The Fountain of Life Opened Up

5. Christ's care and love are further manifested to people in this ordinance, as it is one of the strongest bonds of union between them. We, being many, are one bread and one body, for we are partakers of that one bread. 1 Corinthians 10 verse 17 Here the people of God are sealed to the same inheritance, their dividing corruption slain, their love to Christ, and consequently to each other, improved. And it is certainly one of the strongest ties to bind together gracious hearts in love. Inference number 1. Did Christ leave this ordinance with His church to preserve His remembrance among His people? Then surely He foresaw that, notwithstanding what He is and what He has done, suffered and promised for them, they will for all this still be prone to forget Him. One would think that such a Savior should never be a whole hour out of His people's thoughts and affections, that wherever they go they should carry Him with them in their thoughts, desires, and delights, that they should lie down with Christ in their thoughts at night, and when they awake be still with Him, that their very dreams should be sweet visions of Christ, and all their words savor of Him. But, O the baseness of these hearts, here we live and converse in a world of sensible objects, which, like a company of thieves, robs us of Christ. Alas, that it should be so with me, who am under such obligations to love Him. Though He be in the highest glory in heaven, He doth not forget us. He hath graven us upon the palms of His hands, we are continually before Him. He thinks on us when we forget Him. The whole honor and glory rendered Him in heaven by the angels cannot divert His thoughts one moment from us, but every trifle that meets us in the way is enough to divert our thoughts from Him. Why do we not abhor and loathe ourselves for this? What, is it a pain, a burden, to carry Christ in our thoughts? As much a burden, if thy heart be spiritual, as a bird is burdened by carrying his own wings. Will such thoughts intrude unseasonably and thrust Christ out of our minds? For shame, Christian, for shame! Let not thy heart wanton and wander from Christ after every vanity. Never leave praying and striving, till thou can say, My soul shall be satisfied as with morrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips, while I remember thee on my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches. Psalm 63 verse 5 Number 2 Hence also we infer that approaches to the Lord's table are heart-melting seasons, because therein the most affecting representations of Christ are made. As the gospel offers Him to the ear in the most sweet affecting sounds of grace, so does His supper to the eye in the most pleasing visions on this side of heaven. There are hearts that will not yield a tear under other ordinances, and pour out floods. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and mourn. Zechariah 12 verse 10 Yet I dare not affirm that every one whose heart is broken by the believing sight of Christ there can evidence that it is so by a dropping eye. No, we may say of tears as it is said of love. Canticles 8 verse 7 If some Christians would give all the treasures of their houses for them, they cannot be purchased. Yet they are truly humbled for sin, and seriously affected with the grace of Christ. For the support of such, I would distinguish, and have them do so also, between what is essential to spiritual sorrow, and what is contingent. Deep displeasure with thyself for sin, hearty resolutions and desires for its complete mortification, these are essential to all spiritual sorrow. But tears are accidental, and in some constitutions rarely found. If thou hast the former, trouble not thyself for want of the latter, though it is a mercy when they kindly and undisassembled flow from a truly broken heart. And surely, to see who it is that thy sins have pierced, How great, how glorious, how wonderful a person that was humbled, abased, and brought to the dust for such a wretched being as thou, cannot but tenderly affect the considering soul. Moreover, hence it is evident that the believing and affectionate remembrance of Christ is most advantageous at all times to the people of God. For it is the immediate end of one of the greatest ordinances that ever Christ appointed to the church. If at any time the heart be dead and hard, this is the likeliest means to dissolve, melt, and quicken it. Look hither, hard heart, hard indeed, if this hammer will not break it. Behold the blood of Jesus. Art thou easily overcome by temptations to sin? This is the most powerful restraint. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein? Romans 6 verse 2 We are crucified with Christ. What have we to do with sin? When thy heart is yielding to temptation, think, How can I do this, and crucify the Son of God afresh? As David poured the water brought from the well of Bethlehem on the ground, though he was athirst, for he said, It is the blood of the men, that is, they hazarded their lives to fetch it. Much more should a Christian pour out upon the ground, yea, despise and trample underfoot the greatest profit or pleasure of sin, saying, Nay, I will have nothing to do with it, I will on no terms touch it, for it is the blood of Christ. It costs blood, infinite precious blood, to expiate it. Are you afraid your sins are not pardoned, but still stand against you before the Lord? What more relieving, what more satisfying, than to see the cup of the New Testament in the blood of Christ, which you shed for many, for the remissions of sins? