Exposition of Jude 2, Biblical exegesis · Verse 11 · Observations 4
OBSERVATIONS.
1 The great miſery and diſgrace to be a ringleader in ſin. Corah is here only mentioned by Jude; Obſerv. 1.he was the great wheel of the Rebellion: 'Tis thought that he exaſperated Dathan and Abiram, by the pretence of their primogeniture before Moſes. It is too much to follow in wickedneſs; but to lead, it is inexcuſable, inſufferable. The Rebels that oppoſed Moſes and Aaron, are called Corahs company, Numb. 27.3. Num. 16.5, 6.and the Rebellion it ſelf, is called the matter of Corah, Numb. 16.49. He who was higher then the reſt in ſin, is principally braned in Scripture ſtory with perpetual infamy. Of this more in Balaams example.
2 Bad parents may have good children. Obſerv. 2.Jeroboam, Amon, Ahaz, and here Korah are pregnant proofs hereof. God is free in his gifts of Grace. He diſperſeth them where and to whom he pleaſeth. They who have nothing in themſelves or parents, to commend them to God, are received by him, to ſhew that the foundation of all Gods love, is in his own boſome, and that the priviledges of nature commend us not to him. God alſo wil hereby ſhew the excellency of Graces Original; that it is not by Generation, but Regeneration; not Native, but Donative; not by the firſt, but ſecond Birth. The bad parents of a godly child, proclaim that their child hath a Heavenly Father, and that good which they never beſtowed upon it; as the wicked child of godly parents proclaimes, that they who contributed a Natural, could not afford a Spiritual being. Yea further, hereby God will manifeſt the power of his Grace, which in a ſort gathers grapes of thornes, and figs of thiſtles, and can bring pure water thorow a filthy and polluted channel; and that the power and poyſon of natural and ſinful example cannot hinder the irreſiſtible ſtrength of his own ſpirit. How wiſely (laſtly) doth God hereby beat Satan, and batter his kingdom with his own weapons, and ſtrike him thorow, with arrowes taken out of his own quiver! How ſhould the conſideration hereof engage the godly children of godleſs parents, 1. To love, admire, and ſerve that God, who hath tranſplanted them out of Satans Nurſery into his own Orchard; who made white paper of dunghil rags! If Thomas ſaid, Lord, why wilt thou manifeſt thy ſelf to us, and not to the world? well may a Godly child ſay, Lord, why wilt thou manifeſt thy ſelf to me, and not to my father and mother? 2. To be humble in conſidering of the Rock out of which they were hewn, and the Fountain from which they flowed, and the poorneſs and impurity of their beginning, even when they are in the midſt of their higheſt proceedings in holineſs. To pity likewiſe, and to labour to do good by a Spiritual foreign (or natural affection Spiritualized) to the ſouls of their poor unregenerate parents, that they may ſtudy to requite them for being the cauſes of their natural being, Deo & parenti non redditur aquivalens.by procuring their parents Spiritual birth; and truely, no way but this can that Maxime be confuted, The child can never recompenſe the parent.
3 Great is our proneneſs to follow corrupt example. Obſerv. 3.Hundreds here run after one rebel. Of this before Part 1. pag. 572.
4 Corrupt Greatneſs is very influential upon, Obſerv. 4.and into Inferiors. Let but an eminent Corah go before, and the reſt will follow. Great men ſeldom ſin alone: witneſs Abſolom, Jeroboam, Simon Magus. Of this before, Part 1. prg. 573.
