With  regard  to  the  notion,  that  Judas  was  a  wicked  man— an  abfo-
!ute  unbeliever — a  curfed  hypocrite  when  our  Lord  gave  him  a  place
in  his  familiar  friendship,  and  raifed  him  to  the  dignity  of  an  apoftlr,
ir  is  both  unfcriptural,  and  fcandalous. —  (i)  Unfcnptural :  For  the
Scriptures  inform  us,  that  when  the  Lord  immediately  proceeds  to  an
rle£lion  of  that  nature,  be  looketh  on  the  hearty  I  Sam. xvi. 7. — Again,
when  the  eleven  apoftles  prayed,  that  God  would  over-rule  the  lot
which  they  wer;  about  to  caft  for  a  proper  perfon  to  fucceed  Judas,
they  faid,  Thou  Lord,  ivbo  knoweft  the  HEARTS  OK  ALL  'MWyJbew
•whether  cftbefe  ttoo  THOU  HAST  CHOSEN,  that  he  may  take  part  sf
this  MINISTRY,  from  which  Judas  BY  TR  ANSGR  K  ssioxfe/j. A&s
i. 24. Now,  as  Judas  FELL  BY  TRANSGRESSION,  he  was  un
doubtedly  raifed  by  rigbteoufafs,  unlefs  Zelotes  can  make  appear,  that
he  rofe  the  fame  way  he  fell  5  and  that,  as  he  fell  by  a  bribe,  fo  he
pave  fome  of  our  Lord's  friends  a  bribe,  to  get  himfelf  nominated  te
one  of  the  twelve  apoftolic  bi/hopricks:  But  even  then,  how  does  this
agree  with  our  Lord's  KNOWING  THE  HEART,  and  CHOOSING  ac
cordingly  ?  (2)  This  notion  is  fcandalous :  it  fets  Chrift  in  the  moft
contemptible  light. How  will  he  condemn  in  the  great  day  men  of
power  in  the  church,  who  for  by-ends  commit  the  care  of  fouls  to
the  moft  wicked  men  ?  How  will  he  even  find  fault  with  them,  if
he  did  fet  them  the  example  himfelf,  in  palling  by  all  the  boneft  and
gtod  men  in  Judea,  to  go  and  fet  the  apoftolic  mitre  upon  the  head  of
a  thief — of  a  ivolf  'in  Jheep 'j  clothing  ?  In  the  name  of  vvildom  I  aflc,
Could  Chrift  do  this,  and  yet  remain  the  GOOD  Jbepherd  f  How  diffe
rent  is  the  account,  that  St  Paul  gives  us  of  his  own  election  to  the
apoftiefliip. The  glorious  gofpel  of  God  tvas  committed  to  my  truft,  fays
he  ;  and  I  fha nk  Chritt,  who  hath  enabled  me,  FOR  THAT  HE  COUNT
ED  ME  FAITHFUL,  PUTTING  ME  into  the  mini/try,  I  Tim. i. ir,
rz. 