Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 4 · Part 2
OBSERVATIONS.
1.Obſ. 1. Great is our natural propenſeneſſe to grow wanton againſt God by his goodneſſe. Seldome is God provoked ſo much by any, as by thoſe who moſt deeply partake of his indulgence. It's very hard for God to ſmile, and for us not to be wanton. How frequently doth God complain of the unkinde requitals returned for his loves! Do ye ſo reward the Lord, O fooliſh people! Deut. 32.6. Jeſurum waxed fat and kicked: who, becauſe laden with fatneſſe, therefore forſook God that made him. And Iſa. Iſa. 1.2.1.2. I have nouriſhed children, but they have rebelled againſt me. 'Tis pity (as we ſay of fair weather) that the goodneſſe of God ſhould do any hurt: but we are commonly not more unſubmiſſive under corrections, then wanton under comforts. Gods ſeverity reſtrains from that impiety which his indulgence draws forth, by meeting with a ſenſuall heart, that turns the favours of God into the fuel of luſt. It's much eaſier to walk ſteddily in a path of deep dirt, than of ſlippery ice. How juſt, nay, how good is God to abridg us of that comfort either inward or outward, which we abuſe! to turn us (like ſheep) into ſhort paſture, if there we thrive beſt; and rather to deny us mercies in mercy, then to beſtow them in wrath.
2.Obſerv. 2. The beſt and choyceſt of outward adminiſtrations cannot better a bad heart. Even grace may be received in vain. The beſt preaching and Preachers in the world have not ſeldome been ſent to a gain-ſaying people. Rom. 10.21. Luk. 16.31.Neither Moſes and the Prophets, nor one raiſed from the dead, nay, nor the preaching of Chriſt himſelf can of themſelves work upon the heart. Morall ſwaſion comes far ſhort of effectuall grace; and the word of grace much differs from the grace of the word. Warm cloathes and ſtrong waters cannot fetch life into a dead man. The plentifulleſt ſhowers leave the heath unfruitfull. Nature, after all imaginable improvements, is ſtill but Nature, till ſupernaturally renewed. How happy were we, if men would attribute the unreformedneſſe of the times under the Goſpel of grace, more to the ſtrength of their own luſts, then the weakneſſe of the Miniſters labours: and if, in ſtead of glorying (I had almoſt ſaid, of placing religion) in the parts of Miniſters, they would humbly and ardently ſeek God for that bleſſing, without which, the fatteſt Ordinances devoured, leave but leane ſouls.
3.Obſerv. 3. The moſt holy and happy enjoyments are not without their ſnares. There's danger in enjoying the beſt things, even the grace of God. Men ordinarily conceive that there is danger in wanting the Ordinances, in ſinning, in being in ſinfull company, and uſing worldly comforts; but they conſider not that even their graces, their good works, their comforts, every Ordinance and dutie have their ſnares accompanying them. Diabolus ſurgit armis quibus dejicitur. Cave non tantùm ab operibus malis, ſed etiam à bonis. Luth.Our very graces may occaſion us to be proud, and our very comforts to be ſecure. Luther was wont to adviſe men to take heed of their good works. There are no ſervices ſo holy, but Satan creeps into them, and when he cannot hinder the externall, hee endeavours to ſpoil the ſpirituall performance of them. He labours to winde himſelf even into Paradiſe, and loves to ſtand among the Sons of God. How oft doth he ſhew men the beautiful buildings of their late performances, to a worſe end than the Diſciples did Chriſt the buildings of the Temple! And how rare is it to finde that Chriſtian, who by ſelf-debaſing, leaves not (as it were) a ſtone upon a ſtone which he caſts not down by having low thoughts of high ſervices! Eccl. 5 1.Thou muſt not onelyonly keep thy foot from entring into places of vanity, but alſo keepe thy foot when thou entreſt into the houſe of God: not onelyonly take heed that thou neglecteſt not hearing, but alſo take heed how thou heareſt. How oft have the ſervants of God been humble and hungry in the want of thoſe tokens of grace, under the enjoying whereof they have been proud, unprofitable, and (the ſin of theſe Seducesrs being naturall) almoſt laſcivious!
