Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 6 · Part 3
EXPLICATION.
1. For the Explication of the former.
Theſe words firſt eſtate, are in the Greek contained in one word, foreign, Auguſti principium clade variana memorabile factum. Suet. in Octav. In Graeco, principii vocabulum, quod eſt foreign, non tantum ordinati… vum, ſed & poteſtativu… capit principatum: unde & foreign dicunt Principes & Magiſtratus. Tert. adverſ. Hermog. Sunt quidem adhue inter Angelos malos foreign, Epheſ. 6.12. ſed infernales, non coeteſtes. Geth. in 2 Pet. 2.which ſometime ſignifies principality; ſometimes, and moſt properly, beginning. And hence it is, that Oecumenius and ſome others, conceive that the angels are here ſaid to leave their principality, height, eminency, principall dignity which they had by creation above all the creatures; angels being by Paul call'd (Col. 1.16.) principallities (foreign.) This interpretation (ſaith Junius) ſeems too narrow, though not altogether (as Beza thinks) to be excluded. Others by this beginning underſtand God himſelf, who was the author of their firſt being; but this ſeems to be an harſh phraſe and expreſſion, to make the keeping of their beginning, Non ſervaverunt ſuam originem, id eſt, rectitudinem in quâ conditi erant, q. d. juſtitiam origin… lem. Eſt. in…. 2. Sentent. diſt. 3.or firſt eſtate, to be the adhering to, and acquieſcing in God, who gave them their firſt being. The beſt interpretation and that which is moſt agreeable to the ſcope both of theſe and other Scriptures, ſeems to be that which makes this their firſt eſtate to be that originall and primitive condition of angels, not as they are ſubſtances ſpirituall and immortall (for ſuch even the fallen angels are) but, as they were created with their originall holineſſe, righteouſneſſe, or integrity of nature; in which reſpect, the Elect angels which were preſerved from falling, are called the angels of God, of the Son of man, holy, and ſuch as behold the face of God. This firſt eſtate, which Jude ſaith, theſe wicked angels kept not, Chriſt expreſſeth by this one word, Truth; where he ſaith, Joh. 8.44.that the divell did not abide in the truth, and, hath no truth in him. By truth in this place is to be underſtood that righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, holineſſe of truth, foreign.wherein ſtands the image of God, Eph. 4.24. nor is it unuſuall in Scripture to expreſſe that rectitude of heart and life which is beſtowed upon renewed perſons, by the word truth. Remember (ſaith Hezekiah, 2 King. 20.2.) how I have walked before thee in truth. And fitly may holineſſe be called truth, in regard it neither deceives him in whom it is, by falſe hopes; nor any other by meer ſhewes. Bonam voluntatem in eis, quis fecerat, niſi ille qui eos, cum bonâ voluntate, id eſt, cum amore caſto quo illi adhaererent crea vit, ſimul in eis, & condens naturam & largiens gratiam. Aug.l. 11. de Civ. D. c. 11. Sicut lapſus corporum fingi non peteſt, niſi è loco ſuperiore; ita lapſus animorum non eſt, niſi à quadam celſitudine boni, quam prius habuerint. Quòd de coelo cecidiſſe diabolus in ſcripturâ dicitur, non tam ad localem motum referrendum eſt, quam ad mutationem ejus ex juſtitia in peccatum. Eſtius in 2. Sent. Diſt. 3. § 4.Wee muſt not think that angels were inferiour to men. If man from the beginning was holy, why not angels? And as bodies cannot be ſaid to fall, but from a higher place than is that into which they fall; ſo neither can there be a fall of ſpirits, but from the height of ſome good, which formerly they had; which fall from good, is not ſo much in regard of locall motion, as of their defection from righteouſneſſe to ſin, whereof their change of place is afterwards a puniſhment. And how can any, but moſt impiouſly imagine, that he who is perfectly and abſolutely good, and goodneſs it ſelf, ſhould create evil? And if God doth righteouſly puniſh the ſin of Angels, then God did not create them ſinful; for how can God puniſh for the being of that which he himſelfe made to be? And it is by all the Learned exploded for impious Manicheiſm, to hold that any creature is evill by a neceſſity of nature. Its plainly expreſt, God ſaw all that he had made, and it was very good. Singula bona ſunt bonitate naturae ſuae, ſed omnia valde bona, quia bonitati ſingulorum accedit pulcherrimus ordo, quo cuncta ſibi invicem aptiſſimè congruunt. Eſt. in 2 ſent. Diſt. 1. §. 7. Tantae excellentiae in comparatione pecoris eſt homo, ut vitium hominis na tura ſit pecoris. Aug. de pec. Orig. c. 40.The creatures were good with a goodneſſe of nature, and very good, becauſe to the goodneſſe of every particular creature, there was an acceſſion of the goodneſſe of that order, whereby they did all harmoniou…ſute and agree with one another, for the making up the beauty of the whole. And whereas ſome object, that the Wolfe is by nature ravenous, and the Fox ſubtle and deceitfull, Therefore that angels may poſſibly be ſubtle and cruell by nature▪ its anſwered, That this is the dignity and excellency of intellectuall nature, either angelicall or humane, that what is the nature of beaſts, is a ſin in angels and man. To which may be added, that the forenamed qualities, of cruelty and ſubtilty in angels and man, would be againſt a law given to them; but this cannot be ſaid of thoſe beaſts which are not capable of a law.
