Exposition of Jude, Exegesis of Jude · Verse 7 · Part 7
EXPLICATION.
Two things here for Explication.
1. What kind of example theſe Sodomites were ſet forth to be.
2. Why any example of this kind was thus ſet forth.
For the firſt; foreign five foreign oſtendo, Indico. Mar. 14.15. Joh. 2.18. foreign. Traduco palam. Oſtento. Col. 2.15. Significat aliquem per publicum caetum ſpectantium, ducere ſicut olim, Romani victores, hoſtes victos, manibus retro de vinctis, in conſpectum ho minum, ad perpetuam illorum ignominiam ducere ſolebant. Significat ſpectandum omnibus proponere. Vide Laurent. in 2 Pet. 2.The word example in the Greek is foreign, and it ſignifies not only that which is openly ſhewen, and pointed at, and exactly to be obſerved, as Matth. 8.4. Chriſt commanded the leper, whom he had cleanſed, to go and ſhew himſelfe to the Prieſt; ſo Mar. 1.44. Luk. 5.14. But alſo a ſhewing by way of expoſing to open infamy and diſgrace; and thus it is ſaid, that Chriſt having ſpoyled principalities and powers, foreign, made a ſhew of them openly, where the word ſignifies (ſaith Zanchy) a leading, a ſhewing them in the publick view of all ſpectators to their perpetuall infamy, as captives were wont to be led with their hands tyed behind them; the Compound word, foreign, ſignifying to ſet an offender before others as a publick ſpectacle of ſhame and infamy, for the warning of all the beholders; in which ſenſe this word foreign, is to be taken in this place, as alſo is that word foreign, uſed in that place 1 Pet. 2.6. (paralell'd with this of Jude) and tranſlated alſo Example, it alſo ſignifying the ſetting before the eye, or ſubjecting of ſomething to a mans view or ſight, not only for caution and warning (ſaith Gerhard) as in that place of Peter, but even for imitation alſo, as Joh. 13.15. Jam. 5.10. and ſometimes it ſignifieth a type or figure of ſomething, as Heb. 8.5.9.23.
Theſe puniſhed Sodomites, then, were ſet forth for an example, not of imitation, their courſes thus deſcribed and puniſhed, requiring rather our deteſtation; nor therefore, 2, Of Gods mercy and compaſſion, as Paul ſaith of himſelf, that in him Jeſus Chriſt ſhewed forth all long-ſuffering foreign, for a pattern and example to them who ſhould heafter beleeve.
But, 1. For an example, by way of pattern, type, and figure of thoſe who are tormented in hell with fire truly eternall, Ipſa verha foreign, vel legipoſſunt cum commate poſt vocem foreign ut fit ſenſus, propoſitae ſunt exemplo; vel cum commate poſt vocem foreign, propoſita ſunt exemplo ignis eterni: prior tamen lectio magis congrui… cum loco Petri, & communiter probatur inter pretibus. Laur. in 2 Pet. 2.in which reſpect (as I noted before) ſome read the text not with a Comma after the word foreign; example, as our Tranſlators, and moſt interpreters do, who read the words thus, are ſet forth for an example, ſuffering the vengeance, but with a Comma after the word fire, thus; are ſet forth for an example or figure of everlaſting fire, ſuffering vengeance; though when I conſider that paralell place in Peter, where it is ſaid, that they are made an example to thoſe that afterwards ſhould live ungodly: I conceive, we ſhould rather keep the ordinary reading, viz. are made an example, ſuffering, &c. It being nevertheleſſe plaine from what was ſaid before, that the fire wherewith the Sodomites were puniſhed, was a type of hell fire, and that the Sodomites are ſet forth as puniſhed with fire from Heaven, that they who afterward ſhould live ungodly might be cautioned and warned to ſhun that Eternall fire in hell, whereof the Sodomiticall fire was a type. And therefore,
2. And principally, theſe Sodomites were ſet forth as an example of caution, warning or admonition, that ſinners for time to come, might by their plague, take heed of their ſin. Noct. Attic. l. 6. c. 14.The Philoſophers of old (as Gellius ſaith) thought there were three cauſes of puniſhing offences. 1. That which is called foreign, when puniſhment was inflicted for the amendment of the party puniſhed for the time to come. The ſecond they call'd foreign, when any were puniſhed for the preſervation of the honour of him, againſt whom the offence was committed, leſt indulgence ſhould occaſion contempt of his dignity. The third they called foreign, when an offender was puniſhed for examples ſake, that ſo others might be deterred from the like practice; this was the end (here mentioned by Jude, and before by Peter) of the judgement of theſe Sodomites; God dealing with them as a Judge doth with ſome notorious murderer, whom he ſentenceth to hang in chains by the way ſide, to warn others by his ſuffering; or as a pilferer or cheator is ſet forth upon the pillory in ſome publick place of the City, with his crime written and pinned upon his breaſt. And that in this puniſhment of Sodom, Deut. 29.23.32.32, Iſai. 1.9.13.19. Jer. 23.14.49.48.50.40. Lam. 4.6. Ezek. 16.46, 48, 49. Hoſ. 11.8. Am. 4.11. Zeph. 2.9. Mat. 10.15.11.23, 34 Luk. 10.12.17.29. Rom. 9.29.God did intend a ſpeciall example of Caution, ſeems evident, becauſe no one judgment of God upon ſinners is ſo frequently in Scripture recall'd to the minds of ſinners, as this, repeated even above twenty times; as alſo becauſe God hath made the ſignes and effects of Sodoms overthrow, to continue to this very day, as Hiſtorians unanimouſly report, as if he intended the laying forth, or publick placing of this ſtanding monument of his wrath, before the eyes of men, as a warning to all the world. Nor are theſe examples of Caution ſtrange in Scripture. God ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh (ſaith God unto the Jews) where I ſet my name at the firſt, and ſee what I did to it, for the wickedneſſe of my people Iſrael. God commands, Deut. 13.10. that the entiſer to idolatry ſhould be put to death, to which he immediately ſubjoyns, ver. 11. the end thereof, and all Iſrael ſhall hear, and fear, and do no more ſuch wickedneſſe as this is among you. And the Apoſtle tels the Corinthians, that the deſtructions of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, hapned unto them for enſamples; and they are written (ſaith he) for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. And theſe things were our enſamples to the intent that we ſhould not luſt after evill things, 1 Cor. 10.6, 11as they alſo luſted; and he warneth the Hebrews to take heed of falling after the ſame example of unbelief; as likewiſe doth Chriſt his Diſciples, Heb. 4.11.by remembring Lots wife, Luk. 17.32.