5. Ambition knowes no bounds. Obſerv. 5.An high condition ſeems but low to an high ſpirit. Corah was a Levite, and his priviledge and Dignity thereby was not ſmal; (Seemeth it a ſmall thing to you (ſaith Moſes) that the God of Iſrael hath ſeparated you from the Congregation of Iſrael, to bring you near to himſelf?) yet his ambition made it ſeem contemptible, becauſe he had not the Prieſthood alſo. Abſalom, though a Kings ſon, and his fathers beloved ſon, and newly taken into favour, yet becauſe he had not the Kingdome, could not be contented. Haman, though the greateſt Favourite of the greateſt Monarch in the world, yet becauſe he had not the obeyſance of poor Mordecai, accounted all his Preferments worth nothing. The greateſt Honors do but widen and enlarge the Ambitious mans deſires; they do but entice, not content a man. The Subjects whom Kings have advanced to higheſt Dignities, have ever been forwardeſt to oppoſe and depoſe thoſe who have exalted them, and all becauſe they have thought that they could never be high enough; witneſs the Conſpiracy of the Nobles, exalted to higheſt Engliſh Honours in the Raign of William the Firſt, and that famous example of the great Stanly, Vid. D … Hiſtory of William the I. p. 40 And Sr. Fran. Bacons of H. 7 No rewards can clear accounts with them that over value …hei… merits. Daniel ub. ſupr.in the Reign of Henry the Seventh, who though the greateſt Peer in the Realm, and laden with many Favours, and great Offices, yet was a man of that exorbitant and unbounded Ambition, that nothing would pleaſe him but a Preferment which uſed to go to the Kings Eldeſt Son. Though Peleon be layed upon Oſſa, and one Mountain of greatneſs upon another, yet will an ambitious mind look upon them all, as too low. Kingdom added to Kingdom, and (could it be ſo) world to world, would but be a drop to the belly of the Elephant, Ambition. The beſt way to ſatisfie the thirſt of one in a Feaver, is in ſtead of giving him drink, to cure his Diſtemper; and he who hath the Itch, ſhall more wiſely take away the inward cauſe there of, then think to allay it by ſcratching. Lets not think to ſatisfie our Luſts by making proviſion for them; its Chriſtian wiſdom, rather to ſtudy to kill, then content inordinate deſire; and more to bring our hearts to our condition, then our condition to our hearts. Let us look upon that ſtation of life wherein God hath ſet us, as the beſt for us. A garment which fits us, is better for us, though it be plain, then one which is gaudy and three or four handfuls too big. God beſt knowes how to order our Eſtates. Should we be our own carvers, we ſhould often cut our fingers. Let us alſo compare our Receipts with our deſerts *and our ſelvs with our inſeriors. Obſerv. 6. Naturae bonitas niſi pietate confirmetur, facile illabeſcit. Cart. Harm.; and though the former ſeem ſmall when they ſtand by themſelves, yet if we ſet them by the latter, they will appear of a large ſize, and a tall ſtature.
6. A meer man is firm and ſteady in no relation. Natural relations, unleſs back'd by grace, are very ſlippery and unſtable foundations of friendſhip. Corah, a wicked man, though a neer kinſman to Moſes, proves his greateſt Adverſary. Abels brother, Joſephs brethren, Davids ſon, could not be kept from Murder and Treachery by the bond of nature. It is not the alliance, but the renovation of nature, that can eſtabliſh friendſhip. eaſily break the bonds of nature, as Samſon did his cords, till his locks (his Luſts) be cut off.No natural man accounts his own brother that lay in the ſame womb with him ſo near to him, as the luſt that lodgeth in his heart. He provides friends moſt wiſely for himſelf, who either finds or makes them friends to God. An enemy to God, will not long be a friend to thee. Natural love oft ends in an unnatural hatred. A bad man will not conſcienciouſly be a good husband, ſon, brother. Grace doth not ſlay, but ſanctifie; not annihilate, but elevate nature; turns water into Wine, and Spiritualizeth carnal affection. How juſt with God is it, that he whom thou doſt not deſire to make Gods friend, ſhall prove thy foe! that thy child which is moſt cockered by thee in ſin, ſhould afterward prove the greateſt grief to thy heart! God ſuffering, to thy ſorrow, him to rebel againſt thee, whom thou haſt ſuffered and ſeen without ſorrow, to rebel againſt God.
