Jude 24–25

WE have finished (by Gods assistance) the two first parts of this divine Epistle, viz.

1. The Title. Conteined in the two first verses.

2. The Body and substance of the Epistle, conteined from the 2d. verse to the 24.

The third Part, the Conclusion, layd downe in ver. 24.25. remaines to be handled. Though I shall rather briefly touch, then handle these two verses. Both because my scope when I began this Epistle was to insist upon the body and substance thereof, and because I have already at large spoken of the main part of the 24th verse, viz. Christ preserving us from falling, and also in regard that the substance of the 25th verse is handled by those who comment upon the Lords Prayer, and both largely and learnedly by Doctor Gouge in his Exposition of that prayer.

These two verses shut up this whole Epistle with a sacred and solemn Doxology, and celebration of Gods name by praise and thanksgiving. And three parts are herein principally considerable.

1. The person to whom praise is given, the Lord Christ, set forth three wayes.

1. By his power. 1. To keep these Christians from falling. 2. To present them faultlesse before, &c.

2. By his Wisedome. The only wise God.

3. By his Goodnesse. Our Saviour.

2. What the praise is that is given him, viz. The praise of Glory. Majesty. Dominion. Power, All amplified by their duration, now and ever.

3. The manner how this praise is given him, intended in this word Amen.

1. For the first. The party praysed, is so described by our Apostle, as that the saith of these Christians may be the more confirmed in the praying for and expecting those things to which Jude in this Epistle had exhorted them.

And first he is set forth by his power, 1. To preserve them from falling. Of this power of Christ to preserve from falling into sinne and misery, I have at large spoken part 1. pag. 58, 59. &c. on these words, preserved in Christ Jesus. I here avoid repetition.

2. He is set forth by his power to present them faultlesse before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. In which words are contained a description of the glorio usestate of the Church in heaven. This estate is, 1. Generally propounded. 2. Particularly exemplifyed.

1. In the generall proposition the saints are said to be presented before the presence of his glory.

2. The particular exemplification thereof is

1. Privative, by removing of all deformity, noted in the word faultlesse.

2. Positive, by partaking of fulnesse of joy, noted in this expression, with exceeding joy.

1. Statcere, sistere. The word (present) Gr. στῆσαι, Imports, 1. To place or set, as Matth. 4.5. Matth. 18.2. To dispose of a thing to a station. And 2. To place it in a way of firmnesse and stability, to establish it, Rom. 3.31. Matth. 12.26. The same thing is intended both here and Eph. 5.27. 〈Greek〉. where the Apostle speaks of Christs presenting to himselfe a glorious Church: in which place the word [present] is taken from the custome of solemnizing a marriage. First the Spouse was wooed, and then set before or presented to her husband, that he might take her for his wife to be with him. Thus Eve was presented by God to Adam, that he might take her for his wife, Gen. 2.22. and Esther was presented to Ahasuerus; to which custome Paul elegantly alludes 2 Cor. 11.2. I have espoused you to one husband, that I may παραστῆσαι, Present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. And this presentation is said to be before the presence of his glory. Gr. κατενώπιον τῆς δόξης. By this glory is meant the beaming forth, discovery, manifestation of the excellency of Christ before the saints. That of which Christ speaks, Joh. 17.24. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, &c. By which glory I understand, not only that glory of soul and body, which he hath in common with the saints, subjectively abiding and inherent in him; but also that which is bestowed upon the humane nature by the personall union, and its exaltation to the right hand of God, above all saints and Angels. Before the presence of this his glory shall the saints be placed. Κατενώπιον, before it, coram, Rev. 3.21. in conspectu, in the full view of it, in a clear and open vision (not as having a glymps of this glory) right against it; The sunshine of Christs glory shall be full upon them, and they look full upon it, yea so as to be made partakers of it (in their measure;) this Sun looking upon them will make them shine also. Mat. 13.42. The wife of Christ shall shine with his beames, and be advanced to his dignity, so far as she is capable of it; she shall eat and drinke with him at his table in his Kingdome. Luk. 22.30. and Eph. 5.27. Its said she shall be presented a glorious Church.

Thus we see this glorious estate is generally propounded. But 2. Its particularly exemplyfied, and that.

