I haue elsewhere , in a great and populous auditory , discoursed of our Saviours mildnes , & humility , & of the deceit and hypocrisie of the Iudasses of these times , from these words of our Saviour : Iudas betrayest thou the son of man with a kisse ? Luk. 22.48 . Being commanded to supply this place , I thought it not vnfit for this present occasion , to looke backe into the storie of our Saviours passion , & to seeke out the cause of Iudas his cruell , and more then hellish fact , in betraying his Master , which I finde wrapped in the wordes already delivered vnto you .

These two questions , what wil yee giue me ? and what shal I giue you ? be two evils at this day much reigning amongst men ; which though they may stand somewhat vpon their antiquity , yet they haue little reason to bragge of their petigree . For the one may be fathered vpon Simon Magus , who offered to buy the gifts of the holy Ghost for mony : Act. 8.19 . What shall I giue you , that vpon whomsoever I shall lay my hands , he may receiue the holy Ghost ? the other vpon Iudas the traitour , who offered to sel the giver of the holy Ghost for a small summe of mony . What will yee giue mee , and I will deliver him vnto you ? Both of them wicked , but the speech of Iudas the more hainous . Who not contented with that which he gat by stealth out of the bag which he bare , and being disappointed of a profit which he expected , in regard that that boxe of ointment which hee purposed to haue sold , ( that he might haue converted a good part thereof to his own proper vse , ) was powred vpon our Saviours head : & perceiving our Saviour to defend the fact of the woman , anone hee goes out ; and because hee was frustrated of his hope of gaine by selling the ointment , he offers for a small summe of mony to sell the annointed . What will yee giue mee , and I will deliver him vnto you ? As if he should haue said , I perceiue that yee are marveilous desirous to apprehend my master , but yee cannot easilie effect your purpose , by reason of the people , which make such account of him , that perchance they would make an vproare , if any open violence should be offered vnto him : yet if yee wil listen vnto me , and follow my counsell , I wil quickly ease you of that care , vpon this condition , that yee will afford mee any reasonable reward for my paines ; tel me therefore before I go , what shall my recompence bee , and I will vndertake without any tumult to deliver him into your hands . In which wordes obserue these two points , 1. Iudas his question , what will yee giue mee ? 2. His promise to deliver his master , so that he may bee rewarded : and I will deliver him vnto you .

