Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 4
VER. 4.
For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of God into laſciviouſneſs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
HEre our Apoſtle enters upon the third main part conſiderable in the Exhortation, viz. the propounding ſundry Arguments or reaſons to inforce the embracing of the forementioned Exhortation of Contending for the faith againſt Seducers.
The Arguments or reaſons uſed by him are reducible to theſe two Heads.
1. The first is the dangerouſneſs of the company of theſe Seducers to the Chriſtians to whom he wrote. This is ſet down in this 4th verſe.
2. The ſecond is the downfall and overthrow of theſe Seducers; amplified and proved from the 4th verſe to the 17th verſe.
1. The dangerouſneſs of the company of theſe Seducers to the Chriſtians, expreſſed in this 4th verſe.
In this the Apoſtle deſcribes
1. The entrance of theſe Seducers into the company of the Chriſtians.
2. The impiety of theſe Seducers who had thus gotten entrance.
1. He deſcribeth their entrance into the ſociety of the faithful, and that four wayes.
1. From their nature; they were men.
2. From their indefinite number; certain men.
3. From their ſubtilty and ſlyneſs in getting in; they crept in unawares.
4. By cleering and vindicating their entrance from the exceptions or objections, which the Chriſtians might have raiſed againſt Gods ſuffering them to enter among them; he ſaith, They were before ordained to this condemnation: he thereby teaching, that God was neither regardleſs and unmindfull of the Church, nor indulgent to the falſe teachers, or their falſe teachings.
2. In ſetting down the impiety of theſe Seducers,
1. He expreſſeth it more generally, ſaying, They were ungodly.
2. More particularly he ſhews wherein that ungodlineſſe appeared: 1. In their abuſing the grace of God, Turning the grace, &c. 2. In their oppoſing the God of grace, Denying the onelyonly Lord, &c.
1 The Apoſtle deſcribes the entrance of the ſeducers among the Chriſtians. Explicat.And
1. He deſcribes it from the nature of the parties entring. They are men, foreign.
The Apoſtle ſeems for two reaſons to note the nature of theſe ſeducers, calling them men.Riv. in loc. Me. lius ſentiunt qui per hominis funes intelligunt omnem humanam & amabilem tractationem, qualis ſolet eſſe hominum erga homines. Homines hominum cauſâ generati ſunt, ut ipſi inter ſe alii aliis prodeſſe poſſint. Cic. l. 5. Offic.
1. To aggravate the ſin of the ſeducers. One man ſhould be helpfull, not hurtfull to another. Man is a word uſed to denote goodneſs. I drew them with the cords of a man, ſaith God, Hoſ. 11.4. to expreſs his gentleneſs toward the people. And in our ordinary expreſſion, humanity is uſed for kind and helpfull carriage. Cruelty to the body is more beſeeming beaſts, but cruelty to the ſoul is fitter to be uſed by Divels than by men. The nearer any one is to us, the more heinous is the hurt which he offers us, or we him. Natura nos cognatos edidit, Senec. Nature hath made us near of kin. To be cruel and hurtfull to others, is to put off the man, as well as the Chriſtian.
2. To amplifie the danger of theſe Chriſtians. Men like our ſelves, may moſt probably prevail over us by their ſeducements. Non lupi ſilveſtres, ſed urbani, ſpecie humanâ lupinam vitioſitatem tegunt.Were they Divels or beaſts they might affright, but being men they allure. As it's the wiſdome of God to ſend us holy men to inſtruct us, and win us to himſelf; ſo its the ſubtilty of Satan to ſend wicked men to ſeduce and draw us from God. None hurt ſo unexpectedly and unavoydably as thoſe who are near and ſutable to our nature. Seducers are Satans dequoyes to fetch men in to him by multiiudes.
1.Obſerv. 1. Sin hath made even man a hurtfull creature. Not onelyonly man hurtfull to beaſts, and beaſts to man; but man to man. Even man, who ſhould be in ſtead of God, a keeper, a defender, is by ſin made a wolf, a deſtroyer of man. Man, till ſinfull, was never harmfull. Before he ſin'd he (naked) neither fear'd nor offer'd wrong. His ſinleſs ſtate will ever be known by the name of a ſtate of innocency, or hurtleſneſs: foreign, ſine cornibus, non feriens cornibus. Phil. 2.15.and when the loſt image of God is again reſtored, he is made a Lamb, a Dove, a harmleſs, (or as the word in the Originall ſignifies) a hornleſs creature. But how much more than brutiſhly cruel hath ſin made man become! witneſs not only the vaſt multitude of men deſtroyed in all ages by men, and the incredibly exquiſite tortures, as wrackings, ſawings, burnings, &c. againſt man, invented by man, as if ſin had ſet up an helliſh inquiſition in mans nature; but even the murders committed by Seducers and Hereticks upon the ſouls of men; it being now as much againſt corrupt nature to go towards hell alone, as to walk in the wayes of heaven at all. Oh that we could contemplate the odiouſneſſe of ſin in this glaſs of it's harmfulneſs!
2.Obſerv. 2. We ſhould not content our ſelves in being meer men. He who is, and continues no more but a man, had better never to have been ſo much as a man. A man altogether without grace (though otherwiſe never ſo exquiſitely accompliſhed) is but a tame divell, and often moſt hurtfull. How reſtleſſe ſhould we be till the divine nature be beſtowed upon us! 2 Per. 14.The naturall man, or the man who hath no more than a rationall ſoul, naturall abilities and perfections, as he cannot receive, ſo he can and will oppoſe the things of the Spirit of God. Satan can as eaſily enter, as aſſault a man meerly naturall. And many who have had religious education, and made hopefull beginnings, yet having never been by a ſaving change of heart, more then men, have ſoon ſhewn themſelves as bad almoſt as divels. Nature elevated to the higheſt pitch by its moſt exquiſite improvements, is ſtill but nature; it may thereby be coloured over; but grace can only change it.
3.Obſerv. 3. We ſhould beware of thoſe who are but meer naturall men, and have nothing more, or more excellent then humane nature. It's the Command of Chriſt to beware of men. Mat. 10.17.Beware of them, 1. leſt they betray your liberties, lives, or externall welfare. Naturae bonitas niſi pietate confirmetur, facilè illabeſcit. Cartw. Harm.Chriſt committed not himſelfe to man, becauſe he knew what was in man; and let not us commit our ſelves to them, becauſe we know not what is in them. Nature is a ſlippery thing, and unleſſe back'd by grace, will prove but unſteady. How oft have I ſeen, found, I had almoſt ſaid, that the love of acquaintance meerly naturall, ends (upon change of times) either in perſecution, or at the beſt, in cruell compaſſion, in perſwading to ſelf-preſervation by wracking conſcience, and offending God! 2. Eſpecially, let us beware leſt they betray our ſouls, by ſeducing them from God, and truth. Follow no man further than he follows God. Look upon every man as a rule ruled, not as a rule ruling. Captivate thy underſtanding to none, but God. Take equall heed of receiving the word of God as the word of man, and of receiving the word of man as the word of God. The errour of the Maſter is the tentation of the ſcholer. Love no man ſo much as to follow that of his which is not lovely; in that ſenſe call no man Maſter. We muſt never beleeve errour when he ſpeaks it, nor truth becauſe he ſpeaks it.
4. Satan is wont to make uſe of ſuch inſtruments as Obſerv. 4.may moſt probably do his work. He loves to put upon himſelf the moſt taking and inſinuating ſhape, when he comes to tempt us. He imployed the moſt ſubtill creature to convey his tentations to our firſt parents. Ordinarily he makes uſe of men, and moſt commonly of the fitteſt, either for parts, or ſeeming piety, to work upon men. He alſo hath his Apoſtles and Miniſters to pervert the world, 2 Cor. 11.13.15transforming themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, and the Miniſters of righteouſneſſe. But how unworthy is it for men to ſuffer Satan to uſe their parts and wits againſt their Maker! Quaenam foeditas carmen occinere quo Satanas oblectetur!And never ſhould we more ſuſpect Satans poyſon, then when he offers us to drink in a golden cup. Never more fear his ſeducements, then when he uſeth men, and men whoſe plauſibilities are moſt taking.
2. The Apoſtle deſcribes the entrance of theſe Seducers, by the indefinite and uncertain expreſſing of their number, that had entred among them. He neither names who they were, nor determines thereby how many they were, but only ſaith, they were foreign, certain men.
'Tis here demanded, Why the Apoſtle mentions not their names; or who they were?
1.Explicat. It was poſſible (though not likely) their names might be altogether unknown to him.
2. It is by ſundry conceived, that the Apoſtle did know them by name. Thus Oecumenius, Aretius, and others; the former whereof tels us himſelfe ſome of their names, Homines nullius nominis.as Nicholas, Valentinus, Simon, and Marcion. But it's conceived that the Apoſtle did forbear to name them, though he knew them.
1. To ſhew how much he diſdained them; as if he apprehended them to be ſuch vile perſons as were not fit and worthy to be named among Chriſtians, or by him diſtinctly, but confuſedly to be bound up in this bundle, foreign, certain men. And this ſome (who conjecture that the diſcourſe of Chriſt concerning the rich glutton, is an hiſtory) conceive to be the reaſon why our Saviour gives us the poor mans name Lazarus, not ſo much as vouchſafing to name the rich epicure, calling him only a certain rich man, *foreign, Luk. 16.19.as if it were unfit his name ſhould be left to poſterity. And this conjecture concerning theſe Seducers in the text ſeems to be ſtrengthned, not only by the conſideration of their deteſtable practices and opinions, which deſerved that their founders ſhould be buryed in forgetfulneſs; but alſo by the Apoſtles expreſſing their baſe and contemptible manner of entrance in the very next word, by creeping in unawares, as if he had ſet himſelf to ſlight them.