1. Negatively, and so its said, he will present the saints without spot, ἀμώμους, irreprehensible, unblameable, such as in whom the greatest Carper, or strictest and most curious beholder shall not be able to behold any thing amisse, no defect of what should be, or excesse of what should not be. The Church shall not have spot, wrinkle, or any such thing, no staine, or scar, no freckle or deformity. Nothing of staine or contagion received from others, no wrinkle, no defect of spirituall moysture, nothing which may make her seeme uncomely in Christs eye: not onely great and heinous sins (which are great botches and boyles) but every least speck and wrinkle shall be taken away. Now sin is subdued, but then it shall be rooted out. Here saints are freed from the power of it, but then from the presence of it also. He who will wipe away all teares from the eyes of his Church, will undoubtedly take away all matter of mourning from her soule. Heaven would not be heaven to a saint, could any spot continue in heaven. But when sin is gone, sorrow must needs flye away: if the fountaine be dryed up, the streames must needs follow. Sin brought in teares, and teares shall goe away with sin. Because saints shall be presented faultlesse, therefore with exceeding joy: For,

2. This glory is exemplyfied positively, With exceeding joy. Gr. ἀγαλλιάσει. The word imports an exceeding joy, Gaudium gestuosum. with an outward leaping, dancing, or some such cheerfull motion of body, an exultation which is exprest in the gesture. 1 Pet. 18. Unspeakable is the joy in the hoping for this glory; How great will the joy be of having it! A Bunch of grapes greatly delights, what then will all the Crop of Canaan! Its call’d not only fulnesse of joy, Gaudium est quoddam filentinm appetitum &c, quidam thronus jam considentis affectus, quoddam sine sastidio epulum cord is, quaedam mors desiderii, quidam avaritia limes, &c. quoddam satis. Nieremb. de arte vol. l. 1. Prolep. 5. but joy it selfe, Mat. 25 41. And needs must it be so; for what is joy but the quieting and resting of the soule in its object, the filling it to the brim with what it desired! Joy is the stilling of all our longings, a cessation of all our cravings. Joy to desire, is what rest is in respect of motion. When motion ends, then comes rest. When desire is fill’d, then comes joy. Now what crevis, cranny, nook or corner of the soule is there which shall not be satisfied in heaven, by the immediate and perfect fruition of that chief good, God himselfe, who is the heaven of heaven, and who shall fill the soule as those waterpots of Galilee were fill’d up to the very brims? There shall be no empty spaces left in the soule untaken up. He who hath fulness enough to fil himself (a vast ocean) must needs have enough to fill the soule (comparatively) a small vessell. He who is selfe-sufficient, alsufficient, must needs be soule-sufficient.

Thus the person is described in respect of his power.

2. He is set forth by his wisedome, in these words, The onely wise God.

1. He is call’d God. Of which largely before part 1. pag. 356, 357. &c.

2. He is call’d wise. He oft in scripture, hath the name wisdome it selfe Prov. 8.22, 23, 24. &c. Christ is call’d the wisdome of God. This his wisdome (as here attributed to God) is twofold. 1. His wisdome of science, or theoreticall wisdome, whereby he is omniscient, and with one immutable, eternall act of understanding perfectly sees, and perceives, observes, and knows all things. 2. His wisdome of working, Job. 12.13. whereby he does all things, both in respect of Creation and providence with infinite wisdome: Oculus mundi. according to the former, he is said to be a God of knowledge, 1 Sam. 2.3. There is no Creature that is not manifest in his sight. All things are naked and opened unto his eyes. Heb. 4.13. Known unto God are all his works. Acts 15.18. He seeth under the whole heaven. 2. According to the latter, he is said to make all his workes in wisdome. Psal. 104.24. By wisdome he made the heavens. Psal. 136.5 Isa. 40.28. Psal. 92.6. By wisdome hath he founded the earth, and stablisht the world, Prov. 3.19. Jer. 10.12. &c.

3. He is said to be onely wise. Not to exclude the wisdome of the Father, and holy Ghost, but the wisdome of all the Creatures. As God the Father is call’d the onely true God, not to exclude the Son and holy Ghost; And though the Creatures have wisdome, yet is not theirs comparable to Christs, nor deserves the name of wisdome. 1. For his wisdome of science, which is 1 universal, perfect compleat. He knowes himselfe and all things, Joh. 21.17. 1 Joh. 3.20. Acts 15.18. Knowne to God are his works, Psal. 147.5. his understanding is infinite. Whereas the greatest part of what man knowes is the least part of what he doth not know. 2. Hee knowes things to come. Isa. 41.23. Men and divells cannot foretell future Contingents, but either by Gods discovery, Praescientia Dei tot habet •estes quot facit Prophetas. Tert. Potentiae divina extenditur ultra futura. or conjecturally. His prescience, hath so many witnesses as he hath made Prophets.