In the question wee see , that though Iudas was an Apostata , fallen from God , and ledde by Satan to betray his master , whom he little esteemed , as appeares by the price he sold him for ; yea though hee had a desire to make his master away , least hee should afterward get knoweledge of his theft , yet hee will not betray him vnlesse hee haue something for his paines . And therefore before he make any promise of delivering him , hee covenanteth for a price : whence ariseth this note , that even the wicked , and reprobate will abstaine from horrible and grosse sinnes when there is no provocation offered , and when they see no end of committing them . There are in every sinne which is voluntarily committed two causes . An inward impulsiue mouing them ; and something which may haue the name of a final cause or else an external obiect , alluring them . The impulsiue cause in Iudas was covetousnesse . The finall cause was to obtaine some mony . The impulsiue cause kept it selfe close , and like a theefe , lurked in a corner , til a fit opportunitie was offered , and a reward was expected . As it was in Iudas , so was it in Achan ; no doubt but Achan had giuen lodging to covetousnesse before the overthrowe of Iericho : but then he had the opportunitie offered him . He saw amongst the spoile a goodly Babylonish garment , I●s . 7.21 . and two hundred shekles of silver , & a wedge of gold , & because he coveted them hee tooke them ( contrarie to the Lords commandment ) & hid them in the midst of his tent . As it was in these two , so was it in Gehazi . I make no question but an inordinate desire of hauing had possessed his heart , before that Naaman the Syrian , came to his master , to be healed of his leaprosie . But never such an opportunitie was offered , as was then : for when he saw Naaman offer his master some rich rewards for curing him , & his master absolutely refusing them , 2. Kin. 5 ▪ 20. hee thought then was the golden occasion offered him to satiate his greedy desires , & therefore posts after Naaman to get something of him . Wicked Ahab who ( as the holy Ghost speaketh ) sold himselfe to worke wickednesse , did not shedde the blood of Naboth the Israelite , but to this ende , that hee might obtaine the vineyard which lay neere vnto his house . Now as it is in covetousnesse , so with other sins . And the reason is very plain : for though the vnderstandings of the wicked bee so darkned , that they call good evill , and evil good , sower sweet , and sweet sower ; Isa. 5. though their appetites and affections bee so perverted , that they swallow vp sinne with greedinesse , & drinke iniquitie like water : yet there is some reliques of the image of God in their vnderstanding , whereby they haue a glimpse of good & evill , which though it cannot moderate the will , and affections from running into sinne , yet it doth so farre forth bridle them , as that they will not commit any hainous impietie , but when some thing is offered which puts as it were a vizard vpon the obiect of the will , and makes it chuse that which otherwise it would refuse . For the will by nature is alwaies caried vnto his proper obiect , which is good , and abhorreth that which is evill . So that when it chuseth evill , it is not as it is a will , but as it is depraved , & as the vnderstanding , which iudgeth of the obiect , before the will choose or refuse it , counteth that good which indeed is evill . Vse . 1 3 Here two sorts of men are to be censured : the first is such as think themselues sufficiently excused for committing any sinne , if they can bring any occasions , or the allurements which haue moved them to commit it . The drunkard will say that company hath drawne him to forget himselfe , and therefore hee must bee pardoned . The adulterer will plead for himselfe , that his owne corrupt affection hath moved him , & that the circumstances of time & place haue caused him , and therefore he must bee excused . But these excuses are such , as that , if they would serue the turne , the wickedest reprobate vpon the face of the earth might be found not guilty . For might not Iudas haue pleaded for himselfe , that he would never haue betraied Christ , but that hee expected some rewarde from the high Priests ? Might not Ahab haue sworne that hee woulde never haue sought Naboths blood , if it had not bin for his vineyarde which was so commodious for his house ? Might not Achan haue avouched that he would never haue transgressed the Lords commandement by taking of the excommunicate thing , but that it so offered it selfe that he thought he might haue taken it , and none bin privy to it ? Might not Cain haue excused the slaughter of his guiltlesse brother , that he woulde not haue killed him , if the Lord had not had a greater respect vnto Abels sacrifice , than vnto his ? It is true indeed , that such obiects may occurre , such inducements may happen , as that the dearest of Gods children ( which as long as they remaine in these houses of clay do tast too much of the old Adam ) may thereby be led to commit grosse impieties . We know , that the feare of death mooved Peter to deny his Master : That idlenes , & the sight of Bathsheba , caused David to adultery : That Lots daughters brought their father to commit incest : That Salomon by his wiues was drawne to Idolatry : That the fear of the Egyptians made faithfull Abraham to distrust Gods providence , & to say that his wife was his sister . But this ●onely shews their imperfections ; it excuseth not their facts , that they had sundry provocations to these sins . If Peter had thought that the feare that the Iews put him in , by reason of the great cruelty which they vsed against his master , might haue excused him for denying Christ , Mat. 26. he might haue spared his teares . If occasion , and time & place , might haue purchased a pardon for David , Psal. 51.1 . he would never haue been so vehement , and passionate , in confessing his fault , and craving a pardon for the same . And indeed this is the only course to be freed from Gods plagues , not to excuse our sinnes , and say that such & such provocations brought vs to them : for so the wickedest reprobate might be innocent ) but to humble our selues before the Maiestie of God , and to confesse our misery , that he may receiue vs to mercy .

Vse . 2 4 There is another sort of men which if they commit not such iniquities as others do , ( either because their natures are not so prone , and bent to those vices , or because such obiectes and allurements are wanting , as others haue had ) will boast ( at least within themselues ) that they haue attained vnto a farre greater measure of holinesse , then others , which by their naturall pronenesse , or some external cause , are drawne to wickednes . But ( alas ) what credit is it for the Scythians , that they were no drunkards , when they never gate wine nor strong drinke ? What commendation for the olde Germanes , Tacit●● . that they abstained from the vnlawfull companie of women , when by nature they were not addicted to wantonnes ? What credit is it for a yong childe , or withered old man , to abstaine from carnall pleasure , when the heate of youth in the one is quelled , & the other never knew what lust meant ? What grace for a weak spirited man , who was never moved with any excessiue anger , not to be a murtherer ? This is rather commendation worthy , if we shall abstain from those vices to which our corrupt nature doth most propend : If the Dutch can leaue his drunkennes , the Italian his lustfulnesse , the French his factiousnes , the Spaniard his hautinesse , the English his gluttony , & greedines : if the cholericke can lay aside his anger , and rashnesse ; the phlegmaticke his sloath , & idlenesse ; the melancholicke his hatred , & enviousnes ; the sanguine his concupiscence , and wantonnes ; in a word , if Herod can be contented to part with Herodias , and every man his beloved sin , to which by nature he is most addicted .