Holineſſe then it was which at firſt God beſtowed upon the angels, and from this firſt eſtate of holineſſe they made a defection. An heinous offence! whither we conſider what this holineſſe was, beſtowed upon them; and when it was beſtowed. 1. It was a conformity to the originall pattern of purity and excellency. It was that by which they as much reſembled the great and glorious God, as creatures, yea the beſt of creatures could do. That whereby they who ſtood, are ſtill called the ſons of God, yea Gods. To caſt dirt upon, Job. 1.6. Gen 33.10.or to cut in pieces the picture of a King, is an heinous offence, but to trample upon, and ſpoil the image of God, is an infinitely more heinous indignity. We are wont to burn, or openly diſgrace, the pictures only of traitors, or eminent offenders; and we account that the diſhonour of the picture, is the diſhonour of the perſon; the image of God in man was very excellent, but it was far more excellent in an angel, who was a ſubject more capacious to receive it, and wherein it might more gloriouſly appear. But 2. When was this holineſſe beſtowed? it was beſtowed upon angels at their creation. It was given to their nature; it was their firſt eſtate: Theſe angels were, as it were, crowned in the cradle. God was a benefactor to them betimes. And what an impiety was …o trample upon ſo early a mercy? That land which comes to us by inheritance (with Naboth) we love to keep, though bequeath'd by an earthly father; yea a gift which is beſtowed upon us as ſoon as we are born, we love to keep all our days; but theſe angels threw away a gift even born with them, as old as their beings, conveyed by God himſelf.
2. The angels forſook alſo their own habitation y theſe words foreign, their own habitation, ſome underſtand thoſe heavenly places of happineſſe and glory, in this ſenſe, as if for their defection from their originall holineſſe, they were caſt out, and compell'd to depart from them: but becauſe the puniſhment of their fall is ſubjoyned in the ſecond part of the verſe, I conceive, with learned *Quidam illud accipiunt de domicilio coeleſti, ſenſu eo, quod ob crimen laeſae majeſtatis, priſtinum ſuum domicilium relinquere fuerint coacti; ſed quia de poena lapſus in verbis ſequentib. demum agitur, rectius acci pitur hoc modo, quòd cum primum fuerint in certa ſtatione collocati, tranſfugae facti illam deſeruerint. Gerhard. in 2 Pet. 2.4.Gerhard and others, that by their own habitation, we are rather here to underſtand that proper ſtation, and ſet office in heaven, wherein their great Lord and Maſter was pleaſed to fix them, for ſerving him. The Apoſtle comparing them to a company of fugitive ſouldiers, who leave their colours, and that ſtation in the army, where by their Commander they are placed. And this interpretation ſeems to bee much favoured by theſe words foreign, their owne, that place properly and peculiarly appointed, allotted, and ſet out for them by God: viz. to ſerve and honour him in; and this is the force of the word in other places of Scripture, when uſed either concerning perſons or places. God in the beginning, appointed ſeverall places for his creatures, wherein they were to perform their ſervices unto him; and (like a Maſter of a family who hath ſundry ſervants) diſtinct offices to all ſorts of creatures. Heaven was the place of angels, and the melodious praiſing of God in heaven, the work of angels: and poſſibly, in heaven thoſe glorious ſpirits might have their ſeverall parts peculiarly appointed to each of them, all of them together, making up the celeſtiall harmony; and becauſe there are ſundry titles of dignity given them in Scripture, it ſeems to follow, That there are ſundry ſorts of duties allotted to them; from which ſeverall duties (for in reſpect of their nature, angels are all alike) ſome are ſimply called angels, ſome archangels, ſome powers, ſome principalities; though what the particular differences between theſe are, and what the offices of theſe, I confeſſe (with *Quid inter ſe diſtant, dicant qui poſſunt: ſi tamen poſſunt probare quod dicunt, ego me iſta ignorare confiteor. Tom. 3. in Euchr. c. 29Auſtin) I underſtand not. I conceive its neither my duty to know, nor