Corollary 1. Hence in the first place we learn, That the greatest professors had need to be jealous of their own hearts, and look well to the grounds ami principles of their professions. One of the ancients would have had this epitaph engraven upon Judas's tomb-stone, si; i[hi n; opuw £u<rs/3'/j; g?w, i. e. " Let every one that beholds me, " learn to be godly indeed, to be sincere in his profession, and " to love Christ more unfeignedly than I did." O professors, look to your foundation, and build not upon the sand, as this poor creature did. That is sound advice, indeed, which the apostle
OQO the fouxtain or life. SEmr. xxnt
gives, 1 Cor. x. 12. " Let him that thinks he standeth, take heed " lest he fall/1 O beware of a loose foundation *. If you begin your profession as Judas did, no wonder if it shall end as his did.
1. Beware therefore that you hold not the truth in unrighte- ousness : Judas did so : he knew much, but lived not up to what he knew, for he was still of a worldly spirit in the height of his pro- fession. His knowledge never had any saving influence upon his heart, he preached to others, but he himself was a cast-away. He had much light, but still walked in darkness. He had no knowledge to do himself good.
2. Beware you live not in a course of secret sin. Judas did so^ and that was* his ruin. He made a profession indeed, and carried it smoothly, but he was a thief, John xii. 6. He made no con- science of committing the sin, so he could but cover and hide it from men. This helped on his ruin, and so it will thine, reader, if thou be guilty herein. A secret way of sinning, under the covert of profession, will either break out at last to the observation of men, or else slide thee down insensibly to hell, and leave thee there only this comfort, that no body shall know thou art there.
3. Beware of hypocritical pretences of religion to accommodate self-ends. Judas was a man that had notable skill this way. He had a mind to fill his own purse, by the sale of that costly oint- ment which Mary bestowed upon our Saviour's feet. And what a neat cover had he fitted for it, to do his business clearly ; Why, saith he, " This might have been sold for three hundred pence, " and given to the poor.'' Here was charity to the poor, or rather poor charity ; for this was only a blind to his base self-ends. O Christian, be plain-hearted, take heed of craft and cunning in matters of religion : This spoiled Judas.
4. Beware of self-confidence. Judas was a very confident man of himself. " Last of all, Judas said, Master, is it I ?" Matth. xxvi< 25. But he that was last in the suspicion was first in the trans- gression. " He that trusteth in his own heart, is a fool," saith Solomon, Prov. xxviii. 26. Such a fool was this great professor. It wall be your wisdom to keep a jealous eye upon your own hearts* and still suspect their fairest pretences.
5. If you will not do as Judas did, nor come to such an end as he did, " take heed you live not unprofitably under the means of grace. Judas had the best means of grace that ever man enjoyed. He heard Christ himself preach, he joined often with him in prayer, but he was never the better for it all ; it was but as the watering of a dead stick, which will never make it grow, but rot it the sooner. Never was there a rotten branch so richly watered as he
* Debtiefundamentumfallit opus,
SERM. XXIII. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 291
was. O it is a sad sign and a sad sin too, when men and women live under the gospel from year to year, and are never the better. I warn you to beware of these evils, all ye that profess religion. Let these footsteps by which Judas went down to his own place, terrify you from following him in them.
Corollary 2. Learn hence also, That eminent knowledge and pro- fession put a special and eminent aggravation upon sin*. Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve. Poor wretch ! better had it been for him, if he had never been numbered with them, nor enlightened with so much knowledge as he was endowed with : for this rent his con- science to pieces, when he reflected on what he had done, and presently run into the gulph of despair. To sin against clear light, is to sin with an high hand. It is that which makes a sad waste of the conscience. That, without doubt, which now torments this poor soul in hell, is that he should go against his light, against his profession, to gratify a base lust to his eternal ruin. Had he known no better, it had been more excusable. Those that had a hand in the death of Christ, through mistake and ignorance, were capable to receive the pardon of their sin by that blood they so shed, Acts iii. 17, 19- compared. Take heed therefore of abusing knowledge, and putting a force upon conscience.
Corollary 3. Learn hence in the third place, That unprincipled professors will sooner or later become shameful ajjostatcs. Judas was an unprincipled professor, and see what he came to ; ambition in- vited Simon Magus to the profession of Christ, he would be s/; ^ya;f " some great one," and how quickly did the rottenness of his prin- ciples discover itself in the ruin of his profession ? That which wants a root, must needs wither, as Christ speaks, Matth. xiii. 20, 21. That which is the predominant interest, will prevail, and sway with us in the day of our trial. Hear me, all you that pro- fess religion, and have given your names to Christ ; if that pro- fession be not built upon a solid and real work of grace upon your hearts, you shall never honour religion, nor save your souls by it. O it is your union with Christ, that, like a spring, maintains your profession. " So much as you are united to Christ, so much " constancy, steadiness, and evenness, you will manifest in the " duties of religion, and no more f.7*
O brethren, when he that professes Christ for company, shall be left alone as Paul was ; when he that makes religion a stirrup to help himself into the saddle of preferment and honour, shall see that he is so advanced to be drawn forth into Christ's camp and endure the heat of the day, and not to take his pleasure ; in a word, when
* The least violation of conscience is a very great sin, dmes. fifioiimur </uatenus unimur.
292 THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SEttM. XXIII.
he shall see all things about him discouraging and threatening, his dearest interest on earth exposed for religion's sake, and he hath no faith to balance his present losses with his future hopes ; I say, when it comes to this, you shall then see the rottenness of many hearts discovered ; and Judas may have many fellows, who will part with Christ for the world, as he did. O therefore look well to your foundation.