2. It's thought the Apoſtle forbears to expreſs the names, and thereby to determine the numbers of theſe Seducers, to make theſe Chriſtians more wary and vigilant in their carriage and converſing, they living among Seducers, and yet not knowing who they were. That there were ſundry, many of them, he intimates; who, or how many, he conceals, that ſo they might be the more circumſpect in taking heed of all who might any way ſeduce them. And thus the Apoſtle exhorts the Chriſtians 1 John 4.1. to try the ſpirits, becauſe there are many falſe prophets gone out into the world. If a man be to converſe among perſons infected by the plague, when he is uncertain which of them, or how many have that diſeaſe, he will be the more wary of every one. Our not knowing of all thoſe who are erroneous, ſhould make us try what we hear even from thoſe who are ſoundeſt.
1. How much are hereticks and Seducers deceived, Obſerv. 1.who expect to grow famous, and honoured by being patrons of ungodly and erroneous opinions! Hereſie never was a foundation of honour to the contriver, though the hopes of gaining of honor be a furtherance to become hereſiarchs. While the pure lights of the Church have burnt ſweetly, and ſhined bright even to after ages, there is nothing remaining of old Hereticks, notwithſtanding all their new and pretended light, but ſtink, and ſmoke, and ſnuff. Howſoever they may be for a time reſpected in the world, yet as even at firſt the Scripture proclaimes their infamy, and diſcovers their impoſtures to ſome, ſo ſhall poſterity by the advantages of time, and Scripture-ſtudy, reckon their ſometimes adored names among the notes of greateſt diſgrace. So that even thoſe, who through the love of errour, imbrace their opinions, ſhall through the love of honour be aſhamed of their names. Seducers love to call their books and companies by their own name, but their names are not up in Gods Book.
2. Falſe teachers are wont to be many and numerous in the Church of God. Obſerv. 2.In Saint John's time many (though as here, 1 John 4.1. 2 John 2 7. Tit. 1.10.he names not how many) falſe Prophets were gone out into the world. And he ſaith alſo, Many deceivers are entred into the world. And Paul tels Titus, that there were many deceivers. The Prophets of Jezebel were four hundred. Satans Emiſſaries are ſent out by troops, what they want of weight, they make up in number. The goodneſſe of any cauſe cannot be judged by the number of its patrons. There may be an hundred falſe prophets to one; and if there were an hundred true ones to one falſe, that falſe one may poſſibly have an hundred friends, for one that truly loves the hundred who are true. Should religion be carried only by vote, hereſie would oft prevail. Argumentum peſſimum turba. The moſt are uſually the worſt. Numbers are but a ſlight argument to a heart that reſolves to follow Scripture. It's better to go to heaven with, and after a few, than to hell with, and after the throng. Multitudes neither warrant in the way, nor comfort in the end.
3.Obſerv. 3. Mat. 7.15. 2 Pet. 2.1, 2. Epheſ. 4. Chriſtian vigilancy is moſt needfull in dayes of herefie. Beware of falſe prophets, ſaith Chriſt. Beware, (ſaith Peter) left ye be led away with the errour of the wicked. The cunning craftineſſe of falſe prophets in deceiving, our readineſſe to be deceived, and our hurt in being ſo, call aloud for the duty of circumſpection. Seducers are crafty, errour is catching; and it being imbraced, hurt to the ſoul is certain. How ſad is it to ſee ſo many wary men in trading for the world, and ſo many childiſh and ſimple in negotiating for heaven! Moſt men invert the Apoſtles advice; for in malice they are men, in knowledge children. Should all be reckon'd children (as indeed they may) who know not their right hand from their left in religion, where ſhould we find an man. The wiſdome of the prudent is to underſtand his way. Prov. 14.8.old Scripture preſervatives ſhould much be uſed in times of hereticall infection; in ways wherein there are many turnings, it's ſafe often to enquire. The Word is the way, the Spirit is the guide; humility, prayer, vigilancy, excellent helps to walk in the one, and to follow the other.
Thirdly, The Apoſtle deſcribes the entrance of theſe Seducers into the company of theſe Chriſtians, from the ſubtilty and ſlyneſſe of their entrance, and that thus, They crept in unawares, foreign.Explicat.
Two things offer themſelves in the Explication.
The firſt, The ſenſe and force of the word.
Secondly, The agreement of it to theſe Seducers in their entrance among theſe Chriſtians.Exod. 15.10. foreign. Deut. 23.11. foreign. Iſai. 60.20. foreign. foreign, urinator, Herodot. Luke 4.40. foreign. Mat. 8.11. foreign.
1. Firſt, the meaning of the word: The word comprehends two things. 1. It implies a fact brought about & accompliſhed, which is an obtaining of a through entrance, and getting into ſome place or company, noted in the prepoſition, foreign, in, or into. 2. It mainly intends the manner of accompliſhing it, or the courſe taken and uſed to effect, and bring that entrance about, which is by ſlyneſſe, and ſubtilty, cloſe and cunning carriage, and entrance unawares; the ſingle and ſimple verb foreign, or foreign, ſignifieth, ſubeo, mergo, ingredior, to dive, ſink, to go in, to go under; and it's uſed concerning the ſetting of the Sun, as Mark 1.32. and Luke 4.40. &c. becauſe it ſeems then to ſink, or dive into the ſea. And the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſome, 2 Tim. 3.6. who crept into houſes, foreign, Vulg. qui penetrant, i. e. qui penitus intrant. Scire volunt ſecreta domus, atque inde timeri. Subrepſerunt, Bez. ſubintroierunt, Vulg. Furtive ſe inſinuare. Latenter & furtive ingredi. Obiter ſubrepere. Obliquè ſe ingerere, & tanquam aliud agentes ingredi.(adding only the prepoſition foreign, in, to this verb foreign,) which Beza tranſlates qui irrepunt, others, qui immergunt, who ſubtilly, ſilently ſlip in, and dive (as it were) to the bottom, to ſearch and underſtand the affaires of houſes, (as Jeſuites uſe to do in States and Kingdoms.) But the principall Emphaſis lieth in the prepoſition foreign, which added to the former verb, ſignifieth a more ſecret and ſubtle, cloſe and deceitfull manner of Seducers entrance, than the ſimple word will bear; and it imports their entrance in a by-way, at a back-door, theeviſhly, by little and little, clancularly, unawares, creepingly, a winding in by ſtealth, obliquely; beſide the way of any reall worth, and fit qualifications of integrity and piety to further the ſpirituall welfare of the Church; and beſide the intentions of the faithfull, who not knowing what manner of men theſe Seducers were, but conceiving them, by reaſon of their painted and ſpecious appearances of godlineſſe, to be worthy of admiſſion, gave them entrance before they were aware. And this is the force of the prepoſition, 2 Pet. 2.1. foreign, they ſhall privily bring in hereſies; that is, ſubtilly, deceitfully, and ſo as the Church ſhould not be aware of them, they bringing in their errours under the notion and appearance of truth. The ſame force hath the word foreign, Gal. 2.4. in two words in that one verſe, where the Apoſtle ſpeaks of falſe brethren, foreign, unawares brought in, who foreign, came in privily, Irreptitios ſubintroductos, obiter ingreſſos ſubintroductitios.&c. They crept into the company of the faithfull by fraud, and ſuch cunning artifices, ſpecious and plauſible pretences, that the faithfull never went about to keep them out; for though in both theſe places of Jude, and Galatians, their coming in, might not be unawares, ſo, as that the faithfull knew not at all of their coming in; yet it was unawares, ſo as that they knew not what manner of perſons, how unworthy and hereticall, &c. they were, when they did come in among them.
2. The ſecond thing to be explained, is the agreement of the word thus opened, to the Seducers in their entrance among theſe Chriſtians.