7 Innocency is no ſhelter from oppoſition. Obſerv. 7.The goodneſs of no perſon nor cauſe can exempt either from hatred; No man meeker then Moſes, none better beloved then Aaron, none more beneficial to Iſrael then both; no cauſe more Righteous, then the holding a Government, to which they were appointed by God himſelf; yet neither the perſons nor their cauſe could be free from the conſpiracies and conteſtations of ſinners. Jeſus Chriſt himſelf endured their contradictions, Heb. 12.3.and gainſayings. Its no ſign of a good man, to have few oppoſers; nor of a good Cauſe, to have many abettors. He who is not oppoſed by the ſtream, goeth with it. The world will hate where God loves. So far is Holineſs from exempting the Godly from the ill will of ſinners, that it drawes it forth: Let other qualifications of Learning, ſweet nature, Birth, &c. never ſo much abound, yet Grace marrs the taſte of all theſe in a carnal palat. Antipathies can never be ſmothered, reconciled. The meekeſt Moſes, will he be a Moſes, ſhall be gainſayed, notwithſtanding his meekneſs. The wicked riſe up againſt the Faithful, not for doing any evil againſt, but for not doing evil with them. If in our keeping cloſe to God we meet with unkindneſs from the wicked, let us not wonder; if with love, let us be thankful; but yet withal, ſuſpicious of our ſelves that we do, or at leaſt cautelous that we may not ſinfully correſpond with them.
8. Inſtruments of publick good, Obſerv. 8.often meet with unkind requitals. Moſes and Aaron, Iſraels deliverers and defenders, were gainſayd by an unthankful people. Iſrael owed to theſe ſaithful Governors (under God) their proviſion, peace, and protection; but for this, the tribute which they paid was Conſpiracy and Rebellion. Nothing is ſo eaſily forgotten as the benefits we enjoy by Governors. The lighteſt injuries are eaſily remembred, and are like feathers, that ſwim on the top of the water: weighty favours, like a piece of lead, ſink to the bottom, and are forgotten. Gideon had been a famous Deliverer of Iſrael; Judg. 9.5.but the benefits which that unthankful people enjoyed by him, are ſo neglected that they ſlew his ſons. 2 Chro. 24.21, 22Though Jehoiada was the renowned Reſtorer of Iſraels Government and Peace, yet was his ſon deſtroyed by them, who (next to God) owed all that was dear to them to his Faithfulneſs and Wiſdom. Its a Kingly honour, to meet with unthankful returnes from thoſe to whom we do much good. The mothers breſt, gives milk to the froward Infant that ſtrikes it. God would have all, eſpecially Publick Officers, in all the good they do, to eye his Glory and command, and not the applauſe of men. No oppoſition muſt diſcourage us in the Faithful diſcharging of our places, nor chaſe us from the ſtation wherein God hath ſet us.
9 Excellency and Superiority are the marks of Envy. Obſerv. 9. Invidemus inferiori, ne nobis aequetur; pari, quia nobis aequatu…; ſuperiori quia ei nou ae quamur.Though Moſes and Aaron cannot be oppoſed for their ſin, yet they may be envyed for their Power. As Equals are envyed becauſe they are ſuch, and Inferiors leſt they ſhould be our Equals; ſo principally Superiors, becauſe we are not equal to them. Joſeph was envyed, becauſe he was higher then his brethren, in his fathers favour, Nullae neceſſitudinis jura tam ſancta et inviola…a quae ſu… invidiae ſtimulos non pariuntur; praeſcrtim cum quis inter cognatos ad impertum promovetur. Mendez. in 1 Sam. 10.16 Paterna largitatis memor non eſt. qui eſt fraternae immemor charitatis: haedum ſibi datum negat, qui tantam ſubſtantiam accepit. Chryſol. Ser 4. Senior dicitur eò quòd cito aliquis per invidiam conſeneſ…t. Ambr. in Luc. Haec eſt invidentium natura, ut malin… propria mala pati, quam aliena bona intueri. Mend in 1 Sam. 5. Quanto ille qui invidetur, ſucceſſu meliore profecerit, tanto invidus in majus incendium, livoris ignibus inardeſcit. Cypr. lib. de Zel. & Liv. Non illos malos faciendo, ſed iſtis bona quibus mali facillimè poſſunt invidere. largiendo, inciteſſe dicitur ad odium. Auguſt. in loc.and dreamed that he ſhould be higher then they, in his worldly condition; the Iſraelites likewiſe were envied, becauſe they increaſed more then Egyptians; David by Saul, becauſe the women aſcribed more thouſands to him then to Saul: Moſes by Miriam and Aaron, becauſe by God advanced above them; and here Moſes and Aaron by Corah and his Complices, becauſe of their Superiority. The object of hatred, is oft the ſin of others; but of envy, alway the Excellency of others, either real or ſeeming, of body, mind, eſtate, fame, &c. the cauſe thereof being pride, or an inordinate ſelf-love; the Envious ever deeming his own Excellency by