The next consideration is: how Judas his ⟨p. 891⟩repentance came upon him, in these words: When he saw that Jesus was condemned, &c. Peter heard three crows before he felt any remorse, so Judas saw his Lord apprehended, & yet he repented not, then he saw him accused, and yet he repented not, then he saw him mocked, & yet he repented not, then he saw him buffeted, & yet he repented not, at last he saw him condemned, and then saith Matthew he repented, like one which slayeth his friend in his rage, and sorroweth when it is past. In the sixth of Genesis, God is said to repent, but GOD repenteth not like men: so here the wicked are said to repent, but the wicked repent not like the faithful: But as it is said of Esau, that he sought repentance, so they may be rather said to repent, than to repent in deed. For if Judas had repented like Peter, he should have been forgiven like Peter: but to show that he did not repent well, when he had committed one sin, he addeth another to it: for when he had murdered his master, he murdered himself too. Therefore, if you ask how he repented? I think he repented so as most usurers repent upon their death-beds. There is a shame of sin, & guilt of conscience, & fear of judgement, even in the reprobate, which is a foretaste of hell which the wicked feel: even as peace of conscience & joy in the holy Ghost ⟨p. 892⟩is a foretaste of heaven, which the godly feel before they come thither. So Judas was displeased with the ugliness of his treachery, and had a misshapen sorrow like a Bears whelp, but without any conversion to God, or hope of mercy, or prayer for pardon, or purpose to amend. Only he felt a shame and guilt, and anguish in his heart: which was rather a punishment of his sin, than a repentance for his sin, and a preparative to Hell which he was going unto: for hardness of heart, and despair of mercy are sins & punishments for sin too: but true repentance is such a sorrow for one sin as breedeth a dislike of all sins, and moveth to pray, and resolveth to amend, which falleth upon none but the elect, and therefore Paul calleth the heart of the reprobate,1 A heart which cannot repent. But if the Papists doctrine of repentance be true, there is nothing wanting in Judas repentance: for in him may be found all the parts of their repentance.
The next consideration is: how Iudas his ⟨p. 891⟩repentance came vpon him, in these wordes: When hee sawe that Iesus was condemned, &c. Peter heard three crowes before he felt any remorse, so Iudas saw his Lord apprepended, & yet he repented not, then he saw him accused, and yet he repented not, then he sawe him mocked, & yet he repented not, then he sawe him buffeted, & yet he repented not, at last he sawe him condemned, and then saith Mathew he repented, like one which slayeth his friend in his rage, and sorroweth when it is past. In the sixt of Genesis, God is said to repent, but GOD repenteth not like men: so here the wicked are said to repent, but the wicked repent not like the faithfull: But as it is said of Esau, that he sought repentance, so they may bee rather saide to repent, than to repent in deede. For if Iudas had repented like Peter, he should haue been forgiuen like Peter: but to shewe that hee did not repent well, when he had cōmitted one sinne, he addeth another to it: for when he had murthered his maister, hee murthered himselfe too. Therefore, if you aske how hee repented? I thinke he repented so as most vsurers repent vpon their death-beds. There is a shame of sinne, & guilt of conscience, & feare of iudgement, euen in the reprobate, which is a foretaste of hell which the wicked feele: euen as peace of conscience & ioy in the holy Ghost ⟨p. 892⟩is a foretaste of heauen, which the godly feele before they come thither. So Iudas was displeased with the vglines of his trecherie, and had a mishapen sorrowe like a Beares whelp, but without any conuersion to God, or hope of mercie, or praier for pardon, or purpose to amend. Onely hee felt a shame and guilt, and anguish in his heart: which was rather a punishment of his sinne, than a repentance for his sinne, and a preparatiue to Hell which he was going vnto: for hardnes of heart, and despaire of mercie are sinnes & punishments for sinne too: but true repentaunce is such a sorrow for one sinne as breedeth a dislike of all sinnes, and mooueth to pray, and resolueth to amende, which falleth vpon none but the elect, and therefore Paule calleth the heart of the reprobate,1 A heart which cannot repent. But if the Papistes doctrine of repentance be true, there is nothing wanting in Iudas repentance: for in him may bee found all the partes of their repentance.
- 1Rom. 2. 5.