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is Christ that died. Are you staggered at your sufferings, and the hard things you must endure for Christ in this world? Doth the flesh shrink from these things, and cry, Spare thyself? What is there more likely to fortify thy spirit with resolution and courage, than such a sight as this? Did Christ meet the wrath of men, and the wrath of God too? Did he stand with unbroken patience and steadfast resolution under such troubles, and shall I shrink for a trifle? Ah, he did not serve me so, I will arm myself with a like mind. Is thy faith staggered at the promises? Here is what will help thee, against hope, to believe in hope, giving glory to God. For this is God's seal added to his covenant, which ratifies and binds all that God has spoken. Dost thou idle away precious time, and live uselessly to Christ in thy generation? What more fit both to convince and cure thee, than such remembrance of Christ as this? O when thou considerest, thou art not thine own, thy time, thy talents are not thine own, but Christ's. When thou shalt see thou art bought with such a price, and so art strictly obliged to glorify God with thy soul and body, which are his, 1 Corinthians 6, 20, this will powerfully awaken a dull and sluggish spirit. In a word, what grace is there that this remembrance of Christ cannot quicken? What sin can it not mortify? What duty can it not animate? O it is of singular use to the people of God. 4. Though all other things do, yet Christ can never become uninteresting. Here is an ordinance to preserve his remembrance fresh to the end of the world. The beauty of this Rose of Sharon is never lost or withered. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As his body in the grave saw no corruption, so neither can his love or any of his excellencies. Other beauties have their prime and their fading, but Christ abides eternally. Our delight in creatures is often most at first acquaintance. When we come nearer to them and see more of them, our delight is abated. But the longer you know Christ and the nearer you come to him, still the more do you see of his glory. Every farther prospect of Christ entertains the mind with a fresh delight. Blessed be God for Jesus Christ. Chapter 22, page 262 3. Preparative ask of Christ for his own death. Agony in the garden. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down and prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Luke 22, verses 41 through 44. The hour is now almost come, even that hour of sorrow of which Christ had so often spoken. Yet a little, a very little while, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. He has affectionately recommended his children to his Father. He has set his house in order, and ordained a memorial of his death to be left with his people. There is but one thing more to do, and then the tragedy begins. He recommended us. He must also recommend himself by prayer to the Father. And when that is done, he is ready. This last act of Christ's preparation for his own death is contained in the scripture, wherein we have an account of his prayer, of the agony attending it, and of his relief in that agony by an angel that came and comforted him. In a praying posture he will be found when the enemy comes. He will be taken upon his knees. He was pleading hard with God in prayer for strength to carry him through this heavy trial, when they came to take him. And this was a very remarkable prayer, both for the solitariness of it, he withdrew about a stone's cast from his dearest inmates. No ear but his father's must hear what he had now to say, for the vehemency and importunity of it. These were those strong cries that he poured out to God in the days of his flesh, Hebrews 5 verse 7, and for the humility expressed in it, he fell upon the ground, he laid himself as it were in the dust at his father's feet. Hence we note, our Lord Jesus Christ was praying to his Father in an extraordinary agony, when they came to apprehend him in the garden. In explaining this last act of preparation on Christ's part, I shall speak of the place where he prayed, and of the time, the matter, and the manner of his prayer. The place where this last and remarkable prayer was poured out to God was the garden. Saint Matthew tells us it was called Gethsemane, which signifies the Valley of Fatness, or of Olives. This garden lay very near to the city of Jerusalem, on the east, towards the Mount of Olives. Between it and the city was the brook, Kidron, which rose from a hill upon the north, and over this brook Christ passed into the garden, John 18 verse 1, to which perhaps the psalmist alludes in Psalm 110 verse 7, He shall drink of the brook in the way, therefore he shall lift up the head. Christ went not into this garden to hide or shelter himself from his enemies. No, had that been his design, it was the most improper place he could have chosen, being the place where he was wont to pray, and a place well known to Judas, who was now coming to seek him. John 18 verse 2, He repairs