my danger to be ignorant of theſe things. The bold determinations of Aquinas, and other Schoolmen herein, are by the learnedſt and godlieſt Writers, rather noted, than liked. And this forſaking of their owne habitation, ſeems in a due and proper ſenſe to be ſubjoyned to the former expreſſion, of the falling of theſe angels from their originall holineſſe, and intended by the Apoſtle to be the effect thereof; as if, becauſe they kept not their naturall integrity, they therefore forſook their appointed duty and office, wherein God had ſet them: For (as *Natura angelorum quum non poſſet eſſe otioſa, non amplius inclinat et agit in iis quibus privata eſt, ſed in contrariis: Poſitâ privatione hac, effectiones ejus in iſto genere poni neceſſe eſt. Itaque optimè Chriſtus, privationi huic, foreign, impotentem incl nationem, foreign, actionem inclinationis iſtius attexuit, dicens, Verit as non eſt in eo & à principio homicida fuit. Jun. in Jud.Junius well notes) Theſe angels having deprived their nature of what good was in it before, ſince it could not be idle, it did not now incline to, and act in former, but contrary ways and imployments; for that privation being put, the effects thereof muſt needs follow accordingly in the ſame kind; as a man being blind, ſutable effects and operations will ſucceed. Hence it is that Chriſt, to this privation of holineſſe, and not abiding in the truth, moſt fitly annexeth the impotent inclination of the divell to ſin, in theſe words, There is no truth in him; and the action whereby he expreſſ'd that inclination, which was, in being a murderer. By reaſon of this defection then from his originall holineſſe, he became a lyar, an adverſary to God and all his, a tempter, a murderer, a ſpirit of uncleanneſſe, a ſlanderer, a divell. So that from the former privative action of forſaking his primitive integrity, as from a fountain, flowed a voluntary and unceſſant acting ſutable thereunto, and oppoſite to the duty which at the firſt God appointed him.
And now for the high nature of this offence of the angels, in leaving their own habitation, needs muſt it be anſwerable to the forementioned cauſe thereof, viz. The revolting from their originall integrity. Bitter was that ſtream which came from ſuch a fountain; how high a contempt of God was this? 1. To ſlight the place of his preſence, in which is fulneſſe of joy, and at whoſe right hand there are pleaſures for evermore; Pſal. 16. ult.If it be an heinous ſin not to attaine that preſence when we are without it; how unſufferable a provocation is it to deſpiſe it, when we have it? The preſence of God is heaven upon earth, and the heaven of heaven. The forſaking of this was the deſpiſing of all good at once, even of that which was able to ſatisfie all the deſires and capacities of all the creatures to the brim. Nay, the glorious perfections of God, ſatisfie God himſelfe; and if they can fil the ſea, how much more a little veſſel?
2. Heinous was the impiety of theſe angels in leaving their own habitation, as it was a forſaking of that office and ſtation wherein God had placed them. Job 1.6.1. They were the creatures, nay, the ſons of God: He made them, and therefore it was their duty to ſerve him; the homage of obedience was due to God for their very beings. He gave them thoſe hands which he imployed; he planted in them thoſe endowments of which he deſired the increaſe. 2. They were of the higheſt rank of all the creatures. If he expected work from the weakeſt worm, how much more might he do ſo from the ſtrongeſt angel? If God required the tax of obedience from the pooreſt, how much more due was it from thoſe richeſt, thoſe ableſt of creatures to pay it? And 3. As God had beſtowed upon them the beſt of all created beings and abilities, ſo had he laid out for them the happieſt, the honorableſt of all employments. All creatures were his ſubjects, but theſe his meniall ſervants: or, other creatures did the work without doors; theſe waited upon his perſon, by an immediate attendance. This employment was both work and wages. What was their work, but to behold the face of the King of glory, and to praiſe the glory of that King? and what other happineſſe is deſirable, imaginable!