4.Obſerv. 4. An unholy heart ſucks poyſon out of the ſweeteſt and holyeſt enjoyments: Even the grace of God he abuſeth to his own perdition. Ʋnto them who are defiled and unbeleeving (ſaith the Apoſtle) is nothing pure. Tit. 1.15.They taint every thing they touch. Prov. 15.8.28.9.Their beſt ſervices are abomination to the Lord. Their prayers are turned into ſin. The word is to them the ſavour of death, and the grace of God pernicious. The Sacraments are poyſon and damnation, Chriſt is a ſtumbling ſtone: Their table ſnares them, their prosperity ſlayes them. Whatever we have, till Chriſt be ours, cannot be enjoyed profitably: the guilt of the perſon muſt be removed, before the comfort of the gift can be enjoyed. Out of Chriſt, all comforts are but like a funerall banquet, or the priſon proviſions of him who is fed againſt his execution. And a ſinner is as farre from returning any enjoyment by love to God, as he is from receiving it in love from God: His heart is the heart of an enemy, even under the diſpenſations of grace. And what are all bleſsings (til the heart be changed) but furniture to oppoſe God, and fuel to increaſe ſin? O Chriſtian, in ſtead of boaſting how good thy enjoyments are in themſelves, labour to finde them good to thee. It matters not what the things are which thou receiveſt, but what thou art who doſt receive them. The ſame promiſe which purifyes a Saint, (through thy ſin) pollutes thee. The ſame breath which warmes him, cools thee; he being neer, thou farre from him that breaths. Till grace ſavingly work upon thee, thou art but a wanton under grace.
5.Obſerv. 5. 1 King. 21.13. 1 Sam. 15. Mat. 23.25. Corrupt nature can caſt even upon foul and laſcivious courſes, the cloak and colour of a religious pretext. The murderous contrivements of Abſolom and Jezabel, The diſobedience of Saul, the devouring of widowes houſes, the maliciouſneſſe ſpoken of by Peter, 1 Pet. 2.16. had their ſeveral cloaks and covers. The unlovelineſſe of luſts in themſelves, and the love of ſinners to them, put ſinners upon this covering of them: by reaſon of the former, this covering is required; by reaſon of the later, 'tis contrived. But of this more before.
6.Obſerv. 6. God is gracious even unto them who abuſe his grace. He affords the means and offers of it, to them who turn it into laſciviouſneſſe. He holds the candle to them who will not work by, but wanton away the light. He cals men, though they will not hear; and woos them who will not be intreated. Certainly, God doth not onelyonly ſhew himſelfe a God in powerfull working, but even in patient waiting upon the wicked; none but a God could do either. Oh ſinner, how inexcuſable wilt thou bee in that great day, when God ſhall ſay, Iſa. 5.4.What could I have done more; or how couldſt thou deſire me to wait longer for thy good? Certainly, thine own conſcience ſhall be Gods deputy to condemn thee. If thou ſhalt give an account for every idle word which thou thy ſelf haſt ſpoken; how much more for every unprofitable word which thou haſt made God ſpeak to thee! For the Lords ſake, Chriſtians, take heed of receiving the grace of God in vain. And how ſhould this goodneſſe of God put us (eſpecially Miniſters) upon imitating of him! though ſinners be wantons under grace, yet let not us be weary of diſpenſing it. 2 Tim. 2.25.Let us wait, if peradventure at any time God may give ſinners repentance. Miniſters are ſpirituall fiſhers: and fiſhing, we know, is a tedious work to him who hath no patience. The catching of one ſoul will make amends for all our waiting. Our patience cannot be ſo much abuſed, as is Gods.
7.Obſerv. 7. The doctrine of grace is warily to be handled by Miniſters. 'Tis hard to ſet up Chriſt and grace, and not to be thought to deſtroy the Law. Chriſtian Liberty is to be propounded as giving no allowance to libertiniſm. Satan hath in no one point more drawn teachers to extreams. Becauſe he could not keep them in Popery, by the doctrine of ſatisfying the Law as a Covenant; he labours to drive them to Antinomianiſme, by the doctrine of caſting off the Law as a Rule: becauſe they have rejected the merit of works, he labours to make them caſt off the obedience of works. But the man of God ſhould obſerve the Methods of the Divel. The Apoſtle Paul having at large proved the doctrine of Free juſtification by Chriſt, Rom. 3.4, 5. Rom. 6.1, 15.ſubjoyns (and that twice in one chapter) a moſt vehement denyall (by way of interrogation) of any liberty to ſin by grace: Shall we continue in ſin, that grace may abound? and, ſhall we ſin becauſe we are not under the Law, but under grace? The like he had expreſſed before, chap. 3.31. Do we then make void the Law through faith? To all which he anſwereth with a foreign, God forbid: words of defiance and deteſtation. What though Miniſters, for their preaching holineſſe of life, be repreſented as thoſe who preach not Chriſt? And what though their names be crucified between the ſlanders of the Papiſts and Antinomians; the former calling them Libertines, for defending the doctrine of juſtification by Chriſt; and the later Legalliſts, for urging the Law as a rule? yet let them hold faſt the faithful word againſt both; Tit. 1.9.and remember, that as Jeſus is to be preached in oppoſition to the former; ſo is Chriſt as an anointed King, in oppoſition to the later; and that, as there was a reſurrection of the body of their crucfied Maſter, ſo ſhall there be a reſurrection of the crucified names of his ſervants; and that it is their duty to preach the Lords Chriſt, as Simeon cals him, and not the drunkards, the Libertines, the Antinomians Chriſt.
