One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 72
SERMON LXXII. Of the Sonne of Perdition.
JOHN 17.12.
But the Sonne of Perdition.
I Shall at this time finiſh the good Obſervations from ſo bad an inſtance. For as through the perfidiouſneſs of this ſonne of perdition, though he intended it not, God wrought the greateſt ſalvation that could be, inſomuch that in this ſenſe, we may call his fact an happy ſinne: So through a divine conſideration of this ſad example, we may receive the greateſt good, and with an holy skill turn this poiſon into nouriſhment; for the ſins and deſtructions of wicked men, are written for our inſtruction, as well as the good life and mercies of the godly: As Abel, though dead ſpeaks, …o Judas, though damned, crieth to all, to take warning from him.
Two Obſervations I ſhall briefly diſpatch at this time,
The firſt, whereas you ſee Judas thus hopefully and forwardly beginning leaving all with the other Apoſtles to follow Chriſt, and that in a contemned, perſecuted manner, yet at laſt dreadfully and finally to revolt from all, Obſerve,
Obſerv. 1. That unleſs men are carefull at firſt to look to their grounds and motives, why they take upon them the profeſſion of Chriſts way, they will never hold out, but one time or other forſake and revolt from all.That unleſſe men are carefull at firſt to look to their grounds and motives, why they take upon them the profeſſion of Chriſts way, they will never hold out, but one time or other forſake and revolt from all. A ſure and ſound beginning will ever have a bleſſed and happy ending, but when men upon ſlight and inſincere motives, look towards Chriſt at firſt, ſuch build upon the ſand, and their fall will be great. Our Saviour ſpake many Parables, eſpecially that of the fooliſh builder, and of the ſtony and thorny ground, for this end, that men ſhould be well adviſed upon what terms they at firſt undertake for him. Hence it is, that when ſome voluntarily profered their ſervice and obedience to Chriſt, Chriſt preſently informeth them of the difficulty of that work, of the contrariety of it to fleſh and blood; that they had better never begin, then afterwards to fall off; hence he ſo ſolemnly bids them, to remember Lots wife, Luk. 17.32. and that he who hath put his hand to the plow, and looks back, is not fit for the kingdome of Heaven.
Seeing therefore this is often to be ſeen, though it be very ſad, That many who have been once zealous and hopefull for Gods way, yet afterwards decline totally, and are not the men they were: Let us conſider, what it is to ſet rightly at firſt upon the owning of Chriſt, to lay a ſure foundation at firſt? And
Firſt, Then are our beginnings hopefull, when the Spirit of God in the Miniſtry, or other means of grace did work upon us. When it was not meer education under good Governours, when it was not the acquaintance and company we had with thoſe that feared God, but ſome inward experimental work of Gods grace upon our own hearts. Alas, let a man be never ſo fervent, ſo overtopping others, and even to admiration ſhew himſelf in holineſſe, yet if it hath not been the work of Gods Spirit effectually moving upon his heart, he is but like a Land-flood, which though ſwelling high upon much rain, yet when a drought comes, will be preſently dried up. It's not meer nature, or externall reſtraint from ſinnes, or any ſudden motions in our own ſpirit, that will ever hold out. We reade 2 Chron 24.22. of Joaſh, who in his latter age did moſt wickedly degenerate, when yet in his former times he was very forward in repairing the Temple of God, and ſhewed more zeal to Gods glory then the Prieſts did: But what was the ground? Jehoiada the high Prieſt had a great hand over him, he helped him to the Kingdom, and engaged him to God ſeveral wayes, but when this good man was dead, he becomes a Wolf, and puts Zachariah, Jehoiada his ſonne, that had been ſuch a kinde Uncle to him, to death, and that meerly becauſe he reproved them for their ſinnes: So that though here was ſome external reſtraining of Joaſh, yet there was no internal renovation by Gods Spirit: Now I make a ſure foundation to lie in theſe two, The Spirits work by the Miniſtry in an ordinary way, becauſe one is the efficient, and the other the ſubordinate and inſtrumental cauſe; Hence our converſion, our regeneration, and ſpiritual begetting anew, is conſtantly attributed to the Word preached, as the ordinary cauſe, and the Word preached is but as a dead letter without the Spirit: Oh then runne to the fountain of thy owning of Chriſt! What put thee upon forwardneſs in this way? Was it the Spirit of God through the Word? then this is of God, and will endure, I adde through the Word, becauſe of thoſe many deluſions many have in them, which being not according to Gods Word, as they come from darkneſſe, ſo they will end in darkneſſe. The Childe miſhapen in the Conception, will ever after be a monſter.
