The rule of faith, or, An exposition of the Apostles Creed so handled as…

2. The quality of the Traitor: He was a Minister, a chosen Disciple of Christ, yea preferred to the highest Calling in the Church, viz. to be an Apostle, one of the Twelve that was called out of the rest of the Disciples, and made one of Christs own family, and amongst the Twelve of some special reckoning, for he was, as it were, the Steward, and bare the Bag.

2. The qualitie of the Traytor: He was a Minister, a chosen Disciple of Christ, yea preferred to the highest Calling in the Church, viz. to bee an Apostle, one of the Twelue that was called out of the rest of the Disciples, and made one of Christs owne family, and amongst the Twelue of some speciall reckoning, for he was, as it were, the Steward, and bare the Bagge.

3. The cause of the Treason, or what moved Judas to this ⟨p. 328⟩devilish practise, and that was his covetousness, which is expressly noted by the Evangelist S. John, Chap. 12. 6. And his covetousness was the more vile, and may be aggravated against him divers ways. As first, because he was an Apostle: Covetousness is more hateful in a Minister than in any other. Secondly, Because he would sell his Lord and Master at so mean a price; that he should offer to sell the Lord of all things, as if he had been a vile bond-slave, and that he should reckon him to be made for his own private gain, that did vouchsafe to become a common price for the redeeming of all men, was a grievous offence: but that he should sell him for so mean a price, as thirty pieces of Silver, was extremely base: Nay it was the more excessively vile, that he useth Christ worse than a Clown would do his hog; for if a country clown were to sell his hog, he would not leave the price to the discretion of the buyers, as Judas did.

3. The cause of the Treason, or what moued Iudas to this ⟨p. 328⟩deuillish practise, and that was his couetousnesse, which is expressely noted by the Euangelist S. Iohn, Chap. 12. 6. And his couetousnesse was the more vile, and may be aggrauated against him diuers wayes. As first, because hee was an Apostle: Couetousnesse is more hatefull in a Minister than in any other. Secondly, Because he would sell his Lord and Master at so meane a price; that he should offer to sell the Lord of all things, as if he had beene a vile bond-slaue, and that he should reckon him to bee made for his owne priuate gaine, that did vouchsafe to become a common price for the redeeming of all men, was a grieuous offence: but that hee should sell him for so meane a price, as thirtie peeces of Siluer, was extremely base: Nay it was the more excessiuely vile, that he vseth Christ worse than a Clowne would doe his hogge; for if a country clowne were to sell his hogge, hee would not leaue the price to the discretion of the buyers, as Iudas did.