3. He knows all things possible, though they never shall actually be: his knowledge is as large as his power, and his power is such as that he can doe more then he ever will do. An artificer may frame that house in his head which he never will set up with his hand. God calleth those things that are not as if they were, Rom. 4.17.

4. He knows all things clearly, particularly, distinctly. All things are anatomiz’d, ript up before him. Heb. 4.13. His knowledge is not (as ours) generall or confused. We are said to know a man, though we know not an hundred things in a man.

5. He knowes the least things. Every circumstance of every action. His knowledge extends it selfe to every hair of the head, Matth. 10.30. Every sparrow that lights on the ground.

6. He knowes things with one simple view; not as man, by sense, opinion, relation, reasoning and discoursing, and drawing conclusions from proposition, and gathering knowledge of that which is lesse knowne by that which is more knowne. He is not for knowledge beholding (as we are) to the images and representations of things, which first are printed on our sancy, and thence offered to our understanding. Hee goes not out of himselfe to the objects for knowledge. He knew them before they were.

7. 2 Chron. 28.9 Jer. 11, 24, 17.10. 1 King. 8.39. Psal. 139.2. Psal. 94.11. Ezek. 14.3. 1 Cor. 4.5. Matth. 9.4. Obliviscitur ἐνεργητικῶς non παθητικῶς. He knows the secretest things, even the very thoughts of the heart, he knows them when they are, hee knows them before they are; as what we do think, so what we will think, he puts thoughts into us, he publisheth, punisheth, reproveth thoughts.

8. He knowes permanently, nothing slips out. He forgets nothing, his knowledg can neither bee diminish’t nor increas’d.

And 2. for the wisedome of his working. 1. He onely is originally wise; the wisdome of the wisest is from him. Bezaleels wisdome was bestowed by him, hee tiacheth men wisedome: all wisedome either speculative or practical is from Christ, every candle received light from his. The very husbandmans discretion is from God; Isa. 28.26. 2. He onely is exactly, perfectly, throughly wise, all his works for number, measure, and weight are done to the height of wisedome, not one of the creatures could have been made in greater wisdome. The fayrest copy that was ever written by the sons of men had some blots and scratches in it. The wisest men sometime slip and sleep like the wise virgins. 3. Hee onely is irresistibly wise, there is no wisedome against him, Prov. 21.30. None can goe beyond him. He destroyes the wisedome of the wise, 1 Cor. 1.19. and bringeth to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

3. The person praysed is set forth from his goodnesse and compassion in saving. Concerning the meaning of the word Saviour, as also from what Christ saves, and how excellent a salvation his is, see before Part. 1. p. 195.196, 197.

2. The second main part of this Doxology, is The praise it selfe which is here given to Christ, viz. the praise of Glory. Majesty. Dominion. Power. All set forth by the duration, for ever & ever.

1. Glory. By it I understand that infinite and incomprehensible excellency by which Christ excelleth all, and for which he is to be honoured above all. The glory of a thing is that excellency thereof, Exod. 33.20. which causeth it to be in high esteeme, and procureth fame and renown unto it. The glory of his essence is the God-head it self. When Moses desired God to show him his glory, God answered, Thou canst not see my face, for there shall no man see me and live, so that Gods glory is his face, and his face is himself. This Glory is the fountain of all glory, and excellency in the creature. All the creatures shine in any excellency with beams borrowed from Gods glory, as the stars shine with the light they receive from the Sun. And its brightnesse obscureth all other glory. The glorious angels have wings to cover their faces; otherwise the brightnes of Gods glory would dazle them. The glory of God is without measure, infinite, above comprehension, A light to which none can approach, 1 Tim. 6.16. When God darted a faint ray of this glory upon Moses’s face, they were afraid to come nigh him. How much more may any creature be afraid to come to God by reason of the incomprehensible shining of his glorious face? When the Sun shines the Stars are not seen. When Gods glory shines no other is seen.