For the ſecond; viz. Why the Lord would ſhew forth ſuch an example of Caution. Hereby he would ſhew,
1. Our naturall forwardneſſe to ſin in like manner. He who ſaith, Take heed of ſuch a practice, ſhews a likelihood (without care) of doing the very ſame. The naturall inclination of our hearts, anſwers to that of the greateſt ſinners, as face anſwers face in the glaſſe. Their practices are but expoſitions upon our natures: It is a Proverb [What fools ſpeak, wiſe men think] I am ſure 'tis a truth, To that which the worſt man acteth, the heart of the beſt man without grace, inclines. And though the godly are not companions with the wicked in ſin, yet ſhould they be humble, for the very ſinning of the wicked.
2. His conſtant abhorrence of ſin. Examples of Caution ſpeak both Gods hatred of the ſin of thoſe who went before, whoſe puniſhments are the monuments of his vengeance, as alſo his equall diſlike of it in thoſe who ſucceed, againſt whom (if they will ſin) he is prepared to do what he hath done againſt the former. Though Gods forbearance towards ſome, ſhews that ſometime he can ſpare ſinners; yet his puniſhing of others, ſhews that he never loves ſin.
3. The aptitude of examples for to prevent ſin. Greater is our forwardneſſe to be affected with what we ſee executed, then with what we hear denounced; My eye (ſaith the Prophet) affecteth mine heart. Examples either of imitation, or caution, work more on us then Doctrines. The rod hath a louder voice then the word; a mans word will not be ſo ſoon taken, as his hand and ſeal: God hath not only ſet ſeals to his promiſes, but to his threatnings alſo; and ſuch ſeals as are examples. Iſrael ſaw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians, and the people feared the Lord, and beleeved, &c Exod. 14.31. When thy judgements are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteouſneſſe, Iſai. 26.9. When a ſcorner is puniſhed (ſaith Solomon) the ſimple is made wiſe, Prov. 21.11. At the death of Ananias and Saphira, Act. 5.11. Luk. 16.30.great fear came upon all the Church: If one went from the dead (ſaid that tormented Glutton) they will repent.
4. His mercifull willingneſſe to prevent our ruine. The Lord gives us to ſee, that ſo we may not be examples; and lets us read the ſtories of others, that ſo we may not be ſtories to others: Such is the goodneſſe of God, that he had rather we ſhould be drove away from, then deſtroyed in ſin. Oft doth God recall to the minds of Iſrael the ſins and puniſhments of their forefathers, and his plagues upon the Egyptians. It had been as eaſie for God to have deſtroyed them with, as warned them by others, had not mercy p…aſed him. Quot vulnera, tot ora: Every wound of another, is a mouth that calls upon us to repent.
5. The inexcuſableneſſe of ſinning after the ſetting examples before us. Dan. 5.22.This was the great aggravation of Belſhazzers pride, that he humbled not his heart, though he knew the judgment which God had layed upon his father, for the very ſin of pride. Thus likewiſe the Prophet hightens the impiety of Judah, in that notwithſtanding Judah ſaw the idolatry which Iſrael had committed againſt God, and what judgements God had laid upon Iſrael, yet Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot alſo. How juſt is God in hitting thoſe, to whom he had ſaid before, Stand off. They who ſin againſt examples, ſin preſumptuouſly, and even to a contempt of all Gods attributes, his Immutability, Power, Righteouſneſſe, Long ſuffering, &c. They cannot ſin at ſo cheap a rate, as thoſe who never were warned. He who will ride into the depth of the river, notwithſtanding the ſtake, deſerves irrecoverably to be drowned. That thief offends obſtinately, who will rob in that place where his fellow hangs in chains.