Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 4 · Part 5
OBSERVATIONS.
1.Obſerv. 1. As groundleſſe, as blaſphemous, are all the cavils againſt the deity of Chriſt. For though he be from, and begotten of the the Father, by an ineffable communication of the divine eſſence to his perſon; yet if we conſider his deity and eſſence abſolutely, he is God of himſelfe, and hath being from none, and he is only God of God, as we conſider the divine eſſence in the Son, and as it is under a certain, and diſtinct manner of ſubſiſtence.
Though the Father be greater than the Son in reſpect of his manhood; Joh. 14.28. Joh 10.30. Phil. 2.6.yet the Son is equall with the Father in reſpect of his Godhead.
Though the Son be truly called the image of God, Col. 1.15. yet he is as truly ſaid to be very God. For when the Apoſtle ſaith, that he is the image of God, this word [God] ought not to be taken eſſentially, but perſonally; and by it we are to underſtand not the divine nature, but the perſon of the Father. Chriſt is the image of the Father, not of the deity, and the perſon of the Son bears the image of the perſon of the Father, but the divine eſſence in the Son, is one and the ſame with that which is in the Father: I and my Father are one.
2 Ʋnconceivable was the wiſdome, Obſerv. 2.juſtice, love, and humble condeſcention, manifeſted in Gods becoming of Man. 1. Wiſdome: None but a God could have contrived it; and ſo far was Man from inventing this plot of Mercy, that it had been blaſphemie, ſhould it have entred into his thoughts before God had diſcovered it to him. The hypoſtaticall union was purely a divine invention: Poor ſhort-ſighted man cannot conceive it now ſince it was, much leſſe could he have contrived it before it was. Infinite was that wiſdome which found out a way for God to begin to be what he was not, and to remain what he was: In Chriſto, foreign.that the two Natures ſhould be united 1. foreign and foreign, ſo as that there ſhould be no confuſion, mutation, commixtion of them; but that both natures ſhould remain diſtinct and entire in their properties, wils and actions, without any change of one into the other. 2. foreign & foreign, individually and inſeparably, ſo as one nature ſhould never be ſeparated from the other, no not by death; there never being two Chriſts, but one Son of God manifeſted in the fleſh. How great was that wiſdome which found out a way for the Mediator between God and Man, to partake of the natures of both thoſe parties between whom he mediates! and which contrived a Reconciliation between God and Man, by the marriage of the natures of both! 2. How eminent was that Juſtice of God, that would be ſatisfied no way but by the Son of God his aſſuming the nature of man, the vailing his Glory, emptying himſelf of Majeſtie, and a debaſing to the death of the Croſſe! Phil. 2.8.So that God may ſeem more ſevere in ſparing man this way, then if he had puniſh'd him without ſending his Son thus to redeem him. 3. How tranſcendent was the Love of God to poor loſt man, to weave the garment of his ſpotted and defiled nature anew in the Virgins womb! to become a new and living way over that gulf of ſeparation which was between God and Man, whereby God might be willing to come to man, and man able to go to God! to diſrobe himſelf of Majeſtie, and to cloath himſelf with the rags of Mortalitie! Did ever Love cauſe ſuch a condeſcention as this? The Thiſtle did not here ſend to the Cedar, but the Cedar comes to the Thiſtle, to wo for a marriage. Let the deepeſt apprehenſions deſpair to dive to the bottom of this humble undertaking. Angels themſelves may ſtoop to look into it, 1 Pet. 1.12.and be Students in this piece of Divinitie; but never can they be compleatly apprehenſive, what it is for the Maker of the World, to be made of a woman; for the everlaſting Father, to be an infant in the womb; for Majeſtie to be buried among the chips; for him who thundred in the clouds, to lie in the cradle; for him who meaſured the heavens with a ſpan, to be a child of a ſpan long.
3.Obſerv. 3. Iſai. 43.11. Hoſ. 13.4. Any other Saviours beſide Chriſt, are altogether needleſſe and fictitious. If Chriſt be God, there is no other Saviour: and he no more wants the help of men or Angels in the Redemption of the world, then he did in the Creation. To an infinite power, nothing can be added; and the ſtrength of Chriſt to ſave is infinite: What brings the creature to God but wants and weakneſſes? That which receives all its ſtrength from God, adds no ſtrength to God. There's none but a God able to do the Work, and fit to receive the Honour of a Saviour. The higheſt of all Popiſhly voyced Saviours throw down their Crowns at the feet of Chriſt, and with one voice acknowledg him their Saviour. The Crown of purchaſing our ſalvation, is too heavie for any created head. Did thoſe glorified ſpirits in heaven know how much honour is taken from Chriſt, by caſting it upon them, ſome think, that heaven ſhould be no heaven to them.
