Exposition of Jude, Verse 6
Vers. 6. The Angels also which kept not their first estate, but left their owne habitation, hee hath reserued in euerlasting chaines vnderunder darknes, vntounto the iudgement of the great day.
THese words comprehend the second example, whereby the first part of the former reason is confirmed: namely, that whosoeuer giuegive themselues libertie to sinne, shall be destroyed; here prooued by this example of the Angels themselues. In which consider three points: first, the persons that sinned; The Angels.] Secondly, the sinne or fall of the Angels; which kept not their first estate, but left their owne habitation.] Thirdly, their punishment; he hath reserued in euerlasting chaines.] In the persons sinning wee hauehave sundrie considerations; as first, that it pleaseth the spirit of God to chuse this example of the Angels to prooue his purpose, and that most fitly: because they are the excellencie of all creatures, for so the Scriptures eueryevery where speake of them: as when the highest praise that belongeth to inferiour creatures is attributed vntounto them in Scripture; the speech is drawne from the glorie of Angels. Gen. 3 3. Iacob commending the fauourable countenance of Esa…, being reconciled vntounto him, saith he saw his face as the face of an Angell. So Manna is called Angels foode: Psal. 78.…5.that is, a most excellent foode, that if those excellent creatures should neede foode, they could wish no better. 1. Cor. 13.1. Though I should speake with the tongue of men and Angels. Signifying that if Angels had tongues, they must needs bee most admirable, diuine, and excellent. Dauid speaking of the glorie that man once had, and in admiration of it, being not able to containe himselfe, breaketh out into a speech full of passion:Psal. ….5. O Lord what is man that thou art so mindfull of him I thou hast made him little inferiour to the Angels. Shewing that the chiefe glorie of men in their best estate is inferiour to the excellent condition of Angels. Yea further, it is a part of the glorie of God to be attended of them, and a part of our glorie after the resurrection to be like them. Whence note the scope of the Apostle, which is hence to teach vsus, that no glorie, beautie, or excellencie of the creature can exempt it from the punishment of sin, when it falleth thereinto: nay, the more glorious the sinfull creature is, the more grieuous punishment may it expect, if sinne be found therein; as the Angels here: which may instruct those who are in these schooles of the Prophets, in which many men excell in rare gifts, of whom in regard of their wisedome and knowledge may bee said, as the woman of Tekoah said of Dauid, 2. Sam. 14.17. My Lord is as an Angell of God to heare good and bad. And they are the Angels of the Lord of hostes, Malac. 2.7. Yet for all this let them not be puffed vp hereby, but walke in feare and trembling, not emboldening themselues to sinne: for bee it they were as the Angels in gifts; yet if they sinne, they shall be as Angels in punishment also.
Secondly, hence note that Angels are substances, though inuisible, hauing being, life, sense, and vnderstanding, and are not onelyonly qualities; for pure qualities neither can sin, nor be capable of punishment, as the Angels are here said to be. Ob. It will be said, seeing they are capable of punishment, they must be bodily substances. Ans. No: it is sufficient they be substances to be capable of punishment, though spirituall; for the punishment of hell is spirituall. Where wee see the Sadduces and others euen of our daies are deceiued, who thinke Angels to be nothing but Motions, and melancholy passions: and the Libertines also who thinke they are nothing but good and bad successe.
Thirdly,foreign &c. Heb. 2.10. the name Angell is not a name of nature, but of office: which signifieth that their office was to be the messengers of God, who were to stand round about him as attendants, readie to be sent foorth at his pleasure, for the execution of his will, in all the parts of the world. In which function of theirs they are propounded patternes to vsus, and examples for our imitation: who ought accordingly to set our selues euer in the presence of God, as prest, and readie to performe his will: for so wee pray daily, Let thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen; that is, GiueGive vsus grace with cheerefulnes and readines to performe thy will here on earth, as the Angels in heauen do: for whosoeuer would be like the Angels in heauen, must be herein like them first in earth. Now in that this name is here giuen to the Diuels and wicked spirits, it sheweth two things: first, what their office was in the creation, vntounto which they were fitted and deputed. Secondly, the iustice of their punishment for the neglect of the execution of the same.