1. It agrees to them, in regard they had already gotten in, they were fully entred by their artifices, they had obtained footing in the Church. And the Apoſtle urgeth theſe Chriſtians by this motive, of the nearneſſe of theſe ſeducers to them, and their preſence among them, that they ſhould be the more ſtrenuous in contending againſt them. God had ſuffered them to obtain entrance, that thoſe Chriſtians, who were approved might be made manifeſt. The ſincerity of the faithfull was diſcovered by the apoſtacy of hypocrites. When a City is altogether in peace, all the Inhabitants are accounted faithfull and loyall; but when ſeditions and commotions ariſe, they who are faithfull to the Prince, are then diſcovered from the reſt. And when hereſies and perſecutions for the truth ariſe, the ſincerity of the faithfull is manifeſted by the defection of thoſe, who in times of peace ſeem'd (haply) as good as the beſt. Thou ſhalt not (ſaith God to his people) hearken to the words of that prophet, or dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether you love the Lord your God, &c. And by the entrance of theſe ſeducers, the faithfull were more excited to ſearch after, and to defend the truth. Both the ſincerity of believers, and the truths to be believed, were made more evident. Nothing is ſo certain, as that which out of doubtfulneſſe is made certain. The Sun of truth breaks moſt clearly out of a cloud of errours. *Pet. Molin. in Epiſt. dedic. ad Enodation. Langueſceret fides no irritata, & ex judiciorum conflictu, quaſi ex colliſione ſilicum, emicant veritatis ſcintillae, quae tandem victrix perrumpit obſtantia. Debemus Pelagio & coeleſtio, Aureolos tractatus Auguſtini, de praedeſtinatione, de natura & gratia, & perſeverantia. Pravum haereticorum acumen viri ſancti acuebat induſtriam. Aug. de ver. rel. c. 8. Haeretici plurimum proſunt, non verum docendo quod neſciunt, ſed ad verum quaerendum carnales, & ad verum aperiendum ſpirituales catholicos excitando.The claſhing of the faithfull and erroneous (like the ſtriking of flint and ſteel) ſends forth the brightly ſhining ſparks of truth. Yea further, God by the entrance of theſe hereticks, made both them, and their hypocriticall followers manifeſt to the world, that ſo they might at once both patefacere, and pudefacere, (as Pareus ſpeaks on 1 Cor. 11.19.) diſcover and diſgrace themſelves before all men, who hereby might know and ſhun them. By the entrance alſo of theſe ſeducers, the faithfull ſaw that this world was not a place of locall ſeparation from all wicked ones, and were incited to long for that place, where good and bad ſhall be perfectly parted.
2. The word here uſed of creeping in unawares, agrees to theſe ſeducers, in regard of the manner of their entrance, which was cloſe, ſubtle, hypocriticall and unawares; without any fitneſs in themſelves to enter, or any intention in the faithful to admit them; they only uſing many ſlie and ſinfull artifices, to bring both their perſons and pinions into reputation among the faithfull, by reaſon of which, both were ſuffered unawares to enter; although indeed both deſerved to be kept out before, and thrown out after their entrance.
This practiſe (in the generall) of inſinuating, creeping, and winding unawares into the ſociety and eſtimations of the faithfull, hath been uſed both by theſe, and all other ſeducers; and therefore 2 Cor. 11.13. Paul cals theſe falſe Apoſtles deceitfull workers; Satan uſing them for his inſtruments to beguile, as ſometime he did the Serpent, which beguiled Eve. Likewiſe, Rom. 16.18. Paul ſaith, that they deceive the hearts of the ſimple. And Acts 20.30. that they draw many diſciples after them. foreign.By theſe Gal. 3.1. the Galatians were bewitched. Theſe would have beguiled the Coloſſians, Col. 2.18. They have their ſlight and cunning craftineſſe, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, Epheſ. 4.14. They creep into houſes, and lead captive ſilly women, 2 Tim. 3.6. They are ſeducers, and deceiving, ver. 13. Falſe teachers, privily bringing in damnable hereſies, 2 Pet. 2.1. And they make merchandiſe of people, foreign.ver. 3. And they allure, (ver. 18.) thoſe who were clean, &c.
But more particularly, the by-wayes in which they go, the ſubtle artifices and inſinuations by whith they creep into the company, and good opinions of the Church, and deceitfully enter unawares, are ſuch as theſe,
1. They conceal their opinions, Vid. Aug. contr. Pelag. l. 1. Pelagius dixit, liberum ſic confitemur arbitrium, ut dicamus nos ſemper indigere Dei auxilio; ita homi nis laudamus naturam, ut Dei ſemper gratiam addamus auxilium. Anathema qui docet gratiam Dei per ſingulos actus noſtros, non eſſe neceſſariam. Diligenter eſt interrogandus Pelagius quam dicat gratiam quâ fateatur homines adjuvari, &c. Mihi paenè perſuaſerat hanc illam gratiam, de qua quaeſtio eſt confiteri, Aug. de gra. Chriſt. c. 37. In fraudem nomen Chriſti circumferunt. Hoſ. 7.8.eſpecially at their firſt entrance. Either they totally forbear the delivering of errours, or elſe they deliver them ſo darkly, cloudily and ambiguouſly, as that they may finde ſubterfuges, and places for retreating, whenſoever they are charged with them. They love to know, but are wary in being known; like Moles, they labour to ſpoil the ground, by keeping under ground. It's often harder to finde them, than to overcome them. Their words and phraſes have divers ſenſes; the ſame ſentence ſhall ſpeak both truth and falſhood, ſo that their diſciples ſhall underſtand them one way, and the ingenuous hearer ſhall hope that they meant another; by reaſon of which deceit, they reſemble ſome light-fingerd-dealers, who can ſteal even from thoſe who look upon them. Auguſtine was ſometime almoſt well perſwaded concerning Pelagius; ſo ſeemingly orthodoxe were his expreſſions about grace.
2. They utter ſome reall and wholſome truths. Their cuſtome is to mix ſomething true with much that is falſe, that thereby they may put off one with another. The falſe Apoſtles taught Chriſt, joyning ſome other thing with him in the cauſe of ſalvation; and ſo the Papiſts at this day. Their doctrines like that cake which Hoſea ſaith was not turned, are neither raw nor baked, i. e. neither altogether true, nor altogether falſe; or like a picture which ſeems beautifull on the one ſide, and deformed on the other; or like the commodities of ſome deceitfull chapmen, the top, the uppermoſt of the bag is good and vendible, but the wares which are under are corrupt and unſound; or as that image, the head is of gold, but the feet of iron and clay. Errour would never be honour'd before the people, unleſſe it were ſeen in the company of truth. As a man who is often taken in a lie, is not believed when he ſpeaks the truth; ſo he who is often obſerv'd to ſpeak truth, is not miſtruſted, though he ſomtimes utters what is falſe.
3. They preach doctrines pleaſing to corrupt nature; 2 Pet. 2.18.ſuch as are moſt delightfull to fleſh and bloud. They know that naturally people cannot endure ſound doctrine, Iſai. 30.10. 2 Tim. 4.3. 2 Cor. 2.17. foreigndeſire not to have right things propheſied to them, but ſmooth things, and deceits; and therefore they corrupt, and deal deceitfully with the word, like deceitfull Vintners, who for gain, mix water with their wine; meer truth they know would be bitter truth, veritas mera veritas amara.and therefore they are more deſirous to be ſweet and unſound, than harſh and wholſome; ſuting their doctrines (as ſome fable of the taſte of the Manna in the wilderneſſe) to the pleaſure of every pallate. Hence it was that the falſe Apoſtles preach'd up circumciſion, and other abrogated obſervations, becauſe they knew ſuch doctrines only would be ſavoury to Jewiſh pallates. And hence it was that theſe ſeducers preached doctrines of liberty, and licentiouſneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.19. Jude 4.and ſuch as turned the grace of God into laſciviouſneſſe, making the narrow way to heaven ſeem broader then God ever intended it; holding before peoples eyes the ſpectacles of carnall liberty, wherby, in their paſſage over the narrow bridge of Chriſtianity, they adventuring upon a ſuppoſed bredth, tumble down into the waters of perdition.
4. They deliver ſuch doctrines as ſavour of novelty. The ſubjects of which they treat, muſt be repreſented as rare, and unuſuall: to accompliſh which, either they put upon them a new dreſſe, a new ſhape, and faſhion of words and expreſſions: or they deliver either that which is falſe, and againſt Scripture, (they chuſing rather to be erroneous, than not to be rare, and often venting for new truths, old errours new dreſt;) or that which is nice, and very uncertainly grounded upon Scripture, they preferring a doubtfull before a common way; well knowing that uſuall truths will not ſute with itching eares. If the doctrines which they deliver be old, and ordinary truths, they often (as men uſe to do by old ſtuffes) water them over with new expreſſions, ſtrange and new-minted phraſes, not ſavouring of Scripture-ſimplicity, or agreeable to the pattern of wholſome words.
5. They labour to work the godly and orthodox Miniſters out of the affections of their hearers. They erect a building of honour for themſelves upon the ruins of the reputation of ſuch who deſerve to ſtand when they are ruin'd. Well they know, 2 Cor. 10.10.as long as the meſſenger is loved, the meſſage is not like to be loathed. They had much rather ſtand in the peoples light, than that a godly Miniſter ſhould ſtand in theirs. Omnis apoſtata eſt oſor ſui Ordinis.The greateſt enemies to true have ever been falſe teachers. Thus it was of old; Michaiah and Jeremiah had the one a Zedekiah, the other a Paſhur, to ſmite them. And as the practice of ſmiting (with the tongue at leaſt) ſtill continues, Amos 7.10.ſo doth the pretence of that practice. Hence 'tis that faithfull Miniſters muſt be repreſented as the diſturbers and troublers of Church and State; though the true reaſon why turbulent practices againſt the peace of both, are by falſe prophets condemned (a good work) is that they may get all the practice to themſelves, while the peaceable ſervants of Chriſt are only ſuſpected. Non accuſo verba tanquam vaſa pretioſa, fed vinum quod in illis propinatur ab ebrioſis doctoribus. Aug.I miſlike not the veſſels, good words, but il wine offer'd in them by drunken teachers. Nor did any ſo ſubtilly undermine bleſſed Paul, as the falſe Apoſtles; his great labour in ſome Epiſtles, being the vindication of his Apoſtolical reputation. If the eminency of a godly Miniſter for piety and parts be ſo evident, as that they dare not bring any downright accuſation againſt him, then theſe creeping ſeducers will ordinarily either doubt of, or deny his calling; or elſe will mention his commendations with a But of their own framing, or elſe ſo ſlightly and lukewarmly commend him (as thus perhaps, a good honeſt man, a well meaning man, a pretty man,) as that it ſhall almoſt amount to a diſcommendation.
