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1015 w-helpers to the truth. 9. I wrote unto the church: t Diotrephes, who loveth to have the pre-eminence ong them, receiveth us not. 10. Wherefore if I come, will remember his deeds which he doth, prating against us ith malicious words: and not content therewith, neither th he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth em that would, and cafteth them out of the church.

Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that hich is good. He that doth good, is of God: but è that doth evil, hath not feen God. 12. Demetrius ath good report of all men, and of the truth it felf: ea, and we also bear record, and ye know that our reord is true. i 13. I had many things to write, but will not with ink and pen write unto thee: 14. But I truft fhall fhortly fee thee, and we shall speak face to face. eace be to thee. Our friends falute thee. Greet the iends by name.

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JUDE.

About the Year of our Lord 66.

2.

UDE the fervant of Jefus Chrift, and a brother of James, to them that are fanctified by God the Faher, and preferved in Jefus Chrift, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love be multiplied. Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you f the common falvation, it was needful for me to

II.

d

O † Pfal. 37.27. + Ifa. I. is true. 5. t Pet. 3. 11. See on Rom.

9.

k

13. + 2 Joh. ver. 12.

I.

JUDE.

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a + Luk. 6. 16. Judas the 5 Brother of James.- † A&ts 1.13.— They went into an Upper-Room, where abode Peter, and Judas the Brother of James. See the Note on Mat. 10. 3.

Joh. 3. 6, 9. Whofoever ideth in him finneth not whofoer finneth hath not feen him, neier known him. Whofgever is n of God doth not commit Sin; for s Seed remaineth in him: and cannot fin, because he is born of 10

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b† Joh. 17. 11, 12.
See on Joh. 10. 28.

2.

d

† 1 Pet. I.

See on Rom. 1. 7.

3. Tit. 1. 4. To Titus mine own fon after the common Faith.

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write unto you, and exhort you that ye fhould earn eftly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the faints. 4. For there are certain men £ crept in unawares, who were before of (1) old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lafcivioufnefs, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jefus Chrift. 5. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord having faved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward deftroyed them that believed not. 6. And the m angels which kept not their firft eftate [Or, principality], but left their own habitation, he hath a referved in everlasting chains under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day. 7. Even as Sodom and Gomorrha,

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9. 22.

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t2 Pet. 2. 19. While they promise them liberty, they themfelves are the Servants of Corsruption.

Tit. 1. 16. † 2 Pet. 2. 1. See

on 1 Tim. 5. 8.

et Phil. 1. 27. That ye ftand faft in one Spirit, with ane Mind, Atriving together for the Faith of the Gofpel. Tim. 1. 18. This charge I commit unto thee, fon Timothy, according to the Prophecies which went before of thee, that thou by them mightft War a good Warfare. t1 Tim. 6. 12. Fight the good Fight of Faith, lay hold on eternal 1064. Life. 2 Tim, 4. 7. I have fought a good Fight, I have finished my Courfe, I have kept the Faith.

4. f Gal. 2.4. Because of falfe Brethren unawares brought in.

2 Pet. 2. 1. There were falfe Prophets alfo among the People, even as there fhall befalfe Teacher's among you.

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5. See on Cor. 10. 9.

1+ Numb. 14. 37. † Numb. 26.
Heb. 3. 17, 19.
See on !

Cor. 10. 5.

6.

m

Joh. 8. 44. [The Devil} -abode not in the Truth.

nt 2 Pet. 2. 4. See on Luk. 8. 1531. Alfo the Note on 2 Pet. 2. 4.

fi Pet. 2. 8. See on Rom. 20

• Rev. 20. 10. The Devil that deceived them, was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimftone.P See on Luk, 17, 29. 7.

(1) The proper rendering of the Greek here, is not, who were of old r dained to this Condemnation, but, of whom it was before written, or, proph fied, that this fhould be their Condemnation, or, Punishment. The Opinion therefore of thofe who think, that God has ordained the much greater Part of Mankind to deftruction, even before they had a Being, can receive o Confirmation from this Place. This Nation is fo contrary to the How nefs, Goodness, and Justice of God, that a Man cannot think of it without horror. But it no way impeaches the Divine Perfections to say, that God has appointed fuch Sinners as are here defcribed, to puhment. Condemnation and Punishment have refpe&t to fin. If therefore Mex will ufe the Grace, and accept of the Terms offered to them in the to fpel; if they will turn from their Sins, and live a new Life, they may be fecure that n Decree of God's will exclude them from Salvation,pf will they be in Danger of being condemned and punified.

Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner iving themselves over to fornication, and going after ftrange [Gr. other] flefh, are fet forth for an example, uffering the vengeance of (1) eternal fire. 8. Likewife

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(1) That the Duration of the Punishment of the Wicked in the future tate, will be Eternal, is plainly delivered in the New-Teftament. [See he Word Hell in the Index.] Againft this it has been objected, that it is ot confiftent with the Goodness and Justice of God, to punish finite and mporary Sins with Eternal Punishments. I therefore think it proper to fay omething on this Subject, though I cannot far enter into it. I am firm7 perfuaded that God neither can, nor will do any thing inconfiftent ith his Goodness and Justice; but that the Annexing Eternal Punishments, s a part of the Sanction of his Laws, is inconfiftent with thefe Attributes, not fo evident to me, and will lie upon thofe to prove who affirm it. very thinking Man will, upon a thorough Examination, find that the aws of God are holy, juft, and good; that an Obligation to obey them, arifes om the Reason and Nature of Things; and that they are for the Advantage ad Good of thofe to whom they are given. It is likewife evident in act, that a lefs Penalty would not have been fufficient to have deterred inners from the Breach of them; becaufe many are not deterred ever y the Confideration of Eternal Punishments. And why may not God in rce his Laws by what Penalties he pleafes? Does he do any Injury \to is Creatures, by requiring them to confult their own Interest, and › provide for their own Happiness by the ftrongeft Motives P re not Sinners acquainted before hand what will be the Confequence f their Difobedience to, and Contempt of his Laws? They may erefore choofe whether they will incur this dreadful Penalty or ot. But if neither Interest nor Duty, if neither the Love of God, or the Love of themselves, will prevail with them, they can onblame themselves, when this dreadful Punishment comes upon em. I have one thing more to offer on this Subject. If thofe ho live wickedly, and die impenitently, will for ever continue in at State, it cannot then be faid that they are punifhed only for ite and temporary Sins. Should this be the Cafe, (and I do nor e how it can be proved that it will not), the Objection lofes its feeming force, and comes to nothing. The best and safest Jay will be to drop all Difputes which cannot do either our lves or others any Good, and to ufe our utmost Care and Dilience to avoid thefe Punifhments. This, if we do, we may deend upon fuch a Measure of divine Assistance, as will effectually enole us not only to efcape them, but to obtain an eternal and oft glorious Reward in the Kingdom and Prefence of God; for hich much lefs Pains will be fufficient than Men take to ruine nd deftroy themfelves. I am perfuaded, that the more attentiveVany one confiders the New-Teftament, and what God has done fave Sinners from Eternal Destruction, the more he will be onvinced of the mighty Uncertainty of thofe Arguments which e commonly advanced against the Eternal Duration of fature unishments.

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also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, defpife dominion, and fpeak evil of dignities. 9. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he difputed about the body of Mofes, durft not bring against him faid, the Lord rebuke thee.

a (1) railing accufation, but

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10. But

People. Rev. 12. 7. There was
War in Heaven; Michael and his
Angels fought against the Dragon,
and the Dragon fought and his
Angels.

s Zech. 3. 2. The Lord faid unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, 0 Satan, even the Lord that hath chofen Jerufalem rebuke thee1ot 2 Pet. 2. 11. Whereas Angels which are greater in Power and Might, bring not railing Accufation against them before the Lord.