2. Magnifi•er•ia est• erum magnarum & excelsatum cum animi ampla quadam & splendida propositione agitatio atque administratio. Cic, de Juvent. Majesty. Gr. μεγαλωσύνη, Majesty or magnificence. By this we are to understand that admirable highnesse and greatnesse, amplitude, splendor, dignity of Christ (as God) which appears principally in his works, thereby making himselfe wonderfull, Psal. 111.3. The works of the Lord are great, and called wonderfull. The royall Majesty of Solomon, Ahasuerus, Nebuchadnezzar, in their apparell, buildings, feastings, attendance, &c. were but sordid and contemptible in comparison of Gods Majesty shewn forth in the truth, wisedome, justice, goodnesse, power of his works. In respect of these the Psalmist saith, he is cloathed with honour and Majesty.

3. Dominion, κράτος, properly signifying strength, Luk. 1.51. sometime power and by consequent dominion. I here understand by κράτος, the strength and ability of Christ, whereby hee can doe whatsoever hee will. This strength and might extendeth it selfe unto every thing that by power may bee done. Is any thing too hard for the Lord? Gen. 18.14. Psal. 115.3. 1 Job. 4.4. Psa. 147.5. Eph. 3.20, 21. With God nothing is impossible. Luk. 1.37. With God all things are possible. Mar. 10.27. He is God Almighty, παντοκράτωρ. All things are within the compasse of his power, but such as import impotency and imperfection, as matters of iniquity, contradiction, passion, infirmity &c. All the power of the Creature is derived from, and subordinate to this.

4. Power. Gr. ἐξουσία. Ab ἐξέστι non est jus proprie, sed efficacia, talis quae quod vult aequum aut iniquum facile effectum dat. Grot. in Joh. 19.10. 〈Greek〉. Libertas est potestas agendi ut velis, quâ datur extra alios esse, aliis obstrictum non esse, sed liberum, sui juris supereminere, praecellere. 〈Greek〉 q•asi 〈Greek〉. The word signifieth authority and power. It properly importeth a Liberty to doe as one list. By it in this place Jude (I conceive) intends that supreme soveraignty and authority which Christ hath over all things, in governing and commanding them. He is an absolute Lord. Of this I have largely discoursed, part 1. pag. 344, 345. &c. on those words, The onely Lord.

2. All these are amplified from their duration. Now, and ever. Gr. καὶ νῦν καὶ εἰς πάντας τοὺς αἰῶνας. Now that is in this life, and in all the ages of the world. The originall word αἰὼν doth properly signifie that which is for ever, and because an age is the usuall and longest distinction of time, this same word is put for age. And when there is no end of that which is spoken of, the plurall number ages, or all ages, is used to set out the everlastingnesse of it. And this Eternity properly taken, is proper to God. For though other things are said sometimes to be for ever, and may have sempiternity or everlastingnesse (which looks forward to that which is to come;) yet they have not Eternity, which looketh backward and forward, and cannot (as here the properties of God) be said to be without beginning and ending. Besides, the very continuance of every creature is alterable and dependent. All the glory, majesty, power, Acts 17.28. Rom. 11.36. Dominion of the Creature is as the flower of the field, fading, indeed every thing in this world, like flowers, the sweeter they are, the shorter lived they are, and the sooner withering; the more beautifull (as they say of glasse) the more brittle.

3. Lastly, In this divine doxology, Amen signaculum orationis Dominicae. Hier. in Mat. 6. is considerable after what manner, or with what affection this praise is given; this is set down in the word Amen. Which imports a Confirmation of all that was said before, as is clear from 1 Kings 1.36. The Greek Translators turn it γένοιτο, be it done. And the root from whence the word cometh signifieth as much; but it was held fit by the primitive Church, Non est interpretatum, non ut esset negatum, sed ne vilesceres nudatum. Aug. Trac. in Joh. 41. Judai non solum ad omnes preces, sed ad omnes Conciones & Expositiones Allegoricas, dicere debent Amen, ut per hoc significent, quod credant id omne quod Rabbini l•quuntur. Buxtorf, de Synagog. Judaic. c. 1. p. 64. for the greater dignity of the word, (saith Augustin) not to translate it. Some have noted, that it cannot be translated without losing much of its weight; for when ‘tis added to a speech, it is 1. A note of assent, and therefore it was not used onely by the Jewes at prayer, but at the Sermons and Expositions delivered by the Rabbins, to testifie that the people assented, and agreed to all that they taught. Hence Amen may not unfitly be call’d (as it were) a kinde of audible subscription. Thus the Apostle 1 Cor. 14.16. directs the Christians to speake in a known tongue, that the unlearn’d understanding what he heareth, may give his assent to it by saying, Amen. 2. It importeth earnest desire. Hence Jer. 28.6. Jeremiah said Amen to the (though false) prophesie of Hananiah concerning the returne of the Captives to their Land, to shew how earnestly he desired that it might be so. 3. Stedfast faith, or a trusting that the thing to which we say Amen shall so be as was spoken, either when petition’d by us, or promis’d by God. And hence it is that Christ having made a promise of his second Coming, the Church saith, Amen. Rev. 22.20.