6. They affix the higheſt commendations imaginable to their own opinions and perſons. 1. Their opinions they repreſent as the wayes of God, the glorious beamings out of light, the only pathes of peace and ſweetneſſe, the liberty of the Goſpel, and other ſuch like good words and fair ſpeeches, Rom. 16.18.they uſe to deceive the hearts of the ſimple. Like Mountebanks, who deſpairing that any will buy their oyles and medicines, for any good they find by them, are wont themſelves to commend their vertue to the ignorant throng. 2. Their own perſons they repreſent as the moſt eminently qualified, for grace and learning, of any the (meer) ſons of men. They trumpet out their own godlineſſe and humility, meekneſſe; Mat. 7.15.though Chriſt tels us, they are wolves in ſheeps clothing. And experience proves them, with Montanus, Arius, Novatus, Pelagius, Arminius, to be but Satans Miniſters, transformed as the Miniſters of righteouſneſſe, 2 Cor. 11.14. They pretend themſelves to be the only Miniſters, though herein they do but imitate their Predeceſſours, who ſaid they were Apoſtles, but were not: Rev. 2.2. 1 Cor. 11.13.transforming themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt. Their rare and raiſed parts, their unparalell'd abilities, and deep in-ſight into Goſpel truths they proclaim to all the world, uſing great ſwelling words of vanity, in imitation of him who gave out that himſelf was ſome great one, that ſo he might be ſaid to be the great power of God; Acts 8.9, 10.and all becauſe they know the fond multitude is ever more ready to judge of faith by the perſon, than of the perſon by his faith.
1. The preſence of wicked mon in the Church, Obſerv. 1.is no ſufficient ground of being offended at the Church. Mixtures of good and bad men have ever been in the beſt ſocieties; nor is it to be expected, till the harveſt, that tares and wheat can be parted perfectly: neither the godly, Mat. 13.30.nor Gods ordinances are therefore to be forſaken, becauſe the wicked are mixed. Needleſſe ſociety with the wicked, much more ſociety with them in their wickedneſſe is to be avoided; but not ſuch as from which we have no warrant from God to ſeparate, or wherein we joyn not in ſin, but in that which is in it ſelf holy, ſaving, & commanded. As God doth not, ſo neither muſt man puniſh the innocent (whether himſelfe or another) for the nocent. I flie from the chaffe, leſt I ſhould be alſo ſuch, (ſaith Aug.) Fugio paleam ne hoc fim; non fugio aream, ne nihil ſim.I forſake not the floor leſt I ſhould be nothing. And though God doth not account evill to be good, yet he accounts it good that there ſhould be evill. And that good we ſhall find, could we (as we ought) be more watchfull, zealous, humble, fervent in prayer, longing for heaven by the neceſſitated company of wicked men.
2.Obſerv. 2. Satan uſeth ſundry ſorts of attempts to hurt the Church. Somtimes he creeps and croucheth, at other times he roars and rageth. He hath ſeverall ſhapes, and often changeth his habit, though he never layeth aſide his hatred. Non deponit odium, ſed mutat ingenium.One while he openly acknowledged that Chriſt was the Son of God; afterwards he ſtirr'd up his inſtruments to deſtroy Chriſt, becauſe he made himſelfe the Son of God. Luke 4.41. John 19.7.Satan (like an high-way robber) frequently changeth his apparell, that ſo the unwary paſſenger may not diſcern him; he ſeldome appears in the ſame habit twice together. In ſome ages of the Church he is a red dragon, in other, an old Serpent; ſomtimes he uſeth his ſword, at other times his pen. He commonly proceeds from one extreme to another, from endeavouring to overthrow the Church by perſecution under heathens, to the hurting it more by promotions, and ſeducings under Papacy. In one age, he advanceth ſuperſtition, in another, prophaneneſſe; in one nothing ſhall be lawfull, in another, every thing. None ſhall preach at one time, every one at another. We cannot therfore judge, that a way is none of Satans, becauſe it differs from that which was ſomtimes his, but becauſe it agrees with that which is always Gods.
3. Satan is moſt hurtfull to the Church, Obſerv. 3.when he oppoſeth it by ſubtilty and creeping; when he comes not as an open enemy, but an appearing friend. He is never ſo much a divell, Serpit putrida tabes hypocriſis per omne corpus eccleſiae, omnes ſunt amici & omnes inimici, omnes neceſſarii & omnes adverſarii, omnes domeſtici & nulli pacifici. Ecce in pace amaritudo mea; amara prius in nece martyrum, amarior poſt in conflictu haereticorum. Bern. ſer. 33. in Cant.as when he appears in white, & transforms himſelf into an Angel of light. He doth more hurt by creeping into, than breaking into the Church. Falſe apoſtles & ſeducers in the Church have been more hurtful to it by fraud, than bloudy & paganiſh perſecuters by force. Satan hath gained more victories by uſing the one as ſunſhine to dazle the eyes, than by raiſing the other as winde to blow in the faces of the faithfull. For his ſubtilty rather coloureth vice, than openly contendeth againſt vertue. Under the reſemblance of thoſe graces, for which Saints are moſt eminent, he drawes to thoſe neighbour-vices, which ſeem to have moſt affinity with their Chriſtian perfections. He colours over ſuperſtition with religion, carnall policy with Chriſtian prudence, cruelty with juſtice, toleration with mercy, indiſcreet fervour with zeal, pertinacy with conſtancy. And never doth ſin ſo much prevail againſt us, as when it lies in ambuſh behind appearances of piety. Nor is Satans ſubtilty leſſe hurtfull in uſing the ableſt and moſt refined wits to deviſe and defend impious novelties againſt the orthodox faith, as Arius, Sabellius, Pelagius, &c. of old; and of late Servetus, Socinus, Arminius, &c. Satan fits every actor with a part agreeable to him, and carves his Mercury on the moſt promiſing pieces. Thoſe whom God hath furniſhed with the beſt weapons of parts and arts, have commonly given his cauſe the deepeſt wounds. It's our duty with prudence to countermine ſubtilty, to ſteer our courſe by the card of Scripture, to miſlike no good way of God, becauſe Satan makes it ſeemingly deformed; to love no way of ſin, though he makes it ſeemingly amiable; to build our faith upon no eminency of man, and ever to be more forward to examine, than to admire what he ſaith, or is.
4.Obſerv. 4. Mat. 7.15. The… beſt Chriſtians may ſomtimes be miſtaken in Seducers. The advice of Chriſt to beware of falſe prophets, ſhews how poſſible it is to be over-ſeen. The ſhape into which they transform themſelves, namely, the Apoſtles of Chriſt, and the Miniſters of righteouſneſſe, ſhews the difficulty of diſcerning them. The very Apoſtles were deceived in him whom ſome conceive to be the Hereſiarch, Acts 8.13.and one from whom theſe Seducers ſuck'd their poyſon. 1 Theſ. 5.21.God will alone have the prerogative of trying the heart; the doctrines we muſt, their hearts God only can ſearch. And the difficulty of underſtanding who are Seducers, ſhould cauſe in the faithful diligence in trying what their beſt of teachers deliver. The ſeduced moſt call for our pity, who with good meanings though alas with bad ſucceſs follow their blind leader; whoſe miſery that we may avoid, we muſt examine all we hear by the word, taking nothing upon truſt, not loving doctrines for men, but men for their doctrine, and it for its Conſonacy to Scripture, which ſhould (like a ſword of Paradiſe) keep errours from entring into our hearts. Be not like little children, to gape at, & be ready to ſwallow whatſoever the Nurſe puts to the mouth. If Seducers appeal to Scripture, 1 John 4.1.to Scripture let them go; and if they cannot endure the light of that Sun, reject them as ſpurious, and their meeting places as infected houſes, and ſchools of impiety. Pſal. 26.4.Sit not among vain perſons. Let not Satan take thee among his own, leſt he make thee one of his own.
5. Sin loves not to be ſeen in its own colours. Obſerv. 5.Theſe Seducers having in them no reall goodneſs and worth, or fit qualifications of piety and integrity, but intentions by their entrance to ſeduce others, appeared not to be what indeed they were, but cunningly they ſeemed to be what they were not, that ſo the faithfull might admit them (as they did) unawares, not knowing who they were. Sin is a deed of darkneſſe, not only becauſe the ſinners portion will be utter darkneſſe but becauſe his practices he loves to conceal in the dark. Sins deformity makes not a ſinner deſire that it ſhould not be, but only that it ſhould not be ſeen. Aaron cover'd over his ſin with the wickedneſſe of the people. Exod. 32.22. 1 Sam. 15.21.Saul colour'd over his ſin of ſparing Agag, and the cattell, with pretended reſolutions to ſacrifice to the Lord. Carnall will ever hath carnall wit attending upon it. Love to ſin refines the invention for concealing it. No ſin hath beauty enough in its own complexion to win the affection of the fondeſt ſpectator, unleſſe its wrinkles be fill'd up with the paint of religious pretences. Sinners have a falſe conceipt of God, they think he cannot ſee through their coverts, like little children, becauſe they ſhut their own eyes. they think they are in the dark to all others. How much is holineſſe honoured by its enemies, who even when they hate the having of it, love to appear to have it! How unable is an hypocrite to ſhun the dint of this Dilemma, If holineſſe be bad, why doth he ſo much as appear; if good, why doth he no more than appear holy? In a word, how ſlight and childiſh will all hypocriticall varniſhings prove at the laſt day! Paint will not endure the fire of wrath, nor can hidden wickedneſſe be concealed in the day of divine diſquiſition.