When a certaine Physiognomer looking vpon Socrates , gathered by his complexion that he was given to l●st & wantonnesse , the people which knewe the continencie , and vertuous life of Socrates , mocked him as vnskilfull of his art , thinking that Socrates was not addicted to any such vice . But Socrates acknowledged the iudgement of the Physiognomer to be true , and confessed that by naturall disposition hee was prone vnto it ; thinking it a greater vertue to conquer , and keepe vnder the corruptions of the flesh ; then to keepe himselfe vnder , and within the bond of reason , when hee had nothing to draw him away . And yet this is little worth , vnlesse it be at such time , when some externall meanes , and provocations doe concurre , for bringing that into act , which depraued nature most affecteth . The drunkard will sometimes abstaine from his beastlinesse : but it is when he can get no wine . The oppresser from grinding , and grating the faces of the poore ; but it is when hee lacks matter to worke vpon . The wanton from his pleasures ; but it is when hee wants time , and place to effect his desires . The glutton from his excessiue cating : but it is in a dearth , or scarcitie , when he knowes not how to fill his p●unch . It had been praise worthy in Iudas , if hauing a covetous minde , the high Priest had come vnto him , and offered him a large summe of mony , vpon this condition , that hee would haue betrayed his master ; and he should haue replyed , as Simon Peter did to Simon Magus : your mony perish with you , Act. 8.20 . because yee thinke that the sonne of God may be bought for mony . It is a good commendation which Tully giues to Muraena , that living amongst the effeminate and luxurious Asians , hee was not infected with their faultes . Laus illi tribuenda est , In Orit pro Mu●aena . non quòd Asiam viderat , sed quòd in Asia continenter vixerat . And Vlysses deserues the name of a sober and temperate man , not because hee was so amongst the Grecians , but because hee kept himselfe sober in Circes cellar ; where all his fellowes except Eurylochus were drunke . On the contra●y it argueth weaknesse in Anacharsis the Scythia● Philosopher ( who vsed to say in commendation of his countrey that there were no a a A●ist . Post . Analyt . lib. 1 Pipers in Scythia because there were no vines ) that fallng into the company of some Cellar-knights which dranke for a wager , he tooke their part , and was fi●st drunke vnder boord himselfe . Psal. 11.5 . The Lord , saith the Psalmist , trieth the righteous . Hee suffereth such obiects to bee offered vnto them , as may be allurements vnto sinne ; that by refusing & forsaking thereof , they may make it knowne to the world , to whom they belong . So was Lots righteousnes tried , not when hee dwelled with Abraham , but when hee was remoued to Sodome : which though it was for the pleasantnesse of the soyle like the garden of Eden , yet for wickednesse and vnnaturall vncleanenesse it surmounted hell it selfe . And yet for all this it could not infect righteous Lot , who dwelling amongst them , 2. Pet. 2.8 . from day to day vexed his righteous soule by their vnlawfull deeds . So was Davids innocencie tried , not when he fled from Saul , but when he found him asleepe and might haue killed him . 1. Sam. 26● So likewise thou declarest thy righteousnesse , not when thou abstainest from such sinnes as thy nature is averse from , or from such sinnes as thy flesh is prone vnto , at such times as fit meanes are wanting to accomplish thy desire : but when thou abstainest from such as thy flesh inwardly desireth , and some externall provocation vrgeth and allureth thee vnto . Thou must , when the high Priest offers thee a rich reward , not be bribed to sell thy master . With Vlysses thou must liue sober at Cyrces table , with Lot thou maist persist honest amongst the Sodomites : otherwise if thou perswadest thy selfe , that thou dost well , if thou canst abstain from grosse sinnes , when there is no great inducement to perswade thee to act them ; this is but Iudas his righteousnesse , who would not betray his master but in hope of reward , what will yee giue me , and I will deliuer him vnto you ?