Secondly, Then will beginnings and endings be alike, when grace is radicated and enters …ep enough into the ſoul. Though thou haſt never ſuch affections, ſuch enlargements, yet if there be not a rooted and deep work of grace upon thy ſoul, it will never hold. This our Saviour preſſed Matth. 13. The ſeed that grew up hopefully, miſcarried becauſe it had no rooting; and thus the houſe on the ſandy foundation was ruined, becauſe the builder did not dig deep enough. Hence the promiſe of Regeneration is Jer. 31. to put the Law of God in their inward parts, in the moſt intimate and deep parts of the ſoul; and therefore grace is called the inward man, and the hidden man of the heart: But ô how ſuperficial and overly! How formal are moſt in this matter? They undertake to own the wayes of godlineſs before ever they have laid a deep foundation. Hath thy repentance been deep enough, thy faith, thy love been rooted enough? If ſo, then the gates of hell ſhall never prevail againſt thee.
Thirdly, Good beginnings will have bad endings, when men profeſſe Chriſt, not out of love to Chriſt, and pure intentions to him, but from ſiniſter and worldly reſpects. Oh this covering and hiding will never hold! The Wolf will be at laſt a Wolf for all it's ſheep-cloathings; and this was Judas his caſe, his end was not pure, his eye was not ſingle, and therefore his Apoſtaſie was inevitable: To follow Chriſt for loaves, or to know him only after the fleſh, will never endure; All fleſh is graſſe, Iſa. 40 6. but the word of God abides for ever, that is; not only the body of man is mortal, but all thoſe wayes of righteouſneſſe and holineſſe, which are not indeed, regeneration will certainly vaniſh. This is a great part of the meaning, if you compare this place with the whole context, 1 Pet 1.23, 24, 25. Jehu begins with zeal as hot as fire, yet his latter end was like Jeroboams, for he walked in his wayes, and all becauſe his ends were not pure. Oh this is the ſumme of all! This is the ſoul and life of all. Obſerve diligently thy heart in the intentions and motions of it: Is it to have applauſe? Is it to be reputed of? Is it to accompliſh great things for thy ſelf? Thus we may ſay of thy godlineſſe, what is it thy body? Duſt thou art, and to duſt thou wilt return; The time is coming thou wilt not have a ſtone left upon a ſtone of that religious building, though once ſo many did admire it.
Fourthly, Then hot beginnings will end coldly, when the judgement of a man is not well inſtructed and informed in the truth. Hot affections, but a weak judgement will quickly reel up and down, as a man that hath ſtrong vapours from his ſtomack, but a weak brain: Therefore our Saviour prayeth in this Chapter, That they may be ſanctified through the truth. Hymeneus and Philetus, when they made ſhipwrack of the faith, then they caſt away a good conſcience: So that a ſound minde and judgement is a ſpecial preſervative to perſeverance: What is the reaſon children are toſſed up and down with every new thing? But becauſe their underſtandings are weak; and Epheſ. 4. we are forbidden to be like children in this reſpect; As there muſt be a ſound judgement in the truth, ſo a well adviſed Meditation about the nature of grace, and how dear it will coſt thee to be Chriſts Diſciple. To come into the company of the godly before thou haſt throughly bethought thy ſelf, what is required of a Diſciple? How much he muſt do and ſuffer? What he ſhall meet with in the way? is the cauſe of great hypocriſie. Our Saviour doth fully expreſſe this under two Parables, One of a man going to warre; and another who undertakes a great building, Luke 14 31. There is none will ſet upon a warre or building, but with much councel, whether he be able to go through with it, or no; Whether he ſhall not be mocked, as one that began and could not make an end? Thus do thou reflect upon thy ſelf, What ſhall I go and joyn my ſelf with thoſe that fear God? Shall I be in the number of thoſe that will own Chriſt more ſtrictly then the world? Am I fit for ſuch a great work? Am I mortified to all ſinne? Can I endure to loſe all for Chriſt? Do I love him better then all relations, and life it ſelf? If I do not, it's no climbing up this hill, I ſhall tumble back again with greater danger then ever. I ſhall adde no more particulars, becauſe all miſcarriages may be reduced to one of theſe heads.