Fourthly, obserue the distinction of Angels; of which some kept their first estate, others (of which hee here speaketh) left their first condition: some stoode, and some fell: the ground of which distinction Paul mentioneth 1. Tim. 5.21. I charge thee before God and his elect Angels. Some therefore are elected, and (because election presupposeth a refusall) others are reiected; no other cause of this distinction is known to man, but the will of God, and his good pleasure. Ob. If any man say, it was because God foresaw that some would fall, and others would stand. I answere, that is no cause: for God did not onelyonly foresee the fall of some, but decreed also before all worlds to confirme some in their state, and to passe by others in his iustice: so as the cause shall euer rest in his good will, which willing the same maketh it most iust, not giuing vsus any leaue otherwise to dispute of this doctrine, or curiously to search out the secrets of it, but rather to stand in admiration, and say with Paul: O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33how vnsearchable are his iudgements, and his waies past finding out!
Now followeth the second point, namely, the fall of the Angels: in which obserue three points: first, the cause: secondly, the parts: thirdly, the measure of the fall. The cause of their fal in these words; which kept not their first estate, but left their habitation; themselues were the cause of their own fall; which is thus prooued: Either God must be the cause of their sin, or man, or themselues; but neither God nor man: and therefore themselues. First, God cannot be the cause: for that were iniustice to condemne them for that which himselfe caused; how vnrighteous were it, first to cause them to fall, and then to punish them for falling? Obiect. But it will be said, that God did foresee their fall, and might hauehave preuented it, and so not hindring it hee seemeth to bee a cause of it. Ans. Whosoeuer foreseeth an euill, and hindreth it not when hee may, is accessarie vntounto it, so be he be bound to hinder it: but God was not bound to hinder it, being a most absolute Lord, not bound to any of his creatures further than he bindeth himselfe. Ob. But God did not confirme them in that grace which he gaue them; whereupon they fell: whereas if he had confirmed them they had stood; whence carnall reason concludeth God to bee the cause of the fall. Answ. God gaue them grace in creating them righteous, but confirmed them not therein; he gaue them a power to will to perseuere, but gaue them not the will not perseuerance it selfe, and yet he is not to bee blamed, because he would not doe it. Quest. Why would hee not? Ans. I answere with the Apostle, What art thou O man that disputest with God? Rom. 9.2…Let vsus without further reasoning stay our selues in these two conclusions: first, that God is an absolute Lord▪ neither bound to any action, neither to giuegive reason of any: secondly, that hee doth all to the glorie of his name, in the manifestation of his merciemercy and iustice. Secondly, as God is no cause or author of this fall of Angels, no more is man; for the Angels fell first, and were the cause of mans fall, and therefore themselues were the proper cause of their owne fall. Qu. How can this be? Ans. The Angels had in themselues the proper cause, and beginning of their own fall; and that was a free & flexible will, whereby for the present they willed that which was good, and might will to perseuere in it: but that will being mutable, they might also will euill and so fall from God, this being the same will that Adam had in the state of innocencie.
Obiect. Good trees cannot bring foorth euill fruite: therefore the Angels being good, could not sinne of themselues. Answ. A good tree remaining good bringeth foorth good fruite; but being changeable may bring forth euill. So much of the cause of the fall of Angels.