5 And so I come vnto the second generall part : wherein obserue 1. the person delivering , I. 2. the action , deliver . 3. the partie delivered , him . 4. the parties to whom , vnto you . Of which before I particularly intreat we may from the promise as it hath reference vnto the question , gather this conclusion . That a couetous mind , setting all respects aside , will not be afraid to commit any sinne , so that hee may bee rewarded for his paines .

Luke Luk. 22.2 . and Iohn Ioh 13 3. tell vs , that the Devill put it into the heart of Iudas to betray his master . He put it not into the heart of Peter , or Iohn , or any other of the Disciples ; why ? because this Philargyria , had only taken root in Iudas his heart : the rest were not infected with this disease . They were indeed weak , & feeble in the faith , and therefore Peter though he followed him a far of , & came into the high Priests hall , yet a poore damsell did so shake the rock of his faith , that presently he denied him , the rest immediatly after he was taken forsooke him , and fled : but none of them did entertain any such suggestion as to betray him , saue Iudas Iscariot , who before was entangled with the chaynes & fetters of covetousnes . So true is it which the Apostle saith , those that will be rich fall into snares and tentations of the devil ; for so the vulgar addeth 1 Tim. 6.4 . Here then , if ever , the poets exclamation may haue place , — Quid non mortalia pectora cogis Aen. lib. 3. Auri sacra fames ! — What vice so scandalous ; what thing so monstrous ; what sinne to God & nature so odious , which the desire of mony will not cause a man to commit ? A man betrayeth a man , a servant his master , a creature delivers his creator , the a a Ioh. 17.12 sonne of perdition b b Matth. 16.16 . the sonne of God ; the Lord of life must bee put to death for a little mony . Well therefore doth the Apostle tearme covetousnesse the roote of all evill . 1 Tim. 6.10 For as al the lines of a circle do take their beginning from one middle point or center ; so all other evils doe spring from this fountaine . Gal 5.20 ●1. The workes of the flesh are manifest ( saith the Apostle ) which are Idolatry , witchcraft , hatred , debate , emulations , wrath , contentions , seditions , heresies , envy , murther ; I may adde lying , swearing , stealing , oppressing , whence do they proceed , but from a covetous & insatiable heart ? This is the wombe where they ordinarily are bred .

saith the Poet : alluding to the fact of Vespasian , Sueton in Vespasiano . in Suetonius , who gathered a taxe from some homely matters , and tolde his sonne Titus that it smelled as wel , as any other silver did . Be it gotten , by theft , lying , stealing , swearing , forswearing , vsurie , oppression , what way so ever it bee gotten , ( saith the covetous in his heart ) if it be gaine , it is wel gotten . Tacitus Tacit. hist. l. 3 tels vs of a Roman knight , that killed his own brother , in hope to be rewarded for his paines . Histories are full of the like , which I will passe over with silence . I wil only instance in one of our owne countrie , ( which me thinkes in all points , saue in the difference of the parties betrayed , may be compared to this of Iudas ) I meane Humfery Banister servant to the Duke of Buckingham : whom the Duke had tenderly brought vp , and aboue all loued & trusted , insomuch that being pursued by K. Richard the third , hee hid himselfe in Banisters house , thinking it to bee the only sanctuary , where he might safely repose himselfe . But wh●n K. Richard had promised 1000 pounds to those that would finde him out , the desire of gaine so wrought with him , that presently betrayed his Lord & master into the kings hands . As the fact was like to that of Iudas , so the punishment hath some resemblance with it . Iudas though hee had no bond for payment , yet he got the mony . The high Priests proued better of their promise then the King Iudas did not enioy the mony , for he went out , In the life of Richard the 3 written by Sir Th. More . and hanged himselfe . Banister was not executed , but was shortly after for a murther condemned : his sonne & heire became mad , and died in a hogstie , his daughter was infected with a leprosie , his second son deformed of his limmes ; his youngest sonne drowned in a puddle .

