Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 6 · Part 10
OBSERVATIONS.
1 Separation from God is the evil indeed. Obſerv. 1.It ſeparates from the greateſt good. Worldly evils hurt the skin, not the ſoul: Its poſſible they may be corrective, but the loſſe of God is deſtructive. God, in depriving men of his gifts, whips them; but in the final removal of himſelf, he executes them. Scourging is oft the lot of ſons, but ſeparation from God is the portion of divels. God may take away every thing in love, unleſſe it be his love. Separation from God is a diſtinguiſhing judgement. How much are men miſtaken in their eſtimations of miſery! The moſt know no other hell, but poverty, or ſome ſuch worldly woe▪ Whereas outward evils are but appearing, and opinionative, and all their deformity is in the eye of the beholder; if they drive us (as oft they do) nearer to God, they are good for us; and nothing is truly bad which ſeparates. not from the chiefeſt good. There is more bitterneſſe in a drop of ſin, than a ſea of ſuffering.
2.Obſerv. 2. How groſſe is the deluſion of ſinners! Who for the taſting of the ſlight and ſuperficiall pleaſures of a tentation, will loſe the ſoul-ſatisfying preſence of the everbleſſed God! If all the delights of the earth cannot countervail one moments loſſe of the light of Gods Countenance in this life, what proportion is there between a moments taſt of worldly pleaſures, and the everlaſting loſſe of the fruition of God in glory! Could Satan make his promiſe good, in ſaying, All theſe things wil I give thee: truly it would be but a ſlight performance in the eſteem of that ſoul, who knowes that the gain of the world would be followed with an eternall loſſe of God. The eternall weight of the loſſe of God, infinitely more weighs down all momentany delights, than doth a mountain of lead a feather. Could ſinners part with God upon ſome valuable conſideration, their folly were not ſo much to be pitied; but nothing can be given them in exchange for God, becauſe God whom they loſe, is all things.
3 The wiſeſt care imaginable, Obſerv. 3.is that of enjoying the preſence of God in glory. Shew your care hereof, 1 By obſerving, Eph. 2.1, 2, 12 Epheſ. 4.18and laying to heart your diſtance from God by nature. We all came into the world with our faces toward Satan, and our backs turned upon God: let no worldly enjoyments bribe your conſciences into a falſe and fained quietneſſe while you ſo remain. If the poor Jews would not be made to ſing in a ſtrange land; let not ſiners pleaſe themſelves in this condition of eſtrangement from God. How have the Saints mourned under the apprehenſion of Gods departure! Their lamentations ſhew what ſinners muſt do, either here, or hereafter. 2 By making him your friend, who onelyonly admits us into the preſence of God. Jeſus Chriſt is that way whereby that gulf between God and the ſoul is onelyonly paſſ'd over. There's no ſeeing his face, without bringing Chriſt along with us: nor can we more endure the preſence of God without an intereſt in Chriſt, then can the ſtubble endure the flames. Every Chriſtleſs ſoul is a Godleſs ſoul. The blood of Chriſt is the onelyonly cement which can joyn God and us together. 3 By labouring to be made fit for his preſence: Holineſs becomes all thoſe who ſhall enjoy it. Heaven is no place for dogs; and without holineſs no man ſhall ſee God. Heaven muſt firſt be in us, before we can ever get into heaven. God forbids his people to have fellowſhip with the works of darkneſs; and much leſs will he himſelf delight in ſuch company. Sin hinders from enjoying God here, Iſa. 59.2.much more bereafter: Nor will heaven ever be ſweet to that ſoul, which here accounts not ſin bitter. The light of glory would dazle thoſe eyes which only have been uſed to the darkneſs of ſin: filthy garments may (undiſcern'd) be worn in the dark, but not in the light. It's the happineſs of heaven, that all its inhabitants are of one mind: The company of ſinners would ſpoil the harmonious conſort of glorified ſpirits. 4 By delighting in the preſence of, and acquaintance with God, while we are here upon earth. How ſhie are men of admitting ſtrangers into their houſes! and how readily do they open their doors to thoſe with whom they are acquainted! No wonder, if Chriſt bids thoſe depart, whom he never knew. Account thoſe duties, conditions, companies to be but empty, in and by which thou enjoyeſt not ſomething of God. Content not thy ſelf with that Prayer, Sabbath, Miniſtry, wherein God hath not diſcovered his humbling quickning, ſtrengthning preſence to thee, in thee. Let no Sacrifice pleaſe thee, without fire: Love the Ordinances, becauſe God meets thee in them. If God be not at home, think it not enough that his ſervants, his Miniſters have ſpoken to thee: Let the ſociety of Saints be thy ſolace, and deerly eſteem thoſe in whom thou beholdeſt any reſemblance of God: With the wicked, converſe rather as a Phyſician to cure them, than as a companion to delight in them. Let not thy heart be taken with any comfort, any further then thou beholdeſt the heart of the giver in it, or findeſt thine own raiſed to ſerve and delight in him.
4. No diſtreſs ſhould diſhearten thoſe here, Obſerv. 4.to whom God will not deny his preſence hereafter: Though God brings them into miſeries, yet he will not exclude them with the miſerable: If men caſt them out of their company, yet Chriſt will never ſay to them, Depart from me. If they want an houſe to hide their heads in, and a bed to reſt their bodies on, yet their Fathers houſe and boſome will ſupply both. Let men do their worſt, they may ſend Saints to him, not from him. How little do thoſe rods ſmart, in ſtriking with which, the Lord takes not away his loving-kindneſſe? What hath that poverty more then a name, which is not accompanied and followed with the loſs of God himſelf? In a word, Though ſometimes the Saints ſit in darkneſs, and ſee no light, yet is light ſown for them; they ſhall not lie under darkneſſe: but after the darkeſt night of deſertion, ſhall ariſe to them that glorious Sun of Gods preſence, which ſhall never go down again, but make an eternall day.
Thus farre for the firſt part of the puniſhment of the Angels, viz. that which they undergoe in in the priſon. The ſecond follows, viz. that which ſhall be laid upon them at, and after their appearing at the barr: and in that, firſt, to what they are reſerved, viz. to judgment.