anothers happineſs, to be diminiſh'd and obſcured. Thus the elder brother, Luke 25. deemed himſelf wronged by the love which his father ſhewed to the younger, and by reaſon of Envy againſt his brothers, he forgets his fathers bounty to himſelf; and he who had received all his fathers inheritance, denyes that ever his father had given him a kid. Of all ſinners, the Envious is moſt his own ſcourge and torment. He had rather ſuffer miſery, then ſee others in proſperity: as ſome have noted of the Philiſtims, who could hardly be brought by the ſmart of their own diſtreſſes to ſend the Ark back to Iſrael. Pſal. 105.25. its ſaid, that God turned the heart of the Egyptians to hate his people: But (as Auguſtin well notes, not by making the heart of the Egyptians evil, but the Eſtate of the Iſraelites proſperous. What a moth to the ſoul (ſaith Cyprian) is Envy, Qualis eſt animi tinea, in malum proprium bona aliena convertere, aliorum gloriam facere ſuam poeham & velut quoſdam pectori ſuo admo ere carnifices, &c. Cypr. de zel & liv.to turn anothers good into our own hurt; to make anothers glory, our own puniſhment! The meditation of this curſed diſtemper of the Envious, may provoke us to contentation in a low condition. They are high Towers, upon which the lightnings of Envy falls. It… oftentimes a mercy to be in miſery. How many righteous and well-deſerving perſons, have been made faulty and guilty, only for their being wealthy and honourable! How abundantly doth the ſweet ſafety of a retired life, recompence for all that obſcurity which ſeems to debaſe it! How oft have I known thoſe who have lived in envyed honour, to envy thoſe who have lived in ſafe obſcurity!
10 Heretical Seducers, Obſerv. 10.are commonly turbulent and ſeditious. They here followed Corah in his oppoſing of Authority. They who deny the only Lord God (as theſe Seducers did) will make nothing of deſpiſing Dominion. They who oppoſe Gods Dominion, will never regard mans. Impious men, will not be obedient Subjects. The order of obedience preſcribed by the Apoſtle 1 Pet. 2.17. is firſt to fear God, Prov. 24.21. Cunctus totius orbis clerus imperio Magiſtratus Civilis ex. emptus. L. 2. decret. Tit. 2. Imperator quod habet, totum habetà nobis in poteſtate noſtra eſt, ut demu… imperium cui volumus. Hadrian. in epiſt. ad Archiep. Treu. Mogunt. & Colon.and then to honour the King. My ſon (ſaith Solomon) fear thou the Lord and the King. The Romiſh off ſpring of Antichriſt, who throw off, and deprave the Law of God, will not ſubmit to Civil Authority. They openly teach, that the Clergy is exempted from the power of the Magiſtrate. So long as the Arch Heretick the Pope lives, Corah and theſe Seducers will never dye. In one Pope are many Corahs, Seducers, Rebels, Libertines. He uſurps a Dominion over all the Princes in the world: he makes himſelf the Sun, and from him as the fountain of light he pretends that all Civil Governors, (as the Moon) borrow their light; to himſelf he ſaith, is given all power in heaven and in earth; and as profanely, he applies that paſſage (Pſal. 72.8) He ſhall have Dominion from Sea to Sea, and from the River unto the ends of the earth. And that of Prov. 8 15. By me Kings reign. And when he ſpeaks concerning the diſtribution of Empires and Kingdoms, he imitates his Father in theſe words, They are delivered to me, and to whomſoever I will, I give them. It would be endleſs (and in ſome reſpect, needleſs, as having toucht upon this ſad Subject before) to relate the many bloody machinations, and murtherous enterpriſes of the Popes cut-throats and Emiſſaries againſt the perſons of Chriſtian Princes. Under the wing of this whore of Babylon, in the neſt of the Popes chair, Pag. 179, 180, 181.having been hacht thoſe ſtabbings, poyſonings, powder plots, and which is worſe, the defence of all theſe, by his Janizaries, (the Jeſuits) in their writings (in blood) which have fill'd the ears and hearts of true Chriſtians, with horror and amazement. Nor would it be unſutable to the preſent Subject, to mention the ſeditious turbulency of the Heretical crew of Anabaptiſts of late years, who to all their other erroneous Tenets, adde this, that before the day of Judgment, Chriſt ſhould have a worldly kingdome erected, where the Saints onelyonly, were to have dominion, and Magiſtracy was to be rooted out; and with what an inundation of blood, theſe idle, (and at firſt) neglected dreams and opinions have filled Europe, the Hiſtories of the laſt age have related to us, and the Lord grant, that we who have read, and not been warned by them, may never our ſelves become an Hiſtory to the age which ſhall come after us. I ſay no more. Of this more, page 638. Part 1.
