Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 5 · Part 9
EXPLICATION.
For the Explication whereof, two things are conſiderable.
1. In what reſpect theſe Iſraelites are here ſaid not to beleeve.
2. Why they were puniſhed for this their not believing, rather then for any other ſin.
I. For the firſt: Unbeleevers 1. are frequently in Scripture taken for Pagans and Heathens; 1 Tim. 5.8 2 Cor. 6.14, 15 1 Cor. 14.23who are alwayes without the profeſſion of the Faith, and oft without the very offer of the Word, the means of knowing that Faith which is to be profeſſed; and then its termed an unbelief of pure negation. 2. Unbeleevers are ſaid to be ſuch, who though they profeſſe the faith, and hear and know the word, yet deny that credence to it which God requires, and their unbeleef, called an unbeleef of evill diſpoſition, is either a deniall of aſſent to the truths aſſerted in the word; or of truſt and affiance to the promiſes of good contained in the ſame; and both theſe are either, temporary, or totall and perpetuall. Into the former ſometimes the elect may fall, as particularly did thoſe two diſciples, who by their unbeleef drew from Chriſt this ſharp reproofe, Luk. 24.25. Mark. 16.11.13.14.O fools, and ſlow of heart to beleeve all that the prophets have written. And for this it was that Chriſt upbraided the eleven, when they beleeved not them who had ſeen him after he was riſen. Luk. 1.20.And of righteous Zecharie is it ſaid, that he beleeved not thoſe words which were to be fulfill'd in their ſeaſon. Into that unbeleef which is totall and habituall, Joh. 6.64.65. Joh. 10.25.26. Jo. 12.37.38.39the reprobabate only fall; of whom Chriſt ſpeaks, Ye beleeve not, becauſe yee are not of my ſheep; and afterward the Evangeliſt, They beleeved not, nay, they could not beleeve, becauſe that Iſaias ſaid, he hath blinded their eyes, &c. as alſo Act. 10.9 divers were hardned, and beleeved not. Theſe abide in unbelief, John 3. ult.and the wrath of God abideth on them; This unbeleef of the Iſraelites, did principally conſiſt in their not yeelding truſt and affiance to the gracious and faithful promiſes, made by God to their forefathers, and often renewd to themſelves, of beſtowing upon them the land of Canaan for their inheritance. Vide Numb. Chapters 13. and 14.Theſe promiſes, upon the report of the ſpies concerning the ſtrength of the Canaanites, and their Cities, were by the people ſo far diſtruſted, and deemed ſo impoſſible to be fulfilled, as that they not only wiſh'd that they had dyed in Egypt, but reſolved to make them a Captain to return thither again. And probable it is, that the unbeleef of the moſt was perpetnal; Certumeſt, complures fuiſſe pios, qui vel communi impietate non fuerunt impliciti, vel mox reſipuerunt. Cal. in Heb. 3.18.but that others (even of thoſe who at the firſt, and for a time did diſtruſt the faithfulneſſe of Gods promiſe) by the threatnings and puniſhments denounced againſt, and inflicted upon them, repented afterward of their infidelity, and ſo beleeved that God was faithfull in his promiſe, though they by reaſon of their former unbelief did not actually partake of the benefit thereof. However this their ſin of diſtruſtfulneſſe was their great and capitall ſin, that ſin, like the Anakims which they ſo feared, much taller than the reſt, and which principally was that provocation in the wilderneſſe, ſpoken of ſo frequently in the Scripture. Heb. 3.8.12, 16.18 Pſal 95 8. Incredulitas malorum omnium caput. Cal. in Heb. 3.18.And hence it is that God explaines this provoking him, by not beleeving him: How long (ſaith he, Numb. 14.11.) will this people provoke me? how long will it be ere they beleeve me? and that it was their great ſtop in the way to Canaan, is evident, in that the puniſhment of excluſion from Canaan, was immediately upon their unbeleef, inflicted upon them; as alſo by the expreſſe teſtimony of the Apoſtle, who ſaith, that they could not enter in becauſe of unbelief.