6.Obſerv. 6. Seducers with other ſinners are modeſt in the beginning of ſin. When theſe Seducers firſt entred, the faithfull thought them not ſuch as afterward they found them. They were like a deceitfull gameſter, or diceplayer, who playing with one who is ignorant and wealthy, ſeems in the beginning of the game to be altogether unskilfull, till (at length) by degrees, he puts forth his craft, and cheats him of all he hath. And never hath Satan been ſo dangerous an enemy either to Churches, or perſons, as when he hath been hurtfull inſenſibly, gradually, and creepingly. He can hardly tempt men at one leap to get up to the top of impiety, but by ſeverall ſteps. As 1. By an evill motion. 2. By ſome kind of approbation. 3. By determination to embrace it. 4. By a vitious action. 5. By an evill habit. 6. By defence, and juſtification of ſin. Till 7. there be a glorying, and boaſting in it. Satan dyeth not a man a purple, or a ſcarlet ſinner at the firſt; but after divers tinctures, that ſo at the laſt he may take the deepeſt dye. He windeth not up his treble to the higheſt pitch haſtily, but ſtrains it up by little and little to the deſired height; at the firſt he makes men adventure upon actions queſtionable, whether ſinfull or not; then he preſſeth them forward to ſins undoubted, yet ſmall; and then he eaſily draws men from making little account of ſmall ſins, to make ſmall account of great ſins. How dangerouſly, becauſe gradually, did Satan bring idolatry into the Church! Firſt, images and pictures of Saints were uſed in private for memory, hiſtory, or ornamennt only; afterward in Gregories dayes, they were brought into the Church, but with an expreſſe prohibition of worſhipping them; in the next age, the worſhipping of them was enjoyned, yet not for themſelves, but in reſpect only of what they did repreſent; but ſince the Councell of Trent, it is the Tenent of the Roman Church, that images are to be worſhipped for themſelves; Ut in ſe con…iderantur, non tantum ut vicem gerunt exemplaris. Bel. De imag. Sanc. l. 2. c. 21. Plat. in Bonif. 3.and further the heathen go not in their idolalatry. The great Seducer of the Nations, the Pope, was he not creeping and modeſt in his beginnings to get into his preſent height of tyranny! Firſt, he contends for a bare primacy of order; after he pretends to a little more, the receiving the laſt appeal from the other Patriarchs. In Boniface the thirds time, he puts in for the title of univerſall Biſhop; and in his next Succeſſours time, to give ſpirituall lawes to the whole Church; and after him in Pope Hildebrands time to give temporall lawes to Kings and Princes. Satan is like a deceitfull tradeſman, who firſt by fair-dealing gains Cuſtomers, that ſo afterwards by foul-dealing he may gull them. Teachers muſt not ſpeedily be admitted. It's good to know before we take or truſt them. And people ſhould take heed that they forſake not their old approved Miniſters, who have been throughly made manifeſt to them in all things, (2 Cor. 11.6.) to embrace ſuch ſtrange Doctors, whoſe deſigne is in time to bring in ſtrange doctrines. The mothers milk is moſt wholſome for the child. The Miniſtry that begat thee ſpiritually is fitteſt to nouriſh thee. They who oft change their Maſters, are ſeldome good ſcholars. Pleaſe not thy ſelfe in the parts or abilities of thy Miniſter, but labour to find the experimentall working of his Miniſtry upon thine heart, that thou mayſt be able to anſwer Seducers, when they ſuggeſt that thy Miniſter is Anti-chriſtan, thus; He hath not been Anti-chriſtian to me; for ſure I am, he was the inſtrument of forming Chriſt in my heart.
This of the third particular, in the deſcription of the entrance of theſe Seducers, viz. their ſubtilty and ſlyneſſe in getting into the ſociety of the faithfull.
4. The fourth and laſt thing by which he deſcribes their entrance, is by clearing and vindicating it from the objections which the Chriſtians might poſſibly raiſe againſt God, (as if he were regardleſſe of the welfare of his Church, and indulgent toward the wickedneſſe of the Seducers in ſuffering them to enter,) and againſt godlineſſe, when they obſerved that they who pretended to be the moſt eminent in the Church for religion, did turn Apoſtates. And this he doth in theſe words, Who were before of old ordained to this condemnation. q. d. Although they have entred ſo cunningly, as that the Church was not aware of them, yet was not their entrance unawares to God, but he did fore-ſee it, and therefore will ſee that they do his Church no harm; and though now God ſeems to ſpare them, yet are they in a ſtate of condemnation; and though they formerly ſeemed ſuch eminent profeſſors of religion, yet God fore-ſaw they would prove as they are; nay, for their ſins ordained them to this condition into which they are now fallen.
In which vindication of Gods care of his Church, and juſtice againſt the Seducers: their puniſhment is two wayes conſiderable.
1. In its ſeverity, it was this condemnation.
2. In its certainty, they were before of old ordained to it.
1. The puniſhment of the Seducers conſidered in the ſeverity of it, this condemnation.Explicat.
But 1. What was this Condemnation of which the Apoſtle here ſpeaks?
2. Why called Condemnation?
The word here importing Condemnation, foreign. judicium, damnatio, condemnatio,is taken ſundry wayes in Scripture.
1. And moſt properly; for the Sentence pronounced by the judge, or rather a judiciary ſentencing, or condemning; and ſo it's taken Rom. 2.2. where the Apoſtle ſaith, We are ſure the judgement (foreign) of God is according to truth; and Mat. 7.2. With what judgement (foreign) ye judge, ye ſhall be judged.
2. For Adminiſtration of Government toward thoſe that are under it, whether by judgement or mercy; and it's ſpoken of Gods providence ruling and ordering the affaires of the world, as Rom. 11.33. How unſearchable are his (foreign judgements! alſo of Chriſts Government of that Kingdom which his Father gave him, in the ſalvation of humble, and condemnation of proud ſinners, John 9.39. foreign, For judgement am I come into this world, &c. that is, for the diſcharging the office of a King, or a Judge, in adjudging to every one his due recompence. In which reſpect judgement is taken for the whole judiciary proceeding of Chriſt in the great day of judgement toward the good and bad, in regard of his diſcovering, and ſentencing of, and executing ſentence upon all at that day, Acts 24.25. He reaſon'd, foreign, of judgement to come.Heb. 6.2.
3. For a Cauſe or Controverſie diſcuſſed, judg'd, and determined by judges. So 1 Cor. 6.7. foreign, Ye go to law one with another, ye have cauſes and controverſies among your ſelves.
4.Mark 12.40. Luke 20.47.23.40. Rom. 2.3. Cor. 11.34. Judicium vocat vel damnationem, vel reprobrum ſenſum, quo feruntur, ut pietatis doctrinam pervertant; ne que enim id quiſquam facere poteſt niſi ſuo exitio. Calv. in loc. Poteſt hoc judicium intelligi juſta derelictio, quâ propter peccata praecedentia permiſſi fuerunt pati naufragium fidei, & variis errorum fluctibus abripi, ita ut etiam fierent errorum magiſtri, tandem judicium illud graviſſimum aeternae damnationis ſubituri. Eſtius in loc. For the wrath, vengeance, damnation, and puniſhment executed upon men for wickedneſſe, as Rom. 3.8. foreign, whoſe damnation is juſt. And 1 Cor. 11.29. He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh foreign, damnation to himſelfe. So Mat. 23.14. Ye ſhall receive the greater foreign, damnation. And Rom. 13.2. They that reſiſt, ſhall receive to themſelves foreign, damnation. And 1 Tim. 3.6. Leſt he fall, foreign, into the condemnation of the devil. So 2 Pet. 2.3. Whoſe foreign, judgment now of a long time lingreth not. And thus I take it in this place. The Apoſtle Jude here by foreign, This condemnation, intends that puniſhment by God inflicted upon Seducers in this life for their abuſing the grace of God, whereby they did not only themſelves turn back-ſliders and apoſtates, but become oppoſers of the truth, and perverters of others; hereby making way for their own eternall condemnation. A puniſhment made up of many poyſonfull ingredients, and that hath in it a complication of many ſpirituall woes, which (as the Scripture teſtifieth) belonged to theſe Seducers, and to others who were in the ſame condemnation with them, as,
1. A voidneſſe of ſpirituall judgement and underſtanding, an inability to judge between good and bad, things that differ; an inſufficiency to approve of any thing which is excellent, whereby they put bitter for ſweet, and ſweet for bitter; ſpake evil of the ways of grace which they underſtood not, and of the Goſpel in which they ſaw no beauty, it being hid to theſe loſt ones, who contemned and ſlighted it; were delivered up to a reprobate ſenſe, Phil. 1.10. 2 Pet. 2.12. 2 Cor. 4.3. Rom. 1.28. Rom. 11.7. Rom. 9.18.and becauſe they loved not what they knew, were not able to know what to love.