8. No expreſsions of Gods grace or goodneſſe of any kind, Obſerv. 8.ought to be abuſed and perverted unto ſin.
1 Not the temporall gifts, and worldly bleſſings which God beſtowes.
1. We muſt not abuſe the gifts of outward eſtate, whether riches, or honours. 1. Riches muſt not be abuſed, 1. to Covetouſneſſe: the poſſeſſours of them ſhould not, be poſſeſs'd by them. Siut ſoltiotia, non negotia.They ſhould rather be refreſhments, than employments; rather uſed as ſteps to raiſe us towards, than ſtops to hinder us from heaven; rather as thoſe things without which we cannot, than for which wee do live. OnelyOnly ſuch things muſt be loved much, which cannot be loved too much. 2. Riches muſt not be abuſed to Creature-confidence. Job 31.24. 1 Tim. 6.17.Gold muſt not be our hope; we muſt not truſt in uncertain riches, lying vanities, mammon of unrighteouſneſſe. Non fallitur qui nullifidit.Riches never deceive us, but when we truſt them. The creature may be uſed as a ſtaffe to walke with, not to lean upon. 3. Nor muſt they be abuſed to prodigality. Abundance requires ſobriety: they who walk in ſlippery and dirty wayes, had need to gird up their loyn…. 1 Pet. 1.13.Men ſhould not feed upon, but onelyonly taſte pleaſures; like Jonathan, who did but dip the end of his rod in the hony comb.
2. Honours muſt not be abuſed to pride. Height in place requires lowneſſe in opinion. There's no advantage comes by having honour from men, but only the having therby an opportunity of honouring God. It's ſacriledge and Idolatry, to accept of honour to Gods diſhonour.
2. Nor muſt the gifts of the body, as ſtrength, and beuty be abuſed. 1. Strength muſt not be abuſed to luxury. It muſt not be given to *Pro. 7.26.wine, and women. 2. Nor to the wronging and oppreſſing of the weak, nor be a weapon of any unrighteouſneſſe; nor 3. be abuſed to †Jer. 9.23.boaſting. If God withdraw his manutenency, the moſt ſtrongly built body drops into the grave; and he who cannot be overcome by others, may by God be ſuffered to be his own executioner. 2. Beuty muſt not be abuſed to the enticement of others to ſin, or the contempt of others who want it, or to a ſinfull *Manus Deo inferunt, quando id quod ille formavit reformare contendūt; neſcientes quia opus Dei eſt omne quod naſcitur, diaboli quodcunquemutatur. Cyp. lib. de diſcip. & hab. virg. §. 12 Bona domus, malus hoſpes. Veſtite vos ſerico probitatis, byſsino ſanctitatis, purpur â pudicitiae. Taliter pig mentatae, Deum habebitis amatorem. Tert. de cult. Foe…. Quaenam perfidia armari eloquentiâ, ut contra ſuum do minum praelietur? Camp. Orat. de Juv. Acad. Jer. 4.22. Exod. 1.9.mending, or rather marring of Gods wiſe handy worke, by paintings and ſpottings; as if the forme beſtowed by God ſhould be reformed by the divel: Or to a neglect of that true beuty of the ſoul, by being transformed from glory to glory, by the ſpirit, 2 Cor. 3.18. as if the houſe were more to be regarded than the inhabitant; and the casket more to be prized than the pearl.
3. We muſt not abuſe the gifts of the mind. Parts, wit, underſtanding muſt not be imployed againſt God, to plotting againſt, or oppoſing of Chriſt and his truth. The edge of wit muſt not wound religion. Men muſt not be wiſe to do evill; or as Pharaoh, deal wiſely againſt Gods people. Parts are never uſed aright, but when they are Engines to ſet up a building of glory to Chriſt, and when employed (as once the Aſſe was) to exalt their Maſter.
2. But eſpecially ſhould we take heed of perverting ſpirituall favours.
1. How pernitious is that abuſe of the Decrees of God, to a liberty in ſin l… by concluding, that if we be elected, a wicked life ſhall not hurt, and if we be reprobated, godlineſſe ſhall not help us. Whereas, he who hath elected to ſalvation, Eph. 1.4. Rom. 8.30.hath likewiſe ordained thoſe means whereby ſalvation ſhall be obtained, and that we ſhall walk in the way which leads to the ſame. But of this before.
