Ver.12. the 17th Chapter of St. J O HN. 179 4. Take heed of his Despair. O cherish the Repentance of Peter, but not of yudaf. If you have finned against God, go out, and weep bitterly, but take San &uary at the Lord's Grace. Do not hug a Dittemper inftead of a Duty. There were two Ingredi- ents wanting in Judas's Repentance, that should be in every true Penitent. (t.) Love to Conversion. Whatever a convinced Hypocrite doth, he doth it out of Self-love. Pharaoh could fay, Take away this Plague ; he doth not fay, Take away this hard Heart. Every Creature loveth its own Quiet and Safety. Wicked Men only hate Sin, when they feel Wrath, and are furprized with Horror and Trouble ; not out of a Love to Grace, but Fear of Hell. When Hurt is at hand, the Fear of it worketb upon us. True Repentance cometh from a fight of the Beauty, and Excellency, and Sweetnefs that is to be found in the ways of God : And they grieve, not only for the Efteüs of his Wrath, because God is angry, but becaufe God is offended. (a.) Hopes of Mercy. Judas goeth not to God, but hangs himfelf. No Convidlion is good, that doth not lead to God. When the Spirit convinces of Sin, he convinces alfo of Righteoufnef, John r6. 8. And the Heirs of Promife are defcribed to be thofe that fie for Refuge to the Hope that is fet before them. Heb. 6. r8. They are fenfible that there is an Avenger of Blood at their Heels, that the Wrath of God is purfuing them for their Sin ; O but they run to take San tuary at the Grace of God. Judas's Sin (tuck close to him, and he calls away himfelf ; but Peter runs to Christ, and Christ fends him a comfortable Meflage 5 Mark 16. 7. Go, tell my Difciples, and Peter, that I go before them into Galilee. 4. Obferve ; That the Wicked, in their Machinations again[[ the Church, do but draw Perdition upon themfelves. The Church hath Benefit by yssdals Treafon ; we are re- deemed,and God hath Glory : but he is the Son of Perdition. Judas was the firi Heretick of the Got-pet, denying Chrift's Godhead; he betrayed him, thinking him a meer Man : and he was the first falCe Brother and Persecutor. , And now Hereticks and Persecutors, what do they carry away but Shame ? The Plots blowup the Author. Heresies edify the Church, but damn the Broacher. Light breaketh out by knocking of Flints. Perse- cutors are an Iron in the Fire, heated too hot, burneth their Fingers that hold it, but the Church is purged. The Church was beholden to Charles the Fifth. God doth it to chew his lattice, Power, and Wifdom. r. His Justice, that they are taken in their own Net. Judas was hanged, ere Christ was brought to the Cross. Pfal. 76. r o. Surely the Wrath of Men shall praife thee. 2. His Wit-dom. He taketh the Wife in their own Craftinefi. The wife Painter know- eth how to lay on black Lines and Shadows. All their Policy is but a Spider's Web, woven with much Art, but it cometh to nothing. God will be known to be only wife, even when wicked Men think to overreach him : As the Governor of a Cattle, that is privy to the Plots of his Enemies, he knows what they will do, and fuffets them to run on to such a Point. 3. His Power. Let Cain, Pharaoh, Ichitophel, Haman, Hemd, Judas (peak; is not this true ? They all confefs, They did but kick against the Prick!, dash againft the Rocks, roll up a Stone that will fall upon them, and break them all to pieces ? It is the Devil's Torment, that all his Plots are turned to his lofs, and the good of thofe he hated moti; all his lnftruments are but Executioners of God's Will,while they rush againft it. As Men walking in a Ship, the Veffel keepeth its courfe, tho they move a contra- ry way ; or as in Clocks, tho Come Wheels move one way, and force another, yet all tend to make the Clock go. g. Obferve ; In the Church are wicked Men, who may fnally mifearry 5 nay, Men eminent for a while in the Church, yet afterwards prove dreadful Apoftates. There was a Cham in the Ark, a Judas among the Apoltles. The visible Church never wan- tech a mixture ; there is no poffrbility to efchew it. Partly, becaufe they may be ufe- ful as to external Employment and Service ; God hath an ufe for wicked Men, as a dead Poft to fupport a living Tree. They may have Gifts for the Benefit of the Body. Wicked Men may fupply the place of an Officer, as Judas was an Apoftle. A wooden Leg may be a Stay to the Body, tho it be not a true Member. Mat. 7. 22, 23. Many fhall fay unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not proph fed in thy Name, and in thy .'k ame raft out Devils, and in thy Name done many wonderful Works ? And then will I profefs unto them, jneverknew you, depart from me, ye that work Iniquity. Chriti will difclaim them, as here he doth. A Torch giveth never the left Light, tho carried by a Z z z 2 Black-
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