thither, not to shun, but to meet the enemy, to offer himself as a prey to the wolves, which there found him, and laid hold upon him. He also resorted thither for an hour or two of privacy before they came, that he might there freely pour out his soul to God. Roman numeral 2, The time when he entered into this garden to pray was the second yin of the evening, for it was after the Passover, and the supper were ended. Then, Matthew 26 verse 36, Jesus went over the brook into the garden between the hours of nine and ten in the evening, as it is conjectured. And so he had between two and three hours to pour out his soul to God, for it was about midnight that Judas and the soldiers came and apprehended him. This shows us in what frame and posture Christ desired to be found, and by it he left us an excellent pattern of what we ought to do when imminent dangers are near to us, even at the door. It becomes a soldier to die fighting, and a minister to die preaching, and a Christian to die praying. If they come, they will find Christ upon his knees, wrestling mightily with God by prayer. He spent no moment of his life idly, but these were the last moments he had to live in the world, and here you see how they were filled up and employed. Roman numeral 3, Consider the matter of his prayer, or the things about which he poured out his soul to God in the garden. He prayed, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. By the cup, understand that portion of sorrow sent to be given to him by his Father. Great afflictions and bitter trials are frequently expressed in Scripture under the metaphor of a cup. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and a horrible tempest. This shall be the portion of their cup. Psalm 11, verse 6 That is the punishment allotted to them by God for their wickedness. Ezekiel 23, verses 32 and 33 A cup deep and large Isaiah 51, verse 17 Thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. Such a cup was now Christ's cup, a cup of wrath, a large and deep cup that contained more wrath than ever was drunk by any creature, even the wrath of an infinite God. A mixed cup, mixed with God's wrath and man's in the extremity, and all the bitter aggravating circumstances that ever could be imagined. Great consternation and amazement. This was the portion of his cup. By the passing of the cup from him, understand his exemption from suffering that dreadful wrath of God which he foresaw to be now at hand. Christ's meaning in this conditional request is, Father, if it be thy will, excuse me from this dreadful wrath. My soul is amazed at it. Is there no way to shun it? Can I not be excused? Oh, if it be possible, spare me. This is the meaning of it. But how could Christ, who knew that God from everlasting determined he should drink it, who had agreed in the covenant of redemption so to do, who came as himself acknowledges for that end into the world, John 18.37, who foresaw this hour all along and professed when he spoke of this bloody baptism with which he was to be baptized that he was straight until it was accomplished, Luke 12.50, how could he now when the cup was delivered to him so earnestly pray that it might pass from him or he be excused from suffering? What, did he now repent of his engagement? Does he now begin to wish to be disengaged and that he had never undertaken such a work? No, no. Christ never repented of his engagement to the Father, never was willing to let the burden lie on us rather than on himself. There was not such a thought in his holy, faithful heart. But the resolution of this doubt depends upon another distinction which will show his meaning in it. Not then the distinction between absolute and submissive prayers. It was the latter that Christ offered, If thou be willing, if not I will drink it. But you will say, Christ knew what was the mind of God. He knew what transactions had been of old between his Father and him. And therefore, though he did not pray absolutely, yet it is strange he would pray conditionally it might pass. Not then in the second place the different natures in which Christ acted. He acted sometimes as God and sometimes as man. Here he acted according to his human nature, simply expressing and manifesting in this request his reluctance to such sufferings, wherein he showed himself a true man in shunning that which was destructive to his nature. As Christ had two distinct natures, so two distinct wills. And as one well observes, in the life of Christ there was an intermixture of power and weakness, of the divine glory and human frailty. At his birth a star shone, but he was laid in a manger. The devil tempted him in the wilderness, but there angels ministered to him. He was caught by the soldiers in the garden, but first made them fall back. So here as man he feared and shunned death, but as God-man he willingly submitted to it. It was, as Deodatus well expresses it, a purely natural desire by which as man, for a short moment he apprehended and shunned death and torments, but quickly recalled himself to obedience by a deliberate will to submit himself to God. In a word, as there was nothing of sin in it, it being a pure and sinless affection of nature, so there was much good in it, and that both as it was a part of his satisfaction for our sins, to suffer inwardly such fear, trembling