11. Its a ſin for thoſe who are uncalled, Obſerv. 11.to thruſt themſelves into the office of the Miniſtry. Hudſon 137.Corahs ſin was his endeavour to invade the Prieſthood; Seek ye the Prieſthood alſo? ſaith Moſes to him, (Numb. 16.10.) And becauſe all the Lords people were holy, (as Corah alledgeth. verſ. 3.) therefore he pretends that others had as much right to diſcharge the office and function of Aaron, as Aaron himſelf had; and that ſince the people had an holineſs by vocation to grace, (whereby the Iſraelites were diſtinguiſht from other Nations) there needed no holineſs of ſpecial conſecration, to diſtinguiſh the Prieſt from other Iſraelites. Now that this ſin of Corah, which was an invaſion of the Prieſts office, may ſtill be committed in the times of the New Teſtament, is clear, becauſe the Apoſtle reproves it in theſe ſeducers: And that it can be no other way committed, in the times of the Goſpel, but by intruſion of uncalled perſons into the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, is (ſay *See Mr. Ly fords judicious Diſcourſe.ſome) as plain, becauſe there is no other office which theſe Seducers could invade, anſwering to that of the Legall Prieſthood, but this office of the Evangelical Miniſtry. From all which it will unavoidably follow, that they who ſhall enter into the office, of the Miniſtry, onelyonly upon the pretence of inward abilities, without receiving a Commiſſion and authority from God, and a particular ſeparation to that office, are guilty of ſin againſt God, and that no light and ſlight one, Corahs ſin. The receiving then of a power by way of authority, external miſſion, and commiſſion, from thoſe whom God hath appointed to confer it, Verbum quod proximis privati annunciant, authoritate ſpecialis officii, non conſtringit auditores ad obedientiam, ſed virtute objecti ſeu materiae, quae verbo iſto continetur. Apol. de min. Ec. 1 Theſ. 4.18.5.14. Heb. 3.13. 1 Pet. 3.1.is requiſite for thoſe who will enter upon the Miniſterial function; which no man may undertake, but by power lawfully thus conferred. That private Chriſtians in a way of Chriſtian charity, may, yea ought to confer with one another, by way of information, admonition, conſolation, &c. and ſo communicate their gifts for their mutual edification, 'tis not denied or envied, but granted, yea earneſtly deſired; Its yeelded alſo, that in ſome caſes of urgent neceſſity befalling the Church, when tis as yet not fully planted, formed, or when 'tis ſcattered and diſperſt by perſecution, and ſo hindred from that ordinary and orderly courſe of miniſtration, which it enjoys in times of peace and ſetledneſs, private Chriſtians may publikely inſtruct others: yet this cannot be alledged againſt the courſe, which the Scripture hath eſtabliſht for ſending forth of Miniſters, Rom. 10.15. Heb. 5.4, 2 Tim. 1 6. 1 Tim. 4.14. 1 Tim. 5.225. Acts 13.1, 2. and 14.22, 23. Tit. 1.5. 2 Tim. 2.2. As neither were the great eminency and commonneſs of gifts, in the Church of Chriſt, in the times of the Apoſtles, which were beſtowed upon many who were not ordaind and ſet apart for the Miniſtry, any hindrances from the conferring of Miniſterial power on them, by ſetting them apart for the Miniſterial employment. Timothy was a man of much holineſs, and of excellent parts, and yet theſe hindred not his after ſeparation to his holy function by the Presbytery. The command of the Apoſtle, 1 Tim. 