2. We ſhould fear to pervert the patience and long ſuffering of God to a preſumption, and a delaying of repentance. Eccleſ. 8.11. Rom. 2.4.This being a deſpiſing that goodneſſe which leads to repentance, and a treaſuring up wrath by Gods forbearance. God intended mercy to be prized, not deſpiſed; and he who hath made a promiſe to repentance, Heb 3.7.hath not made a promiſe of repentance, when we pleaſe; nay, how juſtly may God puniſh the contempt of his grace with finall impenitency? Repentance delaid till death, is ſeldome unto life.
3. Take heed o… perverting the Seriptures to countenance thy ſin, either in opinion or practice. 2 Pet. 3.16.Wreſt them not, wrack them not to make them ſpeak that which they never intended; bring not the Scriptures to thy opinion, but thy opinion to the Scripture; and every doctrine that cannot endure to look upon that ſun; caſt it down as ſpurious. Take not occaſion by Scripture to be ſinfull in practice; 1 Joh. 2.1.Scripture was written that we ſhould not ſin, not that we ſhould ſin. Let not the idle perſon be occaſioned from Matthew 6.34. Take no thought for to morrow, &c. to neglect his calling; nor the Covetous, from 1 Tim. 5.8. if any man provide not for his own, he is worſe than an infidel, to be immoderate in following it; let him as well remember, that as he is worſe than an infidell who is defective in regarding his own; ſo likewiſe that hee imitates the Gentiles, Matt. 6.32.who ſeeks after all theſe things more then hee ſhould. Take not liberty from the recording of the infirmities of ſaints in Scripture, to follow them in ſin; Rather let the falls of the ſtronger, be the fear of the weaker; and the puniſhments which Saints brought upon themſelves by their ſins, be the terrours of thoſe who have nothing of ſanctity in them. The fals of holy men ſet down in Scripture, are like ſtakes fixed in a pond, not to call us, but to caution us.
4.Tit. 2.12. Luk. 1.74, 75. Let us be eminently carefull, leſt our deliverances obtained by Chriſt from the Curſe, be perverted to looſneſs of life. Let that which was a pledg of his love, be a ſpur to our duty. Though ſome abuſe this grace to a wrong end; let us uſe it to a right end. To this end,
1. Admire and ſtudy the excellency of this grace. 1. in its fulneſſe and ſufficiency: abuſe not that which is ſo able to help thee. Who but a mad man would throw away a Cabinet fil'd with the richeſt pearls, and pureſt gold? But we were not redeemed with ſuch corruptible things, 1 Pet. 1.18.but with the precious blood of Chriſt; The blood of God. 2. In its freeneſſe. Gods beſtowing it upon thee, when thou didſt not deſerve it, when thou hadſt no other merit but miſery to call for it, aggravates thy ſinne in abuſing and contemning it. Thankfulneſſe becomes the diſtreſſed, rather then ſcornfulneſſe.
2. Get an experimentall taſte of this Grace. Grace hath no Enemy but the ignorant. They who abuſe it, ſhew they never found benefit by it. A notionall profeſſour may be wrought to a contempt of that grace, which an experimentall partaker will highly eſteem. Grace is never good in the ſouls valuation, till it be poſſeſſed. Thoſe who love it they know not why, wil ſoon diſreſpect it they know not how.
This for the firſt particular expreſſion of the ungodlineſſe of theſe ſeducers, Their perverting of the grace of God. The ſecond followes, viz. their denying of the God of grace, Denying the only Lord God, &c.
In the words I conſider,
1. The deſcription of his dignity whom they oppoſed: the onelyonly Lord God, and our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
2. How they oppoſed him, or wherein that oppoſition did ſtand; They denyed him.
1 The deſcription of his dignity.
I conceive with Beza and the beſt interpreters, that it is not to be underſtood partly of God the Father, and partly of Chriſt, but altogether of Chriſt; and that not ſo much becauſe it ſeems to be paralel with that place of Peter, denying the Lord that bought them, 2 Pet. 2.1.as becauſe in the Original, the prefixing of only one article to all theſe titles, ſeems to require this reading; The onelyonly Lord who is God, and, or even our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
In this deſcription of the dignity of Chriſt, I ſhall not (that I may avoid tediouſneſſe and repetition) ſpeak of his perſon and offices, as they are held forth in theſe later words, Jeſus Chriſt; but I ſhall principally conſider from theſe words, The onelyonly Lord God,
Our Saviours dignity, 1. In reſpect of his place and authority: So hee is called the onelyonly Lord.
2. In reſpect of his divine nature and eſſence; and ſo he is called, God.
1. In our Saviours dignity in reſpect of his place and authority; he is Lord (foreign,) which title is ſet out by the peculiarity of it to himſelf; The onelyonly Lord.
In the explication of Chriſts dignity in this firſt reſpect, I ſhall briefly ſhew, 1. In what reſpect he is called Lord. 2. Only Lord.