Again, this lamentable example of Judas should make men abhor the sin of betraying Christ. Many men detest the fact of Judas, and yet commit it or the like themselves: for Christ is betrayed many ways, as when his truth and honour is denied before men, and men dare not show their faith or purity before others: so also when men profess true religion, and yet deny the power of it, and live wickedly, and cause the adversaries of Christ to blaspheme: this is to deliver Christ to be accused, arraigned, and condemned of evil Judges. Again, when for reward a man will betray the truth by bearing false witness; for to betray the truth, is to betray God who is Truth: and so when men violate brotherly love, they betray God who is Love. Ministers also betray Christ (with Judas) when they betray the flocks of Christ, and following their own ambition or gain, leave their flocks to the Wolfe to be daily devoured, and besides starving them for want of fodder, or wholesome food. And such Judases are they that will sell Religion and their own souls to get unlawful gain, by lying, and ⟨p. 332⟩[…] ⟨p. 333⟩[…] ⟨p. 334⟩swearing, and false commodities and weights, &c. or will break Gods Sabbaths to follow their gain: yea in some respects they are worse than Judas, for he was never a Traitor but once, and then it was to get thirty pieces of silver; but a great number of men amongst us will sell Christ and their own souls for one piece of silver, and do make a practise of it, they do it daily. Again, let all men take heed of gross sins, or any extraordinary causes of corruption, for strange punishments will follow such workers of iniquity. The fearful judgement of God upon this poor creature, may affright the Sodomites & Effeminate, the cursed Swearers and Blasphemers, the damned Drunkards and Atheists, the hellish Traitors and Heretics of our time.
Againe, this lamentable example of Iudas should make men abhorre the sinne of betraying Christ. Many men detest the fact of Iudas, and yet commit it or the like themselues: for Christ is betrayed many wayes, as when his truth and honour is denied before men, and men dare not shew their faith or puritie before others: so also when men professe true religion, and yet denie the power of it, and liue wickedly, and cause the aduersaries of Christ to blaspheme: this is to deliuer Christ to be accused, arraigned, and condemned of euill Iudges. Againe, when for reward a man will betray the truth by bearing false witnesse; for to betray the truth, is to betray God who is Truth: and so when men violate brotherly loue, they betray God who is Loue. Ministers also betray Christ (with Iudas) when they betray the flocks of Christ, and following their owne ambition or gaine, leaue their flocks to the Wolfe to be daily deuoured, and besides staruing them for want of fodder, or wholsome food. And such Iudasses are they that will sell Religion and their owne soules to get vnlawsull gaine, by lying, and ⟨p. 332⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 333⟩〈…〉 ⟨p. 334⟩swearing, and false commodities and weights, &c. or will breake Gods Sabbaths to follow their gaine: yea in some respects they are worse than Iudas, for he was neuer a Traitor but once, and then it was to get thirty peeces of siluer; but a great number of men amongst vs will sell Christ and their owne soules for one peece of siluer, and doe make a practise of it, they doe it daily. Againe, let all men take heed of grosse sinnes, or any extraordinary causes of corruption, for strange punishments will follow such workers of iniquitie. The fearfull iudgement of God vpon this poore creature, may affright the Sodomites & Effeminate, the cursed Swearers and Blasphemers, the damned Drunkards and Atheists, the hellish Traitors and Hereticks of our time.