2. Another woe in this condemnation is, a ſpirit of benummedneſſe, inſenſibleneſſe, cauterizedneſſe, under all the moſt awakening adminiſtrations of Gods word, or rod; a judgement which the Scripture puts for all the miſery and condemnation of the reprobate, and that which differenceth them from the elect, Rom. 9.18. He hath mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. And Rom. 11.7. having ſpoken of the elect, he ſaith, the reſt were hardened. Of Seducers doth Paul ſpeak, 1 Tim. 4.2.where he tels us of ſome who had conſciences ſeared with an hot iron, whom nothing awakeneth, but eternall burnings, (though too late) to a ſerious ſenſibleneſſe of their eſtate. Theſe ſeducers, fed themſelves without fear, Jude 12.
3. A third woe in this condemnation is inccorrigibleneſſe, and unreformedneſſe under the means of ſalvation. All the dews of ſalvation fall upon them as ſhowers upon the barren wilderneſſe; and they are by God compared to droſſie ſilver, Jer. 6.28.which all the art and pains of the Silver-ſmith cannot refine; and therefore called reprobate ſilver. Theſe ſeducers in Gods Ort-yard were trees without fruit, twice dead, pluck'd up by the roots, Jude 12.
4. A fourth woe in this condemnation is Gods giving them up to ſtrong deluſion; a delighting in errour and falſe doctrine, with a believing it; and thus ſeducers are ſaid not only to deceive, but to be deceived; 2 Tim. 3.13. 2 Theſ. 2.10, 11.and thoſe who received not the love of the truth, had ſtrong deluſion ſent them from God, and upon them the deceivableneſſe of unrighteouſneſſe takes hold; and thus God ſuffered a lying ſpirit to deceive Ahab, and his prophets.
5. A fifth woe in this condemnation is a ſtumbling at, and a quarrelling with the word of life, 1 Pet. 2.8. and Chriſt the rock of ſalvation. Thus Paul ſpeaks of ſome who were contentious, and obeyed not the truth; Rom. 2.8.and of ſeducers who reſiſt the truth, 2 Tim. 3.8. Like theſe in Jude, who contended ſo muth againſt the faith, that all which Chriſtians could do, was little enough to contend for it, againſt thoſe who made the Goſpel a plea for licenciouſneſſe.
6. A ſixth woe in this condemnation is progreſſiveneſs in ſin; 2 Tim. 3.13.and as the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſeducers, a waxing worſe and worſe, a walking ſo far into the ſea of ſin, as at length to be over head and eares; a deſcending to the bottom of the hill, a daily treaſuring up wrath; a proficiency in Satans ſchool, a growing artificially wicked, and even doctors of impiety.
7. Which laſtly, will prove the great and heavy woe, not to be contented to be wicked, and to go to hell alone, but to be leaders to ſin, 2 Tim. 3.13.and to leaven others with impiety; and thus Paul ſaith, that ſeducers were deceiving, as well as deceived. 2 Pet. 2.2.And Peter, that many ſhall follow their pernicious wayes. And certainly, impiety propagated ſhall be condemnation heightned.
2. Why is this puniſhment of ſeducers called Condemnation? foreign, for foreign, the cauſe for the effect.I grant Condemnation is properly the ſentence, or cenſure condemning one to ſome puniſhment; and though in this place it be taken for the very puniſhment it ſelfe, yet fitly doth the Spirit of God ſet out this puniſhment of wicked men, by a word that notes a ſentencing them thereunto; And that 1. Becauſe a ſentence of condemnation is even already denounced againſt them. 2. Becauſe it is ſuch a puniſhment, as by judiciary ſentence is wont to be inflicted upon guilty offenders.
1. It is really and truly denounced, &c. For beſides Gods fore-appointing the wicked to this condemnation, as it is the puniſhment of ſin, & the execution of his juſtice, wicked men are in this life ſentenced to puniſhment. 1. By the word of God, which tels them, that God will render to every man according to his deeds; to them who do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteouſneſſe, indignation and wrath, Rom. 2.8.&c. And that he who believeth not, is condemned already, John 3.18. 2. By their own conſcience, which accuſeth, and condemneth, as Gods Deputy, and here tels them what they deſerve both here and hereafter. If our hearts condemne us, &c. 1 John 3.20. &c. 3. By the judgements of God manifeſted againſt thoſe who have lived in the ſame ſins, the wrath of God being revealed againſt all unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1.18. 4. By the contrary courſes of the godly: The practices of Saints really proclaiming, that becauſe the wayes of the wicked are ſinfull and deſtructive, therefore they avoid them; Mat. 12.41, 42.and thus Noah ſentenced the old world, by being a practicall Preacher of righteouſneſſe. 2 Pet. 2.5And all theſe ſentencings of wicked men, do but make way for that laſt and great ſentence to be pronounced at the day of judgment, Mat. 7.23. Mat. 25.41.to the puniſhment both of eternall loſſe and pain.
2. It is ſuch a puniſhment as by judiciary ſentence is wont to be executed upon guilty offenders; and ſo it is in two reſpects, 1. Becauſe it is Righteous. 2. Severe.
1. Righteous. Theſe Seducers were not ſpiritually puniſhed without precedent provocations; Rom. 1.28.as they did not like to retaine God in their knowledge; God gave them over to a reprobate mind; 2 Theſ. 2.10.and God ſends them juſtly ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeve, and teach a lie, becauſe they received not the love of the truth: and becauſe they would not be Scholers of truth, they juſtly become Maſters of error.
2. The puniſhment of wicked men is ſuch as is wont to be inflicted upon offenders by a ſentence, becauſe of its weight and ſeverity. It is not foreign, or foreign, not a paternall chaſtiſement, or a rebuke barely to convince of a fault; but it's foreign, the Judges ſentence, condemning to a puniſhment, the guilty Malefactor. It is not medicinall but penall; not the cutting of a Chirurgian, but of a Deſtroyer; the happineſſe of correction ſtands in teaching us, but this puniſhment is the giving of ſinners up to unteachableneſſe; and what is it indeed but a hell on this ſide hell, for God to withdraw his grace, and to ſuffer men to be as wicked as they will, to be daily damning themſelves without controle, to bee carried down to the gulf of perdition, both by the wind of Satans tentation, and (which is worſe) the tide of ſinfull inclination. For God to ſay, Be, and do as bad as you will, be filthy ſtill, Rev. 22.11.ſleep on now, and take your reſt, Ile never jog nor diſturb you in your ſins. How ſore a judgment is it to be paſt feeling, ſo as that nothing cooler than hel fire, and lighter then the loyns of an infinite God can make us ſenſible, though too late!
OBSERVATIONS.
1.Obſerv. 1. The condemnation of the wicked is begun in this life. As heaven, ſo hell is in the ſeed, before it is in the fruit. The wicked on this ſide hell are tunning and treaſuring up that wrath, Rom. 2.5.which hereafter ſhall be broached and revealed. The wicked have even here hell in its cauſes. The old bruiſes which their ſouls by ſin have received in this life, will be painfull when the change of weather comes, when God alters their condition by death. When thy luſt asks, How canſt thou want the pleaſure? let thy faith anſwer by asking another queſtion, How can I bear the pain of ſuch a ſin? Obſerv. 2. Triſtitia noſtra quaſi habet, quia in ſomnis tranfit. Qui ſomnium indicat, addit quaſi, quaſi ſedebam, quaſi loquebar, quaſi equitabā; quia cum evigelaverit, non invenit quod videbat. Quaſi theſaurum inveneram dicit mendicus, ſi quaſi non eſſet, mendicus non eſſet, &c. In adverſis um braeſt, vel ſimilitudo, non ipſares. Anſel. 2 Cor. 6.9.Put ſin into its beſt dreſſe, and its but gilded condemnation.
2 Spirituall judgements are ever the ſoreſt. In Gods withdrawing his grace, and delivering up to a reprobate ſenſe, there is ſomething of Condemnation. The ſoul of a judgement is its ſeizing upon the ſoul. The greateſt miſery which can befall the body, is but for the ſoul to leave it: and what proportion bears this to the miſery of Gods leaving the ſoul! The death in death is the miſcarriage of the ſoul. If a man be not heart-ſick, though otherwiſe diſtempered, he is not feared; and if not ſoulſick, and the union between God and him weakned, there is no danger. Bodily miſeries are but appearing and opinionative, and there is a vanity in outward troubles as well as enjoyments. The Apoſtle makes the greateſt ſuffering of the body to be but as ſuch, rather a dream then a reality of ſuffering. The pooreſt Saint never had a drop of condemnation in a ſea of calamity. His affliction is not laniena, but medicina; not Butchery, but Chirurgery; nay the end of Gods chaſtning is, that he may not be judged. 1 Cor. 11.32.How different is the condemning of a Malefactour, from the reprehenſion of a Son, the Fathers rod, from the Executioners axe! Heb. 12.7. Ne timeas flagellari, ſed exhaeredari.If we endure chaſtning, the Lord deals with us as with ſons. Strive not ſo much to get the rod taken off thy back, as to get it into a Fathers hand. How madly merry is every obſtinate ſinner in all his worldly enjoyments! How unſutable is thy muſick when thou art ſacrificing that which ſhould be dearer to thee then thy deareſt child, & celebrating the Funerals of thy precious ſoul! Si doles condoleo, ſi non doles doleo magis.Who would not commiſerate his mirth, who goeth dancing to his own execution, whoſe only ſtrife is to double his miſery by ſhunning the thoughts of that which he cannot ſhun. Be not taken with what thou haſt in gift, but what thou haſt in love. In receiving of every mercy imitate Iſaaks jealouſie, and ſay, Art thou that very mercy, that mercy indeed, which comes in the blood of Chriſt? Art thou ſent from a Father, or a Judge? Satius eſt, ut vim qualemcunque mihi inferas, Domine, quam parcens mihi, me in meo torpore ſecurum derelinquere. Obſerv. 3.What do I receiving, if I ſhall never be received? It's infinitely better that God ſhould correct thee ſo, as to awaken thee, then by proſpering to let thee ſleep in ſin, till it be too late to ariſe. It was better for the Prodigall to be famiſh'd home, then furniſh'd out.
