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he did not join in the defection, was one of those, who were offended. Jesus asks the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" Peter, in behalf of the rest, professes a resolution to continue with him. Jesus says, "I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil." He spake of Judas, intimating, that though they still attended on him, yet one of them was a secret enemy to him on account of the contrariety of his doctrines to the worldly views of that disciple.

His covetousness not only took offence at Christ's preaching, but prompted him to rob the common treasury, which perhaps he thought he might innocently do, as he had the trouble of managing it. And yet he had no thought of selling his master. But by indulgence his lust gained strength, and finally urged him to this fatal step.

Beware then of the first beginnings of vice; resist the first temptation to evil; mortify every lust in its first appearance; "for lust, when it is conceived, brings forth sin, and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death."

6. We learn that a wicked heart gives satan his greatest advantage to succeed in his temptations.

John says, "The devil put it into the heart of Judas to betray Christ." Luke says, 66 satan entered into him, and he went and communed with the chief priests, how he might betray him." But covetousness is represented as having had a leading influence in the business. He went to the chief priests, and said, "What will ye give me? And they covenanted with him." The devil tempted him by stirring up the lust which he had conceived. What power satan has over men, they put into his hands by indulging their own wicked inclinations. Satan filled the heart of Ananias to lie unto the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price, for which he had sold his estate. But then he is said "to have conceived this thing in his own heart, and to have agreed with his wife to tempt the Spirit of the Lord." The apostle speaks of some, in whom the prince of the power of the air works effectually. But these are called "children of disobedience, walking according to the course of the world, and according to the prince of the power of the air."

Men's chief danger is not from the devil, but from their own Justs. "They are tempted, when they are drawn away of their own lusts and enticed." The true way to defeat temptations, is to abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. When the prince of darkness came to our Saviour, he found nothing in him, and his temptations had no effect.

Men often complain, that, though they are much in prayer, temptations beset them and prevail against them. But remem ber, you must watch as well as pray. It is vain to pray for grace to secure you from temptations, if you indulge the lusts, which of themselves draw you aside. If you would prevent, or repel temptations, begin with yourselves. Resist the enemy which is within you. Thus you may hope for grace to help in time of need.

We often read, in scripture, of men's acting under the power and influence of the devil; but this is never alleged in extenuation, but always in aggravation of their guilt, because it is by their own wickedness, that they fall under his influence.

7. We learn, that none are capable of doing so much injury to religion as the professors of it.

Judas, being one of the twelve, had it in his power to betray Jesus into the hands of his enemies, and satan used him as an instrument for this purpose.

Let professors beware, lest they become satan's tools to accomplish his infernal work. Let them beware, lest by a corrupt conversation, or evil example, or dangerous counsels, or by neglecting the ordinances of Christ, or acting contrary to their assumed character, they wound the credit of that religion, which they profess to believe. Having named the name of Christ, let them depart from iniquity, and so walk, that their good may not be evil spoken of, but that others, seeing their holy conversation may glorify God. Some will say, If professors may do so much injury to Christ, it is dangerous to make a profession. Rather say, dangerous to violate it.

Finally : We have marked it as an aggravation of Judas' crime, that he betrayed his Lord in the time and place of his devotions, and by a profession of affection and friendship. He not

only absented himself from the place, whither Christ, with some of his disciples, had resorted for prayer; but was all this time carrying on a design against him, and only came thither at last, to execute the wicked design.

Let us take heed, that we do not imitate this hypocritical and treacherous disciple. We profess to be the friends of Christ. In testimony of our regard to him, we come to his house, and often eat at his table. Here we are to renounce all guile, hypocrisy, envy, malice, and wickedness, and to bring hearts filled with pious. regards to him and kind affections to one another. If we absent ourselves for worldly ends, or come with hearts disaffected to him, to his religion and his disciples-if we hear his word with prejudice and reject its influence—if we eat of his bread, and lift up our heel against him—if we give him a salutation expressive of affection, and go away acting in opposition to his honor and interest; what do we better than betray him with a kiss? While we profess to be his friends, let us testify our regard to him by a conformity to his example, by obedience to his commands and by an active zeal in promoting his cause. "Ye are my friends," says he, "if ye do whatsoever I command you."

I have finished the first branch of our subject. To the other we may attend at a future opportunity.

SERMON XXIII.

REFLECTIONS ON THE CHARACTER OF JUDAS.

MATTHEW XXVII. S, 4, 5.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, &c.

In a former discourse, we considered the crime of Judas, with the motives leading to it, and the aggravations attending it; and we pointed out some instructions which the story suggests to us. We shall now, as was proposed,

II. Consider the consequences of this transgression in the remorse which it awakened in his mind, and the end to which it brought him.

When he saw that his Lord was condemned, he repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and rulers, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood. When they replied, What is that to us? See thou to it, he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple.

It will naturally be asked, wherein lay the defect of his repentance? He confessed that he had sinned; he declared that Jesus, whom he had betrayed, was innocent; and he returned the reward of his iniquity, and doubtless solicited his Lord's release. What could he do more?

Truly, if we had heard nothing more concerning him, we should be inclined to hope, that his repentance was sincere, and that he obtained pardon. But we are told, that he was a son of perdition, that he destroyed his own life, that he is gone to his place, and that it had been good for him not to have been born. Hence, though he is said to have repented, we must conclude, that his repentance fell essentially short of that to which pardon is promised. But where was the defect?

The story mentions two things wanting in his repentance to render it acceptable; one is a proper principle or motive, and the other is faith or hope in God's mercy.

1. His repentance was not from a proper motive. It was not the effect of a godly sorrow, but a fruit of the sorrow of the world.

"When he saw, that Jesus was condemned, he repented himself."

It was a common opinion among the Jews, that the Messiah would not die. The disciples seem to have fallen into this error. They expected, that he would erect a temporal kingdom. So strong was this expectation, that after his resurrection they asked him, if he would now restore the kingdom to Israel. Judas, in the perpetration of his treachery, went on from step to step with cool deliberation and without one misgiving thought; quieting his mind, no doubt, with a persuasion, that his master would convey himself out of the hands of the soldiers, as he had before escaped the multitude who had sought to stone him, and the rabble who attempted to throw him down a precipice; or that in some miraculous way he would effect his own preservation, and soon set up his kingdom. Had Jesus done this, the traitor would have been satisfied. But here he was disappointed. He sees the soldiers take his Lord, bind him and lead him away to the assembled council; he sees false witnesses rise against him; he sees the council condemn him as worthy of death, and send him to the governor for a sentence to legalize his execution; and under all this he sees him still patient and submissive; and now, beginning to despair of his Lord's deliverance, he repents of what, by his means, had taken place. But he repented, not of the sin; he repented

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