i$o SERMONS upon Serm 2o. Blackamore; nor is the Gape' lefs efficacious, becaufe managed by carnal Inftruments. Partly, becaufe God hath referved a yerfef Difcrimination till the lall Day, left the Wheat (hould be pulled up with the Tares. He knew Men were envious and cenforious, therefore till Sins be open, he doth not allow us to judg. Partly, to (hew us his Pati- ence to the worft of Men. Judas was continued among the Apofties; Chrift knew him when he was a Thief, as well as when he was a Traylor ; before he dilcovered the Traytor, he bore with the Thief; tho a Son of Perdition, he doth not deny him the Means. Zlfe t. Do not ref[ in outward Privileges: Say, What am I ? It is a Privilege to be a Member of the Church. David accounted it fo, to be a Door - /keeper in the Houfe of God, PCal. 84. to. A Man may be an Apo(tle of great Authority; but there is a more excellent way, that is Grace. Outward Advantages, without fpecial Grace, will not ferve the turn. yudas was under Chrift's own Inttru &ion. Vfe 2. Look to your Grounds and Motives, upon which you take up the Profeffton of the Name of Chrift. A found Beginning will have an happy Ending ; but if it be only upon carnal Reafons, fometime or other you will fall off, and all will end in (name and horror. Vf 3. When Scandals afire, the whole Body is not to be condemned for the Mifcar- riages of force Members : As the Beauty of a Street is not to be reckoned by the Sink and Kennel, nor the found Grapes by the rotten ones. We are not to condemn Re- ligion, and Religious Perfons, tho Come among them prove fcandalous. We are not to think the worfe of Chrift and his Apoftles, becaufe a yudas was in their Company. In the Floor there is Chaff as well as Wheat; in the Field there are Tares as well as Corn; in the Draw-Net there are bad Fifa as well as good. Mat. 18.7. Wo unto the World be- caufe of Off nces, for it mutt needs be that Offences come ; but wo to that Man by whom the Offence cometb. Such is the Enmity of Man to Good, that he is glad to have occafon to blemifh the Truth. Are there not many that are fincere, and walk unblameably ? And doth not thy Heart tell thee, thou haft no reafon to (peak againft them ? Religion it felf condemneth fuch ways. Y1fe 4. Hearken unto this, you that commit Sin with Jollity and Security ; you can eat and drink, and rife up to play. O take heed, left at length thou crieft out, O I have finned ! I have damned my Soul ! I have betrayed Chrift ! pietas came at length to this; I have finned, in that I have betrayed innocent Blood. Mat. 27. 4. Some are Jet up as Beacons to warn others, that by their dear Coft we may learn to beware. We are whipped on their Backs ; as Come Malefactors, their Bodies are not buried, but their Quarters are fet up upon Gates of Cities, and Places of great refort, for a Warning to others : Vt qui vivi noluerunt prode, eorum morte 7epublica utatur, faith Seneca. As Lot's Wife was turned into a Pillar of Salt, to feafon after -Ages. It is the property of God's Children, ftilt to edify themfelves by what they fee in others, be it good or evil. The Lord grant both you and I may tremble at this Inftance, to ftir up Watchfulnefs for our own Safety, that we may not fall into like Offences. We have to do with a jult and an holy God. Thin Exhalations turn into great Clouds and Storms. Thirdly; The next Circumltance is an Appeal to Scripture, That the Scriptures might be fulfilled. Why doth Chrift make this Appeal ? Partly, to avoid the Scandal, as if Chrift could not difcern an Hypocrite. Partly, to draw their Minds from the Treafon of Judas, and the Malice of the Jews, to the Counfel of God revealed in the Scrip- tures. Partly, to thew the certain Accomplifhment of whatever is foretold by the Holy -Ghoft. I (hall profecute there two lall Reafons, and thence take two Obfer- vations. t. Obferve; In the whole Pajon of Ghriß nothing fell out by chance. He was not be- trayed by chance; it was a Circumftance that fell under the Ordination of God. It is notable, that the fame Word is ufed of yadas, Mat. 26. 55. What will ye give me, xá}á oe ybtfo , and I will deliver him unto you ? Of the Jews, John 18.30. If be were not a Malefatlor, s -Irocesbsisv osv, we would not have delivered him to thee : Of Pilate, Mat. 27.26. When he had fcourged Jefus, 2rxpAate, he delivered him up to be crucified :. And
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