3. Theſe condemned ones ſhould warn us that we incur not the like condemnation with them. Saints ſhould be examples of imitation, and ſinners of caution. A good heart will get good even by bad men, and take honey out of the carcaſſe of a Lion. Theſe Seducers were mentioned and ſtigmatized by Jude with this black mark, not only to ſhew that God was righteous in puniſhing, but that we might not be unrighteous and wretched in imitating them. And that we may not, 1. Neglect not, undervalue not the truths of the Goſpel. Rom. 1.26.Shut not thy eyes, leſt God ſuffer Satan to blind them. How ſeverely did God puniſh the Heathens for oppoſing the light of nature; and will not Chriſt, when clearly diſcovered, and unkindly neglected, 2 Theſ. 2.9.10much more heighten thy condemnation? If Chriſt be not a rock of foundation, hee will be a ſtone of ſtumbling. Fruits which grow againſt a wall, are ſoon ripened by the Suns heat, and ſo are ſins which are committed under the Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel. The contempt of the Goſpel is the condemnation of the world, John 3.12. 2 Pet. 2.1.it brings ſwift deſtruction. 2. Preſerve a tender conſcience. Tremble at the firſt ſolicitations of ſin, which make way for eternall, by taking away ſpirituall feeling. This deluge of impiety in which theſe Seducers were drowned, began with a drop. Many knots tyed one upon another, will hardly be looſed; every ſpot falling upon the cloathes, makes a man the more regardleſſe of them; and every ſin defiling the conſcience, makes a man the more careleſſe of it. He who dares not wade to the ancles, is in no danger of being ſwallowed up in the depths. Modeſt beginnings make way for immodeſt proceedings in ſin. The thickeſt ice that will bear a cart, begins with a thin trembling cover that will not bear a pibble. As theſe Seducers crept in by degrees into the Church, ſo did Satan by degrees creep into them; 2 Tim. 2.16.They increaſed to more ungodlineſſe; They went down to this condemnation by ſteps, and after they had begun, they knew not where or whether they ſhould ſtop. 3. Take heed of turning the grace of God into wantonneſſe, of abuſing his goodneſſe either to ſoul or body, to impiety. Take not occaſion to be ſinfull, becauſe God is mercifull; to be long-ſinning, becauſe God is long-ſuffering; to ſin becauſe grace abounds; to make work for the blood of Chriſt, to turn Chriſtian liberty into unchriſtian libertiniſme. This muſt needs incenſe even mercy it ſelf to leave, and plead againſt thee; and what then will juſtice do? They who never enjoyed this grace of God, go to hell; they who have it, and uſe it not, run on foot to hell; but they who abuſe and turn it into wantonneſſe, gallop, or go to hell on horſ-back.
This for the firſt way in which the puniſhment of theſe Seducers was conſiderable, viz. Its ſeverity, This condemnation.
The ſecond followes, namely, its certainty, they were before of old ordained to it.
EXPLICATION.
In this two things require Explication.
1. What this ordination is of which the Apoſtle here ſpeaks.
2. In what reſpect it is ſaid to be before of old.
For the firſt, Metaphora ſumpta ab tis qui in codicillis ſcribunt, memoriae cauſâ, qua ſtatuunt agere. Haec Metaphora inde ſumpta eſt, quòd aeternum Dei conſilium quo ordinati ſunt fideles ad ſalutem, Liber vocatu…. Calv. De quibus olim praenuntiatum eſt in Scripturis quòd deventuri ſunt in judicium. Eſt. in loc.The word [foreign] here tranſlated Ordained, properly ſignifying, forewritten, enrolled, bill'd, book'd, or regiſtred. It ſeems (ſay ſome) to be a Metaphor taken from Records in Courts, wherein things are ſet down for an after remembrance of them: Or (according to others) from books of remembrance, wherein for the greater ſureneſſe of doing any thing, men write down what they purpoſe to do, and deſire not to forget. Calvin draws the alluſion from Scrip ture, in which the eternall counſell of God, wherein the faithfull are elected to ſalvation, is called a Book. Sure we are, 'tis a Metaphoricall ſpeech; and by none of our Proteſtant Divines (as I remember) is that interpretation imbraced, which is given by ſome Papiſts, who (haply) to wave the Doctrin of reprobation, expound this forewriting here mentioned, to be the predictions by writing which went before in the Scriptures concerning theſe Seducers. Nor can this writing here mention'd, ſo be attributed to God, as if either he could properly be ſaid to have a memory, or to remember any thing, or had any defect or weakneſſe of memory, or had any materiall books, wherein he wrote any thing at all: but this writing or booking is ſpoken concerning him foreign, by way of reſembling him to man, who, what he purpoſeth exactly to remember, or certainly to do, he books and writes down before hand. And the Scripture ſpeaks of four Meta phoricall books, or writings which God hath 1. The Book of his providence, or Gods knowledge and decree of all the particular perſons, things, and events that ever vvere or ſhall be in the world; and in this book were written all the members of David, Rom. 5.1. Summa judicii aequitas ex humano foro ſignificatur. Pareus in Apoc. …0.Pſal. 132.16. And all the tears of David, Pſal. 56.8. 2. The Book of the laſt and univerſall judgement, which is the perfect knowledge that God hath of the actions of all men good and bad, according to which at the laſt day he will give judgement: thus Dan. 7.13. its ſaid, The thrones ſhere ſet up, &c. and the books were opened. And Revel. 20.12. I ſaw the dead, ſmall and great, ſtand before God, and the books were opened. It's a term taken from publick judgements here among men, wherein are produced all the writings of informations, depoſitions of witneſſes, &c. to ſhew that Gods Omniſcience ſhall diſcover and rehearſe all actions, and his juſtice proceed accordingly. 3. The Book of life, Rev. 20.12. and 22 19. called alſo the Lambs book of life, Revel. 13.8. and 21.27. which is Gods eternall decree to beſtow grace and glory upon ſome: Phil. 4.3.and in this are ſet downe the names of the elect; of theſe it is ſaid often, Their names are written in the book of life; Luk. 10.20.and at the laſt day this book is ſaid to be opened, becauſe it ſhall then be manifeſted to all who are elected. 4. This writing here mentioned by Jude, namely, that black bill, or the Catalogue of thoſe whom God hath appointed unto wrath, 1 Theſ 5.9.ordinarily conſidered as the Poſitive or Affirmative part of Reprobation, wherein God decreed juſtly to damn ſome for ſin. For, Reprobation is conſiderable in a double act. Firſt, Negative; which is that of preterition, or paſſing by of ſome; and Gods will not to elect them. Secondly, Poſitive; which is Gods ordaining them to puniſhment for ſin. And in both theſe acts there is a double degree.
In the firſt, the Negative act, Gods denying his grace, in this life. And 2. his denying them glory and ſalvation in the next life.
In the Poſitive or affirmative act. 1. Gods ordaining the wicked to blindneſſe, and obduration here. And 2. eternall condemnation hereafter. And upon holy Scripture are both theſe acts, and both the degrees of each of them evidently grounded. 1. Concerning the Negative act ſpeaks the Spirit of God, John 10.36. Yee are not of my ſheep. And Matth. 7.23. I never knew you: Mat. 13.11. To them it is not given to know the myſteries of the Kingdome. And Mat. 11.25. Thou haſt hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent, &c. for ſo it ſeemed good in thy ſight: And Rev. 13.8. & 20.15. There are ſome mentioned whoſe names are not written in the Book of Life. 2. Concerning the Poſitive, or Affirmative act, ſpeaks the Spirit of God in 1 Pet. 2.8. where the Apoſtle mentioning thoſe that ſtumbled at the word, and were diſobedient; ſaith, they were appointed thereunto. And Rom. 9.18. Whom he will be hardneth. And ver. 21. he ſpeaks of Veſſels made to diſhonour. And ver. 22. 1 Theſ 5.9.Of Veſſels of wrath fitted to deſtruction. And John 17.12. Judas is ſaid to be a ſon of perdition. And here Jude ſaith, that theſe Seducers were written down, and appointed to this condemnation, which was their abode among the faithfull, with an obſtinate oppoſing of the truth and faith of Chriſt, making way to their own eternall condemnation. A doctrine (I confeſſe) not more diſtaſtfull to the bad, then hard to be underſtood by the beſt. It is no where (as Pareus notes, treating upon it, Rom. 9.) perfectly apprehended, but in that eternall School. I profeſs my greater deſire to ſtudy then diſcuſs it. I did not ſeek it, nor dare I altogether ſhun it; ever remembring, that though we muſt not rifle the cabinet of the ſecret decree, yet neither buſhel the candle of Scripture-diſcovery; the former being unwarrantable curioſity, the later ſinfull ingratitude. Briefly therefore,
2 For the ſecond, in what reſpect this ordination is ſaid to be before of old. The word foreign, of old, is ſometime applyed to a thing done a little time before: Pilate asks of Joſeph, who came unto him to ask the body of Jeſus, whether he had been foreign, any while dead. The word (as Doctor Twiſs obſerves) doth not ſignifie any definite time: It is applicable even to eternity. And though (as he notes) the ſignification of the word be not extended to eternity by any force in it ſelfe; yet from the matter whereof the Apoſtle treats, viz. the ordination or decree of God (which is eternall) it ought to be ſo extended. The denyall of the eternity of Gods decree was one of the prodigious doctrines of Vorſtius. As the ancient of dayes was before there was a day, ſo this (of old) was before there was an age. Which as it refers to the forementioned ordination, comprehends, in the judgment of many Learned and Godly Divines, as well,
1. The independency and abſoluteneſſe, of this ordination.
As 2. The immutability and unchangeableneſs of this ordination.
