Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 4 · Part 7
OBSERVATIONS.
1. Chriſt accounts a verball, outſide profeſſion, Obſerv. 1.contradicted by an unholy converſation, to be no better then a renouncing of him. The profeſſion of the lip, without the agreement of the life, moſt diſhonours God. How ready will the ignorant be to think that God allows the ſins, Ezek. 36.20.or that he cannot puniſh the impiety of thoſe who profeſſe profanely! Deus non quaerit obſequiorum ſpeciem, ſed affectus puritatem. Ambr. in 9. Luc.How hatefull to the God who loves truth in the inward parts, muſt he be who hath nothing but falſeneſs in the inward parts! God ſeeks none to ſerve him, but ſuch as ſerve him in truth. The ſervice of the ſoul is the ſoul of ſervice: The ſingleneſſe of the intention is the ſweet of a performance, and makes it even a Sacrifice with marrow. Sacrificium medullatum.All our profeſſions and ſpeculations without holineſs, are but profanations; And of him that hates inſtruction, Pſal. 50.46.God juſtly requires the reaſon of his taking his Covenant into his mouth. Profane profeſſors are but wens upon the face of Religion, which God will one day cut off. The higher the building is raiſed which wants a foundation, the greater will be its fall; and the more eminent mens appearances of religion are, the more ſhamefull will be their apoſtacie, if they want the foundation of ſinceritie. A ſincere Profeſſor, though he do not actually forſake all for Chriſt, is habitually prepared ſo to do, when Chriſt ſhall require. A meer formall profeſſor, though he do not (as yet) openly renounce Chriſt, yet is prepared to do ſo, when his intereſt ſhall call him to it.
2. The excellency of any way or perſon, Obſerv. 2.is not to be judged by the regard it ordinarily findes among men. Chriſt himſelf cannot want a denyall by fooliſh men. If it be put to the vote, Barrabbas will have more voyces then Chriſt. The wayes of Chriſt are never the worſe becauſe wicked men renounce them; rather their rejecting of them ſpeaks them holy. Let us not be offended at Chriſt, becauſe he is by moſt denyed. Bleſſe God if thou haſt an heart to own him; and remember, 'tis a ſigne of a gracious heart, Pſal. 119.127when the wicked make void the Law of God, therefore to love his Commandments.
3.Obſerv. 3. It is the great Intereſt of Chriſtians to take heed of denying Chriſt. To this end,
1. Deny your ſelves. That man which ſets much by himſelf, will never reckon much of a Saviour. He who hath not learn'd to deny himſelf, when Chriſt and Self come in competition, and meet on a narrow bridg, will endeavour to make Chriſt go back. Quando à me ipſo alienabor, me perdam. Revelle te à teipſo, ut Deo inſeraris: Divide te à teipſo, ut cum Creatore uniaris. Bern.He who doth not account himſelf nothing, will ſoon eſteem Chriſt ſo. Let the heart be taken off from any thing which may take thee off from Chriſt. Crucifie every inordinate affection. Beſeech God to alienate thee from thy ſelf, and to annihilate in thee what-ever oppoſeth Chriſt. Reſerve nothing in thee from his ſtroke, although the lot fall upon Jonathan: And reſolve to part with thy deareſt comforts for Chriſt, rather then deny him. Know nothing to be thine, but himſelf.
2. Make a right eſtimate of the comforts which are to be enjoyed in Chriſt: 1. Account them realities, not notions; not imaginary, though inviſible: Look upon them as ſubſtantiall and indeed. John 8.36.2. Account them not as ſcanty, but abundant, ſo large, that thou needeſt not go to other things for additions: Look upon Chriſt only as having enough for thee, and able to fill thy vaſt receptions to the brim. 3. View them as ſublime, precious, not as low and vile: ſo excellent, that a holy generoſity may be kindled in thee, and all theſe dunghill delights accounted unworthy thy ſtoop. 4. Account them uſefull and efficacious, not idle and unhelping; ſuch, as want not thee to uphold them, but as are able in all diſtreſſes to relieve thee; and will procure ſtrong and ſtrengthening conſolations. Heb. 6.18.5. View them as thine, not anothers. Chriſt is never good in the ſouls account till it hath a propriety in him. Nor can a ſoul be contented when it ſees a parting from other things, unleſs it conſiders its propriety in Chriſt, who is far better. 6. View them as neer and at hand, and alway prepared to relieve the ſouls exigencies: Let faith as a proſpective glaſſe make remote comforts appear hard by. 7. Laſtly, view them as eternal, not as finite, ſuch as are above the reach of theef and moth, and which alone triumph over time and enemies; and which ſhal live and laſt when all worldly enjoyments are dead and gone. Oh, who would deny ſuch delights as theſe for a blaſt, a bubble, a nothing! what poor nothings of comfort are the ſweeteſt delights which would allure us! what poor nothings of miſery, are the ſoreſt ſufferings that would affright us from Chriſt!
