Exposition of Jude, Verse 13
Vers. 13. They are raging waues of the sea, foaming out their owne shame: they are wandring starres, for whom is reserued the blacke darknes for euer.
THe Apostle in this verse proceedeth on in the further discouerie of these wicked men by sundry other sins; set downe after the same manner as the former by way of similitude and comparison. And first he compareth them to the raging waues of the sea; and secondly to wandring starres. And in the end of the verse: For whom &c. the conclusion is againe repeated, of which we hauehave spoken in the 11. verse. The former comparison hath three expositions: for some will hauehave their grosse hypocrisie hereby signified; and then the comparison standeth vsus: Looke as the waues of the sea rage and swell, rising vp towards the heauens, as though they would swallow and ouerflow the earth, which they seeme to threatē; but drawing to the shore, they are broken to a little foame: so these seducers make a great shew of godlinesse, and pietie, as though they onelyonly would goe to heauen; yet is the matter nothing so, all is but froth, seeing they want the power and practise of religion, and godlines in the middest of such pretenses. Secondly, others hereby expresse their vnprofitablenes and deceitfulnes in their doctrine, thus: As the waues of the sea rise very huge and high, especially being stirred by the windes, and yet their effect is nothing but a little foame and mire, which they cast vp: so these lewd men being puffed vp in themselues, promise great matters to their followers: as much libertie, many blessings and great good things; and yet the effect of all their shewes is but to make men much more the seruants of sinne than before. And thus Peter speaketh of them:2. Pet. 2.18. In speaking swelling words of vanitie they beguile with wantonnes, through the lusts of the flesh, them which were cleane escaped from them. This was truly spoken of them, and may as truly be applied vntounto diuers of our times: as first the Libertines and Familists, fondly assuring their disciples that they shall bee illuminate and deified, such great matters they promise: whereas they make them the children of the diuell seuen fold more than they were before. Secondly,Romish sea casteth out nothing but fo…m… and mire. the Romish Clergie hauehave been as large in their promises vntounto their hearers: teaching them that they shall be able to satisfie the iustice of God for their sinnes, yea and merit life euerlasting, and that many of them can performe works of supererrogation, which the law of God bindeth them not vntounto: but what is this but to foame out dirt and mire, and to teach men that for a little mony they may breake al Gods Commandements? The third exposition is this: As the Sea stirred by the windes and weather rageth, and from the foundation casteth vp nothing but froth: so these men stirred and mooued by the hand of God correcting them, amend not, nor profit thereby: but rather vnderunder the same, discouer the wickednes and vnbeliefe of their hearts: which is the most agreeable and fittest exposition; explained in Isai. 57.20. The wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and dirt. From this sense consider these two things: first, a worke of God: secondly, a practise of man. First the wil, work, and appointment of God is, that men shall be troubled, stirred, mooued, and set out of quiet, and hauehave within them such disquietnes, as if the raging waues of the sea were within their soules. The minds of men both godly and wicked, their willes and affections are often so distempered, as is the sea whē it is troubled with boisterous windes and tempests. Iere. 49.23. The Lord shall trouble Damascus, so she shall become as a fearfull sea that cannot rest. Iosh. 7. Ioshua said to Achan; Thou hast troubled Israel, and the Lord shall trouble thee. Iob saith, The Almightie troubled him, chap. 23.16. Yea Christ himselfe, although hee was without sinne, had his soule troubled in his agonie, in which his minde, will and affections were disturbed: and this trouble God bringeth on men diuers waies; sometimes by those of a mans owne house, as Iacobs sonnes troubled him, Genes. 34. Sometimes they of his companie, as Achan, Iosh. 7. Somtimes by the Lords withdrawing of himselfe, Psal. 30.7. Thou diddest hide thy face, and I was troubled. Sometimes a mans own heart and conscience will rage against him, as Baltazar seeing the hand writing vponupon the wall, was troubled, and there was no life in him, Dan. 5. What then wil some say, is there no difference betweene the godly and the wicked herein? Ans. Yes: for eueryevery little crosse vntounto the wicked is a tempest breaking the rockes: which maketh them to storme and rage, and send foorth foame and mire: but the crosses of the godly are as calme windes, a little shaking them indeed, & for a little time: but are blowne ouer when they hauehave a little exercised their faith and graces, so as they are bettered, yea and furthered by them. 1. King. 19. Elias standing on Mount Horeb, there passed by him a mightie tempest which rent the rocks; and then an Earthquake, then fire: but God was not in any of these: afterward there came a still and soft voyce, and God was in the voyce. Afflictions are like that tempest, earthquake and fire, namely to the wicked, against whom the Lord commeth to shake and consume them: but to the godly are as a still voyce to teach and instruct them: vnderunder which they quietly content thē selues, because God is in that still voice, namely, by his grace and presence supporting and sustaining them euen in the middest of their troubles.
Secondly, the practise of a wicked man is, when hee is troubled and stirred by God to foame out his owne shame; euen as the sea his froth. Experience teacheth, that if a wicked man hauehave any wrong or disgrace offered him, presently he discouereth the corruption of his heart, and breaketh out into railing, cursing, reuiling, and all manner of reuenge: so if Gods hand bee vponupon him by sicknes, or vponupon his familie, he cannot couer his want of louelove of God, he cannot hide the infidelitie of his heart: for hee betakes himselfe the next way to the Sorcerer,As Adam fled from God vponupon his sinne: so many a one flieth to the diuell vponupon the punishment of it. Figure-caster, or the next Wizard, so flieth from God as fast as his feete will carrie him: and eueryevery way the same violent affections bewray themselues, which these seducers are charged withall.
