We took sweet counsel together
Not in religious matters; for in these the testimonies of the
Lord were David's counsellors, ( Psalms
119:24 ) ; but in civil things: hearty counsel is one branch
of friendship, and which greatly sweetens it, ( Proverbs
27:9 ) ; as this may be applied to Christ and Judas, it may
denote the mutual delight and pleasure they had, the one in
communicating, the other in receiving a notional knowledge of the
Gospel, and the mysteries of it, which are the counsel of God, (
Acts 20:27 ) ;
for if hearers may hear the word gladly, as Herod did, and
receive it with joy, as did the stony ground hearers, and yet be
destitute of the grace of God; why may not Judas, and other
preachers devoid of true grace, be thought to receive and preach
the doctrines of the Gospel in a speculative way, with some kind
of delight and pleasure? so professors of religion take sweet
counsel together, when they communicate to each other what light
and knowledge they have in the mysteries of the Gospel, and
converse about experience, and the mysteries and secrets of
internal godliness, and give and take advice in spiritual things;
and sad it is when anyone of these drop their profession, and
reproachers, scoffers, or persecutors;
[and] walked unto the house of God in company:
David with his royal family and courtiers, and Ahithophel among
the rest; where he delighted to go, and that with a multitude. So
Christ and Judas often went to the temple together, with the rest
of the disciples, who heard many an excellent sermon from his
mouth: all which are further aggravations of sin and guilt. And
so such persons, who have walked together to the house of God and
in it, have attended together on public worship, and walked
together in holy fellowship; when any of these forsake the
assembling of themselves together, scoff at religion, speak evil
of ordinances, reproach the saints, or persecute them, it is very
shocking, cutting, and grieving indeed.