The second thing in their fall is the parts of it, which here are two: first, They kept not their first beginning. Secondly, They left their owne habitation. First they fell from their first estate: which words are expounded Ioh. 8.44. they stood not in the truth. By this truth is meant the image of God in righteousnes and true holines, Eph. 4.24. and this image is truly called [truth] because it neuer deceiueth men, as vnrighteousnes doth; which maketh a glorious shew of pleasure, or profit, but indeede it deceiueth men, who finde nothing lesse therein. Secondly, because herein is no hypocrisie, it maketh no shew or appearance of other, than indeed it is, as the manner of falsehood is. The sense then is, that the Angels voluntarily departed from their originall condition, and stood not in that image of God wherein they were created. The second part of this one sinne is, that they left their habitation; which a man might esteeme but a small matter, but yet the sinne is not small: for God in the beginning appointed most excellent places for his seuerall creatures; wherein they were to performe their seruice and homage vntounto God; as Heauen was the proper place assigned to Angels: to man Paradise in his innocencie; as after his fall the families of the Patriarches: before and in Christs time the Temple: since that time, the societies and congregations of the faithfull are these places appointed for man to set … the speciall praises of the Creator in. Now the Angels leauing their place incurred two grieuous sinne…: first, they left the presence of God: secondly, their office and calling, in which they ought for euer to hauehave been employed in the glorifying of God. Ob. But doe not the Diuel… keepe in the ayre? Ans. Some of them doe by Gods permission, but not as in their proper place, or first habitation, for that was in the comfortable presence of God in heauen. The third point in this sinne is the measure of it: They left: that is, wholly and to…ally [their condition,] they quite forsooke God, his image, heauen it selfe, and that office which therein they were assigned vntounto. Obiect. Here it may bee obiected: If the Angels in their innocencie and excellencie f…ll wholy and vtterly from God, much more … sinfull man, although beleeuers, wholy fall from God, and vtterly cut themselues by … from Christ. Ans. But hereunto I answere, that there is not the same reason of the grace of creation, as i… of the grace of regeneration: for that commeth farre short of this: by the former the creature hath a power either to stand or fall, to abide with God, or depart from him, and this power is in it selfe: but by this latter grace of regeneration, such feare of God is put into the hearts of the regenerate, that they shall not depart from God, Iere. 32.40. and this power of not falling is in them indeed, but not from themselues: neither is it strange that there should bee such difference betweene the state of nature and that which is aboue nature. Againe, as the grace of creation and regeneration is different; so there is a difference of the will created, and regenerate. So called, not because the other is not also created, but because this is in the subiect by creation, as the other is not.Created will hath a freedome to will that which is good: so hath the will regenerate also. Secondly, created will hath a power to will to perseuere in that which is good: so also hath the will regenerate. The created will hath not the will it selfe, neither the act of perseuerance; wherein it differeth from the will regenerate, which hath both these. Heere the Schoolemen deceiued themselues and others, in that they taught that in the conuersion of a sinner the will hath a freedome to receiue grace, or not to receiue it; so placing it in the will of man, and putting it in his own hand and power to beleeue, or not beleeue. But the truth is, that in the first conuersion of a sinner the will rebelleth and …: For none commeth to the Sonne, vnlesse the Father draw him: it is not the will it selfe, but the conuersion of it that frame… i… … willingnes, making it of vnwilling▪ willing to … tertaine that which i… truly good. I… is vntrue that the will of man is now as the will of Angels was before their fall, hauing a power to fall▪ or not fall.
Vse. First, in th… the Angels were condemned for forsaking their first beginning, we must bewaile this … sin in our selues, for we also had the same first beginning with them: the same image of God … vponupon …, which wee hauehave willingly departed … that remaineth for vsus to doe, which belongeth not … them▪ to vsus… all meanes to obtaine ou… first beginnings againe, that this image may be restored vntounto vsus, and renued vponupon vsus; vntounto which three things are required: first, that our spirituall vnderstanding be cleered, and enlightened: secondly, that a good heart and conscience bee gotten and preserued: thirdly, a subiection in our whole conuersation vntounto all the lawes and commandements of God.
Secondly, though we hauehave the same beginning by creation, which is lost by our fall; yet wee hauehave another beginning, by a new birth and regeneration, which they want; we hauehave been borne, baptized, and brought vp many yeeres in the true faith, and profession of Christ; now our dutie is to bee more wise than before, to be warie lest wee fall from this beginning, as wee hauehave done from the former; but cleaue to our faith, and stand to our vow made in our Baptisme: for otherwise our estate becommeth as remedilesse as the condition of the Angels themselues, who are shut vp in the chaines of condemnation for euer.
