A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Jude – Revelation
The General Epiſtle of JUDE (moſt probably the Apoſtle.)
1. JUDE the ſervant of Jeſus Chriſt, and brother of James, to them that are ſanctified by God the Father, and preſerved in Jeſus Chriſt, and called: 2. Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied.
1, 2. Note; Men being judged of according to their profeſſio… all Chriſtians are called ſanctified perſons.
3. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common ſalvation: it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye ſhould earneſtly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the ſaints.
3. Note 1. The common Salvation ſignifieth but t…a… way to Salvation which all muſt go in that will be ſav…d God's high-way to Heaven; Chriſt and his Goſpel.
2. The Apoſtles writing more againſt Hereticks and Jews than Heathens, tells us, that the Church hath more cauſe uſually to defend the Truth againſt pretended Religious Zealots, and Sects that are erroneous, than againſt open Pagans, who are not animated by ſo much blind Zeal againſt them; therefore they know not the Churches caſe, who fear none but p…ophane Enemies.
3. Though Love and Meekneſs may be predominant in Chriſtians, earneſt contending for the Faith againſt corr…pting Hereticks is oft a duty. But if this be pretended for odious Cenſures, Excommunications, Perſecutions or dividing Contentions againſt Chriſtians of the ſame Faith, for their differences about leſſer things, and for tolerable imperfections, or for doubting of unneceſſary Opinions, Ceremonies, Forms, or Humane Canons, it will be no cover for the ſin.
4. It is the Faith firſt delivered to the Churches by the Apoſtles, that corrupters deprave, and we muſt contend for, and muſt be the Teſt of our ſeveral differences.
5. Keep Faith and Religion ſound among its Profeſſors, and it will overcome the World.
4. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into laſciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
4. For there are crept in by little and little, as in the dark, ſome men that Chriſt had before told us ſhould …riſe, (or God decreed to condemn for their ſin,) ungodly men, that though they did ſeem Chriſtians, have turned the Doctrine of God's Grace in Chriſt, into a Doctrine and Practice of Laſciviouſneſs and Licentiouſneſs, and denying Je…us Chriſt, who is the only Lord God, and our Lord (or the only God and our Saviour, &c.)
Note 1. One of Satan's chief ways againſt the Church and Religion, is to corrupt it by Hereſies. 2. Corrupters creep ſecretly into the Church, at unawares, and do not openly bring in all at once. 3. Though God ordain or decree no man's ſin, he both decreeth and foretelleth their condemnation for ſin. 4. It is ungodly m…n that are uſually the great corrupters of the Church and Doctrine. 5. Libertiniſm, looſeneſs and ſenſuality, are the uſual dangerous ways of ſuch corruptions as being the way moſt ſuitable to man's corrupt Nature, and which will have moſt followers.
5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord having ſaved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterwards deſtroyed them that believed not.
5. As the Iſraelites periſhed in the Wilderneſs for Unbelief, after all their miraculous deliverances from Egypt; ſo ſhall revolters periſh notwithſtanding their Baptiſm and fair beginnings.
6. And the angels which kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their own habitation, he hath reſerved in everlaſting chains under darkneſs, unto the judgment of the great day.
6. And the Angels that ſtood not in their integrity, but fell by ſin, God hath ſhut up as it were Priſoners in Chains (though they go about all the Earth with temptations,) in certain expectations of fuller condemnation at the great day of Judgment.
7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them, in like manner giving themſelves over to fornication, and going after ſtrange fleſh, are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
7. As Sodom, &c. were by fire from Heaven utterly deſtroyed, by God's revenging Judgment.
8. Likewiſe alſo theſe filthy dreamers defile the fleſh, deſpiſe dominion, and ſpeak evil of dignities.
8. So theſe Hereticks, dreaming of high Wiſdom, are turned to fleſhly luſts, and to deſpiſe Government, and ſpeak contemptuouſly or reproachfully of Superiors, as if Chriſt hath freed men from Humane Rule, and made all equal, and all things lawful (when yet they deny even Chriſt himſelf, in ſome Eſſentials of his Perſon or Office.)
9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he diſputed about the body of Moſes, durſt not bring againſt him a railing accuſation, but ſaid, the Lord rebuke thee.
9. Yet Michael the chief Angel contending with a Principal Devil about the rebuilding of the Jewiſh Temple, Zech. 3. durſt not bring railing accuſation, but appealed to God.
Note 1. There are differences and ſuperiorities among the Angels, and Devils. It ſeems by Dan. 10.13, 21. that Angels have their ſeveral earthly Provinces in charge, and that Michael was Prince of the Jews. 2. The badneſs and vanity of Malignants will not juſtifie railing accuſation againſt them, when it may not be uſed againſt Devils; yet their evil muſt be detected, that it may be fruſtrated. 3. By the Body of Moſes, ſome underſtand his buried Body, which Satan would have idolized, and others his Body in the Baſket, which Satan would have had drowned: But by Zech. 3. it is more like to be the Temple, Law, and Jewiſh Policy, called the Body of Moſes, as the Church is called the Body of Chriſt.
10. But theſe ſpeak evil of thoſe things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beaſts; in thoſe things they corrupt themſelves.
10. But theſe, pretending to know what they do not, ſpeak evil of the things which they know not, being proud, and ignorant of their ignorance; but what natural ſenſe or reaſonableneſs conſtraineth them to know, their luſt prevaileth againſt it, and they live in debauchery, as if they knew it not to be evil.