Vse. Seeing this is the propertie of a wicked man being troubled, to foame out his owne shame, let the childe of God in his trouble quiet himselfe, restraine and bridle his corruptions; yea let him shew foorth his faith, obedience, meeknes and subiection vntounto God; let him repaire vntounto God by prayer: as Iehosaphat being in a great streight on eueryevery side turned his eyes vntounto the Lord,2. Chro. 20.12. saying: I know not what to doe, but our eye… are towards thee. And Dauid … from Absalom his sonne reuiled him not, nor …tormed against him, but turned to the Lord, saying▪ If I please thee not, Lord here am I, doe with me … at thou pleasest.
The second comparison followeth in these words: They are wandring s…ars. By which words wee may not vnderstand the Planets in the heauens: neither the fixed starres which keepe a direct and constant course: but such as wee call shooting, falling, or gliding starres; which hauehave some light, but it is soone obscured. The sinne then is, that which was before mentioned, namely their false and instable doctrine, which can neuer direct men to heauē, no more than these shooting starres can direct either sailers by sea, or trauellers by land. Hence learne two things: first, that all true Teachers must be starres. Secondly, they must bee fixed and not wandring starres: first they must bee starre…. Ob. This cannot be, seeing they hauehave no light of their owne. Ans. Christ is the light which inlighteneth eueryevery man that commeth into the world; called therefore the Sunne of righteousnes, and the day starre, from whom all Ministers receiue their light. Againe, they may bee fit instruments to carrie light vntounto others (which is their office) although they hauehave none of their own, saue that onelyonly which is conueied from Christ vntounto them: as a Lanthorne hath no light in it selfe but what men put into it.
Doct. First, all true Teachers must first hauehave the Sunne of righteousnes to shine in their owne hearts, before they can enlighten others with his light: for as Paul was himselfe comforted that he might be able to comfort others, 2. Corinth. 1. so no man can teach others, till himselfe first bee taught. Secondly,Ministers as starres must shine to mens hearts, and not onelyonly sound to the eares. if they be starres they must shine to somwhat, and that is, to the hearts of men: so as the principall care of Ministers ought to bee herein placed, that they may enlighten the minds, consciences, wils, and affections of men, so becomming the meanes of the rising of the Sunne of righteousnes in mens hearts, not that they may fill the care with words, but the heart with light, comfort, and refreshing. This was the scope of Pauls preaching, 2. Cor. 4.2. in the declaration of the truth to approoue himselfe to eueryevery mans conscience in the sight of God: so as if his Gospell were yet hid, it was not his fault; but of those men whose eyes the God of the world had blinded, that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should not shine vntounto their hearts.
Vse. This teacheth that all men by nature are the children of darknesse, without the knowledge of God; as vntounto whō God hath appointed Teachers to be as shining stars to enlightē them. We neede not to go farre to proue this truth, for euen our owne countrey witnesseth that in the daies of former Princes, our forefathers wanting this light and these stars, sowed and reaped their fields, brought home their corne, baked their bread: which serued them partly for foode, and partly to make a breaden god of; a more palpable darknes than that of Egypt which might hauehave been felt. Secondly, seeing that darknes is chased away, and wee hauehave the light, and many bright starres to direct vsus, take the exhortation Ephes. 5.8. Ye are now light, walk as children of light, namely by accepting, entertaining and embracing of the light. That wee may doe this, first wee must know the light, and behold it with the louelove and affection of our hearts vntounto it; that as when the Sunne shineth, eueryevery man openeth his doores and windowes to receiue the comfort of it: so wee should open the doores of our hearts to entertaine,Open the doore of thy heart, that the Sunne of righteousnes may shine into the house of thy soule and retaine the light of Christ, to hauehave them filled therewith: for then Gods fauourable countenance is shining vponupon vsus. Secondly, hauing the light, we must doe the workes of the light, that is of obedience: when the Sunne is vp and shineth eueryevery man walketh in his calling, and whilest our Sunne of grace is ouer our heads, wee are to walke as becommeth the calling of Christianitie, to make conscience of all sinne; a shame is it at noon day to stumble & fall, and rush into a pit: so now is it for Christian men in such a sunne shine of the Gospell, to betake them to eueryevery worke of darknes, and be betaken with eueryevery snare of sin, as though they had no light to direct them, but were left in darknes.
Secondly, true Teachers must not onelyonly be starres, but fixed starres, that is, constant & stable in the doctrine which they teach, and deliuer out of the Prophets, and Apostles: for if the starres and Sea markes should chaunge their places, and remoue to & fro, the poore passengers that looke for constant direction from them, are likely to be carried and cast vponupon quicke sands and rockes, and so bee ouerthrowne and drowned: in like manner if Teachers bee variable, and changelings in their doctrines, the soules of their hearers (not knowing where to hauehave sure direction) are as likely to suffer shipwracke and sinke into the pit of hell.
Vse. People ought to hauehave their hearts stablished, and setled vponupon the doctrine of religion taught, and proued vntounto them out of the word; by the direction whereof they are to bee passed vntounto the hauen of happines. If this bee learned of the bodie of this land, our peace and prosperitie shall be stable, within our walles and palaces: ye… Gods protection shall be a wall of fire round about vsus. So much of that verse.