4. Divine Juſtice is compleatly ſatisfied, Obſerv. 4.and the ſins of beleevers are perfectly removed. The Merits of Chriſt are of infinite value: the leaſt ſin was a burden too heavie for all the created backs of Men and Angels to undergo: None but he that was God, Heb. 7.25. John 1.29. Mic. 7.19. Iſa. 44.22. Iſa. 38.17. Pſal. 32.1. Jer. 31.34.could perfectly ſatisfie a God. Chriſt is able to ſave to the uttermoſt; He taketh away the ſin of the world. Our iniquities are ſaid to be ſubdued, Thrown into the bottom of the ſea, Covered, waſhed away, Blotted out as a cloud, Ʋtterly forgotten, and Caſt behind the back of God. Beleevers have nothing to pay to Juſtice. The payments of Popiſh Merits are not in currant, but copper coin, which will not goe in heaven, but will certainly be turned back again. The ſins of one beleever are ten thouſand times greater than Satan can repreſent; but yet the merits of the blood of God infinitely exceed all the ſins of all men put together; The blood of Chriſt cleanſeth from all ſin. 1 John 1.7.Chriſtians, take heed of a ſacrilegious ranſacking of the grave of Chriſt, wherein he hath buried your ſins. If Chriſt be God, desperation is the greateſt of ſins. Is there any ſpot ſo deep, which the blood of God cannot waſh out? any diſeaſe ſo deſperate, which the blood of God cannot cure? any heart ſo faint, which the blood of God cannot revive? any debt ſo great, which the blood of God cannot ſatisfie? any burden ſo heavie, which the ſhoulders of God cannot bear away? Oh beleever, Luke 1.47.let thy ſpirit rejoyce in God thy Saviour.
5. How high is the advancement of humane Nature! Obſerv. 5.Hee who hath taken it into the unity of his Perſon, is true God. Hebr. 2.16. Phil. 2.10.The ſeed of Abraham is now more highly dignified then the nature of Angels. There's not a knee either in heaven, in earth, or under the earth, but ſhall bow at the name of Him who is God and man in one perſon. Let us fear to debaſe that nature which Chriſt hath magnified. Pſal. 15.4.There's nothing but ſin that makes a man a vile perſon. How unworthy a condeſcenſion is it for that nature to ſtoop to Divels, which is advanced above Angels! 1 Sam. 5.5.The Philiſtims tread not on that threſhold upon which their Idol Dagon fell; and ſhall man ſuffer luſt and Divels to trample upon and defile that nature which the Son of God aſſumed! Oh man, acknowledg thy dignitie, and being made a companion of the divine Nature, be not ſo degenerous, as to become a ſlave to Sin.
6.Obſerv. 6. How peculiarly dignified and bleſſed are all Beleevers! Their Head, their Husband is very God. They have not onelyonly the common honour of all men, in the union of humane nature with the Son of God; but a ſpeciall priviledg, in being united to him by his Spirit, through Faith. Man is advanced above other creatures in reſpect of the firſt; Beleevers are advanced above other men, in reſpect of the ſecond union: And if thus we are united to him who is God, what influences of holineſſe, wiſdom, power, &c. ſhall flow to us from ſuch a Head! A Prince, who hath all the gold and ornaments of the world, will not ſuffer his Wife to want neceſſaries: and certainly, the Spouſe of Chriſt ſhall have what ſhee wants, if not what ſhe would.
7.Obſerv. 7. Whatever it is that Chriſt, who is God, ordains and owns, deſerves our higheſt eſtimation. The Day inſtituted by Chriſt deſerves rather to be eſteemed holy, than any dayes of mans ordaining: It ſhould be accounted both a good day, and an high day, having ſuch an Inſtituter. The Ordinances of Chriſt ſhould be preferr'd before humane traditions: No Inſtitutions but his ſhall ſtand, nor ſhould religiouſly be eſteemed. I fear, Luk. 19.27.that the great and bloody Controverſies which ſo long Chriſt hath had with England, are about ſome Ordinances of his which yet we will not take up; and ſome Traditions of our own which in ſtead thereof we will keep up. What is become of thoſe men, and of their wiſdom, Sapientes ſapienter in infernum deſcenduntwhoſe wiſe work it was heretofore to invent and impoſe their own Innovations for Chriſts Inſtitutions? The Servants and Meſſengers of Chriſt ſhould be more loved and honoured than the ſervants of any earthly Potentate. They are the ſervants of God: We ſhould love as he loves. It's more honourable to be a ſervant of God, than a King over men. Our delight ſhould be in thoſe excellent ones, who bear the image, Pſal. 16.2.and wear the badg of Chriſt. The feet of his Ambaſſadors ſhould be beautifull, whether we regard their Maſter, Rom. 10.15.or their Meſſage. Laſtly, his Word ſhould be preferred before any other writings: Col. 3.16.Let the word of Chriſt dwell in us plentifully; Let it be taken in, not ſtand at the doors, or lodg only in our books, or on our ſhelves: let it dwell there, not be turn'd out again: Let it dwell plentifully, in all that is within us, Underſtanding, Will, Affections, Memorie; and plentifully in all that is of it, in its Threatnings, Commands, Promiſes: It is the word of God, who hath ſtrength to back it. In a word, Take heed of oppoſing this great God in any kinde. If God the Father be offended, Chriſt is our Advocate: but if Chriſt be provoked, who ſhall mediate!
Thus far of the deſcription of the dignity of him whom they oppoſed. Next we muſt ſhew How they oppoſed him; or, Wherein that Oppoſition did conſiſt: They Denyed him.