Note; It's the common mark of erroneous men to be confident where they miſtake, and to cenſure and ſpeak evil fiercely of that which they never underſtood, and to ſin againſt that knowledge which they have, or eaſily might have.
11. Wo unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward, and periſhed in the gain-ſaying of Core.
11. Woe to them, for they have imitated Cain in offering God a faithleſs Sacrifice, and envying and perſecuting them that do better: And they are covetous worldlings, that, like Balaam, would do evil for reward or gain; And they have imitated Core in oppoſing Moſes and Aaron, Magiſtrates, and Apoſtles, and ſhall periſh as they did.
12. Theſe are ſpots in your feaſts of charity, when they feaſt with you, feeding themſelves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whoſe fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;
12. Theſe are the diſgrace of your Love-feaſts and Communion, which they turn into a Senſual Feaſt, not fearing prophanation of exceſs: Hypocrites, like empty Clouds, that water not the Earth, but carried about with the winds of worldly Intereſt or Seduction; like fruitleſs Trees, twice dead and rooted up, by Apoſtaſie from their firſt profeſſion.
Note; It is a wonder that the Apoſtle no more reproveth them for admitting ſuch to their Communion, as it ſeemeth by theſe words they did.
13. Raging waves of the ſea, foming out their own ſhame; wandring ſtars, to whom is reſerved the blackneſs of darkneſs for ever.
13. Unquiet, fierce and raging perſons, who while they pour out ill words of others, do but foam out their own ſhame: Teachers they will needs be, as Stars to the Churches, but they are but Erratick Stars or Comets, that ſhall end in endleſs darkneſs to themſelves, while they boaſt of Light to others.
14. And Enoch alſo the ſeventh from Adam, propheſied of theſe, ſaying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thouſands of his ſaints, 15. To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard ſpeeches, which ungodly ſinners have ſpoken againſt him.
14, 15. Note 1. It's like this Prophecy of Henoch was received by Tradition. 2. This deſcription ſure is not of the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, but of the great day of the Lord, terrible to all the wicked, and the malignant Adverſaries of Godlineſs.
16. Theſe are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own luſts, and their mouth ſpeaketh great ſwelling words, having mens perſons in admiration becauſe of advantage.
16. Theſe are men that ſwell, and murmure, and complain againſt Government, and all that croſs their Opinions or Luſts after which they walk; and they uſe big and boaſting words, as men that were more knowing than all others (in Philoſophical Fancies, and the Orders of Angels, and Ages, and Things above, and of Chriſtian Liberty,&c.) and they extol the men for advantage of themſelves, and of their Sect, who are their Leaders and chief Favourers.
17. But beloved, remember ye the words which were ſpoken before of the apoſtles of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: 18. How that they told you there ſhould be mockers in the laſt time, who ſhould walk after their own ungodly luſts.
17, 18. But remember the words which Peter and other Apoſtles have ſpoken heretofore, that told you ſuch men ſhould come; and keep to the firſt Doctrine of the Apoſtles.
19. Theſe be they who ſeparate themſelves, ſenſual, having not the ſpirit.
19. Theſe ſeparate themſelves into a diſtinct Sect, as if they were above the Apoſtolical Churches; but their actions ſhew that they are ſenſual, carnal men, not at all ſanctified and guided by God's Spirit, as the faithful be.
20. But ye beloved, building up your ſelves on your moſt holy faith, praying in the holy Ghoſt. 21. Keep your ſelves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto eternal life.
20, 21. But ye, Beloved, muſt be quite other men from theſe; they build ſenſuality, temporizing and ſeparation upon Errour, and proud ſelf-conceit; But you muſt build up your ſelves, and one another, in Holineſs, upon your Divine and moſt holy Faith. They are ſenſual, having not the Spirit. You muſt, as men in whom God's Spirit dwells and rules, pray in the Holy Ghoſt, even with thoſe holy and fervent deſires, which the Spirit of God exciteth in you; They are revolted from true Faith and Love: You muſt by God's Spirit keep your ſelves in unfeigned Love to God, and to his Truth, and one another, waiting in Faith and Hope for Eternal Life by God's Mercy in Chriſt.
22. And of ſome have compaſſion, making a difference. 23. And others ſave with fear, pulling them out of the fire: hating even the garment ſpotted by the fleſh.
22, 23. And as to your dealing with ſuch erroneous men, it muſt be differently as they differ, even tenderly and compaſſionately with ſome; and with others you muſt deal more fervently and ſharply, as with Lot in Sodom, or men in a houſe that is on fire, whoſe death, if not quickly prevented, you muſt fear, and therefore be importunate with them: But ſeek to ſave them all (and not to uſe any violent or hurtful courſe) And your ſelves muſt hate and avoid all degrees of filthineſs and ſenſuality.
24. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſs before the preſence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25. To the only wiſe God our Saviour, be glory and majeſty, dominion and power, now and ever. Amen.
24, 25. Now to him who is able in all temptations, notwithſtanding your own weakneſs, to keep you ſtedfaſt in Faith and Holineſs, from falling into the ſnares of Hereſie or Ungodlineſs, and to preſent you faultleſs (as being faithful and upright, and your ſins forgiven) before the preſence of his Glory at his coming, that you may ſee him, and ſtand before him with exceeding joy, (when the wicked are condemned) I ſay, to him the only God of Infinite Wiſdom, to our Saviour, be Glory, and Majeſty, and Dominion, and Power, now and ever; ſo it will certainly be; and ſuch is the prayer of all the faithful.