Uſe. In the firſt place of Inſtruction. Though zealous beginnings may terribly degenerate, yet it's a bleſſed, and an happy thing to be working for God betimes; Though a man called at the twelfth hour into the Vineyard, ſhall be rewarded, yet it is a bleſſed thing to be one of the firſt in Gods Vineyard; to be as Timothy was, godly in the youth. The wicked world, as they have many Proverbs to encourage themſelves in their wickedneſſe, ſo this is none of the vileſt, A young Saint an old Devil: This Gerſon cals a blaſphemous Proverb, and ſaith, His heart did often tremble to hear men ſay, Angelicus Juvenis ſenibus ſatanizat in Annis. Men take up this ungodly Proverb to procraſtinate their converſion, to delay their repentance, to diſcourage early lookings towards heaven, as if all that did begin ſo ſoon, would turn devils at laſt. Though Judas did thus play the hypocrite, yet Timothy, godly from the youth, did not. Therefore beginne even this day, this hour, onelyonly look thy beginnings be ſound and ſincere.
2. Uſe of Exhortation, To take heed of proving a Judas, How odious is his name? It's a Proverb to expreſſe a treacherous, falſe hearted man, to ſay, He is another Judas, and Judas his name is ſo abominated, that though in it ſelf it be a good name, ſignifying as much as one that confeſſeth and praiſeth God, yet I think there was ſcarce ever any Chriſtian would name his childe Judas, his actions are ſo abhorred, and yet for all this, How many are like Judas, and ſo ſonnes of perdition? Apply it but in this one thing, Judas his high iniquity was, out of his covetouſneſſe to betray Chriſt for thirty pieces of ſilver, for a little profit he would loſe Chriſt. Now is not this the caſe of moſt wicked men in the world? Whoſoever loveth any pleaſure or profit more then Chriſt, he is like Judas. The drunkard is a Judas, he ſels Chriſt and his ſoul for his drink. The whoremonger is a Judas, the unjuſt dealer is a Judas, all theſe ſell Chriſt, ſometimes for leſſe then Judas did. It's not thirty pieces, but a leſſe matter makes thee betray Chriſt. Oh then that all inordinately carried away with any ſinne, would ſay, What a Judas am I, I let looſe Barabbas, and crucifie Chriſt!
The ſecond Obſervation may be this, Whereas Judas had this condition befallen him, which did draw out his corruption, and ſo was the means to undo him, Obſerve,
That it's a very ſad thing to fall into ſuch a condition,Obſerv. 2. That it's a very ſad thing to fall into ſuch a condition that draweth out our peculiar corruptions, we are moſt prone unto. that draweth out our peculiar corruptions we are moſt prone unto. This was the poiſon to Judas, he being naturally inclined to unjuſt gain, hath this office of carrying the bagge, and thus he hath the opportunity of augmenting his impiety. How he came about to be put in the Stewards place, men do but conjecture. Some ſay, It was his earneſt endeavour and plot for it. Others, That Chriſt did it to engage him, and to make him more inexcuſable. To be ſure, This was to him as Dalilah to Sampſon; as Saul thought Michall would have been to David; as the Ivy to the Wall; it was as Moths to the linnen, even eating him up, and conſuming of him.