II. For the ſecond: Why they were deſtroyed rather for their unbelief, then for other ſins.
1. Their unbelief was the root and fountain of all the reſt of their ſins: Heb. 3.12. Jer. 17.5.This evill heart of unbelief made them depart from the living God by their other provocations. All ſins would be bitter in the acting, if we beleeved that they would be bitter in their ending: Faith is the ſhield of every grace, foreign, 1 Pet. 2.7, 8. Acts 15.9.and Unbelief the ſhield of every ſin: Faith purifies, Unbelief pollutes the heart. Ʋnbeleevers and diſobedient are in the Greek expreſſed by one word, Heb. 11.31. What but unbelief was the cauſe of all thoſe impatient murmurings of the Iſraelites? Had they beleeved a faithfull God, Num. 14.27.they would quietly have waited for the accompliſhment of his promiſes: Had they believed in him who is Alſufficient, they would in the want of all means of ſupply, have look'd upon them as laid up in God. The reaſon why they made ſuch ſinfull haſte to get fleſh, was becauſe their unbelieving heart thought that God could not furniſh a table in the wilderneſſe. What but their not believing a great and dreadfull Majeſtie, made them ſo fearleſly rebellious againſt God and their Governours? What but their not believing an All-powerfull God, made them to fear the Gyants and walled Cities of Canaan? Faith went out, and fear and every ſin got in. They beleeved God too little, and man too much; by their unbelief making God as man, and man as God.Gen. 12.7. 13.15. 15.18. 17.7.8. 26.4. Deut. 1.8. Exo. 3.17. and 6.8.
2. God had afforded many helps and antidotes againſt the unbeleef of the Iſraelites. God had given promiſes, firſt, to their Fathers, and afterwards to theſe Iſraelites their poſteritie, of his beſtowing upon them the land of Canaan for an Inheritance. His promiſes, like himſelf, were faithfull and true, and impoſſible it is that he who made them ſhould lie. Theſe promiſes were often repeated to their fore-fathers and themſelves; and the very land of Canaan is called the Land of Promiſe. Heb. 11.9 1 King. 8.56And afterward Solomon profeſſed, There hath not failed one word of all Gods good promiſe which he promiſed by the hand of Moſes. All his promiſes are yea and Amen. The promiſes of giving to Iſrael the land of Canaan, Gen. 22.16 Gen. 26.3. Pſal. 105.9. 1 Chr. 26.26. Gen. 17.10God had ſundry times confirmed by oath: the oath God followed with his ſeal of Circumciſion, whereby was confirmed the promiſe of the earthly and heavenly Canaan. To all theſe God had added the abundant examples of thoſe their holy fore-fathers, who openly profeſſed their beleeving of the promiſe, that their Seed ſhould inherit Canaan. Heb. 11.9. Act. 7.5Hence Abraham ſojourned contentedly in the land of promiſe, where he had not ſo much room as to ſet his foot on, without borrowing or buying. Hence alſo he purchaſed a burying place in that land, In terra promiſsâ ſibi emit ſepulchrum, ut ſpem ſuam vel mortuus teſtaretur: Rivet. Exerc. 119. in Gen.of which, though living, he had not poſſeſſion, yet dying, nay dead, he ſhewed his expectation. How holily ſolicitous was Jacob and Joſeph, that their bodies after their deaths ſhould be carried out of Egypt, into that Canaan, where their hopes and hearts had been while they lived. To all theſe Examples, God had given them (to prevent unbeliefe) their own multiplyed and aſtoſtoniſhing Experiences of his former Power and Love. Could not he, who by the lifting up of the arms of one Moſes, deſtroyed an Armie of Amalekites, as eaſily overthrow the Armies of the Canaanites by the hands of ſix hundred thouſand Iſraelites? Could he who commiſſionated the very lice and flies to plague Egypt, and at whoſe command are all the hoſts of heaven and earth, want power to deal with the ſons of Anak? Could not he who made the weak and unſteady waters of the red Sea to ſtand up like walls, as eaſily make the ſtrongeſt walls of the Canaanitiſh Cities to fall down? Pſal. 78.32.42But they believed not for his wondrous works, they remembred not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemie.