and consternation, and as it was a clear evidence that he was in all things made like unto his brethren except sin, and also as it serves to express the grievousness and extremity of Christ's suffering, the very prospect of which at some distance was so goodful to him. Roman numeral 4 Let us consider the manner in which he prayed. It was, one, solitarily. He did not hear pray in the audience of his disciples as he had done before, but went at a distance from them. He had now private business to transact with God. He left some of them at the entrance of the garden, and Peter, James, and John, who went farther with him than the rest, he did remain there, while he went and prayed. He did not desire them to pray with him or for him. No, he must tread the winepress alone. Nor will he have them with him, lest it should discourage them to see and hear how he groaned, trembled, and cried, as one in an agony, to his father. Reader, there are times when a Christian would not be willing that the dearest and most intimate friend he hath in the world should be privy to what passes between him and his God. Number 2 It was a humble prayer. That is evident by the postures into which he cast himself, sometimes kneeling and sometimes prostrate upon his face. He lies in the very dust, lower he cannot fall, and his heart was as low as his body. He is meek and lowly indeed. Number 3 It was a reiterated prayer. He prays and then returns to the disciples, as a man in extremity turns every way for comfort. Father, let this cup pass. But in that request the Father hears him not, though as to support he was heard. Being denied deliverance by his Father, he goes and bemoans himself to his pensive friends and complains bitterly to them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. But alas, they rather increase than ease his burden. For he finds them asleep, which occasioned that gentle reprehension, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Matthew 26, 40 What, not watch with me? Who may expect it from you more than I? Could ye not watch? I am going to die for you, and can ye not watch with me? What, can ye not watch with me one hour? Alas, what if I had required greater matters from you? What, not an hour? And that the parting hour too? Christ finds no ease from them, and back again he goes to that sad place, which he had stained with a bloody sweat, and prays to the same purpose again. O how he returns upon God again and again, as if he resolved to take no denial! But considering it must be so, he sweetly falls in with his father's will, Thy will be done. Number 4 It was a prayer accompanied with a strange and wonderful agony. Being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. Now he was read indeed in his appeal as one that trod the winepress. Consider what an extraordinary load pressed his soul at that time, even such as no mere man felt or could support, even the wrath of the terrible and great God in its extremity. Who, saith the prophet, can stand before his indignation, and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him. Nahum 1 verse 6 The effects of this wrath, as it fell at this time upon the soul of Christ in the garden, are largely and very emphatically expressed by the several evangelists. Matthew tells us, His soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. Matthew 26 verse 38 The word signifies, Beset with grief round about. And it is well expressed by that phrase of the psalmist, The sorrows of death comforts me about, The pains of hell got hold upon me. Mark varies the expression and gives us another word no less significant and full. He began to be sore amazed and very heavy. Mark 14 verse 33 Luke has another expression for it in the text, He was in an agony. An agony is the laboring and striving of nature in its extremity. And John gives us another expression, Now is my soul troubled. John 12 verse 27 The original word is very significant. This was the load which so oppressed his soul that it could not find relief in tears. But the innumerable pores of his body are set open to give vent by letting out streams of blood. And yet all this while no hand of man was upon him. This was but a prelude to the conflict that was at hand. Now he stood as it were arraigned at God's bar and had to do immediately with him. And you know it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Inference number 1 Did Christ pour out his soul to God so ardently in the garden when the hour of his trouble was at hand? Then prayer is a singular preparative for and relief against the greatest trouble. It is a happy circumstance when troubles find us in the way of our duties. The best posture in which we can wrestle with afflictions is upon our knees. The naturalist tells us if a lion finds a man prostrate he will do him no harm. Christ hastened to the garden to pray when Judas and the soldiers were hastening thither to apprehend him. O when we are nigh to danger it is good for us to draw nigh to our God. Then should we be urging that seasonable request to God be not far from me for trouble is near for there is none to help. Psalm 22 verse 11 Woe be to him whom death or trouble finds afar off from God. And as prayer is the best preparative for troubles so it is the choicest relief under them. Griefs are eased by groans. You know