Commentary on Jude, Biblical commentary · Verse 20
Verſe 20.
But ye beloved build up your ſelves in your moſt holy Faith, praying in the Holy Ghoſt.
HEre the Apoſtle cometh to exhort, as all along, with the deſcription of Seducers he intermingleth exhortation, the ſumme of the exhortation is to quicken them to the uſe of the means of perſeverance and conſtancy. [Build up your ſelves, foreign] the word ſignifieth the going on with a building already begun, and fitly noteth that care they ſhould take for the growth of their ſpiritual eſtate [your ſelves, foreign] Some tranſl…t… i…vicem, build up one another, that I confeſs is the Apoſtles▪ …nte…, but firſt to preſs them to a care of their own Salvation, and then mutually to care for one another▪ See 1 Theſ. 5. 11. Comfort your ſelves together and edifie one another, as ye alſo do, and poſſibly this is ſpoken here by way of oppoſition to thoſe that ſeparate themſelves [in your moſt holy Faith] By faith may be meant either the grate of ſaith of the doctrine of faith. I rather ſuppoſe the latter, that true and pure Religion which they had learned from the Apoſtles, which was the foundation already laid▪ unto which they ſhould keep cloſe: If it be meant of …aith the grace, the… he perſwadeth them to progreſs and to lay hold on the ſuperſtructure of good works and final perſeverance. Matth. 7. 24. This faith is called [moſt holy] in oppoſition to the profane myſteries of the Gnoſticks and Valentinians▪ 'tis an holy rule, and maketh us holy, John 17. 17. Sanctifie them by thy truth, thy word … truth. [praying in the Holy Ghoſt] foreign may be …nder…d, …, with, or by the Holy Ghoſt, that is, by hi… motion and inſpiration▪ and gifts and graces received from him; elſewhere the Holy Ghoſt is ſaid to pray in us. Rom 8. 26. and here we pray in the Holy Ghoſt, he prayeth in us ſo as we pray in him, he prayeth in us to note the excitations of his grace, we pray in him to imply the concurrence of our faculties, which is to be noted againſt the Famuliſts who make the Spirit to be the immediate formal cauſe of all our actions, as if in the productions of grace the Spirit did only make uſe of us as Bilhah did of Rachel, to bring forth upon her knees, Gen. 30. 3. and the action were wholly his own.
The Notes are theſe.
1. 'Tis not ſufficient to be eſtabliſhed or grounded in the Obſervat. 1.faith, but we muſt daily increaſe and grow more and more therein; when the foundation is laid the building muſt go on piece by piece, they that are contented with a little faith have no faith, graces though imperfect are alwayes growing, Luk. 17. 5. 'tis the holy ambition of Chriſtians to be more like God every day, certainly their temper is contrary to the temper of Gods people, that think they have learned enough, know enough, are holy enough, none are ſo knowing but they may know more, ſo eſtabliſhed but they may be more; here we are in a ſtate of progreſs not of reſt and perfection, the Corn in the field groweth though in the Barn it doth not, Eph. 21. 12. 13. Phil. 3. 13. A Chriſtian is alwayes reaching forth and preſſing onward, and the nearer he cometh to Heaven, his motions and tendencies arethe more earneſt, as a ſtone moveth faſter the nearer it cometh to the Center; the more he enjoyeth ſtill he hath new motives to ſeek more, Pro. 1. 5. A wiſe man will hear and will increaſe learning; a good man would go to Heaven as faſt as he can, not make an hard ſhift but enter abundantly, 2 Pet. 1. 11.
2. To grow in faith is a means to perſevere in faith, manObſervat. 2. is of an active nature, either he groweth better or worſe, we ſhall not keep what we have received if we do not labour to increaſe in it, as an houſe begun to be built goeth to decay, and droppeth down more and more if we do not go on to finiſh it; do we grow then or decline? Did we obſerve our firſt coolings, the miſchief would not be ſo great, but we like the Hen, as long as there is one egg in the neſt obſerve not how many are taken away, as long as we have any tolerable affections to the things of God, or ſomewhat to keep us alive we do not conſider how many degrees of grace we have loſt.
Faith (take it for the grace) is the proper foundation of holineſs and good works. Works without faith are but a roof without a foundation, and faith without works is a foundation without a building, good fruit ſuppoſeth a good tree, Math. 7.
