedneſſe; Ad quid perditio haec, ſaith this Son of perdition, It might have been ſold and given to the poor; This he ſaid, ſaith the Evangeliſt, not that he cared for the poor, but becauſe he was a Theef; If all that had been put into the bagge he could have ſtolen from it, and ſo enriched himſelf, This was his hypocriſie: Another inſtance, is when he had agreed with the Prieſts about betraying of Chriſt his Maſter, he comes and kiſſes him with an Hail Maſter, this which appeared ſuch an obſequious expreſſion of love was made the very ſign by which they ſhould lay hold on Jeſus and carry him away; It is true, ſome of the Ancients have much excuſed Iudas as if he intended only to cheat the High-Prieſts of their money, becauſe he thought that Chriſt could eſcape out of their hands as ſoon as he was apprehended, for Iudas had obſerved before that when the people took him and intended to throw him down the Hill, that he did in a ſtrange miraculous manner convey himſelf from them, but this cannot be, for our Saviour had informed them that he muſt die, though as yet his hour was not come, that one of them ſhould betray him, and that Iudas was earneſt and reall in this Treachery appeareth by this expreſſion, Whom I ſhall kiſſe that is he, take him and leade him away diligently, as fearing Chriſt might have eſcaped them, or as it is tranſlated, Mat. 26.46. Hold him faſt: Thus in his moſt deviliſh actions he hath fair pretences, and under this Viſor perpetrares his abominations; in like manner Abſalom when he was upon that Treacherous deſign of unnatural rebellion againſt his Father, he pretends a Vow and Piety to perform it; Thus that cruell, bloudy and deceitful Doeg, on whom David acted by Gods Spirit doth pronounce ſo ſolemn Curſes, yet it is ſaid of him, 1 Sam. 29.7. He was detained before the Lord; Though he was upon ſome ſpeciall Vow, or otherwiſe ſerving of God, yet he could even then take occaſion to inform Saul againſt David, and be the cauſe of the death of many innocent Prieſts of the Lord, and the Phariſees were ſo hypocritically Religious that they would not enter into Pilates houſe leſt they ſhould defile themſelves when yet they could crucifie Chriſt; Thus when men can harden themſelves as they think to coſen God and men, no wonder if they fall into perdition.
12. Deſperation.Laſtly, Men who become Sons of Perdition are ſuch as willfully deſpair of Gods mercy, and conclude there is no hope for them: Iudas had committed grievous ſinnes, eſpecially in betraying innocent bloud, but his deſpair at laſt, was worſe then all the reſt; Even that bloud he had ſhed would have waſhed away that grievous ſinne of ſhedding it, had he by Faith ſprinkled himſelf with it; What made Cain ſo deſperately continue in rebellion as was againſt God, though with conſtant trembling upon him, it was his deſpair, My ſins are greater then I can bear: Thus as the devil when he poſſeſſed ſome bodies threw them in the fire and water, ſo when he doth the ſoul by deſpair he violently hurleth them into hell.
Thus you have heard the inward cauſe of ſelf…deſtroiers, there are ſome outward cauſes mentioned in the Scripture,
And they are, 1. Evil and wicked company. Men imboldened in ſinne labour to make others ſo: As Joab ſaid to the young man that trembled to runne his Spear into Abſalom, Fear not (ſaith he) have not I loved thee? Thus ſuch great Ones, ſuch rich Ones, or ſuch a multitude, they bid thee doe thus▪ Why then ſhouldſt thou regard what Miniſters or the Scripture ſaith? Art thou ſo fooliſh and preciſe to be awed with ſuch things? Thus Prov. 1. Old hardened ſinners are brought in enticing the young man to be one of their company.
2. When Satan takes greater hold and poſſeſſion of men then formerly, Thus he driveth them to hell, that as you reade the devil entred into ſome Swine, and threw them headlong into the Sea; Thus he poſſeſſth ſome men, and throweth them as violently into hell; Judas before he ſets upon this Treachery is ſaid Joh. 13.27. Satan entred into him, he entred into him, and took full poſſeſſion of his Soul; Thus before Ananias and Saphira did in ſo horrible a manner lye and diſſemble, it's ſaid Act. 5.3. Satan had filled their heart, and thus the Jews are ſaid to be of their Father the devil; There is a generation of men that have by way of curſe the devil often in their mouths, but he is much more in their hearts, and ſuch men none can ſtop from hell,
Laſtly, God by a juſt and ſevere judgement withdraweth or denieth all mollifying and ſoftening grace to ſome men for their former ſinnes, and when thus left by God they are in a ſencelſs, ſtupid, and impudent eſtate of ſinning; Thus Pharaoh was left by God, and then he was ſo hardned that no Miracles did him any good.
Ʋſe of Inſtruction, Marvell not if ſuch deſperate mad men live amongſt you, though they come to Church, though they hear never ſo much, for they are fully ſet to be deſtroied; Oh pity and pray for ſuch, that do neither for themſelves, if peradventure they may eſcape out of the devils ſnares.