Thirdly, we see how farre the Scriptures may bee said to bee sufficient to cleere all doubtes and determine all controuersies,We ought rather to be serious in consideration of our owne fall, than curious in theirs. seeing here it onelyonly propoundeth a generall sinne of Angels, and nameth no particular, as Peter also saith, they sinned; and Iohn, that they stood not in the truth. Thus contenting it selfe with generall tearmes, without particularizing the proper sinne deseruing this iudgement; and determineth not that great question controuerted among Diuines, of whome some say it was a … in thought: other…, that it was actuall: others, that it was enuie: some, Pride, &c. which maketh the Papists saye, that the Scriptures are not sufficient to determine all hard questions. But we must not imagine the Scriptures to be such a iudge … decideth all doubts, which the curiositie of mans braine may cast within it selfe; whereof there are … among the ancient Schoolemen, such as this i… by scripture indeterminable: nay of purpose the holy Ghost …u… teth … all cause of such curiositie by silence in such …nnecessarie matters, that … the rather … to …re ne…ssarie… yet is the Scripture a iudge sufficie…tly able to resol…e thy spirituall minded man in any case concerning conscience… or in any matter concerning saluation; all which it is the sole and proper determiner of: now as for the particular sin of Angels it is not necessarie to saluation to know it; but seeing the Scripture concealeth it, it is a safe and learned ignorance to be rested in, without further desire to know that which the Lord hath hid in secret with himselfe.
Fourthly, wee are hence taught to seeke to enter into our habitation and true resting place, which is not the earthly Paradise, for that was our dwelling place before the fall; but Heauen it selfe, which since the fall is assigned and prepared to be a rest for the people of God: this was the citie which Abraham looked for, Heb. 11. so the Saints departed are said to be at home with the Lord being in heauen.…. Cor. 5. Christ telles his Disciples he goeth to prepare them these dwellings in heauen, Ioh. 14. which elsewhere he calleth euerlasting habitations. Make you friends of vnrighteous ma… man, &c. Now for our better practise hereof, this must be marked, that howsoeuer this our habitation be in heauen,The … heauen … set open here vpo… earth. yet the suburbes and the gate of it is here in earth; for all the assemblies of the people of God are the … and gates of heauen it selfe, ye… the …ery entry into it. Iacob when he saw the testimonies and tokens of Gods presence and fauour, built a… Altar in the place for his worship, and called it B…thel, and said it was the very gate of heauen, Gen. 28.17. and therefore we must while we li…e here seeke to enter, if we would be ad…i…ted within that glorie hereafter▪ Qu. But what … may wee vse to help vsus forward herein? Ans. These fiue▪ First, wee must alwaies endeuour to be found readie to enter into that heauenly habitation; for which purpose our hate… must be at this our ho…e, y… our whole conuersation must be in heauen, w…lest our … are vponupon earth, our walking must bee in the path of life euerlasting▪ …ll containing ourselues in the waies of repentance, obedience, and daily mortification, whereby wee denie our selues, take vp our crosse and follow Christ. Secondly, … louelove … assemblie of Gods people, and …oy…e our selues vntounto th… i… th… holy vse of the Word and sacraments, whereby wee draw neere vntounto heauen it selfe: yea and keepe at the gates of this Citie, and with Dauid thinke it a speciall priuiledge to be a doore-keeper in the house of God, Psal. 84. Moses chose rather to suffer with the people of God great affliction, than to enioy the treasures and honors of Pharaohs Court: yea euen wicked Cain himselfe thought of this as the greatest part of his punishment, and which he most complained of, that hee was cast out from the face of God, that is, out of Adams familie, where Gods face was to be seene in his worship. Thirdly, we must weine our affections from our earthly inheritances, which are but Tents, that they may be fixed vponupon this sure habitation in heauen; without the assurance of which, all earthly reuenews and treasures can adde but little comfort to the heart. Cain built a Citie, hee had besides great lands and faire possessions; but yet euen then the holy Ghost brands him with the name of a Vagabond; because he was cut off from Gods people, and cared not to ioyne himselfe vntounto them againe by repentance. Fourthly, we must eueryevery day addresse and prepare our selues to our death, seeing our death is a meanes to bring vsus home to this habitation: eueryevery new day must occasion vsus to renew this our preparation: and this will cause vsus neither to feare our owne, nor excessiuely to sorrow at the departure of our faithfull friendes, seeing they hauehave passed these first things, and are onelyonly gone before to their longed-for habitation. Fiftly, if God call vsus hereunto, wee must bee contented to leaue and forsake goods, friends, natiue countrie, and all for assurance of inheritance in this our countrie; and if we cannot finde the doores hereof in our owne countrie, wee must seeke them elsewhere, where we may enioy them, making light reckoning of all things for this one thing of highest account.