The faith of Christians is a moſt holy faith, no doctrine hath ſuch pure precepts, ſuch high examples, ſuch raiſed motives, ſuch miſterious inforcements, ſuch bleſſed rewards, and all to encourage holineſs; if ever any thing were exactly fitted to its purpoſe, ſurely the word is fitted to promote holineſs, the percepts of the Law require it, the doctrine of the Goſpel ſheweth where vertue and power is to be had to perform it, the promiſes incourage it, the examples of God and Chriſt ſhew the height and exactneſs of it, the examples of the Saints ſhew 'tis poſſible, the word and ordinances work it, as being inſtituted by God for ſuch a purpoſe, and accompanied with the power of his grace. Eph. 5. 26. God hath reſerved this honour of ſanctifying the heart to the doctrine of the Scriptures, to evidence their divine original, James 1. 18. He hath begotten us to himſelf by the word of truth, this great change which is wrought in the heart of man, is by the word, a moral Lecture may a little faſhion the outward man, and reduce him to a civil courſe, as Xenocrates his moral Lecture made Polamo leave his vitious and ſenſual courſe of life, but regeneration is only found in the School of Chriſt: Well then, it you will know the beſt Religion obſerve where is there moſt holineſs diſcovered and wrought, Pſal. 19. 7, 8▪ 9. John 17. 17. In the word of God you have the copy of his holineſs, there is ſomewhat of good life and moral behaviour among Heathens, but nothing of regeneration and genuine holineſs. Once more, an impure life will not ſuite with an holy faith, you diſhonour God and diſparage your religion when you walk as Heathens: This holy faith is beſt kept in a pure conſcience, 2 Tim. 3. 9.
From that [building up your ſelves] In building up that Obſervat. 5.is in growth and perſevereance, there is a concurrence of our own endeavours; we are living ſtones, 1 Pet. 2▪ 4. after we are converted, and are not altogether dead and paſſive, as in converſion; after we have received Chriſt we may walk with him, Col. 2. 6▪ motion and opperation followeth life, he that made thee without thee will not ſave thee without thee.
From the other interpretation of the word [your ſelves]Obſervat. 6. that is, one another; Obſerve that Mutual conference is a means of perſeverance, Solomon ſaith, Eccleſ. 4. 10. When two lye together they have heat; ſurely good company preſerveth and keepeth up our warmth and vigor▪ as a remedy againſt Apoſtacy▪ ſpiritual communion and conference is often preſſed, ſee Hebr. 3. 13. and Hebr. 10. 24, 25. When Gods people did oftner meet and confer together, there was more life in them.
Next to conference, prayer is required; note thence,Obſervat. 7. That prayer is a means of eſtabliſhment; We are kept by Gods Power, and Gods Power is ſet a work by prayer, this is the breath that keepeth in the fire; men that neglect prayer, finde ſenſible decays, when they ſuſpected ſome diſtemper upon Jobs ſpirit, they charge him with the neglect of prayer, Job 15. 4. ſurely thou reſtraineſt prayer, no wonder if men grow unſavory, worldly, voluptuous, when they let days go, and weeks go, and God never heareth from them.
8. Then we pray aright, when we pray in the holyObſervat. 8. Ghoſt; this concurrence is, neceſſary both with reſpect to acceptance and aſſiſtance.
1. With reſpect to acceptance, God will own nothing in prayer, but what cometh from his ſpirit, any other voice is ſtrange and barbarous to him, Rom. 8. 27. He knoweth the mind of the ſpirit, becauſe he maketh interceſſion for the Saints according to the will of God, the Lord delighteth no… in the flaunting of pates, and the unſavory belch… and eructations of an humane Spirit, the tun…able cadency of words is bu…an empty ring in Gods ears, the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Pſal. 19▪ 2. Let my pray…r be ſet forth before thee as …ncenſe: Now the Cenſers were to be kindled with holy fire before the ſmoak went up, the coal wherewith we are kindled muſt be taken from the Altar not from a common hearth, and then our prayer goeth up as incenſe: Gods courſe is to prepare the heart, and then to grant the requeſt, Pſal. 10. 17. Thou w…lt prepare their hearts and cauſe thine ear to hear, ſurely Gods ear will be opened if our hearts be opened, when he himſelf ſets us a work we need not doubt of audience; fire from Heaven to conſume the ſacrifice was the ſolemn token of acceptance heretofore, fire from Heaven is the token ſtill, even an holy ardor wrought in us by the Spirit.