1. For the firſt: This ordination (according to ſome) was abſolute, from all cauſes in the creature; of old, before theſe Seducers were, before their ſins were, in reſpect not only of their actuall exiſtence, but even of their previſion alſo and foreſight of their futurition or coming to paſſe hereafter. And in delivering their judgement herein, 1. q. 23. Art. 5.they conſider Reprobation, with Aquinas and other Shoolmen, either in reſpect of the act of God reprobating, Gods willing and decreeing; or in reſpect of the effect thereof, the things willed or decreed, as God wills that one thing ſhould be for another.
1. As to Reprobation in reſpect of the act or decree of Gods reprobating, or Gods willing or decreeing; they ſay, the ſins of the creature cannot be aſſigned as the cauſe of reprobation; Non eſt aſsignare cauſam divinae voluntatis ex parte actus volendi. Aquin ubi ſupr.and herein they agree with Aquinas and the ſounder Schoolmen. They conceive that the decree of reprobation was not without the fore-ſight of ſin; Yet that the ſight of ſin was neither in order of nature or time, before Reprobation, nor after it; but purely, evenly, and equally accompanying it. That Gods decree to permit ſin (from whence comes previſion of ſin) and to condemn for ſin, were not the one ſubordinate to the other, or of a diverſe order; as if the one were the end, and the other the mean; but co-ordinate, and of one and the ſame order and means, both accommodated to one and the ſame end: God neither condemning that ſin may be permitted, nor permitting ſin, that he might condemn; but permitting ſin, and condemning for ſin, that the glory of his juſtice might be manifeſted; the glorious manifeſtation of his juſtice being not advanced only by permiſſion of, or only by condemning for ſin, but by both joyntly, or together; according to which apprehenſion, ſinne fore-ſeen could not bee the cauſe of Reprobation. They conceive, that God not depending upon any condition in the creature, no other way fore-knew the futurition of ſin, than by his own decree to permit it. And they further urge, if conſideration of ſinne, were before Gods decree of Reprobation, then the decree of permiſſion of ſin ſhould have been before the decree of Reprobation; and ſo God ſhould intend the permiſſion of ſin, before he intended the damnation of man for it; and then it would follow, (in regard that what is firſt in intention, is laſt in execution) that damnaton for ſin ſhould be in execution, before the permiſſion of ſin, for which men are damned; And this is the Argument oft urged by D. Twiſs; to which he ſometimes adds, that whatſoever is firſt in intention, hath the nature of an end, in reſpect of that which followes it; but the permiſſion of ſin cannot be conſidered as an end in reſpect of the damnation of men, it being impoſſible that men ſhould be damned to this end, that ſin ſhould be permitted. And they of this opinion aſſert, that if becauſe God decreed, that condemnation ſhall onelyonly be for ſin, it followes that ſin is a cauſe of that decree; it will alſo unavoidably follow, becauſe God hath decreed, that ſalvation ſhall onelyonly be in a way of good works, that good works are a cauſe of that decree; they conceiving that though good works do not go before ſalvation with the ſame efficacity, wherein ſin goeth before damnation (good works being only diſpoſitive cauſes of the one, and ſins meritorious cauſes of the other) yet that they go before it, Non eadem diſpoſitionis e…icacitate, ſed tamen eodem neceſſitatis ordine.with the ſame order of neceſſity. And they adde, that the Apoſtle removes both from the election of Jacob, and the reprobation of Eſau, the conſideration of all works either good or evill, as well in reſpect of their previſion, as actuall exiſtence; to the end that he might ſhew that the purpoſe of God, according to election, was not according to works, but of him that calleth: and ſo by the ſame reaſon, that the decree of the reprobation of Eſau, was not of evill works, but of him that cals and leaves whom he will.
2. As to Reprobation in regard of the effect (or rather conſequent thereof) the things decreed and willed, or as God wills that one thing ſhould be for another, It is not doubted, albeit Gods eternall volitions or decrees, depend not upon any temporall object or cauſes, as the prime motives therunto, but that God by his eternall decree ordained, that this or that event in the temporall execution, ſhall not follow but upon this, or that going before; as, that in thoſe of years, the actuall beſtowing of eternall life, ſhall depend upon beleeving; repenting and perſevering, and that the actuall puniſhing with eternall death ſhall depend upon finall unbelief and impenitency. This is not to make the eternall decrees of Election and Reprobation dependent upon the fore-ſeen contingent Acts of mans freewill, but to make temporall events, Acts, or Things, one to depend conditionally upon another, for their being or not being in time.
And yet 1. The cauſe of Reprobation, in reſpect of denying of grace, external, whether in regard of the outward means; or internall, either common or ſaving, is the will and pleaſure of God. As it is the meer will and pleaſure of God whereby in time men are reprobated from grace, was from eternity; for as God doth, or doth not in time ſo it he purpoſeth to do or not to do from all eternity. Now, that in time the denyall of grace is from the will and pleaſure of God, is moſt evident from Scripture, which teacheth that God calls to grace, and gives the very means of ſalvation to whomſoever he will. Act. 16.7. Mat. 11.24, 25 Deut. 29.4. Nulla ſunt tam deteſtanda facinora quae poſſunt gratiae arceredonum. Proſp.The Spirit ſuffered not Paul to preach at Bithynia: To you it is given (ſaith Chriſt) to know the myſteries of the Kingdome of heaven, and to them it is not given. And becauſe it ſeemed good in his Fathers ſight, he hid theſe things from the wiſe and prudent. Tyre and Sidon would have made better uſe of the means of grace than the Jews, yet God beſtowed thoſe means not upon the former, but up on the later.
But 2. The cauſe, of Reprobation, in regard of Gods denyall of glory, is not meerly from Gods will and pleaſure, but from the pravity and ſin of men. God in time denyes glory in regard of mens impiety; and therefore he purpoſed to deny it for that. Depart from me will Chriſt ſay only to the workers of iniquity, Mat. 7.23. There ſhall enter into the new Jeruſalem, nothing that defileth, The unrighteous ſhall not inherit the Kingdome of God.
And 3. The cauſe of Reprobation, in regard of blindneſſe, and obduration in ſin in this life, and eternal damnation in the life to come, is from mans impiety. God decreed that Condemnation ſhould not be, but for ſin; nor hardning but for preceding rebellion, nor that the wages of death ſhould be paid without the work of ſin. No man is ordained to a juſt puniſhment but for ſome ſin; but the with-drawing of grace, the blindneſſe and obduration of ſinners, are the puniſhments of preceding ſin, as appears. Rom. 1.27 God gave them up; &c, that they might receive the recompence (foreign) of their error which was meet. To crown or to damn, is an act of judiciary power, and proceedeth according to the tenour of the revealed Goſpel. The eternall dedecree of the damnation of the very Devils, was never determined to be executed otherwiſe than for their own miſdeeds.
2. This expreſſion [of old] notes the immutability, and unchangeableneſs of this Ordination; the foreign, De ration… aeternitatis eſt immutabilitas. Aug. Conſ. l. 12. c. 15.the immutability of his counſell; that which is eternall, is unalterable. This Ordination is like ſuch a booking, and writing down of a thing as ſhall unfailingly be performed. Nor can this book or writing of God (as a mans book may) be loſt or burnt, but it continues irreverſibly and inviolably to be performed; he who wrote it wants not skill, nor will, nor power to bring to paſs whatever he hath written in it. What God hath written, he hath written; and though ſometimes he changeth his denunciations, yet never his decrees; I am the Lord, I change not, Mal. 3.6. The ſtrength of Iſrael is not as man, that he ſhould repent, 1 Sam. 15.29. His counſell ſhall ſtand, Prov. 19.22. The Lord hath purpoſed it, who ſhall diſannul it? Iſai. 14.27. The number of thoſe appointed to wrath, 1 Theſ. 5.9. is determined as well materialiter, who, as formaliter, how many they are. Gods appointments are peremptory, not depending upon the variable will of man, as if God had determined certainly concerning none, but only as he ſees they will beleeve or not beleeve; for how ſutes it with the wiſdome of God, ſo to work, as to determine nothing of the end of his work! To make man, and not to appoint what ſhall become of him! How with the love he bears to his own glory, to have creatures more beholding to themſelves, than their Maker! To hear them uſing this language, That we may eſcape hell, if we will, we thank God; but that wee do, wee thank our ſelves, who by the uſe of our free-will, made that poſſibility beneficiall to our ſelves!