3 Labour for an inward reall Implantation and rootedneſſe in Chriſt. The advice of the Apoſtle is to be rooted in Chriſt. Col. 2.7.A ſtake in the ground may eaſily be pluckt up; but a tree rooted in the ground, ſtands immovable. They who are in Chriſt only by way of externall profeſsion, may be pull'd from Chriſt; and outward troubles will overcome a meerly viſible and outſide profeſſor: but they who are in Chriſt by way of reall and internall implantation, will keep their ſtanding. He who is but a viſible Chriſtian, may in a ſhort time ceaſe to be ſo much as viſible. He who ſpeaks for Chriſt only notionally, will ſoon be won to ſpeak againſt him. From him who profeſſeth not Chriſt truly, may ſoon be taken away his very appearances. Pleaſe not your ſelves with the form of religion. Realities are only durable. The colour of bluſhing is ſoon down, that of complexion remains longer.Si iſta terrena diligitis, ut munera amici, ut arrham ſponſi diligite.
4. Let no wordly comfort be beloved, but only ſo far as it is a pledg of Chriſts love to thee, or an incentive of thine to him. Let not Chriſt content thee with any thing, without himſelf. Love not thy enjoyments as gifts, but as mercies and love-tokens. Look upon every thing out of Chriſt as a ſieve pluck'd out of the water, as a coal without fire, as a cypher without a figure. Were it not that I regard the preſence of Jehoſhaphat, I would not look toward thee, ſaid Eliſha to Jehoram: and were it not for a taſte of the love of Chriſt in our worldly comforts, we ſhould not much regard them. Love nothing but as it is a ſtep to raiſe thee up higher and more toward him, onelyonly as a Phylactery and a remembrancer of thy Friend; as that which incites to him, not as that which bewitcheth from him. If Chriſtians would ſtudie thus, by, and in every comfort to taſte Chriſt, they would not for gaining theſe comforts be willing to part with Chriſt.
5. Take heed of profeſſing Chriſt for by-ends. Serve him not to ſerve your own turns: Make not Religion a deſign. Let every intereſt be ſubſervient to Chriſt. Be willing to ſet up a building of glory for him upon your own ruines. Learn to periſh, that the glory of Chriſt may live. Let Chriſt be ſweet for himſelf: Love him for his beauty, not his cloathes. In ſerving him, let nothing elſe be your ſcope; and then nothing will divert you; aim not at profit, ſo gain will not allure you; not at pleaſure, ſo eaſe will not corrupt you; not at friends, ſo favour wil not ſeduce you. Let none but Chriſt be your end.
6 Daily increaſe ſweet acquaintance and humble familiarity with Chriſt. Stand not at a ſtay in taking in his comforts. Stint not Communion with him. Oh labour to take in hisſweeteſt conſolations freſh and freſh every morning. If communion with Chriſt be but a while intermitted, the love of the world will ſoon be admitted. When the people were without their wonted converſe with Moſes, they began to think of a golden Idol. The ſoul cannot live without ſome comfort or other. If it finds no ſweetneſſe in Chriſt, it will look out for it elſe where: and if it taſt nothing in his wayes to whet and keep it up, it will be ready to go down (as the Iſraelites went down to the Philiſtims, to ſharpen their inſtruments) to earthly delights for relief. But if Chriſt be ſweet, the world will be bitter. And if thine eyes have but lookt ſtedfaſtly upon his Glory, they will not ſuddenly behold beuty in any thing elſe.