5.22.that Timothy ſhould lay hands ſuddenly on no man, clearly argues, that they on whom he did lay hands, were before to be men gifted with internal qualifications, (for the tryall whereof, Timothy was forbidden to be too ſudden in ordaining.) And moſt clear is that of 2 Tim. 2.2. where for a ſucceſſion of teachers, Timothy is commanded to commit the things which he had heard of Paul to faithful men, able to teach others: whereby its evident, that they were to be able and faithful, before Timothy committed thoſe things to them. There is not onelyonly a meetneſs for, but an inauguration into, the office of the Miniſtry, required of thoſe who are to enter into it; and gifts are not ſufficient to make Miniſters, without the ordinary call and Miſſion, ſetled in the Church by Chriſt. Every Iſraelite, or Levite, able to offer Incenſe was not admitted to offer; none but the Sons of Aaron, who were particularly ſet apart thereto, had that honour; nor can any under the times of the Goſpel, who hath never ſo much inward furniture of gifts, be a right Miniſter or Officer from Chriſt, where there is not a right Commiſſion, and Patent given in his Name by due Ordination. As it is Treaſon for the ableſt Stateſman, or Lawyer, to undertake the office of an Embaſſadour or Judg, before he be made ſuch, by thoſe, who only can confer that power, ſo its an inſufferable affront offered to Jeſus Chriſt, for any to pretnd the doing of that in his Name, which is done without his declared will and conſent. Of this more, page 10, 11. Part. 1.
12. How ready are men to be weary of enjoying thoſe things, Obſerv. 12.which they did moſt impatiently deſire when they wanted them! What would not theſe Rebels have given for a Moſes and an Aaron, to deliver them out of their Egyptian bondage! how welcome were the firſt tidings of Gods appointing them to be the inſtruments of ſo great a mercy! And yet now they have a while enjoyed them, and taſted the benefit of their government, how weary were they of both, and therein of their own happineſs! The people who with paſſionate, and ſinful earneſtneſs cryed out for a King, after the manner of other Nations; ſo ſoon as God had gratified their deſires therein were (a great part of them) weary of what they ſo ardently wiſhed, deſpiſed their King, brought him no preſents, and muttered their unthankful diſcontentedneſs in theſe words, Plerun que acci dit hominibus, ut non habita deſiderent, habita deteſtentur, A bulenſ. q. 24.How ſhall this man ſave us? 1 Sam. 10.27 And long before that the ſame people who would have been glad of the courſeſt pulſe in a ſtarving Wilderneſs, murmured becauſe they had no better commons then bread from heaven, Angels food; herein in a ſort reſembling David, whoſe ſoul longed for the water of Bethlehem, and yet when his three Worthies, with the endangering of their lives, had brought of that water to him, he poured it out on the earth and would not drink thereof, 2 Sam. 23.15, 16, 17. How righteous is God in denying us many a comfort, notwithſtanding our earneſt and impetuous craving thereof he knowing that when he gives it us, we ſhall either unthankfully deſpiſe it, or rather prophanely abuſe it! How willingly ſhould we juſtifie God in all his deferrings, and denyals of creature-enjoyments! for though we think that the want of them, will undo us, yet he knows that the having of them, would both hurt us, and diſhonour him.