To open this, Conſider,
Conſider. 1 Firſt, That men are ſet in places, relations and habitations by God. All our relations, changes and offices, they are wholly ordered by God, yea our very places and habitations they are bounded; and certainly, if thoſe things that ſeem to be moſt caſuall, are yet by the ordering of a wiſe God, much more thoſe things that are of a greater concernment. Hence
Secondly, God doth not onelyonly order all conditions and paſſages towards us, but he doth it in reference either to our ſpirituall welfare or diſadvantage. Rom. 8. To the godly, all things work together for their good; Whatſoever eſtate, mercy, or condition they are in, it's the effect of their Predeſtination; ſo that as Ordinances and Graces flow from their Predeſtination, ſo do all other their outward mercies and conditions, onelyonly here is this difference, The Graces of Gods Spirit are intrinſecally apt of themſelves to prepare for happineſſe, and ſo are the direct effects of it; but temporall mercies, they are not ſo, but propter aliud: Therefore we are not properly ſaid to be predeſtinated, to be rich, to be poor, to be married, to live a ſingle life; as we are to be holy, becauſe theſe outward conditions are only indifferent in their natures, but through the grace of God, they become very ſerviceable to their ſpiritual good.
Thirdly, Though God hath thus a wiſe ordering of all things, yet men by their corruptions may throw themſelves into ſuch conditions, as may prove occaſions to ſinne unto them, and then thoſe things are permiſſive onelyonly from God. Jacob had the bleſſing, this was of Gods appointment, but his deceitfull way of obtaining it, was wholly of his own corrupt heart. David was appointed by God for a Kingdom, but then the many ſinfull and carnall ſhifts he uſed that was of himſelf. It's true, the godly even from their fooliſh miſcarriages, if humbled, may be encouraged, God will work good to them thereby, as Joſeph comforted his brethren; It was not they but God that had ſold him: But now to wicked men, they for their ſinnes are left by God, and therefore not taking Gods way in any thing, they have their conditions in anger, and they become a ſnare unto them, as Salomon had obſerved, That riches were given to ſome for their hurt. Thus every eſtate, that a wicked man hath, provoking God to leave him, doth increaſe his corruption; it's oyl to the flame, He treaſureth up more wrath againſt the day of wrath.
Hence in the fourth place, That which a wicked man may ſo greedily long for, and break through all difficulties to obtain, that may be the ſaddeſt judgement to have in the world. Some men inordinately deſire earthly greatneſs and honour, and they have it, but Gods judgement they have with it. Some are inordinate for riches and wealth, they will be rich, but then they drown themſelves in perdition Others with Rachel ſay, Give me children, elſe I die, and her children make her die. So that as beaſts leap and play in fat paſtures, which are for their deſtruction: Thus many a man he rejoyceth and bleſſeth himſelf in having of that, which when enjoyed is the immediate poiſon of his ſoul.
Fifthly, Here is the difference between a godly man and a wicked, To the wicked man his relations and calling are a totall and prevailing temptation to him, the fire kindleth upon him, and cannot be quenched; It's like hell fire, that cannot be put out; But now to the godly man his calling and relations may in part tempt him, be a ſore thorn in his way to heaven, but yet he will recover, he will watch and pray againſt his temptations. Though the world may as Joſephs miſtreſs ſollicit and importune him, yet he will refuſe to lie with her; or if this viper hath faſtened upon his hand, it ſhall not ſtay to kill him, he will caſt it off.
Ʋſe of Examination. Try your conditions, your relations, obſerve whether they be not conſtant Dalilahs to thee: Again and again conſider, Whether thy condition be not a temptation to thee? It's true, no godly man can be in any lawfull calling, but it tempts him to deadneſs of heart, to dull affections in heavenly things, but if they do not wholly turn thee from God, then thy conflicting in it, is a ſure ſign of grace. It's made the wicked mans condition, That his table ſhall become a ſnare, by that is meant, all his dainties, all his worldly greatneſſe and excellencies, and that ſuch a ſnare, as he doth willingly yeeld unto. Therefore renew prayer conſtantly, that thy heart, and the temptation be not loſt together.