6 By this which hath been spoken , you see my conclusion plainely proved : that a covetous man , setting al respects aside , will not be afrayd to commit any ●●nne , so that hee may bee rewarded for his paines . And how can it be otherwise ? for hee is like a hunger-starved man which will doe any thing , so that he may satiate his appetite . Covetousnesse like the pit of hell , is never satisfied , and like the bar ren wombe , it never saith , I haue enough .

Ovid. Fast . Prov. 30 15 Quo plus sunt potae , plus sitiuntur aquae . the more blood the two daughters of the horseleech shal sucke , the more eagerly they cry out ▪ Hor. giue . giue . This barren & dry earth is never satisfied with water ; nec sitim pellit , nisi causa morbi . Nothing will content this dropsie , but that which more augmenteth the disease , as nothing will satisfie the fire , but that which more augmenteth the flame . Hee is like vnto him that hath the Caninus appetitus , the more he eateth the more he hungreth . Some Physitians say that gold is good for him that is in a consumption , but I never read that it is good against a surfeit . But experience proues it true that a gold-hungring man , doth not onely long for this mettall when he is in a consumption , but farre more when hee hath taken a surfeit through abundance .

The richer , the poorer : his mind hungereth as much for gold , as Dionysius his belly hungred for flesh , who vsed to stand all the day in the shambles , & quod emere non potuerat , oculis devorabat . Iustin . l. 2● . That which he could not buy with his pennie , he devoured with his eies . And here that comes in my minde which Herodotus recordeth of Alcmaeon the Athenian , who because hee had kindly entertained the messengers which Croesus sent to the oracle of Delphos : Herod . lib. ● . Croesus sen● for him and offered him asmuch gold as at one time he could beare out of his treasure house . Alcmaeon not a little glad of the offer , prepared a large doublet with wide fleeues , a paire of breeches reaching downe to his heeles , both of them fitter for Hercules then for himselfe . This done he went to Croesus his coffers , & first filled his breeches as full as hee could stuffe them , then his sleeues , and bosome , then glued as much as hee could to the haires of his head , and beard , & then lastly stuffed his mouth with as much as hee could thrust in it , and so with much adoe , crept out of the treasure house .

Ap●lication to magistrats This sinne , as of all men it is to bee avoided , so especially of magistrats which sit at the sterne to direct our ship in this glassie sea : and which are the pillars of iustice to support her battered fabricke . Yee must not giue it the least welcome in your hearts : but ( like the wise traveller ) stoppe your eares at the songs of this Syren , and not giue it the least attention though it charme never so cunningly . You should haue eies like vnto Lynceus , to ●iue into the bottom of the most deep and abstruse controversies . Now hope of reward blindeth the eies of the wise : so that as a blind man which hath a pearle vpon his eies , cannot see his way , but stumbleth at every blocke , and falleth headlong into every pit : right so if you shall haue this rich pearle ( this pearle of riches ) before your eies , you can never tread right in the way of truth . The eie , or any facultie of the sensuall , or in ellectuall part , if it bee busied about any one obiect neglecteth the rest : & if your eies bee exercised about this obiect , it will make you negligent in publike affaires . Arist. de anima lib 3. Intùs apparens prohibet alienum : if the species of gold possesse your heartes , there will be no roome for iustice to lodge in them . For these two bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , non benè conveniunt nec in vnâ sede morantur . They can no more lodge within the same breast then light with darknesse , the arke with Dagon , God with Mammon . It was Caesars saying , borrowed from Euripides in his Phoenissa : If iustice must be broken , Cic. lib. 3. Offic. it must be for raigning . But hee might more truely haue said , for gaining . For gold could never away with iustice , & therefore the Poets faine , that when gold first began to be digged out of the earth , iustice durst tary no longer , but presently fled into heaven . Exod. 18.21 Therefore Iethro describing the qual●tie of a good iudge , saith that he must deale iustly or truely , & then he addes , as it were by way of explication for the better vnderstanding of the former word , that he must hate covetousnes : as if he had said , if he be a covetous , and gold-thirsting man he cannot bee a true and iust dealer . And to this purpose David prayeth , Ps. 119. that the Lord would encline his heart to his t●stimonies , & not to covetousnesse .

