174 SERMONS upon Serm;2ö; II. As to Judas, who is here called the Son of Perdition. r. Obferv. In the General; That there are force Perfons that are fo wilfully fit to de- Jiro, and damn themfelves, that they may be called Sons of Perdition. As here is one that peritheth in ChriR's own Company, a Prey taken out of his Hands ; one that was never the better for all the care of Chritt, for feeing his Holy Life, and for the excellent Difcourfes that he heard from him; for all the Kindnefs that he had 'hewed to him, in taking him into a near Office and Service about himIelf 5 for beftowing on him the Gift of Miracles ; for trufting him with the Bag. Chritt had lately wathed his Feet, as well as of the reti of the ApoRles ; yet he obflinately goeth on in ways of Self - Perdition, and his purpofe of betraying his Lord and Malter, yea, contrary to manyWarnings given him. Vfe. Oh take heed of a wilful obllinacy, and wrefting your felves out of the Arun of Mercy ! of being of fuch a difpofition, that nothing will reclaim you, for that is to be a Son of 'Perdition. Wilful Sins have a greater mark upon them than other Sins 5 As when you go, 1. Againft an exprefs Commandment. Prov. 13. 13. Whofo defpifeth the Word, fhall be defiroyed ; but he that feareth a Commandment, (hall be rewarded. if a Commandment ftand in your way, it Ihould be more than if a Band of Armed Men Rood to hinder you. Many make nothing of a Commandment ; they fear a Judgment fromGod, or a Punifhment from Men, but never ftand upon the Word of God. 2. Againft exprefs Warnings of thofe that with well to your Souls. Deut. r. 43. So I fpake unto you, and you would not hear, bet rebelled againfl the Commandment of the Lord, and went prefumptuoufly up into the Hill. When Men are wedded to their own In- clinations, outfacing all Challenges in God's Name, they will do what they are fee up- on. PCal. 12. 4. With our Tongues will we prevail, ear Lips meow own : who is Lord over to ? This is not far from a Judgment. 2 Chron. 36. t5, 16. And the Lord God of their Fathers font to them by his eingers, riling up betimes, and fending, becauf he had com- pafon on his People, and on his Dwellingplace. But they mocked the Meffingers of God, and defpifed his Words, and mifufed his Prophets, until the Wrath of the Lord raft againft his People, till there was no Remedy. This Contempt will draw down Wrath, no means to appeafe God. 3. Againft Checks of Confcience, and Motions of God's Spirit in our Hearts. /itch' y. 5s. Te fti:necked, and uncircumcifed in Heart and Ears, ye do always r ffi the Holy Ghoft. Confcience telleth them, ye ought not to yield to this Sin, whatever the Profit and Pleafure be ; yet Men kick againft the Pricks, and do that which their own Hearts difallow. Rom. 14. 22. Happy is he that condemneth not himfelf in the thing that he alloweth. And in fpight of there good Motions, they will go forward to perfat the Sin which they have in chafe ; then God lets them alone, lets them go on, till they perilb. 4. Againft Reftraints of Providence, when God bath hedged up their Way with Thorns, or they have found much inconvenience in that courfe. 2 Chron. 28. 22. In the time of his diflrefs he trefpajed yet more and more : This is that King Ahaz; the Scrip- ture Pets a Brand upon him. As Baalam would go on, 2 Pet. 2. 16. But was rebuked for his Iniquity : the dumb Afs, fpeaking with Man's Voice, forbad the madnefs of the Pro- phet. When Men go onover the Belly of more than ordinary Oppofition,till they pe- rith. A Miracle will not Rop a Sinner in the violent purfuit of his Lulls. Providence hath a Language that biddeth us flop, but the Tway of Lulls is great, and breaks through all Reftraints. Oh! take heed then of being Pelf- willed, Rout- hearted in a fenfual courfe, wedded to our own Inclinations, of being a Slave to Senfual Appetite, and being led by it more than by Holy Reafons. Take heed of love to Come unmor- ti6ed Luft, efpecially to Covetoufnelss ; this is the caufe of extream violence in Sin. Jet. 44. 16, 17. -if for the Word that thou haft fpoken to m in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we will certainly do whatfoever thing goeth forth out of our own Mouth, to burn Incenfe unto the &een of Heaven, and to pour out Drink-Ofrings un- to her. 2. Obferve from his Chara &er, The Son of Perdition. The fame Name is given to Antichrift, 2 The/fa. 3. That Man of Sin be revealed, the Son of Perdition. Judas was Type of 4ntichr f ; as they laid of the blind Man, John 9. 9. Some faid, This is he : ethers
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