2. In point of aſſiſtance prayer is a work too hard for us, we can …abble of our ſelves, but we cannot pray without the Holy Ghoſt, we can put words into prayer, but 'tis he Spirit puts affections, without which 'tis but a little cold prattle and ſpiritleſs talk, our neceſſities may ſharpen our prayers, but they cannot enliven our prayers, a carhal man may feel the impulſions of a natural fervency, and ſo cry unto God as the young Ravens cry unto him, and in all creatures there is a deſire of relief, the …ude Mariners in the tempeſt were very earneſt, Jonah 1. 6. but now gracious affection is quite another thing than this natural fervency; there may be cold and raw wiſhes after grace, but not ſerious volitions and ſpiritual deſires, theſe we muſt have from the Holy Ghoſt▪ ſurely if we did conſider what prayer is, we ſhould ſee the need of this aſſiſtance, 'tis a work which will coſt us travel of heart, Acts 1. 14. foreign and James 5. 16. foreign, 'tis expreſſed by ſtriving, Rom. 15. 30. Strive with me in prayers, and Col. 4. 12. Labouring for you …ervently in prayers, &c. foreign, 'tis a ſtriving with God himſelf, and then there is no ſetting upon God but by his own ſtrength, this was figured in Jacobs wreſtling, Gen. 32. 25. to the end, which is explained, Hoſea 12. 4. Yea, he had power over the Angel and prevailed, yea, he wept and made ſupplication, the party that Jacob wreſtled with is called a man, an Angel, and God; a man for the ſhape and form aſſumed, an Angel to note the ſecond perſon who is the Meſſenger of the Covenant, and God, Gen. 32. 30. 'Twas ſuch an Angel as bleſſed him, which is proper to God, now in the aſſumed body Jacob wreſtled with him, which was ſymbolical; the Prophet referreth it to his Prayers, but how is it ſaid he could not prevail againſt Jacob? With a blaſt of his mouth he might have confounded him, and it had been as eaſie for him to maim and deſtroy every joynt, as to make him halt and ſame of one thigh. I anſwer, he could not becauſe he would not, he gave out but ſuch a meaſure of ſtrength to the body aſſumed, and the Lord did wreſtle both in and againſt Jacob, in Jacobo Deus eſt ſeipſo fortior, he wreſtleth againſt us with his left hand, and ſtrengtheneth us with his right, ſo that Gods power prevaileth over himſelf; all this is ſpoken to ſhew what need we have of a divine power; when we ſtrive with God.
But now what is it to pray in the Holy Ghost? I ſhall anſwer it in a word, the Spirit helpeth us in prayer in a way of gifts or graces, in a way of gifts, that the heart may not be bound up, and that we may have neceſſary words to give vent to affections: Adam maimed us both as to gifts as well as graces, and therefore that our ſupplies in Chriſt may be anſwerable, the Spirit beſtoweth upon us the gift of prayer, that we may inlarge our ſelves to God on all oncaſions, this gift was either extraordinary and proper to the firſt times of the Goſpel, when they were able of a ſudden to dictate a prayer in a ſtrange Language which they had never learned; ſo 'tis ſaid 1 Cor. 14. 15. I will pray with the Spirit, and with understanding alſo: Many did pray with the Spirit, that is, made uſe of this gift, but to the neglect of edifying, they did not pray ſo as they might be underſtood by the Hearers: Now ſaith the Apoſtle I would uſe the gift, but to edification, ſo as the underſtanding of the Auditory may go along with me.
