Secondly, Now I come to the success and fruit of Christ's care.
1. As to the elect.
2. As to Judas.
1, As to the elect : ' I have kept those whom thou hast given to me, and none of them is lost.' None of the elect can be lost ; God's election cannot be weakened by the falling of hypocrites. Christ may lose members, as he is head of a visible church, but not as he is head of a mystical body : ' One of you shall betray me, but I know whom I have chosen,' John xiii. 18. As if he had said, This will not defeat my purposes of grace. So Kom. xi. 7, ' The election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.' God's election worketh through all prejudices, wicked parents, bad education, a dumb ministry ; and others are hardened, notwithstanding all advantages, as Judas, though of the seed of Abraham, though an apostle, though under Christ's inspection. The fathers compared Paul and Judas, Paul an open enemy, Judas a seeming friend: 1 Tim. ii. 18, 19, 'Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his.' As those that build a palace are wont to lay a firm foundation, so God in building a heavenly city, he hath laid a foundation, by which is meant God's election, which is the great groundwork of salvation ; whoever fall, God's elect stand sure.
Use. Let us not be troubled at the defection of hypocrites, let it not shake our belief of the doctrine of perseverance ; be not offended, as if the salvation of the elect were not sure. Though glorious lumi- naries are quenched, and those that seemed to be stars leave their orb and station, God's election standeth sure. When a tree is shaken, rotten and unsound fruit comes clattering down. The devil never had such a season to set men on work to broach the doctrine of the apostasy of the saints, because of the general defection and miscarriage of eminent professors. In this case let us run to the scriptures. The defection of one from the college of the apostles was a great scandal ; but Christ saith, ' That it might be fulfilled which was written.' So "when any scandal falleth out, thus should we run unto the scriptures. 2. As to Judas, who is here called ' the son of perdition.' 1. Observe, in the general, there are some persons that are so wilfully set to destroy and damn themselves, that they may be called sons of
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perdition ; as here is one that perishetk in Christ's own company, a prey taken out of his hands, one that was never the better for all the care of Christ, for seeing his holy life, and for the excellent discourses that he lieard from him, for all the kindness he had showed to him in taking him into a near office and service about himself, for bestow- ing on him the gift of miracles, for trusting him with the bag, Christ 'had lately washed his feet, as well as of the rest of the apostles ; yet he obstinately goeth on in ways of self-perdition, and his purpose of betraying his Lord and master, yea, contrary to many warnings given him.
Use. Oh \ take heed of a wilful obstinacy, and wresting yourselves out of the arms of mercy ! of being of such a disposition that nothing will reclaim yon, for that is to be a son of perdition. Wilful sins have a greater mark upon them than other sins ; as when you go —
1. Against an express commandment : Pro v. xiii. 13, ' Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed, but he that feareth a command- ment shall be rewarded.' If a commandment stand in your way, it should be more than if a band of armed men stood to hinder you. Many make nothing of a commandment ; they fear a judgment from God, or a punishment from men, but never stand upon the word of God.
2. Against express warnings of those that wish well to your souls : Dent. i. 43, ' So I spake unto you, and you would not hear, but rebelled against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up into the hill.' When men are wedded to their own inclinations, outfacing all challenges in God's name, they will do what they are set upon : Ps. xii. 4, ' With our tongues will we prevail, our lips are our own: who is lord over us?' This is not far from a judgment : 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, IG, 'And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place. But they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, till there was no remedy.' This contempt will draw down wrath, no means to appease God.
3. Against checks of conscience, and motions of God's Spirit in our hearts : Acts vii. 51, ' Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost.' Conscience telleth them ye ought not to yield to this sin, whatever the profit and ])lea- sure be ; yet men kick against the pricks, and do that which their own hearts disallow : Eom. xiv. 22, ' Happy is he that condemnetli not himself in the thing that he alloweth.^ And in spite of these good motions they will go forward to perfect the sin which they have in chase ; then God lets them alone, lets them go on, till they perish.