3. Their unbelief moſt of all robb'd God of his (though not eſſentiall, yet) declarative glory. It was a bold ſin, it rifled his Cabinet, and took away his chiefeſt Jewel, Iſa. 42.8. 1 Joh. 5.10. Rom. 4.10.even that which he ſaith he will not give to another. 1. It takes away the glorie of his Truth; it no more truſting him, then if he were a known Lyer, and as we ſay of ſuch a one, No further than we ſee him: It endeavours to make God in that condition of ſome loſt man, whoſe credit is quite gone, and whoſe word none will take: now to diſcredit, is to diſhonour a man. Unbeleevers account it impoſſible that he ſhould ſpeak true, for whom to lye it is impoſſible. After all the promiſes of giving them Canaan, though repeated, ſworn, ſealed, Iſrael beleeved not God. 2. The Iſraelites by their unbelief obſcured the glory of Gods Goodneſſe: They did not onelyonly labour to make their miſerie greater then Gods Mercy; but even his very Mercy to appear Tyranny. They often complained, that he had brought them into the wilderneſs to ſlay them; Num. 14.3. Pſal. 106.24.and they deſpiſed that pleaſant land which God had promiſed them: yea (as ſome note) in regard that the land of Canaan was a type of the heavenly Canaan, See M. Perkins on the place.they beleeved not that God would bring them to heaven, and give them inheritance in that eternall Reſt by means of the Meſsiah: So that they rejected at once both the bleſſings of the foot-ſtool, and the throne; the earthly and the heavenly Canaan at the ſame time. 3. Their Unbelief did blemiſh the glory of his Omnipotency; Pſal. 62.11.They proclaiming by this ſin, that He to whom power belongs, and nothing is too hard, who can do all things, but what argue impotencie, as lying, and denying himſelf; who made heaven and earth with a word, Iſa. 40.15and before whom all the nations of the world are as the drop of the bucket, and the ſmall duſt of the balance, could not cruſh a few worms, nor pull down the height of thoſe Gyants, whom by his power he upheld.
4. Of all ſins, the Unbelief of the Iſraelites moſt croſſed their own Profeſsions: They voyced themſelves to be, and gloryed in being the people of God; and they proclaimed it both their dutie and priviledg, to take God for their God. They ſometimes appeared to beleeve him; but the unbelief of their hearts gave both God and their own tongues the lye: they profeſſed that they beleeved the power of God, and remembred that God was their Rock; Pſal. 78.34, 35, 36, 37.but at the news from Canaan, they ſhewed that they beleeved that the Anakims, and the walled Cities were ſtronger. They profeſſed that they beleeved the Mercy of God, and that the moſt high God was their Redeemer; but at the very ſuppoſall of danger, they thought that they were brought into the wilderneſs to be ſlain. They profeſſed that they beleeved the Soveraignty of God; They returned and enquired after him, and promiſed obedience to him; but upon every proof, they ſhewed themſelves but rebells. So that by reaſon of their unbeleef, and unſtedfaſtneſſe of heart in Gods Covenant, they did but flatter God with their mouth, and lye unto him with their tongues. How hainous a ſin is it for Gods profeſſed friends do diſtruſt him! How ſhall a ſtranger take that mans word, whom his moſt familiar friends, yea his own children will not beleeve? Thine own Nation (ſaid Pilate to Chriſt) have delivered thee unto me. Thine own people (may heathens ſay to God) wil not truſt thee, and how ſhould wee?
5. Of all the ſins of the Iſraelites, unbeliefe was that which properly did reject the mercy by God tendred to them. Canaan was by him frequently in his promiſe offered; and though all the ſins of the Iſraelites deſerved excluſion from Canaan, yet they did not, as unbeleef, by refuſing the offer of it, reject the entrance into it. As the faith of the Ninivites overthrew a propheſie of judgement, Pſal. 78.32, 33ſo the unbelief of the Iſraelites overthrew the promiſes of mercy. The breſts of the promiſes were full of the milk of conſolation; and yet theſe froward children refuſed to ſuck and draw them by beleeving: and in ſtead thereof ſtruck and beat them away by unbeleef and rebellion. Unbeleef (as to the Iſraelites) cut aſunder the ſinews of the promiſes, ſo as they could not ſtir hand or foot to help them, and turned the promiſes into fallacies. Heb. 3. ult. Num. 20.22.Only unbeleef concluded this people under the neceſſity of deſtruction. Needs muſt they periſh who caſt away the means of recovery. What ſhall be a remedy for him who rejecteth the remedy? other ſins are ſores, but unbeleef throwes away the plaiſter. Every ſin made Iſrael obnoxious to deſtruction, but unbeleef made them oppoſite alſo to deliverance. This ſin ſtopt (as it were) the ſpouts and paſſages of grace. Chriſt *Mark 6.5. Significatur hoc loquendi modo, quod incapaces ſcipſos reddiderint, indignóſ que divinis beneficiis, et propenſioni animi Chriſti beneficae impedimentum objecerint: non permittunt, ut virtutis divinae rivus ſe in ipſos diffundat. Brugenſ. in loc.could do no mighty works becauſe of their unbeleef. They who beleeve not, render themſelves incapable of bleſſings, and lay rubs in the way of mercy binding the hands of God leſt he ſhould help them. Other ſins lay perſons (as it were) in the grave, this of unbeleef lays the grave ſtone upon them, and makes them rot therein. Upon them wrath abides, Joh. 3.18.