13.Obſerv. 13. God oppoſeth the oppoſers of lawfull authority. They are enemies more to themſelves, then to thoſe to whom they are enemies; Quid ſi princeps jubeat quod non debes facere? Contemne poteſtatem, ti…endo poteſtatem Si aliquid …uſſerit curator, nonne faciendum eſt, ita quidem; tamen ſi contra▪ Proconſulem juſſcrit, non utique contemnis poteſtatem, ſed m…jori ſervire eligis: …urſum ſi aliquid proconſul jubeat & aliud jubeat Imperator, nunquid dubitatur i…o contempto, iſti ſerviendum; Ergo ſi aliud Imperator, aliud Deus quid judicat? &c. Aug. de verb. D…m Se…m. 6. Nequaquam mores illorum conſectari velis, qui ordinem iſtum invertunt, & regi primum, deinde Deo deferendum eſſe honorem exiſtimant. Salaz in Prov. 24.they periſh in their gainſayings with this Corah. An evil man ſeeketh onelyonly rebellion, therefore a cruel meſſenger ſhall be ſent againſt him. Prov. 24.2…. My ſon, (ſaith Solomon) Fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with them that are given to change, for their calamity ſhall ariſe ſuddenly, and who knoweth the ruine of them both? Some interpret this place of Solomon to be a command, that fear and obedience ſhould be yeelded to the King in a way of ſubordination and ſubjection to God; as if Solomon had ſaid, Be ſure thou fear God in the firſt place, and the King onelyonly in the ſecond; ſo that when the commands of God and the King, ſeem to croſs one another, let God rather be obeyed then the King; q. d. Fear and obey the King in the Lord. And the next words: Meddle not with them who are given to change, they underſtand of the changing of that order of obeying God in the firſt place; q. d. meddle not with them that would change, or invert that order, here injoyned by God; and would perſwade thee to obey the King in the firſt pla…e, and God after him. A very pi…us, but I queſtion whether a proper Interpretation. Others therefore better underſtand this rule of Solomon, of obedience to Kings for God, q. d. ſhew thy fearing of God, by fearing the King; thy fearing of G…d, ſhould put thee upon fearing the King, who is the Miniſter of God, and in his ſtead. By thoſe words [which are given to change.] I conceive we are to underſtand a brief Character of thoſe that are ſeditious, who out of a deſire of alterations and change in Political government, ſhake off their due and former obedience to the Magiſtrate. He adds, Their calamity ſhall ariſe ſuddenly, that is, their conſpiracies, and machinations ſhall ſpeedily and unexpectedly be diſcovered, and God and the King will both ſet themſelves with their power againſt him. And laſtly, for thoſe words, [Who knoweth the ruine of them both? Some undeſtand this [of them both] to be meant of God and the King: as if Solomon had ſaid. Who knoweth what that ruin or perdition is, which both God and the King will bring upon the Rebellious? taking ruin here actively, of God and the Kings ruining them. Others better, by the ruine of them both, underſtand, the ruine which ſhall befal both the party given to change, and him who ſhall meddle with him; that is, ſhall be (though) but a partaker, or acceſſory, or drawn in to joyn with him. A Scripture, the Explication whereof, I have the more willingly toucht upon, becauſe it is ſo clear a Comment upon the preſent Inſtruction.
It hath been obſerved by ſome (as I have noted upon the eighth verſe, in the foregoing Part) That the calamity of no ſinners ordinarily ariſeth ſo ſuddenly, unavoidably, and certainly, as that of the Seditious. We rarely, if at all, meet with any in Scripture who oppoſed Authority, but have been puniſhed eminently in this life (to the obſervation of others:) and ſcarce do we read of any Seditious perſon, who was not taken away by a violent death; witneſs the Examples of Corah and his complices, Abſalom, Shebah, Joah, Adonijah, Zimri, Baaſha, Athaliah. And its obſervable, that of theſe Seducers, Jude here ſaith, that they periſh'd, to note the ſpeedineſs, certainty, and irrecoverableneſs of their deſtruction. I need not mention the numerous examples of Gods ſeverity againſt Seditious perſons, recorded in our own Hiſtories. They who have read of Becket, Montford, Mortimer, the Piercies, Tyler, Warbeck, Wyat, the Gun-powder-Traytors, Squire, Lopez, Campian, &c. will eaſily acknowledg the ſeverity of God againſt the Tribe of Traytors. Nor ſeems there to be ſo much wrath put forth by God againſt them, without extraordinary cauſe. Oppoſing of Lawful Authority, being both an open affronting and reſiſting the Ordinance of God, and a pulling down and demoliſhing his very image and repreſentation in the world; (an indignity unſufferable, were it only offered to men) as alſo a croſſing of that merciful proviſion of God, whereby he will have humane Society, and thereby his Church upheld and propagated in the world, Treaſons and Seditions being the pulling down of the pillars and the plucking up the foundations (as it were) of the worlds Edifice: In a word, How juſt is it with God, that they ſhould reſtrain others from ſin unwillingly, by being made examples, who will take away thoſe who ſhould reſtrain others from ſin willingly, by their place and Office! and that they ſhould be made marks of Vengeance, who will attempt the removing of the ancient Land-marks, ſet by God for Order and Propriety in Nations! How the conſideration hereof ſhould make us thankful to God our Supreme Protector, and ſhew us how deeply God is offended with a people, when their alterations, Conſpiracies, and Kingdome-quakes are frequent: and engage Magiſtrates in duty and allegiance to God, who receive ſo much protection from God: as alſo (laſtly) make us loath and leave thoſe Luſts which are greateſt enemies to Government, I have in ſundry Obſervations, mentioned in my former Part, pag. 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, &c.