● To lawyers 7 Now as this insatiable desire of gain , is not to sit on the bench with the iudge , so is it not to plead at the bar●e with the counsellor , which with the key of knowledge is to vnlock the secrets of the law , and with a skilfull , & expert hand , to vntie the knots of hard and difficult questions . It will make him Pharisee-like to straine a Gnat , and to swallow a Camell ; to tythe mint , and cummin , & to let passe iudgement and fidelity , it will make his tongue play fast and loose with iustice at its pleasure . A golden key commonly opens a wrong locke . Auro loquente , nihil pollet quaevis oratio . When Pluto speaks Plato may holde his hande on his mouth like Harpocrates the Egyptian God , & say nothing . It is a great comendation which Tullie giues vnto a Lawyer : De orat . l. 1. The mouth of a Lawyer is an oracle for the whole citie . But if this mouth bee once corrupted with gold it will proue like the oracle of Delphos , of which Demosthenes complained in his time , Tull. de divinat . lib. 2. that it did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , speake nothing but what Philip , which gaue it a double fee would haue it to say . And such an oracle Demosthenes himselfe sometime proved : Aul. Gel. l. 1● cap 9. who being feed to plead a cause , & immediatly after receiving a large summe of mony of the other party for holding his peace , the next day comes into the court in a rug-gowne , having his necke , & iawes all muffled with furres , and warme cloathes , and told the iudges he was troubled with a squinancie that he could not speake . Whervpon one that perceived his disease , said that it was not a colde , but gold that hindered his speech . 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , an Oxe , I warrant you , was in his tongue . The Athenian coine which was stamped with the form of an Oxe had bunged vp his mouth , no marvaile if he was speechlesse .

8 But especially this sin is to bee avoided of you that are witnesses , and iurers , 3. To wi●nesses and Iurers , which are the one by testifying the other by examining the trueth to make a finall decision of controversies . If you shall entertaine any such thought as to saie with Iudas , What will yee giue me ? yee shall be sure to finde some Simon Magus ready to say ? What shall I giue you ? Falsity and lying haue ever bin the handmaides to covetousnesse . And therfore when the Prophet Ieremie complaineth , that from the least to the greatest they were al given to covetousnes , Ier. 6.13 . it must needs be true which he addeth in the next words , that from the Prophet even vnto the Priest they all dealt falsly . As Iudas was hereby moved to betray his master , so were the souldiers perswaded to lie , and falsely to forsweare themselues , that his disciples stole him awaie when they were asleepe ; and that most palpably too . For if they were asleepe how knew they that it was his disciples , and if they knew that it was his dis●iples , how were they asleepe ?

2. Pet. 2.15 9 Follow not then the waies of Balaam the sonne of Bosor which loued the wages of vnrighteousnes . Only herein ye must keep his resolution , Num. 24.13 not for an house full of silver and gold to goe beyond the worde of truth to say lesse or more . Equivocations and mentall reservations which the Papists make such reckoning off , are the ready waie to renew that old tohu , and bohu , to make a chaos and confusion of all things , Gen. 1. to mixe light and darknes , truth & falshood , heaven and hell togither . Whosoever shal for filthy lucre sake , either wittingly conceale part of the truth , or adde any thing thereto , and thereby turne the truth into a ly , Eccl 6.3 . I say vnto you that an vntimely birth is better then hee . And better it were for him vnlesse he repent , Mat. 18.6 . that a milstone were put about his necke , and that he were drowned in the deepe of the sea .

