Mark 14:17

Observe here, 1. The unexampled boldness of this impudent traitor Judas; he presumed, as soon as he had sold his Master, to sit down at the table with him, and did eat the passover with the disciples: had the presence of Judas polluted this ordinance to any but himself, doubtless our Saviour would ever have suffered him to approach unto it.

But hence we learn, 1. That nothing is more ordinary than than for unholy persons to press in unto the holy ordinances of God, which they have no right, while such, to partake of.

2. That the presence of such persons doth pollute the ordinance only to themselves; holy persons are not polluted by their sins, therefore ought not to be discouraged from coming by their presence there.

Observe, 2. What. surprising and astonishing word it was which dropt from our Saviour's mouth amongst his disciples; One shall betray me; yea, one of you; shall betray me. Can any church upon earth expect purity in all its members, when Christ's own family of twelve had. traitor and devil in it?

Yet though it was very sad to hear of one, it was matter of joy to understand that there was but one. One hypocrite in. congregation is too much, but there is cause of rejoicing if there be no more.

Observe, 3. Christ did not name Judas, and say, "Thou. perfidious Judas! art the traitor, but one of you shall betray me, " Doubtless it was to draw him to repentance, and to prevent the giving him any provocation.

Lord! how sad is it for any of thy family who pretend friendship to thee, to conspire with thine enemies against thee! for any that eat of thy bread to lift up their heel against thee!

Observe, 4. The disciples sorrow uponn these words of Christ, and the effect of that sorrow. Their sorrow was (as well it might be) exceeding great; well might innocent disciples be overwhelmed with sorrow, to hear that their Master should die, that he should die by treason, that the traitor should be one of themselves. But though their sorrow was great, yet was the effect of their sorrow very good, it wrought in them an holy suspicion of themselves, and caused every one to search himself, and say, Master, Is it I?

Learn hence, That it is possible for such secret wickedness to lodge in the heart as we never suspected, till time and temptation draw it forth. None of the disciples suspected, nay, Judas himself never apprehended that depth of iniquity and hypocrisy which was found lodging in him.

Yet note, That though the disciples were jealous and suspicious, yet was it of themselves, not of one another; nay, not of Judas himself: everyone said, Master, Is it I? Not, Master, Is it Judas? True sincerity and Christian charity will make us more suspicious of ourselves than of any other: it hopes the best of others, and fears the worst of ourselves.

Observe, 5. That though Judas sees himself pointed at by our Saviour, and hears the dreadful threatenings denounced against him, that it had been better for him that he had never been born, yet he is no more blanked than innocence itself.

Resolute sinners run on desperately in their evil courses, and with open eyes see and meet their own destruction, without being either dismayed at it, or concerned about it.

This shameless man had the impudence to say to our blessed Saviour, Master, Is it I?

Our blessed Saviour gives him. direct answer. Thou sayest it.

Did not Judas, think we, blush extremely, cast down his guilty eyes, and let fall his drooping head, at so galling an intimation? Nothing less, we read of nothing like it.

Lord! how does obduracy in sin steel the brow, and make it incapable of all relenting impressions!

Observe lastly, How our Saviour prefers non-entity before damnation; It had been better for that man he had never been born.. temporal, miserable being, is not worse than no being; but eternal misery is much worse than non-entity; better to have no being, than not to have. being in Christ, It had been better for Judas that he had never been born, than to lie under everlasting wrath.