2. The ordinary gift of the Spirit, is that ſpecial dexterity whereby men are able to put their meaning into apt words; 'tis not of ſuch a miraculous infuſion and ſo wonderful in its ſelf as the former, becauſe it dependeth much upon the temper and ſuitable conſtitution of the body; and is much bettered by induſtry, hearing, reading, meditation, conference, &c. As all other ordinary habits are, but ſuch a gift there is in the Church as we find by plain experience, many mens tongues being as the pen of a ready Writer, Pſal. 45. 1. All miraculous gifts are now turned into ordinary gifts ſomewhat like them, as diſcerning of Spirits into a ſagacity and ca…telous prudence, gifts of tongues into a ſpecial dexterity that way, and gifts of healing into skill in phyſick… ſo ſtraying with the spirit into readineſs of utterance and freedom of ſpeech: Now though we we are to covet the beſt gifts and ſtrive after them, yet we muſt be contented with our meaſures: Sometimes this gift is given to carnal men, becauſe of their▪ ſervice in the Church, gifts are for the body, they may have great abilities to pray and preach, and may be carried on with full gales of outward aſſiſtance: Uſually 'tis given unto men according to their conſtitution and natural receptivity, all cannot expect a like quickneſs and inlargement of ſpeech, in the Pen-men of Scripture you may obſerve a difference of character and ſtile according to their temper and education, though there aſſiſtance as to words was alſo infallible, Iſ…y writeth in a courtly stile, and Jeremiah in a prieſtly. and Amos his manner of ſpeech reliſheth of his calling; in the new Teſtament John is Seraphical, Paul argumentative, and Peter writeth in a milky, ſweet, middle-way &c.
2. There is the gracious aſſiſtance of the holy Ghoſt; now this is either Habitual or Actual.
1. Habitual grace is neceſſary to prayer, Zech. 12. 10. I will pour upon them a ſpirit of grace and ſupplications; where there is grace there will be ſupplications, as ſoon as we are new born we fall a crying: Behold he prayeth, Acts. 9. 11. is the firſt news we hear of Paul after his converſion; prayer is a kindly duty to the new creature, things of …n airy and fiery nature, a little thing will carry them upward; … their natural motion and tendency; the regenerate are eaſily drawn into Gods preſence, 'tis the vent and utterance by which we diſcover the impreſſion that is upon us; the Prieſts were to waſh in the great l…vour, before they went to th… Altar; *Tit. 3. 5.we are w…ſhed in the lavor of regeneration, and renewed by the holy Ghoſt, and ſo made fit to offer ſpiritual ſacrifices, acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt.
2. There is actual help and aſſistance which we have from the ſpirit; though a man be regenerate, yet he cannot pray as he ought unleſs we be ſtill moved and aſſiſted by the holy Ghoſt; this is continual, for we ſoon work out the ſtrength which we have received: Now theſe actual motions do either concern the time of prayer, or the matter and the manner of it. 1. The time of p…ayer, the ſpirit ſuggeſteth the fitteſt ſeaſons, he that ſearcheth out the deep things of God, knoweth the acceptable times, Pſal. 32. 6. and accordingly giveth notice to the heart, by ſetting it a work in ſerious addreſſes to God, Pſal. 27. 8. Thou ſaidſt ſeek ye my face, and my heart ſaid, thy face Lord will I ſeek; god ſpeaketh to us by holy motions, and the impulſions of his grace, and we anſwer God by a ready obedience; 'tis the worſt ſcorn we can put upon one whom we hate, when we deny to ſpeak with him when he ſendeth for us; by theſe motions we are invited to come and confer with God, do not ſay I am not at leaſure; I would not have this interpreted, as if every motion to prayer were from the ſpirit; 'tis poſſible Satan may oppreſs an anxious ſoul with the tyranny of unreaſonable impulſions to duty, I only underſtand ſuch motions as are regular and according to the word; neither would I again be ſo underſtood as if God were never to be called upon, or we were never to pray but when the ſpirit moveth us, that's one of the carnal fancies of many wretches now; no, no, God muſt have his dayly acknowledgment, give us this day our dayly bread; but my meaning is, that ſuch a ſeaſon when we are ſo ſtrongly moved by the ſpirit of God, ſhould not be neglected.
2. Thy matter of prayer is ſuggeſted by the holy Ghoſt, let a man alone and he will ſoon run into a temptation, and cry for that which it were cruelty in God to give him; therefore the direction of the holy Ghoſt is neceſſary that we may not ask a ſcorpion inſtead of a fiſh, and a ſtone inſtead of bread, Rom. 8. 27▪ He maketh interceſſion for the Saints, according to the will of God. We take counſel of our luſts and intereſts when we are left to our own private ſpirit, and ſo would have God to be a Minister of our carnal deſires, and would engage him in our quarrels and private revenges: or elſe ask meat for our luſts; now the holy Ghoſt teacheth us to ask not only what is lawful, but what is expedient for us, that ſo the will of God may take place before our inclinations.