(1) It is very obfervable, how our Saviour chufes to reprefent to us the Difcourfe between Abraham and the rich Man; though there was the greatest Difference between them imaginable, the one was in Hea ven, the other in Hell, yet they treated one another civilly. Abraham is brought in giving the common Terms of Civility to this wretched wick ed Man, and calling him Son; Son, remember. It was indeed a very fe vere thing which he faid to him, he put him in Mind of his former Profperity, and of his Fault in his, unmerciful Usage of Lazarus; Re member, Son, that thou in thy Life time receivedft thy good things, and Laza rus, &c. But yet whilft he fpeaks fuch fharp things to him, he 'bates bad Language to him. A Man may fay very fevere things, where a ju Occafion requires it; but he muft ufe no Reviling; Rem ipfam dic, mitte male loqui, Say the thing, but ufe no bad Language. And this, as one fays is the true Art of Chiding, the proper Style wherein we muft ufe to reprove. If we do it with Malice, and Anger, and Contempt, it is mif becoming, even though we defpair of doing Good; but if we hope for any good Effect, we are like to mifs of it this Way; for as the Apoftle fays excellently, The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteoufny of God.

This should teach us Chriftians how we ought to demean our felves to wards those who are at the greatest Distance from us, and how we ought to behave our felves towards one another in the greatest Differences of Religion. None fure can be at a greater Distance than Abraham in P radice, and the rich Man in Hell; and yet our Saviour would not repe fent them as at Terms of Defiance with one another. One might E expected that Abraham fhould have reviled this poor Wretch, and · dain'd to have spoken to him: But this is not the Temper of Hearn, T ought it to be of good Men upon Earth, even towards the w of Men.

How does this condemn our Rudeness and Impatience with one

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>. But these "fpeak evil of those things which they now not: but what they know naturally, as brute eafts; in those things they corrupt themfelves. 11. Vo unto them, for they have gone in the way of a Cain, nd ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, nd perifhed in the gainfaying of Core. 12. Thefe are fpots in your feafts of charity, when they feaft with ou, feeding themselves without fear: f clouds they are ithout water, carried about of wind; trees whose fruit ithereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by he roots; 13 Raging waves of the fea, foaming out heir own fhame; wandring ftars, to whom is reserved

10.

2 Pet. 2. 12. Thefe, as atural brute Beafts, Speak Evil f the things they understand not.II. a See on 1 Joh. 3. 12. b See Numb. 22, &c.

c See Numb. 16.

d

12. t2 Pet 2. 13. See on 1 Cor. 1.1. 21.

See on 1 Cor. 11. 21.

† Prov. 25. 14 Whofo boaft-10 th himself of a falfe Gift, is like loud's and Wind without Rain. † 2 et. 2. 17. Thefe are Wells without Vater, Clouds that are carried with

..the a Tempeft, to whom the Mist of Darkness is reserved for ever.,

+ Mat. 15. 13. Every Plant which my heavenly Father hath s not planted, fhall be rooted up.

13. htIfa. 57. 20. The Wicked is like the troubled Sea, when it cannot reft, whofe Waters caft up Mire and dirt.

Phil. 3. 19.-Whofe Glary

is in their Shame.

k. 2 Pet. 2. 17. The Words under. ver. 12.

her in our religious Differences! We think no Terms bad enough to vards one another and yet one of the most famous Difputes that we ind mention'd in Scripture, and that between the moft oppofite Parties hat can be imagined, was managed after another Fashion, I mean, hat recorded by St. Jude, between Michael the Archangel and the Devil et Michael the Archangel, when contending with the Devil, he disputed about, he Body of Mofes, darft not bring a railing Accufation, he durft not allow imfelf this, no, not in the Heat of Difpute, when Perfons are most pt to fly out into Paffion, because it was indecent, and would have been difpleafing to God; this I believe is the true Reafon why it is faid e durf not bring a railing Accufation. And yet I. may add another, which s not improper for our Confideration, I am fure it hath a good Moral; the Devil would have been too hard for him at Railing, he was better kill'd at that Weapon, and more expert at that kind of Difpute.o

Which Confideration may be a good Argument to us against Reviling any Man. If we revile the Good, we are unjuft, becaufe they deserve it not; if we revile the Bad, we are unwife, because we fhall get nothing by it. I could almoft envy the Character which was given of one of the Romans; Nefcivit quid effet male difcere, He knew not what it was o give bad Language. Archbishop Tillerfun's Pofthumous Sermons, Vol. 5. pag. 356, &c.

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