John 6:70–71

Christ, having drawen out this confession, doth correct Peters charity, and warne them of a yet sadder defection, of one of them twelve whom he had chosen to be Apostles. Unto which John subjoins a declaration, shewing who it was that Christ spake of. Whence learn, 1. In times wherein men appeare very forward and resolute, when others are turning away, Christ alloweth them not to be secure, but would have them warned and sensible of the hazard of more and worse defection; Therefore, when a few of many have now stood, Christ seeth it fit to tell them they were not all sound. 2. Albeit Christ do approve of mens charitable judgement of others; yet that judgement is not still according to veritie, nor to be built upon by hypocrites; Therefore, albeit Christ do not reprove Peters charity, yet he sheweth that it is mistaken of one in the number. 3. Very general Apostacies, reducing sincere professours to a small number, will not alwayes separate all the chaffe from the wheat; But when multitudes make defection, and only a very few do stand, there may be yet hypocrites and traitors, even among these; for, Judas went not yet away with the streame of this defection, because he kept the bag yet, and his tentation was not yet come. 4. As there is no societie in the earth so holy, but it is possible some of them may be wicked; Yea, and they may have an eminent spiritual calling and office in the Church, who yet are but wicked hypocrites, and will totally and finally fall away and betray Christ; So the eminency of mens office and employment renders their defection the more odious: And particularly, Apostacy is very odious in Ministers; Therefore, saith he, have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? Whereby, partly, he insinuates that their election to an office, was no ground to build upon, that they were all sound; And partly, he aggravates his defection from this, and therefore puts it to be considered by them, by this question. It is not needful to enquire why Christ made choice only of twelve, and would have that number filled up, when Judas went to his place, Act. 1.21, 22, &c. It sufficeth us, that as Israel according to the flesh sprang from twelve Patriarchs, so he would have his Israel in the spirit, collected and brought to him, by twelve Apostles. 5. Such as, being entrusted by Christ, do not only make Apostacy, but turn persecutors and traitors to him, are not only adversaries to him, as Satan is, but do resemble the devil, (who is a liar and murderer,) in crueltie under pretext of friendship; are acted and possessed by him; and, are odious unto God, as he is; Therefore the traitour gets this name, one of you is a devil, because he should betray him. Which is far different from what he said to Peter, when he called him Satan, Matth. 16.23. for it was only a fit of tentation in him, wherein Satan abused his corruption and tongue for the time, but Satan had a dwelling and dominion in Judas. 6. How closly soever hypocrites and traitours carry themselves among Gods people, yet they will not deceive Christ; but he knoweth them well enough, though all should give them charitie; for, so much doth he declare here. 7. Albeit Christ, when he warnes the societies of his people, would have all to trie and watch over themselves; Yet such as are sincere, should have no thoughts that he is suspitious of them, or doth not approve of them: for, both these appeare here; he warnes them in general of the unsoundnesse of one, not naming him; not only because he would let him discover himselfe, and would not hinder that work wherein he was to be an instrument; but that they might all search themselves; And yet John names him particularly, and for what cause Christ spake so of him; and this he did, not only to free another Apostle called Judas also, Luk. 6.16. (and therefore he describes the traitour from his parentage, and from his country, Iscariot, or, a man of that city Reioth, Josh. 15.25. or, as some take it to be a Syriake word, and render it a purse bearer, and so it is a designation of him from his particular employment in Christs company, Joh. 12.6. and 13.29.) but also to shew that this general doctrine did reflect upon none of the rest of the Apostles integritie.