The last vse of this doctrine is, to teach vsus from this sinne of the Angels our contrarie dutie; they by their office were to doe homage vntounto God, and performe all dutie as children to their father; for so Iob calleth them the sonnes of God; but this office they departed from▪ we now being by adoption the sonnes and daughters of God, being called vntounto holinesse, are to take heede of this sinne of forsaking our calling; yea on the contrarie to walke worthie thereof, as the sonnes of God, approouing our faithfulnes vntounto him. And it standeth vsus in hand so to do, seeing the contrarie hath such iust vengeance attending vponupon it, as now in this example we are in the next place to behold.
The third point in this example is the punishment of the Angels, which hath two degrees: first, their custodie, in these words: He hath reserued them] namely in durance. Secondly, their full punishment: vntounto the iudgement of the great day.] The former is set foorth in two things: first, in that they are reserued in chaines. Secondly, vnderunder darkenes. By these chaines are signified first that mightie power of God▪ which bridleth and restraineth the might and malice of the Diuels themselues; as Reu. 20. the old Dragon was bound for a thousand yeeres: the power of God was the chaine that curbed and ouermastred him; and this is one part of his present punishment. Secondly, the chaines signifie also that guiltines of the Angels, which by the tenour of Gods iustice bindeth them ouer to destruction: these bonds be vponupon the consciences of the wicked Angels, they know they are adiudged to damnation for their sinne; so a… let them be where they will, in the earth or ayre, or wheresoeuer, these chaines of guiltie consciences binde them ouer to iudgement: where we are taught two things, first, to beware of guiltie and accusing consciences; for these are Gods chaines binding bodie and soule vntounto euerlasting vengeance: and therefore for time past, if thy conscience accuse thee, seek in due time to be loosed and freed by Christ, that thou maist be able to say with Paul; I knowe nothing by my selfe: and for time to come beware of sinne, euen small sinnes as well as great: for so many sinnes as thou committest, are so many chaines binding thee ouer to iust damnation. Secondly, hence wee also learne,Christs yoke is easie, and Gods seruice is perfect liberty. that the seruice of God is a most happie and sweete libertie, any libertie else is straite bondage: men thinke that to be tied to the daily seruice of God is a yoke and bondage intolerable, and they must need… hauehave libertie to sinne: but they deceiue themselues, for while they seeke for libertie, by this meanes they plunge themselues into captiuitie, and lay chaines vponupon themselues, yea bolts which hold them in eternall bondage. The libertie which is sweet vntounto those who are freed by Christ is, that they can walke before God in the compasse of their callings, without those accusing consciences, which continually vexe and torment the wicked men and Angels themselues. Further, these chaines are called here eternall,] because the wicked Angels stand guiltie for euer without hope of recouerie or redemption; seeing Christ tooke not vponupon him the seede and nature of Angels to redeeme them, but Abrahams seede: where note Gods infinite merciemercy to mankinde, who being fallen, hauehave found a meane of redemption published in the ministrie of the word; whereby Gods people (being bound before) are loosed from their chaines; but the Angels, those glorious creatures, being fallen, found no Sauiour, nor any meanes giuen by God to loose them, for their chaines are eternall: which infinit merciemercy towards vsus, should stirre vp our dead hearts to thankfulnes, and continuall praise of Gods free merciemercy, who hath giuen vsus the blood of his Sonne to loose these chaines; when wee as little deserued it, as the Angels vntounto whom such fauour was denied.