it is some relief if a man can pour out his complaint into the bosom of a faithful friend though he can but pity him. How much more to pour out our complaints into the bosom of a faithful God who can both pity and help us. Luther was wont to call prayers the leeches of his cares and sorrows. They suck out the bad blood. It is the title of Psalm 102. A prayer for the afflicted when he is overwhelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. It is no small ease to open our hearts to God. To go to God when thou art full of sorrow. When thy heart is ready to burst within thee as was Christ in this day of his trouble. And say Father thus and thus the case stands with thy poor child. And so and so it is with me. I will not go up and down complaining from one creature to another it is to no purpose. Nor yet will I leave my complaint upon myself. But I will tell thee Father how the case stands with me. For to whom should children make their complaint but to their father. Lord I am oppressed undertake for me. What thinkest thou reader of this? Is it relieving to a sad soul? Yes yes. If thou be a Christian that hath had any experience of this. Thou wilt say there is nothing like it. Thou wilt bless God for appointing such an ordinance as prayer. And say blessed be God for prayer. I know not what I should have done. Nor how I should have waited through all the troubles I have passed. If it had not been for the help of prayer. Then the company of the best of men is not always seasonable. Peter, James and John were three excellent men. And yet Christ saith to them carry ye here while I go and pray yonder. The society of men is useful in its season. But no better than a burden out of season. I have read of a good man that when his stated time for closet prayer was come. He would say to the company with him whoever they were. Friends I must beg you excuse me for a while. There is a friend waits to speak with me. The company of a good man is good. But it ceases to be so when it hinders the enjoyment of better company. One hour with God is to be preferred to a thousand days enjoyment of the best men on earth. If thy dearest friends intrude unseasonably between thee and thy God. It is neither rude nor unfriendly to bid them give place to better company. I mean to withdraw from them as Christ did from the disciples. To enjoy an hour with God alone. In public and social duties we may admit the company of others to join us. And if they be such as their God the more the better. But in secret duties Christ and thou must communicate between yourselves. And then the company of the wife of thy bosom or thy friend that is as thine own soul would not be welcome. When thou prayest enter into thy closet. And when thou hast shut thy door pray to thy father which is in secret. Matthew 6 verse 6 It is as much as if Christ had said be sure to retire into as great privacy as may be. Let no ear but God hear what thou hast to say to him. This is at once a mark of sincerity and a great help to spiritual liberty and freedom with God. Number 3 Did Christ go to God thrice upon the same account? Then Christians should not be discouraged though they have sought God once and again and received no answer of peace. Christ was not heard the first time and he goes the second. He was not answered the second and he goes the third. And yet was not answered in the thing he desired namely that the cup might pass from him. Still he has no hard thoughts of God but resolves his will into his father's. If God deny you in the things you ask he deals no otherwise with you than he did with Christ. Yet he justifies God but thou art holy. Psalm 22 verse 3 Christ was not heard in the thing he desired and yet was heard in that he feared. Hebrews 5 verse 7 The cup did not pass as he desired but God upheld him and enabled him to drink it. He was heard as to support. He was not heard as to exemption from suffering. His will was expressed conditionally and therefore though he had not the thing he so desired yet his will was not cost by the denial. But now when we have a soup depending before the throne of grace and cry to God once and again and receive no answer how do our hands hang down and our spirits wax feeble? Then we complain when I cry and shout he shutteth out my prayers. Thou coverest thyself with a cloud that our prayers cannot pass through. Lamentations 3 verses 8 and 44 Then with Jonah we conclude we are cast out of his sight. Alas we judge by sense according to what we see and feel and cannot live by faith on God when he seems to hide himself put us off and refuse our requests. It calls for in Abraham's faith to believe against hope giving glory to God. If we cry and no answer comes presently our carnal reason draws a headlong hasty conclusion. Surely I must expect no answer. God is angry with my prayers. The seed of prayer has lain so long under the clod and it appears not. Surely it is lost. I shall hear no more of it. Our prayers may be heard though their answer be for the present delayed. As David acknowledged when he cruelly considered the matter I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes. Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. No, no Christian a prayer sent up in faith according to the will of God cannot be lost though it be delayed. We may say of it as David said of Saul's sword and Jonathan's bow that they never returned empty. Was Christ so earnest in prayer that he prayed himself into a very agony? Let the people of God blush to think how unlike their spirits are to Christ as to their praying friends. Oh what lively, quick, deep and tender apprehensions of those things about which he prayed had Christ. Being in an agony he prayed the more earnestly. I do not say Christ is immutable in this. No, but his fervor in prayer is a pattern for us and serves severely to rebuke the dullness and formality of our prayers. How often do we bring the sacrifice of the dead before the Lord? How often do our lips move and our hearts stand still? Oh how unlike Christ are we. His prayers were pleading prayers full of mighty arguments and fervent affections. Oh that his people were in this more like him. Was Christ in such an agony before any hand of man was upon him merely from the apprehensions of the wrath of God with which he now contested? Then surely it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God for our God is a consuming fire. Ah what is divine wrath that Christ should faint when the cup came to him? Could not he bear and dost thou think to bear it? Did Christ sweat as it were drops of blood before it? And dost thou make light of it? Poor man, if it staggered him, it will confound thee. If it made him groan, it will make thee hollow eternally. Come sinner, come. Dost thou make light of the threatenings of the wrath of God against sin? Dost thou think there is no such matter in it as these zealous preachers represent? Come look here upon my text which shows thee the face of the Son of God full of purple drops under the sense and apprehension of it. Hark how he cries. Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass. O anything of punishment rather than this. Hear what he tells the disciples. My soul is sorrowful even to death, amazed and very heavy. But fools make a mock at sin and the threatenings that lie against it. Number six. Did Christ meet death with such a heavy heart? Let the hearts of Christians be the lighter for this when they come to die. The bitterness of death was all squeezed into Christ's cup. He was made to drink the very dregs of it, that so our death might be the sweeter to us. Alas, there is nothing now left in death that is frightful besides the pain of dissolution. I remember it is related of one of the martyrs that being observed to be cheerful when he came to the stake, one asked him why his heart was so light when death, and that in such a terrible form, was before him. O, said he, my heart is so light at my death because Christ was so heavy at his. Number seven. What cause have all the saints to love their dear Lord Jesus with an abounding love? Christian, open the eyes of thy faith and fix them upon Christ as he lay in the garden. He that suffered for us more than any creature ever did or could may well challenge more love than all the creatures in the world. O, what hath he suffered and suffered on thy account by pride, by earthliness, sensuality, unbelief, hardness of heart, added weight to the burden of his sorrows in that day. Chapter 23, page 273. First preparative for Christ's death on his enemy's part, treason of Judas. And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves from the chief priests and elders of the people. Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he. Hold him fast. And forthwith he came to Jesus and said, Hail, Master, and kissed him. Matthew 26, verses 47-49. We have seen how Christ prepared himself for his death. He hath commended his people to the Father, instituted the blessed memorial of his death, poured out his soul to God in the garden, and now he is ready and waits for the coming of his enemies. And think you that they were idle on their part? No, their malice made them restless. They had agreed with Judas to betray him. Under his conduct a band of soldiers was sent to apprehend him. The hour so long expected is come. For while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves. These words contain the first preparative act on their part for the death of Christ, even to betray him, and that by one of his own disciples. Now they execute what they had plotted, verses 14 and 15. And, number one, we have here a description of the traitor, and it is remarkable how carefully the several evangelists have described him, both by his name, surname, and office. Judas, Judas Iscariot, Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve. That he might not be mistaken for Jude, or Judas the Apostle. God is tender of the name and reputation of his upright servants. His office, one of the twelve, is added to aggravate the sin and to show how that prophecy was accomplished in him. Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me. Psalm 41, verse 9. Lo, this was the traitor, and this was his name, and office. Number two. You have a description of the treason, or an account of what this man did. He led an armed multitude to the place where Christ was, gave them a signal to discover him, and encouraged them to lay hands on him, and hold him fast. This the devil put into his heart, employing the lust of covetousness, which was predominant there. What will not a carnal heart attempt, if the devil soothes a temptation to the predominant lust, and God withholds restraining grace? Number three. You have here the way in which the hellish plot was executed. It was managed both with force and with fraud. He comes with a multitude, armed with swords and staves, in case they should meet with any resistance. And he comes to him with a kiss, which was his signal, lest they should mistake the man. For they aimed neither at small nor at great, save only at the King of Israel, the King of glory. Here was much ado, you see, to take a harmless lamb, that did not want to start from them, but freely offered up himself to them. And number four. Observe when this treasonable design was executed upon Christ. It was while he stood among his disciples, exhorting them to prayer and watchfulness, dropping heavenly and most seasonable counsels. While he yet spake, lo Judas, and with him a multitude, came with swords and staves. Surely then it is no better than a Judas plot to disturb and afflict the servants of God in the discharge of their duties. Hence it was the lot of our Lord Jesus Christ to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies by a false and pretended friend. Look, as Joseph was betrayed and sold by his brethren. David by Ahithophel, his old friend. Samson by Delilah, that lay in his bosom. So Christ by Judas, one of the twelve. A man, his friend, his familiar, that had been so long conversant with him. He that by profession had lifted up his hand to Christ, now by treason lifts up his heel against him. He bid the soldiers bind those blessed hands that not long before had washed the traitor's feet. We will here consider the character of Judas and the relations he sustained to Christ. His treason in its several aggravations, the motives by which he was governed, and the issue of this treason, both as to Christ and as to himself. Roman numeral one. Judas was eminent by reason of the dignity to which Christ had raised him. He was one of the twelve, one retained not in a more general and common, but in the nearest and most intimate and honorable relation to Jesus Christ. There were in the time of Christ secret disciples, men that believed but kept their stations and abode with their relations and their callings. There were also seventy whom Christ sent forth, but none of these were so much with Christ or so eminent in respect of their place as the twelve. They were Christ's family. It was the highest dignity that was conferred upon any, and of this number was Judas. And being one of the twelve, he was daily conversant with Christ, often joined him in prayer, often sat at his feet hearing his gracious words. It was one of Augustine's three wishes that he had seen Christ in the flesh. Judas not only saw him, but dwelt with him, traveled with him, and ate and drank with him. And during the whole time of his abode with him, all Christ's conduct towards him was obliging and winning. Yea, such was the condescension of Christ to this wretched man that he washed his feet, and that but a little before he betrayed him. In some respect he was preferred to the rest, for he had not only a joint commission with them to preach the gospel to others, though poor unhappy wretch himself being a castaway, but he had a peculiar office. He bared a bag. That is, he was an almaner, or the steward of the family, to take care to provide for the necessary accommodations of Christ in them. Now who could ever have suspected that such a man as this should have sold the blood of Christ for a little money, that ever he should have proved a perfidious traitor to his Lord, who had called him, honored him, and dealt with him so tenderly. This Reformation audio track is a production of Stillwater's Revival Books. SWRB makes thousands of classic Reformation resources available, free and for sale, in audio, video, and printed formats. Our many free resources, as well as our complete mail-order catalog, containing thousands of classic and contemporary Puritan and Reform books, tapes, and videos at great discounts, is on the web at www.swrb.com. We can also be reached by email at swrb.com, by phone at 780-450-3730, by fax at 780-468-1096, or by mail at 4710-37A, Edmonton, Alberta, abbreviated capital A, capital B, Canada, T6L3T5. You may also request a free printed catalog. And remember that John Calvin, in defending the Reformation's regulative principle of worship, or what is sometimes called the scriptural law of worship, commenting on the words of God, which I commanded them not, neither came into my heart, from his commentary on Jeremiah 731, writes, God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, I have not commanded them, whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions than that they are not commanded by God. For when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to his commands, they pervert true religion. And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship in which they absurdly exercise themselves would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying his word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The prophet's words, then, are very important, when he says that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind. As though he had said that men assume too much wisdom when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.