10 To end this point , 4 To all . Luk 12.13 . Eph. 5.3 . let me speake vnto you al in the words of our Saviour , beware of covetousnes , & with the Apostle , let it not be once named amongst you . But if ye wil needs be covetous , 1. Cor. 14. ● covet spirituall things : set not your heartes on the things that are below , but on the thin●s that are aboue . Covet that which wil satiate your hearts , and that is nothing in this world . For the hart is triangular , and the world is round , and a round body cannot fill a triangle , but there will remaine s●me emptie corners : no more can the whole world fill the three corners of an heart , nor any thing saue he which is three , and one , God blessed for evermore . Inquietum est cor nostrum O Deus postquam recessimus à te donec revertamur ad te , saith Austin , O God our heart is never contented when we turne from thee , till we returne to thee . Oh then as your hearts are , so let your hearts desire bee ; that is , the Basis or broader part vpward toward heaven , and heavenly things , & the conus or narrow point towardes earth and earthly things . Vse not your riches as Anacharsis said the Athenians did their money : Nummis ad numerandum , Plut. de profect virt. sent. onely to count it over , & then to coffer it vp . Inioy them , but ioy not immoderatly in them , knowing this that yee are not owners , but only vsers of the things that yee possesse . Alas why should a man , which is a little world of himselfe , a man whose conversation should be in heaven , bee wedded to these base , and vile excrements of the earth ? they deserue no better name . For what I pray you is the best gold , but a congealed vapour ? and the greatest possessions but so much earth ? and the finest silke , but excrements of sillie wormes , which liue but two or three months ? Solomon had as much experience in them as any man that ever lived . 1. Kings . 10 17. For hee gaue in Ierusalem silver as stones , & Cedar trees , as the wild fig-trees that grow abundantly in the plaines , yet in his old age , when hee became a preacher , and repented him of his former life , he tooke such small comfort in this transitory trash , that in the beginning of Ecclesiastes , hee tooke this for his text , Vanitie of vanities , Eccles. 1. ● and all is but vaniti : and if they be weighed in the balance of the Sanctuary , they wil want of weight . They are altogether vanitie , nay they are lighter then vanitie it selfe . Let vs then so loue them , as that we care not to leaue them : and in all things , Plilip . 4.12 let vs learne both to be hungry , and to bee full , and to abound , and to haue want : accounting all things , but losse , and drosse , and dung , that wee may winne Christ . Which Iudas for the desire of a little mony promiseth to deliver vnto the high Priest : I will deliver him vnto you . And so I come to the particulars of the second generall branch of my text .

11 And first wee are to begin with the Person delivering , and that is Iudas , no Saducee , nor Pharisee which oppugned his doctrine , no professed enimie which openly sought his destruction , but an Apostle , one of the twelue which hee had chosen vnto himselfe , and sent abroad to preach the Gospell , and to cast out Divels , and to heale the sicke . Hence I infer this conclusion : that no calling is so holy but that it hath some wicked impes , & dissembling hypocrites ( which though for a space they may deceaue the world with a vizard of holinesse , yet time will vnmaske and shew them in their owne colours ) intermixed with true professors . A conclusion which if the instances of our time could not make good , the premises of all former ages do abundantly demonstrate it . When as yet our first parents had no mo children then Cain and Abel , Gen 4. the elder of these two , the first that ever was borne of a woman , the heire apparent of the whole world , was an Apostata : his hypocrisie was disclosed in killing his brother . When the whole Church was compinged within the sides of one arke , all were not sheepe that were in this little fold , Gen. 7. for — Nat lupus inter oves , there swamme one wolfe among these sheepe . As there was a Sem which was elected ; so was there a Cham which was reiected : his apostasie declared in mocking his father . Of the same father ( even of him , Gen. 16. who was the father of the faithfull ) there came an Ishmael , as wel as an Isaac ; of the same mother ( even at one and the selfe same birth ) came an Esau , Rom 4 16. as well as a Iacob . Gen. 25.24 The same kingdome had as well a Saul , as a David : the same place a Barrabas , and a Barnabas , the same profession a Cephas , and a Caiphas , a Iude , & a Iuda● : and as it was , so it shall ever bee till the sonne of man come in the glory of his kingdome , as longe as the nett swims in the salt sea of this world , till it bee brought to land , it shall containe both good & bad fishes . Till the reapers come there must growe wheat and tares together in this field : till the shepheard come there must bee sheepe and goates in this fold . 2. Tim. 2.20 . This great house till it be builded a new , must containe vessels of honour , and vessels of dishonour : the gold must be mixed with the drosse , till the great and terrible fire come to separate them . In this floore the wheat shall bee mingled with the chaffe , till the Lord come with his fan in his hand to winnow it , and shall blow the chaffe , Psal. 8. and scatter it away from the face of the earth .