The second part of their custodie is, that they are kept vnderunder darknes: which darkenes signifieth the wrath and anger of God, and want of the blessed fauour which Dauid prayed for: and calleth it by the contrarie name; the light of his countenance, Psalm. 4. and as these Angels are said to be in darknes: so the Saints are saide to bee in light, Col. 1.12. that is, in Gods fauour. Ob. But the wicked Angels are not wholy cast out of Gods fauour, for they hauehave faith, and therefore some fauour and grace of God. Ans. The Diuels indeede beleeue, but they hauehave not their faith by the gift of illumination as men hauehave, but it riseth of the remnant of naturall light and vnderstanding left in them since their fall: whereby they can perswade themselues of the truth of the word of God: so … their faith is not from any grace since their fall, neither common, nor speciall. Besides, this reserued light lighteneth not nor easeth, but increaseth their torment.
Vse. Seeing the miserie of the Angels is, to be kept vnderunder darknes, which is to bee cast out of Gods fauour; wee learne to place all our happines in the fruition and enioying of this fauour of God, and instantly to pray that the Lord would still lift vp the light of his countenance vponupon vsus; in that our whole felicitie must be placed in the apprehension of Gods merciemercy, in the pardon of sinne, and life euerlasting.
The second degree of their punishment is, that they are reserued vntounto the iudgement of the great day, wherein the fulnes and extremitie of their torment is expressed; for by iudgement is meant that fearefull and finall condemnation and torment which they are adiudged vntounto, which abideth them, and is reserued for them. Where we see that howsoeuer the Diuels are alreadie entred into diuers degrees of their punishment; yet their full punishment, and the full wrath of God is not powred vponupon them till the last iudgement; this themselues know, as Matth. 8. Art thou c…me to torment vsus before the time. That time is called here the [great day, The great workes which sha… be performed on th… great day.] because the greatest workes of God shall be accomplished in that day. For first, an assemblie of all men and Angels shall be made by the sound of a Trumpet, who shall all be cited before Gods iudgement seate, though they were resolued into dust many thousand yeeres before. Secondly, all the workes and intentions of men good or bad shall be in that day reueiled, Eccl. 12.14. Thirdly, another great worke is, the giuing of a most vpright sentence vponupon all men of absolution vntounto the godly, and of condemnation vponupon the wicked Angels and men. Fourthly, the reward shal be giuen to eueryevery man according to his worke: to the godly free reward of life and glorie: to the wicked deserued condemnation. Fiftly, then shall Christ God and man giuegive vp his kingdome vntounto his Father, and shall cease to raigne, not as God, for he shall bee still equall …o his Father; but as Mediatour; for an end shall be put to all families, societies, Ciuill, and Ecclesiasticall distinctions and gouernments, so as in regard of ou… ward gouernment and administration this his kingdome shall cease.
Vse. Let the remembrance of this great day strike vsus with feare and reuerence of it. Shall eueryevery worke bee brought vntounto iudgement? Then let vsus feare God, and keepe his commandements; it is the vse that Salomon maketh, Eccles. 12. and considering those terrors of the Lord, what manner of men ought wee to bee in all holy conuersation? saith the Lord. Yea the Diuels themselues beleeue and tremble in remembrance of this terrible and great day: but how many Atheists be there worse than the Diuels themselues that make a mocke of these great workes,Atheists … at … …hich … the … Diuels …. not fearing nor acknowledging the Scriptures, Heauen, Hell, God, Diuell, nor this great iudgement day? but experience shall teach such fooles, who in the meane time might learne so much of the Diuell himselfe (but that God hath giuen them into his hand to bee led by his will) to tremble at the remembrance of this dreadfull day; and let all that louelove the Lord shake off securitie, and stand in awe, and feare with another feare: let their hearts bee smitten with a reuerent feare, that this day ouertake them not vnawares.