14. How merciful is God even in judgment! Obſerv. 14.God ſpared Korahs Poſterity, when the father was deſtroyed. God in his ſeverity will be loved, and in his indulgence feared. He mixed his ſmarteſt diſpenſations with ſweetneſs: Mercy it was, that Corahs Poſterity ſhould be preſerved from death: more, that God ſhould make ſo holy an off-ſpring to come of ſo unholy a parent; moſt of all, that one who had been rebellious againſt God, ſhould have a ſeed ſo eminently ſerviceable to God. In the deſtructions of the parents in the Wilderneſs, he ſpared the children. He cut off ſome luxuriant branches, but did not cut downe the tree. God layes up Mannah with the rod: He ever ſhewes that mercy pleaſeth him, though ſometimes he be put upon judgement. How ſhould this goodneſſe of God teach us both thankfulneſs and imitation! Thankfulneſs in his ſevereſt diſpenſations; we may in the midſt of them ſay, He hath not dealt with us after our ſins: Even in our greateſt Rebellions we may ſee him indulgently, and undeſervedly ſparing us, or ours. If he have ſuffered our forefathers to be covered with the darkneſs of Superſtition and ignorance, he hath dealt more graciouſly with us, their Poſterity, who live to praiſe him, like Corahs children, for that goodneſs which we no more deſerved then our forefathers did. If the fire of his diſpleaſure burn againſt us, who knowes but our children may live to have better hearts, and to ſee better times, and to be the more humble and holy ſeed of Rebellious parents! Hence we learn imitation likewiſe; when we are employed in works of greateſt ſeverity, we ſhould not throw off tender-heartedneſs. We ſhould remember that gentleneſs becomes us in puniſhing the worſt, who hath ever ſomething to draw out our pity; and to be ſure, leſs to draw out our ſeverity to them, then we had to deſerve Gods toward us.
VER. 12.
Theſe are ſpots in your Feaſts of Charity, when they feaſt with you, feeding themſelves without fear; clouds they are without water, carryed about of winds; trees whoſe fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots.
THe Apoſtle having amplified the ſin and miſery of theſe Seducers, from ſundry Examples, Hanc concluſionem, duobus comparationis gener ibus exornat, unum eſt in exemplis rerum ante geſtarum poſitum: alterum in exemplis elegantiſſimis rerum naturalium Exempla 1. Hiſtorica. 2. Phyſica. Jun. in loc.now further illuſtrates the ſame by ſundry apt and elegant compariſons, in this and the following verſe. Three of theſe ſimilitudes (whereby he deſcribes their eſtate) are ſet down in this verſe, and two in the next, in both five.
In this verſe, they are compared,
1. To ſpots; Theſe are ſpots, &c.
2 To clouds without water, carryed, &c.
3 To decayed trees; Trees whoſe fruit withereth.
1. To ſpots; in theſe words, Theſe are ſpots in your feaſts of Charity, when they feaſt with you, feeding themſelves without fear.