Exposition of Jude, Verse 1 · Part 10
Aduersaries hereof are;
First, Heretikes innumerable which are not knowne to all; but knowne enemies are: first, Jewes, who denie Christ to come in the flesh. Secondly, some Jewish Arrians compounded heretikes, who hauehave withstood Christs incarnation; some of which hauehave suffered amongst vsus. Thirdly, the Papists, the substance of whose doctrine robbeth Christ of his humane nature,… though they confesse him incarnate: for since his death (they teach) his bodie is become inuisible, and in innumerable places at once; so they abolish the Manhood of Christ, and turne it into the Godhead, seeing it is become infinite and vncircumscribed. Ob. They alleage,Obiect. God can make it to be in many places at once.Answere. Ans. We may not dispute what God can doe, but what he will doe; so farre as he hath reuealed. Secondly, it stands not with the power of God to doe some things, as those which imploy contradictions to be true at the same time. Of which nature this is to make a true bodie to be in many places at once▪ yea to be in heauen, and also eueryevery where on earth. But his bodie is glorified,Obiect. and therefore may be in many places at once.Answere. Ans. The words [this is my bodie] were spoken before his glorification. Secondly, glorification taketh away the corruption; but not the true properties of his bodie, as length, breadth, thicknes, and circumscription. Ob. But things ioyned together must be in the same place,Obiect. and cannot be seuered; and therefore his Manhood being ioyned to his Godhead, must needes be eueryevery where. Ans. The antecedent is false:Answere. for things ioyned together may bee the one in one place, the other in another; as the bodie of the Sunne is ioyned with his beames and light, and yet the bodie of the Sunne is in heauen, but the beames and light in the earth also.
The 13. ground is, that Iesus is Christ. 13. Ground1. Ioh▪ 2.22. Who is a lier but he that denieth that Iesus is Christ, the same is the Antichrist: From which place wee may gather two thinges. First, That Iesus is Christ. Secondly, That it is a ground susteyning our whole saluation. For whosoeuer denieth it is Antichrist; see 1. Cor. 3.10. The meaning of the ground by Christ I vnderstand the annointed Sauiour and Redeemer; who is a King, Priest, and Prophet. First, as he is a king his power manifesteth it selfe in three thinges; First, in sauing and destroying not the body onelyonly as other kinges, but the soule also. Secondly, in pardoning sinnes or reteyning them. Thirdly, in making lawes to bind consciences. Secondly, his Priestly office standeth in two thinges: First, in a power to offer sacrifice propitiatorie for the sinnes of whole mankind. Secondly, in making intercession to God for mankind: Thirdly, his Propheticall office consisteth in three thinges: First, in reuealing to man the will of his father. Secondly, in enlightining of the mind to vnderstand that will reuealed. Thirdly, in framing of the harte to performe obedience vntounto it, together with the setling of it in the truth. Thus he is the Christ, that is the annoynted of God.
But we must yet here goe further and vnderstand by Christ a perfect Christ, a perfect Redeemer, without any partner, fellow, or deputy: for if hee hauehave a partner, he is but halfe a redeemer, and if he hauehave a fellow or deputie, how is he omnipotent, or omnipresent? This is plaine by testimonie of Scripture; There is none other name, Actes 4.12. therefore there is no fellow or partner. There is one Mediatour, that is but one, 1. Tim. 2.3. yea by himselfe he purged our sinnes, foreign.Heb. 1.3. without fellow or deputy: whose Priesthood is such as cannot passe from himselfe to another. Heb. 7.24. Obiect. But Ministers hauehave power to remit and retaine sinne, hauing the keyes giuen them. Answ. The keyes are not giuen to Ministers to pardon men properly, but Ministerially to pronounce and declare that God in heauen doth pardon them. Ob. The Saints shall iudge the world, Obiect.and therfore not Christ onelyonly.Answere. Answ. They shall not iudge by pronouncing a soueraigne sentence of absolution or condemnation, which is proper to Christ the Iudge; but by assisting him (as Iustices vponupon the bench) both by witnessing and assenting vntounto that righteous iudgement. Obiect. Psal. 45.7. He is annoynted with oyle of gladnes aboue his fellowes: Obiect.therefore hee hath fellowes.Answere. Answ. All that beleeue in Christ are the fellowes of Christ: but in his annoynting, that is in grace, though not in office.Obiect. Obiect. But Ministers are Christs deputies.Answere. An. Ministers are properly no deputies, but instruments to declare the will of God,Ministris vtitur Christus non Vicarijs. …ucer de regno Christ. cap. 2. and can go no further then to teach the eare: for it is Christ himselfe that enlighteneth the mind. But it will bee said that Kinges are Christs deputies on earth. Answ.Obiect. Answere.They are his deputies as hee is God equall to his father, not as hee is Mediatour.