Having thus briefly explained this concluding Doxology, I might draw from its severall parts very many large and fruitfull Observations. But because I have noted many of them in the forenamed places where I have met with the same subjects contained in these verses, as also because I onely intended a touch upon this Doxology, I shall conclude with these generall notes.

1. Obs. 1. Praysing of God is a worke very sutable to Saints.

2. After all exhortations for the obtaining any good, Obs. 2. God must bee acknowledged the Authour of that good.

3. Its our duty to praise God for future blessings, Obs. 3. for what we have in hope, as well as for what wee have in hand.

4. Spirituall blessings principally deserve our praises. Obs. 4.

5. In our adresses to God, Obs. 5. wee should have such apprehensions, and use such expressions concerning him as may most strengthen our faith.

6. Our speeches concerning Christ, must be with highest honour and reverence. Obs. 6.

7. Prayse should conclude that work which Prayer began. Obs. 7.

8. The concluding thanksgivings which are affixed to writings, are onely to be given to God. Rom. 16.27. Obs. 8. Clausulae doxologicae Deo propriae. Estius. in 2 Pet. 2 Tim. 4.18. Heb. 13.21. &c. I have ever with the deepest abhorrency of my soul lookt upon the endings of many Popish books, especially of those made by Jesuits, who share their concluding praises, between God and Saints. Thus Tannerus concludes his first Tome of School-divinity, Pineda his Comment on Ecclesiastes, with returns of prayse to God and the Virgin. Quos mihi ad hoc opus patronos & tutelares advocavi. pag. 1659. Virgini Dei genetrici Mariae & divini numinis conciliatrici. Baron: ad fin. Tom. 1. Annal. Tua ope et intertersessione da, ut quod hic exterius scripsi, interius spiritus sanctus suggerat. Cornel. à Lapide in Heb. 13. ad fin. Sanctius ends his on the Kings and Chronicles, with ascribing the glory to God, the Virgin Mary, Ignatius, and Francis Xaverius; all which (saith he blasphemonsly) I have called upon as my Patrons and Defenders in the performing this work. Thus Baronius ends the First Tome of his Annals with ascribing the praise thereof to God the Father, Son and holy Ghost, and (to use his own words) to the most holy Virgin Mary, the mother of God and our reconciler. But Cornelius à Lapide exceeds all, in blasphemy and idolatry, who divides all the praises between Saint Paul and the Virgin Mary, at the end of his Comment on Pauls Epistles. Hee tells Paul, that by his strength and intercession, he had performed that work, and hee desires him to grant that the holy Ghost may make his writings beneficiall to others, yet hee tells the Virgin Mary, that he owes himselfe, Cui me, meaque omuia debeo, utpote quae me in hoc opere direxit, invit, instruxit, •ss•it que , ut tarda, & impolita mens & manus mea fiereut calamus scribae velociter scribentis. Id, Ibid. and all his works to her, and that shee hath made his dul mind and hand, as the pen of a ready writer, pag. 1035, 1036.

For my selfe, All of good that I have, can doe, or have in this or any other service ever done, I humbly desire may be returned only to the honour and praise of my most dear and blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, whose grace was the principle of all that is rightly done in this performance, whose spirit was my guide in doing it, whose word was my rule, whose glory was my end, whose merit can alone procure acceptance for me and all my services, and the everlasting enjoyment of whose presence is my souls desire and longing. Amen.

FINIS.