3. For the manner in every moral action; the manner of working is a chief circumſtance, a man may ſin in doing good, but not in doing well: now in prayer where we have immediately to do with God, we ſhould take great heed in what manner we come to him; the right manner is when we come with affection, with confidence, with reverence.
1. With affection, 'tis the holy Ghoſt ſet us a groaning, Rom. 8. 26. He maketh interceſſion for the Saints with ſuch ſighs and groans as cannot be uttered; words are but the outſide of prayer, ſighs and groans are the language which God will underſtand, and theſe are the prayers which the holy Ghoſt maketh for us, and in us; we learn to mourn from the Turtle, from him that deſcended in the form of a Dove, he draweth ſighs from the heart and tears from the eyes; parts may furniſh us with eloquence, but the ſpirit giveth affection, that earneſt reaching forth of ſoul, that holy importunity, that ſpiritual violence, 'tis all of his working, many a prayer is neatly ordered, and tunably delivered, but this artifice of words ſmelleth of the man, then it ſavoreth of the holy Ghoſt, when there is life and power in it, and the poor ſupplicant ſets himſelf to wreſtle with God, as if he would overcome him by his own ſtrength.
2. With confidence, when we come in a child-like manner and call God father, Rom. 8. 16. We have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father: Uſually we do not minde this part of the Spirits help in Prayer, we look to gifts and inlargements, but not to this child-like confidence, that we maybe able to cal God father without blaſphemy and reproach, tis an eaſie matter to language it with our mouths, but to have the ſenſe of our adoption in our hearts is a difficult thing, ſometimes the Spirit witneſſeth it more explicetly by expreſſions, as if it were ſaid when we go to prayer, Be of good cheer, thy ſins are pardoned, God is thy God at other times by impreſſions or more ſecret inſtincts, if not by working child like confidence yet child like affection, optando ſi non affirmando, that we may call God Father by option and choiſe, if not by direct affirmation or a clear ſenſe of our adoption.
2. With reverence, that we may be ſerious and awful, God is beſt ſeen in the light of his own Spirit; the Heathens could ſay non loquendum de Deo ſine lumine, we need light from God when we come to ſpeak of or to God. That ſenſe of the Lords greatneſs and thoſe freſh and awful thoughts that we have of his Majeſty in prayer they are ſtirred up in us by the Holy Ghoſt, he uniteth and gathereth our hearts together, that they may not be ravelled and flittered abroad by impertinent and vain thoughts, Pſal. 86. 11. Leave men to themſelves and they will do as fooliſhly as a man that is to gather a poſie for his friend and filleth it fuller of ſtinking weeds than flowers, we ſhall mingle many unfavoury worldly thoughts, or deal as baſely and affrontingly with God, as if a man under the Law ſhould mingle Sulphure and Brimſtone with the ſweet perfumes that were in the Cenſer, luſt will be interpoſing in prayer, and out-talking grace; therefore that we may be reverend and heedful, we muſt uſe the help of the Spirit, praying in the Spirit and watching thereunto with all perſeverance, Eph. 6. 18.
Well then, when thou goeſt to prayer look upon the Holy Ghoſt as appointed by the Father and purchaſed by the Son to help thee in this ſweet and comfortable ſervice, Rom. 8. 26. the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, foreign, goeth to the other end of the ſtaff and beareth a part of the burden, we are tugging and wreſtling at it and can make no work of it, but the Spirit cometh and puts under his ſhoulder, and then it cometh off kindly.
2. It informeth us how much they ſin that are ſo far from praying with the Holy Ghoſt, that they do not pray with their own ſpirit, alas this is but babling when the heart doth not go along with the lips.
3. It informeth us of the priviledges of the Saints. God is their Father, willing to hear prayers, Chriſt is their advocate willing to preſent their requeſts in Court and the Spirit a Notary to indite and draw up their requeſts for them, oh what incouragement have we to go to the throne of Grace! Surely we do not improve our priviledges or elſe we might have more comfortable acceſs to the Father through Chriſt by the Spirit, Eph. 2. 18.